YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

HISTORICAL MEMORIALS

RELATING TO THE

INDEPENDENTS, OR
CONGREGATIONALISTS :
FROM THEIR RISE
TO THE RESTORATION OF THE MONARCHy,
A.D. MDCLX.
BT BENJAMIN HANBURY.
VOLUME II.

*' fb.om this historical delation op our practices, there may a true
estimate be taken op oue opinions in difference; which being instanced in,
and set out bt practices, is the most keal and least collusive way, anu
carries its own evidence with it." Apologetical Narration, 1643.

LONDON;

PRINTED POR
THE CONGREGATIONAL UNION OF ENGLAND AND WALES.
FISHER, SON, & CO., NEWGATE STREET.
AND JACKSON AND WALFORD, ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.

1841.

LONDON : FISHER, SON, AND CO., PRINTERS

ANNOUNCEMENT.

From the success that has attended dihgent research,
the documentary matters for the completion of these
Memorials have accumulated beyond expectation.
The increased historic value and interest thus
acquired, relates more especially to the period in which
the practical application of the principles of Congrega
tionalists was being tested in the territory of New
England ; and while the principles themselves were
undergoing those sifting discussions for which the
debates of the great Assembly of Divines at West
minster are peculiarly distinguished.
In order, therefore, to the furnishing an adequate
amount of the indispensable records of those affairs, it
has been decided, with the entire concurrence of the

ANNOUNCEMENT.
Committee of the Congregational Union, not to diminish
the permanent value of the rest by the exclusion of
these portions of the documents.
Such are the circumstances constituting the ground
of this Appeal, It is made with confidence to the Sub
scribers at large, for their approval of the extension
of the Memorials beyond what was originally stipulated ;
under which further encouragement, all the despatch
that the nature of the undertaking allows, will be used
to expedite the appearance of a third and concluding
volume, September, 1841.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAPTER XXXIV.— Temp. Ciiabi.es L Continued.
HEYLYN'S ANSWER TO BURTON.  MILTOM'S PROPHECY.
Page ] — Heylyn characterized hy some Churchmen — Increase and effect of
PampMets — " Dictator" Burton, gives Laud a Counterbuff — Terror Burton
began to excite — Is answered, by Authority — Heylyn's supercilious com
mencement — Proceeds with an insult, and commits a blunder — Brings his
Dialectics into play — Why he places the High Commission foremost —
Wherein unconstitutional ; and whose the imperishable glory of opposing it
— Heylyn's ne.\t grievance — Defames anti-tyrannical doctrines — Admits that
Prelates gave unlimited power to kings — Illustrates it — King.shold no other
wise than Dei gratia! — Priests use Kings as their tools — Instanced, in King
James — .\gain, in King Charles — Sycophancy — Heylyn now charges those
who refused to read the Book of Sports, with making Conscience only a
pretence ; and imputes broader designs against them — The Case of those
Suspended, in the Dioce.se of Norwich, adduced by him — He asserts that Six
only, not Sixty, were absolutely Suspended there — And Eight only, where
rumour made eighty — Confuted, by Laud's and Wren's own showing — Again,
by Wren's Defence on his Impeachment — State of his Diocese generally —
Burton's statements mainly established — Remark upon that result — Heylyn
proceeds to Innovations — His case — Refuted — Cavilling — Evasions resorted
to — His Conclusion, by way of Condescensioii ! — .Milton describes the secular
Clergy, and announces a Catastrophe — Developed.
CHAP. xxxv.
NINE POSITIONS SENT TO NEW ENGLAND. — ANSWER. — REPLY.
Page 18. — Jealousy of the Puritans towards their emancipated Brethren — Their
Letter opens with general Imputations — The New England Tenets spread at
Horae — Uneasiness of the Puritans thereat— Invite particulars — Premonition
— Benediction — Remark, introductory to the Answer of the Elders in New
England — They commence with acknowledging that they had reviewed their
Principles — Their Practice altered with their Position : and why — Plan and
Grounds of their Answer explained ; with a gentle Reproof for Censorious-
ness  Rigid Separation not justified ; but Progress in Reformation insisted
upon — Their Benediction— Remarks upon their Letter, and explanation of
their Treatise and the Reply to it — The Nine Positions, seriatim.
CHAP. XXXVL
laud's EXILES. — LILBURNE.  ABBOT. — BALL.  I.AtJD'S CANONS. — RETURN
OF HIS VICTIMS, BURTON, ETC.
Page 39  Conceming Lecturers ; how regulated. — Their restrictions induned
People and Ministers to depart the Kingdom : among whom were those Fi\ e
who afterwards attained to peculiar notoriety— Lilbiirne characterized — Title
of one of his boldest Treatises— His grounds of Separation — His Challenge
• — How to be conducted — Posterity his debtors, immensely — Abbot,
against Church- For.sakers — Gives to the word Separation, an attractive
power — Fulsome Invocation — His reason why the name Brownists rejected —
Undesigned Concession— Ball's Friendly Trial — A Clerical dictum counter
vailed — Of his Thesis denying the seat of Power to be in all the Faithful —
Paragraph affiim.ative — Stricture upon it — Specimens of weakness, or incon-

vi CONTENTS.
elusive reasoning — The Convocation, sit illegally — R. Hooker's Presage of the
Church's decline evidenced — Laud, unrelenting — Parliament — They act
against the Ecclesiastics summarily— Triumphant return of two of Laud's
victims — A Committee of Investigation of Sixty Members, appointed without
delay — Prynne's Petition — Burton's and Bastwick's — Particulars, instanced
in Burton's Cause^ — Retribution against the Prelates, advocated — Laud's
downfall depicted — Manifestation of God's Justice — Clarendon's party-
coloured representation ; and Hall's testimony of the increasing disaffection
from the State- Church. CHAP. XXXVIL
THE SCOTS' DEPUTATION  CANNE  PAGET. — DAVENPORT. — DEADMAN'S PLACE.
Page 55. — Announcement — Scottish Self- Sufficiency — Design, first and last, of
the Plotting Scots — Foresight ofthe Separatists — Position of aU the Religious
Parties—" Sion's Prerogative " — John Paget's " Defence " — Cheshire Re
monstrance — Canne's assiduity against Classes — Paget stirred up by Ains
worth — His first instance upset by a non sequitur — He uses argumentum ad
hominem against Canne — An assumption, and a declaration, invalidated —
Davenport's Rejoinder to Paget — Reasons of its late appearance : and. The
two pillar-principles of the Congregational Way — The Charter of a Scrip
tural Church — The material Cause — The forraal Cause — Congregational —
Stability — The " Keys " — Entireness of Jurisdiction — A mistake adduced,
in Matt, xviii. — The greater of two evils, Classical Jurisdiction — A public
occurrence announced — Official Particulars — Explanation — This Congrega
tion of Independents had subsisted above twenty- four years — A Date
ascertained — 'The Site named, geographically laid down.
CHAP. XXXVIIL
THE COMMONS' PROTESTATION. — BURTON.— GEREE.
Page 68. — MTiat occasioned the Protestation — Burton's " Protestation Pro
tested:" Effect on Richard Baxter — View of Burton's Argument — Replied to
by a Presbyterian — The excitement Burton's piece had occasioned, proved —
Its title objected against — An alleged Fallacy, strangely treated of — Remark
upon it — Another strange specimen — Geree's Presbyterian predilections dis
composed — His idea of a National Church — Oversight respecting the parable
of the Tares — Miscellany— An acceptable Prayer.
CHAP. XXXIX.
SURVEY OF burton's PROTESTATION PROTESTED. — HIS SERMON ON LUKE ix. 23.
Page 83. — The Presbyterian, succeeded by a furious Episcopalian — Pre^fatory
announcement — The Onset — Notice — The Instrument, "the Whip" — Taunt,
for having cited Antiquity — Vinegar, administered — Conscience, contemned
— Personal insult, continued — Main battle began — " Iraposition ;" that it
renders Prayers burdensorae — Parliament, descanted upon — Liturgy caressed
— Ceremonies — Discipline — Bishops — Consistories — Separation, contume-
liously treated of.— Of the godly communicating with a profane " brother,"
1 Cor. V. II — Churches, how reduced to Families — A Paragon of a Reviler
— Loyalty, impeached — State supremacy — Perfection, jeered at  Confusion,
arraigned — Reformation ; what, and when to be finished ? — Independent and
not Independent — Hint, in the Conclusion, that the Politicians add fuel to
the dissensions among the Reformers— Title of Burton's Sermon in a time
of the Plague — His doctrine, Self-denial — Its application.
CHAP. XL.
LETTER TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. — ANSWER. — T. EDWARDS. — CHIDLEY.
Page 97. — The Puritans entered actively upon the struggle for Ecclesiastical
Supremacy — Their Letter for Succour — Answer of the General Assembly 
Edwards enters into the Strife, with his " Reasons" — Of his strong Resolu
tions — He and his Presbyterian brethren mistrust their temporary Enjoyment
His dread of Independency — Endeavours to Obstruct Petitions for Toleration
— His first eight " Reasons," seriatim — He brags — Of his other " Reasons" 
His preventive. Intolerance — What he affirms, to prejudice Independents-

CONTENT^. vii
and what he adraits, showing their superiority — How New England came to
be partially imbued with Anti-toleration— Independents, semi-separatists 
Success of Toleration, hereafter— Edwards's simplicity— His spleen— The
Commons discountenance Toleration, as yet— Edwards, self-satisfied— He is
stampt by Milton — His humiliating position, through a Female Antagonist-
She jeers at the fate of Edwards's forlorn-hope — He is caught next by an
ambush — He is now held at bay — Assaulted, positively— Negatively —
Conditionally — Still successfully repelled— She hoists her standard above
hi? — A thrust at Priests — Limits of Authority — Christ's Crown, main
tained — A home-thrust— Further light into the cause of Inconsistency,
in New England- Of Edwards's Dependency— The burden of all Eccle
siastical Imposts, how doubled upon all not of the Established Church
— Her Priests impoverished, wherefore — Her whole Worship, said to be un.
lawful — Defects, acknowledged — Compulsion — Avarice of Parish-priests —
Their Exactions — Price of Absolutions ; their abomination — The Smoke-
penny — Church-cormorants — Persecution, instigated by Priests  Edwards
and his brethren, how like Issachar's ass — Persecution, still pressed against
thera — Effects of Persecution upon the outward conduct of the subjects —
Edwards's spiritual Fatherhood, challenged — He is rallied for a Goliath— A
parley proposed. CHAP. XLL
THE LORDS BROOKE AND SAY.
Page 117 — Introduction to Milton's panegyric on Brooke — The passage, quoted
— Title of Brooke's Discourse — Adjuncts to a Scripture- Bishop — Rise of the
adulterate Bishop — Analytic process, stated — This kind of Bishop, whence
he springs — Sarcastic stroke at the "Cong^ d'elire" — Official maxims — Un
reasonable — Practice, agreeing — Nothing 'Indifferent,' in reality — Church's
Power, defined— Reason, contradicted; and Conscience forced— Consequents
upon "our Bishop's office;" dependence — Past Obligations; future Favours
— His freedora, In Parliament, incredible — -His evil qualities, in Civil con.
verse — Pride, and abasement —" No Bishop, no King;" State-blasphemy —
Insolence, practised — Instances, adduced — Progress, through successive
Reigns — Doctrine — Church-Monarchy, a human device — Of Force — Epis
copacy, not the only Church policy that may co-exist with Monarchy — " Out
Episcopacy," condemned — God's rule, for Election and Ordination — All-
sufficiency of the Scriptures — Hall's defence of Episcopacy, evades the point
— -Of Matt, xviii. 17 — Queries — Solution, first — Second — Third — The
Whole Church, the Everything — Prelates, the real Schismatics— Whence the
increase of Nonconformists— To know the Separatists, hear them — Beauti
ful description of vital godliness, and how it is reproached — Operations of
the Holy Spirit — Peace, invoked — Brooke's compatriot. Say, his two
Speeches ; the first, for the reduction of Bishops to their original standard —
The common Incendiaries ofthe Christian world — Say's Second Speech;
its origin and effect — The Exordium — Rise and progress of Laud; his invec
tive against Say— Say begins to vindicate himself — His Retorts, on the charge
of not attending Prayers — Enjoined Prayer, a usurpation, a device of man —
An acceptable service, illustrated — Enjoined Preaching, or Reading, not God's
ordinance — " A theological scare-crow," Hales of Eton's charge against the
Hierarchy for setting up— Error of the " Brownists" — Freedora of worship
implored. CHAP. XLIL
STRAFFORD. — VOTE OF JULY 16TH, 1641  BAGSHAWE.  WHITE  THE BISHOPS'
FATAL PROTESTATION. — THE AFFAIR OF THE FIVE MEMBERS.  ACT TO
EXCLUDE THE BISHOPS.  ORDINANCE CONTEMPLATING THE ASSEMBLY OF
DIVINES.-^BEMONSTRANCE OF MAY 26tH, 1642  BOOK OF SPORTS, ETC. —
CHARLES'S ADDRESS TO THE HOSTS.  GENERAL ASSEMBLY. — CATALOGUE OF
GRIEVANCES.  POSITION OF THE PARLIAMENT.
Page 137.  Beheading of Strafford ; its effect upon other State culprits ; a
poetical dialogue between Strafford and Laud — Vote, to Reform Episcopal
Government— Sixteen Particulars — Remarks, introductory to the title of
Bagshawe's "Two Arguments" — Heylyn's account of Bagshawe's Readings,

viii CONTENTS.
at the Temple— Bagshawe's own account— Who the chief conflicting Parties ;
a result foreseen, but not the catastrophe — The iUegality ot the i^ew
Canons charged— Opposed to Common Law— Opposed to the ?P'"^
Magna Charta— These Canons void, from legal irregulanty--Also, in tnem-
selTes— The Oath, how otherwise nullified- Wherein it Overthrows tne
King's Supremacy-And, sets aside the King himself— Crafty substitution
of "See" for " Church" of Rome— Grounds of illegality, recapitulated—
Reraarks— The Penalty incurred, by the Clergy- A Premunire— JJennea
Its rigour, the consequence of perpetual encroachment by the Liergy--vnai -
ceUor Audley's rebuff, concerning the Bishops— Their Jus Divinura claim oi
Jurisdiction, not admitted— Epigrammatic conclusion-Whites description
ofthe Bishops' usurpations— Hall tries to implicate the King--lhe Bisnops
miscarriage, when they had wrought the popular rage to its ^^f ^f"*":" ^ !
their presence necessary to the integrity of Parliaments— Excluded by Act
—The King's alleged "unadvised" rashness, and its consequences related-
He passes the BUl for excluding aU persons in " Holy Orders" from Parlia
ment, and further disabling thera— The two Houses make an Ordinance
declaratory of a Reformation of the Church— And avow the Popular basis
of the British Constitution— The King hoists his Standard— The Commons
Vote to suppress the Book of Sports, with other Ecclesiastical innovations
 The King, on the field, denounces his " eneraies," specifically — The Par
Uament under apprehensions, confer with the General Assembly-^They put
forth afresh the Catalogue of Grievances ; which increases dissension— They
show their superiority, under the peculiarities of the times.
CHAP. XLIIL
COTTON'S CONSTITUTION OF A CHURCH.— HIS ANSWER TO BALL  BREWSTER.
Page 154.- Circumstances under which Cotton transmitted his Manuscripts —
This of the True Constitution, etc., declares his sentiments, of the mode of
conducting PubUc Worship— Of Church Government— Of the Powder in
herent in the Church, derived through the body to the officers — Title of
Cotton's Answer to Ball— Prayer, in general; how it becomes lawful— Posi
tions stated and explained ; necessity and expediency of Prescribed Prayer,
argued— No parallel can be reasonably drawn between reading the Scriptures
and reading Prayers — A shifting of the question, to argue from Prayers de
vised by Men to those prescribed by God, or conversely — Necessity of set
words for harmonious Singing, no plea for imposed Prayer— Of Godly Helps
to Prayer — Why the intrusions upon Churches, of magistrates, ought to be
resisted— Of Catechisms and Confessions — Lawful Prayer; when, a wUl-
worship ; a difference between the Word read and preached — The Jews, and
Christ, afford no authority for imposing set Forras, by example — Reformed
foreign Churches, their liberty ; Truth to" be sought out ; not to be taken
for granted — Unlawful administrations, to be withdrawn from — Remarks
on another of Cotton's pieces — Death of WUliam Brewster — Account of
him. CHAP. XLIV.
CONTROVERSY BY HERLE ; K. MATHER AND W. THOMPSON ; RUTHERFURD ;
MATHER.
Pagel66. — "The Independency on Scriptures of the Independency of Churches,"
appears — Herle's frankness — Co-ordinated dependence, affirmed by him —
His four points — Of the pattern of the Jewish church — Of Christ's institu
tion — A position ^remarked on — Ofthe Apostles' practice — Of a Ministerial
Institution — The argument, not progressed in— Entreaty, resorted to —
Mather and Thompson, answer Herle — Why they undertook that — No Synod
is a Church — Not less than seven, a Church— Instance, of Acts-xv. defective
. — A concession by Herle, taken advantage of — Enforced — Argument from
divers sorts of Synods, invalidates the whole — That " tell the Church,"
means tell the Elders ; draws not the precept beyond a particular Congrega.
tion — Argument enlarged, frora appeals of one National Church to another
— A remark, nullified — A dilemma, deduced from Acts xv. — Another, from
Num. viii. 10 — When " imposition of hands " is to be performed by Non-

CONTENTS. ix
officers — Elders existed before any Classis or Synod; whence no concurrence,
in the first Ordination of Elders— Choice of Ministers, if not by the Church;
what perplexities ensue — The Answerer's conclusion — Notice of Strictures
on the foregoing joint " Answer," by Rutherfurd ; and the " Answer " de
fended, by Mather — How disputes are beneficial — Number of Rutherfurd's
citations — His argument for "appealing," wherein prejudicial — Further per
plexity — Power to determine, instanced in Antioch — Of a power beyond
" rebuking ;" and of what is any '' assembly" where preaching is ? — Doctrine,
dispensed by the Pastor ; discipline, by the Church — Where does " supre
macy" lie? — Antioch's right, how inferred— Competency of three Elders to
decide — Discipline or Sacraments, which the greater — All Churches, have
equal authority — That, by the light of nature — Paul Baynes, of the Churches
at Thessalonica and Jerusalem— Those at Corinth, Ephesus, and Antioch,
each but one Congregation. The alleged Synod at Cambridge, N. E 
Thoraas Fuller — The Eldership alone, not a Church — No New "Testament
record, that ordinary Pastors or Elders iraposed hands on ordinary Pastors,
etc. — Election, essential ; and so, more than the rite of Ordination — Scrip
ture teUs what the Piesbytery did to Timothy, but not what he must do with
one. CHAP. XLV.
FERNE AND BRIDGE ON RESISTANCE.  BOOK OF SPORTS BURNT. — ASSEMBLY'
OF DIVINES CALLED. — THEIR ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.  THE FIVE DISSENTING BRETHREN.
Page 188. — Moral heroism, timely evinced — Feme and Bridge, in collision —
Bridge importuned to write on CivU Government — Bases of the argument
— Power springs frora the People, and returns to them — Justice Fortescue
cited — Three grounds stated for the Parliament arming — Testimonies, for
Resistance — Scripture, animadverted upon — Bridge's principle of Tolera
tion, finally announced — " His Majesty's Book," burned by the Hangman —
Title of the Ordinance for an Assembly of Divines — The Ordinance — Hey
lyn's account of it — They and the Parliament communicate with Scotland-
Particulars — Foresight, and skilful conduct, of Nye and Vane — Speedy ap
proval of the Covenant — Heylyn's description of its Enforcement — First
two Articles of the Covenant — -The King prohibits it — Abuse bestowed on
the Westminster Assembly — The Five ; or. The Anti-Scotia Phalanx.
CHAP. XLVL
SIMPSON'S FAST SERMON. — NYE's EXHORTATION. — THE SCOTS' COMMISSIONERS. —
BAILLIE'S DISCLOSURES  OF MIXT COMMUNION.
Page 205. — Title of Simpson's Sermon — His Exhortation to the House of Com
mons  Text, etc. — Nye's Discourse before reading the Covenant in the pre
sence of the Commons and the Assembly — Design of it — Against Popery —
Against Prelacy— What BaiUie represents to be its chief aim ; and, when
the Commissioners joined the Assembly — The debate of the office of Doctors,
and Ruling Elders — The Scots begin to intrigue with Foreigners — Tem
porary procedure towards the Independents — Tracts on Mixt Communions.
CHAP. XLVIL
THE FAMOUS APOLOGETICAL NARRATION  THE SAINTS' APOLOGY.
Page 221. — Preamble ; and the Title of the " Narration" — Disinterested conduct
of the Licenser — The Apologists address themselves to the Parliament —
Why they went into Exile — Their purpose — Found more Peace abroad, but
less GodUness than at home— Their Advantages, from Predecessors— And,
Encouragement, from their expatriated Brethren — Their special Resolution —
Their Charity — Order of their Worship — Officers — Discipline — Three Prin
ciples ; New Testament Churches, their pattern ; present judgment, not
binding, absolutely; not to reject any, even the meanest member of Christ —
Free Prayer, preferred — Each Church, Congregational — Their Eldership —
Of Communion of Sister Churches, and Suspension of such Communion —
Of the Magistrates' interposing power — Strictures on "Exemption" from
extrinsic authority— These Apologists adopt " a Middle Way " — Complain

X CONTENTS.
of Calumnies — Their Moderation — Conduct, in the Assembly — Solicit of
the Parliament, Protection.—" The Saints' Apology " — Publisher's explana
tion—The Writer's plan— His Definition of a Church— The Matter of it—
The Forra of it— Advantage of an Explicit Consent, or Covenant — Reason
for Separation— The term explained two vi-ays — Why necessary, in England
— Argument, from restraining Free Prayer, to restraining the Gift of Teach
ing — Duty of Members, individually — Argument, from analogy — Exactness,
disclaimed — H. Jacob's " fancy." CHAP. XLVIIL
ANATOMY OP INDEPENDENCY.  TUE ANATOMIST ANATOMISED. — QUERIES. 
OBSERVATIONS, ETC., BY A. S.
Page 238 —Agitation produced by the Five— The " Anatomy," by Alexander
Forbes — Reverberates the Apologists' " noise " — Whence that " noise "had
been heard — Forbes's rule of judgment on the Apologists — His "scantling"
of their sayings and doings — Supposed instigators — Their aversion from any
National Church — His susceptibility to perceive a Stratagera^ — His allegation
that the Apologists practised Re-ordinadon — His representation concerning
their churches in Holland — His hearsay of Sirapson's idea of a Pastor — His
statement of Simpson's judgraent of Ruling Elders — Somewhat that the
Apologists complain of respecting the imputation of Brownisra — Of the
efficacy of their Excommunication of Churches — Title of Simpson's Answer
to Forbes — Of this particular Controversy — False report ofthe constituents
of Simpson's church —And of Anabaptists in it — Retort of " Errors " upon
other than Congregational churches — Proof that Simpson had Protection
from the State of Rotterdam ; honourable alike to them and to him — Another
false report, respecting "a mutual Covenant " — A flat contradiction to Forbes'
hearsay concerning Sirapson's practice as a Pastor — Again, Forbes is contra
dicted respecting Ruling Elders — Simpson invokes impartial justice — Queries
Proposed ; Anonymous — Disadvantage of Licensers — Both sets of Dispu
tants watched — Consequence of voting the Bishops antichristian — A higher
standard of Religion sought for — The Assembly of Divines impugned — The
Civil Magistrate's province and safeguard — The Church's foundation spiritual
— Reformation, is not in Formalities— Of more or less of Reformation —
Purity and Independence of Christ's churches — Forcible proposition con
cerning universal Toleration — Of Witnesses for Christ — The argumentum
nd hominem applied to both sets of Reformers — A dilemma, out of the
Sacraments — Amplitude of Toleration required — A State Church, an aggre
gate of Evils — FuU title of " Some Observations," etc., by Adam Steuart —
The Imprimatur — The author's vexation at the " Five " combining — And that,
against the Scots particularly — Anecdote of James I. — A. S. betrays surprise
at the Apologists — Charges tbem with accommodating themselves to the
occasion — He turns a coaxer — Impeaches their sincerity — Singularity of his
logic — Collection of his taunts. CHAP. XLIX.
BAILLIE. — cotton's "KEYS."  " SIOn's VIRGINS."
Page 254. — Finesse exposed — Again — BaiUie's report of certain proceedings ; and
his apprehension of the Independents' power in the Assembly — T. Goodwin
. opposes the Directory— BaiUie plots with Spang— Consternation produced
by the Apologetical Narration— Artifice resorted to— Expedients regarding
Ordination — They fail — Assembly heat— Independents, unmanageable-^
Aspect of Public affairs— Title of Cotton's treatise on the " Keys "—The
Power of, claimed by the Publishers, for the right heirs— The Key of Know
ledge, its effects — Too much Power claimed for the People— Equitable
adjustment of it— As in Commonwealths— The will of Christ imagined—
Cotton's distribution of Church-power, set out— His scheme, or theory-
Asserted to be the very " Middle-way " of the Apologists— This coincidence
remarked upon— Of Prophesying, under four cautions- And, of a form-il
Synod— The People's interest, and the Elders' authority, iUustrated— A com
bination of Elders of several churches, why not intrusted with the Kev nf
Discipline— Remark of the PuWishers— Cotton's first chapter Whit the

CONTENTS. xi
Keys, etc. be — llis second, Of their Distribution — His third, Assignment of
those of Knowledge and Order — His fourth. Of the Key of Church. PrivUege
—His fifth. Of the Key of Authority — His sixth, Of the Power given to
Synods — His seventh. Touching the First Subject of all Power; with an
explanation of Independency. — " Sion's Virgins," Queries on Baptism — It
is not the Creature going in and out of Water — That Infants are of the
Kingdom — The mode of Baptizing — Distinction between the Seals under
the Gospel. CHAP. L.
puritan tract, EDITED EY RATHBAND  [jOHNSON.]
Page 272. — Title, " A Most Grave and Modest Confutation, etc." — Quotation
from Baxter, concerning it — Rathband's statement of its origination — Why
produced then— Cautionary remark — Charges against the Brownists, etc.,
set down, as justifying themselves, by the Puritan Writers of this Tract —
Separatists, addressed — And then, Waverers — Next, Puritans — Lastly, their
Church — Excusatory appeal — Length, apologised for — The divisions of the
Treatise — "Brownist" objection, against the " Puritans " in limine — Defence
by a perverse application of the term " Anti-christian " — Remarkable con
cessions regarding the necessity of Ordination — Equivocation about Oaths —
Maintenance, curiously vindicated — And, in four other paragraphs — Scripture
places, or references, alleged to be unskUful — These Puritans' infelicitous
Conclusion ; instances from — Their testimony against themselves — Two
queries, instanced — Their accusation, of shameful Lying, confuted — Their
spirit, sufficiently exposed. — Johnson's Treatise of the Ministry of the Church
of England — Proofs of the authorship — Popish and English Priests, wherein
they agree; and wherein they differ from Pastors appointed by Christ — Con
firmed, under thirty-three divisions. CHAP. LL
RATHBAND AND HIS OPPONENT, WELDE.
Page 289. — Remark on the course pursued in these Historical Memorials ; with
the title of the " Brief Narrative" — Author's apology — Reasons for his plan
being synoptical — His limitations — Method of exhibiting the "Brief Narra
tive "with the "Answer" — Titie of Welde's Answer— His announcements
concerning this production — He reduces Rathband's method to three particu
lars, and characterizes them — Their grounds, also three — And the printed
authorities, perverted — The private Letters, incompetent proofs — Remark,
introductory — Chap. i. Of Platform and Discipline — Chap. ii. Of the true
Visible Church, in general— Chap. iii. Of the Matter of it — Chap. iv. Of its
Form — Chap. v. Of the first erecting a Visible Church.
CHAP. LIL
KATHBAND AND WELDE, CONTINUED.
Page 315. — Chap. vi. Of Church Power — Chap. vn. Of Membership — Chap.
viii. Of Dismission — Chap. ix. Of Communion, in general — Chap. x. Of
Communion of Churches — Chap. xi. Of Excommunication, and Re-accep
tance — Chap. xii. Of Officers — Chap. xiii. Of Prophets — Chap. xiv. Of
Independency; and of Combination into Classes, etc. — Chap. xv. Ofthe
Magistrate. — Rathband's Postcript — Welde's Postcript.
CHAP. LIIL
REPLY TO A. S.
Page 341. — Full Title of this reply to A. S. —Why Anonymous — Commotion
created by the " Apology " — Cranford — Ridiculous Epithets — New England-
Elders disallow Presbytery— FoUy of Peremptoriness — A. S. and W. R.
confronted— Parliament resolve concerning the Apologetical Narration— The
Scots' Commissioners and A. S. — Opposition endured by the Apologists —
Arrogance of A. S., how met — The Five, applauded — Modes of Discipline
contrasted — Effects of forcing Conscience— M. S., his idea concerning Tole
ration — John Goodwin's portion of this Reply ; his preface — Of Presbyterian
malevolence— Four Signs, indicative of religious peace — False position of the

xii CONTENTS.
Magistrate, under Presbytery — Dilemma, concerning the Magistrate — Of the
change for the worse which Christianity makes in the Magistrate's authority,
according to Presbyterians — But A. S. is wary — Why some, for their religion,
submit to Authority — A. S., remark on his conceit — Original of Presbytery,
whence ? General remarks — Presbytery has a mixt Original, according to
A. S. — His partiality reproved — Presbyterians' differences more considerable
than the Independents'— Indecision of Presbyterians — Their govenirnent
wants Christ's formal patent — Why it needs such a patent — What is ima
gined — But not substantiated, to convince opposites — It is not found in the
Jewish practice — Of determining matters of Doctrine — The residence of
that Power — Of things indifferent — The High Priest, more an Emblem
Prelatical than Presbyterial — Neither is their Patent found in the New
Testament — Analogical proofs, demanded — None, in Acts xv. — Nor is their
Patent, in the Law of Nature — Display of Logical implements — A. S.'s
failure complete — His exceptions against Independency, entered upon — Plan
of procedure — A concession laid hold of — Three positions defensory — Ob
jection, favouring Combination, remarked on — Subjection to Strangers, a
curse — Analogy from Corporations — And from Reason, in various ways —
A. S.'s sixteen objections, remarked on — Defectiveness alledged against
Congregational government ; God's remedy for — Why the lesser of two
inconveniencies, preferable — That on the Presbyterian side, more irremediable
— Help, from the Civil State, inefficacious — -Combiued Eldership, party and
judge — Wherein the glory of Churches consists — Queries on Toleration —
Remark on behalf of the Apologists — A. S. and his Twenty-one Reasons —
Discontent, on the plea of want of Unity in Practice — ^Change from one
bondage to another, after ease, a source of Discontent — Schisms apprehended
among Presbyterians — Opinions, difficulty regarding their being imposed —
^Union required impertinently — Proffered leniency, not safe — Assumption
-regarding communicating at the Lord's Table — An Enthymeme — Miscarriage
in New England, no bar to freedom of Conscience — Why Toleration desired
of the Civil State — Due measure to be observed in punishments — Disorders
retorted upon the Presbyterians — A. S.'s discomfiture.
CHAP. LIV.
Edwards's antapologia.
Page 366. — Title ofthe Heresy-hunter's present piece— Cranford's Imprimatur 
Sets himself up as the Undeceiver — Disconcerted— His inauspicious position
— Criminates the Apologists — Practices Cajolery — Exposed — His boastful
resolution — Calumniates — Collection of Imputations — "The Apologists' time
of publication marvelled at — And, that they appealed to the Parliament-
Challenged upon their Consciences — Sinister ends imputed — DUemma pro
posed on Surmises — Of their holding Communion — Of privileges enjoyed
ill Holland — Adherence to Apostolic precedent, charged as "foolish"-— Lax
Opinions : countervailed — Of human prudence — Popular sympathy how
wrought— Secret of Edwards's ground of lament — Of the term " Ind'epen
dency "— Episcopalians and Independents equally adverse to the Presbyterians
— Practices of Anti-presbyterian Preachers — Of Printing— Rapid growth of
Independency; whence? — Sag:acious assiduity ofthe Five — Simpson and
T. Goodwin— Nye— Consultations queried — Contrary motives, imputed 
Coaxing — Extenuation attempted — Personal vituperation — What the Ado
getical Narration would prove— Its doom augured — Of a great Adventure—
A great political movement, remarked upon— The extraordinary weight of
the Five — Lament — Effectual way to mar Presbyterial Policy— Whence
Toleration, styled " the Devil's Masterpiece "—A Palinode implored of the
Five. CHAP. LV.
PRYNNE AND BURTON, OPPONENTS.
Page 385.— Marvellous notoriety of the Apologetical Party; and full title of
Prynne's Twelve Questions— Titie of Burton's Answer— His motives ev
plained— Obstructions of a right Reformation— He expostulates— Imoeach
—Scripture, his Arbiter— Prynne's First Question ; for Human Prudence—

CONTENTS. xiii
Resolved into Human Policy — A Challenge diverted — Gospel-government,
not alterable — The Second question ; for a National Church — Answered, by
the practice of the Apostles — Laws to be reduced to the rule of Scripture —
National Councils, unsafe for Spiritual ends — Consonancy to Scripture, strictly
obligatory — Texts, misapplied — The Third and fourth Questions ; for suffi
ciency : eri^o Presbytery — Each true Churchhas the primitive Presbytery within
itself — ^Instances, in Churches succeeding the Apostolic — Appeals, safer in a
free Communion of Churches — The Fifth Question ; for Supremacy, or
Undisturbed Possession — Endangered, only in proportion to Antipathy to
Christ's Kingdom — The Sixth Question ; a Petitio Principii — Confutation —
The Seventh Question ; for Satisfaction of Conscience ! — Pertinent Ulustra-
tion — The Eighth Question ; for Proof of Subordination in all National
Churches — Instances, none suitable — The Ninth Question ; for a special
Liberty — Comraission and precedent, demanded — The Tenth Question ; for
"Solid Reason" — Six, adduced — The Eleventh Question; a compound of
Invectives — Reprisals — The Twelfth Question ; into which, the Residue is
cast — Answered, in order — "Uncharitableness," refuted. — Full Title of
Prynne's " Independency Examined" — Burton's Introduction to his Strictures
— Ofthe Preface — Prynne's First Interrogatory: Principles and Conclusions
of Scriptural Independency — Christ's Kingship; by whom limited — Second
Interrogatory : of Civil magistrates — Third Interrogatory : of Gathering
Churches — iVIinor Interrogatories — Fourth Interogatory : of the People's
Power in Uniting into a Church — Fifth Interrogatory; of a Comparison between
Presbyterial and Independent Churches — Sixth Interrogatory: superfluous
— Seventh : of Dismissions — Eighth: of Baptism of Non-members' Infants
— Ninth : of Rejecting frora the Lord's Supper — Tenth : of Censures —
Eleventh: ofthe Aposties, sitting as Elders — The Twelfth: of Coercive
Power. — Prynne's "Third Book; " and Burton's self-defence.
CHAP. LVL
APOLLONIJ. — BAILLIE.
Page 417  The Walcheren Classis write to the Assembly of Divines — Dedica
tion, by ApoUonij — Epistle to the Assembly, signed by the President and^
others — Topics of their "Consideration" — i. Qualifications of MemberS"^^
ii. Of a Church- Covenant — iii. Of a Visible Church — iv. Of the Keys —
v. and vi. Concessions regarding the Ministry and Eldership — vii. Set Forms
of Prayer. — BaiUie — Finesse practised on the Reception of the Walcheren
Letter — On the AbUity of the Five, etc. — How Overborne — Represented
to be discouraged — A Committee of Twelve, appointed by the Assembly —
Manchester purges the University of Cambridge — Independents' way of^'
Celebrating the Lord's Supper. — Hard condition of the Presbyterians — Not
hopeless — Perplexities — John Dury — Obstructions — Thraldom of French
Reformed Divines — English Anti-presbyterians called a " wild people " —
Perplexities, again— Still more — Scotch intrigues — ReUgious Liberty sus
pended on Scotch railitary success — Jortin and othere'c^einNewEngland
— Contrary practice represented, at HomiBran3~iir lmli3i3P^ FastrTiow"'
observed — Power of the Independents — The Directory, commenced— Roger
WiUiams — Independents make progress — Observances at the Lord's Supper
— Assembly, why deserted — Struggle regarding Ordination — Of Communi
cating at a Table — Again — Compromise, after a three-weeks' debate — Battie
at Marston-moor — Valour of the Independents — Edwards's Lecture, set up
 Thoraas Goodwin, represented to have been confounded — The House of
Commons, and the Assembly's paper on Ordination — Suppression of Sectaries
— The House of Commons grant an Order conceming Toleration of the
Independents. CHAP. LVIL
GRAND COMMITTEE OF ACCOMMODATION. — BAILLIE.
Page 447. — Measures ordered, to procure Union, or if impossible, then to seek a
Toleration— Sub- Committee's Paper of Propositions, remarked on in eleven
paragraphs. — BaiUie relates the perseverance of the Independents on the
subject of Religious Freedom— Cromwell's advanceijient necessary, to coun-

xiv CONTENTS.
terbalance the Presbyterians — Sir Henry Vane — Proceedings °^'^^p',f^
pendents, in the Army, in the House of Commons, and in the .
Coraraittee : Foreign Divines, of various judgraenta- Grand Commit
dissolved— The Directory, sent up to the Houses— Particulars relating to^
—Manchester and Crorawell crirainate each other— Funeral Sermons
Medley of designs imputed to the Independents— Self-denying Ordinani^—
Progress, in the Assembly matters, since the taking of Newcastle ine
Episcopal Party— BaiUie remonstrates with Buchanan— Wheedles mm—
BaiUie at Edinburgh. CHAP. LVIIL
THE REASONS OF THE INDEPENDENTS ; OR, THE GRAND DEBATE.
Page 460.— Certain Papers of the Assembly of Divines, published with one
Titie afterward canceUed, and another substituted— Of those of the Inde
pendents—The noted " Third Proposition " of the Presbyterians — " Reasons,
against " it, under their several divisions.
CHAP. LIX.
THE REASONS ; OR, THE GRAND DEBATE ; CONTINUED.
Page 489. — Continuation of the former Chapter, with the Signatures of the
Five and two more. CHAP. LX.
LAUD'S EXECUTION. — BURTON'S " GRAND IMPOSTOR."
Page 513. — Dr. S. Johnson's opinion of Laud — Extreme opinions, conceming
hira — Of the Fathers, Laud and Heylyn — The mode of Laud's execution
changed — Burton publishes on the event — He deprecates " malice," but
displays revenge — Exordium of Laud's Dying Speech — Comment on a phrase
init — How the Pillory was transformed into a Scaffold — Remarks upon
Laud's text — Of despising Shame — Metonymy of " the Red Sea" — A covert
allusion to the Parliaraent — The fiery Furnace — Mercy in store — God alone
judgeth hearts; men judge actions — John Baptist — Paul and Stephen 
Popery, the Grandara of divisions — The King — Of the City's Petition, for
justice upon Laud — Church of England's distraction — Laud's Protestantism
— He asks Forgiveness — Some of his oppressive measures, instanced  His
precogitated Prayer, analyzed in eight paragraphs — Of his derogations of the
self-sufficiency of the Scriptures— Passages out of Burton's Reply to Laud's
Relation — Laud's impenitency — Comments on his death ; by Anthony a
, Wood and Robert Southey — Dr. Short, on estimating Laud's character 
Title of a Serraon on his death, by J. H.— Extract, in the construction of
which the rhetorical figure Synathroesmus is used — Imparity between Christ
and Laud— Why Laud missed his aim— Remark, introductory to the
"Prayer"— The Prayer— Extolled by Dr. Southey— Remark upon Bishop
Hacket — His account of Laud's enmity— Vandyke's fidelity.
CHAP. LXL
TRACT, BY D. P. P. -ANOTHER, BY W. L. ; OF GREAT HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE 
A THIRD, BY JOHN PRICE  BAILLIE.
Page 535.-FuU title of the "Antidote," against Independency— This Puritan's
general sources of sorrow— His particidar soiurces, stated under six divisions
—He Proffers advice— But gives it, under a Jesuit's hood with six folds.—
Remark on the Independents' mUitary reputation— Title of a Tract bv W
L., on Independents being admitted into the Army- Occasion of it— Sixteen
reasons adduced, to evince the propnety of the Proposition- Objections and
replies.— " Independency Accused, and Acauittpfl" nf " "J '='-"""'' »""
Plaintiff; and the Defendent, J. P.-ThefS" piea-Hi, firt. T^^""?
negative-Its Invalidity-IUustration, by several !!fstanc"es -'Ife/fts
remains defective— Justificatory Inferences— Another Armimc^i ^ ^'..-
in New England-The cases tLre, exaggerated tr^-Rfrnstran^crs^t
over— EvU surmisings, censured — BaiUie, in Edinburgh— His retnr ?
London, at a critical juncture— Undervalues the New-modelled Armv p
gress in the Assembly; and designs of the Scottish Army — DeveT d"

CONTENTS. XV
further — Selden's vanity — Imputation of Republicanism, against tbe Inde
pendents — Queries to Cranford— He and BaiUie in trouble— Labyrinth of a
Catalogue of Sins : the Naseby fight ; showing how greatiy BaiUie had
undervalued the New-modelled Army — Apprehension, in consequence —
Perplexities — CaU for increase of the Scots' Forces — Independents expelled
their pulpits — Their stated ministers, and lecturers, in London — The
Independents alleged to change their policy — Tyrannical designs of the Court
— Erastianism of the House of Commons — Presbyterians prepare Papers
on Scandals— Vossius — Chiliasts, or Millenaries, in the Assembly — The
House of Commons, swayed by the Erastians, promulgate Ordinances for
erecting a raild system of Presbyterianisra — They pass votes, which displease
the Scots Commissioners — Amyraut — Committee for Accommodation revived
— The Independents demand Toleration — They print their " Remonstrance"
— And persist in their demand — The Piesbyterians gather strength — The
Militia — Advance of the Scots' Army — Presbyterian Ministers' studies
proposed to be searched. CHA.?. LXIL
COTTON'S "WAY OF THE CHURCHES." — " ANIMADVERSIONS" UPON COTTOn's
" KEYS" AND " WAY." — HIS DEFENCE.
Page ^60  Title of Cotton's treatise, " The Way of the Churches," etc —
Obstacles against Printing — Editors' explanations — The seven topics of the
treatise — Ruling Elders — Imposition of hands, by Laymen — Of Elders
preaching — Traces of apostolical institution of Ruling Elders — Deacons —
Widows — All, how chosen — The Pastor — The Deacons — Seven, may consti
tute a church — Admission of Members — Fit materials of a Church —
Administration of the Ordinances: Public Worship — Sacraments — Afternoon
Service — Occasional Services — Church Censures — Re-acceptance — With one
accord — Explanation — Constituent elements of Church-government — Com
munion of Saints — The foregoing, a just account of proceedings in New
England — Grounds favourable to a Gospel- Reformation in England — Fifteen
Propositions — Remark upon thera. — Title of a tract, " Vindiciee Clayium,"
etc. — General remarks — Cotton's notice of that tract — tie explaiifs— AiTd
answers, in three sections — Cautionary remark.

THE PRINCIPAL NOTES. PAGB 33
Richard Hooker's dread ot Reform 
The Zealous Puritan: a Ballad  AO
W. Lilly, on obtruding the Book of Common Prayer  ;¦¦•
Lilburne's " Work of the Beast ; " with interesting particulars concerning
Himself  *•
Indisputable testimony of Laud being early popishly affected  45
Selden on Oaths  ^^
Lord Brooke's death, and Laud's notice of it  l^
Laud's Parentage  133
Animosity between Lawyers and Bishops  154
Brownist Commotion  163
Baptism, a qualification for Membership  166
Rutherfurd's Mid-line of Presbytery  177
Whobegan the War?  189
Resistance; whether Prayers and Tears amount to it ?  195
Assembly of Divines ; description of them and their proceedings  217
The Visionary John Dury  387
Church and State, separated in the Netherlands  395
R. Baxter's and P. Hemy's testimonies concerning Independents  406
Professor Moulin, adverse to Independency  435
The Synod at Charenton's Decree against Independency  459
BaUlie's " Assembly Speech," relating the Downfall of Episcopacy  ib.
Laud and America  514
Laud abandoned by the Peers  523
Le Bas and the Et-caetera Oath  526
Laud's Quailing Letter to Selden  527
Bishop Short on Dr. Southey's " Book of the Church"  530

ERRATA.
P. 44, 1. 42, for " Forsakes," read " Forsakers."
68, 1. 10, dele " Anonymous."
379, note d, for p. 217, read 377.
433, 1. 3, for " guide," read "denial."
439, 1. 14, for " our," read " an."
446, 1. 9, for " members," read "churches."
527, 1. 8, note, and 1. 30, for " Seldon," read " Selden.'

HISTORICAL MEMORIALS.

CHAP. XXXIV.

HEVLYN S ANSWER TO BURTON.  MILTON S PEOPHF.CT.

It was Burton's lot to be loaded by the interested and the prejudiced
with every species of indignity, " the poison of dragons, and the cruel
venom of asps."* Laud's " subservient instrument," ever ready "to
do the dirty work," and " never to be relied upon where he can gloss
over any matter in favour of his patron, or agednst the Puritans," '' was
set on to stigmatize, cum privilegio, in the shape of " A Brief and
Moderate Answer to the Seditious and Scandalous Challenges of Henry
Burton, late of Friday-street ; in the Two Sennons hy him preached
on the Fifth of November, 1636 ; and, in the ' Apology' prefixt hefore
them. By Peter Heylyn. 1 Pet. iL 13, 14. Lond. 1«37." 4to.
pp. 194.
" Prefixt hefore" the rest of this load of learned lumber stands a
"lordly" imprimatur, "summa approhationis," from " Lamheth House,"
which Milton describes as " so apishly Romanizing, that the word of
command was still set down in Latin. "¦= The Preface opens with the
» Deut. xxxii. 33.
'' "The Christian Observer: Conducted hy Members of the Established
Church," June, 1837, p. 403.
•= Areopagitica. Works, edit. 1833, imp. Svo. p. 106. — "A resolution had been
taken, by command of his Majesty [!] to proceed against the Triumvirate of
Libellers, as one fitly calls them, to a public censure, which was like to make
much noise amongst the ignorant people. It was thought fit, hy the prudent
council of Queen Elizabeth, upon the execution of some Priests and Jesuits, that
an Apology should be published by the name of 'Justitia Britannica,' to vindi
cate the public justice of the stale from such aspersions as, hy the tongues and
pens of maUcious persons, should be laid upon it. And, on the like prudential
grounds, it was thought expedient that an Answer should be made to the book
which seemed most material ; and, being so made, should be kept in readiness
II. B

2 HISTORICAL aiEMOHIALS [CIIARLES I-
customary practice of imputing positive faults, in tliose who are, or oug
to be, under subjection : these " are not afraid to .speak evil ol "'S'""
ties ;" they " speak evil of the things they understand not ! "" _i.""®
the Heylyus of every age would prejudice their readers, and niinion-
like, admit of none but passive faults in those whose instruments they
are; and so "make the king glad with their wickedness, and the
princes with their lies.""- Hence the first four pages, and more, ot
this " Moderate" Answerer's Pn-face are occupied " to no profit, but
to the subverting" <^ of those who may ciioose to he led away by them ;
the first morsel of honest infoiination arrived at being imbedded so far
in, and that mingled with characteristic ingredients. " No times, ' he
says, " more full of odious pamphlets ; no pamphlets more applauded,
nor more dearly bought, than such as do most deeply wound those
powers and dignities to which the Lord hath made us subject." That
is truly, "pamphlets" were never so inultijslied as then ; such " pam
phlets" were never sought alter so eagerly ; and none ever answered
their purposes so well ! Wherefore P What made the then " powers
and dignities" so successfully assailable hy those paper-pellets ? Surely
" those factious spirits, Leighton, and Prynne, and Bastwick, the trium
viri, with H. Burton, the dictator" could not by noise and clamours''
alone, have " fastened odious scandals," — and what " scandals" are not
" odious ? "— " on their reverend mother ! " It is not for us to answer,
" What jealousies and fears, that I may say no worse, have they sedi
tiously infused into people's minds, and thereby turned those weapons
on their mother's children, which might have been employed more fitly
on the common enemy P" It were bad enough to have barely infused
"jealousies and fears ;" but to do it " seditiously," must greatly aggra
vate the evil : however, this enomiity " might have been employed "
somewhat " fitiy" against Papists ! They were not then, " those
powers and dignities to which the Lord hath made us subject !" We
now say with Heylyn, for once, " egi-egium vero laudem, et spolia
ampla ! "
" Dictator Burton, ai-j/p to ^puvrjfia tvOepfiog- a man in whom the
element of fire had the most predominancy ; which made that which is
zeal m others to be, in him, a zealous fury; the rather, since he had
deceived himsell in his expectations, and swallowed down[!] those
hopes he could not digest ! " Such is the honible monster Heylyn's
magic sets before us. We shall not stop to remark on his parallelism
between Burton and ^rius ; nor to consider how it is, that because a
man entertains a " dislike" of the, so styled, " holy hierarchy," he
must of necessity be a " heretic ;" neither shall we stay to inquire why
his majesty s old and faithful servant" might not feel griev«i that he
had been supplanted in his just and honourable expectadons by crafty
till the execution of the sentence; to the end that t'nn «o„«i„ „•!,..,_ . n ,
as weU in the greatness ofthe crim'es as the neces^ty L"^ "S icTS'.h': '''''^f
ment inflicted upon one ofthe principals, by whom a inXi„?f ¦ 1,1 , P""ish-
all the rest. But the censure being deferkdVom Eas er ^1;! IrT^'^ ^' '"4^''" °^
the Answer lay dormant all the wh'ile at La,nbe*rin « e Saidf of T T '^"'".'.
—Heylyn's Life of Laud ; an. 1637. p. 332 ^ licenser."
» 2 Pet. ii. 10, 12. "> Hos. vii. 3. c Tim. ii. H.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 3
and evil designing courtiers ; neither, again, shall we dwell on a refu
tation ofthe charge that Burton's " unlicensed ' Bahel'^was "guilty of
sedition, and tended to incense the Commons against the King." Bur
ton did, indeed, " nonplus" the " great prelate" who originated the
charge which Heylyn does but echo : " No, my lord," said he, " I
dedicated my book to the whole Parliament ; to wit, to the King and
both the Houses. I do not divide the head from the body, my Lord,
but I pray God unite them."* " Mute," as Burton tells us Laud was
" hereat," that " Goliath" planted " the foil," in Heylyn's phraseology
here ; but it was rebutted for that time by the judges gi'anting the
"prohibition,"'' on the pleading of " PrjTine" forsooth, who thereby
showed, according to Heylyn, his " strong desire to fill up the measure
of his iniquities."
Nowhere else is the immense importance of Burton's labours, influ
ence, and success, so fully set forth as in this " Moderate" Answerer's
Preface. He even resorts to a comparison of Burton with "Faux"
and " Catesby," and yields the superiority of Burton's " pestilent pam
phlets" over their " powder ! " thus showing how admirably the alleged
"holy hierarchy" had tutored the minds of the public, to induce them
to " swallow down" what Burton chose " to disgorge ! " At last he was
" caught" fast hold of by u pursuivant armed with " letters missive ;"
and now it became an audacity that he should " appeal" to his Majes
ty's clemency and justice !
" That faction, in the church,'' says Heylyn, " which Master Bur
ton and his copesmates have so much laboured to promote, hath, since
the jirst beginning of it, accused the Church of England of the self
same crimes whereof they now pronounce her guilty ; nor have they
found any new matter wherewithal to charge her, than that which their
forefathers had been hammering on in the times before them : yet they
cry out with no less violence, but far more malice, than their fathers
did, and fill the minds of jealous and distrustful people with doubts and
fears of innovations of and in the worship of God, and the whole doc
trine of religion ; as if the banks were broken down and Popery were
breaking in amain upon us, only hecause they can no longer be per
mitted to violate all the orders of God's church here by law established."
God's church, established by human law ! So says Heylyn, who also
tells us, " That the world raight see, and see how scandalously and
seditiously they traduce the church, I was commanded hy authority to
return an Answer to all the challenges and charges in the said Two Ser
mons and Apology of Master Burton. For being it was the leading
libel in respect of time, — the principal matters in the " News from
Ipswich," "= being boiTowed from Master Burton's Sennon, — and that
those many which have followed are but a repetition of and a dilating on
" Burton's " For God and the King," p. 45. •> Ibid. p. 53.
' " News from Ipswich : Discovering certain late detestable Practices of some
domineering Lordly Prelates, to undermine the established Doctrine and Disci
pline of our Church ; extirpate aU sincere Preachers and Preaching of God's
Word; usher in Popery, Superstition, and Idolatry.— Jere. xxin. 1. — " 4to.
pp. 7. Subscribed, "From Ipswich, Nov. 12, 1630. Thine in the Lord, Mat
thew White."
b2

4 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS " [cHARLES 1.
those points which are there contained ; it was concei\ed that he ''^'"8
answered, the rest would perish of themselves. On this command, 1
set myself unto the work. . . Beginning first with the ' Apology, so
far forth as it justifieth his said ' Appeal.'" .
Heylyn's first chapter opens with gibes, and io what reasoning he
was about to employ he added the superciliousness of some demi-offi-
cials. " I would fain know what moved you to ' Appeal' unto his
Majesty, at your first conventing ? . . We must needs conceive ther?
was some special reason in it, which might induce you to cry out before
you were hurt; more than the matter of the ' Articles' which were read
unto you, or your own guilty conscience, which had pre-condemned
you. Yes sure ; for you except against as well the ' incompetency' of
the 'judges,' as the 'illegal mamier of proceedings in the high com
mission.' The 'judges' you except against, — excepting 'those honour
able nobles, judges, counsellors of state,' which are seldom there, — as
' parties in the cause,' and ' adversaries' to your person, 'for the cause'
sake.'" . . . Suppose them ' parties,' and what then ? Then, by the
' laws of God and Nature,' as also hy ' the common, canon and civil
laws,''' they are prohibited from being judges ! This is the first crutch
[crotchet] your ' Apjieal' halts with, and this will fail you. For, how
soever it be true, in ordinary course, that no man can be 'judge in his
own cause' there, where the cause concei'ns himself in his own particular,
yet it is otherwise in a body aggi'egate, or a public person. Suppose . .
that a man within the Liberties of London, should say ' A fig for my
Lord Mayor !' might not my Lord Mayor clap him in the Compter P"^
And yet the Parliament, and the judges, and the justices, and the Lord
Mayor of London, are as much ' parties' in these cases, as the arch
bishop, bishops, chancellors, and tlie rest of the high commission are,
by you, said, and only said, to be in the other ! For that they are not
' parties,' we shall see anon. . . .
i " That which you next attempt, is to prove them ' adversaries;' . . .
adversaries of your ' person, for the cause' sake :' say then, the adver
saries of the ' cause ;' let your ' person' go, as a contemptible thing that
provokes no ' adversary !' Yet we will take you with us, to avoid
exceptions, and see what proof you have to make them ' adversaries' to
your ' person, for the cause' sake.' And first, they are your ' adversa
ries,' because the ' adversaries of those truths' by you delivered in your
sermon.'i . . . When you leave to speak the truth, . . and fall upon
seditious, false, and factious discourses, to inflame the people, and bring
them into ill opinion both of their king and those to whom the govem
ment of the church is, by him, intrusted, you are no more a preacher,
but a prevaricator ; a dangerous boutefeu and incendiary, as you have
been hitherto. That this is true, shall be most plainly manifested in
the Anatomy of your Sermon— Ibr we will call it so to please you. . .
" Apol. p. 6.
I' Heylyn has transposed " canon and civil," contrary to Burton's nr/i
incident, small as it appears, not without significancy. uraer ; an
¦^ A prison in Wood-street, afterward in the Poultry, the site of wl„vi, ¦
occupied hy a Congregational Church. ""icn is now
'' Apol. p. 7.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 5
A .second reason which you have to prove them your ' adversaries,' is,
that they have usurped such a ' title' of jurisdiction, ' as cannot consist
with that title of jurisdiction, which the law of the land hath annexed
to the crown imperial.' If so, they are the king's adversaries, in the
first place ; robbing him of the fairest flower in the regal diadem ! . .
But, how may it appear unto us ? . . ' Be<»use,' say you, they ' do
continually exercise their Episcopal jurisdiction, without any ' Letters
Patent' of his Majesty, or his progenitors ; ' in their own names and
rights [only,' not in his Majesty's name and right." . . This being
objected to them in that sennon also, we shall there meet with it. One
thing I must take with me now, for fear I find it not hereafter. You
say, the bi.shops exercise the Episcopal jurisdiction 'in their own names
and rights only ;' not in his Majesty's name and right, ' to the manifest
breach of their oaths. . . The statute 1 Eli'z. c. i. uniting all manner
of jurisdiction Ecclesiastical whatsoever unto the imperial crown of this
realm, enacteth the oath of supremacy and allegiance eo nomine, to that
very end and purpose, that none should presume to exercise any Flccle-
siastical jurisdiction within this realm, but by virtue of the King's
Letters Patent, and in the King's Majesty's name and right.' . . Pray
you Sir! was the 'Oath of Allegiance' enacted 1st of Elizabeth. . .
It is reported to have been enacted, 3 Jacohi, on the occasion of the
Gunpowder Treason. And for the ' Oath of Supremacy,' made, indeed,
1 Eliz., was it enacted eo nomine, to that ' end aud purpose,' as you
please to tell us P*" What P that no bishop might proceed in exercise
of his ordinary Episcopal authority, without especial Letters Patent,
and in the Queen's Majesty's name and right only ? . . Assuredly,
leamed Sir ! that oath was framed to settle the abolishment of all foreign
power and jurisdiction ; such as the Po()es of Rome had lately prac
tised in this kingdom, and for no other end and puipose. . . 1 see,
Sir, you are as excellent in the law as in the gospel ! ""^
The next paragraph is so contrived as to mislead any one who should
desire to gather Burton's real argument. " Let's on. Sir," says Hey
lyn, " to those other Arguments which you have studied, to prove tlie
high commissioners to be your ' adversaries.' " Here he collects the
premises out of three of Burton's paragraphs, and makes them play
" handy-dandy ;" jumbling the relevant and the irrelevant ; and at last,
he contrives to let slip the conclusion which he undertook to prove ;
the converse of Burton's, that those from whom he appealed were his
" adversaries," and " so incompetent judges" of him and of his cause.
" Apol. p. 8.
•¦ Heylyn has blundered. Burton was, it is true, incorrect in coupling with
'Oath' in the singular, the phrase 'of Supremacy and Allegiance,' when he
intended only the Oath 1st Eliz., as the context shows; for where charging the
Bishops with the breach 'of their oaths,' he raeans that 'these men,' those against
whom he ,'excepts, p. 8, had taken each the oath alluded to ; and so in referring
to them used the phrase 'their oaths.' That this is a just explanation, is con
firmed where, seven lines beneath, he employs the phrase "this very y4ct, which
they thus notoriously transgress, is the ground whereupon their Commission in
Causes Ecclesiastical is erected ; and that, principally, for the better observation
ofthe said Act, &'c."
•^ See back, vol. i. p. 501.

6 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHAKLES
Where he says, " so far we have gone after you, or with you, I'athei,
it had been more correct to have said, " or beside you ! " ^^ .^
" We must next look upon you whilst you plead your cause, _^
reflects upon the ' illegality' of the judge's proceedings.' ' Hey y
willing to stop aud gaze awhile here, as well he might, at •»""""»
" division," into " two parts : the one, general, which concerns inm
usual practice' in all other cases; the other, particular, in your ovm
case:" yet he admonishes Burton for this; " It had been httei sme,
you had left out the general, and fallen on the particular only ; loi m
such things which are, you say, their ' usual practice, what cause nave
you to make ' appeal,' more than other men P" Some would have
thought it had beeu still " fitter" to have left out the "particular also ;
suice most "other men" were temfied into silence, and why should
not Burton ? But " people's heads" being set a buzzing that the pro
ceedings of the High Commission Court " are contrary to piety, to law,
to charity, and utterly against the liberty of the King's good subjects,
, . we must do what we can, to rase it out again !" This, then, is part
of Heylyn's undertaldng : now for the execution or accomplishment
of it. " Your first exception is against the oath ' ex officio.' " Heylyn's
defence of this oath, borrowed chiefly from Dr. Cosin, as he acknow
ledges, we are relieved, happily, from introducing. We insert only
this passage. "In such cases [causes] as principally do concern the
high commission^ it hath not been thought fit to admit counsel for
drawing up an answer unto the Articles objected ; the better to avoid
delays, and that foul palliating of schisms and en'ors which might
thence arise." We are indebted to Heylyn for letting out the secret
from its prison-house. But it is our happiness to be able to show
beyond cavil, that the men who, like Burton, and " some that had"
what Heylyn calls " as evil will to the church as he, in Queen Eliza
beth's time," have proved themselves to be some of Britain's best
champions for constitutional liberty ; which the celebrated exponent of
" The Laws of England" thus certifies : »' The canonical doctrine of
purgation, whereby the parties were obliged to answer upon oath to any
matter, however criminal, that might be objected against them, — though
long ago oveiTuled in the Court of Chancery, the genius of English
law having broken through the bondage imposed on it by its clerical
chancellors, and asserted the doctrines of judicial as well as civil liberty,
—continued till the middle of the last century to be upheld by the
Spiritual Courts; when the Legislative was obliged to interpose to
teach them a lesson of similar moderation."* This historical testimo
nial releases us also from noticing correlate " exceptions" slun-ed over
' Mr. Justice Blackstone's Commentaries, bk. iii. ch. vii — " When the Hio-h
Commission Court was abolished hy Statute 16 Car. I. c. ii. this ' Oath ex officio'
was abolished with it," chap, xxvii. — " By tlie Statute of 13 Car II c 12 t
enacted. That it shall not be lawful for any Bishop, or Eecleaias'tical Jud T
tender or administer to any person whatsoever, the Oath usually cillt-d ' thf ^' tl
ex-officio,' or any other Oath whereby he may be compelled to confess accusp
or purge himself of any criminal matter or thing, whereby he may bc liable ,,
censure or punishment." Chap. vii. ""'y

CHAP. XXKIV.J REL.VTING TO INDEPENDENTS. 7
or qnibbled at by Heylyn ; who finishes this his first chapter, occupied
chiefly upon Burton's Apology, " wherein is nothing to be found but
poor surmises ;" and yet, notwithstanding this unprofitable labour,
Heylyn tells Burton, " I am resolved to dissect jou thoroughly, and
lay you open to the world, which hath so long been seduced by you ! "
How the vaunting anatomist succeeded will be shown.
Hitherto it should seem that Heylyn has been wasting his labour,
for continuing to follow his calling, as in duty bound, he commences
his Second Chapter, with a sentence o( depravation ; " declining" from
" an ' Apology' that ¦was full of weakness, unto a ' Sennon' or rather
a Pasquil, fai' wore full of wickedness ! " After exhibiting various
coruscations of a heated imagination, and having warned Burton of
that " calamity" which " is now like to fall" upon him, " Now,"
exclaims Heylyn, "for the method of your ' Sennon' — I mean to call it
so no more, — though you observe no method in it ! " The passages
" therein, either of scandal or sedition, I shall reduce," so he goes on,
" especially unto these two heads ; those which reflect upon the King's
most excellent Majesty ; and, those which strike directly against the
bishops." " First, for the King ; you may reraember what 1 told }'ou* was the
Puritan tenet, — That kings are but the ministers of the commonwealth ;
and, that they have no more authority than what is given them by the
people. This, though you do not say expressly and in terminis, yet
you come very near to it— to a tantamount — finding great fault with
that unlimited power which some give to kings ; and also, with that
absolute obedience which is exacted of the subject. . . Finally, you
reckon it amongst the ' Innovations' wherewith you charge the prelates,
in point of doctrine. That they have laboured to make a change in the
doctrine of Obedience to Superiors ; setting man so in God's throne,
that all obedience to man must be absolute, without regard to God, and
conscience, whose only rule is the word of God. ' ' ''
"Now, Sir, I pray you, what are you; or by what spirit are you
guided ; that you should find yourself aggrieved at ' unlimited power,'
which some of better understanding than yourself, have given to kings;
or [that you should] think it any 'innovation' in point of doctrine, in
case the doctrine of Obedience to our Superiors be pressed more home
of late than it hath heen fonnerly ?"'^
" Your ' reprehension,' is ' of those that so advance man's ordinances
and commandments, as though they be contrary to God's law and the
fundamental laws of the state, yet press men to obedience to them ; ' "*
your instance, is of one which was shrewdly threatened . . ' for refusing
to do that which was not agreeable' to the Word of God ;" namely, for
refusing ' to read the Book for Sports." ... So then, the case is this.
The king permits his people honest recreations on the Lord's day,
according as had been accustomed, till you and your accomplices had
cried it down ; with order to the bishops, to see his ' Declaration pub
lished in the churches of their several dioceses respectively." This
" P. 10. ^ P. 26, 27. "^ P. 28.
¦I Serm. p. 77. " If'if!- in m.irg.

8 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES
publication you conceive to be repugnant'to God's word, — -thoug n
but a few factious spirits so conceived it, and, that your doctnne ot tne
Sabbath, be contrary to all antiquity, and modern churches ; -antt
therefore, by your rule they do very well that refuse to publish it. U
is true indeed, in things that are directly contrary to the Law ot trOd,
and such as cany in them a plain and manifest impiety, there ^is no
question to be made but it is better 'to obey God' than man: but,
when the matter chiefly resteth either in misapplying, or misundeiv
standing the Word of God,— a fault too incident to ignorant and
unstable men ; and to none more than' to your disciples, and their
teachers too !— or that the Word of God be made a property, like the
Pharisees' corban,'' to justify your disobedience unto kings and pnnces;
your rule is then as false as your action [is] faulty."'^
" Since you are so much grieved at the ' unlimited power ' — as you
please to call it — which some give to kings, will you be pleased to know
that kings do hold their crowns by no other tenure than Dei gratia ;
and that whatever power they have, they have from God, by whom
'kings reign, and princes decree justice.'"''
" But you go further yet, and tell us of swne things the King cannot
do ; and, that there is a power which the King hath not. What is it,
say you, that the King cannot do ? Marry ! you say he cannot insti-
tute new rites and ceremonies with the advice of his Commissioners
Ecclesiastical, or the Metropolitan, according as some 'plead' from the
Act of Parliament before the Communion Book ! Why so P "^ Ah,
say we too. Why so P And now let the reader see wherein lies not
accordance but discordance between Heylyn's statement and Burton's.
Having shown " wherein the Prelates" endanger a division betw een the
King aud his subjects. Burton asks, " But upon what gi'ound is all
this P What authority do they .show for these outrages P The King ?
That is answered before, by his solemn protestations to the contrary.
But they plead the Act of Pariiament for Uniformity, before the Com
munion Book, wherein is reserved a power to the Queen ' with advice
of her Commissioners, or of the Metropolitan, to ordain and publish
such further ceremonies or rites as may be most for the advancement of
God's glory, the edifying of his church, and the due reverence of
Christ's holy mysteries and sacraments.' Hereupon they gi-ound all
their Innovations. But, for this : first observe, that this clause ofthe
Act IS limited to Queen Elizabeth, and not extended to her successors
of the crown ; they are still expressed." f A fairer specimen of priest
craft for shifting an odium from the shoulders ofthe " holy hierarchy"
upon the K'ngs than that presented by Burton, cannot be expected to
be produced. His charge is, that the Prelates have availed themselves
of a defunct statutable authonty, lo cover their Innovations beneath the
Kings name; although, as he shows, the King cannot exercise any
authority derivable from that statute; thus leaving the force of his
argument against the Prelates augmented by a proof of the illeo-alitv of
their doings. a'^'^'-y "'
. Acts v. 29. b ^viavk vn. 11. c p jq ..„
Prov. viii. Ij.— P. 32. e !> o., ,. J ¦ ^w. oO.
^"m. p. 65.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 9
Heylyn labours again, in his Third Chapter, particularly to turn the
brunt of Burton's arguments from the Bishops upon the King : arguing
still that every thing done in the King's name, was rather the act and
counsel of those about him and under hira.* J"or a dexterous way of
evading a point, and a determination that the scandal of the Book of
Sports shall lie upon King James, although it was drawn up hy Bishop
Morton,'' mai-k Heylyn's " sounding brass, ""= where he tells Burton,
" You lay a scandal on the dead who are now laid to sleep in the bed of
peace, and tell us of that Prince of blessed memory, King James, that
the said Book for Sports ' was procured, compiled, and published in the
time of his Progress into Scotland, when he was more than ordinarily
merrily disposed.''* When he was ' more than ordinarily merrily dis
posed ! ' Good Sir, your meaning. Dare you conceive a base and
disloyal thought, and not speak it out ; for all that ' Trapprjtrta ' which
you so commend against kings and princes P* Leave you so fair a face
with so foul a scar ; and make that peerless Prince, whom you and
yours did blast with daily libels when he was alive, the object of your
Puritanical, aye and uncharitable scoflTs, now he is deceased P Unworthy
wretch ! whose greatest and most pure devotion had never so much
heaven in it as his greatest mirth ! " Sage and disinterested reproof,
from the pen of a chaplain to two monarchs and to an archbishop to
boot ! We cannot but hasten to his next chapter, wherein we are
promised " A plain discovery of H. B.'s quarrels against the Bishops,
in reference to their Calling and their Persons."
Arrived at Heylyn's Fourth Chapter, it is our first care not to lose
sight of the fact, that while attempting to vindicate the claim of Apostolic
Succession through the Church of Rome, Heylyn is compelled to
admit that a flaw is found, where, he says, " Irenseus brings down the
succession till his own time ; ^ during which time the lineal succession
in that church, by reason of many persecutions under which it suflercd,
might be made most questionable : " this he follows, by-the-bye, with
the remark, " We may receive our Orders from them, and challenge
a Succession by them, from the blessed Apostles ; and yet not be
partakers with them in their corruptions. . . If you have any other
pedigree, as perhaps you have, from WiclifTe, Huss, the Albigenses,
and the rest which you used to boast of, keep it to yourself." Heylyn
prefeiTed affinity to the line of the Gardiners and Bonners, whence
might come his high reverence for his patron Archbishop, whom it was
his business to screen even at the expense of his Sovereign: " For his
Majesty's Declaration about Lawful Sports, you have no reason to
charge that on my Lord Archbishop, as if it were a matter of his pro
curing ; or, if it were, to reckon it amongst his faults. His sacred
Majesty, treading in the steps of his royal father, thought fit to suffer
Jhis good subjects to enjoy that innocent freedom, which before they
» The Seventeenth Article of Bishop AVren's Impeachment is that " Finding
the people dislike his Innovations, he often publicly said, he introduced them 'by
the King's command,' and thereby endeavoured to raise an ill opinion of his
Majesty in the hearts of his subjects." Wren's ParentaUay 1150. fol. p. 14.
>' Neal, Hist. Purit. vol. u. ch. 2. " 1 Cor. xiii. 1. ¦' Serm. p. 58.
= Ifid. p. 26, 27. ' Lib. iu. cap. 3.

10 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
did; in using moderate and lawful recreations on tbe Sunday. ••
A pious and a princely act, however you and such as you, tia uc
every day in your scandalous pamphlets. . . All that my Lord Arcti-
bishop had to do therein, was to commit the jiublication of it to nis
suffragan bi.shops, according to his Majesty's just will and pleasure;
and if that be the thing you except against, your quarrel is not at bis
act, but his obedience." Such is Laudean loyalty.
It cannot be thought undutiful of Heylyn that he should magnify
both the Oflice and the Persons of the Bishops, against whom, he has
made it indisputably clear that Burton preached and prayed for their
extiqjation. We seek not to cover Burton's excesses, nor to excuse or
palliate his incivilities. The policy which the bishops practised was
not calculated to conciliate, and their ruin "is a pregnant evidence"*
that however sycophants might a])plaud thera as the wisest of men and
the most watchful of shepherds, their government was tyrannical and
their flock consequently rebellious.
As Heylyn's fonner chapter treated of " the Calling and the Per
sons" of the Bishops, so the Fifth has reference to " their place and
calling," or, as the heading is, " Their Jurisdiction and Episcopal
Govemment." For one particular herein, we are presumptuous enough
to put Heylyn on his trial. Other particulars, here and elsewhere,
deserve special notice, but that the limits of our undertaking compel
our forbearance. The reader will bear in mind that Heylyn is now
defending the Bisho]) of Norwich ; but he looks back to Burton's
instance of "the Ministers of SuiTey,"'' and asks, "What want of
remedy can you or they complain of, if they have not sought it ; or
rather, if their conscience tell them, and those with whom they had
advised advertise them, that, in such cases as this, the judges cannot by
the law award a prohibition, if they should desire it ? Do you conceive
the case aright ? If not, I will lake leave to tell you. JHis Majesty
having published his Declaration about lawful pastimes on the Sunday,
gives order to his Bishops that ' publication thereof be raade in all their
several dioceses respectively." The Bishops hereupon appoint the
Incumbent of every church to read the book unto the people, that so
the people might the better take notice of it ; and finding opposition to
the said appointment, made hy some refractory persons of your own
condition, press them to the performance of it by virtue of that canonical
obedience, which, by their several oaths, they were bound to yield unto
their Ordinaries. But seeing nothing but conterapt ; and conterapt
upon contempt : after much patience and long suflfering, and expecta
tion of conformity to their said appointraent, some of the raost perverse
amongst them have, in some places, been suspended, as well a beneficio
as officio, for an example to the rest. No man deprived or ' outed" as
you say, of his ' means ' and livelihood [' freehold,' in Burton,] that
I hear of yet ! This is the case : which being merely Ecclesiastical
as unto the ground, being a contempt of and against the Ordinary • and
merely Ecclesiastical as unto the censure, which was suspension • I
cannot see what remedy you can find for thera amongst the lawyers,
" rLyiyu. p- lOS- '• S; c kick, vol. ;. y, sjj.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 1 1
but that which every man raight give thera, good and wholesome
counsel. And call you this a persecution, when a i'ew refractor^' jier-
sons are justly punished, in a legal way, for their disobedience ? For
howsoever they and you pretend, that the command was contrary to the
Law of God, and could not be performed with a safe conscience, yet
this was only a pretence ; their reading of the book — had the contents
thereof displeased them — being no raore an arguraent of their appro
bation of anything therein contained than when a comraon crier reads a
proclamation which perhaps he likes not. It raust be, therefore, some
Association had and made araongst thera to stand it out unto tiie last,
and put some baflfle or aflTront on that authority which had iraposed it !
" Sueh also is the persecution, doubtless, which you so coraplain of
in the ' two whole counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, where, in a very
short space,' as you say, ' there hath been the foulest havoc of Minis
ters and their flocks, etc., as ever our eyes have seen ; [Burton's words
are, ' they have raade the foulest havoc of good Ministers and the
flocks ;¦] there being already,' as you tell us, ' sixty Ministers sus
pended, and between sixty and eighty more having had time given
them till Christ-tide,' — take heed of Christ-mass, by all means ! — ' by
which time,' as you say, ' they must either bid their good conscience
farewell, or else their precious ministry and necessary means. In all
Queen Mary's time no such havoc made, in so short a time, of the
faithful Ministers of God in any part of, yea or in the whole land .' * The
same is also told us in the ' News from Ipswich.' Nay, more than so,
)''ou tell us how one or two godly ministers, — some of your associates,
— were threatened by Dr. Corbet, Chancellor of that Diocese, with
' pistolling' and ' hanging,' and I know not what, because they had
refused to read his Majesty's Declaration, about Lawful Sports.*" In
this you do as shamefully belie the Chancellor as you have done the
Bishop in all the rest ; of whose proceedings in that Diocese I will
present you with a short account, that you may see how gi-ossly you
abuse the world.
" And first, you may be pleased to know, that the Clergy of that
Diocese, comprehending all that are in spiritual dignity or office, and
all Parsons, Vicai's, Curates, and Schoolmasters — taking hi the Lec
turers withal — amount unto the number of fifteen hundred, or there-
abouts. So that in case there had been ' sixty' of that fifteen hundred
' suspended' by the Bishop, as you say there were, had this been such
a terrible persecution as you give it out for P But yet it is not so, as
you tell us, neither : for, at the beginning of November, when you
preached that pasquil, of the fifteen hundred there were not twice
fifteen, and that is not half your number, involved in any Ecclesiastical
Censure of what sort soever, and not above sixteen ' suspended.' Sixty
and sixteen are alike in sound, but very different in the number ! And
" Burton, p. 65.
•i Burton's own words are, " Dr. Gorbet, Chancellor to the Bishop of Norwich,
— Mr. Greenhill, an eminent Minister, coraing to him, with another Minister, in
humble raanner to desire absolution from excommunication, for the refusal of
conformity to their new rites, said unto him, in a great heat of passion, That if
he had the power as he desired, he would pistol him."

1-2 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
of those sixteen, eight were then absolved for a time of further t"aH°
be taken of them ; and two did voluntarily resign their places; so tnal
you have but six ' suspended' absolutely, aud persisting so. iNow, ol
the residue, there are deprived, after notorious inconformity for twene
years together, and final obstinacy, after sundry several monitions ;
eight excommunicated, for not appearing at the Court; and lour
inhibited from preaching; of which four, one by his education was a
Draper, another was a Weaver, and a third was a Taylor. Where are
tlie ' sixty' now, that you so cry out of P
" I have the rather given you this in the particulars,— which were
collected faithfully unto my hands out of the Registry of that Diocese,—
that you, and other men, may see your false and unjust clamours : the
rather, because it was related to me by a friend of raine in Gloucester
shire, that it went current there, amongst your brethren, that your said
'sixty' were 'suspended' for no other cause than for repeating the
Doxology at the end of the Lord's Prayer. So, for your other num
ber, ' between sixty and eighty suspended' till Christmas — or 'Christ-
tide,' as you please to phrase it; — upon examination of the Registere,
there appears but eight, and those not all ' suspended ' neither ; two
being excommunicated for not appearing. 'Eighty' and 'eight' do
come as near in sound as ' sixty' and ' six* before, but diflfer more, a
great deal, in the calculation ! And so rauch for the grand persecution
in the Diocese of Norwich." So says Heylyn, and this is his expla
nation of the case.
Now for his Master's. In 1636 Laud laid a Certificate before the
King " touching Norwich Diocese," where it is stated that " his Lord
ship's care hath been such, as that though there are above fifteen
hundred clergymen in that Diocese, and many disorders, yet there are
not thirty excommunicated, or suspended."* Next comes Wren's own
account, which appears in the shape of a Certificate concerning the
Book of Sports: " Anno 1637: Though the 12th Article, that upon
inquiry, at my Visitetion, whether the King's Majesty's Declaration
for the Lawful Sports had been published ; I found it had not been
done, in very many places of the Diocese : having therefore, about
sixty books on hand, I caused thera to be proposed to such persons as
I had most doubt of, but many of them refused to publish the same,
and were suspended for their refiisal ; yet divers of them presently pro
mised conformity, and were so absolved ; so that now, in the whole
Diocese, consisting of about fifteen hundred clergymen, there are not
passing twice fifteen excommunicated, or suspended; whereof some so
stand for contumacy, etc."''
1 «^'?' t^" ^f^ ""f " F'^^P °^ ^oxmch frora the ] 0th of Noveraber,
1635, to May 5th, 1638, was impeached, December 19th, 1640, the
day after that which Laud had also had " a brand of impeachinent
fixed on Iran, for high cnnies and misdemeanours ;"c and July 5th,
1641, the Committee made its Report of the Charge to the House of
Commons, "That the said Matthew Wren, Bishop of Ely ha*
^ 'ui^Tt' °'' ^^--f ;^^«/;--b ofthe Wren.." 1750.^ p. IS.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 13
excommunicated, deprived, or banished, within tiie space of two years,
fifty godly, learned, and painful Ministers."* The Articles of Im
peachment were transmitted to the Lords, July 20th ; and the Thir
teenth is, " During his being Bishop of Norwich, which was about two
years and four months, he caused filty Godly Ministers to be excom
municated, suspended, and deprived, for not reading the Service at the
Communion Table ; for not reading the Book of Sports ; lor using
Conceived Prayers ; '' and for not complying with some other illegal
Innovations, to the ruin of their families, whereby some of thera were
forced to go beyond sea." We copy from his Defence of this Article
the following paragraph : " Mr. William Green, Curate of Bromholm,
was suspended for many defects, and, araong the rest, for want of a
clerical habit ; but upon his submission, he was presently absolved, and
his Licence to preach was only taken from hira ; he being very illite
rate, and having been, of late, by trade a tailor. Of which sort of
raen raany others must corae into the reckoning to make up the number
of 'fifty' that were under Censure; naraely, Mr. Pittman, Curate of
Grundsborough, who, not long before, had been a broken tradesman in
Ipswich ; Mr. Cook, of Frilton, not long before a country apothecary ;
Mr. FaiTar, of Benestall, a weaver, made a Minister; Mr. Bridges,
of Wickham-market, no graduate, not long since translated frora the
common stage-playing to two Cures and a public Lecture. And yet
the nuraber will not be made up, as this Defendant believeth, unless
there be brought in under the same account, Mr. Potter, Vicar of
Kirbrook, where he had not been for seventeen years before ; Mr.
Smith, Vicar of Memdersley, which he had held above twenty years,
and was not in holy Orders of Priesthood : Mr. Norton, Burton,
Burrage, Creak, Hurly, Cockerell, Mote, Thomson, Rising, Sherwin,
Beavis, Sherwood, Burch, Gray, and others, of whom this Defendant
receiving information that they were debauched and scandalous in their
courses, by his frequent Letters to the Chancellor, they were brought
under Censure.""^
1 n an.swer to the Sixteenth Article of Impeachment ; that " By
rigorous prosecutions, etc., he caused three thousand of the King's
subjects — many of whom using trades, employed a hundred poor
people each, — to go into Holland and other places beyond sea, where
they have set up and taught the manufactures, to the gi-eat hinderance
of trade, and impoverishing the people of this kingdom:"'* Wren
makes a stateraent showing that the number charged did not all go in
" Parentalia, p. 1 1 .
'' " That monster of ' Conceived Prayer' — pardon the expression, it is not my
own — seemed as bad to him as a spell or charm ; it must not he used upon any
occasion ! Without doubt, he would never have been so straitlaced and severe in
this particular, if he had but dreamed of that strait which a Minister, a friend of
his, was put to hy this means. 'Ihe story is short : — A butcher was gored in the
belly by an ox ; the wound was cured ; the party desired public thanksgiving in
the congregation ; — the Minister finding no Form for that purpose, read the
Collects for Churching of Women ! " — Speech of Sir Thomas Widdrington, of
Gray's Inn, Recorder of York, &c., at the Conference between both Houses, at
the Transmission of the Impeachment against Matthew Wren, D.D. &c. —
Parental'a, p. 21.
' Ibid. p. 96. "i Ib. p. 14.

14 HISTORICAL -MEMORIALS [cHARLES .
his time, and that tiio state of trade, caused in part by the plague in
London, had compelled numbers to go into Holland ; but he conies,
nevertheless, to this very striking conclusion here : " The meaner soit,
therefore, went chiefly for gains and means of life ; the abler sort might
also be led away by that, which was operative in any diocese, as m the
Diocese of Norwich ;— excepting always, to Noi-wich Diocese a better
opportunity of sudden and easy slipping over; — and that was, the utter
dislike of all Church Governraent, and of the Doctrine and Discipline
by law here established."*
How stands the " Case" now, which Heylyn was so forward to "tell ?"
The discrepances, all the way through, tend to confinn that Burton
is borne out in his general statements ; and that what Wren, whom
even Clarendon calls " a man of a severe sour nature," '' set up in his
own defence, is a far more severe censure on the state of his Diocese
and on the whole Established Church, than is the unofiicial relation of
his opponents. We need not fear the result of an examination of the
narrative of " the falsifier of those times, who was never at a loss, nor
ever encumbered with the least diffidence." ¦= Sir Thomas Widdrington
made a just and profound remark, on presenting Wren's Impeachment
to the Lords, " An arbitrary Governraent in the Church," he told
thein, " is more dangerous, more grievous, than that of the State ; it
is exercised upon men's consciences, the raost tender part, and is the
very pinnacle of Tyranny ; and, of all other, most intolerable : that
blow which will hardly be felt by the arm, will put out the eye 1^
Laud and Wren, with Heylyn, have now been set in the balance
against Burton, and what is the result, but that the colourable ingre
dients on the side of the Prelates, scarcely affect the preponderance on
the opposite side ?
Let us see next what the Sixth Chapter produces in the way of
exculpation of the " Right Reverends." Heylyn is entitled to the
praise, if such he needs, of not going far about, nor being over sci-u-
pulous, to find and use terms of reprobation ; take, for example, his
first sentence in this chapter. " As is the persecution, such are the
• Innovations' also, which you have charged upon the Bishops ; both
yours, and so both false alike ! " We are content that Heylyn's
justification of the alleged " Innovations'" should abide the like
investigation with his defence of the Prelates from the positive charge of
persecution; both Heylyn's, "and so both false ahke ! " That he
shoots beside the raark purposely, is sufficiently apparent ; and his
labour to make out that neither the Doctrine nor the Discipline of the
Church was infringed by the then Bishops, is fi.tile and insulting.
The raan who could suppress truth, and put down ai'guraent by the
" Parentalia, p. 102. b Hist. Rebel, vol i bk ii ,, st «.!•* r ^Tn^y
' Archdeacon Blackburne, "Confessional." °d t 3 177^' . ^'/cn ''^Sr
says also, in p. 165, that Peter Heylyn was "a ma^^ \L ! i,' "¦ P'.'**'- ^?
modesty, when the interests or claiml of the ciTurch emnet """'" f "'"'V"''
any authority short of a Bishop's should he disreglrded we rnrf'^''""'"-. ^n'
us "Our first Reformers, out of Peter Hevlvn's ant!;, ^w ""^ °"^ '^^° '^"'
truth, scandalous writings, are made f3c ." '"l^fsC '° Z P"^^* '""^
Remains. 1693. Svo. p. 181. oisnop Larlow's Genuine

'' ParentaUa. u. 20.

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 15
aiTogance of authority alone, is not worthy of that attention which is
due to a candid and disinterested opponent. How fallacious Heylyn's
appeal to authority is, he has enabled us to exemplify in an instance of
so singular a character as makes it marvellous that his "Justum
Voluraen," so called by his master," should flatiy contradict what that
imperious master had set down for truths. But let us see first what
Heylyu says.
" For standing up at the Gospel, it was enjoined expressly, in the
Liturgy of King Edward VI., and practised also, though not prescribed
under that now in use amongst us. Bishop Jevvel, as you see, allows
it ; with whom you are not worthy to be named the same day. And
for the practice of it, take this of Hooker, 'Because the Gospels which
are weekly read, do all historically declare something which our Lord
Jesus Christ hiraself either spake, did, or suflfered, in his own person,
it hath been the custom of Christian men then especially, in token of
the greater reverence, to stand, to utter certain words of acclamation,
and at the narae of Jesus to bow : which hannless ceremonies,' as he
tells us, there was not any man ' constrained to use ; ' '' nor was it
necessary ; all sorts of people using them without constraint, till you
and your forefather, Cartwright,*^ made scruple of it."
See now what a greater than Heylyn sa3's the other way. Quoting
Queen Elizabeth's Injunctions of 1559, No. 52, in his Speech in the
Star Chamber, June 14, 1637; that "Whensoever the name of Jesus
shall be in any Lesson, Service, or otherwise pronounced in the Church
— it is enjoined — that due reverence be made of all persons, young
and old, with lowliness of courtesy, and uncovering of the heads of
mankind, as thereunto doth necessarily belong, and heretofore hath
been accustomed : ' So," says Laud, " here is necessity laid upon it,
and custora for it, and both by express Authority ! "''
" Who shall decide when doctors disagree ? "
Heylyn commences his Seventh Chapter with cavilling at Burton's
inadvertence, if so it be, where charging the Prelates with Innovations,
he instances "the altering of Prayer Books set forth by public autho
rity," and again, " set forth" by Parliament; a phrase which Heylyn
claims for " discreet Bishops, and other learned raen of this realra ; and
being so ' set forth,' was by authority of Parliaraent confirraed and
ratified, as it related to the subject : " presentiy, he says, " Being ' set
forth,' then, by the Clergy, it was, as you inform us, ' commanded to
be read without any alteration ; ' that was, indeed, done by authority of
Parliament." From such fast and loose dealing, we pass ; but not to
stop either at Heylyn's arbitrary doctrine, " that out of doubt the
Puritan religion is rebellion," and " their faith faction," because
' Laud's Speech in the Star Chamber, 1637, p. 73.
"> Eccles. PoUty, bk. v. sect. 30, vol. ii. p. 106, Hanbury's edit. 1830.
' When the Injunctions were issued, Cartwright was scarcely in vogue.
<¦ Speech, p. 31. See also Canon xviii. 1603. "When in time of Divine
Service the Lord Jesus shall be mentioned, due and lowly reverence shall he done
by all persons present, as hath heen accustomed." Though this, from its date,
excuses Hooker, yet what can be said for Heylyn 1

IG HISTORICAL .MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Burton had " condemned that absolate obedience unto Kings and
Princes, which," says Heylyn, " is due to them from their subjects;
and that unlimited poivei; which is," says Heylyn too, "ascribed unto
them, because theirs of right ! "'
It may be amusing to notice the difficulties and evasions ot the
Prelatists on certain occasions ; as, for instance, well knowing that the
Canons of 1603 have never been " confirmed and ratified by Parlia
ment," and that therefore they bind the Clergy only, who alone swear
to observe them, Heylyn having to vindicate their " bowing at the
narae of Jesus,'" says it is enjoined by the 18th Canon, which being
authorized by his Majesty, is the law of the King." Another turn
which Heylyn takes to extricate his party from the charge of having
brought in " changes," is that what they did was through " the law of
God, the King, and the Act of Parliament, either enabling them to do
so, or not gainsaying it : " a loop-hole wide enough to let in all sorts of
" Innovations." Tradition and the Decrees of the Church, and the
Infallibility of Councils, all find a safe shelter under the wing of this
negative clause. Let one be heard, however, who paid no little
deference to the reverend authority of Bishops ; he says, " That
Authority of raen should prevail with men either against or above
Reason, is no part of our belief. Companies of leamed men, be they
never so great and reverend, are to yield unto Reason, the weight
whereof is no whit prejudiced by the simplicity of his person which
doth allege it ; but being found to be sound and good, the bare opinion
of men to tiie contrary must of necessity stop and give place."*.
An-ived at Heylyn's eighteen pages of " Conclusion," they deserve
no further notice than what the arrogance they contain demands. " For
your odious supposition'' of setting up Mass in the King's Chapel, let
me toll you tiiis, — that it is criminal, if not capital, to use ifs andands
and suppositions in matters of so high a nature, and such as, in some
cases,-^ bath been judged high treason ! " But worse than U'eason :
" So," says he, " for your dealing with the Bishops, you labour to
expose them as much as in you is ! " After all, by a sort of special
distinction 111 favour of Burton, or by way of peculiar condescension
in regard of theraselves. Laud, Heylyn, and Company, announce to the
"poor Ignorant men, who were too ready to devour what was "spread
abroad, by malicious wits, of purpose to defame their betters,'' that
"However it was thought unfit, that at this present time, an Answer
should be made unto all your quarrels, that so the people whom you
have seduced raight see the error of their courses ; yet neither you nor
they must expect the like on all or any of those factious provocations
which, every day are oflfered to the public government. Things that are
once estabhshed by a constant law, are not at all to be disputed much
ess declaimed against; or if they be, will find more shelter frmn the
laws than from their advocates. These scandalous and seli^us
* Hooker, Eccles. Pol. bk. ii. sec. 7, vol. i. p. 183 edit ISSn
Burton had said, " Suppose,— which we trust never to see »n.1 i.- i.
hearts abhor once to imagine,— Mass were set up in the Kintr' p'v, i " ""'
good argument why it should be admitted in aU the Churchf. 9 " S ' " '^" *
' Alluding to Sir WUliam Stanley; History of Henry VII ,' by Lord BacOn

CHAP. XXXIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ' 17
pamphlets are now grown so rife, that every day, as if we lived in the
wilds of Africa, doth produce new monsters, there being more of them
divulged, at this present time, than any former age can speak of; more
of these factious spirits quam muscarum olim cum caletur maxime,
than there are scarabees, and gad-flies, in the heat of summer ! And
should the State [!] think fit that every libel of yours, and such men
as you, should have a soleran Answer to it, you would advance your
heads too high, and think you had done something more than ordinary
which should necessitate the State [!] to set out Apologies. That, as
it would encourage you to pursue your courses, so would it suddenly
dissolve the whole frame of Government ; which is as much endangered
by such disputations as by disobedience. And yet I would not have
you think that you are like to find tiiose days whereof Tacitus speaks,
ubi et sentire quce veils, et quee sentias loqui liceat ; * in which, you
may be bold to opine what you list, and speak whatever you conceive ;
much less, to scatter and disperse in jDublic whatever you dare speak in
private. Princes have otherways to right themselves, and those which
are in authority under them, than by the pen ; and such as will fall
heavier, if you pull thera on you. . . If Authority hath stooped so low
this once, to give way that your seditious pamphlets should come under
an examination, and that an Answer should be made to all the scan
dalous matters in the same contained, I would not have you think it
was for any other cause but that your Proselytes may perceive what
false guides they follow ; and all the world may see, how much you
have abused the King and his Ministers with your scandalous clamours :
which done, and all those cavils answered which you have heen so long
providing, it is expected, at their hands, that they rest satisfied in and
of the Church's purposes in every of the things objected ; and look not
after fresh Replies upon like occasions."
As we introduced this work of Heylyn's to our readers, with a
quotation frora Milton, so we shall follow it with another, characteristic
of its author. The "grim wolf," or victim of the "two-handed engine,"
— the uplifted axe, or two-handed sword, — little suspected what his
measures would end in before about eight short years should be passed
over; unless the meraorable lines about to be quoted might have
aroused some compunctious misgiving, when perusing — for surely
nothing escaped his paw — Milton's monody on his youthful friend,
his " Lycidas,"'' drowned in 1637, while crossing the Irish Channel ;
wherein "by occasion" is. foretold "the ruin of our corrupted Clergy,
then in their height." He puts into the mouth of St. Peter —
" How well could I have spar'd for thee, young swain,
Enow of such as for their bellies' sake
Creep, and intrude, and climb into the fold ?
Of other care, they little reck'ning make,
Than how to scramble at the shearers' feast,
And shove away the worthy, bidden, guest.
Blind mouths ! that scarce themselves know how to hold
A sheep-hook, or have learn'd aught else the least
That to the faithful herdman's art belongs !
* Hist. lib. i.
i" Written in Nov., 1637. Edward, son of Sir John King, Knt., Secretary for
Ireland, was drowned Aug. 10, 1637, aged 25.
II. C

I a HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAELES I.
What recks it them ? What need they 1 They are sped ;
And, when they list, their lean and flashy songs
Grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw ;
The hungry sheep look up, and are not fed.
But, swoln with wind, and the rank mist they draw.
Rot inwardly, and foul contagion spread:
Besides what the grim wolf, with privy paw,
Daily devours apace, and nothing said :
But that two-handed engine at the door ^_
Stands ready to smite once, and smite no more !
" In these lines," says Dr. Thoraas Warton, " our author anticipates
the execution of Archbishop Laud. . . It is matter of surprise," he
adds, " that this violent invective against the Church of England and the
Hierarchy, couched indeed in terms a littie mysterious, yet sufficiently
intelligible, and covered by a transparent veil of allegory, should have
been published under the sanction, and from the press, of one of our
Universities ; or that it should afterwards have escaped the severest
animadversions, at a period when the proscriptions ofthe Star Chamber,
and the power of Laud, were at their height."*

CHAP. XXXV.
KINE POSITIONS SENT TO NEW ENGLAND.  ANSWER.  REPLY.
This year, 1637, a Letter was addressed by " Many" Puritan " Mi
nisters" at home, to " their Brethren," as they styled them, in New
England; requesting their "judgment" on "Nine Positions" proposed
to those Brethren.'' That carrying away frora their native country
minds freed from the trammels which bound them from speaking and
acting but within, at best, a sort of conventional sphere ; and each one
using his privilege, accordingly, to avow his sentiments and to can-y
out his principles concerning all raatters of Church-polity ; the New
England Exiles should, after awhile, have diverged widely from their
former customs, would seem to follow as a necessary consequence. The
jealous watchfulness with which their every movement was regarded,
might have been expected from parental and fraternal allies not yet
released from the shackles in which prejudice had fixed them ; but that
reproaches should be wafted across the intervening ocean, could only
have proceeded from the servile adherents of prescription ! Which
party of these twain most concerned themselves about the expatriated
" Reverend and Beloved Brethren," let the " Letter" itself show.
" While we Uved together in the same Kingdom, we professed the same faith ;
joined m the same ordinances; laboured, in the work of God, to gain souls unto
his kingdom, and maintamed the purity of worship against corruptions both on
the right hand and on the left But smce your departure into New England, we
hear and partly believe, that divers have embraced certain opinions such as you
disliked formerly, and we judge to be groundless and unwarrantable.c
" Todd's MUton, 1809, vol. vi. p. 41, 42, and notes there.
>> The title of the volume is given in another place, see p.'22 note
"^ The Positions will be found in their order, hereafter '

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 19
" These, and other such like, which we omit to reckon up, are written and
reported to be the common tenets in New England ; which are received with great
applause, maintained with great confidence, and applauded as the only Church -
way wherein the Lord is to be worshipped ! And Letters from New England
have so taken with divers in many parts of this kingdom, that they have left our
Assemblies because of a Stinted Liturgy ; and excommunicated themselves from
the Lord's Supper hecause of such as are not debarred from it : and being turned
aside themselves, they labour to ensnare others ; to the grief of the godly, the
scandal of religion, the wounding of their own souls, if they did advisedly consider
the matter, and great advantage of them that are wily to espy, and ready to make
use of, all advantages to prejudice the truth.
" Beloved Brethren ! if you stood in our places, we are well assured it would
be no small grief unto you, to hear and see the people led aside, to the disgrace of
the Gospel, upon weak and groundless imaginations ; and, in rash and inconsiderate
zeal, to deal with that which is of God as if it were of man I And if it be to us
grief of heart, to hear that you have changed from that Truth which you did pro
fess, and embrace that for Truth which, in former times upon sound grounds you
did condemn as erroneous, we hope you will not be offended. You know how
oft it hath been objected, 'that Nonconformists in practice are Separatists in heart,'
but that they go cross to their own positions, or smother the Trvith for sinister
ends. They of 'the Separation boast that they stand upon the Nonconformists'
grounds : a vain-glorious flourish, and slight pretence ! But both these are much
countenanced by your sudden change, if you be changed as it is reported. How
shall your Brethren be able to stand up in defence of their innocency and the
uprightness of their cause, when your example and opinion ^hall be cast in their
dish ? Must they leave you now, with whom they have held society ? Or, will
you plead for Separation, which you have condemned as rash and inconsiderate ?
You know that they who have run this way, have fallen into manifold divisions ;
and may not you justly fear lest the same befall you ? Some warnings you have
had already ; and have you not cause to fear, every day, more and more 1 Error
is very fruitful, and will speed apace. A crack in the foundation may occasion a
wide breach in the buUding where there will not be means, or mind, to amend it.
Experience, every day, may tutor us herein.
" But to let pass all inconveniences, our request, in all meekness and love, is.
That if these, or any of the forementioned opinions, be indeed your tenets, you
would be pleased to take a second review of your grounds ; and send us your
strongest reasons that have swayed you in thei-e matters. And if we shall find
them, upon due examination, to be such as will carry weight, we shall be ready
to give you the right hand of fellowship : if otherwise, you shall receive our just
and modest animadversions, in what we conceive you have erred from the Truth.
"You will not judge, if we cannot apprehend the strenglh of your grounds, it
is because we love not the Truth ; or, be carried with by- respects ; though these
conceits prevail too much : such rigid and harsh censures cannot lodge in meek
and humble breasts. Weighty reasons promote the Truth ; not unadvised
judging. You, yourselves, have judged that to be error which, now, you take to
he truth, when yet you were not blinded with by-respects, nor your eyes hood
winked thatyou might not see the light ! And if you have just warrant from God,
to pull down what you have builded, and to build what you have pulled down ;
we desire you would lovingly, and maturely, impart it : for, as yet, we have seen
none which we are not ready to prove, and show hy the rule of Truth, to be too
weak to carry any burden. We adore, with you, the fulness of the Scripture,
and we know ,' the counsel of the Lord shall stand.' If you can show that you
walk in the ways of God, we shall heartily rejoice to walk with you : but, if you
have turned aside, we shall earnestly desire that you would be pleased seriously
to consider the matter, and speedUy reform what is out of order.
" Thus, not doubting of your favourable interpretation of this our motion for the
preventing of distraction, maintenance of peace, and searching out of the Truth,
whereby we may be directed to live to the praise of God, the good of his people,
and comfort of our souls ; beseeching G<)d to lead and guide us into all truth and
holiness, and keep us blameless until his glorious appearance j we rest — Your
Loving Brethren."
c 2

20 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Although the Answer of the Elders of the Churches in New Eng
land, is stated to have been returned, anno 1639, we shall not, on
account of the benefit derivable from contiguity, interpose any rnatter
between the Answer and the Letter which produced it, especially as
the Answer does not involve facts which interfere with the course of
events at home.
" Reverend and Beloved Brethren,— In these remote coasts of the
earth whereunto the good hand of God hath brought us, as we do, with
much comfort of heart, call to mind the many gracious blessings which,
both with you and from you, we enjoyed in our Christian and holy com
munion, — the memory and fruit whereof we hope shall never be blotted
out ; — so we have, also, seen cause to look back to our fonner adminis
trations there, and to ' search and try our ways,' * that whereinsoever
we have fonnerly gone astray, we might judge ourselves for it before
the Lord. And, that seeing now God hath set before us an open door
of liberty, we might neither abuse our liberty in the Gospel, to run out
into any groundless, unwan'antable, courses, nor neglect the present op
portunity to administer, by the help of Christ, all the holy ordinances
of God, according to the pattern set before us in the Scripture.
" In our native country, when we were first called to the Ministry,
many of us took some things to be indiflferent and lawful, which, in
after times, we saw to be sinful; and durst not continue in the practice
of them there. Afterwards, some things that we bare as burdens, that
is, as things inexpedient though not utterly unlawful, we have no cause
to retain and practise the sarae things here ; which would have been
not only inex]iedient but unlawful. Such things as a man may tolerate
when he cannot remove them, he cannot tolerate without sin when he
raay remove them. Besides, some things we practised there, — which
we speak to our shame and grief, — we never took into serious con
sideration whether they were lawful and expedient or not; but took
them for granted, and generally received not only by the most Re
formed Churches, but by the most godly and judicious servants of God
amongst them; which, nevertheless, when we came to weigh them in the
balance of the sanctuary, we could not find sufficient wan-ant, in the
M^ord, to receive them and establish them here. Of one of l^hese three
kinds will our present practices appear to be, which you call our ' new
[vain] opinions,' or innovations here: except it become few of them,
which, though they have been reported to you to be our judgements
and practice, yet are indeed far from us !
" The particulars are too many and too weighty to give you account
of them, and the grounds of our proceedings about them, in a Letter. But
to give you, if it be the will of God, the better satisfaction, we have sent you
a short treatise touching each particular ; that, according to your desire,
you might miderstand from us, how far we do acknowledge any of these
tenets, and upon what ground : hoping that according to yoni" promise,
if 'upon due examination you .hall find any 'weight' in them you
will give us 'the right hand of fellowship ;" bu[, 'if otiievwise ' Tou-I^
send us your ,,ust and faithful [modest] animadversions." And we do
not suspect your loves to the truth, or j^oiir sincere speaking according to
"Lam, iii. lO. -

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 21
your conscience in the sight of God ; neither tax we you as siding from
the truth ' with by-respects," whereof you coraplain : verily we abhor
such rash, hard, and presumptuous censoriousness ! We see as much
cause to suspect the integrity of our own hearts, as yours ; and so much
the raore as being more privy to the deceitfulness of our own hearts
than of yours. And we cannot but with much thankfulness of heart
acknowledge the many rich , precious treasures of his grace wherewith
the Lord hath furnished sundry of you above your Brethren ; whicli
causeth us, with great reverence to accept and receive what fuitlier
' light' God may be pleased to impart unto us by j'ou ! But, as we have
believed, so have we hitherto practised ; and so have raost of us spoken
this our Answer to your Particulars : raost of us, we raay say, because
there waut not sorae Brethren amongst us who proceed further, even
to look at all set-forms of Prayer invented by men of anotiier age or
congregation, and prescribed to their Brethren to he read out of a Baok
for the Prayers of the Church, as 'images' or iraaginations of men,
forbidden in the Second Commandment: but as we leave thera to the
liberty of their own judgments, without prejudice; so do we also concur
with the rest of thera, so far as we all go, in bearing witness against any
set- forms, or the corruptions in them. In disjiatching whereof, we ha\ e
been the raore slow, because it behoved us first to inquire into, aud to
settle, sorae controversies amongst ourselves, before we could well attend
to entertain discourse about foreign questions wluch do not so nearly
concern our present estate and practice. Besides, your Letters being-
sent to the Ministers of the Churches, and some of them dwelling far
asunder, it was not an easy thing I'or all of us often to raeet together to
consider of these questions; much less, to resolve upon one just [joint]
answer. Buthavingatlength,by the assistance of God, brought our answer
to this issue, we commend it to the blessing of the Lord, and, in him, to
your christian and judicious consideration ; where, if all things be
found safe and duly warranted from Scripture grounds, do you also, as
beseemeth vigilant watchmen of the Lord's flock, and faithful witnesses
to God, if any thing seera doubtful to you, consider and weigh it very
well before you reject it! If any thing appear to be unsound and dis
sonant from the Word, — which we, for our parts, cannot discover, — we
shall willingly attend to what further ' light' God may send unto us
by you.
" In the meanwhile, we entreat you, in the Lord, not to sufTersuch
apprehensions lo lodge in your minds which yeu intimate in your
Letters; as if we here justified the ways of rigid Separation which
sometimes, amongst you, we have formerly borne witness against, and
so build again the things we have destroyed. You know they separate
from your Congregations, as no Churches ; from the Ordinances dis
pensed byyou, as mere Antichristian; and from yourselves, as no visible
Christians: but we profess unfeignedly, we separate from the corruptions
which we conceive to be left in your Churches, and from such Ordi
nances administered therein as we fear are not of God hut of men : and
for yourselves, we are so far from separating as from no visible Chris
tians, as that you are, under Gud, in our hearts, — if the Lord would
suflfer it, — to live and die together. And we look at sundry of you as

22 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES
men of that eminent growth in Christianity, that, if ^'^''^^^^7'/ the!?
Christians under heaven, amongst you are the men which, 'oj " '^^
many years, have been written in your foreheads, 'Holiness to me
Lord ;' which we speak not to prejudice any Truth which ourselves are
here taught and called to profess; but we still believe, though personal
Christians may be eminent in their growth of Christianity yet Churches
had still need to grow frora apparent defects to punty, and from relorin-
ation to reformation, age after age, till the Lord have utterly abolished
Antichrist ' with the breath of his mouth', and ' the brightness of his
coming'," to the full and clear revelation of all His holy truth ; especially
touching the ordering of His house and public worship. As a pledge
of this our estimation of you, and sincere affection to you, we have sent
tiiese answers to your demand ; and shall be ready, by the help of
Christ, to receive back again from you, wise, and just, and holy adver
tisements in the Lord.
" Now, the Lord God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, your
Lord and ours, lead us into all truth ; purge out all leaven out of His
Churches ; and keep us blaraeless and harmless in His holy faith and
fear, to His heavenly kingdora, through Hira that hath loved us : in
whora we rest — -your very loving Brethren, The Elders of the Churches
in New England."
It is impossible not to be interested in a Letter so temperate and yet
so firra ; in which reproof is so justly administered, and yet is so con
ciliatory ; written, as the Replies adrait, "in great love and tender
ness ;" as is that which accompanied the " Short Treatise" iiowto be
attended to, and which comprises the combined and deliberate judg
ment of the Expatriated Brethren upon the " Nine Positions." If not
all, so rauch of the Treatise will be produced as bears upon the parti
culars imputed to, or charged upon, the Transatiantic Divines ; and at
the foot, in the margin, will be found what it is deemed expedient not
to pass over in the " Reply" of the Divines at horae, or rather of one
of those Divines : for, after the title-page of the volume,'' the parties
who superintended its publication inform "the Reader" that " upon the
receipt ofthe 'Answer' returned unto the ' Nine Positions,' Master
Ball," moved by request of Brethren, drew up this Reply, which, upon
perusal and joint approbation, was directed unto the Reverend Elders
of the several Churches in New-England." The first copy of the Reply
having miscarried in 1640, another copy was " prepared in the year
following ;" and the whole collection bears the " Impriraatur" of James
' 2 Thess. ii. 8.
>> " A Letter of Many Ministers in Old England, requesting the judgment of
their Reverend Brethren in New England, concerning Nine Positions : Written
A.u. 1637. Together with their Answer thereto, returned anno 1639 ; and, the
Reply made unto the said .Answer, and sent over unto them, anno 1640. — Now
published, hy occasion mentioned in the Epistle to the Reader, foUowing in the
next page, upon the desire of many godly and faithful Ministers, in and about the
City of London, who love and seek the Truth : By Simeon Ash, and WiUiam
Rathband. — 1 Thess. v. 21. 1643." 4to. pp. 90.
'John BaU, A. M., many years Minister at Whitmore, near Newcastle in Staf
fordshire. See Brooke's Lives of the Puritans, voL ii. p. 440. Other notices of
Hall will come before us.

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 2.'^
Cranford, July 5th, 1643. We were surprised at finding the editors
assert that " it is raanifest who are volunteers, and who are pressed to
come forth as defendants in these controversies ;" and could not raake it
intelligible to ourselves but by supposing that a " For" is required to
serve as the introduction to this next sentence : [For] " these differ
ences betwixt the loving Brethren of Old England and New, had not
been raade thus notorious, if sorae who cry up the Church- way in New-
England as the onlywayof God, had not been found to blow them abroad
in the world."
" The Answer of the Reverend Brethren in New England.
" First Position : ' That a Stinted Form of Prayer and Set Liturgy is
unlawful.' " Ans. — Before we proceed to declare ourselves concerning this
position ; . . we suppose. First, by a Liturgy and Form of Prayer, you
mean not a Form of private Prayers ; but a systera or body of Public
Prayers generally used in the English Parishes, compiled for the
Church's use hy other men not infallibly guided by God. . . Now, we
know not of any other ' Stinted Liturgy' from which people do absent
theraselves. . . For, as for a Form of Prayer in general, . . it is evident that
many Preachers constantly use one set form of prayer of their own
making, before their Sermons, with which the people refuse not to join.
Secondly, By ' Stinted and Set' you mean such Prayers as are so ivi-
, posed upon the Churches and Ministers as that they are limited to that
very forra of words. . . Thirdly. By ' Unlawful,' yon raean that we,
looking at that Forra as swerving from the [Scripture] Rule, neither
dare practise it ourselves, nor approve the use of it by others. . .
" We answer. For our own practice, the Churches here do not use
any ' Stinted Fonn of Prayer and Set Liturgy ;' for these and other such
reasons, [namely,] because^^we find no necessity, . . by virtue of any
Divine precept ; and, seeing the coraraission of the Apostles limited them
to teach men ' to observe" and do only what Christ did command them,*
. . who are we, and what are our Churches, that vfe should presume
above this coraraission ? And, we hope it will not be offensively taken
by any Godly Brethren, that we ' stand fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath raade us free''' in this as well as in other things. Because
[again] the lawfulness of ' Set Forras and Stinted Liturgies' is questioned
and doubted by many faithful servants of God ! Whereas, for Church
officers to edify the Churches by their own gifts, as well in praying as
in preaching, all sorts without controversy grant. . . Now, spiritual pru
dence guideth . . to choose that which is safe. . . Because, primitive
patterns of all the Churches of God in their best times, . . yield not
the least footsteps to show us another safe way ! . . As for after-times,
towards the end of the second and beginning of the third centuiies,
we know how far the Churches were then degenerated ; . . and it was
foretold"^ that ' the power" of Godliness'' would be in after- tiraes, ex
changed for empty Forms ! In which respect we look not on them, as
our Guides neither in this nor other particulars not waiTanted by the
Rule [of Scripture] , herein following the advice of Cyprian who himself
" Matt xxviU. 20. '' Gal. v. 1. '2 Tim. iii. 1. ^ ver. 5.

24 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
saw the coiTuptions of those times, Non est attendendum quid aliquis
ante nos faciendum putaverit, sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus
fecerit et faciendum prfficeperit. To conclude, seeing our Christian
' liberty" freeth us from binding ourselves ; . . and seeing, ' spintual
prudence" directs us ; . . and seeing it will not be 'safe' for us need
lessly to swerve from the constant practice of all Churches that are
recorded in Scripture ; . . we, therefore, may not, do not, dare not,
use ' Set Forras of Prayers and Stinted Liturgies.' . .
" More particulariy; in thatwe do not use that Fonn of Prayer and
Stinted Liturgy which is in use among yourselves ; these and such other
like reasons have induced us. . . First, the many and just exceptions
whereunto that liturgy is liable, both for matter and raanner! Forthe
proof whereof, we refer you to those faithful servants of God who have
gone before us in witnessing against the same : amongst others, Mr.
Cartwright, aud the ' Abridgment.' Secondly, inasmuch as that liturgy
was never ' commanded' of God, aud hath been greatly abused to idolatry
and superstition, and is not of any necessary use ; and therefore, we are
afraid to bring it into the worship of God, as knowing the jealousy of
the Lord in matters of this nature !" . . And that that liturgy hath been
superstitiously abused may be clear to any that shall consider that it is
the sarae, for substance, that was used in the days of Popery. . . And
many of the people put such holiness in it, that they think God is not
rightly worshipped, nor his Sabbath well observed, nor the Sacraments
sufficiently administered, if there be no reading of that service. . .
Thirdly, in regard of the many woeful scandals and dangerous conse
quences of using that liturgy I . . To mention but two, namely, the
hardening of papists, who are emboldened to think better of their own
breviaries, mass-books, portuisses ; seeing that liturgy hath been ex
tracted out of those books, and rather fetched frora thera than from the
fonns used in any of the Reformed Churches : The countenancing and
establishing of an unlearned idol Ministry of Not-preachiiig-curates,
Non-residents, Pluralists, etc. . . Fourthly, seeing that Book is so im
posed as that tiie Minister . . is limited to the very words set down ; . .
therefore, we dare not use it ! For the Lord himself hath not limited
His people to his own forms, and therefore we see not how it can be
lawful, to be limited to others' forms. . . We do not find that tiie
Aposties ever used that forra taught by Christ, in tiiose very words ;
much less, limited themselves to it, when they prayed ; nor did they
teach the Churches so to do ! If the Lord would not have us limit
ourselves in our own forras, while we are exercising our own gifts, —
which he hath specially sanctified to edify his Church,'' — lest we should
'quench,' or at least straiten his Spirit, in prayer;" would He, then,
have us limited to otiiers' forras which have not been, in like sort, sanc
tified of God, but will rather ' quench" or straiten the Spirit of God
while we are so limited to thera i" The entertainment of this [Angli
can] form hath been a manifest snare unto the Churches, who, upon the
same grounds on which they have received this form into the Desks
" Exod. XX. v., with fifteen other Scripture references.
>> Acts, vi. 4. Eph iv. 8. 1 Cor. xu, 7. •" 1 Thess. v. 19.

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 25
have been limited to others in the Pulpit : by means whereof the poor
Church of Christ hath been wholly deprived of the public use of the
Ministers" gifts in prayer ; and the spirit of prayer, in the Ministers, in
public, hath been greatly restrained. "
" As for our judgraent concerning the practice of others who use this
liturgy, in our native country ; we have always been unwilling to express
our minds there [against this use of it] unless we have been necessarily
called thereunto : *> and at this time, we think it not expedient to express
ourselves any further concerning this matter, as loath to intermeddle
with the affairs of other Churches, but contenting ourselves with, and
blessing the Lord for, those liberties which we by the raercy of God,
do here enjoy; reserving also due reverence to the judgraents of our
beloved Brethren and dear countrymen who may, concerning this
matter, be otherwise minded,"'"
" " By statute 1 Eliz. cap. ii. sec. 4, still unrepealed as it regards the Dissenting
Clergy, they are obnoxious to prosecution in all cases, for omitting in their public
exercises to use the Service of the Established Church, or for using any other
Service not enjoined by law ; and are liable for the second off'ence, to imprison
ment for life." A Summary of Laws peculiarly aflfecting Protestant Dissenters.
By Jos. Beldam. 1827. 12mo. p. 8.
'' This is the first intimation which has attracted our notice, of specific objection
against the prescribed Service-book or the symbol of State-religionists being, as
it were, surreptitiously used by unauthorized communities ! How far the present
Church of England can justify their own use of it, is a question between them
and their prototypes.
"^" Reply. — ThisPositioncannotbear that meaning which you give it. . . The
thing we craved resolution in was. Whether, in your judgments, all Stinted and
Set Forms of Prayer and Liturgies be unlawful ? The reason hereof was because
in writings from New England, we had seen all Set Liturgies and Set Forms of
Prayer condemned as ' devised worship, which God would not accept;' and, par
taking in the Sacrament of the Supper in our Assemblies therefore disallowed,
hecause administered in a Stinted Liturgy I Which things were received with
such liking amongst some Brethren with us ; and, by them, imparted and recom
mended to others; that they occasioned that rent and distraction whereof we com
plain, it is true, the people, among us, separate from our Form of Prayer, or
Liturgy ; but the reason hereof is because it is ' Stinted,' not because this, or that,
or ours, in particular. You confess you want not some Brethren, among you,
who ' look at all Set Forms of Prayer, invented by men of another age or con
gregation, and prescribed ; . . as images and imaginations of men, forbidden in
the Second Commandment.' . . And if we examine the reasons brought against
' Stinted' Forms and Liturgies, we shall find them strike at all Forms and Litur
gies, though devised hy men of the same age and Congregation ! . . The ' Brown -
ists,' as they are commonly called, can separate from no ' Stinted Liturgy' amongst
us but that which is iu use ; and for aught we know, they may join with their
own Pastors, tliough they oft use the same form of Prayer, in whole or in part,
in thanksgiving before meat, or in prayer before Sermon, or the like. And yet
their opinion is that all ' Stinted Liturgies and Set Forms of Prayer,' be un
lawful, human inventions, forbidden by the Second Commandment. . . The rea
sons you bring against a ' Set Form of Prayer or Liturgy' do hold as strongly
against a ' Set Form' of Catechism, Confession and Profession of Faith, Blessing,
Baptising, and Singing of Psalms. We have not called upon you, at this time,
to witness for or against the corruptions in the Communion-Book : this you fall
upon by straining the sense of our demands. . . You are generaUy, as you say,
'loath' to meddle 'with the aflfairs of other Churches,' unless you have been ne
cessarily caUed thereunto.' But when some — upon the request, as we suppose, of
private friends ; and others, out of their zeal and forwardness, — have laboured to

26 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
" Second Position : 'That it is not lawful to join in P-'^y^''' " '° ^f^'eaning
Sacrament, where a Stinted Liturgy is used.' Or. as we conceive your meanmg
to be in this, as in the former question, namely, where and when that btmteU
Liturgy ' is used ! ...
"Ans.— Tt seemeth, by this your Letter, the ground of this Position
hath been the separation of divers from your assemblies, because of a
' Stinted Liturgy:' and we are not ignorant of the ngid separation of
divers people who withdraw themselves from an able faithful raraistry,
as no ministry of Christ; and from their godly congregations as no
churches of Christ; because of some con-uptions, from which, through
want of light, not love of the truth, they are not thoroughly cleansed.
Against which practice we have ever witnessed. . . Now, if the ques
tion be, of joining in Prayer with, and when that whole Liturgy is
used ; or, where that which is used, is read by an unable and un-godly
Minister; we then see not, how it can be 'lawful to join in Prayer' in
such cases : for, first. The Prayers of the Minister, are not his private
prayers, but the Public Prayers of the whole Assembly, whose mouth
he is to God. And when the prayers offered up by the Minister as a
living, holy, and acceptable service to God, are not, through human
frailty, but otherwise, for matter and raanner corrupt, we see not what
warrant any one hath to join with such Prayers : Mal. i. 13, 14.
Secondly, When men join therein, with an insufficient Ministr}', they
do not only countenance them iu their place and office whom the Lord
hath 'rejected' from being his Priests, Hos. iv. 6 ; but also set up
those idols and means of worship to edify themselves by, which God
never appointed in his holy Word : Ezek. xi. 17 [xiv. 3.] But if
the question be, of joining in some few select Prayers read by an able
and painful Minister out of that book : as on the one side, we are very
tender of imputing sin to the raen that so join ; so, on the other side,
we are not without fear lest that such joining may be found to be
' unlawful : ' unless it may appear that the Ministers with whom the
people have communion in reading those Prayers, do neither give any
scandal by reading of them, nor give unlawful honour to a thing abused
to idolatry and superstition, nor do sufi'er themselves to be sinfully
limited in the reading of them ! " *
draw many to separation from the Sacrament, because ministered in a ' Stinted
Liturgy :' we cannot apprehend any just ground of this apology. The rent is
wide, and some Brethren had their hands deep therein ; which made us, at
this present, to crave your judgments, and the reasons thereof, to make up the
breach." . .
» " Reply. — . . If we have not raistaken your judgment and practice both,
you have borne witness against both that you call ' the rigid Separation ' and this
more moderate also. And we humbly wish the moderate do not degenerate unto
the 'rigid' erelong. It is very strange, if they take not great encouragement
upon your grounds ! The truth of our ministry, churches, ordinances, and caUing,
is questioned ; and where men wUl stay the Lord knoweth : and what more
common than that our Liturgy is ' unlawful because it is the device of man ? '
The author, or pubUsher at least, of a Letter against our Service Book f A Letter
lately published against Stinted Liturgies : ' thus, in Ball's ' Friendly Tnal ' p 8
ut infra'] beginneth with such like distinction. 'Against this Prayer Book'' saith
he, 'divers have pleaded, in a different manner: First; Some arguments are
proper to the Separatists ; qua tales, namely, first. That it is ofl'ered in a Fake
Church : secondly, By a False Minister : thirdly, In the behalf of the subjects of tha

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 27
"Third and ^ Fourth Positions: 'That the Children of godly and approved
Christians are not to be baptized until their Parents be set Members of some
Particular Congregation.' — ' That the Parents themselves, though of approved
piety, are not to he received to the Lord's Supper, until they be admitted as set
Members.' " Ans. — These two Positions may be maintained with one and the
same defence : . . therefore, take notice, that we are not of their
judgment who refuse all religious communion with such as are not
Church-raerabers ; nor do we appropriate Communion, in this privilege
of the Seals only to the Members of our own Churches, excluding all
other Churches of Christ from the sarae, though they may be, through
error or human frailty, defective in some matters of Order ; provided
that the liberty of our Churches be preserved, of receiving such satisfac
tion as is meet, — as well by letters of recommendation, or otherwise, if
it be requisite, — concerning those whom we admit unto fellowship in
the Seals. For, as we account it our duty to keep 'the unity' of spirit
inviolate with any in whom we discern any fruits ' of the Spirit,' Eph.
iv. 3, so we hold ourselves bound to discharge this duty according to
Order. Spiritual communion, in prayers, holy conferences, and other
religious actions of like nature, we maintain with all godly persons,
though they be not in church order: but church communion we hold
only with Church Members ; admitting to fellowship of the Seals the
known and approved and orderly recommended Members of any true
Church ; but into fellowship of the Censures, admittance of Members,
and choice of Officers, only the Members of that Particular Church
kingdom of Antichrist ! These are properly theirs ; being the grounds whereupon
they make a total Separation from all the Churches in this Land, as no Churches
of Christ. [The reader will not be misled by the use of the plural ' churches,' in
this connexion ; as all the parish churches comprise but one Church.] These I
approve not, yet note them that ye may see upon what difi'erent grounds the same
Position is maintained by several persons ; and that ye may be delivered from the
prejudice which hinders many from receiving those truths, hecause they fear the
reproach of ' Brownism.' Secondly ; There are other grounds which are common
to all that plead for the purity of Christ's Ordinances, and which do not necessa
rily infer such Separation ; but only serve to show the unlawfulness of that practice,
and of our continuing therein.' . . The ' grounds ' on which that author builds,
which, he saith, 'are common to all thatpleadforthepurity of God's Ordinances,'
are one and the same with the 'grounds' ofthe Separatists: shafts taken out of
the same quiver, and peculiar to them ; some few Brethren only excepted, who,
of late, have looked towards that opinion. See how affection will transport ! . .
The Book, — we speak of the Liturgy, so far as it is sound and good, — by your
confession is no Idolothite : neither was it taken out of the Mass-book, in such
sense as you object; but rather, the Mass and other idolatrous Prayers were
added to it, for Popery is as a scab or leprosy cleaving to the Church ; and many
truths belonging to the Church, as her proper legacy, were stolen, and heaped
together in that den. And why the true man may not challenge his goods
wherever he finds them ; or the thief plead title to the true man's goods by
prescription ; we know not. . . [This argument would seem to tend to deprive
even the Church of England of her exclusive hold upon the appropriated remains
of antiquity.] We have heard that you hold fellowship with professed ' rigid '
Separatists, without any acknowledgement of their error, and receive them as
members, or communicate with them in the privileges of the Church, though
you profess you approve not their opinion or practice ; and if, in godly wisdom,
you can see ' grounds ' to join with them, we marvel you should be so timorous in
this particular ! " . .

28 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHABLES I.
Whereof they and we, any of us, stand Members. These Amgs being
premised, the Considerations whereupon ora: judgment and P>«ctice^r«
swayed f^r administration of the Seals only to such as are in Ordei of
a true visible Church, are these that follow.* ri,„.„l,
"First Consideration: The Seals . . are given to the Church as
a privilege peculiar thereto, in ordinary dispensation. Indeed the
Pleaching of the Word is not so, being an Ordinance given not only for
tbe edifying of the Church already gathered ; but, also for the gathering
of men to the Churches, that yet are without. . . And because there
is now no wniversal visible Church on earth, where the Seals are
dispensed ; there being no place, nor time, nor officers, nor ordinances,
appointed, in the New Testament, by Christ the Lord, for any such
Assemblies as the Jews had under Moses : it remains, that the Christian
Churches whereunto these privileges were given, are Congregational;
consisting only of so many as may and do meet together ordinarily in
one place. . . Hence it is, that we read so rauch in the New Testa
ment of ' the Churches,' in the plural number. . . To wind up all,
seeing the Churches, in the Gospel, are Congi'egational, and that
Baptism and the Lord's Supper, being Church privileges, belong only
to ' the Churches,' it will follow that as city privileges belong only to
citizens "and their children, so Baptism and the Lord's Supper, being
Church privileges, belong only to the Members of Particular Churches,
and their seed : and that seeing sigillum sequitur donum, to apply
them to others, what is'it, but to abuse them ? " . .
" Secondly; Consider the ordinary Administration of the Seals is
limited to the Ministry, and the Ministry to a Particular Church ;
therefore, the Seals must necessarily be proper to the Church and the
Members thereof. That the Administration of the Seals is limited to
their Ministry, is evident from the first institution. Matt, xxviii. 19,
where God hath joined to preach, — naraely, by office, — and to baptize,
together ; therefore we raay not separate them. For howsoever, any
man may, by the appointment of the lord and master of the family,
signify his mind and deliver his message from him to the family ; yet
the dispensing of a fit portion of food to every one of the household, is a
' " Reply. — . . Whether this be to keep the bond ofthe Spirit ' inviolate,' namely,
to exclude from the Sacrament true visible Believers, or, known recommended
Christians formerly Members of ' visible ' Churches among us, and their children,
because they are not Members, as you speak, 'in Church Order ? ' And, whether
God alloweth to put this difi'erence between Church-members of your societies
and other visible Believers walking in holiness, though not admitted Members of
any society according to your ' Church Order,' as to receive the one, though
Members of another society, unto the Seals, and to debar the other and their
children ? These are the things to he considered in these present Positions." . .
'' " Reply. — • . . The distinct Churches, mentioned in the New Testament, it is
not certain that they were congregational societies, ' consisting only of so many as
might and did meet together ordinarily in one place, at one time, for the public
worship of God and their own edification.' And if this were granted, it would not
carry the weight that was laid upon it.". . [It is not possible, how desirable soever,
that room can be afforded for even a quarter of the matter which ten pages quarto,
supply upon this consideration alone : nothing but impossibiUty precludes, tiiere
fore, the insertion of what should otherwise appear here. From what is given,
the manner of the Replier may be judged of. This intimation wUl serve for
subsequent omissions.]

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 29
branch of the steward's office. Indeed the ' keys ' are given to the
whole Church, yet the exercise and dispensation of them, in this as
well as in other particulars, is concredited to the Ministers, who are
called to be oiKovofioi fiv^rjpiiiiv Qeov' 1 Cor. iv. 1. And no Church-
office can be orderly performed by any but one that is called thereunto;
nor will God vouchsafe his presence and blessing, — whereupon all
spiritual efficacy depends, — in an ordinance dispensed, but when it is
dispensed by those whom he hath ordained and appointed thereunto.
That the Ministry is limited to the Church, appears as frora evident
texts of Scripture, — Acts xiv. 23; Col. iv. 17; 1 Pet. v. 2; Acts xx. 28,
— so, also, upon this ground. The office is founded in the relation
between the Church and the Officer; wherefore, take away the relation
and the office, and the work ceaseth : for where he hath not power he
may not do an act of power ; and he hath no power where he hath not
a relation by office. Herein the proportion holdeth between an officer
of a Town-corporation and of a Church, that as the power of the fonner
is only within his own corporation, so Xhs power of the latter is confined
to his own congregation."
" Consideration the Third : Circumcision and the Passover were to
be administered only to the Members of the Church : ergo. Baptism
and the Lord's Supper are so to be administered also. The consequence
is made good by the parity of these ordinances. For, if the argument
hold strong, for the proof of Pcedobaptism, which is taken from the
circumcision of infants ; why may we not as well infer a necessity of
Church-membership to Baptism, from the necessity of it to Circumci
sion P And, that Circumcision was peculiar to the Members of the
Church, may appear, in that persons circumcised, and only they, might
eat the Passover, Exod. xii. 48; and they only might enter into the
Temple, Ezek. xliv. 7; which were the privileges of Church-members.
, . Circumcision was not administered to all that were under the
Covenant of Grace, which all Believers were ; but only such of thera as
joined theraselves to the Church ; at first, in Abrahara's family :
whereunto Baptism doth so far answer, that the Apostie counteth these
expressly equivalent to be • circumcised' in Christ, ' with circumcusion
made with hands;' trad to be 'buried' with Christ 'in baptism,'
* " Reply. — . . The first ' institution ' of Baptism is not contained in that
passage. Matt, xxviii. 19, hut confirmed. . . That God will not ' vouchsafe. his
presence and blessing' to an ordinance, 'hut when it is dispensed by those whom
he hath ordained and appointed thereunto,' must be warily understood, or it may
occasion errors and distractions not a few! . . ' Feed the flock of God,' saith
Peter ; hut he speaks of all those "dispersed Churches to whom he writes, which
he calls ' a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,' 'a peculiar people,' 1 Pet. ii. 9 ;
and in some respect of reason, under which we may apprehend them one ' flock,"
but not really as combined under the same pastor, or meeting in one place." . .
[The Replier had overlooked, that Baptism was then " first " instituted to be
performed, " In Ihe Name, Sic" He is singularly infeUcitous in his comment ;
which may help to make what we are constrained to omit, the less regretted.
Who, on looking at the passages he has adduced, can agree in his interpretation
of Peter's words"? Chap. v. verse 1, of the First Epistle, contains the words
rovg iv valv . and verse 2, to Iv iiiuv. Here Peter has certainly descended from
generals to particulars, -which limitation is strengthened in verse 3, by the words
tSiv icXjipaiv.]

30 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHABLES I.
Col. ii. 1 1 , 12. Indeed, in some things, they differ, as only the males
were circumcised ; whereas, with us, females are also baptized : the
reason is, because God hath limited circumcision to the males ; but
under the Gospel that difference is taken away. Again ; circumcision
was administered in the private family ; but baptism only m the public
assemblies of the Church : the reason of this diflference is because they
were bound to circumcise the males on ' the eighth day ; ' but that
could not stand with going to the Temple, which was too far oflf, for
the purpose, to bring every child thither from all parts of Judea : . .
nor had they always opportunity of a solemn convention in the Syna
gogue on every ' eighth day,' when some child or other might be to be
circumcised. But there is no precise day set down for Baptism, nor
are opportunities of public assemblies so remote, where Churches are
kept in a Congregational frame, but that every ' first day of the week,'
Acts XX. 7, Baptism may be administered if it be required. Again :
for the aforesaid reason. Circumcision required not a peculiar Minister,
for ought we find in Scripture ; but it is not so in Baptism; as was
showed in the ' Second Commandment.' But no good reason can be
given -why, in this, they should not both agree, namely. That they
are both to be dispensed only to Members of the visible Church : as it
hath been proved, in the ' First Consideration.''
" Consideration the Fourth : They that are not capable of the Church
Censures, are not capable of the Church Privileges : but they that are
not within Church Covenant are not capable of Church Censures;
ergo, the Proposition is evident. The assumption may be proved,
I Cor. V. 12. Now to be ' without," is not only the case of heathen
and excommunicants, but of some Believers also, who, though by
internal union with Christ they are within the Covenant of Grace, yet
being not joined externally to the visible Body of Christ— a Particular
Church, — ai-e, in regard of visible Church-communion, said to be
' without.' To this purpose is this text alleged by other divines also.''
["As Dr. Ames, ' Conscience; with the Power and Cases thereof.'
Bk. iv. ch. xxiv. q. 1, a. 5," where, That a Believer is bound "to join
himself to some certain Particular' Church P" He answers, " Yes, . . in
respect of our profession ; because otherwise it cannot be avoided but
that those signs will hardly be discerned whereby Believers are distin
guished from Unbelievers : 1 Cor. v. 12.'"]
" Consideration the Fifth : We may add hereunto, . . the evil and
¦T.^^'^i^'"'' ¦ ^^P'^*™ is not tied to 'the first day ofthe week;' and the Jews
might gather an assembly on the 'eighth day' as occasion required ; and it might
be appropriate to the Priests and Levites, though done in private. But in what
soever they agree or diflfer, we must look to the institution, and n'either stretch it
wider nor draw ,t narrower than the Lord hath made it. . . We must affirm nothing
^n. "^f ll, K A ^^^^ "' ' "-^^ ^? ^" ''^* "^"gli' "« ! " [The Replier travels
EnVllders thrnith ¦'' !f ^^^l^^"^^. ^ combat the arguments of the New
Englanders through animadversions on the arguments of ofler individuals • and
so here, p. 40, John Davenport is tlie partv reallv aimed at tT,n,,„l. i, i .1 t„t

CHAP. XXXVi] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 31
pernicious consequences of extending communion in Church-privileges
beyond the bounds of Church-fellowship : for thus, first. The extra
ordinary office of the Aposties, and the ordinary office of Pastors and
Teachers, will be much confounded, if the latter be as illimited as the
forraer in the execution of their office, beyond the bounds of their own
Particular Churches. Secondly, The distinction of Church Assemblies
from the confused multitude is abrogated, if, without membership in a
Particular Church, the Parents may communicate with the Churches,
in the Lord's Supper ; and their Seed, in Baptism. Thirdly, The
Church shall endanger the profaning of the Seals ; and want one special
means whereby the grace and piety of men may be discerned and made
known : for if, without respect to their Church-estate, men of ' approved
piety,' as you say, are to be admitted to fellowship in the Seals ; how
shall their ' piety ' be ' approved ' to the Church ? Not by their own
report of theraselves alone, without attestation of such as are approved
by the Church. And, how can such, bear witness to their 'approved
piety,' who, against light, refuse to profess subjection to the Gospel of
Christ, by orderly joining themselves in fellowship with some approved
Church of Christ, as members thereof, when they have opportunity
thereunto P seeing such fellowship is an action of piety required of all
Believers, in the Second Coraraandment ; — and, true piety frameth
men's spirits to have respect to all God's comraandraents I And we
have had rauch experience of it. That men of ' approved piety ' in the
judgment of sorae, have been found too light, not only in the judgment
of others, but even of their own consciences, when they have come to
the trial in offering themselves to be Members of Churches ; with such
a blessing hath God followed this order of taking hold of Church-
covenant by public profession of faith and repentance, before men be
admitted to the Seals. But this raeans of discovery of men's piety and
sincerity, would be utterly lost, if raen should be admitted linto the
Lord's Table without entering in Church-fellowship."
Consideration the Sixth : None have power to dispense the Seals,
but they that are called to the office of Ministry : and no man can be
so called, till first there be a Church to call him ; seeing the power of
" " Reply. — . . The question is not of all sorts, at random, but of Christians
professing the faith entirely; lawfully baptized; known, and approved to the
consciences of the wise and judicious visible Members of the Churches of Christ ;
among us often admitted to the Lord's Table : whether these either sufficiently
known unto you, or orderly recommended, may, upon desire and suit, themselves
he admitted to communicate in the Lord's Supper, aud their children, to be
baptized 1 What fear is there now, that ' the extraordinary office of the Apostles,
and the ordinary office of pastors and teachers,' shall be much or Uttle ' con
founded?' Is this, to take as 'illimited' power as the Aposties did, 'in the
execution of their office? ' How shall this tend to abrogate the distinction of
Church Assemblies from the confused multitude ? Or, how is the profanation of
the Seals thereby ' endangered ? ' . . This we are persuaded, and therefore we
speak, that in debarring Christians from the Lord's Supper, and much more the
chUdren of those parents who are in covenant with God, from holy Baptism ; you
exceed your commission you have received from God, and go beyond your due
bounds. A-nd, notwithstanding your circumspection, more worthy and faithful
Christians have been denied, when [those] of less worth and meaner sufficiencies,
have passed, and been by you received."

32 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
calling Ministers is given by Christ unto the Church,—' Demonstra
tion of Discipline,' chap, iv.-and thence it follows. That all those that.
desire to partake of the Seals, are bound to join themselves in Ohurch-
state, that so they may call a Minister to dispense the Seals unto them.
And this duty, by the appointment of God, lieth not only upon some
Christians, but equally upon all ; ergo, no Christian can expect, by the
appointment of God, to partake in the Seals, till he have joined himself
in Church-fellowship and in the call of the Minister. And, mdeed,
seeing a Church, and a Minister called by the Church, are of such
necessity for the dispensing of the Seals, it may seem unreasonable that
some Christians should be bound to become a Church and to call a
Minister, that so the Seals may be dispensed, and other men, when this
is done, have equal liberty to the Seals, who refuse to join unto the
Church!* " Consideration the Seventh : That our practice may not be censured
as novel and singular, give us leave to produce a precedent of the like
case observed and approved by public countenance of State, in the days
of Edward VI. of blessed and famous memory, who, in the year 1550,
granted Johannes A'Lasco, a learned nobleman of Poland, under the
Great Seal of England, liberty to gather a Church of strangers in
London, and to order themselves accordingly as they should find to
* " Reply. — This conclusion is not to the question propounded ; for we speak
of such as cannot, not such as 'refuse to join' themselves unto the Church; or if
they do not 'join,' it is not out of contempt, or wilful neglect, of God's ordinance ;
or desire of carnal liberty, and not to be in subjection to Christ ; hut for lack of
opportunity, or through their fault that should admit them hut do not. . . We
aecuse not the wisdom and discretion of your Churches, but we know the zealous
multitude may sometimes be rash. And when reason is craved of your judgment,
why you do debar the most known and 'approved Christians,' which came over;
and their children ; from the Seals of the Covenant ; we dislike you should put
this note upon them, as if 'against light' they refused orderly to subject them
selves to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What warrant you have thus to censure ;
what use of this manner of dispute ; we leave it to your godly wisdom to judge !
. . A company of men converted to the faith, being unbaptized may, and ought
to desire Baptism ; but they have not power to elect and choose one among them
selves to dispense the Seals unto the rest, for ought is to be found in Scripture.
. _. It can never be showed in Scripture, that any society of unbaptized persons
did first choose from among them a Pastor or Teacher by whom they might be
baptized. You cannot produce one example, or other proof, in the Scripture, of
one man teaching the Gospel ministerially, but he was baptized, and a Member
ot a true Church ; or, of a society who made choice of a Pastor and Teacher, but
they were baptized persons! . . A wrong it is, altogether to debar the godly of their
consent in the 'caUmg of such as must ' watch for their souls ; but it makes not
the caUmg itself a mere nullity: for then, many Churches in the worid, within a
few hundred years after Christ, should have wanted both ministry and sacraments.
¦ 'rl^ .^mpany of Infidels should he converted to the faith, they must desire to
partake m the Ordinances of Grace before they could join together in a Church-
way to call a Minister of their own, who might administer the Sacraments unto
them. . If Infidels be converted to the faith, raust they not partake in the
Seals, because they cannot join 'in Church-feUowship and call of the Minister,'
hefore they be adraitted to Baptism ? . . If a people be joined together in cLrch-
t^T^^: have called a Pastor to feed and watch ''over them, we desire^not
words, but-proof, why the poor dispersed Christians wanting means or opportu
nity to jom themselves together into society, ought not to delire anrl fh^f^f^ll
be not bound in conscience to afford them,?l\e cfXt of God's Ordinances ?"'

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 33
be most agreeable to the Scriptures.* Araong other Godly Orders
established in that Church, that which concerneth the Administration
of Baptism, to prevent the profanation of it, we will repeat in A"Lasco's
own words. ' Baptism in our Church," saith he, ' is administered in
the public assembly of the Church, after the public Sermon : for seeing
Baptism doth so belong to the whole Church, that none ought to be
driven thence who is a Member of the Church, nor to be admitted to it
who is not a Member of it ; truly it is equal that that should be
perfonned publicly in the assembly of the whole Church, which belongs
to the whole Church in common : ' again, he addeth, ' Now, seeing
our Churches are, by God"s blessing, so established by the King"s
Majesty, that they may be, as it were, one parish of strangers dispersed
throughout the whole city, or one body-corporate, — as it is called in
the King"s grant, — and yet all strangers do not join themselves to
our Church ; yea, there are those who, while they avoid all Churches,
will pretend to the English Churches that they are joined with us ;
and to us, that they are joined to the English Churches 1 And so do
abuse both them and us. Lest the English Churches and the Ministers
thereof should be deceived by the impostures of such men ; and that,
under colour of our Churches, we do baptize their infants alone wlio-
have joined themselves to our Churches by public confession of their
faith and observation of ecclesiastical discipline. And that our
Churches may be certain that the Infants that are to be baptized are
their seed who have joined themselves thereto, in manner aforesaid, the
father of the infant to be baptized, if possibly he can, — or other men
and women of notable credit in the Church, do offer the Infant to
* They consisted of German Refugees from the troubles occasioned by the edict
called the ' Interim.' By A'Lasco's intercession the Church in Austin- Friar.s,
formerly a Priory, was granted them, with its revenues, and his office likewise
extended over all the other foreign Reformed Churches in London ; French,
Spanish, Italian, &c. Having been requested by the pious and tolerant King,.
Edward VL, to write on some of the matters then disputed, he oppugned the
Ritual, the Ecclesiastical Habits, and the Gesture of Kneeling at the Communion
Table : " Brevis et Dilucida de Sacramentis Ecclesiae Christi Tractatio ; in qua fons
ipse et ratio totius Sacramentarise Nostri Temporis Controversiae, paucis exponitur.
1552." Svo. After Mary's accession these foreigners left the kingdom ; but were
reinstated on Elizabeth's accession, in 1558. With what jealousy they were
watched by Episcopalians is apparent from the "judicious^' Richard Hooker's
words, where he writes, " When Germany had stricken off that which appeared
corrupt in the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, but seemed nevertheless in Disci
pline still to retain therewith very great conformity ; France, by that rule of policy
which hath been before mentioned, took away the Popish Orders which Germany
did retain. But process of time hath brought more light unto the world ; whereby
men perceiving that they of the Religion in France have also retained some Orders
which were before in the Church of Rome, and are not commanded in the Word of
God ; there hath arisen a sect in England, which following still the very self-same
rule of policy, seeketh to reform even the French Reformation, and purge out from
thence also dregs of Popery. These have not taken as yet such root that they are
able to establisli anything. But if they had, what would spring out of their stock,
and how far tbe unquiet wit of man might be carried — with rules of such policy,
God doth know. The trial which we have lived to see, may somewhat teach us
what posterity is to fear." Ecclesiastical Polity, bk. iv. sect. 8, with the note.
Vol. i. p. 288, edit. Hanbury, 1830. How Laud acted with regard to these Foreign
Churches, may be seen in his Life by Heylyn, pt. ii. lib. iv. ann. 1634.
II. D

34 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES t.
Baptism, and do publicly profess that it is the seed of the Church : yet
we sufi'er no stranger to ofi'er infants in Baptism, in our Churches, who
hath not made public profession of his faith, and willingly submitted
himself to the discipline of the Church, lest otherwise they who present
their children to Baptism might, in time, plead that they belong to our
Churches; and so should deceive the English Churches and their
Ministers.' To those which presented Infants to Baptism, they pro
pounded three questions : the first was, ' Are these Infants which you
ofi'er, the seed of this Church, that they may lawfully be here baptized
by our Ministry ? ' This instance is the more to be regarded, because
A'Lasco affirmeth, in the Preface of that Book, that this liberty was by
the King granted to them, out of his desire to settle a like reformation
in the English Churches ; which, in effect, you see is the same with
our practice in this particular." *
" Fifth Position : ' That the Power of Excommunication is so in the body of
the Church that what the Major Part shall allow [that] must be done, though the
Pastors and Governors and the rest of the Assembly be of another mind, and that,
peradventure, upon more substantial reasons.'
" Ans. — If the question had been. Whether the Power of Excom
munication lies in the Body of the Congregation, consisting of Officers
and Members ; our Answer should be affirmative, and according here
unto is also our practice ; and we hope your judgraent and ours are
not different herein : but, seeing the question is. Whether it is ' so in
* "Reply. — The 'practice' of the Church of Strangers in London, received hy
John A'Lasco, is far different from your judgment and practice; not in some by-
circumstances, but in the main point in question : for [first] your judgment is that
true visible ^Believers, — baptized and partakers of the Lord's Supper in other
Churches not yet gathered into Church-estate or fellowship, — have no right or
interest in the Seals ; they, nor their seed. But this Church of Strangers held no
such opinion; as their own words, which you have omitted, do plainly speak.
' And Paul testifieth,' say they, ' that by Christ's Ordinance, the Church itself,
without exception of any Member of it, is to be accounted clean or holy by the
ministry of Baptism.' [Qy. ? Eph. y. 25 — 27.] Whence we may easily see that
Baptism doth neither belong to those who are altogether without the Church, nor
to be denied to any Member of the Church; Secondly ; They held communion
with the Church of England as one and the same with theirs : for so they profess,
'Yet nevertheless, that we may openly show that the English Churches and ours
are one and the same Church, though we differ somewhat from them both in'
language and ceremonies; we do not refuse that the English may as public
Witnesses of the Church, offer the Infants of our Members [I] to Baptism in our
Churches, if they have both the use of our language and a certain testimony of
their piety. As, in like manner, our Members are accustomed to offer the Infants
ofthe English to Baptism in the English Church.' If your judgment be this, of
the EngMsh Churches; your judgment in acknowledging us Members of true
Churches, and 'practice' in debarring visible Believers and their seed from the Seals,
are opposite the one to the other. Thirdly ; This order was observed by them to
prevent ' the impostures' of some who, ' whilst they avoid all Churches,' pretend
to the English, that they are 'joined' to the Strangers ; and to the Strangers, that
they are joined' to the English. But you debar /mown Christians, who desire to
join themselves with you ; not to prevent ' impostures' of them who avoid all
Churches. Yea, you debar them as men having no right to the Sacraments,
because they be not m Chc.rch-fellowship ! And herein you can show no nrecedent
ancient or modern, either from. Scripture, or Monuments of the Church "
[From this point, we pass over several pages and cannot, even thoush we would'
quote from the remaining sections headed " Reply."] *" wouiu,

CHAP. XXXV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 35
the Body of the Congregation, that what the major part doth allow,
&c.' our Answer is negative, namely. That the Power of Excommuni
cation is not seated in the Congregation, neither ought it to be so in
any of the Churches of the Lord Jesus ; who ought not to carry
matters, by number of votes, against God, as this ' Position' iraplieth ;
but, by strength of rule and reason, according to God. The Power of
the Aposties was not to do things 'against the truth, but for the truth,'
2 Cor. xiii. 8 ; and ' not for destruction,' but for ' edification,' 2 Cor.
X. 8. And the same may be said concerning the Power which God
hath given to the Church ; and if any Church among us have swerved
from the rule, — which is more than we know, — we do not allow them
in such a practice, but should be ready, as the Lord should help, to
convince them of their sin therein.
" Sixth Position: 'That none are to be admitted, as [Set] Members, but they
must promise not to depart or remove, unless the congregation will give leave.'
" Ans. — Our answer hereto is, briefly, this. We judge it expedient,
and most according to Rule, that such Brethren as are in covenant
with the Church, and ours as fellovz-members, and have committed their
souls to our charge as Ministers ; should not forsake our Fellowship,
nor abruptly break away from us when and whither they please : but
first approve themselves therein to their Brethren's consciences, and
take their counsel in so weighty a matter. For which we propound, to
consider these two reasons [or grounds] following. The former is
drawn from the nature of the Church-covenant, which consists in these
four particulars : First, Every Member, at his admission, doth openly
profess, and solemnly promise, that, by Christ's help assisting, he will
not only, in general, give up himself, — as to the Lord, to be guided by
him, so — to the Church, according to God to be directed by it: which
is no more than the Members of the Church of Macedonia did, in a
parallel case ; ' but, also, in particular, that he will perform all duties of
brotherly love and faithfulness to all the members of the body ; as, of
diligent watchfulness over all his brethren, thereby to prevent sin ; so,
of faithful admonition after their falls, to regain them to the Lord from
their sin: the fonner being enjoined, Heb. iii. 13: and the want' thereof
deeply condemned in Cain, that would not acknowledge that duty of
being his ' brother's keeper ;' *" the latter, given in charge to the Church-
members of Israel, by the hand of Moses,"^ and so by Christ himself; *"
and by Paul also.* Secondly ; The engagements are not made only
by the Members admitted into the Church, but by the Church back
again to the Members. So that thereby the whole Church in general,
and every Meraber thereof in particular, stand as well, in conscience,
bound to perform all duties of love and watchfulness to him as he doth
to them : and this we do according to the golden rule of love and
equity, enjoined by our Saviour ; '^ fearing that contrary practice of
Scribes and Pharisees, so much condemned by Cinist, of laying greater
'burdens' upon others than we ourselves are willing to undergo. s
Thirdly; These Promises, thus lawfully and mutually made, that
" 2 Cor. viii. 5. "" Gen. iv. 9. » Levit. xix. 17. "" Matt, xxviii. 15.
" Gal. vi. 1, 2. f Matt. vii. 12. « Matt, xxiii. 4.
D 2

36 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHABLES I.
Members, as also the whole Church, are bound, not only every one
for himself, actively to perforra them, but passively also to suffer his
brethren to do those offices upon and towards hiraself. If he neglect
the former, he shall falsify his covenant so solemnly, before God, and
angels and raen, made ; and so not only break his promise to his
brother, contrary to Psalm xv. 4, but also, in some sort, commit the
sin of Ananias and Sapphira, in lying against ' the Holy Ghost,
condemned and punished severely by God's own hand.* If he fail m
the latter, he shall not only be guilty of the same sin of breach of cove
nant with God, and man, as in the former, but shall also be guilty of
this folly of despising ' counsel,' so rauch condemned ; ^ and shall also
proclaim this his folly and pride, by showing to all the Church that he
is 'wise' in his 'own eyes,' and leans to his ' own wisdom;' both
reproved, Prov. iii. 7 ; xxiii. 4. . . Fourthly ; From all these things
premised, it appears that we can do no less, — and yet we do no more,
— than, first, require a Member, before he depart, according to our
covenant thus lawfully, deliberately, and mutually made, to express to
his Brethren his desire of departing, and the place and society to which
he tends ; whether to a godly Church, where he may be edified ; or to
sorae corrupt Assembly, where he may be destroyed ! And, secondly,
[require] his grounds and reasons which move him so to do : which, if
they hold good, being scanned by the "Word, he may be not only
confirraed in his way by the consent and advice of many ; but coun
selled also, how to manage his departure for his best comfort. And so,
after all, solemnly with the whole Church's prayers and blessings, in
the name of Christ, dismissed. But if his grounds either be none at
all, or weak and sinful ; and that his desire of departing savours of
self-will, inordinate love of gain, rash precipitancy, or a spirit of
schism, more strongly than of sound reason ; then, what can we do less,
without breach of covenant, than in love and tenderness, show him his
weakness, dissuade him from his purpose, and refuse to consent ? Yet
if, after all this, we see his spirit stedfastly and stiffly bent for a
departure ; then, though we dare not act against our light, by consenting
or counselling, yet if his sin be not apparent, and danger imminent, we
use rather, — through indulgence in cases of like nature, — to suspend
bur vote against him ; as not willhig, against his will, to detain him :
abhorring to make our Churches places of restraint and imprisonment!
But if any should object that this argument holds finn where this
Church-covenant is allowed to be lawful — but with some it is questioned,
and with thera it avails not — we answer, first. Some indeed have ques
tioned the necessity of our Church-covenant, but none, we hope, oi
these our Reverend Brethren, that we write unto, do question the
lawfulness of such a covenant ; being nothing else, for the matter of it,
but a promise of doing such Christian duties as the Gospel of Christ
requires of all Sainte in Church-estate : for we do not herein promise
to perform any new duty to our brethren, which was not before com
manded us of the Lord, but only revive and renew our purposes afresh
of performing such duties unto that particular body, into which we are
" Acts V. 3, 5, 10. "¦ Piov. xii. 15 ; and i. 7.

CHAP, xxxv.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 37
then incorporated, as were before enjoined in the Word; as to 'love'
each other,* and to watch over each other out of love for their good ;
to be ready to give counsel and to take counsel from each other ; to
prevent sin in them, or to gain them from sin ; '' all which, are plentifully
and frequently held forth in the Scriptures. For the defect of which
care and watchfulness all the Body shall be wrapt in the same guilt
and punishment with the M ember that commits the sin ; as the whole
Church of Israel was, in Achan's sin and punishment. Secondly ; It
is a thing very reasonable, and a known fundamental rule in all societies,
that he that is incorporate thereto, and so participates of the privileges
thereof, should engage himself to conform to all sueh lawful rites and
orders as are expedient for the well-being of that society ; the contrary
whereto will be a thing injurious in him to oflFer, and confusion to
themselves to accept.
" The second ground, is drawn from the necessity that may fall upon
the Body if every particular Member should depart at his own pleasure.
For as every society, so much more a Church of Saints, both from
principles of nature and Christianity also, not only lawfully may, but,
in duty, are bound to endeavour the preservation of itself, and, ergo,
timely to foresee, and wisely to prevent, all such things as would bring
destruction to itself. Now, if any Member raight, when, whither, and
wherefore he please, without consent of the Church, depart away from it ;
this may, by unavoidable consequence, dissipate the whole. For if one
man may so depart, why may not another also, though never so useful
in that Body ; and whose absence might much shake the well-being of
it ? And if one, why not two, six, ten, twenty, as well ? For where
will ye stop, seeing any may plead the same liberty ; and if Members
may so do, why not the Pastoi' and Teacher also ; seeing they are tied
to him by the same relation that he is to them ? And so the principals
falling, the whole building must down ! And if this may be so in one
Church, why not in all P And so, Christ should have no settled
Church on earth.
" Seventh Position : ' That a Minister is so a Minister of a Particular Congre
gation, that if they dislike him unjustly, or leave him, he ceaseth to be their
Minister.' "Ans. — Our answer to this, consists in two branches : first. In case
a Minister be set aside by the Church, merely through his default:
secondly. By the Church's default, without any desert of his. In the
fonner case, it is evident he ceaseth to be a Minister to them any longer;
as appears in four conclusions. First, It is clear from the Word, that
a Pastor or Teacher in these days, hath no Apostolical power over all
Churches; but only limited to that one Church where God hath set
him. Paul gives not the Elders at Ephesus a general commission to
teach all Churches, but to go feed that one 'Flock' over which 'the
Holy Ghost hath made them overseers. '¦= So Peter gives direction to
Elders to feed that ' Flock of God ' only which was among them, and
* Heb. xiii. 1.
^ Prov. xii. 19; i. 7, 23. Gen. iv. 4. 9. Lev. xix. 17. Matt, xviii. 15. Gal. vi. 1.
•^ Acts XX. 28.

3? HISTORICAL MEMOHIALS [CHARLES T.
take ' the oversight thereof.' Secondly, It is as clear, that all this
Power of Feeding which the Minister hath in that Church, is, nextly,
derived to hira from Christ by the Church, who hath solemnly called
him to the work, and promised lo obey him therein : for, if he have it
elsewhere, it must be either from Christ immediately, or frora some
other men deputed, by Christ, to confer it on him ; or, he must take it
up hiraself Not the first, for that was proper to the Apostles, or
Apostolical raen ; therefore Paul, proving his Apostieship, saith he was
called 'not of raen, nor by man, but by Jesus Christ' himself: not
the second, for we never read in God's Word that any ordinary officers,
or other besides the Church, had any commission given them from
Christ, to call Ministers unto Churches : not the third, for ' no man
taketh this honour," naraely, of a Priest under the Law, or of a Minister
under the Gospel, ' but he that is called of God :"= therefore, it must
needs be from Christ, by the Church ! Thirdly, As the Church, in the
Name of Christ, gave this power to a Minister to be what he is, and do
what he doth amongst them ; when such a Minister shall make and
manifest himself apparently unworthy and unfit to discharge the place
which they thus called him unto, so that they may discern that Christ,
the Head ofthe Church, hath refused him from being a Minister unto
Him, they may then, upon as good grounds, depose him frora it, as
they had called him to it. Fourthly, When a Church hath thus, in
Christ's Name, put forth this power of shutting, as before it did of
opening, to a Mimster, then, he must cease to be a Minister unto them
any more : for we know no such ' indelible character' imprinted"* upon
a Minister, [but] that the Ministry ceasing, the Minister ceaseth also.
" Secondly ; In case the Church shall, without cause, or sufficient
weighty cause, rashly or wilfully set aside whom Christ hath set over
them, and whom they so solemnly called, and promised, before the
Lord, to subrait unto; and so abuse their power given them by Christ;
it is, doubtless, a very great wrong unto the Minister, and sin against
Christ himself, before whom it was done : and not only Christ himself
will take it ill at their hands for such contempt done to Him in his
Ministers, according to Christ's speech, ' He that rejecteth you rejecteth
me ;'° and God's speech, ' They have not cast off Iheebut me;'f but
even other Churches, also may admonish them, and if they prove
obstinate therein, withdraw the right hand of fellowship from them.
And concerning the Minister hiraself thus deposed, seeing it is done
not by Christ, but by the Church without Christ, yea against the mind
of Christ, we conceive though he be by them deprived of the execution
of his Ministry among them, yet, until he accepts of a call to another
people, he doth yet still remain a Minister of Christ ; in whose account,
notwithstanding such deposition, he hath true right of adrainistration
among that people.
" Eighth Position : ' That one Minister cannot perform any Ministerial act in
another Congregation.'
"Ans. — If you take ' ministerial act' improperly, as soraetimes it
' 1 Pet. v. 2. '' Gal. i. 1. c Heb. v. 4.
>¦ " There is a character imprinted by the Bishop's Ordinaiion." 'Concil. Tri
dent. Sess. x.\iii. can. 4. '= Luke x. 16. f 1 Sam. viii. 7.

CHAP. XXXVI. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENrS. 39
is taken by some, only when the Minister of one Church doth exercise
his gifts of praying and preaching in another Church, being, by them
selves, so desired ; then, we answer. In this sense a Minister of one
Church may do a * ministeiial act ' in another; which he doth not
* perform' by virtue of any calling, but only by his gifts : and thus,
upon any occasion, we mutually ' perform ' those acts one in another's
Churches. But, if you mean by 'ministerial act' such an 'act' of
authority and power in dispensing of God's Ordinance as a Minister
doth ' perform' to the Church whereunto he is called to be a Minister;
then, we deny that he can so ' perform any ministerial act' to any
other Church but his own ; because his office extends no further than
his call ! For that solemn charge, Acts xx. 28, is not to feed all
flocks, but that one ' Flock" only ' over which the Holy Ghost' hath
made them ' overseers.' If the question were propounded, to any
Minister so exercising in another"s Church, which was once, to ouv
Saviour by the chief Priests and Elders, ' By what power ^ doest thou
these thmgs, and who gave thee this authority P'* let that Minister,
whosoever he be, study how to make an answer ! "
" Ninth Position : ' That Members of one Congregation may not Communicate
in another.'" To this, there is no "Answer" and so no "Reply;" the subject
being merged in the former Positions. We pass entirely over the
" Letter" accompanying the " Reply," because it is, in substance, a
repetition of what is in the Reply itself. ''

CHAP. XXXVI.
laud's exiles.  LILBURNE. — ABBOT.  BALL.  LAUD's CANONS. 
RETURN OF HIS VICTIMS, BURTON, ETC.
Under the year 1638, Heylyn writes of the " little trouble" which
could then " be feared from Lecturers, as they now were regulated."
Many had " deserted their stations because they would not read the
Common Prayer in their hoods and surplices ;" others, called " Com
bination-Lecturers " read the service now here, now there, under strict
subjection to their superiors : which being to be done also in the
canonical habits, " kept off the greatest part of the rigid Calvinists from
exercising their gifts as formerly, in the great market-towns." ' What
other effects ensued upon the enforcement of this regulation, cannot be
shown on less questionable testimony, in such a case, than Heylyn's
own, where, referring to an instance of " Rules of Polity" being resorted
^ Matt. xxi. 23.
The Controversy is revived hereafter ; by J. AUln and T. Shepard.
° Life of Laud, p. 364, 365.^

40 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES IJ
to by " condescension," to keep " many men at home with their wives
and families," who " otherwise were upon a resolution of departing the
kingdom :" —
" For so it was," he continues, " that the people, in many great
trading towns which were near the sea, having been long discharged of
the bond of ceremonies, no sooner came to hear the least noise of a
' Confonnity,' but they began to spurn against it. And when they
found that all their striving was in vain, that they had lost the comfort
of the Lectures, and that their Ministers began to shrink at the very
name of a Visitation ; it was no hard matter for those Ministers and
Lecturers to persuade them to remove their dwellings and transport
their trades. ' The Sun of Heaven," say they, ' doth shine as com
fortably in other places; the Sun of Righteousness* much brighter ! ' —
' Better to go and dwell in Goshen,'' find it where we can, than tarry in
the midst of such an Egyptian darkness as is now falling on this land! '
— ' The sinful corruptions of the Church,' said they, ' are now grown
so general, that there is no place free from that contagion, and infec
tions of it ; and, therefore, ' Go out of her my people, and be not
partakers of her sins!''= And hereunto they were the more easily
persuaded, by seeing so many Dutchmen with their wives and children
to forsake the kingdom ; who, having got wealth enough in England,
chose rather to go back to their native countries than to be obliged to
resort to their Parish Churches, as, by the Archbishop's Injunctions,
they were bound to do. Amongst the first which separated, upon this
account, were [T.] Goodwin, Nye, Burroughes, Bridge, and Simpson;
who, taking some of their followers with them, betook themselves to
Holland as their ' city of Refuge ! ' There they filled up their congre
gations to so great a number, that it was thought fit to be divided ;
Goodwin and Nye retiring unto Arnheim, a town of Guelderiand ;
Simpson and Bridge fixing at Rotterdam, in Holland; but what
became of BuiToughes, I am yet to seek."* These men, afi"ecting neither
the severe discipline of Presbytery, nor the licentiousness incident to
'Brownism,' embraced Robinson's model of Church-govemment in their
congregations, consisting of a co-ordination of several Churches for
their mutual comfort ; not a subordination of the one to the other, in
the way of direction or command. Hence came the name of ' Inde
pendents,' continued unto those amongst us who neither associate
themselves with the Presbyterians, nor embrace the frenzies of the
Anabaptists. . . The courteous entertainment which these people found
in the Belgic Provinces, might easily have served for a strong tempta
tion to bring over the rest, to enjoy the like ; but the country was too
nan-ow for them, and the Brethren of the Separation desired elbow-
room, for fear of interfering with one another. New England was
chiefly in their eye, a Puritan plantation from the beginning, and
therefore fitter for the growth ofthe Zuinglian or Calvinian gospel than
any country whatsoever. . The principal bell-wethers of these flocks
were Cotton, Chauncey, WeUs, [Thomas] Hooker, and perhaps Hugh
- Mal. iv. 2. b Gen. xiv. 10. ¦• Rev xvii! 4.
* He was at Rotterdam also. ^^' *^'"- *¦

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 41
Peters : the rest, let thera look after, who affect such company ! * . .
It was once under consultation of the Chief Physicians who were to
take especial care of the Church's [of England's] health, to send a
~ We give the foUowing as a sample of the usage to which those who were
compelled to abandon their country were subjected ; from the "Rump: or, An
exact CoUection ofthe Choicest Poems and Songs relating to the late times. — By
the most eminent Wits, frora anno 1639, to anno 1661. 1662." 12mo. 2 parts,
pp. 576. p. 1. "THE ZEALOUS PURITAN. 1639.
" My Brethren all, attend ye 1
And list to my relation ;
This is the day, — mark what I say.
Tends to your renovation.
Stay not among the wicked.
Lest that here, with them, you perish ;
But let us to — New-England go,
And the Pagan people cherish.
Then for the Truth's sake, come along ; come along ;
Leave this place of superstition :
Wer't not for we — that Brethren be.
You would sink into perdition !
" There you may teach our hymns too.
Without the law's controlment ;
We need not fear — the Bishops there.
Nor sp'ritual-courts' enrolment :
The surplice shall not fright us.
Nay, nor superstitious blindness ;
Nor scandals rise — when we disguise.
And our sisters kiss in kindness.
Then for the Truth's sake, &c.
" For company, I fear not ;
There goes my cousin Hannah,
And Reuben so — persuades to go
My cousin Joyce, Susanna,
With Abigail and Faithful ;
And Ruth, no doubt wUl come after ;
And Sarah kind — ^wo'nt stay behind.
My own cousin Constance' daughter.
Then for the Truth's sake, 8cc.
" Tom' tyler, is prepared ;
The sraith, as black as a coal ;
Ralph' cobbler too — ^with us wUl go.
For he doth regard his soul;
The weaver, honest Simon,
With good Prudence, Jacob's daughter.
And Sarah, she ; — and Barbary,
Who professeth to come after.
Then for the Truth's sake, &c.
" When we, that are elected,
Arrive in that fair country,
E'en by our faith, — as Brethren saith.
We will not fear our entry :
The psalms shall he our music ;
Our time be spent in expounding,
Which, in our zeal, — we will reveal
To the Brethren's joy abounding !
Then for the Truth's sake, &c."

42 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Bishop over to them, for their better government ; and to back hiin
with some forces, to compel, if he were not otherwise able to persuade,
obedience : but this design was strangled in the first conception, by
the violent breaking out of the troubles in Scotland."*
One of these singular characters, concerning whom it is remarked
that " it was found difficult, to check the spirits of men who placed
both their honour and their conscience in suffering,""'' requires our
attention, at this place. Lilbume stands forth as the offspring of
disordered times. Frora his youth upward he was ardent, acute, and
intractable ; and has acquired the reputation of being " the most
turbulent, but the most upright and courageous of human kind !""<^ a
description emanating from a pen not accustomed to overflow with
excessive ingenuousness. He opposed, in his ovra person, the entire
mass of authority exercised by Ecclesiastics ; and resisted what he
deemed the excesses of secular power, by whom and whensoever they
were employed . We shall confine ourselves to the only one out of a
surprising number of publications under his name, which bears on its
front any direct applicability to our own design ; our memorial of him
will, therefore, be concise in quantity, but ample enough to exhibit the
kind of spirit which reigned vrithin him ; for we have neither the
disposition nor the opportunity here to examine and set down such
palliations as his own excesses may seem to need ; we remark onlyjthat
the pains and penalties inflicted on him did not proceed, especially at
first, from judges in whose breasts mercy was a darling attribute.
" ' Come out of her, my people :' or. An Answer to the Questions
of a Gentlewoman, — a Professor in the Antichristian Church of Eng
land, — about Hearing the Public Ministers: Where it is largely
discussed and proved to be sinful and unlawful. Also, a Just Apology
for the Way of Total Separation ; — commonly, but falsely, called
' Brownism,' — That it is the Truth of God, though lightly esteemed in
the eyes of the world. With a Challenge to dispute with them publicly
before King and Council, to prove whatsoever I said, at the pillory,
against them : viz., That the calling of them is jure Diabolo ; even
from the Devil himself.<i By me, John Lilbume, close Prisoner in the
• Life of Laud, p. 366— 368.— " July, 1637, the 23rd day, there was great
disturbance m Edinburgh, about a new Service-book endeavoured to be obtruded
on the Scots by the King and Canterbury. . . It admitted unto the people, as I
remember, the Communion but in one kind I . . In May, or April [1638], new
tumults arose ; and truly I may almost say that that corrupt Common-Prayer-
Book was the sole and whole occasion of aU the miseries aud wars that since have
happened m both nations. Had his Majesty first endeavoured the imposition of
that lame book upon the EngUsh, most men did beUeve we had swallowed it, and
then the Scots must have done it afterwards ; for the clergy, at that time, gene
rally were such idle and lazy lubbers, and so pampered ^th court-prefemient,
f^. Pi'"'^^ temporal m eveij shire .in England, and such flattering Sycophants,
that, doubtless, the great hand of God was iu it, that those rude Scots first broke
the ice, and taught us the way to expel an insulting priesthood, and to resist the
King, he endeavouring by unwarrantable means, to intrude things contrary to the
Divine law of Almighty God, upon our consciences." Lillv n 207 908- uhi
sup. vol. i. p. 554. ¦" '^" '• '
" Hume, Hist. chap. Ui. an. 1637. c /j,-^_ j^ap. Ix. an 1651
' "A Work of the Beast; or, a Relation of- a most Unchristian" Censure
executed upon John Lilburne,— Now Prisoner in the Fleet,— the ISth of AprU

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 4,3
Fleet, for the cause of Christ. — ' My sheep hear ray voice ;" — ' for they
know not the voice of strangers." John x. 27, 6. — Printed in the ye;ir
of hope of England"s Purgation, and the Prelates' Dissolution. Anno
1639." 4to. pp. 35.
With such a preliminary, this subsequent strain is but consistent :
" But now for my judgment. For my own part, if I should never hear
a sennon while I live, yet I should never dare to hear one from any
man, good or bad, that is made a Minister by the Prelates, or any of
their creatures, or by virtue of any of their muddy Antichristian laws ;
neither dare I have any spiritual communion with them, so long as they
stand in their calling, in regard I am persuaded that he that heareth
them sinneth, having no warrant out of the Book of God to do it.
And, by necessary consequence, I will prove it. That whosoever hears
them, so long as they officiate by virtue of their calling and power
which they have received from the Bishops, to preach, doth hear the
devil : for the Holy Ghost saith, the subjects of the kingdom of the
Beast, ' worshipped the Dragon," — that is to say, the devil, — ' which
gave power unto the Beast ; and they worshipped the Beast, saying.
Who is like to the Beast ? who is able to war with the Beast P""^ Now
let us not think that they did fall down to the devil himself, and do
homage to hira, face to face ; for we never read of any that did this :
but the Holy Ghost doth here declare. That all those that stoop or
yield, in the least, to the laws of the Beast, do worship and serve the
devil, from whom he hath received his power."'*
In accordance with what has been produced, and with what is con
tained in the tract itself, Lilbume states his challenge ; " I will, if you
please, dispute with you all, face to face, before the King and State, for
life and liberty ; upon the ensuing propositions. First, To prove that
the^ Pope's power, is from the Devil. Secondly, That your calling,
power, authority, and jurisdiction, are from the Pope. "Thirdly, That
1638. With the Heavenly Speech uttered by him at the time of his suffering.
Very useful for these times, both for the encouragement of the Godly to suffer,
and for the terror and shame of the Lord's adversaries. — Heb. x. 36 ; xi. 36. — ¦
Printed in the year the Beast was wounded : 1638." 4to. pp. 32. "The Pubr
Usher," F. R., writes, " To speak what I think, my mind gives me that the Lord
is now upon extinguishing the bloody Prelates out of our land. For whereas
they have not, in some late years, showed the cruelty which they did before, but
now increase in persecution ; methinks this is a clear foregoing sign that — like a
snuff in the socket — their end and ruin are at hand." In p. 20, Lilbume is
represented to have said, " I ara the son of a gentleman, and my friends are of
rank and quality in the country where they live, which is two hundred mUes from
this place ; and I am, in my present condition, deserted of them all, for I know
not one of them [that] dare meddle with me in my present estate, being I am
stung by the Scorpions — the Prelates I And, for anything I know, it may be I
shall never have a favourable countenance from any of them again; and withal,
I am a young man, and likely to have lived well and in plenty, according to the
fashion of the world ; yet notwithstanding, for the Cause of Christ, and to do
Him service, I have and do bid adieu to father, friends, riches, pleasures, ease,
contented life ; . .. and lay all down at the footstool of Jesus Christ. . . And I am
so far from thinking my affliction and punishment which this day I have endured,
and still do endure and groan under, a disgrace, that I receive it as the welcome
Cross of Christ, and do think myself this day more honoured by my sufferings
than ifa crown of gold had been set upon my head."
' Rev. xui. 4. ¦> P. 8.

44 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHAHLES I„
all God's people are bound, under pain of eternal damnation, to with
draw from spiritual obedience and subjection from your spiritual law
and kingdom.
" Now upon these propositions, will I dispute with you all, and
venture life for life, before the King and State, upon these terms :
First, That you shall lay aside club-arguments, which are, ' Take him,
jailor, and lay hira in irons;' and 'lock him up close prisoner;' and,
• keep him in safe custody ! ' Secondly, That the Book of God, which
is an infallible Truth, shall be the sole judge of the controversy.
Thirdly, That I may have liberty, without being gagged, to speak my
mind freely and boldly. Fourthly, That I may have the use of some
books which I shall choose. . . Also, be it known unto you, that I
will, at Paul's Cross, dispute with all your Priests and Deacons, upon
these propositions : First, That they are all of them servants and
ministers of Antichrist. Secondly, That in the place and standing they
are now in, at this present, they have no authority from God, to preach
his Word, nor administer any of his sacred ordinances to the people ;
nor the people any ground or warrant out of the Word of God, to hear
the Word from, or partake with them. Thirdly, That the Church of
England, as at this day it stands, is Antichristian in power, in matter,
in ministry, in form, and in worship. Fifthly, That all God's people
are bound in duty and conscience, to separate away from it, and to
have no communion with it."*
So wrote Lilbume ; be it, however, not forgotten, that to him the
present generation are, perhaps, unconscious debtors for what is, from
the year 1792, the Statute Law of Libel ;¦» but which was in Hs case
first claimed, if not declared, to be the common law of the land. He
was tried for transgressing the new Statute of Treasons, enacted by the
Commonwealth, but acquitted. When the verdict was pronounced
Westminster Hall resounded with acclamations ; and a medal was
struck, to perpetuate the victory ; the obverse bears his head, with this
inscription, " John Lilbume, saved by the power of the Lord, and the
integrity of his Jury, who are judges of law as well as fact, October
26, 1649." On the reverse, are the twelve names ofthe Jury."
To assist in gaining as full an insight as may be into the whole state
of the controversy between those who asserted, as some even yet assert,
and those who disallowed, as their successors disallow, a predominance"
to belong of right, because inherent, as is alleged and self-perpetuated
through a class appertaining to but an insignificant few compared with
the multitude of implied subordinates, the two treatises annexed hereto
are advantageous. The first, bears the title of " The Trial of our
Church-Forsakes : or, A Meditation tending to still the Passions of
unquiet ' Brownists ;' upon Heb. x. 25. Wherein is justified, agMnst
them, 1. That the Blessed Church of England is a True Church;
2. hath a True Ministry; 3. hath a True Worship.— By Robert
Abbot, Vicar of Cranbrook, in Kent. 1639." 16mo. pp. 249.'^
° P- 3*. 35. b 32nd Geo. III. cap. Ix
'¦mol:tedJrslRet;dT- ^"^- l"" N"" ^^^ I" A 170, Evelyn writes, '
1 A brother of Archbishop Abbot, named Robert, who died in 1618, "was

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 45
In the Epistle to his Parishioners, he imputes to the " Brownists "
that they "pretend to two things; to the Scriptures, and to Conscience;"
and he goes on to say, " I know a third thing in thera. Weakness ! "
Further, he says, " And because they are weak, I have not showed
myself a man, in giving them any bitter language, or exasperating
terms. . . Indeed I have taken their affected name out of their
mouths — ' Separatists,' — and given their right one unto thera, ' Brown
ists : ' and this I have done out of conscience. I find, by experience,
that the word ' Separation ' doth win to their cause ; for, when people
of strong affections and weaker judgments do read of the necessity of
separation, in the Scriptures, and cannot discern how we have made
separation from Heathenism ; and when we [who] have been thrust
out of Rome, — because we were unwilling to be so bad as she, — have
maintained our just standing from her, in a divided way, they have
been willing to hearken to a separating plot. Therefore Browne being
the leader amongst us, to this breach, — if now time hath not made it
worse than he intended it, — I cannot nick-name, but in conscience call
the child after the father's name. It was Christ's course, ' Ye are of
your father the devil,'* his ' children''' ye are ; and so raust I. It is
true also, that afterwards, ye may find some opinions gone against that
are held by soma that keep communion with our Church as of a true
Church. But I am sure they are the ' Brownists' ' opinions also, to
whom I speak."
strongly affected towards the Puritans, as appears from some of his works, parti
cularly his Sermon on the 110th Psalm, 1601; his 'Antichristi Demonstratio,'
1603; and his 'Treatise against Bishops.' .. Being Vice-Chancellor that year
[1614] he preached a serraon, . . in which he made allusions .to Laud, which
were at once understood. Laud, then President of St. John's, was not present on
this occasion, but he was persuaded . . to attend at St. Mary's Church on tbe
following Sunday, when the sermon, according to ancient custom, was again to
be delivered. He complied, and heard Dr. Abbot abuse him for nearly an hour
from the pulpit, and in such an undisguised manner, that he was actually pointed
at by the auditors. . . 'Some,' said Dr. Abbot, 'are partly Romish, partly
English, as occasion serves them, that a man might say unto them, noster es, an
adversariorum ? who, under pretence of truth, and preaching against the Puri
tans, strike at the heart and root of the religion now established among us. They
cannot plead that they are accounted Papists hecause they speak against the
Puritans, but because, being indeed Papists, they speak nothing against them.
If they do at any time speak against the Papists, they do hut beat a little about
the bush, and that but softly too, for fear of waking and disquieting the birds that
are in it.' . . After defending Presbytery for a considerable time, he then
exclairaed ' Might not Christ say, What art thou ? Romish or English ? Papist
or Protestant 1 Or, what art thou ? A mongrel compound of both ; a Protestant
by ordination, a Papist in point of free-will, inherent righteousness, and the like.
A Protestant in receiving the sacrament, a Papist in the doctrine of the sacrament.
What ? Do you think there are two heavens ? If there be, get you to the other,
and place yourselves there, for unto this where I am ye shall not come.' " Life
and Times of W. Laud, D.D., etc. By J. P. Lawson, M.A. 1829. Svo. vol. i.
p. 155 — 158. Our readers will be amused, seeing the bias of this author, at his
ill-fortune in attributing to the Archbishop's brother a " treatise against Bishops,"
which shouldTlMre been " A Defence of ' the Reformed Catholic,' of WiUiam
Perkins, against this Bastard ' Catholic' of Dr. Bishop, Seminary Priest. — Lond.
1606 — 11. 2 vols. 4to. The remarkable coincidence between Abbot and others,
with Hall, conceming their judgment of Laud's leaning towards Popery, is not to
be treated lightly !
* John vui. 44. ^ Matt. xiii. 38.

¦46 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I,
Such are the expressions of this Reverend Vicar, ^vho dedicates his
book to his " Dear Mother, the much-honoured, holy, and blessed
Church' of England ;" and who salutes her thus, " Dear and blessed
Mother, Thou hast been long pestered with undutiful, yea unnatural
sons :" this natural son thinks it posfsible that he might ' appear of
too mild a temper; " yet declares that he had " done the best that
he " thought fit for these opposers," and bids his " Dear and blessed
Mother" farewell, in telling her, " I kiss thy hand, and rest thy
obedient .son.'"
Not content with having misappropriated the text in his titie, through
three of his sections, the Vicar describes, in the fourth, " the vice "* of
those who would be accounted tnily religious, who forsake ' the assem
bling of ourselves together ; and then have a name of pride, and a
name of justice. The name of pride which they take to themselves, is
' Separatists.' They read soraetiraes, in the Scriptures, of ' separation,'
especially where Paul saith, according to the Prophet,'' 'Come out from
among them, and be ye separate." ¦= . . They will needs glory in the
name of ' Separatists," as others do of ' Catholics : ' their name, of
justice, is ' Brownists ; * which they love not to hear of, because Browne,
. . upon wiser thoughts, returned from thera, yet how justly they must
retain that name may appear in that which follows." ** " His conceits,
within this last age, have lived and died by turns : . . they have had
Barrowes, Greenwoods, Penries, Robinsons, Johnsons, Ainsworths, aud
Smyths ; the only men, so far as I know, of that full strain, who have
tasted^of more or less learning ill placed, from Christ's time downward."'
Enough of an opponent whose notes of charity are as dissonant from
the tones of true love as his arguments are discordant from Scripture !
Yet ere we dismiss him quite, we acknowledge that we are willing to
forgive him, if only for the sake of one of his concluding sentences,
which concedes so much, that instead of an enemy we adopt him for a
friend. " The most,'" he saj's, in recording his verdict, " you pretend,
are obscure passages which, by the diligentest searchers of Scriptures,
have been and are diversly expounded, and therefore no sm-e footing ;
or sorae obscure examples without laws, which yet, if they were never
so pregnant, prove but the lawfulness, not the necessity, of such prac
tices ! " ' Great is Truth !
The second treatise which we have represented as advantageous for
the better insight into the entire controversy about which our pages are
professedly occupied, bears the title of "A Friendly Trial of the
Grounds tending to Separation : In a plain and modest Dispute touch
ing the lawfulness of a Stinted Liturgy and Set Form of Prayer;
Communion in Mixed Assemblies ; and, the Primitive Subject, and
First Receptacle, of the Power of the Keys. Tending to satisfy the
doubtful, recall the wandering, and to strengthen the weak.— By John
Ball.— 1640." 4to. pp. 314. ''
' Head-line of sect. iii. *> 2 Cor. vi. 17 " P 16 <¦ P 21
' The most curiously elaborated part of Abbot's treatise is' the ninth section, ot
twenty-five pages, intituled "A question by the way, about Baptizing Bastards
ot Impenitent Christians." '^ °
' P. 248.

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 47
Two centuries may be said to have passed by since this author,* who
is styled " an excellent schoolman and schoolmaster, a painful preacher,
and a profitable WTiter," •> repeated for his own the dictum of still older
writers styled "profitable," that " It is not for />r«i;ate persons to take
that upon them which belongeth not unto their place ! "*= The phrase
ology would seem to convey a truism, and so to defy opposition, but
the sentiment intended is opposed alike to common sense and to
Scripture. It is reasonable to believe that in religion as in politics,
numerous individuals who never were invested with official authority
are equally competent, and in many cases far more competent, to search
into and judge a matter than numbers of others to whom the vestment
of authority has imputed but could never impart superiority of intellect
and depth of wisdom. That freedom which does not consist of the
enjoyment of mental as well as of bodily independence on mere brutal
coercion, is of no value. It is, however, to " private persons "" pecu
liarly, that the beloved Apostle addresses the positive injunction
" Believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.""*
Hence it is scriptural for Private Christians to take upon them to "try"
their Teachers : and what fruit follows the trial, if no motive to action
be allowed to ensue P They who are also enjoined, by another Apostle,
to " Prove all things,"* were in a sony state if they had no power to
reject evil, and " hold fast that which is good," in matters which concem
their everlasting salvation ! Every faithful man's " own mind "^ must,
herein, be the residence of his assurance ; and even his " doubtful "
thoughts^ are not to be subjected to peremptory rebuke from any one,
how "profitable" soever, who cannot claim to be the searcher of
hearts !
Ball's work is composed of thirteen chapters, on the subjects specified
upon the title-page ; but as the work must come under further review
hereafter, the last in order, but the first in importance, of those subjects,
will engage attention here. The thesis of the twelfth chapter, then, is
" The Community of the Faithful; much less two or three, separated
frora the world and gathered together into the Name of Christ by a
Covenant; are not the proper and immediate Subject of Power Eccle
siastical." This position being proved, the author's purpose, " to rase
the foundation of Separation," *¦ would be accomplished. Robinson's
Justification of Separation; against Bernard ; ' is the book controverted.
But what is to be done here, with arguments of the description of that
which will be produced frora this twelfth chapter P Perhaps, one more

• See back, p. 22.
" Fuller's " Worthies of England," 1662. /o. Pt. ii. p. 339.
¦= "To the Reader," p. iv. — Richard Hooker avers in his Eccles. Polity, bk. ii.
sect. 7, that the "insolency" of private judgment " concerning matter of Scripture"
must be "represt." He did not then recollect, probably, that in his Discourse of
Justification, sect. 12, he had averred concerning partakers of the Error of the
Church of Rome, that " The people following the conduct of their guides, and
observing as they did, exactly that which was prescribed, thought they did God good
service, when indeed they did dishonour him."
¦• 1 John iv. 1. « 1 Thess. v. 21. ' Rom. xiv. 5.
E Ver. 1. '' To the RcaJcr, p. v. ' See back, vol. i. chap. xii.

48 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
dangerous in its import, certainly not in its design, could not be selected
from any other writer, short of a professed advocate of the claims oi the
Romish Supremacy ! ....
" Power Ecclesiastical, both of Order and Jurisdiction, as it is usually
called, is signified by ' the power of the Keys,' or ' the power of bmding
or loosing :' but ' the power of the Keys' is immediately given to the
Ministers and Guides of the Church, from God ; and not from the
Church, or Community of the Faithful. For 'tiie Keys conta.in not
only Order, but Power, Exercise, and all Ecclesiastical Junsdiction,
which the Guides of the Church received immediately from Christ. As
Peter received ' the keys of the kingdom of Heaven,' so the rest of the
Apostles ; and as the Apostles, so all their successors received thein
from Christ. The Apostles had extraordinary Power ; and might, in
some cases, exercise it, singularly and personally, without concurrence
of others ; and their Commission was of larger extent than the Charge
of Ordinary Pastors or Church-governors : but the Spiritual Power to
bind and loose, remit and retain sins, open and shut the kingdom of
Heaven, is communicated to all Officers, from the hand and by the
mandate of the same Lord and Master. One Ministerial Power, may
be, in degree, of dignity above another ; for the Power of one may be
about more noble acts than the power of another ; or, in the same kind,
the Power of one may be more extended, and the Power of another
more contracted. Thus the Deacons had for the object of their Power
and care, not so excellent a thing as that of Pastors, Evangelists, and
Apostles : thus the Power of Ordinary Pastors was not so universal as
the Apostles' ; even as in the orders of servants domestical, some are
employed about lesser, some about greater and more honourable
subjects : but all power of the servants must be derived from the same
master of the faraily upon whom they depend, and unto whom they
owe service ; and the whole Power of the Lord's Ministers is derived
immediately from Christ, and not from the Faithful knit together in
covenant." *
What Protestant ever penned a passage of more fearful import ?
The saving clause, that the Power "is derived immediately from
Christ," would be readily adraitted, and was clairaed for themselves
by the Papists; and the whole paragraph is so constructed that it
would not have excited much astonishment, had it been published
thirty-two or three years earlier, if it had found its way into one of their
most plausible productions.''
The final chapter of this treatise, being the thirteenth, and headed
" An Examination of sundry Positions laid down by Mr. Jacob, in his
Exposition ofthe Second Commandment, tending to Separation;" we
notice simply to inform any who raay be desirous of learning where to
meet with Jacob's positions combated ; and if such should see that the
« P. 233.
,«n«""^!;f ^'¦°'"'\""' V^^^osy <¦« "^^^ R<""»" Church. By John Brerely, Priest.
1608 4 0. pp. 648. The compiler's real name was James Anderton : his object
was to entrap the unwary into a belief of the confirmation ofthe Popish doctrines,
fron. the incautious concessions of Protestants ; for which purpose lie had but toJ
many colourable pretences. "^ ^ ^ """ ""'

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 49
negative of the positions is proved by Ball, he or they will have suc
ceeded in penetrating through a cloud of hypotheses thick enough to
obscure the mental vision of any but himself or theraselves. Try for
exaraple, " To meet together in one place, is not so essential to a
Church, but it may continue one, in laws, ordinances, govemment, and
communion ; though in respect of multitude, distance of place, and
many other occurrences, they be constrained to assemble and hold their
meetings severally. And that it was thus in the Churches planted by
the Apostles, it is most probable."'' Again : "It was not the Apostles'
practice to ordain Pastors in those places where, as yet, no sheep were
to be seen, or very few: and it had been inconvenient to tie the Faithful
to one Congregation, when, by reason of multitude, they could not
meet in one place to their edification. What then remaineth, but that
they might assemble in divers places and yet hold Communion in laws,
ordinances, govemment, and officers P When Presbyters were first
assigned to their particular cures, it is not certain." ^
The year 1640 presents various points of interest worthy of attention,
among which it is not too much to say that the acts of the ruling Eccle
siastics were nefarious. The Parliament which assembled in April, was
dissolved hastily, in the beginning of May, but the Convocation having
discovered a musty precedent, ofthe 27th year of Elizabeth, continued
its sittings, " not without sorae trouble of mind," says Heylyn, "in
regard of the apparent danger which seeraed to threaten them l""^ Their
projects resulted in the publication, on the last day of June, of seventeen
new Canons, of such a description as sealed and accelerated the down
fall of the Episcopacy. The fifth of these Canons is directed against
" All Anabaptists, Brownists, Separatists, Familists, or other Sect or
Sects."'' The whole were so obnoxious that all parties, and some even
in the Church itself, had ground of complaint against one or other of
them. Tumults it is true, had previously occurred ; for, on Monday,
May the 1 1th, the "Archbishop's house at Lambeth, had been as
saulted by a rabble of Anabaptists, Brownists, and other Sectaries," so
says Heylyn, " to the number of five hundred and upwards ; but seeing
they could not force that house, resolved to turn their fury on the Con
vocation. . . To such extremities were the poor Clergy brought during
these confusions ; in danger of the King's displeasure, if they rose ; of
the People's fury, if they sate ; in danger of being beaten up by tumults
when they were at their work ; of being beaten down by the following
Parliament, when their work was done."^ Happily, the Convocation
had not accomplished all its projects : " There had been a design,"
Heylyn tells us, " touching the drawing and digesting of an English
Pontifical ! " But the troubles of the times growing greater and greater,
it was thought expedient " to defer the prosecution of it till a fitter
conjuncture."" Heylyn adds, " It is a matter which deserves no small
admiration, that these Canons — like the first building of the Temple,
without the noise of axe and hammer,- — should pass tiie House with
* P. 298. l* P. 299. ¦= Life of Laud, p. 430.
'' The name " Independents" not being mentioned, is thought to prove that it
had not yet become popularly known.
•^ Life of Laud, p. 430.
II. E

50 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
such a general calm, and be received with so many storms and tempests
when they went abroad ! ""» The House of Commons, in the "following
Pai-liament, December the 16th, voted the " whole body of those
Canons, " to be against the fundamental laws of the realm ; against
the King's prerogative ; the property ofthe subject; the nght of Par
liaments ; and, to tend to faction and sedition."" " A more comprehen
sive indictment cannot well be imagined ; but with some divines the
Church never errs ! It excited ferment enough, however, for even
while the High Commission was sitting at St. Paul"s, October the 22nd,
" a mixt multitude,"" as it is alleged, " of Brownists, Anabaptists, and
Puritans, of all sorts, to the number of two thousand; and upwards,"'
dispersed the Court; crying out "No Bishops! No High Com
mission !"¦= From which it would appear that there were no other
Patriots, in those days ; but they could not claim that honour exclu
sively, lest the dishonour of all the excesses oppression drave them and
others into, should be theirs also.
Heylyu found how things were going with the Church ; and saw
that that decline was commenced and almost consummated, which, he
says, " our judicious Hooker had presaged ; who had assigned her
• fourscore' years for her growth and flourishing, and nothing afterwards
but sorrow and disconsolation. For," he goes on to say, " finding
nothing more frequent in the mouths of men than this, ' That they
which endowed Churches with lands, poisoned religion ; that tithes and
oblations, are now in the sight of God as the sacrificed blood of goats;
. . and that fulness of bread having made the children wanton, it is
without any scruple to be taken away from them ; ' he made upon the
whole matter," continues Heylyn, " this ensuing judgment : 'By this
means,' saith he, ' or the like suggestions, received with all joy, and
with like sedulity practised in certain parts of the Christian world, they
have brought to pass that as David doth say of man, so it is in hazard
to be verified concerning the whole religion and service of God — The
time thereof may peradventure fall out to be threescore years and ten,
— or if strength do serve unto fourscore,"* what followeth is likely to be
* Ibid. p. 442. — " The Convocation-house — the regular and legal assembling
of the clergy— customarily beginning and ending with Pariiaments, was, after the
determination of the last, by a new writ continued, and sate for the space of above
a month under the proper title of a Synod ; made Canons, which was thought it
might do ; and gave subsidies out of ParUament, and enjoined oaths, which cer
tainly it raight not do : in a word, did many things which in the best of times
might have been questioned, and therefore were sure to be condemned in the
worst, — what fuel it was to the fire that ensued, shall be mentioned in its place,—
and drew the same prejudice upon the whole body of the clergy to which, before
only some few clergymen were exposed." Clarendon, Hist. RebeL pt. i. bk. ii.
ed. Svo. 1721. vol. i. p. 148.
¦> Life of Laud, p. 442.
>: P. 453.—" A book was published by the name of ' Landensium Autocata-
crisis; or, The Canterburian's Self Conviction;' in which the author of it ['Robert

for bringing in Superstition, Popery, and Arminianism." P 4^55
^ Psal. xc. 10.

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 5 J
small joy for thein, whosoever they be, that behold the same.'* An
observation," continues Heylyn, " which seeras to savour more of the
prophet than it did of the priest, and to have as much divination as
divinity in it !"''
The proceedings against Burton, Prynne, and Bastwick, related
heretofore, will not lose in their interest by a further relation of their
return from their respective abodes of captivity ; which was attended
with all the circumstantials of a popular triumph. From the authority
which we shall continue to cite,'^ it appears that Laud had no relentings
towards his victims ; that he had treated with the Queen not to be
induced to intercede with the King on their behalf, — " not to inter
meddle in their business,"*' Prynne had, however, obtained through
the medium of Sir Thomas Jermyn, certain relaxations of the strictness
of his confinement, which the Archbishop hearing of "was so enraged " *
that he imputed forgery to the instruraent which his Majesty had
sanctioned ; but the Earl of Dorset attesting its authenticity, it was
subsequently shown to Sir Dudley Carleton, " and so the Prelate,
unable to reverse it, was forced to let it pass, against his good will ! " '
The same nan-ative continues by stating that " It pleased God, not
long after this, beyond the Prelates' expectation, to bring a Parliament
together, . . but breaking up, suddenly, in discontent, by the Prelates'
machinations, before any petitions preferred on their [the prisoners']
behalf, they still remained hopeless of all human deliverance. But the
Great Moderator of the Universe miraculously turning all the Prelates'
pernicious designs against our State and Church, upon themselves ; and
fettering them in the snares they had laid to entrap others, contrary to
their elevated hopes and thoughts, unexpectedly caused and summoned
this second Parliament; to the ineffable happiness both of the present
and future ages."s
No sooner was Parliament assembled than several petitions were
presented to the Commons, that the prisoners " might all be sent for
out of hand, to prosecute their grievances and complaints before thera,
against their [the Prelates'] unjust Censures. Which petitions were
cordially received and readily granted." One of the Warrants certifying
accordingly, represents that " It is Ordered this day, by the Commons
House of Parliament, that a Warrant shall issue forth under Mr.
Speaker's hand, directed to the Governor . . of Castie Cornet, in the Isle
of Guernsey, . . to send up to the said House of Commons, in safe
custody, Mr. Henry Burton, . . that he may, before them, prosecute
his complaint, according to a Petition this day delivered to this House
by Mrs. Sarah Burton, his wife. And, withal, to require thera whom
it may concern, to certify to the House, by what Warrant and Autho-
" Hooker's Eccles-. Polity, bk. v. sect. 79, apud fin. This Fifth Book was
printed in 1597. Heylyn calculates, however, from ''the beginning of the
Reformation under Queen Elizabeth, 1558, to the Pacification made at Berwick,
1639." P. 449.
*> P. 450. "^ " A New Discovery, &c." See back, vol, i. p. 510. 'i P. 110,
' " Yet thia man, in his Epistie to the King, before his Relation of his Con
ference with Fisher, published about this time to blear the world, writes " That
he heartily beseeched God to forgive these three bitter men." Ibid. p. 110. marg,
> p. 111. e lb.
E 2

52 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLLS I.
rity he is there detained close prisoner. . . Dated this present 7th day
of Noveraber, 1640. — William Lenthal, Speaker."*
Burton and Prynne arrived together, on Saturday the 28th of
November, " to the great joy of all good people." From Dartmouth,
where they landed, all the way to London, their journey resembled a
triumphal procession, increasing as it approached " to Charing Cross,
where they encountered such a world of people in the streets," that it
was nearly three hours in passing frora Charing Cross to their lodging
in the City, having torches carried to light them." The bells " rang,
in most places ; . . and the company that rode with them into London
were estimated to be about a hundred coaches, many of them having
six horses apiece; and at least two thousand horse ; those on foot being
innumerable."'' On Monday morning they appeared before the Commons, when
liberty was granted them " to frarae new Petitions in their own names."'
Prynne's was presented on the third of Deceraber, and Burton's on the
fifth. A Special Committee, of sixty members, was ordered, to take
the parties into hearing ; " to receive all Petitions of like nature ; and
to examine the jurisdiction, and abuses, of the Star Chamber, the High
Coraraission, and Council Table :" it raet, the same day, in the Star
Chamber Court, and appointed Alexander Rigby, of Gray's Inn,
Chairman.'^ The prayer of Prynne's Petition ran in these words, " May it,
therefore, please this Honourable House, to take these your Petitioner's
alraost eight years tragical grievances, of new and dangerous example,
into your most sad and just considerations ; that so they may not
become precedents to the prejudice of posterity. To grant him liberty
to send for and examine all necessary witnesses : to order all clerks,
registers, and other officers of the Star Chamber, or elsewhere, speedily
and freely to grant him the copies of such orders, decrees, and writings,
as his canse shall require : to release hira upon hail, beuig now hut a
prisoner only upon an extra-judicial order of the Lords, and not by
virtue of any sentence or decree in Court : to grant him liberty to
plead and prosecute his own cause, since counsel hath so often failed
hira ; and, to give him such satisfaction and relief, as the justice and
equity of his cause shall merit.""''
Burton's petition prays, after having recited all the processes con
cerning himself, " May it, therefore, please this Honourable House, to
take the Petitioner's sad cause into consideration; and for the better
manifestation of his gi-ievance in this cause, to assign hira for counsel
Master Serjeant Atkins, Master Tomlins, and Master Gurdon, to assist
hhn in his cause; and to command, that he may take out such copies
gratis out of the said several Courts, as do or may concern his said
cause." ' Dr. Bastwick's was similar. He had landed at Dover, on
the fourth of December, and was, on Monday the sixth, met and brought
into London, nearly as his fellow-sufferers had been ; who " supped
with him, at a friend's house, that sarae night."'" His cause, though
* P- 11'^- " p. 113— 115. 0 p iifi
" P- 125. = p. 130. I p.- 13^;

CHAP. XXXVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 53
the last heard, being the shortest was first reported to the House by
Mr. Rigby; Burton's next; and Prynne's last. The whole House
voted unanimously, all the Censures, Proceedings, and Orders, against
the several parties, illegal.'
The Votes, in Burton's cause, March 12th, 1640-1, were to the
pronouncing illegal the proceedings of Dr. Duck, and others ; and
adjudging " reparations and recompence." The Warrant from the
Council-Board, Feb. 2nd, 1638-7, for Burton's committal, was pronounced
" illegal, and contrai-y to the liberty of the subject." The Archbishop,
the Bishop of London, and five others. Earls, etc., were ordered to
" make reparations" to him. And, on the 10th of March, it was
resolved " That the Sentence in the Star Chamber against Mr. Burton
is illegal, and without any just gTOund, and ought to be reversed, etc. :
That he ought to be restored to his degrees taken in the University,
and orders in the Ministry; and to his Ecclesiastical Benefice in
Friday-street, London : That the Order of the Council-Board for
transferring hira from the Castle of Lancaster to the Isle of Guernsey ;
and the iraprisonraent of hira there ; are against law, and the liberty of
the subject : and. That he ought to have reparation and recompence
for the damages sustained by his said imprisonment, loss of ears, exile,
and other evils sustained by hira by the said unjust and illegal pro
ceedings. — Signed, " H. Elsynge, Cler. Domus Cora."'' On the 8tii
of June, under the sarae signature, " The House of Commons dotii
this day declare and hold fit. That Mr. Henry Burton shall be restored
to his former liberty of Preaching. ""=
The Compiler of the " New Discovery" brings his labours to this
conclusion: "It will be but equal, that these tyrannical bloody Lord
Prelates should now be so dealt with in the Honourable Court of
Parliaraent, as themselves have formerly dealt with others for far less
crimes than those they are now accused and guilty of ; and that they
should have ' judgment without mercy,' who have ' showed no mercy,'
and whose ' tender mercies' '^ have been cruelties ! " * In the Dedi
catory Epistle, however, the Compiler wrote thus, " Kind Reader, — I
here present thee with a late tragical history, or New Discovery of the
Prelates' Tyranny in their unjust prosecutions and bloody persecutions
of these eminent persons of the three most noble professions in the
kingdora ; divinity, law, physic, all suffering together on the pillory,
— much honoured by thera, and they by it, — and losing all their ears
at once, to raake theraselves hear better, and the Prelates worse ! ^
Such ' a spectacle," both to raen and angels,s no age ever saw before ;
and posterity is never like to behold hereafter.
" To hear of Lord Bishops metamorphosed into ' ravenous wolves' ''
is no novelty ; they have been thus in every age, and will be so while
they have continuance. But to see thera mounted to such an altitude
of authority and tyranny as to crucify divinity, law, physic, on the
pillory together, and to make Judges, Peers, and Courts of Justice, if
* p. 137. i" P. 141. <: p. 145.
^ Jas. ii. 13. Prov. xu. 10. ¦= P. 226.
" Qui male facit, male audit." s 1 Cor. iv. 9.
>> Acts XX. 29. Matt. vu. 15.

54 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cMARLfiS t.
Hot Sovereignty itself, the E.xecutioners* of their malice, cruelty, and
private revenge", by such extravagant and untrodden courses as were
unknown to our ancestors is such a prodigious innovation, as neither
Africa nor England ever beheld the like; and never had been brought
forth into the worid, had not a venomous Arch-prelate proved a father
to engender, a raotiier to foster, a midwife to produce and bnng it to
its birth. But, alas, poor silly Politician ! while he sought these
innocents' ruin by those unwarrantable practices, he laid but the fonn--
dation of his own overthrow ; in the ' snare' that he laid for them, is
his own foot taken ; into the ' pit' that he digged for them, he is fallen
hira.self; his snares are broken, they 'are escaped,' and he now lies
entangled in them. He is 'cast down and fallen;' but they 'are
risen, and stand upright:' his 'mischief now returns 'on his own
head, and his violent dealing comes down upon his own pate : ' ' evil '
now hunts this man of violence ' to overthrow him ; " and 'the mischief
of his ' own lips' doth ' cover hira." As he ' hath done,' so ' God hath
requited hira ; while he raade ' haste' to shed their ' blood,' he did but
lie ' in wait' for his 'own.' And he that did ' violence to the blood'
of these persons, now fleeth ' to the pit,' — as God hath threatened,—'
' let no raan stay hira ;' but let all stand admiring God's justice upon
him, and his admirable providence, and mercy, in preserving, delivering,
and acquitting'' them from his unjust Censures, and that in the highest
court of justice, without one negative voice !.
" The manifestation of this remarkable justice, mercy, and provi
dence, of our Great God, — ' glorious in holiness, fearful in praises,
working wonders,' not only of old,*^ but at this present, even in all our
eyes, doing 'great things' for these Patients; for the whole land;
' whereof we rejoice,' ^ was the chief end of publishing this Discovery,
whereby to daunt all graceless Persecutors, and cheer the souls of sdl
sincere professors."
The transactions connected with these men, their prosecutors, and
their vindicators, are condensed in his History, by Clarendon, who
stigmatizes the sufl^erers as " men of no virtue or merit," and describes
their reception, on their return, as an " insurrection and frenzy of the
people."' His Lordship adds, " From this tirae the license of Preach
ing and Printing increased to that degree that all Pulpits were freely
delivered to the schismatical and silenced Preachers, who, till then, had
lurked in corners, or lived in New England; and tiie presses at liberty
for the publishing the most invective, seditious, and scunilous pamphlets
that their wit and malice could invent.''^ It was about this time that
* See Fox, Acts and Men, vol. i. p. 526, edit [ante 1641.]
* Psal. xxxviU. 5, 6. « Exod. xv. 11. i Psal. cxxvi 2, 3.
« Hist. Rebel, pt. i. bk. iii. p. 201, 202.— "The more ignoble these men were"
writes Hume, " the more sensible was the insult upon royal authority and the
more dangerous was tho spirit of disaffection and mutiny, which it discovered
among the people." Hist. Char. I. ch. liv. an. 1640. BaiUie writes, Dec. 2nd.
"Never here such a like show; above a thous.-ind horse, and as some of good
note say above four thousand ; above a hundred coaches, and as some sav, above
nvo hmidrcd ; with a world of foot every one with a rosemary branch. . This
galled the Bishops exceedingly." Vol. i. Let 20 p 2'>2
' p. '.:02. . 1- - •

CHAP. XXXVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 55
Bishop Hall lamented, in a Speech to tiie Lords, " That there should
be in London and the suburbs and liberties, no fewer than fourscore
congregations of several Sectaries, as I have been too credibly informed,
instructed by guides fit for thera, cobblers, tailors, feltmakers, and such
like trash ; which are all taught to spit in the face of their mother, the
Church of England ; and to defy and revile her government."* Who,
and of what denominations these were, it is not our present business to
describe.

CHAP. XXXVII.
THE scots' DEPUTATION. — CANNE.  PAGET. — DAVENPORT.  DEAD-
MAn's PLACE.
We turn to introduce a fresh set of our opponents, formidable, indeed,
iu their own might, as will be amply evinced ; but who were unex
pectedly to themselves kept at bay, and were often even repelled in an
encounter, by instniinents contemptible, at first, in their eyes, till they
found " the oracles of God"'' came sounding from their mouths, with
the invincible raajesty of Truth.
Scotiand might justly boast of her prowess in the struggle for
Reformation; she was become, however, if not " vain" in her " imagi-
nations,"'^ yet filled with a vain imagination that she had " all sufiiciency
in all things : " "^ for so we may be allowed to infer from what was
arranged and transpired at Newcastle, connected with the procedure of
her commissioners and others to London ; and which we shall present
from an authority to whom we shall be beholden for much curious and
some strange matter connected also with the interests of religion at
large, and with those promoters of it in whom we are most particularly
concemed. • In a Letter dated " Newcastle, Nov. 5th, 1640," that sturdy and
noted Presbyterian, Robert Baillie, writes, " At our presbytery, after
sermon, both our noblemen and ministers, in one voice, thought meet
that not only Mr. Alexander Henderson, but, also, Mr. Robert Blair,
Mr. George Gillespie, and I, should, all three [four], for divers ends, go
to London : Mr. R. Blair, to satisfy the rainds of many in England who
love the Way of New England better than that of Presbyteries used in
our Church; I, for convincing of that prevalent faction against which
I have written ; Mr. Gillespie, for the crying down of the English
Ceremonies, for which, he has written ; and all faur to preach, by turns,
to our Commissioners. "° In another Letter, dated " London, Dec. 2nd,
1640," he writes thus, " Say, and Brooke, in the Higher House, and
* Works, vol. X. p. 65. " Heb. v. 12.
« Rom. i. 21. '' 2 Cor. ix, 8.
" Let. 18, vol. i. p. 215, of "Letters and Journals : Containing an impartial
account of Public Transactions, &c. From the beginning of the CivU Wars in
1637, to the year 1682.— From the MSS. of Robert Baillie, D.D. , 1775." 2 vols.
Svo.

56 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
these alone, and some leading men in the Lower, were suspected, by
their inclination to the Separatists, would divide from the Presbytenans.
and so weaken the party opposite to Bishops : but so far as yet can be
perceived, that party inclinable to Separation will not be considerable [!]
and, whatever it be, these and the rest who are for the Scots disciphne,
do amicably conspire in one to overthrow the Bishops and ceremomes,
hoping, when these ' rudera' are put away, that they shall well agi-ee to
build a new house, when the ground is well swept.'"
Deceraber 19th, Baillie writes, "The Separatists are like to be some
help to hold up the Bishops through their impertinency ; but we trust,
by God's blessing on our labours, to prevent that evil."''
"The godly here," he writes, January 29th, 1640-1, "meet oft in
private houses, for in public they dare not ; fast and pray, and hear
gracious sermons, for whole days, sundry times in the week. . . In the
adverse party, we hear of littie devotion in the best of thera.'"'= And,
March 15th, " All the English Ministers of Holland who are for New
England Way, are now here: how strong their party will be here is
diversely reported : they are all on good terms with us. Our only
considerable difference will be about the jurisdiction of synods and
presbyteries. As for Brownists, and Separatists of many kinds here,
they raislike them well near as much as we : of these there is no consi
derable party. Anent [concerning] private meetings, we know here
no difference we have with any. Our questions with them of the New
Way we hope to get deterrained to our mutual satisfaction, if we were
rid of Bishops, and till then, we have agreed to speak nothing of any
thing wherein we differ. Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Baronds
[Burroughes,] Mr. Simonds [Simpson,] have all written very gracious
treatises of sanctification, which I mind to bring with me. All of
them are learned, discreet, and zealous men, well seen in cases of
conscience. It were all the pities in the world that they and we should
differ in anything, especially in that one which, albeit very small in
speculation, yet in practice of very huge consequence : for making
every congregation an absolute and independent Church over which
presbyteries and general assemblies have no povi'er of censure, but
only of charitable admonition ; my wit sees not how incontinent a
National Church should not fall into unspeakable confusions, as I
am confident the goodness of God will never permit so gracious
men to he the occasions of, let be the authors."''
Dismissing Baillie for awhile, we set before the reader, " Sion's °
Prerogative Royal : or, A Treatise tending to prove That every
Particular Congregation hath, from Christ, absolute and entire power to
exercise, in and of Herself, every Ordinance of God : And is an
independent body, not standing under any other Ecclesiastical Autho
rity out of itself. By a Wellwisher to the Truth. — 1 Cor. iii. 21.
' All, &c.' Psal. cxlix. 9. 'This, etc.'— Printed at Amsterdam, in
the year 1641." 16mo. pp. 64.
" I hope," says tiie author, to the Courteous Reader, " to make it
» P. 220. ^ P. 227. ^ P. 235. '' P. 253.
« " Syon's ;" 30 spelled in the original title, and in some Cataloo-ues.

CHAP. XXXVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 57
perspicuous and plain to every judicious and indifferent [impartial]
Reader, That whereas the Papists place the Power of Christ given to
the Church, in the Pope ; the Protestants, in the Bishops ; the
Reformed Churches, as they are called, in the Presbytery ; — that
neither of them, has right in this thing : but, contrariwise. That Jesus
Christ, Lord and King of his Church, hath given the said power of his
to all his Saints ; and placed it in the Body of every Particular Con
gregation : so that He hath not subjected any Church of His to any
Superior Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction than that unto which is in itself."'
This, he proceeds to do, in the treatise, by arguments grounded on the
Scriptures ; showing also " what is the judgraent of leai'ned men ;"
and, by giving answer to " such objections as may seem to carry most
weight against the same." We do not consider it necessary to enlarge
our description of this piece ; the information it contains being treated
of, up and down, in our pages. If the piece be Canne's, as tradition
represents, he will soon be under our notice again. So soon, that we
fall at once upon what its author gave intimation of, as recorded in our
first volume, p. 546," naraely " A Defence of Church Government,
Exercised in Presbyterial, Classical, and Synodal Assemblies, according
to the Practice of the Refonned Churches: Touching, I. The Power
of a particular Eldership ; against them that plead for a mere Popular
Government, specially Mr. Ainsworth, in his 'Animadversion to
Mr. Clyfton, etc' 2. The Authority of Classes and Synods ; against
the Patrons of Independency : Answering in this point, Mr. Davenport,
in his ' Apologetical Reply, etc. ; ' and Mr. Canne, his ' Churches
Plea, etc.,' sent forth first by W. Best, and afterwards for this part of
it, under the title of ' Sion's Prerogative Royal.' By John Paget, late
able and faithful Pastor of the Reformed English Church in Amsterdam.
— Hereunto is prefixed an Advertisement to the Parliament, wherein
are inserted some Animadversions on the Cheshire Remonstrance
against Presbytery: by T. P. [Thomas Paget.] — Lond. 1641." 4to.
pp. 256.
Commencing with what the latter part of this title relates to, it is in
the "Advertisement"" described as "That unworthy 'Remonstrance
against Pre.shytery" represented to the House of Peers from divers
Noblemen and Gentleraen of Cheshire, as appeareth by a printed book,
under the name of ' Sir Thomas Aston, Bart., 1641.' — The pretended
occasion of the Remonstrance against Presbytery, alleged by the
contrivers and subscribers, is ' A Petition ; and Positions preached at
Chester and Knutsford," annexed to the Remonstrance. The occasion
ofthe suggested pretence is but a raere pretence ; having no just ground
at all : for neither the Petition nor Positions . . do seek for Presbytery ;
but seera rather to affect a Popular Govemraent.'" We judge that this
production proceeds upon the principles of Erastianisra, because under
the cover of placing Presbytery with the Separatists, etc.. Prelacy is
the object intended to be promoted ; for which deceptive procedure,
- The full title of the Protestation mentioned there, is "A Protestation made
and published by John Davenporte, upon Occasion of a Pamphlet intituled ' A
Just Complaint against an Unjust Doer,' published by a nameless Person. —
Prov. xxvi. 17 ; Matt. x. 16, 17. — Printed at Rotterdam, 1635." 4to. pp. [6.]

S8 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
these "Cheshiremen" are told that it " behoveth" them to give " righteous
^" ThlTublisher's address, " To the Christian Reader,"' subscribed R.
Paget, Dort, informs us that the forraer part of " the ensmng treatise
was written about the year 1618;" and that the greater part of the
Defence "is in way of answer to Mr. Canne, who hath been the for-
wardest and longest in this part of the plea touching Classes and Synods :
it seems also, that he hath not been a littie confident of his pains about
this work, by the reiterated editions and sundry shapes into Tibich this
his writing touching Independent Government hath been cast. The
first edition which the Author here deals with, •> was seconded with
another into which he hath taken only that which concerns this con
troversy, adorning it with this new and fair titie, ' Sion's Prerogative
Royal, 1641 ;' and this hath been answered by the famous and truly
excellent divine of these countries. Dr. Voetius : " a third edition it
seems hath been put forth, with sorae additions against the Presbyteries
of particular churches, under another titie, namely, ' The Presbyterial
Governraent Exarained ;' and this also hath been examined and answered
by the author of the ' Assertion of the Government of the Church of
Scotiand, &c. Edinb. 1641 ,' in the Postcript thereunto annexed. Thus,
•John vii. 24.
'' " The Church's Plea for her Right : Or, A Reply to an Answer made of Mr.
John Paget against William Best and others. Wherein the main points of our
present Differences are handled, and the principal Causes of our Troubles de
clared. Published by William Best. — At Amsterdam, 1635." 4to. pp. 100.
" For the manner of this writing," — so Best is made to say, in a "Fore-speech to
the Christian Reader," — "whosoever shall consider either the subject here treated
of, or the persons whom it chiefly respecteth, will, I think, confess that there lay
a necessity upon me to use the best means I could to have it done unto some
effectual purpose. But for my part I must confess, and so I would have all men
in all places to know, that I am not in myself of the ability to compose a work of
this nature ; and therefore, through my entreaty and desire, others more able have
taken some pains for me herein, both in seeking out learned authors, as also set
ting them down in the places as they stand : on whose fidelity, skiU, and care, I
have presumed the publishing of them to theworld; having this confidence in the
Person, or Persons, that they will stand to justity all the allegations according to
the end and use here produced ; and if just occasion be offered, it may he they
will add something more thereunto. . . Touching Mr. Paget's person, I hope sdl
men shall see by the care which I have had to avoid all bitterness, and unreve-
rend speeches, howbeit often provoked to it, that I bear no iU will against him;
truly I do not. . . So for the Classis, they are men whom I much reverence, and
worship God with my soul for the gifts and graces which appear in them. Not
withstanding, for their assuming unto themselves authority over our Congrega
tion, this my mind gives me is their failing, and it cannot by God's Word be jus
tified. Besides, we are a people of another nation, whose language they know
not, at least most of them ; and therefore to me it seems strange that they should
undertake the care and charge of us, being in this regard, most unfit for it. I am
persuaded, put aside this last age, there wUl not be found an example of the like
practice anywhere since the apostles' days. . . The thing that I chiefly aim at is
tliat the churches of God, hereafter, may keep and practise the ordinances of Jesus
Christ, and not, under a pretence to have things better than the Lord's owninsd-
tutions, to give place unto the sinful devices of men. . . It is given out that he
professeth a marveUous desire to see his book answered before he dies Now as
he shall have his content herein, so God grant that he make thateood use of it as
he ought, and I wish he may." The whole work is able and pertinent
= Disput. Theol. de Unione Ecclesiarum, earumque Regimine in Classibus et
Synodis, par. post. Utraj. 1641. >.^i<iDi.iuuo

CHAP. Xxxvii.] relating to independents. 59
the same writing hath met with several refutations, whereof, though this
be the last in birth, yet it was the first in conception. . For the sea-
sonableness of it, let the times speak. . . That which thou here seest,
touching Classes and Synods, was written by the author in the latter
days of his pilgrimage. . There are now three yeai's expired since he
rested from this and other his labours."
We are referred, in the opening page of the treatise itself, for the
occasion of the first part of it, to the author having, in his " Arrow
against Separation'' desired Mr. Ainsworth to set down his reasons
concerning whatsoever he thought might be a just cause of refusing
communion with that particular congregation whereof he was a minis
ter ; * " Mr. Ainsworth in his answer, amongst the rest, hath these
words, ' Other things there are, wherein you know we differ from you ; . .
your Eldership sitteth and judgeth matters apart from the Congrega
tion, &c.' " "
Conceming the interference of the Magistrate to repress "contentions
and schisms,'' after noticing the case of the contention among the John
sons, Francis and George, brothers, and their father, John, aged seventy ; "=
" and, since that time, when the ' Brownists' have so often schismed
and rent in the midst, as in Mr. Johnson and Mr. Ainsworth's division,
when they separated one from the other ; when, after the death of Mr.
Ainsworth, that company rending again in the midst, one half followed
John De Cluse, and the other Mr. Canne ; when, after the death of Mr.
Robinson, his company also, rending in pieces, they forsook their old
fellowship together ; when Mr. Canne was first rashly elected a minis
ter by the 'Brownists,' when, shortly after that election, he was cen
sured and deposed from his office, by that half that rejected him and
renounced communion with him."'' Paget's remark on these various
proceedings is, that " in all these and the like controversies they wanted
help, and durst not seek the benefit of Classical Government, nor sub
mit their cause unto such an order of trial and censure, lest they should
enthral themselves in ' antichristian bondage," as they call it." A little
longer reflection would have raised a suspicion, whether as these parties
entertained so great an abhoiTence of Classical Government, it might
have ai'isen from what they had heard or seen of its ill-working ! For it
seems otherwise impossible that all these " Brownists" should have per
sisted in arguing against " Classical Government." And what raotive
but that of principle alone, admitting them even to have been mistaken,
could decide their conduct, we are at a loss to conjecture. It would
seem strange also that they who denied the Scriptural authority of Clas
sical Government altogether, should ever inquire after the " counsel" it
could offer. We take it, that Paget has virtually given up his cause
¦where, concerning " Discipline, or Church Govemment, appointed of
God, [!] and practised in the Reformed Churches," ' he remarks,
" although the importance of this controversy doth hereby appear plainly
enough ; yet do we not hold the sarae to be so great as some of our
opposites do make it, as if the essence of the Church and our own sal-
" Arrow .igainst Separation, sig. f 2. v. See back, vol. i. p. 326.
'' See back, vol. i. p. 329. '¦ See back, vol. i. p. 99.
<• P. 32. See back, voL i. p. 516. ¦ P. 29.

60 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
vation depended hereupon."* He admits too, that " "The Church of
England, and of these Countries, though they have a dlfierent order o
Church Government, yet, holding, together, the same fundamental
truths of the Gospel, they both do hold but one way to Heaven ; and
so do both mutually acknowledge one another to be in that way.'
Wherefore then, could not Paget concede that much for other Churches
which hold " the same fundaraental truths ?"
Canne having said that " It is against sense that a minister should
undertake the care of more churches than one only," and asked, " Who
reads, in Scripture, of a steward over many families, a shepherd over
divers flocks, &c. P" adding, " Nature hath ordained, saith Aristotle,'
'one unto one ;' "" Paget replies, " then must Mr. Canne be a man
against ' nature' above many other ! . . How durst he take the pastoral
charge of a church upon him ; and this, alone, without assistance of
an Eldership P And yet, in the meantime, undertake the care and
charge of divers other trades, as of a Printer's work house, in one place ;
of a Brandery, or aquavita shop, in another place ; and 'specially of an
Alchymist's laboratory, in another place ? Is this paragon of the Sepa
ration, a fit raan to be an advocate or patron of the churches, to write a
book and intitule it ' The Church's Plea?""
This elaborate but most fallacious treatise may be dismissed with
stating the broad assumption in R. Paget's Supplement, that it is a
" false" supposition, " That this appertains to the due liberty of the
People — To have their judgment sought unto, for the determining of
all controversies that arise in the Church :" and with the declaration,
that, " We maintain on the other side, that this is no part of the Peo
ple's privilege, because it is not due unto them by any divine wairant ;
and herein we are further confirmed, seeing such an order is, in outward
appearance, and according to undeniable experience, in the Anabaptists,
Brownists, and others, attended with manifold disorders, confusion and
dissipation of churches." f All this might be alleged of Presbyterian
churches of that age, and consequently the absence of a "divine
warrant" for Classical Governraent, could be assumed upon the like
premises. But this treatise of Paget's was not intended to be unaccompanied by a special
rejoinder. For reasons that appear beneath we are induced to place our particu
lars in this subordinate position, chiefly to prevent the solecism which would otlier-
wise be created by imagining that they had from their original existence heen
part of the ingredients which were producing consistency and stabUity in the
minds of those whom they were coUectively designed to confirm. The tract
alluded to is " The Power of Congregational Churches Asserted and Vindicated :
In Answer to a Treatise of Mr. J. Paget, Intituled, ' The Defence of Church
Government, exercised in Classes and Synods.' By John Davenport, B.D., and
Pastor to the Church in Newhaven in New England.— Isai. i. 26.— London,
Printed in the Year 1672." 16mo. pp. 179.
. ??^^''^i'''''-'75° ''^"' Wmself, " M. N. May 28th, 1672," begins his address
to the Reader with these words: "The disposals of God in his providence with
reference to the travels of Truth and bringing forth of light, are much to be
observed. . . There hath been a great and overruling Hand exerted, and that very
conspicuously about this present treatise. The reverend and leaned and emi
nently accomplished author, first finished a tractate with this title, and on this suli-
'^ P. 33. - P. 161. '^ Lib. i. cap. 2. " P. 159. = p. 160. ' p. 247.

CHAP. XXXVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 61
ject, near thirty years ago. But God's tirae was not yet come for its publishing ;
it perished, therefore, in the rude waves of the vast ocean with sorae other excel
lent manuscripts and precious christians. Nevertheless, some seven years after,
God set him about it again, and then he finished what is now, after twenty years
more, thus madepublic. . . It was several months since, sent over from New England
with desire that it might be printed. The wise and all-disposing providence of
God allotted this as the season for it ; and in His season all things have a peculiar
beauty. . . There are two things [which] run through this whole discourse and are
legible in every line of it, 1st, That the power of churches is confined to their res
propria, their own proper matters : 2nd, "That there is not any [extraneous] spiritual
church power, to which they are, by any institution of Christ, subjected. Two
grand and pillar-principles of the Congregational Way ; both of them abundsntly
cleared from mistakes, and established upon Scripture foundations. . . This book,
after many others which speak the same language, may render it plain and evident
to impartial and understanding readers [that] the principles and practices of the
Congregational Way are not, in truth, so incompatible with the power of the
supreme magistrate in matters of religion as some would represent, nor such as
may render them suspected to civil powers ; and that therefore we may not for
these our principles, be accounted unworthy to enjoy a peaceable dweUing in our
native land, the weal whereof is more dear to us than our lives, or all our private
earthly enjoyments in it."
In a short proem, Davenport divides " The Church's Charter" into the consti
tution of particular visible churches, and the privileges and power given to such
churches. He announces that he "shall principally insist on the metaphor of a
corporation or body-politic, such as that of the chiefest and most perfect cities is,"
because he finds that this similitude is frequently expressed in Scripture ; " but
he forbears to apply it further thau " the light of Truth" therein will direct and
warrant " There we find the grand charter itself, and the ancient precedents of
the first [only primitive] Christian churches planted by the apostles : according
to these reeords, I shall endeavour to declare the mind of Christ, whom God the
Father commands us to ' hear' in all things whatsoever he saith unto us, and that
under a dreadful penalty. ^ Whence," he adds, " Cyprian doth well infer, ' If
only Christ is to be heard, we ought not to attend [mind] what any before us
thought should be done ; but what Christ, who is before all, hath done, and ap
pointed to be done. For we ought not to follow the custom of men, butthe Truth
of God, seeing the Lord saith by the prophet Isaiah,'' This people draweth nigh
unto me with their mouth, &c., teaching for doctrines the commandmentsof men.' ''
The charter according to which particular churches are to be constituted, and their
power in re propria is to be stated, we find in Matt. xvi. 18, 19." He then
evinces in Chap. i. " The principal efficient cause" of a visible church ; " I" — " the
Christ," — "I will build, etc." By " my spirit," Zech. iv. 6; therefore, "God's
buUding," 1 Cor. ui. 9. Hence He is "the only immediate author and instituter
of particular visible churches" — He giveth each of them "the keys." His head
ship is evinced, generally, from Heb. iii. 3 — 5 ; particularly, by induction, John
X. 9—1 Cor. xii. 18, Eph. iv. 7— Eph. iv. 16—1 Pet U. 5—1 Cor. xii. 28— Eph.
iv. 8, 11 — CoL U. 10—12—1 Cor. xi. 23, etc.— Jas. iv. 12—1 Cor. xn. 3— Rev.
iii. 7 — 1 Cor. v. 4, 5 — Matt xxvui. 19, 20. His right is threefold, first, from
Psal. ii. 7, 8; John iii. 35 ; v. 22, 23 : secondly, from Acts xx. 28 ; PhU.ii. 9 — 11;
Matt, xxvui. 18 — 20: thirdly, from Col. i. 13. Consequently, "from Christ
building his house, followeth his being over his house," Heb. iii. 3, 6 ; as "Lord"
of it, Acts, ii. 36 ; and as the only political Head of it, in three respects. Col.
i. 18, John iii. 34 ; Eph. v. 22 — 24 ; John xv. 5. He is not the Head only of the
cathoUc church, but also of every particular church : his subjects are visible
believers, professing their faith in Him and their subjection to his laws and ordi
nances, 2 Cor, ix. 13; the church is coraplete in Him alone, Col. ii. 10; no
creature can discharge his ofhce, Eph. i. 20 — 23. Consequently, it is not " in
the power of earthly kings or states, or civil courts, to make ecclesiastical laws,
or to invent or impose any rites or forms of worship upon churches, according to
» Psal. xlviii. 1., 2 ; Ixxxvii. 3 ; Isai. xxvi. 1 ; Ix. 14 ; Ezek. xl. 1 ; xlviii. 35 ;
Rev. iii. 12; XX. 9; xxi. 2; xxii. 14, 19; Luke xix. 14.
^ Acts iii. 22, 23. " Matt. xv. 8, 9. '' Ad. CoecU., Ub. ii. ep. iii.

62 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
principles of state-policy or human prudence." And, consequentiy, ''every par
ticular visible church must exalt Christ and his institutions alone, in their whole
church order, and in all their administrations : this, is their visible receivmg.
Col. n. 5, 6." The wrath of Christ is not less formidable to us, or his jealousy
less incensed against those that either add to, or take from.^or alter his institu
tions now, than in times past ; but rather more, Heb. xn. 20—19.
Chap . U. In no other way thau thus succinctly, can Davenport s line ot argument
and mode of iUustration be set before our readers. The " roatenal cause" of a
visible church is the "rock" whereupon it is built, 1 Cor. m. 11 ; as preached,
Eph. ii. 20 ; as beUeved and confessed, Rom. x. 9, 10. " Seeing it pleaseth
Christ to use men as his instruments in buUding his church, Zech. vi. 15, Eph.
iv. 11, 12; he is content that they improve the judgment which they have...
Officers and members judge by ' the outward appearance,' 1 Sam. xvi. 7 ; there
fore their judgment is fallible. . . Their duty is to proceed as far as men may, by
rule, with due moderation and gentleness to try them who ofi'er themselves
to fellowship : .\. though when they have done all, close hypocrites wiU creep in."
" Such as having been baptized in their infancy, when they did nonnihil adolescere,,
were catechised, and being found to be believers were confirmed by imposition of
hands, and admitted unto the Lord's table, and unto the full fruition of all church-
privileges. > These, Clemens calls Incipientes, and Novitios ; and so do others,
from 1 Tim. iii. 6. As ' the mystery of iniquity' wrought, . . this custom, in the
right use of it, ceased; and Popery, retained only the name of ' Confirmation,' but
corrupted the thing and turned it into a sacrament, limiting the administration of
it to diocesan prelates." Cranmer, under Edward VI. endeavoured to introduce
the right use of it, and committed the censure of the Common Prayer Book tq
Bucer, who found that those who were to be confirmed must say the apostles'
creed, the Lord's prayer, and the ten commandments ; and answer the questions
in the short catechism. . " This," he returned, " requires diligent ponderation. If
they think it sufficient that the words of this Confession be recited, God abhorreth
such as confess him in words and their heart is far from him. Matt. xv. 8. Nor
is Catechizing instituted to this end, that they should answer in words only that
they believe in God aud will keep his commandments. The Lord saith, ' Teach
them to observe and do. Matt xxviu. 20, and not, only to speak ; and He requireth
such worshippers as worship him ' in spirit and in truth,' John iv. 23, 24. But if ;i
true confession of faith, and profession of obedience, such as should be required
of adulti, grown persons, unto baptism, be meant; such a confession of faith must
be required as may be judged not to be born in the mouth, or gotten only by
human teaching, but also it must have those signs in the Ufe and manners that it
ought to be received of the churches as coming from a heart truly beUeving the
Gospel, and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. For though the church cannot look
into the hearts of men, yet they ought to judge of trees by their finiits." "¦
Chap. iii. Coneerning the " formal cause," this holy society, tlie church of
Christ, arises from the coadunition or knitting together of many saints into one
by a holy covenant whereby they " as lively stones, are buUt up a spiritual house,"
1 Pet. u. 4, 5. Though a church-covenant be common to all churches, in its
general nature ; yet there is a special combination, which gives a pecuUar being
to one congregational- church and its members distinct fi^om all others : else how
could one church have that power over its own members which another hath not !
"Some think that the children of confederates are so complete members that they
should be excommunicated in case of demerit. I cannot easily assent thereunto ;
for that would imply that they have an immediate right in aU church-privileges,
which I do not grant nor beUeve ; but that as the chui-eh looks upon thera tan
quam in lumbis parentum, so also if the grown members of the church observe
VICIOUS quahties and practices in them, they do not deal with them immediately in
those steps of proceeding reqmred in Matt xviii. to bring matters to the church;
but they deal with their parents to discharge their duty in educating their children
accordmg to die riUe in Eph vi. 4 To this sense Dr. Ames applieth that te»t,
1 Cor. vn. 14.C Nor may their chUdren be baptized tiU [who] themselves have
» Tertul. De Poenit cap. vi., et Prsescrip. advers. Haeret can ,V r„«..;o„ Tih
"'«T'/u Tl, , :.,^^.'^™'^^^"-."'-'P-l'''-Ordinat Ecc?;.;a?'xT
" Medulla Theol. lib. i. cap. xxxn. sect. 12, 13. ^

CHAP. XXXVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 63
[not] taken hold of the covenant with the church in their own right. Por the
children of church-members, when they come to age, for not taking hold of the
covenant with the church do become non-members and are so to be looked at by
the church, if they desert church-fellowship — either departing from them in place,
as Esau into mount Seir, or withdrawing from their communion — or if the church
withdraw from them. In such cases, they are not so much as implicitly members.
Therefore their chUdren may not be baptized. For the right that infants have
unto baptism, is in their next and immediate parents, because the apostle in 1 Cor.
vii. 14, doth so limit it; because the apostacy of the next parents takes off the
federal holiness of their seed, as we see in the posterity of jlshmael and Esau ;
because if infants should have this right iu their grandfathers, where shall we
stop ? Shall it be extended to a thousand generations, as some misapply that
promise in Exod. xx. 6 : that cannot be true ; for then the children of the Jews
and Turks, and heathen, all the world over have a right to baptism in some of
their ancestors within that time, contrary to Rom. xi. 17."
Chap. iv. Treating herein of the " quantity and compass of a christian church,"
Davenport remarks upon the form of the verb oiKoSopriaia, I will build ; Matt
xvi. 18. "Tliough Christ," he says, "was in all ages the builder of the church,
yet he thus speaketh of the church under the New Testament because it was to
be constituted after his death. . . And because all nations could not be joined toge -
ther in one visible church,., the Lord Jesus instituted a Congregational church
among Christians, and invested every such church with sufficient church-power
within itself for attainment of all the ends of church communion ; this is the
church which Christ saith he will build ; and appropriates it to himself, ' my
chturch !' " Having instanced other applications of " this title, of ' church,' " he
adds, " sometimes it signifieth a definite particular congregation," 1 Cor. xi. 18, 20,
and xiv. 23 ; and in that acceptation it notes sometimes the brethren as distin
guished from the elders, Acts xv. 22; sometimes the elders and brethren assem
bled together, as in 1 Cor. xi. 20 ; but never the elders meeting apart from the
brethren. But iu this place [in Matt] it doth not signify a [any] particular defi
nite church : for there is no particular christian church built by Christ more, or
rather, than another. It remaineth, that Christ speaks of a particular congrega
tional church here, in an indefinite sense. And so the word ' church' is applied
in the New Testament when Paul saith he persecuted ' the church,' Phil. iu. 6 ;
not that at Jerusalem only, or Damascus, but all ' the churches in Judea,' Gal.
i. 22, 23. In this sense, Christ calls every christian congregational church thus
built, ' his church.' From the words thus opened, this doctrinal conclusion is to
be collected, namely, That it is the wiU and appointment of Jesus Christ that the
christian church under the New Testament be in respect of its quantity and com
pass, Congregational." His first corollary from the whole premises, is, " Then,
the Congregational frame of a christian church, is no human invention or constitu
tion." The "parish frame," enjoining all "to communicate at the Lord's table,
at least at Easter, is merely human ; not being measured by the ' golden reed,'
which is the church 'measure,' but by the 'court' measure. Rev. xi. 1, 2."
Chap. V. Concerning " the church's impregnable stability," is summed up in a
corollary, that " They that would have a particular churc'h to be impregnable,
stable, and firra against the prevaUing of ' the gates of hell,' must see that it be
built upon this ' Rock,' and not upon human forms. That Christ himself be the
bnilderof it according to his own institutions ; not the policies or customs of men!"
Chap. vi. This lon^ chapter or rather "branch or part of the charter" com
prises the whole remainder of the discussion, in treating on " the power" given by
Christ to particular visible churches, derived from the 19th verse of Matt. xvi. It
is herein that Paget is specially encountered. We pass on, at once, to p. 99,
"The confirmation or proof that such a church is the first and proper subject of
this power, shall be double— by Scripture ; by Reasons. By Scripture. . . this in
hand clearly confirmeth it. . . The ' keys' are all instituted means, whereby an
entrance into Christ and his kingdom, visibly, is opened and shut ; the subordi
nate power whereof is here given to the church immediately. The second text is
Matt, xviii. 17, 18 : this cannot be meant of elders., acting apart from the bre
thren, for no such assemblv is called 'the church' in the New Testament... The
third text is in 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, 7, 12, 13, with 2 Cor. ii. 6.. . That whole church
was no larger than was wont to meet together in one place, 1 Cor. xiv. 23. . . By

64 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Reasons : because in such a congregational church, are all the causes of this power;
efficient; .. material; .. formal.!. There is no former subject of this power from
whence a congregational church might derive it; but it is communicated by means
ofthe church to all that partake of it, and it remaineth in the church when others
are removed. . . Their admitting members is an act of this power : . . Acts ix. .ib ;
x. 47. Their choosing officers, is an act of this power : . . Acts vi. 3, 5 ; xiv. 2d.
This power, Cyprian acknowledged to be in the People principally, to acccept or
refuse ministers. Lib. i. ep. 4. Their ordination of officers, by deputing some chosen
out of their own body thereunto— in the want of officers— is an act of this power of
the keys residing in them... Their expostulating with any member, m case of
supposed offence, is an act of this power, whereunto Peter submitted, Acts xi. 2—4.
. . Their excommunicating obstinate and scandalous sinners, whether a brother, Matt
xviii. 18 ; I Cor. v. 4, 5 ; or an officer, Gal. v. 12 ; is an act' of this power in the
church. Their receiving again, or releasing from censure, those that have been
under censure, upon repentance, according to the rule, 2 Cor. ii. 7, 10, is an act of
this power. This also Cyprian acknowledged to be in the People, or fraternity,
Lib. i. ep. 3." Davenport has several corollaries hereupon, " Then, the church
is before its officers : . . then, though the church hath its essential being and power,
without officers, yet it is defective in respect [that] it hath not its complete integrity of
members without them ; . . so also, in its operations. . . A church wanting officers, may
appoint some of their members to declare the mind of Christ touching the admission
of such into the fellowship of the covenant, and membership with the church; . .
and in ordaining officers, chosen by the church, by imposition of bands and prayer ;
and in gathering the suffrages of the fraternity ; and in declaring the judgment of
the church in censures : but these things they do only at the appointment of the
church, pro hac vel ilia vice. The same things are done by Teaching and Ruling
Elders in another manner ; namely, by virtue of their office ; . . for it belongs to
them as officers to attend unto their work ; not only to hold forth the covenant, and
to receive into fellowship, in the name of the church, those whom the church
approveth, but also to try the fitness of those that offer themselves unto fellowship,
before they propound them unto the church. The same holds in officers to be
called ; and when the church hath chosen them and agreed to ordain them, the
Eldership impose hands upon them in the presence of the church, by virtue of their
office. When offences are brought • • if they neglect to bring it [them] to the
church, or assume any undue power to themselves ; they that are offended, may
complain to the church . . and [but] in the close, they [the Elders] propound the
sentence — wherein the church consenteth — authoritatively. Then, " he says, in
another corollary, " the proper acts of church-power, and of ordinary office-power,
are limited by the ordinance of Christ to be put forth by the church and officers
respectively within that body or particular congregation to which they have a par
ticular memberly or official relation. . ." Again : " then, churches gathered and
officers ordained in these days, without apostles, aie true churches and true church
officers according to Christ. . . He doth not say, upon this Rock my apostles shall
build my church; and to my church built by them I will give the keys. . . After
James was beheaded. Acts xii. 2, no apostle was chosen to succeed him, though the
apostles lived long after. The apostle John . . describeth . . all the officers that
should be., after that age, under four sorts of living creatures. Rev. iv. 1, 6, 7 ;
which note the four sorts of ordinary officers to continue in the church ; . . pastors,
teachers, ruling elders, and deacons."
Taking now p 116, upon the 19th verse of Matt xvi., " These words," he
affirms, "hold forth the ratification of Christ's grant ofthe keys unto a Congregational
Church:., and that this is spoken to Peter in tbe name of such a Church,
¦ ¦ V' r 1°"" ff ¦ ''"i": '?• "'^"^ *« s™« P™««ise is given by name to
suchachurch,ver 17. ..The inferior courts in Israel, stood under the highest
T,ltZ" '' Th. h" 1 r "° '"'^ '"P"^™" '=°"'-' o^-J^i"^^ by Christ over particular
Wh I I'l HM tTe ^"P'tr'y °f P°^er is in Christ; that which the Church
hath, IS only delegated from Christ. . . God bath joined entireness of jurisdiction, in
re propria, to a particular church ; who then shall sunder it from such a church to
place It in classes, as superior judicatories, where God never put i" If the fir t
church in a continent had (his complete power within itself, before other churches
were gathered ; and the rising up of other churches there, long after should denriv
them of It, by setting up a classis as a superior jurisdic'tion^o^ r tiiemT fhenf h

CHAP. XXXVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 65
neighbourhood of churches should not be a benefit but a disadvantage to them,
and would give them cause to complain unto God, Thou hast multiplied the nation,
but not increased our joy ! Isai. ix. 3." His first corollary from Ihcse premises is,
" Then, the censure of excouimunication is not a light matter, but to be looked at
as very weighty and ibrmidable. It is the sovereign remedy prescribed by Christ
against the many diseases wbereunto the body is subject; the great presei vative of
the church's peace and safety against ' the gates of hell.' . . Secondly, — If the cburcli
want sufficient light, or consent fur the sentence; they are to seek helps from others
by their light and counsel, but still preserving the power of censure entirely in
the church, where Christ hath placed it."
To refute an aUeged olijeclion in p. 136, that " The church cannot censure their
elders, for that were to rule their rulers and to judge their judges; nor will they
[tbe church] censure themselves ; but a classis, or synod of many elders, may and
will lelbrm all by judicially censuring all ;" Davenport answers, " This arsumei't
is built upon a mistake or error in the foundation of it; for the rule prescribed iu
Matt xviii. is not for removal of all offences, but of such private and less heinous
offences as grow public and notorious only by the obstinacy of the delinquent.
For if offences be public and heinous in themselves, 1 Cor. v. 11 ; Rev. xxii. 1.^,
the Apostle doth not direct churches to proceed by those steps. Nor doth it make
the people rulers of their rulers, or judges of tlieir judges, when we say that the
church hath a power over them in case of delinquency. For exc mmunication is
not an act of tbe highest rule or authority, but of the highest judgment; and,
therefore, the power of it may well be in the whole church as their privilege ; with
out any intrenchment upon the rule and autlmrity of elders, wherein, a.s officer.s,
they are above tlie brethren, while they act according to rule ; but if they become
delinquents, then, as members they are under the power of the whole, . . They
must submit to tlie church, questioning, or proceeding to censure them with good
advice of neighbour churches aud elders ; who, as they concurred in giving tbem
the right hand of fellowship in their ordination, so they should concur in approving
this censure as justly infficted by the church, frora parity of reason. . . This plaister
binders tbe healing of the sores of churches : for if a delinquent disliking the
church's proceeding, appeals from the sentence of the church to tbe classis ; and,
for tbe same reason, from the sentence of the classis to a provincial synod; then, to
a national synod ; then, to an ceumenical council, which may not assemble in an
age : while tbe appeal depend.s, be shall stand as uncensured, for this is the law of
appeals. Now, how can that heal which is cross lo the prescription of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the only wise Physician ? He saith, ' Tell the church ;' and ' if be
neglect to hear the church, let him be, etc.' But he who appeals from the church,
doth not 'hear the church ! . ""
As another, or third, corollary, he proceeds, " Then, entireness of cliurch-
jgovernment in a particular church completed with its officers, in re propria, will
well consist with that communion of churches which tbe Scripture establisheth
.. in a way of brotherly association for mutual helpfulness ;.. but not in way of
subordination orsubjection of one church to the ecclesiastical government, whether of
another church or of the elders of several churches assembled in classes or^ynods."
Still further, he adds, p. 154, " Then, entireness of church government in a par
ticular congregation, in re propria, ought to be thankfully received, rightly improvetl,
aud failhfully preserved without violation of it, both by the members of particular
churches and by other churches and their officers." We conclude with an admo
nition, p. 178, " In some cases, a mischief is to be chosen before an inconvenience ;
as lawyers speak- Better it is that the church want a remedy for a case that may
not happen in a man's life, than to be under the continual droppings of classical-
jurisdiction over them in all cases! "
Among the public occurrences of this year, 1640-1, it behoves us
not to overlook what most nearly concerns the denoiniiiation in which
we are professedly interested. We lake the particulars from the .Jour
nals of the House of Lords, " where, however, as will be seen, the word
" Anabaptists'' is a clerical eiror. " Vol. iv. p. 133.
II. r

60 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARI.ES L
" 16. Car. Die Sahb,ui, viilelicit, 16" die Januarii. A. D. lfllO-1. , ^ , .
*^ ' Xhe Lord Privy Seal, hy command from bi»
Majesty, presented to the House a Paper, . .
Anabnplists recommended to the jus- ^iji^ii i,e commended to the justice and care
tice of this House by his Majesty, ^j. ,j,g House to consider of. Tbe Contents
of the Paper were read, in hcec verba —
Decimo tertio Die Januarii, 1640-1.
f^'r","''' C They were all taken on Sunday lastin the afternoon, in the
lohn Webb ) time of Divine Service, by the Constables and Church-wardens
Kichard sLrges,-\ of St. Saviour's, in the house of Richard Sturges; where they
Thomas Gunn, I said they met to teach and edify one another m Christ.
Jo. Ellis, ^
With at least sixty people more. u n i j j j
1. They being brought before Sir John Lenthall, he demanded
Their Tenets, why they would not go and resort to their Parish Church, according
to the Law ofthe 35lh Eliz. They answered. That the 35th Ebz.
was not a true Law, for that it was made by the Bishops ; and that they would not
obey it*
2. That they would not go to their Parish Churches : That those Churches were
not tme Churches ; and that there was no true Church, but where the Faithful met.
3. That the King could not make a perfect Law, for he was not a perfect man.
4. That they ought not to obey him butin Civil things."
5. That some of them threatened the Church-wardens and Constables, that they
liad not yet answered for this day's work.
John Lenthall, - Tho. Butler, Church-warden.
Tho. Temple, John Luntley.
Hereupon it was ordered. That Sir. Jo. Lenthall do take care the aforesaid per
sons shall be forthcoming, and appear before this House on Monday morning next;
and likewise, that be cause the constable, the church-wardens, and whosoever else
can testify any thing in the business, to attend the same time bere.
Upon this occasion the House thought fit, and ordered, This order following
should be read publicly in all the parish churches of London and Westminster, the
borough of Southwark, and the liberties and suburbs of them :
That tlie divine service be performed as it is appointed by the Acts of Parliament
of this realm ; and th4t all such as shall disturb that wholesome order, shall be
severely punished, according to law ; and that the parsons, vicars, and curates, in
several parishes, shall forbear to introduce any rites or ceremonies that may give
offence, otherwise than those which are established by tbe laws of the land.
Die LuncE, videlicet 18° die Januarii.
The Lord Privy Seal, Earl Marshal, and Lord Chamberlain, gave the House
thanks from bis Majesty, for the course they had taken concerning the Sectaries.
And Edmond Chillendon, Nics. Tyne, John Webb, Richard Sturges, Tho. Gunn^
Jo. Ellis, being brought by order of this House, were severally called in, all of them
denying tbe material things which they were charged with. Hereupon, Sir Jo.
Lenthall, Tho. Temple, Tho. Butler, and John Luntley were sworn ; and upon
their oath, did justify that what was contained and subscribed by them, in the paper
delivered, was true.
Thereupon the House did order. That the said sectaries should receive for this
time an admonition from this House, that they shall hereafter repair to their seve
ral parish churches, to hear divine service, and to give obedience thereunto, accord
ing to the acts of parliament of this realm ; to that purpose tlie order was read unto
them, made by this House the 16th of January ; and to be told that, if hereafter
they do not observe these commands, they shall be severely punished, according
to law." On the surface of what is here recorded, there is soraething that
demands explanation, and we are able to supply it on such authority as
adds to the interest of the narrative. According then, to Crosby, the
" " The king hath no more power over the Church, than the boy who rubs my
horse-heels :" Dr. Cosins, Dean of Peterborough. See Rushworth Mar. 15,
1G40-1 ; Pt iii. vol. i. p. 209. ' '

CHAP. XXXVII.] REL.\TING TO INDEPENDENTS. 67
author of a History of the English Baptists, 1738, who possessed a
manuscript which was probably written between 1639 and 1644, or c.t
furthest 1653, and which he calls " an abstract of this Church's
Journal,"" which he says, in the same page, he had lent Mr. Neal ;
" this is a very imperfect and partial account of this matter, as appears
by the Church-book, or Journal, kept by this people. It was not an
' Anabaptist,' but an Independent Congregation, though there might be
some few among thera holding that opinion. They met at .Deadnian's-
Place, having at that tirae one Mr, Stephen More lor their pastor ; and
being assembled on the Lord's-day, for religious worship as usual,
though not with their former secrecy, they were discovered and taken,
and by Sir John Lenthall, the marshal of the King's bench, committed to
the Clink prison." He adds, " The Lords exarained thera strictly con
cerning their principles ; and they as freely acknowledged, that they owned
no other Head of the Church but Christ Jesus ; that no Prince had
power to make laws to bind the consciences of men ; and, that laws
made contrary to the Law of God were of no force." Again, he adds,
" As things now stood, the Lords could by no means discountenance
these principles ; and, therefore, instead of inflicting any penalty, ihey
treated them with a great deal of respect and civility. And some of the
House inquired where the place of their meeting was, and intiraated
that they would come and hear theui. And accordingly, three or four
of the Peers did go on the Lord's day following, to the great surprise
and wonder of many. The people went on in their usual method,
having two sennons ; in both of which they treated of those principles
for which they had been accused, grounding their discourses on the
words of our Saviour, ' All power is given unto me in heaven, and in
earth.''' After this they received the Lord's Supper, and then made a
collection for the poor ; to which the Lords contributed liberally with
them ; and at their departure, signified their satisfaction in what they
had heard and seen, and their inclination to come again. But this
made too much noise, and gave too great an alarm to the mob, for them
to venture a second time. And, perhaps, this was the first Dissenting
Meeting that ever had so great an honour done 11.""=
Fuller calls this affair, " the first fruits of Anabaptistical insolence,"
and says, " they confessed the articles, but no penalty was inflicted on
them."'' And Neal represents More to have been " a citizen of Lon
don, of good natural parts, and of considerable substance in the world.
He had been their Deacon for sorae yeai's, and in the present exigency
accepted of the pastoral office, to the apparent hazard of his life and
liberty. However, the face of affairs beginning now to change, this
poor Congi'egation, which had subsisted almost by a rairacle for above
twenty-four j-ears, ventured to open their doors in Deadman's- Place,
in Southwark." =
It is worthy of notice, that all the relators of this anecdote give its
date January the 18th, but the extract from the Lords' Journals cannot
be disputed.
» Vol. iii. p. 40. i- Malt, sxviii, IS. " P. 161—163. ^
•^ Church Hist 1655. bk. xi. p. 172. ' Hist. Purit. voL i. ch. vi.
f2

68 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Deadman's Place is now known as a Burial-ground lately disused, adjoining
westward to the Park-street end of Red Cross-street, and not far north of Castle-
street so that if an imaginary line be continued from Worcester- street, and another
be imagined to cross that at right angles, about sixty yaids northward of Castle-
street their intersection would mark the localion. See " An Historical Research
concerning the most ancient Congregational Church in England ; showing the claim
ofthe Church worshipping in Union-street, Southwark, to that distinction. By B.
Hanbury. IS20." Svo. pp. 54.

CHAP. XXXVIII.
THE commons' protestation.  BURTON.  GEREE.  ANONYMOUS.
The court-intriguers, with other partizans of the " thorough"* acting
Earl of Strafford, were discovered to be plotting to raise forces, under
the pretext of their being for the service of Portugal, but really to
overawe the Parliament ; in the " progress" of which and their other
designs, it is admitted by the historian ofthe " Rebellion," that "there
sometiraes happened strange accidents for the confirraation of their
credit ! " '' The principal of thein, whora Clarendon styles " such
eminent men," finding that " what had passed so privately and amongst
themselves, had been discovered, . . fled into P' ranee."" Advantage was
consequently taken to defeat the plot, whatever it might be ; and on
May 3rd, 1641, Mr. Pym assured the House of Commons, that "God
had miraculously preserved thera from a raost prodigious conspiracy ;"
and added, " that though this atterapt was disappointed, yet he feared
there might be some new device ; and, therefore, he proposed . . that
some Protestation might be entered into . . for the defence of their
privileges and the performance of those duties to God and the king,
which they were obliged to as good Christians and good subjects." A
committee was resolved upon, and the prerogative party named "such
persons as were not like to submit to any unlawful or inconvenient
obligation." The doors were locked, and after along debate, the words
being settled, and the form agreed upon, the Speaker and all the mem
bers present solemnly for theraselves acceded to it. The Lords "all
likewise took the same,"'' except two, who alleged that no law enjoined
it, and that " such voluntary engagements might produce effects that
were not then intended." Some, of either house, took covert reftige
under the obligation to maintain and defend the " Protestant religion
expressed in the doctrine of the Church of England;" which they
construed to mean the Thirty-nine Articles, of which one is, to preserve
the government of the Church by " Bishops !'"= This subterfuge drove
the Commons, two days after, " without any great opposition," to
evade it in an explanatory ordinance ; passed, if Clarendon may he
beheved, without " advising with the House of Peers." The Commons
• The league term, between Laud and Strafford.
¦> Clarendon, bk. iii. p. 249.
1= Ibid. p. 250. " It is true," be savs, " there bar! hpon r„,„„ :jt j-
^ a: 1 . "^ "'*'' °^^n some idle discourses, m
a tavern, between some officers, about raising men for Portugal "
Raili;;!™l.f I'eraS.Ta'or''"'''"'-^'"''' ^¦"^ -^ ""= <' ^" "-worse."-
• " For which cause divers ofthe best refuse to subscribe, in ihe city." Baillie, -ii.

CHAP. XXXVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 69
ordered further, that the Protestation together with the Explanation
should be printed and published: and that the raerabers should intimate
to " the people, with what willingness all the members of that House
made that Protestation ; aud that . . they could not but approve it in
all such as should take it." And the historian adds, " The emissaries
of their clergy caused the sarae to be taken iu London and the parts
adjacent, within very few days after the publishing;" but to " compel
all the subjects" to take it, a bill was sent up to the Lords : " what the
success of that bill was, and what use was afterward made of this Pro
testation . . shall be remembered in its proper place.""
Whether, or not, Henry Burton may be esteemed, agreeably to what
we have just seen, one of " their clergy," certain it is that he quickly
produced a tract of twenty-one pages, with the title of " The Protesta
tion Protested : or, A Short Remonstrance, showing what is principally
required of all those that have or do take the last Parliaraentary
Protestation. — Eccles. v. 4, 5. — 1641." 4to. Sorae additional intere.st
attaches to this piece frora Richard Baxter having remarked that " till
Mr. Ball wrote in favour of the Liturgy, and agiunst Canne, Alliii,
etc., and till Mr. Burton published his ' Protestation Protested,' I
never thought what Presbytery or Independency was, nor ever spake
with a man who seemed to know it." '' Burton's argument is inconveni
ently conducted by alternate paragraphs of " Objection" and "Answer,"'
and it commences thus : —
"When in the scale of conscience rightly informed, I weigh the
words of the ' Protestation' and of this exhortation of the Holy Ghost
» Clar. p. 251 — 254. The Protestation is in this form: " I A. B. do, in tbe
presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest to maintain and defend, as
far as lawfully I niay, with my life, power, and estate, the true Reformed Protestant
religion, expressed in the doctrine of tbe Church of England, against all Popery
and popish Innovations within this Realm, contrary to the same doctrine ; and,
according to the duty of my allegiance, I will maintain and defend bis Majesty's
royal person, honour, and estate ; also, the power and privileges of Parliaments ;
the lawful rights and liberties of the Subjects ; and every Person that maketh this
Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in tbe lawful pursuance of the same : And
to my power, and as far as I lawfully may, I will oppose, and, by all good ways
and means, endeavour to bring condign punishment on all such as shall by force,
practice, counsels, plots, conspiracies, or otherwise, do anything to tbe contrary of
anything in this present Protestation contained ; And further, that 1 shall, in all
just and honourable ways, endeavour to preserve tbe union and peace betwixt the
three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland ; and neither for hope, fear, nor
other respects, shall relinquish this promise, vow, and Protestation." The Expla
nation runs thus : " Whereas some doubts have been raised, by several persons out
of this House, concerning tbe meaning of these words contained in the Protestation
lately made by tbe Members of this House, viz. ' The true Reformed Protestant
religion, expressed in the doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery
and popish Innovations within this Realm, contrary to the same doctrine :' This
House doth declare. That by those words was and is meant only the Public Doc
trine professed in tbe said Church, so far as it is opposite to Popery and popish
Innovations ; and that the said words are not to be extended to the maintaining of
any Form of worship, discipline, or government, nor of any rites, or ceremonies, of
the said Church of England." July 30ih, the House Resolved and Declared,
" That what person soever shall not take the Protestation is unfit to bear office in
the Church or Commonwealih." Clarendon's text is corrected by Rushiyorth's,
vui. iv. p. 241.
>¦ True Hist, of Ccuucils Enlarged, &c. 1632." 4to. p. 91.

70 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
together, Eccles. v. 4, 5, I cannot but tremble when I see what small
account most men do make of so solemn a ' vow' as they so solemnly
take upon them in the said ' Protestation :' for when ministers and
people have . . solemnly vowed ' to maintain' the docti-ine of our Church
so far as it is opposite to ' Popery,' do they, withal, presently set upon
the performance ? . . Do they not further ' defer' to pay it ? Surely if
they do defer it, the Holy Ghost calls them ' fools' in whom God hath
' no pleasure ! ' . .
" Object. — But how do they defer ? . .
" Ans. — In that they do not presently renounce aud 'protest' against
' all Popery.' . .
" Ob. — ' Why ! ' — will they say — ' what communion have we Protes
tants with Popery ? We do all renounce it.'
" An. — In words we do : . . but indeed we retain it, and have close
communion ¦vi'ith it. . .
" Ob. — But what Popery do we Protestants of the Church of Eng
land retain ? . .
" An. — We hold communion with Popery so long as we do puhhcly
retain and maintain any of the doctrines of Popery. . . 1. The imposi
tion of the Liturgy : 2. The discipline : 3. The government : 4. The
ceremonies. " Ob. — But all these being, as yet, established by law, we may not
cast them off till the law which set them up be abrogated : . . and we
' protest' against Popery, to cast it out ' as far as lawfully' we may,
and no otherwise.
" An. — First ; All laws are to be interpreted according to their
clear intention and end : now the law for Reformation never intended
to allow, or set up, Popery, in this Church of England. Secondly;
If any human laws be found contrary to God's Word, they are invalid
and void ipso facto ; and it will appear that Imposition of a devised
Liturgy, huraan rites and ceremonies, prelatical govemment and disci
pline, are directly contrary to God's Word. Thirdly ; Having once
made this solemn ' Protestation' . . and finding that the particulare
aforesaid are branches of ' Popery,' we are bound, ipso facto, fonliwith
to have no more communion with them. . •
" Ob. — But what if the Parliament did not intend, or understand,
by ' Popery,' the foresaid things ? . , Shall we presume to extend the
sense of the ' Protestation' further than the first makere thereof intended?
And, the Prelates— we presume — would never so readily, have subscribed
. . had they dreamed any such sense to lie hid . . as their hierarchy,
with their liturgy, rites, etc. ; for then they had, in the ' Protestation,'
protested against all these; and should have given their hands and votes,
for the rooting of thera out of this Church I
" An.— First ; This we are sure of, , . That they intended it ' against
all Popery.' Secondly ; They exjn-ess tiiemselves, and profess, thus
far That the words of the Protestation ' are not to be extended to the
ina'intaining of any form of worship, discipline, etc., in the said Church
of England :' ergo. We do not, we raay not, ' protest' for the main
tenance of these. Thirdly ; Suppose that, at the first making of the
' Protestation' in the Parliament, these jiarficulars U were not reckoned

CHAP. XXXVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 71
in the catalogue of 'all Popery:' yet no good Christian will or can
deny that the Honourable House of Comraons did not at all intend to
exclude whatever should be found to pertain to ' Popery ' as a branch
thereof. And therefore, we raay boldly conclude, that if the Ibremen-
tioned things shall be found to be — and that, no small branches of —
' Popery,' the ' Protestation' hath an edge to cut them off all at one
stroke ! Fourthly ; We are all in an erected hope of such a Reforma
tion-intended, by this noble Parliament, as cannot justly challenge the
name of Reformation, unless ' all Popery' be made to be packing ;
which, of necessity, must carry with her all trinkets and baggage, with
all her pompous equipage ; among whose sumpters, the Hierarchy with
all its pontijicalibus' of service, ceremonies, discipline, train, courts,
may challenge to go in the foremost rank. Fifthly, and lastly ; Sup
pose it could be supposed, by any rational man, that the House of
Commons could have no such thought as implicitly to include the
aforesaid particulars in the fardel of ' Popery ;' or, that they could not
possibly intend the maintaining of those things still of which they
expressly say that the ' words ' of the ' Protestation' are ' not to be
extended to the maintaining of any Forra of worship, discipline, etc. ;'
or, that these things should not be reraoved ; . . what then ? Shall
private and particular Christians, knowing these things to be ' Popery'
and antichristian, being also bound by their soleran vow, . . never reform
themselves until they see a general reformation over the whole land ?,, .
Will they, against their conscience, . . live and die votaries and commu
nicants in that Service ; schoolboys and punies under the ferula of that
' discipline ;' vassals under that ' governraent ;' conformists to those
' rites ' and ' ceremonies ;' all which are very ' Popery,' and ' popish
Innovations' ?
" Ob. — But how doth it appear that the forementioned particulars are
branches of ' Popery ' ? . .
" An. — . . Now most clear it is', by the Scripture, that the Liturgy,
discipline, etc., of the Church of England, are all of thera so inaiiy
branches of ' Popery.' . , First, For the Liturgy : this is a branch . .
ill two general respects : first, in regard of the whole frame and matter
of it, as being translated out of the Romish Latin Liturgy ; as is con
fessed in the ' Book of Mart.yrs : ' see for this, the late ' Parallel between
the English Liturgy and the jMass-book.' I omit to say anything here,
of the many vicious particulars throughout the Service-hook, which run,
as the con-upt blood, through all the veins of it. . . The second general,
is the Imposition of it, upon all men's consciences. . . Were the Liturgy,
in itself, never so free from other faults, yet, being a service of men's
devising, the Imposition, I say, makes it a branch of ' Popery ;' . . an
opposing and overthrowing of Christ's kingly office : . . an office, incom
municable to any creature, or power, in heaven or earth. . . This is that
' will worship,' . . expressly condemned, and branded as the highest
tyranny ; which to be ' subject unto,' is the spoiling and cheating men
of theii- salvation, as we read at large, Colos. ii. 8 — 18; and a separating
us from our ' Head' and King, Christ, ver. 19; and an evacuating
of his death, ver. 20. . . Thus it is as plain as brief, that the Imposing
of a Liturgy of man's devising, upon the conscience, is the pretended

72 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I
service of God :— ^. it is rather, the service of man ; and which God
condemneth, as a ' vain' worship of Him, Malt. xv. 9. . . Secondly;
For Ceremonies of man's devising, in the worship of God, and imposed
upon the conscience ; these . . are by the same reasons as before, proved
to be ' Popery." Thirdly; For Discipline, — ^which stands chiefly, in
con-ection of manners, and inflicting of censures, as excommunication,
such as is, and hath been, exercised in the Church of England ever
since the pretended Reformation in this point: — that this is also another
main branch of ' Po])ery,' do but compare it with that Discipline in the
Church of Rome, and you shall find it, in all points, so jump and agree,
as you must of necessity conclude, if Rome's Discipline be ' Popery '
then, certainly, our English Discipline is ' Popery' too ! . . And so our
Church wanting the true Discijiline, which ought to be one of the three
marks of a visible true Church — as it is noted in our Homilies, — the
Church of England wants this mark at the least. And, if the Sacra
ments be not ' duly administered ;' as being mixed and corrupted with
a service of man's devising, and ministered pell-mell — as in the Lord's
Sujiper — to ignorant and profane persons : then, for aughl I see, it
wants a second mark of a visible true Church. And if — as lately, and
in many places still — the Word of God, in the preaching of it, be
generally corrupted ; as when the full and free liberty of it, in sundry
points of evangelical truth, is restrained and prohibited, by orders and
elects not yet called in : . . by this reckoning, it should want the third
mark ! and so rauch the more, in case the Calling ofthe ministry itself,
should prove a piece of ' Popery" too. But this by the way, only it
leads us the way to the next point. . . Fourthly, then ; For the Govern
ment of the Church of England, by Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons,
Deans, Commissaries, Officials, and the rest of that fraternity ; if this
be not ' Popery," j'ea, and a top branch of it, I know not what is !
Sure we are, not any one of all this rabble is found to be in the Scrip
ture ; and therefore, of Divine Institution, this Government is not ;
and, consequently. Christian it is not : it raust needs then, be of Anti-
christ"s Order, and Papal merely ! . . If we look . . from Canterbury to
Carlisle ; and go through all their courts, their officers, their offices and
administrations therein ; we shall behold the perfect ' image' of tlie
Papal ' beast" from hom to hoof. And if any will object, here, that
the subordinate ministers bear a part in this Govemment, alas ! that is
but a mere mockery : for these are but the Prelates" Curates — a com
pany of Priests, little differing from Rorae"s order of priesthood, in the
estimate of our Prelates ; saving that they are not shaven, and have, of late,
been prevented of [ flora ] being sacrificers : — but apart in the hierarchical
government, they have none; unless a dumb Priest commonly, or some
Doctor, now and then, be the mouth, to thunder out excommunication
in their Courts ; which the poor Curate, at the Commissary "s beck,
raust publish in the congregation. And, to these Curates' consideration,
I refer it, whether they be able, truly, out of good premises, to conclude
themselves to be the ministers of Christ lawfully called ? when all of
them do iraraediately derive their ministry from the antichristian
hierarchy, or Papal Prelacy. . . If here, it be objected. That the Goveru-
iiieiii ol Archbishops and Diocesan Bisliops was before Popery carae up;

GHAP. XXXVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS, 73
. . I answer, first, that the [that] Government . . was, anciently, much
different from the Papal hierarchical government afterwards ; whose
courts, and sole prelatical jurisdiction, were not known in the Primitive
Ages, long after the Afiostles : secondly; the [that] Government..
at the very best, and when they first sprung up, was, even from the
well-head, coiTupted ; as being a human device, and the first spring of
' the mystery of iniquity" which, the further it ran, the more coiTupt it
gi'ew, till it had its full confluence in muddy Tiber — the See of Rome
— ^by whose inundation Antichrist having hoisted up his mainsails, could
easily compass-in the whole Eastern Christian world : thirdly, the
Hierarchical Government in England, as a main arm of that sea, so it
hath altered nothing of its former property when it was a limb of the
Papacy ; saving, that before the Reformation, they held immediately
frora the Pope, and now, — especially of later days, — they hold by the
same false, pretended, title which the Pope himself holds by ; namely,
from Christ, and hy Divine authority! Witness, Dr. Hall's sweaty
[laboured] discourses." And Dr. Pocklington shows us a brief pedigree
of the present titular Archbishop of Canterbury; saying, 'Miserable
men were we, if he that now sitteth Archbishop of Canterbury could
not derive his succession fiora St. Augustine, St. Augustine from
St. Gregory, St. Gregory from St. Peter.' So be : only here he fails,
and so becomes ' miserable,' that though he can prove Canterbury's
succession frora Rome, yet never Rome's from Peter. And so, a
several misery follows upon it, That our Hierarchical Government being
a limb of the Papal, and so a top branch, it is now, universally, of all
good Christians iti England Protested against, as worthy to be cut
off and cast out as a fruitless, withering, branch ; and to be plucked up
by the roots, as a tree twice dead, and as a plant not of God's planting !
" Ob. — But if it be thus: . . [what shall be] instead thereof?
" An. — I answer briefly. First; Understanding the Church of Eng
land to be none other than a National Church, it will be very difficult,
if not rather impossible, to constitute it so as is agreeable, in all points,
to a true and visible Congregation of Christ : for a Particular Church,
or Congregation, rightly collected and constituted, consists of none but
such as are visible living members of Christ the Head, and visible saints
under Him, the one and only King of Saints ; but so is it not with a
National Church ! . . In . . this, which hath been so universally over
spread with profaneness and darkness ; so long beslaved under the yoke
of prelatical tyranny, . . formal service, will-worship, universal false and
loose discipline, innumerable either false, or unprofitable, or idle
teachers — non-residents, • dumb dogs;'*" — so as whole counties for want
of good ministers who have been, every where, cast out, . . — yea, the
whole land in comparison, — are overgrown with . . those that know not
what true religion means ; where shall we begin to reforra ? . . Surely,
iu the new forming of a Church such as God requireth in his Word,
Christ's voice must first be heard, to call forth his sheep and to gather
them into their flocks and folds : for UKXria'ia, the church, is properly
a congregation of believers, called out from the rest of the world ; for
' "Episcopacy by Divine Right Asserted. 1640." 4to. '' Isa. Ivi. 10.

74 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
SO saith the Lord, 2 Cor. vi. 17: a strange speech, 'and be ye sepa
rate!". . In a corrupt Church,-as this is, . .by reason of the great
apostacy, and especially the wickedness ofthe Prelates^we should do
as the Apostles did when they carae to Pl^"^^^"'-'^''^^- ;,"*'^'; *'
Gospel had not been forraerly preached : first, they might the people
and then, those which heard and believed were forraed into a church or
congi-egation. But here are, blessed be God! many people already
fitted to make up holy assemblies or churches. Well then, let it be
the first degree of Reformation, to begin and call forth all those mto
several congregations, who are fitted and who desire to draw near to
Christ in a holy communion with Hira in the purity of his ordinances.
And thus let God's Word run and have a free passage. . . Nor can we
think, at the first especially, that every assembly of people collected in
their several parishes, is fit to make up a Congregation, and so qualified
aa Christ requireth; for how many parishes in England will be found
where scarce one is able to give ' a reason of the hope'" that is in him!
" Ob.— But shall not good preachers be set up in every parish, that
the people raay be instructed ; and so fitted to be raerabers of a Con
gregation such as afore is raentioned ?
" An.— No doubt of that ; so far as is possible to provide preachers.
" Ob. — But what shall the people do, in the meantime; . .have
they not received baptism ? are they not Christians ? shall they not,
then, be admitted in to the coraraunion of the other sacrament ?
" An. — . . The ' lame' or the ' blind," is not to be offered up in
' sacrifice." ''
" Ob. — But admit that such as are ordinary profane persons, . . be
admitted to the Sacrament pell-mell ; may not godly persons commu
nicate with thera and therein not sin ?
" An.— For that, let such as are godly look to it. . . 'A little leaven
leavoneth the whole lump :' the apostle applies it to a mixt co'mrnu-
nion. ' Let us keep the feast," saith he, — to wit, in participating of
' Christ our passover' in the sacrament, — 'not with the old leaven ;' and
thereupon he tells them, ' I wrote unto you in an epistle, not to company
with fornicators ;' ¦= and [in another place], 'This ye know, that no
whoremonger, &c., hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ. . .
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.' ''
" Ob. — But if congregations be so mixed as they cannot, or are not
secured; shall godly men, for that cause, deprive themselves of the
ordinance ?
' ' An. — First ; There is no necessity that men in using the ordinance,
should sin by communicating with others in the profanation ol holy
things : secondly ; it is not God's ordinance that his holy things should
be profaned : ' Cast not your pearls before swine ; nor your holy things
to dogs.'"* 'Who required this at your hand, to tread ray courts?^
and yet, their 'oblations," their 'sabbaths,' their 'solemn assemblies,
were God's ordinances: but because they were polluted and profaned by
those that joined in them, therefore the Lord abhors thera, 'Wash
you, make you clean, &c.' ^
° 1 Pet. iii. 15. " Deut xv. 21. >= 1 Cor. v. C— 9 "i Enh .. 5, 7.
•Matt. vii. 6. f Isa. i. 12, 13, 16.

CHAP. XXXVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 75
" Ob. — But what is this, to godly persons communicating with pro
fane ?
" An. — To communicate with known evil doers which, even in their
presuming to communicate in the ordinances, do evil in their doing of
evil, is to 'partake' of their evil deeds. Be 'not mingled with'"^ such,
saith the apostle, that they may ' be ashamed :" and, ' We command
you brethren, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw
yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, &c.' ^
" Ob. — But if it be so, where can a godly man communicate without
sin ; for where are not the congregations mixed ?
"An. — It is true that, if there be none other congregations allowed
but such as are in parishes, this confusion cannot be avoided : there
fore, of necessity there must be liberty granted of setting up Churches
or Congregations where Christ's ordinances are administered in their
purity ; and so, where none are adraitted members of the congregation
but such as are approved of, by the whole assembly. . .
" Ob. — But would you have other Congregations than such as
are limited to every parish ? How will this stand with a National
Church ?. . This would make a division and separation.
"An. — We must look, in the flrst place, [at] what Christ com
mandeth, etc. If a State will set up a National Church wherein many
things, out of reason of State, are tolerated, and prescribed for ' order'
sake, as they call it ; and if there be such a necessity, — necessity hath
no law ! But let not this, exclude and bar out the free use of such
Congi'egations as whereof the spirilual commonwealth of Israel con
sisteth; over which, Christ, as King, immediately reigneth by his
Spirit and Word, in the beauty and purity of His ordinances. Let not
the consciences of God's people be bound, where Christ hath purchased
liberty : and where Christ's Congregations are set up, however they are
separate from the World in the cormptions thereof, yet they are not
separate from the Civil State ; but are peaceable members thereof,
subject and obedient to all good and just laws thereof. Yea, where
such Congregations are erected and allowed of by a Civil State, they
are both a strength and beauty ; and procure many blessings unto it.
They are unto a Civil State as that fulminatrix legio, that ' thundering
legion" in the emperor Antoninus"s army — as he called it, — which
consisting wholly of Christians . . did, by their prayers, procure refresh
ing showers to the whole army when it was sore distressed with drought;
and terrible storms on the other side, to the discomfiture of their
enemy .¦= And therefore, the Apostle exhorts Christians, to pray ' for
Kings," and such as are ' in authority ;' that ' we may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.''' And [so] Jeremiah;
' Pray unto the Lord for the City of your cajilivity : for in the peace
thereof shall ye have peace :" ° implying, [that] it is the duty of Civil
Princes and Sttites, — Heathen or Christian, — to protect, or tolerate, the
true Christian religion in their kingdoms ; as well as of the true
Christians and professors, to ' pray' for them : for Christ's Kingdom
" /.it) avvavaiiiyvvcBe. ^ 2 Thess. iii. 14, C.
¦¦ Euseb. Eccles. Hist lib. v. cap. 5.
¦i 1 Tim. ii. 2. " Jer. xxix 7.

76 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
being spiritual, is so far frora being any prejudice to Civil Slates, that
it is the very glory and safety of them. . .
" Ob.— But that there shall be an order of Church government
established, in a National Church ; and withal, a liberty left for other
Church-assemblies; ..this maybe a means to foment factions and
envious emulations in a State. . .
"An.— For this; first, there be good laws for civil-government:
secondly, that [when] any one, among the exempted Congregations,
do incorrigibly [sic] misbehave themselves, the law cau take order
with thera : thirdly, let no men blame them before they try them :
fourthly, it hath been an old stratagem of Satan still to lay all the blame
of whatever disaster upon the Christians, as Nero did ! fifthly, it cannot
be expected but wherever the Gospel coraeth in its power and purity,
it will kindle coals and stir up debate, as Christ saith, MatL x. 21 :
but this is accidentally. . . And if for this, every Civil State should shut
out the true religion, where would there be left any true church upon
the earth ?
" Ob. — But the church-way of Independency is too strict and cannot
be content with a mediocrity, but aspires to such a perfection of purity
as men are not capable of; and therefore, such will, of necessity, be
envied and maligned, which will cause divisions.
" An.— As if all true Christians were not expected, every where, and
so bound, to strive for perfection so rauch as is possible, as we read,
Matt. V. 20, 48; PhiL iii. 12 ; CoL i. 28; iv. 12 ; 2 Tim. iii. 17;
and every where, in the Scripture, is ' perfect' holiness required, as
Eph. iv. 12 ; 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; see also, Heb. v. 12 ; vi. 1 ; etc. And,
for envy, were there but once set up, araongst us, some such Congrega
tions as come nearest to the rule of God's Word, both in church-con
stitutions and graces suitable, they would draw no less love and liking
to them . . than ever this land hath yet seen. And however the world
accounts strictness, yet none are admitted Members thereof, but such as
are both willing and desirous, and do freely enter into covenant to
observe all the conditions and orders thereof, according to God's Word :
and whoso are over, in, and of, this Congregation, they find in it
nothing that is grievous ; but Christ's sweetness, whose ' yoke is easy,'
and His ' burden light.'*
" Ob. — But if such Congregations were set up, . . it would, perhaps,
stir up the parochial ministers, or some at least, to envy and malignity:
. . and by this means also, should their wages be diminished.
" An. — First ; if Christians living in a parish shall find just cause of
separating themselves ; . . as where great scandals and offences are
constantly given ; . . shall any ministers be so unchristian as to envy
this ? Or if they do, let them reforra their own congi-egations and take
away all such scandals,. . and set up Christ's government, . . that so,
they raay retain those honest souls which, otherwise, are forced to
forsake the puddled strearas to enjoy the sweet, fresh, and pure ' foun
tain of living waters." >> Nor will the ministers and pastors of such
Independent Congregations, look after any such wages as the parochial
" Matt xi. 29, 30. b Jer. ii. 13.

CHAP. XXXVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 77
ministers challenge to themselves, as tithes, or the like. No, surely ;
they are, and will be, content that such competent maintenance as the
Members of their several Congregations respectively shall freely, without
any compulsion — as is used in tithes — allow unto them. . .
"Ob. — But the Parliaraent now being about a Reformation : . . what
Government shall be set up in this National Church ?
" An. — The Lord strengthen and direct the Parliament iu so great
and glorious a work. . . But as for the manner of Government of a
National Church, because it hath no pattern in the Scripture now under
the Gospel, who can herein prescribe or advise anything ? . . Let it be
what it will [a Presbytery, or otherwise,] so as still a due respect he
had to those Congregations and Chutches which desire an exeraptiou,
and liberty of enjoying Christ's ordinances in such purity as a National
Church is not cajiable of: and, whatever liturgy, or ceremonies, or
discipline, are left to accompany this National Church-government, it
is indifferent with us, so [that] we may enjoy our Christian libeity in
the true use of such ordinances, and of such Independent Church-
goveniment, as Christ, the only Law-giver of his Church, and Lord of
the conscience, hath left unto us in his Word.
"Ob. — But Independent Churches being absolute in themselves,
and exempted from a superior jurisdiction of others ; and yet not
exempted from possibility of erring ; what law is left, to reduce thera
from their error ? . .
" An. — First; they have Christ's law to regulate them : secondly ;
they have that law of Christ, which is, by love, to serve one annther :
they have the law of association and confederation with other churches,
to consult, advise, and confer with, in matters of doubt or question :
and if, after all other remedies, any be obstinate in his or their error,
they are liable lo excoraraunication either in the same Congregation, if
it be a particular person and the error great ; or from other Churches,
if the whole Congregation have oflfended and do stiffly maintain a
dangerous en'or; which yet is rarely seen in a well-constituted Congre
gation, consisting of meet raerabers. And if, at any time, such a thing
should fall out which cannot grow but from sorae root of apostacy,
particular or general ; if the offence do reflect also upon the laws of the
Civil State which are made against known heresies, or blasphemy, or
idolatry, and the like, the offenders are obnoxious to the Civil power :
so little fear there is, that any Independent Congregation, or any
member thereof, should be exerapt frora condign censure, where just
cause is given either Ecclesiastical or Civil ! "
Burton"s project for promoting a real Reformation on gi'ounds totally
distinct from State-church policy, roused respective advocates of the
existent and pre-existent State-ecclesiastics to assume the attitude of
respondents. The Presbyterians were represented in " '\'indici8e Voti :
or, A Vindication of the True Sense of the National Covenant ; in a
Brief and Moderate Answer to the ' Protestation Protested." Discover
ing the Unsoundness of that Interpretation of the Covenant; and
the M'^eakness of the grounds there suggested for separate and Indepen
dent Churches. — By John Geree, M.A., and Preacher of God's Word

78 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
in Tewkesbury.— Publi.shed by tho Authority of the House of Com
mons. 1641.""'' 4to. pp. 32.
He tells the " Christian Reader" that Burton's " treatise so far as it
doth concern his title, seeraed to rae so iirational that I thought all
understanding Christians would rather have srailed at the weakness than
have been any way moved with the sophistry of it : but finding, by
experience, that not only many of the more intelligent Christians, but
even some of reputation in a higher rank, were much taken with it ;
and the effect of it, that some were scrupled, some attempted a tumultu
ous removing of things Established by Law, under colour of this
' Protestation;' I thought it necessary that unto this treatise, pressing
the taking of the Covenant, . . I should annex a brief answer to the
unsound inter))retation of it by this nameless author, lest those that
have or may enter into it by any means, be afterwards, by this bad
gloss, cast upon either the incomparable burden of a wounded conscience
or unwarrantable and illegal actions ; which will hinder, not further, a
holy, legal, and orderly Reformation.''
"The Answer corainences thus : " The very title seeras to me a riddle,
seeing nothing in the treatise to answer it ; this being not an avowing
but a glossing, or rather a gloziiig, of the ' Protestation.' . . It is not to
be doubted, but many enter this ' Protestation" rather for company than
conscience, and so will make too little account of keeping it, and need
admonition to observe as well as to enter this Covenant: but that this
neglect should be so general as to include the generality of the godly,
as this Expositor doth make it; that I dare not assent unto. The
Psalraist hath taught me more tenderness : ' If I will speak thus ;
behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children." '' To
condemn the godly, was such a thing to this blessed Psalmist, that he
would renounce sense and reason, and set upon a serious review, rather
than dash upon it : in whose steps had this Author trodden he would
not have been so rash [as] to have put the fool upon them I . . But now
to the point.
"In his very first argumentation, there is a most palpable fallacy;
which is so obvious that it is [a] wonder to me that any man, that
would undertaJce to wi-ite a book in a raatter of this consequence, should
either not hiraself see, or should imagine that so many clear eyes that
it must needs touch, would not most easily discern : . . for the ' Protes
tation' is not against ' popery' absolutely, but, as this Author expresseth
it, so far forth as it is against ' the doctrine of the Church of England :'
what ' popery' then, ' the doctrine' of the Church of England, doth not
conderan, this ' Protestation ' doth not include. . . But then some will
demand. Is not ' the doctrine of the Church of England, against all
popery?" I an.5wer, ad hominem: If the things here objected be
' popery ;' then, ' the doctrine of the Church' is not against ' all
popery :' for these things, so far as they may be terraed doctrinal, are yet
according to ' the doctrine of the Church of England.' Unless you
» Geree had been for some years silenced, by Bishop Goodman ; but was restored
to his cure in this year, by the Committee of Religion. Wood, Ath Oxon voh iii.
col. 245, edit Bliss.
'' Ps. Ixxiii. 15.

CHAP. XXXVIU. j RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 79
will say, that ' the doctrine of the Church of England' is contrary to
the practice of the Church of England. Whence then, thus I argue :
Either 'the doctrine of the Church of England' is not ' against all
popery," or else ' the imposition' of the Liturgy, Ceremonies, Disci
pline, Government, are not 'popery ;' for ' the doctrine ofthe Church
of England' is not ' against' them ! If ' the doctrine of the Church of
England" is not 'against all popery,' he that vows to 'maintain' that
' doctrine" ' against all popery," vows not ' against' popery absolutely,
but only as it is against that ' docirine :' and then, this Author's
inference from this vow against pojiery, with this restraint, That we
must therefore oppose ' all' popery, absolutely ; is a raanifest inconse
quence. On the other side, if the Liturgy, etc., be not ' popery,' as
they must not he, if ' the doctrine of the Church of Fingland' be
complete against it ; they are not abjured \ So, however it he, the
Covenanter is free from breach and lolly. . . AVe protest ' to maintain'
every person, that maketh this ' Protestation,' in whatsoever he shall
do in the lawful pursuance of it : if a raan should, thence, infer that
we raust ' defend' him whatsoever he shall do in the pursuance of it ; if
he shall move sedition, or the like, were not this a violation of the sense
of this Covenant P And is [it] not the same, when we stretch the
opposing of ' popery" so far as it is opposite to ' the doctrine of the
Church of England," to be meant ' against all popery" whatsoever;
though it be granted it be raaintained in ' the Church of England ? '
His foundation then, is raost rotten ; and what firmness can be in the
building ?""
We have felt corapelled to copy this complex engine with which
Geree thought to sap Burton's " foundation ;" and if any reader think that
Geree has not thus far laboured for nought, when that reader "awaketh"
from the enchantment, his delusion may possibly have vanished " as a
dream."* The Presbyterian takes upon hiraself to say that Burton " should
have framed the arguraent thus. Those things are established by the
laws of England, where ' the doctrine of the Church of England" is
established ; and therefore, according to ' the doctrine of the Church of
England,' these things cannot be interpreted to be 'popery;' and so
not wiUiiii the verge of that ' Protestation" which is against popery as it
is opposite to 'the doctrine of the Church of England!' 'Which
objection, if he ever answer erit mihi magnus Apollo." We hesitate
to proceed with a logician so fond of framing positions that he may
show his ability at confutation ; and yet places himself in this position,
" This Author," says he, "is very good at bold assertions, but all as
bad in confirmations ; for what a good Christian raay do, in weakness,
I will not determine ; but no wise Christian, as far as I can conceive,
can judge that whatever shall he found to be ' popery," is included in
this ' Protestation,' but whatever is found to be popery against ' the
doctrine of the Church of England," which is the terra liraiting 'popery'
in the Protestation." Which is as much as to say, that so much
" popery" as is not "^against the doctrine, etc.,"" is not intended in the
• Ps. sup. V. 20.

80 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
" Protestation ! "" V/herefore so much waste of words, when this testy
Vindicator suffered this sentence to pass under lus pen . All the
Reformation to be expected frora this Pariiaraent, is not exjiected by
this 'Protestation:" this is one degree to refonn whatever popery or
innovation, is against law established ; this done, the Pariiament is
proceeding further to perfect hoped-for Reforraation, by reniovmg cor-
rujitions established by law ? " Burton could have required no more.
The adrairers of this opponent of Burton have httle truly to boast of
after the following concessions : " Mistake not, I plead not for them
[those plants which our 'heavenly Father hath not planted -], but (o
clear the sense of the ' Protestation," that it may not be wrested to in
clude them, as it is by this Author : of which wresting I see and fear
manifest inconveniences." The reader little expects, it may be, what
"inconveniences" they are that are so "manifest." Attend then,
" First; The Honourable Houses of Pariiament are by ft [the ' wrest
ing'] wronged; and are thereby like to grow more opposite to the
removing of the things here pleaded against : and so, as it is usually,
this making haste will hinder the work it aims to further, unless this
conceit be seasonably corrected. Secondly: This misintPiiJretation
will hinder many from entering this ' Protestation ;' which remora of so
good a work had need be removed, which this answer [Geree's] may
fiirther. Thirdly : Many that have taken it, are partly troubled because
such things are yet suffered that they think they have protested against;
which they think they should not only omit to act, but, also, by all
raeans oppose. Partly, I see raen are taken off for [frora] praying for
the abolition of such things as they conceive are already cast off by
Protestation ; and are inclined, by carnal violence, under this pretenc<!,
to do that in the Church which, by a spiritual violence, they should
endeavour to prevail for with God, that so they may be prevailers with
men to have public coiruptions purged by public authority ; which is a
safe, corafortable, and honourable way. Lastly : Sorae, that think some
things in themselves lawful and tolerable, I find, by this ' Protestation
Protested,' to conceive thein unlawful, as against the ' Protestation,'
though in themselves indiflferent. As to instance : though they think,
and justly, that the use of the Liturgy in the whole form of it, as a
coraplete service of God, to be raany ways vicious, 3'et they think the
use of some of the forras there which are without exception and more
suited to the people's wants, to be in theraselves lawful. Notwithstand
ing, though not for his arguraents to prove them popish, yet for his
exposition of the ' Protestation' they refuse them ; and not only refuse
them, but lay imputation on those that use thera as breakers of their
vow and Protestation. . . If any dissent frora us we shall be more ready
to contend with God than thein : with God, I say, That He woidd
move the Parliament to remove this form so excepted against and cor
rupt in the general composure of it; and, whatever other they prescribe,
not exactly to tie the well-gifted to it, but leave a liberty to vary as God
shall enable thein : as I have heard it hath been in our dear sister-church
of Scotland. Or if they tie them to any forra, that they will rather tie
' Malt XV. 13.

CHAP. XXyVin.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 81
them to the matter than the words, to prevent the broaching of
errors in prayers ; which, sorae think, was the first occasion of set
fbrms." . .
" Another evil of this [Burton's] treatise which needed cure, [is that]
it hath bred in sorae and nourished in others an opinion that our churches
are not churches, nor our ministers true ministers, nor our sacraments
to be participated without sin ; whereby some are drawn to, and others
confirmed in, a neglect of the servants and service of God : which is
no small evil, that deserveth cure. Give me leave, therefore, a little to
examine his grounds." They who are desirous of seeing how this Vin
dicator eludes Burton's charges, are referred to the " Vindication" itself:
for ourselves, we see nothing but the oft-repeated palliatives, that, of two
or more indefensible means or instruments, one is not so bad as another, —
that established Presbytery is not so bad as established Prelacy; — and
hence pass on to where Geree remarks that Burton proceeds " to over
throw all subordination in the particular churches of a nation, not only
to one another, — which was never dreamed of, — but to any general
government by officers gathered out of all and so set over all ; and so
he lays a ground for Independent Separate Churches, which he desires
may be 'erected' in this nation. But this task of his," Geree tells us,
" is undertaken and perforraed with better order and strength, hy another
author in the ' Presbyterial Government Examined.' And yet," — he
adds, " that hath received a solid answer by the assertor of the ' Scotch
Government ;' . . and therefore thither I shall remit the reader." He
admits that the subject presses home, upon himself, and continues to
say, " Because 1 perceive many are much unsettled, — and that, even
of those to whom I have some relation, — with the things that are scat
tered in this discourse [of Burton's,] I will endeavour briefly lo
run over the things here that are raaterial ; especially such a.s have net
a full answer in the above-mentioned treatise." His first endeavour is
to define " a National Church," which "word," he admits, " neither is
a Scripture phrase ; nor do any give us a certain exposition of it, if by
it they understand a church that hath some common national vvorshiii
by some common pastor at some comraon place, as all the Jews had tha
sarae high priest and temple, etc. ; . . in this sense, Christians have no
national churches." But taking the phrase as used ordinarily, he
" would fain know the reason. Why it is necessary that the members in
a particular church should be of better metal than the members of a
national church ?" He disserts on this, till he arrives where he comes
to say, " I would know again, for what reason it should be more dis
honourable to Christ to be the Head of a Congregation that are not all
' visible saints' further than by profession and outward confonnity ;
than to be the Head of a Nation, where all are not visible saints ; or,
why Christians should be in raore danger, for being one by profession
in a Congi'egational body; than Christ and [the] Prophets, for being
one with such as were not visible saints in a National body ? These,"
says Geree, " I confess are riddles to me!"" The riddle had been easily
solved, had he but been disposed to consider the difference between a
voluntary and a compulsory " profession !" Our Lord made a clear dis
tinction. Matt. XV. 8, 9.
II. e

82 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I
We have next the astounding doctrine attempted to be maintained,
that Christ, in the parable of the tares and wheat, Matt. xiii. 24 — 30,
36 — 42, shows . . "a general separation is not to be attempted till ' the
end of the world.' " Is it not strange indeed, that this writer should
overlook his own current term of quaUfication, " general ?" This one
word meets the case so exactly that Geree might have spared his pains:
" I have stuck the longer in this," he writes, " because this is the cardo
controversise, the hinge on which the rest is turned !"
We shall not condescend to test the logic of Geree's subsequent para
graph, but are willing to listen to his infonnation that " The Pariiament
are about a great and good work of removing erroneous and scandalous
ministers, and setting up godly and leamed lights every where ; and
withal, giving, or confirming rather, power to the godly pastors to keep
off those that are unfit for the sacrament by gross ignorance or scan
dalous life : by which means parishes, that are already taught, may be
quickly brought into better order; and those that are not, may by
teaching be brought to some good measure of understanding and desire
ofthe sacrament, and some — at least outward — Reformation, before they
be required or admitted to communion in the .sacrament,"" Seeing he
has drawn a picture which represents truly all that has ever been charged
against parochial assemblies ; we shall not attend upon him while he
tries to fence with Burton respecting admitting ordinary profane persons
to the sacrament, " pell-mell ;" equivocating thus, " The place, Eph. v.
5 — 7, . . ' be not partakers with them," is clearly meant in regard of
their sins, not the sacrament, as appears by the following verse [the
8th.]" O shame! Equivocating still, through his two following para
graphs he continues, "In his next answer, he [Burton] affirms that no
communion can be had in our parish assemblies, possibly, without ' set
ting up' new churches. . . Let there be shown any example or precept
in the Scripture, that, in our case, new churches should be erected, and
not the old repaired and brought back to the rule frora which they have
swerved, and we will yield the cause." The phrase " in our case," is
emphatic here, and till both sides are agi-eed upon its meaning the
challenge raust remain suspended : " the cause"" is the Lord"s, and His
" Word" shall prosper in the thing whereto He hath sent it! " For
Burton"s prayer for the Reforming Parliament, that they may be directed
in doing all the good for it that a National Church adraits of; Geree
says, " I thank hira for his affection ; but yet if his doctrine of the
Independency of churches be sound, this prayer cannot be of faith ; for
a man cannot pray in faith that men should meddle with that which is
not within their sphere or calling : and sure, if Independency be a
liberty of Christ, all the Parliament hath' to do is to assert this libeity,
and what is more is but usurpation.'" In this way it soraetimes hap
pens that an opponent lets slip what is noble and just in sentiment;
regardless of its being to his own injury, provided it cost his adversary
somewhat also. It should seem, however, that where a tolerant spirit
is manifested, it can meet with littie or no sympathy in a Presbyterian:
" He discovers, methinks," so writes Geree, " too much uncharitable
ness and self-love, where he affirms, let them [parishes] have their
•Isai Iv. II.

CHAP. XXXIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 83
liberty ; and do for the rest, 'what' they ' will'; ' it is indifferent' to
them : a littie more care of the souls of Christians," he adds, "might
better suit with those that so far transcend others in outward Reforma
tion !"^ Passing his next remarks as captious and futile, we ai-e arrived
at his prayer in closing, in which at least we are one with him.
" What remains, but that while we that mind the same things —
Christ's honour, in the salvation of his people, and right performance of
his ordinances, and differ only in the way, — labour to keep miity of
heart till we have unity of judgment And let our prayers be united at
the Throne of Grace, though our persons be in different societies. That
God may persuade the wanderers into the Tents of those to whom He
hath vouchsafed the better light : that God may have the more honour,
and we the more strength and comfort by our free and scruple-less
consociation. Which mercy, the Lord vouchsafe for Jesus Christ's sake,
by the help of the Spirit of Truth leading into all truth : to whom be
glory for ever."'

CHAP. XXXIX.
SURVEY OF burton's PROTESTATION PROTESTED.  HIS SERMON
ON LUKE IX. 23,
The Presbyterian having entered upon the field of combat, and having
made his exit with as much grace as he could ; Burton was assailed
from the high tower of the Episcopalians, with a formidable Hall-like
projectile, bearing the inscription of " A Survey of that Foolish, Se
ditious, Scandalous, Profane Libel, ' The Protestation Protested.' 1641."
4to. pp. 40. [48.]
But first, the " Reader" is told, of " This flash, the sudden thoughts
of a day," to " take it as it is ; an autoschediastic ! The same affection
to my Mother, the Church, screwed it from me, that loosed his tongue
in defence of his father ; she may say to her more concemed sons, as
Jacob to his, ' Why stand you gazing one upon another ?' " A fatal
lethargy hath so stifl^ned their imaginations, that nothing is heard from
them but the damps and groans of a dying body ; whether sydere tacti,
or fallen in a spiritual premunire, I know not. . . This comet points
also at the State ; for the loose-reined popularity the Libeller aims at
is no less dangerous to the liberty of the subject, than a too high-tuned
prerogative. . . I do ingenuously protest I am no enemy to the agents
or petitioners for a Reformation : the last times abound most in lees,
and the evening horizon hath the thickest vapours ; but a medicine, not
a destructive, must purge those ; a beam, not a thunderclap, dispel these.
Only the sectaries who swell now beyond the reach of names and num
bers, I have here glanced at. . . Let thy charity extend to the enors of
the press," Charity had need also to be extended to the viciousness of
" Gen. xiii. ].
u2

84 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Style ! But now for the noise and sraoke of this "moderate"" cburcli
man's'' culverin.
" Goodman Cobbler,— It is you that hath stitched together tiiis tub-
sei-raon ; — or whosoever else, of the raost holy inspired fraternity! I
have taken you, Sir, for my task. And that because of ray abilities. Nil
suior ultra crepidain, I dare venture no further than your old shoes :
if 1 can find you there, and tiiat your trade mistake not the reformation
ol soles, it is well ; but you are becorae a preacher at the last, and, by
that old piece of yours — such stuff you meddle with — taken from Bai-
rowe or Mar-prelate's relics, hatii made the scissure worse."
We must really entreat for the reader's " charity" while we proceed
with this the raost unpropitious of exordiums, proraising him that if
he can persevere with ourselves he will gather " interest" in his progi-ess.
" Nor shall I trouble your conscience, to thrust order upon you, whose religion
it is to contemn all order. I must follow you as you have followed your enthusi^
asms ; and that in the same manner, for as in preaching and prayer you are extem
porary, so am I in answering. I am not two days your debtor, lest you, as your
usurious brethren ave wont, had expected interest ! It was too much cost to bestow
paper though not pains upon you. When 1 traced every step of your lazy dnd
superfluous discourse to have joined [combat] with my adversary, I found you as
naked as an Adamite ; "^ not one reason, tbe least piece of armour, with you. It
bad been a shame therefore, to have drawn upon you ; I have only used the whip,
that may, perhaps, teach you sense.
" It is true, four times you cite antiquity, but in your own way ; that is, with
greater respect to heathenism than Christianity if that proceed frora a bishop 1 for
you marshal three ethnic eraperors with one Eusebius. And why him, 1 pray
you ? Doth not this derogate frora your infallibility — if, in a single syllable, you
be obliged to a Father ? What ! are not you and your Bible the only judge of
controversies? Can any one find out the true' meaning of Scripture except your
self, who hath monopolized — with all piety and reverence be it spoken — the Spirit
of Truth ? To say otherwise were to prefer Rome lo Amsterdam ! But I do forgive
you ; you have dealt very moderately in this point : one only you mention, and
him in matter of fact. The rest of the book is your own invention, where you
have as faithfully abstained from learning and antiquity as — and they are so to you
— from heresy and superstition.
" If the reader complain of vinegar in the ink, let him remember that the bite of
tbe viper, — and such they are that rend tbe bowels of their mother, the Church-
is best helped by tbe antidote of vipers. A frenzy is hardly cured but by the lance,
the scourge, the whipping post. Dark rooms indeed, and a large dose of hellebore,
were the fittest attendants for such rovings. But give roe leave to convey him home
to his Bedlam ; there, in the paroxism of his madness, to have bis family exercise;
and, by the way, — though I wander after him, that bath long since wandered from
himself, — I hope in charity so [to] belabour the man that he may, henceforth,
know that part of Scripture practically, — if it be not against bis justification to know
any [thing] so, — ' a rod is for the back of the fool.'"' Nor wish I worse success
to all his braying associates ; though their lugs be without the Bishops' visitation,
» See back, vol. i. p. 185, note b.
* " Did be [Hall] never see a pamphlet intituled after his own fashion, ' A Sur
vey of that Foolish, Seditious, etc. Libel ?' The child doth not more expressly re-
figure the visage of bis father, than that book resembles the style of the Remonstrant
in those idioms pf speech wherein be seems most lo delight: and in the seventeenth
page, three lines together are taken out of tbe [' Humble] Remonstrance' [1640.]
word for word, not as a citation, but as an author borrows from himself. Whoever
it be, be may as justly be said to have libelled, as be against whom he writes."
Milton's "Apology for Smectymnuus, 1642," Edit 1833, imp. Svo. sec. ii. p. 85.
•: " A kind of Anabaptists, who think clothes to be cursed, and given to man for
a punishment of sin, whereas they think themselves innocent and without sin."
P. Pagus Heresiography, Ed. 16C2. 12mo. p. 37, 117. <i Prov xxvi 3.

CHAP. XXXIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 85
yet I hope their necks are within that of the Parliament ! That Honourable and
.Judicious Assembly will, in due time, provide against these monstrously absurd
libels; that heap of nonsense, from the which sucha vapour of stupidity and ignorance
is exhaled, that who are strangers to our better times, if they behold this island
through tbe same, shall verily think it under a universal lunacy. But I have staid
you too long before the door.
" You usher in that discourse of yours by a preface used, belike, many times
before your Dresser-lectures, and tell us something of 'conscience' and its 'scale,'
not unlike tbe lap-wing, keeping the greatest stir when you are furthest from your
nest. ' Conscience' in the contemplation, in tbe pretence, is yours, but what have
you to do with it in the reality ? — so here, you press it in the practice 1 Beware
this care of yours in agendis make you not suspect of merit, if not of supererogation !
The piece of Scripture you make bold with, in my poor judgment comes not home
to the point ; the words do rather concern a voluntary than imposed vow, if any be
such ; and therefore, bad been more congruous, — if, as you do by your infallibility,
you had justified the matter, — to tbe holy 'Protestation* is [as] made in your Par*
lour-meetings, for tearing a liturgy, rending a surplice, burning tbe rails, and
pluming a bishop ! But you cheat the world with a froth of words, and amuse tbe
well-meaning, but tbe ignorant, multitude with an empty noise of ' conscience,'
purity, and reformation. They say it is an evil sign, to stumble at the thresb-
hold ; — and if God take ' no pleasure in fools,' you have prefixed a very slender
approbation to your book !
" Your next is, you ' tremble' to see what small account most men do make of so
solemn a vow!" How do you, — which is yours, quarto modo, — prfiach and prac
tise contradictions? Were ever tbe most superlative votaries of the Church of Rome,
Jesuits, and Seminary priests, more obstinately mis-zealous in refusing oaths as
civil and ecclesiastical tyranny and antichristianism, than you, when they suit not
with your passions and interests? Witness, these of Supremacy and Canonical-
Obedience ; the Gate-bouse can tell us how much less you have esteemed your
bodily^than your Christian liberty in such cases. And if the fear to be plundered
* " There is no oath, scarcely, but we swear to things we are ignorant of: for
example, the oath of Supremacy; bow many know how the King is King? what
are his right and prerogative ? So, how many know wbat ave the ' privileges' of
tbe Parliament, and the ' liberty' of the subject, when they take the ' Protestation' .'
But the meaning is; they will defend tbem when they know them. . . 1 cannot con
ceive how an oath is imposed where there is a party [parity] ; namely, in the
House of Commons they are all pares inter se ; only one brings paper and shows it
to the rest, they look upon it, and, in their own sense, take it. Now, they are not
pares to me who am none of the House, for I do not acknowledge myself their sub
ject ; if I did, then no question I was bound by an oath of their imposing. It is to
me, but reading a paper in their own sense. There is a great difference between an
assertory oath and a promissory oath. An assertory oath is made to a man before
God, and 1 must swear so as man may know what I mean ; but a promissory oath
is made to God only, and I am sure he knows my meaning. So in tbe new oath,
it runs, 'Whereas 1 believe in my conscience, &c. I will assist thus and thus;'
that ' Whereas' gives me an outloose, for if I do not believe so, for aught I know
I swear not at all. In a promissory oath, tbe mind I am in is good interpretation ;
for if there be enough happened to change my mind 1 do not know why I should
not. If I promise to go to Oxford to-morrow, and meant it when I said it, and
afterwards it appears to me that it will he my undoing; will you say I have broke
my promise, if I stay at home ? Certainly I must not go. The Jews had this way
with them concerning a promissory oath or vow : If one of them had vowed a vow
which afterwards appeared to him to be very prejudicial, by reason of some thing
he either did not foresee or did not think of when he made his vow; if he made it
known to three of his countrymen they had power to absolve him, though he could
not absolve himself; and that they picked out of some words in the text. Perjury
hath only to do with an assertory oath ; and no man was punished for perjury by
man's law till queen Elizabeth's time. It was left to God as a sin against him.
The reason was, because it was so bard a thing to prove a man perjured. I might
misunderstand him, and he swears as he thought." The Table-Talk of John Sel
den, Esq. [Obiit 1654.] Ed. 1789. 12mo. Art., " Oaths," ii— vi,

86 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of a fair estate, or the love to a fatter benefice, can buy in this niceness of yours, and
persuade you to lose a button [«c,] you have no more ' conscience' in observing
than you bad obedience in taking tbe oath : for if Authority be in tbe waning, and
some popular Stars promise yon ' liberty,' how soon do you break tbesejcords asun.
der, and with a Jus jurandum illicitum solummodo stringit ad poenitentium, start
you aside like a deceitful bow 1 yea, think yourself obliged to redeem your slackened
vigour by an after increase of heat and violence ? Yet are you still the .same man;
love of gain prescribed your oath, and tbe same absolves you from it ; which, doubt
less, your honesty, by a mental reservation, did ever lay as a ground. Happy you!
whose ' conscience' can mould and fashion itself to the impress of the times, and
ebb and flow with the aspect of different occasions ! Be ashamed, therefore, — ' trem
ble' you cannot, — when you ' see what small account' most of you make of your
solemn vows. God is not mocked ; nor shall your brags of casting out devils of
idolatry and superstition in his Name, save you in that day.
" Having thus skirmished, you advance with the main battle ; subjoining that the
' ministers and people have taken the Protestation, and have solemnly vowed to
maintain the doctrine of the Church, so far as it is opposite to Popery 1' They have
so, and so might they ever perform ; but cannot one devil be cast out unless seven
enter? Have they therefore vowed to erect Anabaptism? Is there no mid be
twixt the extremes ? no salvation ! but either in the communion of the one, or con
venticle of the other ? Must either a shaveling or a scavenger, be tbe ' star' to point
us out the way to Christ ? Lend us some of your light, your tallow, to find out a
consequence here, I pray. I must tell you, and, — ni frons periit, — you may blush
at it ! you have defiled your father's house [j/c,] and laid us open to the oppro
brious insolence of tbe common enemy who, eying us in — you — our dross, wantonly
upbraid us to have rejected, under tbe name of superstition, all visibility of a church,
and by tbe title of Purity to have brought in nothing else but profaneness and
atheism." "Your objections — though like Ixion's cloud, airy ; and by your own fancy and
supposition, — I pass them by as tbe only orthodox part in you; and shall strictly
tie rayself to your Answers, lest I seem rather to have sought a cause than found a
party. In your first and second, you make your posture and take your aim ; in
the third, you let in the thrust against the Church of England, but with no less
mistake nor better success than when Don Quixote — one who, for a bead-piece,
might have been Moderator to your Diet — justed against the windmill instead of
the enchanted castle. At the first view, by tbe multiplying glass of your Purity,
you can descry four of tbe Beast's heads, and inform us that the ' Liturgy, etc' are
Popish. Suppose now, it were so ; is not your curse who discovereth your Mother's
' nakedness' double to bis who did not cover his father's ? '' But I have mistaken
you ; your anabaptization doth privilege you to be none of her sons. . . How shall
they [the Romanists] triumph over us and our unnecessary debates, — they fight
closely within doors, when we bawl in the streets, — telling us we cannot agree
amongst ourselves until we return ad Petram unde excisi snmns ! What you say
in defence of this your general position, we shall see on each particular; only I
cannot pass your 'imposition' ofthe Liturgy: hinc illse lachrymse. Anything that
is by Order and Authority is burdensome ! You idolize only the calves of your
own making; that is, of your crazed imagination. But how shall this humour of
yours suit with the unity of a church ? Can many shreds of cloth make a gar
ment ; and do not you remember that Christ's coat was without a seam ? . .' Your
third ground is ofthe same bullion, and carrieth your image, that is, of Schism and
Democracy : you have vowed ' against all Popery,' and ' finding the particulars'
mentioned to be so, you will ' have no more communion with them.' What if you
should find the Decalogue and the Lord's Prayer, — as you have already, the Creed,
— to be Popish, must not all the principles of our religion, for your pleasure, be
drawn within the verge of a thundering abjuration ? Nor is this fear in vain :
your precisest Gospellers already deny the law, as only suitable to the climate ot
- P. 2 — 5. •> Gen. ix. 25.
« " As it is noted by one of the Fathers, Christ's coat indeed had no seam, but the
church's veslurt was of divers colours ; whereupoij- be saith. In veste varietas sit,
scissura not sit: they be two things. Unity, and Uniformity." Essays, by Lord
Bacon, " Of ynity of Relig." ' x.aMys, uy i.

CHAP. XXXIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 87
the Jews ; and some of your best Rabbles make it a case Of ' conscience' not to say
the Lord's Prayer, that magicum cant'icum, as they term it, Pontijicorum ! ".^
" It is your next care to draw the Parliament to your party ; but there is no
communication betwixt light and darkness. Nature hath taught all Entities to
intend their own preservation ; nor can that Honourable Court forget its being, and
join with you. . . You take the supremacy upon you, and, with intolerable pride and
foolishness, presume to give us the infallible sense and meaning of the Parliament.
. . But let us examine your reasons. First ; ' They intended ' the Protestation
'against all Popery,' it is granted. .. But who gave you authority to cleanse tbe
Temple, unless you maintain that all power is from the People ; your hands : and,
that you may stop the well-spring, the fountain, when the fit takes you. Secondly ;
You remember us, that tbe Honourable House of Commons will not have the
Protestation ' extended to the maintenance of any Form of worship, etc. : ' and
therefore, they condemn them as Popish ! What a wild consequence is this ? . .
That they did not, is clear . . first, from the main distance they put betwixt ' Popery
and popish Innovations,' and the ' Form of worship, discipline, etc., ofthe Church
of England,' intersected by such a period as your ends shall never be able to draw
together : secondly, from their laudable and religious practice in being at all occa
sions present at the Service of tbe Church, wherein none but ' Familists,' — who do
conform theraselves to any public worship, — can imagine their integrity and noble
ness; for all the world would prevaricate if they bad but thought — much less
declared — the Liturgy, as you would have it, to be ' the Mass-book.' And for ' the
government of the Church by archbishops and bishops,' this is tbe heel you would
most willingly bruise, because it bruiseth your head 1 it is no less evident that the
Protestation doth not condemn that : first, from their actual sitting In tbe House.
Should these raerabers integrate that body, if they were already adjudged as lirabs
ofthe Antichrist? This were a too heterogeneous fancy. Secondly, What needed
the late dispute concerning the present Discipline, if the sentence had been already
passed ? Thirdly, Would so considerable men for honesty, wisdom, and power, of
that number whose reasons militate for episcopacy, have stood up in defence of a
main branch of popery, and not have been ashamed — if not punished — for pubhcly
maintaining the Antichrist and contradicting their late vow and order ? These
reasons, — nill you, will you, — do convince you that it was ' not' tbe intention of the
Parliament, — as you, to arm them against ecclesiastical persons and orders in every
corner of the kingdom, would bear the people in band, — to protest agairist, —
though it seemed not fitting to protest for — the present discipline, governraent, and
ceremonies ofthe Church. If you had a forehead you would be ashamed of this
boldness, but your obduration hath no more sense
" Quam si dura silex, aut stet Marpesia cautes.
'•These great patrons of Church and State shall, no doubt, punish this malapert
sauciness of yours ; for their love to peace and truth cannot permit such a firebrand
to belie their intention, and abuse the credulous simplicity of the multitude. I am
confident this reply of raine shall first visit you in the Gate-house. Did you, I beseech
you, ever think it possible that the roarings and outcries of such braying schismatics
as yourself could have induced the Honourable Court of Parliament to change upon,
a sudden, the whole face of the Church as that of a scene, upon the daring and mis-
grounded information of your ignorant and malicious libels. Tbe dross, the off-scour-
ings of the multitude are yours ; these, and these only, you are able to induce by
promises, or deceive by pretences. Tell them as you do, that they are ' the people of
God,' set apart for the great work 1 and shall not this ambition blowup the unconstant
vulgar? Show them they raay change their fortunes, and [at] last share in the
public government, you may draw them along with you to tbe slaughter, though
there you leave them with your grandfather Muncer's'* benediction. Si quidem
populus vult decipi, decipiatur. .. Your parity brings alongwith it an anarchy ; and
that, all imaginable ruin and confusion. I'll tell you in your ear, you had better
» P. 7—10.
'' " Who, raising a sedition of boors in Germany was defeated, taken and beheaded,
about the year of our Lord God, 1525. He preached that all goods must be com
mon, and all men free, and of equal dignity : that God had commanded him to
destroy all the ungodly, and to repurge the church." Pagit, Heres, p. 35 : Quoting
Sleidan's Commentaries, lib. v.

88 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
keep your pamphlets at home ; and have restrained the late jealous stirs at South
wark, and St. Margaret's, » if you would not have had your passions detected.
These staring looks of yours so soon after tbe change, do foretell wbat madness you
may come to at the height of the moon ; and will, no doubt, persuade that supreme
judicatory either to draw blood of you in time, or to provide manacles for binding
up your furious attempts, lest you tear out your own bowels. Your third reason,
leans to a thought — a supposition, — and is a strain of your old lunacy, That
the Honourable House of Commons ' did' intend to exclude whatsoever should be
found to be a branch of Popery : but who should find it so, themselves, or you ? . .
Rather think that the Protestation bath an edge to cut out your tongue, than to
cut off what your unsettled imagination, after a Friday's supper from the back of
an oyster-bo^rd, shall. Dictator-like, happen to belch up. You tell us, in the fourth
place, that you ' are all in an erected hope of a Reformation' from ' this most noble
Parliament;' and so are we too: yea, no less confident than yourselves that all
Popish trash shall ' be made packing ;' but may it please you to go along with that
baggage, and attend the safe transportation of these fopperies, we shall be rid of
two great evils! At your return from Rorae, you may take your rest by the way
with your bretbreh at Amsterdam.' No peace for Israel how long the Jebusites are
thorns in our sides : and if the Papists and you — I cannot tell how to name you,
unless it be Legions, you are so many — tbe foxes, the boutefeux, joined by the
tails, were once removed, we should have good hopes no more to see our cornfields
on fire. The Reformation you expect, is a deformation ; your active zeal extends
to the purifying of churches, yea of churchyards, as lately one of your society was
buried in the fields, lest his sanctified body might be polluted by consecrated, that
is superstitious, gvound. A strange 'separation' that holds even amongst the dead !
But when you have banished from us all that can speak us Christians what shall be
tbe event? The sad ruins of a torn Church and State, yea of religion itself, is at the
stake ; for the more weak and conscientious people, who expect salvation in some
church, will rather join with Home than have no church at all ; like the fish,
changing tbe hot water for the hotter fii e : others, who have made religion their
handmaid, shall be bold to laugh at piety, and think it nothing but an invention of
policy to bridle the humours of the Itss daring, and to encompass tbe designs of tlie
move active wits: so tbe fruits of your Reformation shall be like those of Gomor
rah, pleasing to the Sight, but, in effect, either apostacy or atheism. In your fifth
ground, 1 acknowledge your perfect idiom, tbe complete language of Amsterdam.
There you tell me that 'suppose the House of Commons' had not intended tlie
removal of these things but the protection, rather, of the same ; yet ' private Chris
tians' must put to their hands and ' reform themselves,' and live no longer 'school
boys and punies under the ferula of that Discipline.' Now you speak to the point,
and have but dallied hitherto. Bishops, I see, and Parliaments, are in the same
respect to you if once they cross your humour : if this be not a tiumpet of sedition,
there is nothing so. Go on, and give not over till the Commonwealth be fitted to
your Church,. — as one of yours said, ' the hangings to the room ;' — let us have that
prodigious monster your Parity, in both, without so much as distinction of head and
feet, and then you may reform when and what, and how you please ! Can there
be the least thought of loyalty and subjection beneath this, when such an '0 Yes,'
is made for every man to take up arms and to reform wbat comes first unto his
band ? Nor is it a wonder to hear this from you : ere all be done you will speak
with a higher tone, even. That tbe property of all goods is your own : for it is your
docirine. That we have fallen fiom all dominion and right to the creature, by the
mortal sin of Adam. This, say you, was restored by Christ, who reserved the do
minion to Himself— there, your love to magistracy ! — but gave the right to his
children, tbe sons of tbe church ; these, whom the Conventicle hath assured that
they are marked with the 'white stone.' >> You may tbert'fore, possidere terram ; and
who, besides you, do so, are but usurpers ! Yet give me leave to wonder if, in a
settled Church and State, some care be not taken to suppress this madness whereby
every man is invited to a freedom and liberty of doing what his humour suggestelh;
as if this ' Diana' of yours inspired nothing else but frenzy and rebeUion. You
wiU, by this your, exorbitancy, make the Bishops' enemies long after thera, and,
wbil^ they aie going out at doors, pull them back by the gowns. In the time of
» Qy. ? VVestmiuster; not that " stir" formerly in Southwark. >> Rev. ii. 17

CHAP. XXXIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 89
their power which of you durst vent such dangerous whimsies ? Now you teach us
that, by one blow, we cannot lop off the inconveniency of Bishops and tbe incon-
veniency of no Bishops ; and that tbe greatest danger in a mutation is that all dan
gers cannot be foreseen. . . Tbe Honourable House of Commons . . will provide for
that fire, that gangrene, of yours, which hath already inflamed the bed-straw, and
seized almost upon the very heart of tbe kingdom."
"In your sixth answer, you dealt your strokes about you. Your first blow is at
the Liturgy. This you observe to be popish in two respects : First, ' in regard of
the whole frame and matter of it, as being translated out of the Romish Latin
Liturgy.' But is it not ' the Romish Liturgy' translated? that is, is there anything
in the Mass-book which is not in the Book of Service ? If your answer be nega
tive, 1 leave you to be hissed at: but if affirmative, what advantage have you gotten
by this envious calumny ? Do you think we may not use what is in the Mass-
book consonant to Scripture and purest antiquity? To say otherwise, were to deny
the Lord's Prayer and the Decalogue •¦ because they are there. . . And why may
there not be some few pearls in that dunghill, the Mass-book ? If these be culled
out, and according to Scripture and the best pattern of ancient Liturgies, . . wbat
can malice or ignorance say against it ? . . All must be admitted from them, errors
with truths ; all rejected by you, truths with errors : they destroy the perfection of
the Scripture, you the being of the Church : you no less enemies to the authority
of this, than they to the belief of that. But let both of you roar like the lioness
bereaved of her whelps, and mix heaven and earth together by your lowings, Naaman
shall be tbe same man, to us, before and after his wasbing." We will, in despight
of Papists, cleanse the leprosy; in spight ofyou, retain the substance. You mention
the late 'Parallel.'.. He is an ungracious sim of tbe Church who bath falsely
invented these whoredoms ; and they the unworthy offspring of such a mother, if
they rest unrevenged I Meantime, what a death it is to think of the sport and
advantage our watchful enemies will be sure to make of our self-confession. That
we have the same public worship which, in them, we do condemn as heresy, as
idolatry ! What exprobrations.wbat triumph of theirs will hence ensue. How shall
we argue against them, without bespattering our own faces, in time to come? All
our help is that tbe treatise itself — the ' Parallel' — is so ridiculous a piece that it will
be thought the dreams of a sleeping person. . . You tell us you ' omit to say,' what
you cannot, you dare not say ; all your frivolous exceptions ave so fully answered
by the learned Mason, judicious [R.] Hooker, and others, that it will be three ages
yet ere you attain to so much judgment as to understand their discourses ! . . If we
[you] dare call the settled laws of Church and State in question, we shall, by the
meanest of five thousand in England, stop your black and ignorant mouths. . . And
you. Sir, who bath raade all this din, how shall a raan find you out, either to convert
you or to be converted by you? Your name, it seems, was affrighted of the title-
page ; but it may be you had none, and that this libel hath been penned by you in
the interim betwixt your renunciation of that name you had from tbe Church of
England and your anabaptixation. You add, there are 'vitious' things — animus
meminisse horret — that ' run through all the veins' of the Service-book. All the
letters of the alphabet cannot furnish censures for this blasphemous Rabshakeh.
God rebuke thee, Satan ! ' Sufliciently discovered ;' by whom ? in whose age ? Did
your Separatists ever produce any thing upon this subject, but lazy, i ndigested fables,
as far from learning as their authors from sense? . . Your second general respect
is, • The imposition' of the Liturgy ' upon all men's consciences.' Let the matter
be never so laudable, yet the manner — ' tbe imposition,' — is a wile of the Antichrist.
Here I entreat Geneva to answer you, whose Church hath an imposed, a set-form
of Liturgy ; and whose worthiest men, Calvin and Beza, do stoutly maintain the
Church's power in prescribing ceremonies and orders for unity and peace' sake. . .*•
»P. 10— 15. ''Say you so? , <: 2 Kings v. 14.
'' Calvin's comes under the distinction of " a species" of Liturgy, and is so called
by the late Rev. John Scott, M A. Vicar of North Ferriby, &c., in his Continuation
ofthe Milners' Hist, ofthe Church of Christ, 1831, Svo. vol. iii. an. 1542, p. 372.
It accords to the Presbyterian "Directory" of 1644, but not at all to the English
" Common Prayer." It is headed in Latin, " Precuni Ecclesiasticarum Formula ;"
and it has no responses to be made audibly. But the last paragraph in our account
of ApoUonius, Chap. Lvi., will show the judgment of foreigners upon the Anglican
" Forms prescribed.''

90 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAHLES I.
I am confident the Church and State of England are not so weary of themselves as
to become slaves to your fancy ; this, perhaps, may fit America, where there is no
government at all, but how it may subsist with the being of a kingdom here, I un
derstand it not. . . Speak out, dare you say it in open terms, though indeed you say
as much. That the king and parliament, because ofthe Liturgy imposed, have denied
Jesus to be Christ : Tyburn for you, if you do ! You, indeed, seem rather stained
with this blasphemy, who hath boldly and profanely averred, that bowing at that
sacred Narae is idolatry, and — as you jeer with the bad thief on the cross—' Jesu-
Worship !'» But let me, from your own principles, use one argumeiit against you :
Whosoever prescribeth to their people a set form of prayer, do lord it over the con
science and are tbe very Antichrist ; but your extemporary prayers in public, are,
to your people, a set form of prayer ; you, therefore, are the Antichrist ! The major
is your own, the subsumption is proved by this inevitable dilemma, When you pray
before your hearers, either it is as their mouth to God, or for yourselves only : if
you say, the last ; you contradict the action itself, your expressions, and tbe cause
of your meeting ; and, if tbe first, must not tbe people join with you in word, or at
least in thought ? And is not this, to be stinted and tied to ' a form' of prayer, how
raw and senseless soever ? By your ' sole Lawgiver,' you express your thoughts
of Authority : you can hear of no general commission, for ordering the House of
God as place and time shall require ; but pardon rae to believe ' the Apostle' betler
than you, who hath not in vain appointed this qualification, ' Omnia fiant decenter
et ordine.'. .^ 'And for this cause the Pope,' say you, ' is proved to be the Antichrist,'
in that he ' sitteth in and [or, sic Burton] over tbe Temple of God ;' that is, as you
please to paraphrase it, ' the consciences of men :' it bad been well you had spoken
with application. You are tbe only man I know who must have all men's con
sciences squared by the supposition of your own. The * will-worship' you name
is, truly, that you practise ; that is, an affected contradictorious way, in tbe service
of God, to Scripture, to antiquity, to the Church you live in, lo discretion, yea lo
Christianity itself. . .'^
" Having choked, as you think, the Liturgy, with this ill-peec't [Ill-piqued] dis
course of yours concerning the ' Antichrist,' your second onset is upon tbe ' Cere
monies' of tbe Church. . . There is no greater error committed by you sectaries than
that because tbe Church of Rome hath thrust upon us some unnecessary, many
superstitious, ceremonies, you would have the Reforraation to have none at all :
not considering that cereraonies, as the hedge, do fence the substance of religion
from the indignities that profaneness and irreligion soraetimes put upon it. . . For
you, you are so spiritual, — though some think you no less carnal than your neigh
bours, — I am afraid your religion may evaporate in words, turn in the sraoke of a
thin airy profession, and as no substance of good works, so leave no visibility of
worship behind it. Though now, while the heat of a party keeps in the fire, you
seem to have some zeal in your breasts, if you were settled on your dregs, and, aflfr
this great raotion, returned to your cold blood, it is very possible you shall have no
religion at all ! . . The matter imposed is left, in its own nature, indifferent still,
though not so in the practice ; and this very sarae restraint enlargeth their Christian
liberty : for otherwise, they would be in conscience obliged to abstain from every
thing that the nice and peevish humorist should conceive to be offensive ; now,
being tied by a law, they may use their freedom ; yea, must prefer a necessary duty
to an imaginary scandal. But . . you love that order, and not any besides it, that
may be raked out of the ashes of monarchy; but your late injuries meeting with its
discretion, will teach a necessity of foresight not to adventure huge bodies as you
are, quia suo feruntuv pondere, down steep bills, that is, to your own swinge. <¦
"Your third endeavour is against the 'Discipline' of the Church in exercising
the power of ' excommunication !' this you prove to be ' another' branch of ' Popery,"
because it is from the Church of Rorae. . . You do well to deny all ' censures' . . lest
you might happen to be punished for this contumacy, . . '
" The fourth plea is against the root of all bitterness ; the very heart and lungs of
the 'Antichrist :' the government of ' Bishops!' Each casual mishap in them must
" Burton had just published, 1641, " Jesu-worship Confuted: Or, Certain Argu-
vnents against Bowing at tbe Name ' Jesus.' With Objections to the Contrary fully
Answered. ' 4to. pp. 6. " It is but pious idolatry, or idolatrous piely."— p. 5.
" 1 Cor. xiv. 40. "^P. 15— 19. ^ P. 20— 22. ep.22.

CHAP. XXJaX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS, 91
be an error ; eo Will your Rabbies have to be : who, deeming tl^mselves less in
employment than in merit, do heartily rail against that which they heartily desire,
the Rochet ! This, you say, is not of ' Divine,' therefore it must be of diabolical
' institution :' can you give a reason of tliis consequence ? . . You are so naked in
your outward worship — as the wrestlers of old — it is impossible to lay hold upon
you... I must therefore go about to prove the government of Bishops to be of
' Divine institution' or nothing. And here I will take the surest way, that is, to
show the Divine institution of Episcopacy from Christ himself; not from the pre
cept and practices of the Apostles, else you would slip out of my fingers, and tell
me, 'That, if not by the blessed Apostles themselves,' as one of yours said, 'yet in
their time, this mystery of iniquity of antichristianism did begin to work.' My asser
tion is, therefore, . . that the apostolical office itself, in its proper and reciprocal acts,
was nothing else but the Episcopal, — I see you startle, and change your com
plexion, — as it is now-a-days exercised in the Church of England I Whether tbe
ordination of that function was John xxi. 15, or xx. 22 ; or as others, more probable,
by these words, 'As my Father sent me, so send I you ;' in the same place, and at the
same time, were ' Bishops' ordained : these are the Apostles' successors in asse et ex
solido, in all things that ever was assentative to their oflice, , . Nothing [is] essential
to that office in constituendo, but the acts of ordination and jurisdiction ; these, the
apostles, as apostles, once had ; and these, by the same right of institution trans
mitted, by the succession of many ages, to the present Bishops ! I see you angry
at this ; stant lumina fiamma. . . You see now I have not troubled your conscience
with Timothy and Titus, — and these shall be still bishops to me, while you prove
tbe circular and monthly changes, — I have derived the original of^ Episcopacy from
the apostles' office, not their authority. . . Thus have I flourished with you : it were
a shame to bestow a blow in earnest upon such a poor smatterer as yourself. 1 have
ever thought it the best refutation of you and of your cause, to lay your foolish ira-
pertinences open to the eye of the world ; then I am assured only those who love
to have their brains suspected would give you the least approbation. You find in
the administration of the Episcopal office ' the perfect image of the Papal Beast,
from horn to hoof!' but stay and take it home to yourselves, who are the only beasts
I know amongst men. . . You are pleased to call the ministers ' a dumb' priesthood,
' a mockery :' what disgrace is this to the Church, to these that have baptism from
her, or do expect salvation in her ? You have, indeed, named them Bald-pates,"
with those ungracious children ; but take your seat for it, in the first psalm, and
there stay for your punishment. . . I think it strange that you, who deny all out
ward calling, except that from the People, should think ' the Curates' none of ' the
ministers of Christ,' in that they 'derive their ministry from the Antichristian
Hierarchy:' if no Orders be necessary, sure a mistake of Orders cannot be much
prejudicial! Hence, let the world judge, how both these malicious factions spend
their fury upon the Church of England. The Papists object, that she bath forfeited
her ordination ; you, that she hath none. But the Papists, they tell us, we are no
church because we want a priesthood ; you, because we have one. They will bear
of none but a monarchical subjection ; you do establish a democracy in the church,
or an anarchy rather. They complain of perjury, because we refuse to maintain
their Orders, — as if who, amongst them, had sworn canonical obedience to a hereti
cal bishop, were obliged to be a heretic : — you, of the want of purity, because we
do not renounce all continuation and Orders ofthe Church. In spight of you both,
she shall still maintain a visible succession in the ministry, from the very apostles'
times. May not the Church of Rome, though in her old age more faulty, give
baptism ; and raay not this warrant the derivation of our Orders from her first and
better times? But I crave yon mercy. Sir; this argument doth not concern you,
who, not after the Church of Rome only, but also in tbe Church of England, do
re-baptize. . . To maintain that every bishop is de jure divino . . is not only to deny
all dependence from Rome, but to give her ber death's wound, by lopping off the
prerogative whereby she subsists ; for by virtue of this, appellations corae to her,
dispensations from ber, exemptions of universities and religious houses — the main
pillars — which, if the Bishops of Europe, by maintaining their office to be de jure
divino, would challenge, as a usurpation, her borrowed feathers might, perhaps,
return home to (he first owners. . . Y'ou mention Dr. Hall and his learned pieces :
" " Saving that they' are not shaven :'' so, Bui ton.

92 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLtS I.
out upon thee for a fool and a babbler ! The works of that reverend, paiaful, and
judicious Bishop, shall be entertained by posterity, with approba,tion and thank
fulness, when tbe better times shall hiss thee and thy associates out of the
Church. The quintessence of you all, do come short to the meanest crotchet of
his learning, judgment, integrity, and eloquence ; nor shall these your calumnies
be aught else to him but 'stigmata Laudis 1' cicatrices, to testify his conscience
and resolution who bad the courage to set his face against you, the Amalekites,
when others turned the back. » For Pocklington, his very citation refutes you :
you say he fails in that he cannot prove ' Rome's succession from Peter ;' and yet
you have said his assertion is, that he proved ' St. Gregory's succession from Peter.'
But I forgive you ; you knew not before, now you read it, that Gregory was
Bishop of Rome! ..^ You are assured that the [Hierarchical] Government is
' protested against :' if such a worm as myself might presume to speak of that
Honourable Judicatory and the ' Protestation' made by it, I might, upon better
grounds, argue that you and your sectaries are within the reach of the same. My
instance shall be in one point — when I might, in a hundred, — that of Magis
tracy : your doctrine concerning it, is point-blank against the doctrine of the
Church of England !.."=
" Hitherto I might have taken you up, by some pains ; but now, you pass all
understanding. Fall you once upon the business of Reformation, you rave per
fectly ; like these lunatics who will, perhaps, speak sense, [but] do they encounter
with the purpose that first chafed them out of their wits, then straight they run
out. Sir, by laughing at you, you have spared me the cost of physio for expelling
melancholy. Your first assertion is that it will be ' impossible to constitute' a
National Church 'agreeable, in all points,' to the 'visible Congregation of Christ!'
Here you no less cross the Consistories than the Bishops, and therefore it shall be
convenient to leave you to their refutation. ^
" It is your brag," that there are 'many thousand saints, whose hearts are per
fect before God.' That is pleasing to you. And shall these ' empty pitchers ;' ' these
factious lights ; these trumpets of discontent, multiplied to make a noise, affright
the kingdom ? I dare say, that if from your party you deduct madmen and fools
— and none of these, are men envied — with such as love, for their own ends, to
fish in your muddy waters, scarce a number, yea, scarce a unity, shall remain.
Though you cry ' The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon,' « as a friend of
yours did, in another kingdom, the Church and State of England will ever have
prudence to detect your stratagems, and courage to ward your blows. . . Now you
speak plain language in persuading a sepiiration : .. it is a strange speech, 'be ye
separate !' You therefore will begin ab ovo, and call together the 'holy' ones:
.. but, how shall, these be discerned? only by the infallibility, and presumed om
niscience, of your spirit, that of ' error,' not that of ' truth !' *> You only know these
'few names ;' and here, you tell us that ' scarce' a number shall be found to make
up these 'holy' [parish] meetings. .. Pray you, spare us the pains of separation ;
separate yourselves for some new colony in Virginia, and trouble not your pates
about impossibilities. Would to God, you would leave us or your madness you,
and then both of us should be at rest ! Now, let the whole world judge, if you
be a fit man to usher in a Reformation ; and thus boldly to thrust your impious
sense upon the ' Protestation' — made by the Most Honourable Parliament, — whose
head is fraught with such whimsies, and who can hear of nothing but the gather
ing of a new Church in this kingdom ! And if we all had made a total 'apostacy'
from the Faith, we should descry you blasphemously, 'as the apostles did when
they came to plant churches in a country where the Gospel had not been formerly
preached :' not your ears, but your neck is in danger for this I '
" But what answer you to the question. If they have not 'received baptism?'
or, 'Are they not Christians ?' Here something sticks in your throat. You ansvver
negatively, by an equipollent metaphor, that ' the lame and blind are not to he
offered up in a sacrifice to the Lord.' Do you thus tempt the patience of the
» Thus might a son write in conjunction with his father : see Milton's Works.
^ Still Burton's position is not shaken ; since neither Gregory nor any subse
quent Bishbp of Rome can be proved truly to have succeeded " Peter.""
f f'A*~^h i ?; ^^; „ ! " ^^•"¦'^ ""'^ ^ f^"". yea, I trust manv, &c."
fJud. vn. 16. =^ Ver. 18. '' 1 John iv. 6. ' P. S3 3i.

CHAP. XXXIX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 93
Prince and people ? Is it nothing for you to object Paganism to them at every
word ? to call them profane, ignorant, unbaptized, unchristian persons ? This
were ititolerable to any free soul ; and must induce all those who have the smallest
affection to generosity and religion, to provide a way how such monsters as your
self may be supprest. You go on, and tell us the ' godly may not communicate
with the profane.' Quo Donate ruis? are not all 'profane' to you, that are good
churchmen and obedient subjects ? . . I see there is a necessity laid upon us, to
search the hearts of men ; to have their breasts made of crystal ; to find out their
very thoughts; else no fellowship, no communion! But if every known sin be
every man's, where is Christ's burden? What difference put you betwixt the
Head and the branch ? Others' uncleanness can no more defile you than your
holiness excuse them : if you be for this ' separation' you must either fly out of
the world, or your flight is in vain. The best metal here hath its dross ; the best
grain its offal ; there is need indeed of a fan, and a furnace, but not that of
yours — destructive ; not purging. Nor stay you here : all are ' dogs' and
' swine' to you, that will not be of your kennel nor wallow in your puddle. . ."
" The Reformation you aim at is straiter laced than either Consistories or Pa
rishes : there is a ' necessity' of ' setting up' other ' Congregations,' besides these !
Here your intent is to have all reduced to families. Old Nab must be your
doctor and pastor : his wife, Tib, your deaconess ; his son, Dick, your ruling-elder ;
and tlie serving-man, Will, your deacon : a pretty church indeed ! and ' where
none are to be admitted, but such as are approved by the whole assembly.' He
and his household ; the supreme and only Congregation upon earth : not any
beyond it in purity, above it in jurisdiction. No more contests now, for Consis
tories, or Parochial Churches! you, for 'the avoiding of profaneness,' have
assigned us a lesser circle ; ipse ratem conto subigit ; all will be well, and you be
at the stern ! Is this your model, your pattern of Reformation ? It is so ridicu
lous, children will point at you and it, in the streets. If not for Christianity, yet
for shame' sake abstain from such motions, for the which the enemies dreaming
you and the Church of England to be concentric, name us no more ' heretics,' but
madmen. Nor are you less dangerous than they. The innocent sheep are no
less terrified by the barking of the dogs within, than by the howling of the wolves
without. My very soul bleedeth, to think what discouragements you give us at
home ; what ignominy, and scandal, and disgrace, you are to us abroad. But you
proceed, and tell us, ' If there must be ' a National Church, let not this exclude
and bar out the free use of Congregations.' Here you play the Libertine : give
you freedom, and you care not what religion is at the next doors. . . This is indeed
the confusion your parity aims at, that every man may do what seemeth him good
in his own eyes. . . You are willing to be daily spectators of the Antichristianism,
and their patron — such is all to you, besides your sanctified Conventicle — ^of a
National Church. 'Order; as they call it!' and how do you? you have no
use, no name for ' order' at all : all besides your humour, though ' prescribed' by
the State, must be ' order, as they call it !' this is your respect to Parliaments !
You are the only mouths, 1 know, of all power and jurisdiction. . .'¦
" You will have us to believe that though you are in, yet you are not of the world.
You, good man! are 'separated from the world in the corruptions thereof :'* whe
ther is this, that you cannot sin, or that you do not sin ? whether boast you here,
of your opinion, _or your practice ? If the first, take it with you; and that of the
apostle, when you say you have not sin, you are liars and the truth is not in you : •=
but if the last, I will tell you, you are now too gross not to be discerned : all your
fig-leaves of Purity and Reformation will not cover your nakedness, violence, re
bellion, deceit, cruelty, dissimulation, wrath, incharity ; in a word, all the titles
that attend you in the first [or title] page are your individual lackies, and, do
your best, will acknowledge no other master. I have known men of honest, civil,
dispositions, ere they joined to your Sect; but then, as if Satan had entered with
the sop, immediately became proud, testy, hollow-hearted, and whose charity dared
not so much as extend itself to the respects of nature or acquaintance: these, in
the children of disobedience, might be accounted sins ; what they are in you, I
know not!..''
" Meantime you bear us in hand, you ' are not separate,' — and woe is me, for
"P. 34.. ''P. 35, 36. "IJolin. i. 8. •' P. 36, 37.

94 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
it,—' from the Civil State, but are peaceable members thereof, subject and obedient
to all goodly and just laws,' how long they may happen to fit your itching hu
mours! Go beyond this train, the ' laws will be neither 'good' nor 'just;' you
must have the power to interpret them, as you have the ' Protestation,' and there
after obey not them but your fancy concerning them. Here you bring in your
'fulminatrix legio,' as if all we were Pagans about you. What your 'prayers'
have ' procured' to us, let these last thundering days witness ; the almost ruin of
a poor Church by your schisms, will testify it to the succeeding ages. The apos-
tie indeed • exhorts' us to pray ' for kings ;' your hearers know how you obey this
exhortation when, by your prayers, you teach them how to suspect their Princes
of lukewarmness and oppression in your wavering petitions to God for their refor
mation, their amendment As Joab did to Amasa, you stab their ' authority;'
their reputation, beneath ' the fifth rib !' . . ' 'To your tents, O Israel : What in
heritance have we in the son of Jesse ?' "> validior est oris quam operis vox. Let
the condition of the times, your defections, your stirs, speak for me the truth of
the matter : if the Parliament should give ear to your desires, royalty might seek
a patron amongst the Nominalists ; you would soon find that burdensome that is
not profitable, and at the last, answer the charges of the Crown with a Quorsum
proditio hcec ! You make too bold with Domitian's example ; blessed be God for
it, we have none such, no edicts come out for 'persecution :' but it is customary
with you, to compare king and people to tyrants and heathen. . . Kings have do
more certainty of your obedience than of your humours ; your mutations, at the
first change of the weathercock — and you are no less moving, — on information
sent you from Amsterdam of a design against the religion, omnia susque deque mis-
centur, all is turned topsy-turvy, . . "=
" Now when you have drained us of all discipline and unity, how proceed you
against the fomentation of envy and faction in the State ? You give a bill of
divorce to all Ecclesiastical, and a seeming power to all Civil laws ; these, say
you, may ' take order with' transgressors, but with the proviso of incorrigibility :
aud can there be any such in your ' exempted Congregations ?' This is either
against your doctrine of admission, or perseverance... That 'old stratagem of
Satan,' you have executed handsomely this year against the Bishops, aud with as
great moderation as he whom you name did, 'Nero.' They, poor men, are byyou
made the gate to disburden the people of their sins. . . You tell us ' the Gospel,'
that Novum Evangelium of yours, ' will kindle coals and stir up debate :' . . see
how you deal with us here ; shall we seem profane to you, you must separate from
us ; shall you be troublesome and contentious to us, we not from you! . . Only
you, whom the Conventicle hath assumed to be of the Faithful, have the liberty of
the Gospel ! . . ''
" For your next doubt, that your 'perfection' will be envied; it is of your own
making. There is none who knows your conversations, can justly charge you
with Popery — That you intend for Heaven by good works ! . . You call your way
of devotion ' Christ's sweetness ;' spare, 1 entreat you, such appropriations ; your
works must not ever pass as the works of God. . . "
" IJ'ow fall you down again upon the Parishes, and maintain a necessity to se
parate your J exempted Congregations' from them : no minister, you say, will be
'so unchristian as to envy' ye this! Pereunt civili vulnere fratres: each of you
hath his sword in his brother's side. When will you agree among yourselves!
It seems you are erecting the Babel you so much talk of, if the confusion of
tongues, hearts, and opinions, be suitable to the work. One calls for an elder,
another brings a widow : one will have a parish, another a family : one for the
Separation, another against it : this man [holds] that the doctor is au office-bear
er ; this, that he is not : he for a deaconess, he against her : one says the doctors
may excommunicate, another contradicts that ; he gives the right of prophesying
to the inspired lay-elder, he denies it ; another denies all chtrrch superiority aud
jurisdiction ; he maintains it in a presbytery ; this man, in a parish : non si lin
gua centum, oraque centum— ferrea vox ; and yet all of these, — mirum dictu!—
leaning to the like immediate, the like infallible, revelation : neither learning,
church, nor fathers, must assist to find out the genuine sense of Scripture con-
" 2 Sam. XX. 10. " 1 Kings xii. 16. c p 37—39
P. 39, 40. "P. SS.-*

CHAP. XXXIX.J RELATING TO INDEPEND^MITS. 93
cerning any of these I The poets tell us that the mistaken history of Babylon
was Qtouax^iV i thia, in a two-fold meaning may be so . . settle the business
among yourselves, and say — you, who maintain the discipline and government of
the church to be so clearly and particularly set down in God's word, — hitherto
shall our proud wits — that cast up dirt and mire continually — come : then it is
possible we may join with you, and that safely too; because you are no more
yourselves if you once but listen to unity and concord. But this were dangerous;
agreement amongst yourselves might, at the last, end in the Monarchical govern
ment of the Church of Rome 1 . . You tell us that your ' Independent Congre
gations' will not plead for ' tithes ;' now you take the title of Independence upon
you, from Church and State ; such is the liberty of your family-meetings. Nor
will you meddle with ' tithes ;' this were — God save us ! — to Judaize. It is your
custom to ingratiate the people to you by preaching sacrilege, rebellion and usury.
King, priest, and people, are too cheap sold for your five-shilling freewill-offering.
Nor shall you thus avoid the reward of Balaam ; your purchase, it may be is as
good as the set rent of others. To live by the chimney-corner, is sometimes as
profitable as to live by the altar ! Twenty or thirty pounds of collection, is a
mean reward for some of your household lectures : even for one exhortation, if
some godly families, about midnight, be pleased to join themselves together. That
piece of Scripture is practically yours indeed, ' Godliness, is great gain.' » Nor
must the good women, — the conceit of whose devotion, is measured by their re
ward, — want their oblation, though they should borrow it from the pockets of their
sleeping husbands, or send their clothes to Long-lane to fetch it ! ' Not many
wise,' you can tell us ; these are likely to detect your knaveries ; but as ' rich'
as may be ; they wiU drop the more oil for your zeal, and you, out of your Chris
tian pity, will adventure to disburden them of part of their goods, that they may
have the more easy passage ' tlirough the needle's eye.' Your small tithes, you
gather them ipsa corpora at your chamber conferences and long feasts, which you
repay with as long graces, praying to the extent of your belly, where not a morsel
may pass your censure if your hand be not in the dish : fastings, unless it be with
the Manichaeans, upon the Lord's day, fall not out, in your calendar, till the 32nd
day of the month ! °
" The ' Parliament,' you tell us, is 'about a Reformation ;' a 'glorious work'
indeed ; God prosper them, and send it us to the rooting out of you and all who
have wrought our unquiet, and troubled the peace of Israel ... But what Reforma
tion do you conceive ? When shall you make a stand ? Must every year produce
you a new religion ? every month a new faith ? Nor shall the Rabbies of the
next moon be content with what you do ; a new inspired-eldership upon a new
pretended Revelation will, perhaps, demolish this platforra. You have indeed
reached home to the first, the Patriarchal ; each of them were priests to them
selves, so you. Thus it was before the Law, before ceremonies were in custom !
and therefore is the only mean for you, who are without all law, to reclaim the
church, your household, from ceremonies. You persuade yourself the Parliament
will remove that ' Government' you name ' Hierarchical ;' and we hope it will
not. . . Those of that Honourable, that Religious Judicature, are lately taught by
your madness, that essentially to change the present state of things, were no less
than present death to the State. . . Then, if that dream, that ' idea' of Plato's were
made real, did you imagine these noble aud conscientious Pilots of this great Body
would resign their present tranquillity for the fancies of your distempered humor
ists 1 . , Go, therefore, with this your conceit, to New England ; there convert the
Americans from Popery ! — every thing beside your own opinion is so to you. We
hope never to see this confusion of government, this parity of beings, this anni
hilation of laws and magistracy, you bring along with you, received with any thing
but laughter and derision, in this kingdom. . . It will be possible to tell you what
Angeli motores, what great Agents have turned the sphere, and racked their heads,
if not their consciences — these, I know they have ; I doubt if those, — to advance
your ends for their own. I speak no mysteries now ; blindness itself hath gotten
eyes to see it. . . Do not you too much rejoice over the — perhaps deserved — afflic
tions of others: if 'judgment begin at the House of God,''' what do you expect.'
The brim of the cup may purge, may refine them: the dregs, plague and confound
• 1 Tim , vi. 6. >> P. 33*— 35. " 1 Pet. iv. 17.

96 V. HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES, L
you... That a. 'National Church' hath 'no pattern,' no direction, 'in the Scrip.
ture,' is false and scandalous ; and because no less repugnant to the position of
Consistories than of Bishops, I leave you to their just censures. If you loved peace
half so well as you pretend to love truth, this expression had never dropped from
your pen. .. You would gladly purge the 'Universities and Schools:' non amo
nimium diUgentes. This vomitive of yours may be the evacuation of their learn
ing and livelihoods. .. For generosity's sake, invade not your enemy [knowledge]
under the cloud, but leave us the title page of two Universities that after ages
may know we had once, religion and civility amongst us ! You come, at the last,
to a strange position, ' It is indifferent' to you, ' whatever Liturgy, or Ceremonies,
or Discipline, are left to accompany this National [Church] Government.' Ia
this you, that told us all these are ' Popish I' It is true you did, but it is the
'Imposition' you only complain of : let you enjoy your ' Christian liberty'-at
home in your parlours; and let Mahometism reign in our cathedrals for you!..
Give freedom to you, you crave no more : it is therefore not the crimes of the
Episcopal office, but because it curbs your passions, your vagaries, that hath stirred
your humour against it. . . *
"You add, that 'a dangerous error' stiffly maintained, is 'liable to excommu
nication.' I am glad you grant a possibility of error ! . . tbe acknowledgment of a
sickness is the first step to health. But how your excommunication 'from other
churches' and your exempted ' Independent Congregations' can be soldered toge
ther, I profess I understand it not : to me, they seem as contradictorious as Inde-
pendent and not Independent. . . In your last words, you seem to cast a smile
upon ' the Civil Power,' aud give a hail to your Master by granting that, in a
reflexive way, it may punish the oversights of the fraternity ; but if hypotheea
impossibilis equipollet simpliciter neganti, this is no grant at all. So you speak of
such crimes as cannot possibly fall upon any of that sanctification ; such as the
' root of apostacy,' and the errors derived from hence : nay, if they did, such faulters
were no more of your society, because you are obliged, in conscience, to separate
from them ! So it is then, that the Magistrate hath not only no power in Eccle
siasticis — this is, to you, directly Antichristianism, — but in Civilibus neither, to
cansure any member of your ' exempted and Independent Congregation.' Tliisia
the Gideon's fleece that must never be of the common dependence and condition
of the rest of the kingdom. ^
" See now what necessity his Sacred Majesty hath — unless hewould sell all his
possessions — to buy your pearls to curb this feaster [ijc] of yours. Do not
flatter yourselves, his Authority and yours cannot breathe under one climate:
your pretended ' freedom' is wholly incompatible with his due obedience, — wit
ness, these sad eclipses, these late storms, these clouds that yet threaten a tem
pest. . . Nor deal you more favourably with Parliaments. How much you regard
the power, the integrity, of that Most Honourable Court, this your discourse can
best give evidence ; if you once carried the business, you have professed it, that
no law, no statute, shall oblige you further than you find convenient to your ' ex
empted Congregation' . . . The spirits of all good men do already groan under
your spiritual democracy ; and do suffer, aforehand, when their tenderness repre
sents to them the rubbish — unless your violence be prevented — of a demolished
Church and State. It is true you are of flint, and the Politicians of the times,
who do use you as their stalking-horse from whence to shoot their prey, abund
antly furnish tinder ;" but our prudent King and most careful Parliament shall
quench your ignis fatuus, and not suffer you to consume us all to ashes. You
have been spared hitherto ; either to try the length of your arm, how far these
your designs would reach, or that the kingdom had not yet collected itself out of
that amazement which, by your sudden irruption as that of many rivers, you had
caused : but it is now high time to throw full buckets of water upon your fiery
heads ; to take the matches from you, and either to send you hence or prescribe
you bounds; lest that the combustible body about you,— all are now of guiipow-
der !— take hold of your sparks and burn up all, to the extermination flrst of order,
then of religion, and last of humanity itself. These are the prayers, and these
the fears, of all them that with more real sighs and groans than you,— to the
hazard of your buttons, employ in charmingof your hearers.-love the prosperity
and long after the peace of Jerusalem !"<^ i r <
• P. 35»-3-8 » P. 38,» 39. c p. 39*-.,rfj?«.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 97
The best authentic reply to the scurrility of the attack upon Burton's religious
and political principles, for the present occasion, is perhaps gathered from " A
most Godly Sermon : Preached at St. Alban's, in Wood Street, on Sunday last,
being the 10th of October, 1641. Showing the Necessity of Self-denial and
Humiliation, by Prayer and Fasting before the Lord ; in regard bf tlie present
plague we now lie under: which God, in his good time remove from araongst us. —
By that faithful Minister and Witness of Jesus Christ, Mr. Henry Burton. — 1641."
4to. pp. [7.]
From the text in Luke ix. 23, " Let him deny himself," Burton deduces three
relations, " a natural, a civil, a sensitive." Ou the second, he founds this doc
trine, "a Christian must 'deny himself in all civil relation; if princes or states
make laws against the law of Christ, against his religion and his pure ordinances,
threatening punishment to those that will not observe them' ; herein a true Chris
tian must ' deny himself' both in matter of terror and in matter of favour. In
matter of terror, whatsoever is threatened against a man — Matt. x. 28 — a Chris
tian may say, I am lower than all the terrors of the world can hurt me ! We
should ' deny' ourselves with Paul, and be ' ready' not only to be bound but to die
for Christ, Acts xxi. 13, Theodorus, a heathen man, was told that he should not
rot above ground ; I care not, saith he, it is all one to me to rot above or under
ground. Thus a Christian should resolve against all fears and terror whatsoever,
for Christ. So for matter of favour, as Polycarpus [who] had great promotion
promised in the time of persecution, answered, ' I have served Christ forty [years,]
and he hath always been a good master to me, and I will not deny Him now :'
this is self-denial. How many have been overcome with these things for want of
[such] self-denial ! Those that are compelled to popery and popish ways, are not
Christ's followers, but the followers of Antichrist.
" Objection : Some may say. What need we to have such a doctrine as this of self-
denial, in respect of civil relation, to be taught us now ? Answer : First, God be
thanked, it is true the storm is over of this oppressing ; yet this doctrine may be
very usefiil for this very season. We are in the expectation of a true Reforma
tion ; and in the very Reformation, self-denial is to be used. Secondly, If some
by Reformation be reformed, and not others ; will they be quiet ? No 1 the nearer
we come to Christ, the more we must look for ' persecution ! ' 2 Tim. iii. 12. Let
us not look for a true, powerful, Reformation of Religion without persecution." •

CHAP. XL.
LETTER TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.  ANSWER.— -T. EDWARDS. 
CHIDLEY.
We are now indeed entered upon that most extraordinary period
when the contest for supremacy actually commenced between the legiti
mate and foster children of a paralytic " Mother." And we are able
to show in what way the, as yet, subdued portion of her offspring dealt,
to^coiu-t and to repress any who threatened to curb their ambition by-
controverting the equity of their pretensions. The annexed Letters
will speak for themselves on this point, and prove beyond dispute, who
appealed for authoritative succour to remove " the yoke of Episcopacy."
" A Letter from some Ministers in England, to the Assembly.''
"Right Reverend and dear Brethren, now convened in this General
A^emhly : — ^We most heartily salute you in the Lord, rejoicing with
you in his unspeakable goodness so miraculously prospering your late
endeiivours, both for the restoring and settling of your own liberties and
" P. 3—5. " In Scotland.
II. H

98 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
privileges in Church and Commonwealth, which we hear and hope He
is now about to accomplish ; as, also, for the occasioning and advancing
the work of Reformation among ourselves ; for which, as we daily bless
the highest Lord, sole Author of all our good, so do we acknowledge
yourselves worthy instruments thereof. And for that, besides all other
respects, we do, and ever shall, by the help of God, hold you dear unto
ns as our own bowels, and ourselves obliged to render unto you all due
correspondence, according to our power, upon all good occasions.
"And now, dear Brethren, forasmuch as the Church of Christ is but
one body, each part whereof cannot but partake in the weal and woe of
the whole, and of each other part ; and these Churches, of England and
Scotland, may seem both to he embarked in the same bottom, to sink
and swim together, and are so near conjoined by many strong ties ;
not only as fellow members under the same Head, Christ, and fellow
subjects under the same King, but also, by such neighbourhood and
vicinity of place that if any evil shall much infest the one, the other
cannot be altogether free ; or if for the present it should, yet, in process
of time, it would sensibly suffer also. And forasmuch as evils are bet
ter remedied in their first beginning than after they have once taken
deep root ; therefore we whose names are here underwritten, in the
behalf of ourselves aud of many others, ministers of the Church of En
gland, are bold to commend to your consideration — being met together
in this venerable Assembly, a difference of great concernment; which
you may please, in brief, thus to understand :
" Almighty God having now, of his infinite goodness, raised up ouv
hopes of removing the yoke of Episcopacy, under which we so long
groaned, sundry other forms of Church Government are, by sundiy sorts
of men, projected to be set up in the room thereof. One of which,
amongst others, is of some Brethren that hold. The whole power of
Church Government, and all acts thereunto appertaining, — as election,
ordination, and deposition of officers ; with admission, excommunica
tion, and absolution of members ; — are, by divine Ordinance in foro
externo, to be decreed by the most voices, in and of every particular
Congregation, which, say they, is the utmost bound of a Particular
Church, endued with power of Goverament ; and only some formali
ties, of solemn execution, to be reserved to the officers, — as servants of
the said Church, — if they have any, or if none, then to be performed
by some other members not in office whom the said Church shall
appoint thereunto. And that every of the said particular Congrega
tions, whether they consist of few or many members, and be furnished
with officers or not, lawfully may, and ought, to transact, detennine,
and execute, all matters pertaining to the government of themselves
amongst and within themselves, without any authoritative — though not
consultatory — concurrence or intei-position of any other persons or
churches whatsoever; condemning all imperative and decisive power of
Classes, or compound Presbyteries and Synods, as a mere usurpation.
" Now because we conceive that your judgment in this case, may con
duce much, by the blessing of God, to the settling of this question
amongst us, therefore we do earnestly entreat the same at your hands ;
and that so much the rather, because we sometimes hear from those of

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 99
the aforesaid judgment, that some famous and eminent Brethren, even
amongst yourselves, do somewhat incline unto an approbation of that
way of govemment. Thus, humbly craving pai'don for our boldness,
leaving the matter to your grave considerations, and expecting answer
at your convenient leisure, we commit you and the success of this your
meeting, to the blessing of the Almighty, in whom we shall ever remain
•^Your faithful Brethren, to serve you in all offices of love. London,
12 July, 1641."
" The Assembly's Answer to the English Ministers' Letter.
" Right Reverend and dearly beloved Brethren in our Lord and com
mon Saviour, Jesus Christ. — ^We, the Ministers and Elders met toge
ther in this National Assembly, were not a little refreshed and comforted
by the good report which we heard of you and others of our Brethren
of the Kirk of England, by some of our Ministers who, by the good
providence of our Lord, had seen your faces and conversed with you :
But now yet more comforted by your Letters which we received, and
which were read in the face of the Assembly, witnessing your Christian
love, and rejoicing with us in God for his great and wonderful work in
the Reformation of this Kirk ; and in the beginning of a blessed Refor
mation amongst yourselves, and that you are so sensible of your com
munion and fellowship with us, as to desire to know our mind and
judgment of that which some Brethren amongst you hold concerning
Kirk-government. " We do, with our hearts, acknowledge and wonder at the great and
unspeakable wisdom, mercy, and power of our God, in restoring unto us
the truth and purity of religion, after many backslidings, and defection of
some in this Kirk ; and desire not only to confess the same before the world,
and all other Christian Kirks, but also do pray for grace to walk worthy
of so wonderful a love. . . We have leamed, by long experience, ever
since the time of Reformation, and specially after the two kingdoms
have been, in the great goodness of God to both, united under one
Head and Monarch, but most of all of late, which is iiot unknown to
you, — what dangers and contagion in matters of Kirk-government, of
divine worship, and of doctrine, may come from the one Kirk to the
other ; which, beside all other reasons, makes us to pray to God, and to
desire you and all that love the honour of Christ and the peace of these
Kirks and kingdoms, heartily to endeavour that there might be in both
Kirks one Confession, one Directory for Public Worship, one Cate
chism, and one Fonn of Kirk-gOvernment. And if the Lord, who hath
done great things for us, shall be pleased to hearken unto our desires,
and to accept of our endeavours, we shall not only have a sure founda
tion for a durable peace, but shall be strong in God against the rising
or spreading of Heresy and Schism amongst ourselves, and of invasion
from foreign enemies.
" Concerning the different Forms of Kirk-government, projected
' by sundry sorts of men,' to be set up in place of Episcopal Hierarchy,
which, we trust, is brought near unto its period ; we must confess that
we are not a little grieved that any godly Ministers and Brethren should
be found who do not agree with other Reformed Kirks in the point of
government as well as in the matter of doctrine and worship ; and, that
H 2

100 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
we want not our own fears that where the hedge -of discipline and govern
ment is different, the doctrine and worship shall not long continue the
same without change : yet, do not marvel much that particular Kirks
and Congregations, which live in such places as that they can, conve
niently, have no dependency upon superior Assemblies, should stand for
a kind of independency and supremacy in themselves ; they not consi
dering that in a nation or kingdom professing the same religion, the
government of the Kirk by compound Presbyteries and Synods is a help
and strength, and not a hindrance or prejudice to particular Congre
gations and Elderships, in all the parts of Kirk-govemment ; and, that
Presbyteries and Synods are not an extrinsical power set over particular
kirks, like unto episcopal dominion ; they being no more to he reputed
extrinsical unto the particular kirks, nor [than] the power of a Parlia
ment or Convention of Estates, where the shires and cities have their
own delegates, is to be held extrinsical to any particular shire or city.
" Our unanimous judgment and uniform practice is that, according
to the order of the Refonned Kirks and the Ordinance of God in his
Word, not only the solemn execution of ecclesiastical power and autho
rity, but the whole acts aud exercise thereof, do properly belong unto
the officers of the Kirk; yet so that, in matters of chiefest importance,
the tacit consent of the congregation be had, before their decrees and
sentences receive final execution : and that the officers of a particular
congregation may not exercise this power independently, but with sub
ordination unto greater Presbyteries and Synods, provincial and na
tional. . . In this form of Kirk-govemment, our unanimity and hai'mony,
by the mercy of God, is so full and perfect that all the members of this
Assembly have declared themselves to be of one heart and of oue soul,
and to be no less persuaded th^it it is of God, than that Episcopal-
government is of men ; resolving, by the grace of God, to hold the same
constantly, all the days of our life ; and heartily wishing that God would
bless all the Christian Kirks, — especially the famous Kirk of England,
unto which, in all other respects, we are so nearly joined, — with this
Divine form of govemment. . . — Subscribed by our Moderator and
Clerk. Edinburgh, 9 Augu.st, 1641.""
From the " Ministers," collectively, we turn to an individual among
them, whose hostility against resistance was alike rancorous and perse
vering, though not successful.
" Reasons against the Independent Govemment of Particular Con
gregations : As also, against the Toleration of such Churches to be
erected in this Kingdom. Together with an Answer to such Reasons
as are commonly alleged for such a Toleration. — Presented, in all Hu
mility, to the Honourable House of Commons, now Assembled in Par-
liament. — By Tho. Edwards, Minister of the Gospel. — 1 Cor. xii. 21.
Rom. xvi. 17. — 1641." 4to. pp. 56.
Reminding " the Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burges
ses," in his lon^ " Epistle Dedicatory," of the effects produced by the
• " A True Copy of the whole printed Acts of the General Assemblies of the
Church of Scotland. Beginning at the Assembly holden at Glasgow the 27th
Nov. 1638, and ending at the Assembly holden at Edinburgh the 6th day of Au
gust 1G49. Printed 1682." 12mo. p. 103, 105.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 101
" Sacramentary Controversy'' at the commencement of the Reformation,
and of that " now, in our days, . . fitly tenned ' the Disciplinary Con
troversy ;' Edwards bursts out, " Oh there is such afire kindled in this
kingdom about these points ! . . It is the duty of all the sons of Sion to
endeavour, in their places, the putting out this fire before it go too far
as by pouring out buckets of tears, etc." He represents that " strong
resolutions" have been "stirred up" in himself to lay out himself " for
the healing of this Schismand quenching this Fire. !" It will be shown
in the course of our labours that no " minister of the Gospel" ever more
completely missed his aim.
" Now the first born of this kind," — of " strong resolutions," we sup
pose he means, — "though- not the first conceived, is this present treatise."
And he strangely excuses his "boldness" towards their " Honours," for
asking them to help him to quench " this Fire," " seeing that by you,
under God, and the King's most excellent majesty, /, and hundreds of
my Brethren, enjoy so great quietness and freedom in our Ministry,
estates, persons, after so great a storm ; and that very worthy deeds are
done both to us and to this nation ; . . and here I offer to you the first
fruits of my labours, as a lasting monument of gi'atitude I" He betrays
however, immediately, forebodings respecting the success of his adven
ture, and calls for a fresh motive for " gratitude" in their " Honours' "
protection ; " That by presenting it to You, both myself and book might
here take sanctuary, and have your protection against the raany calum
nies and reproaches which will be cast upon us from that spirit of Sepa-;
ration ! . . I have long ago given my back to the smiters, and, by the
grace of Christ, hope to bear all calumnies with much quietness of
spirit. . . I therefore present this work to your Honours, and put it under
your shadow, that so your countenance and acceptance of it, according
as you find it, may counterbalance and weigh down with all sorts of
men, the calumnies and censures cast upon it to hinder that good intended
hy it ; and may the more commend the Work lo make it take with many
for their satisfaction !"
It had been prudent if Edwards's " quietness of spirit" had prevented
him from beseeching their "Honours" not to "cast an eye upon the
errors and evils" of Anabaptism, Brownism, etc., " how to hinder their
growth ;" and it was certainly not very seemly in him to bring his patrons
into such neamess or juxtaposition with "the Devil;" who, he tells
their "Honours," "seeing he cannot effect his ends in the fonner ways
he went, will now try others. . . Satan is now transforming himself from
an angel of darkness into an angel of light. . . In a word, plainly to
express my meaning, one extremity hath caused another. "The tyranny
of Episcopal Government in some Bishops, hath brought forth the De
mocracy, and Independency ! The violent pressing of some pretended
Orders," hath set many against all order. And Satan seeing he cannot
do as he did ; the times not favouring those things ; . . he now goes
about by other ways. . . Independency will bring again what now it
would cast out ; namely, libertinism, profaneness, errors : and will, by
some removes, bring many men to be of no reliction at all ! Be pleased,
' Alluding to ' Laud's' .ne-w Canons.

102 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
most worthy Senators, to let me tell you, that the greatest sort of eiTo-
neous spirits with all unstable and wanton-witted men, will be much for
Independent Government, and Tolerations ; and be to their uttermost
against Synods, and settled Government. . . And however in many men
who be princijjal actors in this way of Independency, the dangers and
evils may not so appear for the present, there being many things in most
of the Ministers lovely, which the more commends this way ! . . And,
I humbly crave leave to tell you, that delays, . . will prove very dangerous ;
many falling to that way daily. . . Besides, the Independents lie at the
catch and advantage of delays ; all their hopes and strength standing
in this. That it will be long before there be a Synod ; or before the
Church-government be settled. Hoping that in the interim, .. they
may both gather and increase their churches, and make their party more
considerable; and there is just ground to think, they are not wanting to
endeavour, by some instruments, how to effect it. ' The hand of Joab' '
is sometimes where it is not dreamt of ! . . But it is time for me to take
off my hand, lest the porch be too large for the house "
In a short "Introduction," Edwards writes, "That which first
moved ine to the drawing up of these Reasons, . . was, the credible infor
mation given me of some Petitions, drawn to be presented to the Honour
able House of Commons, '' for a Toleration of some Congregations to
enjoy an Independent Government ; and to be exempt from the Govern
ment which shall be established by Law. . . Considering, how many
there are of that way ; some inhabiting in this Kingdom ; others, who
are come over into England on purpose, being sent as ' messengers of
their churches,' "^ to negociate in that behalf: and, observing, how dili
gently and close they follow it, b}' daily attending at Westminster ; hy
insinuating themselves into the company of sundry Members of the
House of Commons ; by preaching often at Westminster, the more to
ingratiate themselves and their cause : printing, also, their desire of a
Toleration for Independent Government; and that, with casting of dirt
upon the Reformation and Government of this National Church, what
ever it may be, — as witness ' The Protestation Protested,' — I, a Minister
of the Gospel, and a sufferer for it these many years past, . . have
thought it my duty, . . to print these Reasons at this time, that so, when
any of those Petitions come to be propounded in the House of Com
mons, under specious pretences aud fair pretexts, there may hy these
Reasons appear 'a snake under the green grass!' . . My aim therefore,
is, . . to present to the House a Writ of ' Ne admittas,' fetcht out from
the Court of Heaven, and from the Records of the Holy Scripture."
Proceed we in due order, then, to Edwards's eight " Reasons against
Independency." And the first may be gathered from its conclusion:
" The Churches, in the apostles' times, were Churches in Cities ; it being
all one, to say in every city, or in every church ; " which churches also had
good store of preaching ministers amongst them, as appears by Acts,
xiii. 1 ; XX. 36, 37, compared with verse 28. So that in all casesof doctrine
and discipline, having many ministers to resolve and determine matters,
' 2 Sam. xiv. 19.
" On the margin ofthe copy before us, is written, " I was moved in that cause."
" 2 Cor. viii. 23. i Tit. i. 5 ; Acts. xiv. 23.

CHAP. XL.] REL.Vl'ING TO INDEPENDENTS. 103
and to have carried thera with the more gravity and authority ; they
might have subsisted the better Independently : whereas most Par
ticular Congregations now, have but few mhiisters, one or two ; — nay,
according to their principles, there raay be none, nor no officer at all ; —
and yet these Congregations must be Independent, having all power
and government independently, before Officers as well as after."
The second "Reason " is a vague effort to exalt the power of Pres
byterial Ordination ; and, an ignorant assumption of the inability of a
Community of Saints to elect and set apart officers, from among them
selves. The third is alike futile ; resting the necessity of a Court of Appeal
on the precedent of the church at Antioch, Acts xv. ; but forgetting, that
they were not members of that church, who caused the "dissention and
disputation." This was brought about by the intrusion of the "certain
men which came from Judea ; " even " certain which went out" from the
church at Jerusalem and who " troubled them with words, subverting
their souls ! "' How, then, does that precedent establish an authoritative
jurisdiction by the one church, over Christians not of its own vicinity,
sending merely for information conceming a disputed practice of the
other church ? Hence, what is there to debar Independent Churches
from deputing parties to seek an explanation of another similar Church,
concerning such like impertinent intruders ; and from receiving back a
civil apology, even though it be accompanied with a piece of extraneous
advice ? Besides, this alleged precedent makes against its adducers,
since it does not appear that the church in Antioch commissioned its
messengers to unite in any act of discipline against those who " went
out" from the church at Jerusalem !
Edwards's fourth " Reason," on behalf of Synods being concordant
with reason and with " the law of nature," makes no better progi-ess ;
for as there was nothing to prevent them formerly, so has not experience
shown since, that Independent Churches combine when their interests
are sufficiently concemed P
AKke feeble is the argumentation in the fifth " Reason," abounding
as it does in assumptions, and in mis-matching the premises and con
clusion : ' Now if ' the spirits of the prophets' '' in a particular congre
gation, must be ' subject' to the censure of the rest in that church ; then,
hy way of equity and analogy, they are to be subjected to a greater com
pany, namely, to the judgment of all the prophets in a province, or
nation ! "
His negative argument, in the sixth "Reason," that Synods are
"nowhere forbidden by God, in the New Testament," may be safely
conceded. ¦The .seventh "Reason" is founded on the admission that "this con
sociation and combination by way of Synods is granted by themselves
as lawful and expedient in sundry cases and particulars;" whence he
would have Independents conclude with himself " that the judging and
determining of Censures, and the imposition of Orders and Decrees,
may he warrantable. I"
But the eighth "Reason" is truly the climax of all that is uureason-
' Acts xv. 24. b 1 Cor. xiv. 32.

104 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
able : Officers and churches may excommunicate from their own bodies
lawfully, ergo " then they may excommunicate member's of other con
gregations ! "
Now for the peroration : " Many other Reasons against Independency,
I could subjoin to these ; as that it overthrows communion of Saints !
as the impossibility of this Government to any Christian Common
wealth or Nation ; etc. ! Besides, the taking of all their evasions to
these Reasons, which I easily know and foresee ; as also, an answer to
all their arguments and reasons for Independency : But intending this
only for a light skinnish, before I draw up my forces to the main bat
tle ; and sending this forth but as a scout, to discover the strength or
•weakness of the other side ; I will add no more, only that I do not fear
but that these few soldiers will be able to retum again alive and un
wounded ; and be able to do more service when they shall be joined
with others and fonned into battalio !'' Admirable composer of differ
ences ; and worthy deviser of a most sure expedient " for the healing of
this Schism, and quenching this Fire. I"
Concerning the second part of this treatise by Edwards, The Reasons
against a Toleration ; we should let it remain in that entire oblivion
into which common sense and the Laws of the Land have inevitably
sunk it, were we not, from our undertaking, compelled to show the spirit
which they vtho advocate a State Religion, of any kind, have been driven
to exemplify.Edwards puts the question here, " Is it fitting that well meaning
Christians should he suffered to go and make churches, and then pro
ceed to choose whom they will for Ministers ; as some tailor, felt-maker,
button-maker, — men ignorant and low in parts ; by whom they shall be
led into sin and en-ors, and to forsake the public assemblies where they
may enjoy worthy and precious Pastors after God's own heart, who
would feed them with knowledge and understanding ?' * If once there be
a Toleration of churches, it will be thus ; but if they be hindered of all
meetings, this would be prevented. !" •> Whatever regrets may be justly
indulged and expressed lest " well meaning Christians" should be mis
guided ; it is equally a cause of regi-et, that any Christian who has ac
quired that learning which a " tailor, felt-maker," or "button maker,"
may be supposed not to possess, should be so unenlightened withal as
to strive to interpose human authority in matters of combined Worship
where the Divine Master has proclaimed that He will, without limita
tion, condescend to preside " in the midst" of any " two or three" where
or wheresoever " on earth" they shall be gathered together in his
" Name." " We accept Edwards's testimony, that " many of the People,
who yet be not in this Church-way for their practice, are yet much
possessed with these principles of the Independent way, as the only
way of God, and are much looking towards it." ''
He affii-ms that " Toleration will not only breed divisions and schisms,
disturbing the peace and quiet of churches and towns ; . . but disturbance,
discontent, and divisions in the same families :" ^ and he represents " some"
of the Independents as holding " that saints when they die, go not to
heaven where Christ is, but they go to a third place ;" and that they
* Jer. iii. 15. *> P- 23. ' Matt, xviii. 19, 20. << P. 24. e p. oe.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 105
practise " the sitting with their hats on at the receiving of the Lord's
Supper."^ If Toleration be gi-anted, he continues, " the most eminent
ministers in this kingdom for parts, grace, and labours," meaning those
of his own sect, the Presbyterians, will " have little assurance of the
continuance of their flocks to them." Vt'e may imagine with what a heavy
heart he tells "their Honours" " We see within this nine months, though
there be no Toleration for their way ; yet, having not been looked after, how
are they increased and multiplied ! " '' Referring to what was the state of
affairs under the Episcopalians, he proceeds thus ; " In many, if not in
most towns and parishes, it cannot be helped but that there are and will
be for many years, men of no great popular gifts for preaching ; who
also according to their principles not having been brought up to it, can
not so combine with their people ; now, many that live in these
parishes, . . upon the news of a 'Toleration, will, for the benefit of more
powerful, practical, and zealous preaching, betake themselves to go to
their [Independent] churches; which liberty they cannot have in the
churches established, for the Law, it is likely, will provide for men to
keep to their own ministers where there is sufficient preaching ; — and
so will fall to their principles ; and so we shall have upon this ground
swarms of them." ¦=
So conformable is Edwards, that he wilfully confounds the spiritual
policy of a church whose only Head is Christ, with the temporal policy
and civil supremacy of the chief magistrate ; '' not choosing at this
time to remember, that our Lord himself has taught us to make a dis
tinction between " the things" of Csesar and " the things" of God ; ^
and, notwithstanding, also, the practices recorded in the Acts of the
Apostles for our instruction. He adduces the example of New Eng
land, and of some chiu'ches at home ; ' overlooking that the fonner
erred from a partial recoil of what some in Lancashire, who might
favour Edwards's anti-toleration principles, and who, provided they did
not succeed in procuring themselves to be the established party at
home were anticipating a sojourn in America, would convey thither
also the residuum of their noxious principles ; and not noticing even
the absurdity of his own allegation, that " the Godliest Christians," as
he calls them, who would neither "enter into Covenant, profess their
faith, nor submit to their chui'ch orders," should be anti-tolerant indeed
to claim to be received of any church, at home or abroad !
That " all the rigid ' Brownists' of the kingdom," and all " other
sectaries,'' as being " persuaded" that the Presbyterians " are no true
church," may move for Toleration upon " better grounds'' than " these
semi-separatists," e meaning the Independents ; while it shows that
Edwards knew when to make a distinction, which he finds it convenient
to overlook at other times, adds no weight to his reasoning. Of what
value that is, may be inferred from his representing a collection of _
saints who had separated themselves from the world into the fellowship
of the Gospel, as making way for all manner of evils, because some
three or four of them may, when offended, withdraw, " and be a
church." '' And his queries respecting the limitation of the number of
« p. 27. " P. 28. "^ P. 29. ^ p. 30.
< Matt. xxii. 21. ' P. 32. « P. 33. >> P. 34.

106 HISTORICAL MEMOKIALS [CHARLES I.
churches to be tolerated, if conceded, with the difficulty likely to ensue
after a division shall have occurred, to decide which section " is the
church allowed of by the state," " serve only to show now-a-days what
kind of perplexities were matter of grave consideration to our an-
CGStors. Having advanced his own several Reasons, Edwards comes to " an
swer" five or six " that be commonly alleged by them for their Tolera
tion." We desist from accompanying him throughout, because the
events of time have produced the best possible answer, in the success of
the principles of Toleration, and in the vast multiplication of Inde
pendent churches ; accompanied by the very result Edwards dreaded
so much, the almost utter extinction in England of the Presbyterial
Discipline, so earnestly and bitteriy contended to be that which is pre
eminently jure divino !
" Some of your Ministers, at first coining over, said, as I have heen
told from gooii hands. They could take the charge of Parochial churches
amongst us upon the Reformation hoped for ; and. They could yield
to Presbyterial government, by Classes and Synods, so not enjoined to
submit to it as jure divino : ^ but since they have gotten some more
hopes, I know not upon what grounds, they are now very hot for a
Toleration, and will not hear of growing into one body with us." ¦=
This proves that the Independents were considerate and cautious ; and
they would doubtless be disposed to smile at Edwards's betrayal of his
simplicity where he demands, " Why can you not bear with some
defects in our churches, and be content to wait some years, till God
either give you light to see your mistakes, or else till we have more
light to perfect what is wanting ?" "^
Iri another place, Edwards could hide his spleen no longer, but gave
vent to the following characteristic passage : " They may draw away
many good people ; especially if the ceremonies and the liturgy stand
in full force, and their churches tolerated, they will make brave work in
a short time. Though I am confident God will preserve many judici
ous advised Christians from their way, notwithstanding. But let there
be no Toleration granted, and they once well shipt ! and a Reformation
amongst us in Government and Ministers, that fear is over with me !
We fear it not, that many will follow them ; for when that which first
bred these men, the violent pressing of ceremonies, the casting out of
good ministers, the many notorious persons suffered in the church [of
England] without all censure, shall be removed, many will not be
bred, and others will be satisfied; and I doubt it not, but that the
godly and painful ministers of the [Presbyterian] Church of England
may, and will, both out-preach them and out-live them ; and may be
compared with them for all excellencies and abilities. For my part,
I shall speak as I find ; — I knew many of them long before they fell to
this way, and know them since, and have not seen any of them better,
"P. 35.
b " The ' divine right' of Episcopacy was then valiantly asserted, when he who
would have been respondent must have bethought himself withal how he could re
fute the Clink br the Gatehouse [prisons.]" Milton's Apology for Smectyranuus.
Sect. ii. fin. Might not the same be said nomine mutato, against the Party for whom
Edwards is pleading ? "^ P. 39. d p. 41.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 107
or more profitable in life and ministry, for their change. Only this
I am sure of, for some of them, whereas whilst of the Church of Eng
land they preacht often, now seldomer ; they go looser in their apparel
and hair ; they take less care for the public in things that concern the
glory of God and salvation of men's souls ; their principles and spirits
grow very narrow like their churches ; they gTow more strange,
reserved, subtile ; in a word, they mind little else but the propagation
of their Independent way, as ' the Protestation Protested' witnesseth
abundantly.* And I shall speak my conscience ; from the experience
I have had of many of them, having studied and observed them and
their writings, and never saw nor heard of any man who fell fully to that
way that ever had so large a spirit for good afterwards, to take that
care of propagating the Gospel, and preaching the word to men with
out ; I never knew any man that ever God honoured so much after he
fell to those principles as before. Though the same persons before
have been active for God, doing famously and worthily, yet when they
fall to this way, they either blemish themselves, or do little. And the
truth is, those principles of separation be such as God did never honour
much the men who hold them. Look, what is said by thein of Epis
copacy, ' That the very calling of it hath such a malignity in it that it
hurtg the best men that are placed in those chairs ;' that, I may say
truly of this way. There is a malignity cleaves to it ; bulling the men
that fall to it, by altering their spirits and contracting their hearts :
though many of them continue good in the main !" •>
" And thus I have delivered my own soul ; hoping that either our
Brethren will withdraw their Petitions, so as they shall never be read
in the Honourable House of Commons ; or if they should, I hope the
House will cast them out;"^ for I am persuaded it shall never be said
of this Parliament in the ages to come, that they were the first that
opened a door for Tolerations, and for setting up of churches against
the Church ; which, if ever that door should be opened, which God of
his infinite mercy keep shut, I leave it to their great wisdoms to foresee
what infinite evils would, in process of time, come upon this king
dom." **
The above passage commences his last paragraph ; we are now
arrived at its termination : " The day is shortly coming that will try
all; and I rejoice in the thoughts of it, in regard of the accounts I shall
give about this controversy of Separation. Nothing doubting, but that
in that great day, Christ, of his rich grace pardoning my weaknesses
that have, may, and do, cleave to me in the manner of managing it,
will own my whole work and endeavours against that way of Separa-
' " ' And whatever liturgy, or ceremonies, or discipline, are left to accompany
this National Church Government, it is indifferent with us, so as we may enjoy our
Christian liberty in the true use of such Ordinances, and of such Independent
Government as Christ tbe only Lawgiver of bis Church, and Lord of the conscience,
hath left unto us in bis Word.' "
" P. 48.
" On the margin is written, in tbe same hand as before, see back, p. 102, b., " Tbe
votes against that book discouraged Petitions of this Kind ; for all the industry that
they used could not save that book ' Tbe Protestation Protested.' "
" P. 55.

]08 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cH A RLES J.
tion, as stirred up by his own Spirit; and followed all along by his
Spirit enabling me in it, and to it, above my own strength. And.
though I expect many censures and reproaches from that sort of men,
vet then I shall have praise with God, and the reward of all my labour
for truth, love, peace, and holiness, which I aim at in this and all other
Discourses about this controversy."
Some insight has just been given into the incipient productions of
one who styled himself a " minister of the Gospel," but of whom it is no
misrepresentation to declare that his mind and his pen overflowed with
" the gall of bitterness." " Proud, wrathful, and implacable, he has also
obtained an inglorious immortality from Milton's compellation of
" shallow" Edwards ! We shall be constrained to bring him before the
reader in our subsequent pages ; in the present, we record " The Jus
tification of the Independent Churches of Christ. Being an Answer
to Mr. Edwards his Book, which he hath written against the Govern
ment of Christ's Church, and Toleration of Christ's Public Worship:
Briefly declaring. That the Congregations of the Saints ought not to
have Dependency in Government upon any other, or Direction in
Worship from any other, than Christ, their Head and Law-Giver.
By Katherine Chidley. 1 Sam. xvii. 45. Judges iv. 21. 1641."
4to. pp. 81.
Of all divines then living, none would, perhaps, have so contemned,
as Edwards, the very idea of being encountered in print by a woraan.
And mortifying indeed must it have been to him to be divested of his
imagined supremacy, and reduced to the base level of one of those on
whom he had bestowed his gratuitous vituperation.'' " Though Mr.
Edwards boasts himself here, to be a minister of the Gospel, and a
sufferer for it, yet," says his feminine antagonist, " I challenge him to
prove unto me, that he hath any calling or ordination to the ministry
but that which he hath successively from Rome ! If he lay claim to
that, he is one of the Pope's household : but if he deny that calling,
then is he as void of a calling to the work of the ministry, and as void
of ordination, as any of those ministers whom he calleth ' Independent
men,' which have cast off the ordination of the Prelates ; and conse
quently as void of ordination as a mechanical tradesman !" '^ This
must have been a real discomfiter at the outset. And notwithstanding
Edwards had, as we have seen,"* put himself fully en order de battaille,
no sooner does his present opponent fairly meet him than she accosts
him : " Mr. Edwards, — understanding that you are a mighty champion,
and now mustering up your mighty forces, as you say ; and I, appre
hending they must come against the host of Israel, and hearing the
armies of the Living God so defied by you, could not be withheld, but
that I, instead of a better, must needs give you the meeting." '
She then falls upon his first two " Reasons," and having finished
them, makes proclamation, " The greatest champions which you have
sent out in this skirmish, are now both slain ; . . for they were made
most of suppositions, and of things that appeared unto you by like
lihood ; without any ground from the Scriptures... Now these two
• Acts viii. 23. 1= See back p. 104. <= " Answer to his Introduction."
'' See back, p. 104. ' P. 1.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 109
being thus turned aside by one of the meanest of all the ai-niy of Jesus
Christ, you may justly fear that all the rest of your soldiers will run
away wounded !"^
On part of the third " Reason,'' she reminds her opponent, " Whereas
you affirm. That the church of Antioch, Acts xv. 'judged it unequal' to
decide the case among themselves : . . this chapter, above all the chap
ters that I can find, proves Independency, upon your own ground.
That the church of Antioch judged it an ' unequal' thing for them to
judge the members of the church of Jerusalem ! And by this, you may
perceive how you have erred, not knowing the Scriptures ; or else you
have done worse, in labouring to darken the truth hy evasions, or false
glosses." •"
She proceeds, under the fourth " Reason ;" " That the Government
of Independent churches ' is against the light of nature' and ' right
reason ;' this I have denied and disproved sufficiently already." •=
At the fifth, she remarks that, " In the particular congregation of
Colosse, Paul beheld a comely ' order,' notwithstanding there were no
Synod consisting of any but only the members and ministers of that
congregation. . .'' Now, if you can show us in the Scriptures any gene
ral command, That all the churches should ; or any example. That all
the churches did, gather a Council of some ministers out of every par
ticular congregation, to make Decrees or Laws to impose upon the
whole ; then you will speak something to the purpose ; but as yet, you
have not spoken one word that proveth any such thing. And whereas
you allege that Scripture that ' The spirits of the prophets' must be
' subject to the prophets ;' " 1 answer, "That that is -given to particular
congregations, and therefore not to all in a province or nation, and so
not to Synods. . . The church of Jerusalem did nothing without the
counsel of the Spirit ; neither determined of anything that was not
written in the Scripture. So the churches of God now ought to pre
sume to do nothing but what the written Word allows them ; being
taught the true meaning thereof by the Spirit that God hath given
them."' " In your sixth Reason, you affirm. That ' the Government of tbe
church by Synods, is nowhere forbidden by God in the New Testa
ment, either directly or by consequence.' But I do affirm the contrary,
and prove it thus ; That whatsoever Govei-nment is not commanded by
God is accursed ; and that is plainly manifested in the New Testament,
Rev. xxii. 18. But your Govemment by Synods is not commanded
by God, and therefore it is accursed." «
On the seventh " Reason," she answers, " Though all should confess.
That it is profitable to have the counsels of their brethren, and neigh-
hour churches, in doubtful cases, yet this will be far from proving the
lawfulness of your Synods." ^
Having said, in his eighth " Reason," That this " Government of
Independency, overthroweth the Communion of Saints," Edwards is
met thus ; " This appears to be contrary, by that which hath been said
already : as for example, the difference between the church of Antioch
* P. 9. •> P. 10. ¦¦ P. 12. ^ Col. ii. 3.
' 1 Cor. xiv. .12. fp. 12— 14. s P. 15. " P. 17.

110 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
and the church of Jerusalem turned to good, because they undertook
not the authority to determine the case themselves, as hath been said ;
because it was against the members of the church of Jerusalem. And,
this increased union and communion in both churches, as we may
plainly see ; for Peter communicated unto them what God had revealed
unto him ; and Paul and Barnabas declared what God had done by
them: James calls them back to consider what Peter had declared;
and backs it with the Scripture, manifesting how it agreed with the
words of the prophets, as you may read at large in Acts xv. Thus you
may see what sweet Communion was between these churches that were
both Independent! Now, whereas you say, it [this Independent Go
vernment] 'cannot he in a Christian Cominonwealth or Nation;' I do
affirm it may stand with Christ's Church in a Commonwealth; as may
plainly appear in the first three chapters of the Revelation, which tes
tify that there were ' seven churches in Asia ;' and these seven churches
were compared to ' seven golden candlesticks,' " and every candlestick
stood by itself and held forth her own light; as a]ipears by those
several messages which were sent to those ' seven churches.' For had
they had a dependency one upon another in respect of power, then one
message would have served unto them all ; and what sin any of the
' churches,' or ' angels,' were guilty of, would have been laid unto the
charge of all the churches and angels ; but we see it was otherwise. As
for instance, there was none charged for suffering the woman Jezebel
to teach the people ' to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed
to idols,' but the angel of Thyatira ; ^ by this, you may plainly see
there was not one angel set over them all ; nor one Synod appointed
to judge and correct them all ; which is the thing you labour for ! Yet
it cannot be said, that the Independency of these seven churches hin
dered their Communion either with Christ their Head, or one with
another; neither was it any disturbance to the Commonwealth, or
Nation, wherein they lived. And here, you cannot say, that I have
evaded, but have answered you directly, to these your doubts and
suppositions ; and to many of your ' ifs' which have been your spies
sent out in this scout. And moreover, I will answer all your many
' Reasons' as I come to them ; though they be joined in battle with
these !" ¦=
" Now 1 have proved the Indejjendent Government to be Chiist's
Government : I will also prove, in 1113' answers to these your following
Reasons, That the Independent Congregations perfonn Christ's Public
V^^orship, aud therefore ought to be tolerated, and maintained in the
practice thereof."''
To Edwards's question respecting "well-meaning Christians" making
churches,^ the answer is prompt; "It is fitting, .. if they are well-
meaning Christians; hut ill-meaning Priests are' very unfit to make
churches, because what they build up with one hand, thev pull down
with the other 1"^
To his exclamation, under this third Reason, " Oh, how will this
[toleration] take away that power and authority which God hath given
•Rev. i. 20. l" Rev. ii. IS. "^ P. 19. "i P 20
= See back, p. 104. ' P. 22.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. Ill
to husbands, fathers, and masters, over wives, children, and servants!"
the answer is, "Oh, that you would con.sider the text in I Cor. vii.
which plainly declares that the wife may be a believer and the husband
au unbeliever ! But if you have considered this text, I pray you tell
me. What ' authority' this unbelieving husband hath over the conscience
of his believing wife ? It is true he hath authority over her in bodily
and civil respects, but not to be a lord over her conscience. And the
like may be said of fathers and masters. . . It is granted that the king
hath ' power,' according to the law, over the bodies, goods, and lives, of
all his subjects; yet it is Christ, the King of kings, that reigneth over
their consciences And thus you may see, it [toleration] taketh away
no 'authority which God hath given' to them. . . The Court of Parlia
ment, to whom you submit for judgment, may easily see that good
members both for churches and commonwealths, may issue out of such
families that live under Christ's Government; and that such families
may he good nurseries both for church and commonwealth." "
To where Edwards represents some of the Independents as holding
the doctrine of an intennediate state, he receives the rebuff, " This is a
question I never heard amongst the Separatists, or any of those whom
you call ' Independent men.' " And respecting wearing hats at the
Lord's Supper, the reply is, " It may be as lawful for one man to sit
covered, and another uncovered, as it may he lawful, for one man to
receive it sitting, and another lying in bed : ' hut if any man list to be
contentious, the churches of God have no such custom.' " '' Again; to
where he expresses his dread, that on Toleration being granted, the
Independents will increase " even to thirty-fold," his opponent retorts,
" Truly I think you are afraid, as Pharaoh was, lest the Lord's people
should grow mightier than you !" "^ — " You seem to imply, that they
should ' ask leave of the magistrate, to gather and combine themselves
into visible churches.' I answer, I do not read that any ever asked
leave of the Magistrate for such a thing ; nor to perforin any of the parts
of God's Worship or Discipline. And yet you confess that these
' Independent men' do petition to the Parliament for liberty. Now,
I pray you, Mr. Edwards, would you have magistrates, and kings and
pi-inces, to have more power over their subjects than over their bodies,
estates, and lives P Would you have them be lords over their consci
ences !* I pray you, where must Christ reign then ? Must He sit at
the Magistrate's footstool, and take what power the Magistrate will
give him, — I mean, spiritual power, ofgathering and making churches, —
and such laws as the Magistrate will give Him leave to have to rule
over them by ? Here you thrust Christ into a narrow corner ; for you
would fain force him to give his 'glory' to some other, and his 'praise'
to some graven image of your own devising, which He hath said he
will not do."". . You say, 'the oath of supremacy was appointed by law
for Ecclesiastical persons to take.' Methinks that was a good consi
deration, for 'Ecclesiastical persons' have been, in all ages, ready to
tyrannize over kings and eraperors !" *
"You say, 'you would rather pray against Toleration than prophesy
of the woeful effects of it.' I answer, If you can make such a prayer
' P. 26. l* 1 Cor. xi. 10. ' p. 28. " Isai. xiii. 8. ' P. 29.

112 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
in a time acceptable, then sometimes such prayers will be accepted
which are not grounded upon God's Word !" "
The passage about to be quoted, is of immense importance, throwing
as it does a blaze of light upon conduct and transactions which have
seemed to be inscrutable and altogether irreconcilable with principle
and profession. "You affirm that 'these Independent men, where
they have power, as in New England, will not tolerate any churches
or Government, *> but in their own way.' In using the word ' these,'
you carry the matter so darkly, that I know not whom you mean, for you
have named none. But you seem to say, they be men that ' have power'
in New England. — I answer, Indeed it may happen to be so ; that there
may be some liien there that take upon them authority to bind men's
consciences, as you and all your fellows do here. But if it have been
so, I think it was because they had, here in England, taken upon them
an Oath of Conformity ; as you have sometimes done ; and, because
the tyranny of the Prelates was so mighty against all good men, that they
were fain to go away privately, and so had not time or opportunity
publicly to disclaim this their Oath. And then, there might be fear,
that upon complaint made for disorder committed there, in suffering the
liberty of the Gospel there ; which could not be admitted here ; they
might have been sent for back by their Ordinaries, and so have been
committed to some stinking prison here in London, there to have
been murdered, as divers of the Lord's people have been of these late
years, as I am able to prove of my own knowledge. And if they have
banished any out of their Patents that were neither disturbers of the
peace of the land, nor the worship practised in the land, I am persuaded
it was their weakness ; and I hope they will never attempt to do the like.
But I am still persuaded they did it upon the same ground, that having
knowledge in themselves that their former Oath might be a snare unto
them if they did not hold still some correspondency with the practice of
England, even till God should open a way or means for them to seek
free liberty for all by the approbation of Authority." "^
We feel that we are putting a considerable degree of restraint upon
our inclinations to produce a large quantity of useful argumentative
matter from the Tract before us ; but a necessity is upon ns stronger
than our will, and acting according to it we pass to the place where
Edwards is thus addressed ; "You have spoken much for Dependency;
but upon whom you depend I cannot tell. . . If you say that you have
dependency upon the Church of Rome, I do believe you ; for the
Bishop of Canterbury hath said so much in his book, where he confes
seth Rome to be as leprous Naaman, and England to be the same
Naaman cleansed !" ''
" But further, you add, ' That they,' the French and Dutch Churches
permitted in London, . . ' maintain all their own poor.' Methinks,
Mr. Edwards, there should be much more reason that the English
Protestants, or Separates, should be tolerated for the same cause ; for
they ' maintain all their own Poor' also. And furthermore, they main-
' P. 34.
b Edwards's words arc, " will not give a toleration 'for any other Ecclesiastical
Government or Churches." " P. 34. ^ Luke iv. 27. P. 39.

CHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDEN'fS. 113
tain the Poor of the Church of England ! . . They also pay their money
for the maintenance of the ' Visited Houses' in the parishes where they
dwell. Nay, furthermore, they pay also their money for the main
tenance of the Priests of England, the more is the pity ! And so I fear
the French and Dutch do also. . . And this is well known to all land
lords that do let their houses ; for if they know them to be Separates,
and that they will not have to do with the Priests in the payment of that
they call ' dues,' they make their tenant pay the more rent, for if the
tenant will not, the landlord must. And by this you see their burdens
are double to other men's."*
" I confess that Toleration would be neither riches nor strength to
the Priests, for it is sore against the people's will that they pay them
any thing now ; and it will be no wonder when it shall be made to
appear what the Priests' wages is." ''
" Your words imply that so long as a man is not put upon the prac
tice of that which is unlawful, he may bear ! I tell you again, that your
whole manner [of worship] is 'unlawful;' and therefore all the Lord's
people as they desire to he blessed, and to be found walking in God's
ways, have cause to separate from your Church, and to practise God's
ordinances among themselves, as well as they who are separated already ;
which you here call ' Brownists.' " "^
" You say, you would have them ' bear with the defects in your
Church, and wait till God give you more light.' I answer, I know
none that interrupteth you, for we will neither meddle with your 'idols,'
nor with your ' gods,' if you would but suffer us to worship our God
after the way that you call ' heresy.' '' ¦*
" No man can live in this land and enjoy his lands and liberty, hut
he shall be forced to worship according to the custom of the nation.
Nay, children that be but sixteen years of age, though ignorant, and
scandalous in their lives, are forced to receive the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper, though it be to their utter condemnation," "
" You might have spared your care taken to show ' a way for main
tenance' for those among us that 'are scholars bred ;' for if you can
find no better ' maintenance' for them, than to come and be Lecturers
amongst you, as you would have them, ^ and to live in hope of the
' gifts of the dead ;' that is no good provision. For, for want of those
shoes raen may go long barefooted, seeing they cannot, by your own
confession, do that of conscience till there be a Reformation. But you
might rather have persuaded your Parish Priests to have bequeathed
some of their large revenues unto thera ; for whether they have Par
sonage or Vicarage, their ' Pole-raoney' comes in so thick to them and
their followers, that it would make any sober minded man or woman to
wonder how they can consume it. For, besides their ordinary tithes
or maintenance, which is the principal, they have many other ' petty
dues' which they require of every one of the king's subjects ; and they
are not so reasonable as his Majesty, which is contented with ' Pole-
money' from his subjects from sixteen years old and upward ; but they
« p. 43. " P. 46. '^ P. 51.
" Acts xxiv. 14. p. 52. « P. 54. ' Edwards, p. 44.
II. I

114 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
will have a share out of him that is bom without life ! For if a dead
child be bom into the world, they will be paid for reading a dirge over
it hefore it shall be laid in the earth ; and they will be apt to infer that
' their dear brother' is departed in the faith, though it be the child of
thieves and murderers and the like. Further, they will yet have an
other patrimony for the birth of that child ; for before the mother dare
go abroad, she must have their 'blessing,' that the ' sun shall not smite
her by day, nor the moon by night ;' for which blessing of theirs, they
must have an ' offering.' " "
" And these men be not content to take money where there is money,
as the king is, but they will have these, which they call ' dues' of him
that liveth of the very alms of the parish ; whereas the king taketh not
a penny of any that receive alms ! Then, if we consider their exac
tion, how they oppress the people by their cruel forcing of them to pay
so much as they demand ; though it be contrary to all law or equity ;
it will cause us to wonder at the hardness of their hearts, for rather than
they will abate anything of what they demand, they will force poor
people even to pawn their clothes. For I am able to prove that they
do demand of poor people before they can have a child that is but four
teen or fifteen years of age buried in one of the out-churchyards of the
great parishes ; which land is the free gift of the dead, for the help ofthe
Poor, even as Cripplegate new Churchyard, or Aldgate's ; Rosemary
Lane, or Whitechapel, Mile-end Green, or others the like; before, I say,
they can have such a child buried there, it will cost the poorest parent
seven or eight shillings ! . . Nay, when any poor man bringeth out of
the remote places of the city, any corpse to Bedlam, which is the cheapest
place that I know, yet when all things else are discharged, even as
bearers' wages, grave-digger's wages, and the ground paid for also, yet
they must be constrained to have a twelve-penny Priest to say some
thing over the gi-ave, and he will grudge if he have not more than a
shilling, though he say but a few words without the book, when, per
haps, all the people that he left alive in the family be not worth a
shilling." •>
" Furthermore, if any poor man have a necessity to work upon one
of their Saints'-days, then Mr Paritor must come and have a groat fot
citing him to the Court ; but if he appear not, he must be 'presented,'
and for not paying fees he shall be excommunicated, and he shall never
be ' blessed' in again ; but though he be the poorest man in the kingdom,
the price of this ' blessing' will be a noble at the least. But if he hap
pen to die an excommunicate ; then his friends must give money to
absolve him after he is dead, or else he shall not be buried in the ' con
secrated' earth : but if his friends will go to the Office and give but a
matter of five pounds for his ' absolution' after he is dead, then he shall
be buried in the ' consecrated ground,' and they will also affirm he died
m the ' faith of Christ ;' yea, though he were excommunicated for noto
rious sin, and lived and died obstinately in it." <=
" It is a plain case, therefore, that these men are a greater plague to
this land than the natural locusts of Egypt, for they ate up the green

» P. 56, 57. f p. 57.

¦ P. 58.

jCHAP. XL.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 115
things," but these eat up both green and dry. Nay, further, I con
ceive they are raore prejudicial to the Commonwealth than the frogs
that came up upon the land of Egypt, for they entered into the ' oven,'
and into the ' kneading-trough ;' and we read not that they ascended
higher than the king's ' bed,' and into the beds of his ' servants ;' '' but
the.oe are exalted above the chimney-tops to catch a ' smoke-penny' from
every poor raan's house !"
" Thus you .see the mighty revenues of the Priests. If I had but
time to tell you of the things which I know, even of the extent of their
revenues ; which is gained unto the generality of Priests by granting of
licences to midwives, and to schoolmasters ; with divers of their own
officers, such as Paritors, Suraners, " and Pursuivants, with a number of
that rank which have strange names that I know not; it would, as I said
before, make all men wonder how it is devoured. For they must be
freed from all taxations, and have their houses rent-free, and many times
eat their bread at other raen's tables, and yet, for the raost part, they die
poor men and far in debt, and leave behind them both wives and chil
dren destitute of calling and maintenance ; which is a plain case to me,
that the hand of God is upon this generation in cursing that which they
would have blessed. And therefore I will confess that I was overseen,
, in the entrance into this discourse, when I moved you to persuade these
raen to bequeath something to their brethren that are ' scholars bred.'. .
I hope all the Lord's people will confess that the labourer is worthy of
his hire, and that it is their duty to make them partakers of their ' car
nal things' of whom they receive 'spiritual things.' " ¦*
" You say, that ' without a Toleration,' we raay enjoy in a secret way
our church-fellowship ! Indeed, Mr. Edwards, we have learned that
lesson already, for Christ hath taught us that we shall ' fly into the wil
derness,' and that ' the earth' shall help us ; " but sometimes it proves
to the danger of our lives, and always to the danger of our liberty ; as
it may appear by the practice here in London, for though we meet never
so privately and peaceably, yet such cattle as yourself are always ' bleat
ing' f in the ears of the Parish Officers and Constables, with your other
officers, even till you move the Lord Mayor himself to be your drudge,
and as your horn which ye push forward for the destruction of our
bodies, when he hath laid violent hands on thera ; for it is evident that
it hath been to the loss of sorae of their lives. And this is the liberty
we have in this kingdom ; and all through the instigation of you
Priests ! " s
" You plead for yourself, and for 'hundreds' of your 'brethren,' that
you ' have borne the brunt of the times,' and yet you do profess that
you will submit to what is established by law, because you hope it 'will
be blessed and glorious.' '' I tell you, you are even like Issachar's ass,
and so are the rest of your fellows, even willing to ' stoop down between
"Exod. x. 15. ¦'Exod. viii. 3.
•^ " Forasmuch as we are desirous to redress such abuses and grievances as are said
to grow by Suraners or Apparitors: We think it meet that tbe multitude of Appa
ritors be, as much as possible, abridged or restrained : . . Moreover they shall not
take upon them the Office of Promoters or Informers for the Court." . . Canon
CXXXVIII. 1603. ""Rom. XV. 27. P. 58, 59. "^ Rev. xii. 14, 16.
f 1 Sam. XV. 14. s P. 59. " Edwards, p. 47.
I 2

Ii6 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
two burdens,' * because ease is good. For the law indeed makes any
thing seem ' glorious ;' but for any ' brunt' that you have borne in these
last times, I think it hath not overloaded you, for I have not heard that
you have been at two-pence cost to maintain the Lord's people in prison;
and therefore you are very unlike to Obadiah,'' for instead of hiding ofthe
Lord's people, you cry out upon the Parliament to have them hunted,
And this is a great ' brunt' indeed, if it be well considered, and it is no
doubt it will cost you dear by that time you have paid the reckoning,
except God give you repentance." "^
" But now, methinks, I hear you boast very much of yourself and
others of your Church.* . . You cannot choose but ' out-preach them,'
if you preach them out of the kingdom ! And it is very Uke you may
' out-live them' also, if you can but banish them into some hard coun
try, or else get them into some stinking prison, as you, and the rest of
your father's house, have done very lately." '^
" You say, ' whilst they were in the Church of England, they
preached often, and now seldomer.' I answer. It is very like they
dare not tell such as you when they preach, that cry out to the Parlia
ment to disturb their meetings. Further, you say, ' they go looser in
their apparel and hair.' I answer, I know some, indeed, that have been
constrained to change their ' apparel' for fear of persecution ; and, it
may be, the ' hair' you were offended at might be some peiiwig, which
some of them have been constrained through fear to put on, to bhnd tbe
eyes of the Bishops' blood-hounds when they have come to take them. . .
It is no marvel though their ' spirits' grow ' narrow' towards such an
adversai-y as yourself ; and gi-eat cause they have to be ' strange' towards
you, and 'reserved,' and ' subtile' also. But whereas you say, 'their
churches be narrow :' I say, they are even like the way to heaven, or
the gate that leadeth unto life, which is so ' narrow' that such as you
can hardly enter in thereat ! . .^ And because Christ's flock is a 'little'
flock, therefore you imagine they are not honoured of God ; which is
very carnal reasoning." s
" I pray you, how can you count the parish of St. Helens your
' spiritual children ?' seeing you are there but a ' hireling ;' . . and you
will only preach to them so long as any will pay your wages, but no
longer ! . . How have you begotten them to God ? You found them
under a false power ; submitting to a false worship ; and you justily
them as men begotten to God ; and you justify their standing there.
Thus do you ' sew pillows' '' of flatteries under their elbows !" '
"You hope the Brethren will withdraw their Petitions, ' that tliey
raay not be read in the House of Commons.' . . That they should with
draw their Petitions is but one of your vain hopes; for they had more
need now to petition than ever they had, both to God and men. seeing
such a Goliath as you musters up so many forces against them .
"And now, Mr. Edwards, for conclusion of the whole, 1 do Here
affirm that if, upon the sight of this Book, you shall conceive tta
I have either misconstrued your words, or accused you wiinom
« Gen. xlix. 14. " 1 Kings xviii. 4. 'J'^^' ¦
1 See back, p. 106. ' P 63. ' P. 04. 5 P. 65.
h Ezek. xiii. IS. - 'i'-fi'- 'l-"-

CHAP, xll] RELATING to independents. H?
mound, . . then choose you six men, or more if you please and I will
choose as many ; and if you will, we will agree upon a moderator, and
tiT i out in a^flir discourse ; and, peradventure, feave you a labour of
publishing your large Tractates which you say you intend to put out
Fn print aVinst the' whole way of Sepai-ation ; and if it can be made
appear, that in any of these paraculars, I have missed it, I will willingly
submit. But if vou overcome me, your conquest will not be gieat, tor
I am a poor woman, and unmeet to deal with you I But if you do give
another onset, before you accept of a pariey, seeing I have offered you
conditions of peace, the worid will judge you an unreasonable raan, and
 _T-_n »»..»-» linirft tl-lO (low 3

you shall never have the day.

CHAP. XLL
THE LORDS BROOKE AND SAT.
Having given some insight into the kind of spirits which set theni-
selves in polemical away against whomsoever sought to worship their
Maker as truly as possible, without the defilement of secular encum
brances, and "the alloy of human ingredients ; at this place will be
introduced a voluntaiy advocate of the insulted and the oppressed ; one
whose talents, rank, and courageous regard for the cause of truth and
justice, in which he fell, procured his distinguished virtues to he em
balmed in imperishable praise. Our medium of revealing his name,
compared with whose, the tribes of " Heylyns" and "Edwardses"
are nearly smothered in their own meanness, shall be by a no leas
humble pen than Milton's. Mark what he has wi'itten ; to whom, and
of whom !
" What would be best advised then, if it be found so hurtful and so
unequal to suppress opinions for the newness or the unsuitableness to a
customary acceptance, will not be my task to say; I shall only repeat
what I have learned from one of your own honourable number, a right
noble and pious Lord, who, had he not sacrificed his life and fortunes
to the Church aud Commonwealth, we had not now missed and be
wailed a worthy and undoubted patron of this argument. Ye know
him, I am sure ; yet I for honour's sake, and may it be etemal to him,
shall name him, the Lord Brooke ! He, writing of ' Episcopacy,' and,
by the way, treating of sects and schisms, left ye his vote, or rather
now the last words of his dying charge, which I know will ever he of
dear and honoured regard with ye ; so full of meekness and breathing
charity, that next to His last Testament, who bequeathed love and
peace to his disciples, I cannot call to mind where I have read or heard
words more mild and peaceful. He there exhorts us to hear with
patience and humility those, however they be miscalled, that desire to
live purely, in such a use of God's ordinances, as the best guidance of
their conscience gives them, and to tolerate thein, though in some dis-
» Isai. xii. 21. viii. 10. P. 80, 81.

118 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
conformity to ourselves. The book itself will tell us more at large,
being published to the world, and dedicated to the Parliament by him,
who, both for his life and for his death, deserves that what advice he
left be not laid by without perusal." *
"A Discourse opening the Nature of that Episcopacy which is Ex
ercised in England. Wherein, with all Humility, are represented
some Considerations tending to the much desired Peace, and long
expected Refonnation, of This our Mother Church. By the Right
Honourable Robert, Lord Brooke. 1641." 4to. pp. 124. Edit. 2.
1642. pp. 118.
This work, his Lordship tells the Parliament, to whom he dedicated
it, was the produce of his " retirements in the last Recess." It is divided
into one section of ten, and'; another of seven chapters. The first
chapter of all opens ominously for the ruling ecclesiastics. " I aim
not at words, but things ; not loving to fight with shadows. It is not
the look, much less the name of a Bishop, that I fear or quarrel with ;
it is his nature, his office that displeaseth me. Nor yet his nature, or
office in general ; but su,ch, and so clothed, or rather veiled, with such
and such adjuncts. For, to me, the word ' Bishops' signifies either (I)
one that is to preach, administer the sacraments, exhort, reprove, con
vince, excommunicate, etc. ; not only in some one distinct congrega
tion — his own Parish — but in many several congregations crowded up
together in one strange — and, for long, unknown word, a ' Diocese !'
Or (2) one who hath to all this, added not only the name of a Civil
Lord, — with which bare name or shadow, I fight not, — but also a vast,
unwieldy — I had almost said, unlimited — Power in Civil Government;
which must needs draw on a mighty train, and clothe itself with glorious
robes of long extended and inagnific styles, scarce to be marshalled by
a better herald than Elihu, who could give no ' Titles.''" Or (3) in
the last place, — which should be first, — a true faithful ' Overseer,' that
over one single Congregation hath a joint care with the Elders, Deacons,
and rest of the Assembly, who are all fellow-helpers, yea servants, each
to other's faith.
" This last, is a ' Bishop' of the first Institution ; of Christ's allow
ance : settled in divers churches, even in the Apostles' times. The
first, is of the Second Century, when doctrine, discipline, all religion,
began to wane : for even then. Mysterious Antichrist was not only con
ceived, but began to quicken. The second, rose last, — though first
intended by the Church's Enemy : rising up while the Worid was busy
looking all one way, as amazed at the new Beast, successor to the
Dragon. This is now our Adversary ! One, monstrously compounded
of different, yea opposite offices ; and those the greatest, both ecclesi
astical and civil : for which he seems no way able, no way fit ; and
that for many reasons which may be brought from Scripture, Church-
antiquity, State-policy. I shall begin with the last, — as that I aim at most.
'"Areopagitica: A Speech for the Liberty of Unlicensed Printing." 1644.
Works. 1833. imp- Svo. p. 1)7. Leighton had said, p. 72, in his Epitome, see back,
Vol. I. p. 502, That thrice honourable patron of Christ's Cause, tbe Lord Brooke,
hath pubhshed a master-piece which hath muzzled all their mouths "
'' Job xxxii. 21, 22.

CHAP, xll] RELATING TO independents. 119
" Here let us view our Bishop awhile as a Private man, — before his
Office. Next, as a Lord over Church and State, — in his Office. Then,
with some necessary Consequents — to his Office, as now it is exercised
in this kingdom. Thus shall we quickly judge how suitable to true
Policy of State are either the Antecedents, Concomitants, or Conse
quents, of this too officious, two-headed Bishop !". .
" Let us begin," says his Lordship, in his second chapter, " with
Antecedents : in them the first ; which we shall find very unsuitable to
his after-acquired Office. For the most part, he is ex fcece plebis ;
humi- serpens ; 'of the lowest of the people;' an old complaint!
Now for such a low boi-n man to be exalted high, so high ! and that,
not gradatim, but per saltum too, as oft it is — in one of few or no
School Degrees ; which yet indeed, at best are scarce Degrees to the
Civil honour of a Peer ; — must needs make as great a chasm in Politics,
as such leaps use to do in Naturals. . ." But," says his Lordship, in the
third chapter, " this defect in ' birth' may be repaired in breeding; else
we shut the doors of hope. . . It is true. Art ofttimes helpeth Nature.
Some men of small beginnings, by their virtues have deserved for a
motto and impress, the poet's words,
Et qu£e non fecimus ipsi,
Vix ea nostra voco 
But when was this seen in a Bishop P . . When these gentlemen, I mean
the most refined wits araongst thera, — for others come not within our
question, — design the Ministerial function, they either lay aside Di
vinity, and so God is displeased ; or else they labour seriously in the
more Spiritual paths, and then the Commonweal is, by them, deserted:
for these two so different studies cannot go forward pari passu : a Mi
nister cannot serve God and Mammon ! I know other men think
otherwise of these studies ; but I conceive the case is clear : for, sure,
the complaints of good men, canons and acts of councils forbidding
Ministers to meddle in State-affairs, and the answers of our own breasts,
prove this truth more than sufficiently. . . I confess, of later times
Ministers, like watermen, have looked one way and rowed another ; so
that, perhaps, now you raay find canons of another strain. . . To thoee
who maintain such Prelatical Bishops, this absurdity will follow. That
to one man the whole Power may be given, both in Civilibus et Eccle
siasticis : a thing which God thought Christ only fit for ; and so ' on
His shoulder' only, did he place the World's ' government.' " '' Here
his Lordship meets objections from the Jewish Polity, and descends
from it to the Spirituality of the work under the Gospel : " A painful
Preacher still crieth out, ' Who is sufficient,' who is fit ' for these
• Neal, in Hist. Purit. vol. ii. ch. vii., %vrites, " He reflects in an ungenerous
manner upon the low pedigree of the present bench ; as if nothing except a noble
descent could qualify men to sit among the Peers. Several of the Bishops vindi
cated their pedigree and families; as Bishop Williams, Moreton, Curie, Cooke,
Owen, &c." Which " &c." amounts to one more, as named in Fuller's Church
History, inf. ann. 1641. No doubt but bis Lordship intended to strike at Laud,
and one or two others, through tbe sides of some of the rest. Heylyn, indeed,
applies tbe ill-savoured "speech" to Laud, whom be represents to admit that " he.
had not the good fortune to be born a gentleman." Life of Laud, p. 46, 47.
'> Isai. ix. 6.

120 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
things P' * They will get but little," he shows, " from God's Injunc
tions among the Jews."
" His Election and Ordination," writes his Lordship, in the fourth
chapter, " I shall pass here." The examination of this point, he refers
to Scripture and antiquity; where it may be better examined than under
" State- Policy," of which he was treating. " Yet, by the way," he
says, " I cannot but propose it as worthy of State consideration, how
likely the inferior Clergy is to yield true ' canonical obedience' to one —
that, nescio quo jure, requires it by oath, — though he," the Bishop, "be
oft forced on them against, and never with, their express will. . . except,
perchance, the whole Clergy of a Diocese or Province raay be fully
represented by a Cloistered Chapter ; among which, are usually the
very dregs of lowest men : who yet indeed, have no elective votes ; but
after the solemn dirge of ' Veni Sancte Spiritus, are as sure to find the
Spirit in a 'Conge d'elire' as others, not long since, in the Tridentiile
Post-mantile [Portmanteau]. Certainly it is to be desired," adds his
Lordship, " that Christians would show as much care and conscience
in setting Heads over whole churches, as some heathen Emperors did
in setting Governors over private towns : which yet they would not do
till at least free liberty was given to the Citizens' complaint and rejec
tion, if not election, of the party propounded. And this, Antoninus
learned from the Jews and Christians' choice of their church-governors
in those times : though now, latter ages are grown wiser !
" We are now come to view our Bishop in his Office ; . . made up of
two most inconsistent offices, the one of Church, the other of State.
His deportment in both, we raay guess hy his maxims or mles by
which he goes ; which once seen, we shaljiquig^ily pei^ielVe how well
he squares his Practice hy his Principles ; and, how consonant both be
to true Church or State Policy. I shall instance ^"tjt in one or two;
for we may know ex ungue Leonem. The climax runs up thus : first.
The Church hath Power in all Indifferents: secondly, The Church is
Judge what is Indifferent: thirdly, The Bishops, and their Creatures,
are this Church ! If a Prince hath power to command the persons and
estiites of his subjects, in case of necessity, aud the same prince be sole
judge of necessity, it will be no wonder to me, if that people be ever
necessitous. If the Church have power in adiapJwris, and the same
church be judge quid sit adiaphoron; and, this church he the Bishops,
I shall not wonder to see those things that are purely Indifferent, made
absolutely Necessary ; to the insupportable burden of all men's con
sciences. . . They do really set laws, in state matters, under the notion
of 'indifferent;' so that all the subjects' liberty, or property in goods,
they compass with their net of Indifferency;' which they make heavy
with the plummets of greatest penalties. Yea, though they meddled
not at all with such things as these, without their horizon ; yet if they
make those things tu be ' indifferent' which are sinful, — as they do,
I fear, — and to these, enforce obedience with pretence of Church Policy,
they overthrow all Civil government. . . In finding out what is ' indif
ferent,' recta ratio must be judge. But who shall tell us what is recta
ratio ? I answer, recta ratio ! . .
" 2 Cor. ii. 16.

CIIAP. xll] relating to INDEPENDENTS. 12l
" Their tenets seem, to me, very unreasonable ; they will do more
than Adara did : he gave names to things according to their natures ;
they will give natures, according to their own fancies. . . In that they
make themselves ' the Church,' excluding all others, . . they exclude all
others from Salvation ; for they say, in an ordinary way, there is no
Salvation out of ' the Church ;' aud they, in this, admit none into ' the
Church' but themselves ! . . Truly I know not by what authority these
Bishops style theraselves ' the representative Church ;' for they must do
it either jure humano or Divino : by the last, we do not yield : . . by
the first, they cannot; for where do the People, either implicitly or
explicitly, elect them, and resign up their power to thera ? Is it in
the Convocation, that they obtain this privilege P That, by the Laws
of this Land, is not at all obligatory till confirraed by Parliaraent :
secondly, the People choose not these Convocation-men, but the Clergy;
and so they cannot represent the whole Church : thirdly, the Clergy
have no free election ; for the Bishops will appoint whom they must
choose ; and this too sub poena anathemalis. . . Thus having, with
their chains of ' Indifferency,' wound up the People's liberty, they deal
no better with their Prince : only, Polyphemus like, they leave Ulysses
for the last ! For when the People are devoured. Kings cannot escape :
but because Kings are of more prying spirits, they steal in upon them
with sugared baits ; such as that of theirs", ' No Bishop, no King !'. .
" But I will rather view their Practice, according to these Principles
of ' Indifterency.' In this I shall be very short, not meaning to up
braid them with many monstrous miscarriages of late ; the rather
because I am confident that God, his Majesty and the Parliament, will
not permit them longer to transgress in this height. . . It hath oft made
my soul bleed to see the greatest sins daily comraitted without raore
than a paper check, that I may not say countenanced, — while thou
sands must sigh in private, with loss of ears, goods, estates, livings,
liberty, all, only for refusal of those things that, at best, can be but
' Indifferent !". .
The fifth chapter treats, metaphysically, of " What is Indifferent ?"
Skilful and interesting as it is, we must pass to where his Lordship tells
us, " I know I have many opposites who stiffly maintain that optimum
non est semper faciendum : amongst these is that good man lately de
ceased, to the Church's great loss. Reverend Mr. Ball, in his ' Friendly
Trial of Separation.'" Here a metaphysical strain is pursued, till the
conclusion is anived at, that " Nothing is ' indifferent' in re ; in se ;
but to our v/nderstanding some things seem so, for want of good
liglit." The sixth chapter begins with remarks, that his Lordship had found
" the Nature of ' Indifference' more abstruse than it seemed at first
view ;" aud that he was " come now shortly to examine ' What Power
may determine in 'Indifference;' and. Where this Power is fixed."
He shows that " by ' Divine right,' this Power is, and is not, in the
Church." This Power, " wherever it be, must be warily exercised,
since of all two extremes, only one can be lawful : so that one is whole
some, but the other poison." The Church " hath a Power judicative, —
or, if you will, juridical, — but not Legislative. It may and must

122 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
determine,— for aught I know, beyond all external appeal ;— -yet again,
it must not determine what, and how, it will— because it will ! No : it
also hath its bounds; a rule to go by, a constant law,— -and that «ow
factam, sed fiafaw,— Right Reason ! . . If the Church should err from
this Rule,— which God forbid !— we must obey indeed, but patiendo ;
I will, I must give passive obedience to lawful authonty, even there
where I dare not, I cannot, 1 may not give obedience active. By the
Church, here I mean not only one, or two, or a few, ol what Rank
soever; but all, even every true Member of the whole Church; for,
I conceive, every such Member hath de jure a vote in this deter
mination. i_ • J
" But, what if, after the determination, I yet dissent from tbe judg
ment of the greater part of the Church, which, in all doubtful cases,
seems justly to challenge, — even by the law of nature, — a decisive
power ; what shall I do in this case ? . . I must read, pray, discourse, and
confer, with all humility submitting myself to the Reason of every man
that will teach me; much more, to the Judgments of many together,
eminent for learning and piety. And yet if, after all this, I cannot be
satisfied in my doubts, . . I must suspend, till my judgraent be cleared ;
lest that which to another is lawful, become sin to me who cannot act in
Faith, while I act against or with doubts, or scruples. . . In this case, I
conceive no Power on earth, — ought to force my practice more than my
judgraent : for I conceive the Church's utmost compulsive Power, —
which raust also very warily and hut rarely be used, — is but Expulsion,
or Excommunication ; which yet, I suppose, may scarce ever be exer
cised on one that so doubteth : much less, fine, imprisonment ; loss of
meraber, or life ; except his dissent, in Practice, hath necessarily with
it a destructive influence into the State also and Body-Politic. Which
case, I think hardly ever possible in those things which can be objects
of rational doubts ; which are only such as the Scripture hath not de
termined. . . Now, I need not rip up the foulness of our Bishops' mis
carriage in their Practice about ' indifferent things.'. . In things seeming,
generally, ' indifferent,' they have no Power peremptorily to determine
to one extrerae when there is a medium between both extremes, and so
neither is necessary. . . None but God can fully clear, much less force
my judgment : but they scruple not, point blank, to contradict our Rea
son, and force our Consciences, in things extremely manifest ; as in
'bowings' and many other things, which, one, as blind as he that so much
commended Rhombus, may see to be unlawful !"
" Let us a little, view some of the ' Consequents' that result from our
Bishop's Office;" is the topic of his Lordship's seventh chapter. "We
shall consider but two ; or rather one, with two heads — like himself, —
at least looking two ways ; his Relations, both upward and downward.
First, Upward. Nescio quo fato our Bishops have still depended on
another's beck ! In the time of Pojiery, they were wholly moulded to the
Pope's will. .. Under the Reformation; if they have indeed cast off the
Pope, — which may be doubted in most, but is past doubt iu some, — yet
they have ever been at their command by whose favour they stand ! . .
Naturalists observe there is not so much apperance ol change in many
degrees of entity acquired by a second motion, as in one degree at the

CHAP. XLI.] relating TO INDEPENDENTS. 123
jird step, from, ens to entity. But Moralists find that one step of new
Preferment, makes more impression upon low [base] spirits than their
first creation out of Nothing ! Both are well reconciled, in our Bishop's
rising : for what can so sudden, unexpected, advancement — from
nothing to such a height of being — seem, but a new creation ? So that
hence, such a dependence must result as is that relation which Nature
fixeth in the creatlire to his Creator.
" Courtesies and hopes, are the most oily bribes ; and bribes blind the
eyes of the most wise. With what nature soever obligations meet, they
have an irresistible force ; if they descend so low as men of base spirits,
they there get a species of profitable, and so become like lime-twigs to
little birds ; it was, doubtless, most feelingly spoken, by the Slave in
Plautus, Esculenta vincvla sunt firmissima 1 If they [obligations]
meet with men of high-raised, generous, noble, thoughts, they yet work
much more, though out of a more ingenuous principle ; — while a true
noble spirit cannot breathe under the least shadow of ingratitude ; having
first leamed that old proverb, Ingratum si dixeris. How hardly then,
a Bisliop's Conscience, judgment, reason, or will, can be his own, under
not only so many obligations, — for the greatest engagement past, — but
hopes also for new favours to come, — either in higher advancement or,
at least, in continuance of His s: liles whose first frowns may quickly re
duce them to their first principle of Nothing, — I leave it to wise men to
judge. "To whom also, I humbly propound, — as worthy mature consideration,
how fit these Spiritual Lords may be to sit as Law-makers in that
Highest Court by whose fundamental Orders, — as also by the law of
nature, — none ought to vote but free men 1 And, how can they possibly
be deemed ' free' that wholly depend on another's thought — for I need
not say beck, smile, or firown — not only for their first creation but con
tinual preservation in this state and power of giving vote in that Court ? . .
Will any wise man living think them fit to give counsel in Princes'
Courts; to make laws in Parliament, and sit Judges in the highest
b-ibunals of Civil Justice ; that, all their life time, before the ' Conge
d'elire' diverted their thoughts, were wholly taken up in . . School triflers ;
before they came to sorae Church Benefice where, ever since, they have
spent all their time — that might be spared from tithing — in Liturgies, or
Canons ; except some new scruple, with some of their neighbours, have
called them to peruse some author ' de Decimis?'
" If you view their Civil converse, they have practised little but to
wrangle down a Sophister, or to delude a Proctor in the University ; to
say grace to a gentleman, or acquaint theraselves with a Reading Pew
in the country ! In cases of Conscience, they have studied little but how
with most compendium to digest the oath of direct and indirect, in
point of Simony ; and, to swallow the vow of thrice 'Nolo Episcopari, '
when God and their own consciences well know many of them are not
so solicitous of Heaven as for a Bishopric ! And, are these men fit, not
only to rule the whole Church; to ordain, censure, suspend, deprive,
excommunicate, ad placitum; to govern our Consciences by articles,
canons, oaths, and what else a Lawless Convocation may invent ; but.

124 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
also, to direct and advise— I might say more !— in the Privy-juntos ?
To sit at the helm, to dictate laws, and tantum non to sway the Sceptre !
which if they forbear to touch, it is but as Mercury once spared Jupiter's
thunderbolts ; which he durst not steal, lest they should roar too loud,
or at least burn his fingers P . .
" We have seen our Bishop's Relation, Upward ; let us now view it
looking down, to his own Family, creatures, and dependencies ! . . Now,
to what unworthiness will not ambition and avarice carry them, when
they look on themselves as Peers and grandees of the Kingdom, and
again reflect on their wives and children as those which, after their de
cease, must soon be reduced from such a height — like falling stars — into
their first principles P . . But venales animce will do anything to rise :
yet I hope our Bishops do not ; at least will not do so any more 1 If so,
let them know, the wheel of Providence can run as fast backward as ever
it did forward. In its descent they may, perhaps, sadly reflect on a
serious dying speech of one of themselves, ' Had I served my God as I
have served my Prince, I should not have been so deserted now.'
Though I must confess, I doubt they have well served neither God nor
the King I "
His Lordship examines, in the eighth chapter, " What our Bishop
doth, or can do, for the State." He begins rather oddly : " It hath
been the practice of these men," he says, " to buz into Princes' eai-s, that
they strike at Monarchy that are displeased with such ' Episcopacy :'
like one of the old Queen's jesters, that would box and pinch any that
stood near him ; and if they returned the like, he would stop before the
Queen and cry, ' Madam ; here comes a traitor to strike at your Ma
jesty !' I know it is one of the first Canonical principles, 'No Bishop,
no King :' on this axletree the whole body of Popery is wheeled about. . .
What is the sense of this maxim P What can it be other than this. That
the strength, nay the being of a King depends wholly upon a Bishop P
Prodigious State-blasphemy I Kings have been, when Bishops were not ;
and shall be yet much more glorious when such Bishops shall be no
more. . . It is much rather true, ' If any su<:h Bishop, no King !' as I
shall make good in my subsequent discourse. . .
" What meaneth this maxim of ' Episcopacy,' That a Clergyman can
not fall under the execution of a Civil magistrate, except they first de
grade him P . . What is the sense of this. That for breach of their Church
Injunctions, they may Excommunicate people, ministers, lords. Kings
themselves ; whom they please ; but, shortly, this. To reduce all men —
even Princes as well as others — to plenary obedience to themselves ? . .
Their insolent words and actions vented lately against the Crown, are
very suitable to these Principles.
" Some of themselves, in open Court of Judicature, have dared to
affirm, ' They were beholding to none but Christ for the place they
held:' others of them, — and their creatures, — have said, ' They are
under no law to man.' Some have preached point-blank, That their
standing did not at all depend on the Crown. Others have flatly denied
the King to be Head and Governor in Ecclesiastical Causes, over all
persons. Though they cannot but know that this title was given mainly

CHAP. XLI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 125
to exclude any other earthly Head, as it is interpreted by Order of
Parliament. . .'
" I could briefly present you with a true emblem of ' Episcojsacy,'
ab ovo ad malum, and yet not go higher than the Conqueror. . . What
if I prove Prelacy and Popery to be the same in re, and only to differ in
name ? . . What our Bishops did in Queen Mary's days — bloody
times ! — we all know : sure, it was an unhappy proverb that vvas then
learned, ' The Bishop's foot hath trodden here:' what they intended
under the old Queen; essayed in King James's reign; and, had well
nigh performed under our gracious King, Charles, to the ruin of the
Crown ; we now begin to know : if, at least, knowledge may properly
be said to be wrought by sense ; for, if so, our feeling was enough to
teach us.". .
We have shown his Lordship's sentiments of Episcopacy or Prelacy
" in Practice ;" his next chapter, the ninth, is more especially applicable
to their " Doctrine."
" I am now come to the most moderate of Episcopal men : for even
these affirm, That the absolute best Church-government, under a Mo
narchy, is 'monarchical!'.. Do they mean that all other Church-
governments are destructive to Monarchy ? Or do they mean Monarchy
is destructive to all other Church-goveniments but ' monarchical P'. .
I clearly conceive a heathen emperor may be as lawful a monarch as
any Christian prince; and I doubt not but his subjects owe as exact
obedience to him, — if his Civil title be just, — as we justly pay to our
kings and govemors. To say, then, that ' Monarchy' cannot stand
without ' monarchical' discipline in the Church ; is to weaken, if not to
break the nerves and ligaments of supreme Power : nay, to say that
such a goverament will ' best' suit with ' Monarchy ;' is to veil the lustre
and majesty of Monarchy, which, like a healthful stomach, can easily
assimilate all things to itself, but is not changed by any. If they would
but speak their own thoughts, they would tum the proposition thus,
' CAurcA- Monarchy cannot stand without Civil !' Here the mystery is
unmasked. It is true, this Discipline cannot stand, but where Princes
will uphold it : for that which hath no footing in Scripture must lean
upon human right; and thus it discovereth its own weakness. . . And,
of this kind, is that human, — or rather demoniacal, — ¦' Episcopacy' of
which we have treated all this time. Our Bishops foreseeing this, —
for they are wise in their generation ! — thought best to invert the pro
position ; and instead of this. That CAwrcA- Monarchy cannot stand
without Civil ; they affirm ' Civil Monarchy' cannot stand without that
of the Church I 'Thus they delude silly people.
" But, to come a little nearer to their best meaning, who stand so
much for CAwrcA-Monarchy, I would gladly be showed by reason,
what there is in Church-govemment, why it may not derive itself into
several Corporations where either more or fewer may bear the sway ;
still subscribing to those things which are left by Christ to the Civil
Govemment, or Monarchical Power. We see hundreds of Corporations
are thus managed ; and what there is in formali ratione of Church-
* Conifaie these positions with those in p. 66, 67, of this volume.

126 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAKLES I.
government — essential to Church-govemment — that will not endure
this, mihi non liquet; truly I do not yet know ; I cannot yet imagine.
. . I do, from my heart, agree that Civil Governors are custodes
utriusqucB Tabults : but what the Civil magistrate hath to do in
church matters, till the Church hath done her utmost, I could yet
never leam.
" The Govemment of Christ is Spiritual ; and He will have his
work wrought in a sweet way : by the power of the Spirit, not by force.
If I err in this, I shall upon better reasons, recant; in the interira,
hoping that the clearness of my thoughts shall, with the candid reader,
receive gentle interpretation, 1 shall freely declare my opinion in this
point. . . Will Rome admit us to expound to them this place ' Hec est
corpus meum ?' Shall we admit Rome's exposition ? Will either of us
admit Force P There is certainly but one Truth : but what shall be
taken by the Church for Truth, the Church must judge ! If you
descend to Discipline, will not the case clearly be the same ? . .
" So long as the Church, in her church-tenets, intenneddleth not
with State-matters under the notion of Religion, I suppose the Civil
Power is not to interpose : . . the Church must not go out of her
bounds. . . Christ hath given us a platfonn of church-govemment, with
the offices, and officers ; who may here intermeddle but Christ himself ?
It is raost true, when the Church findeth any refractory, and there
upon doth excommunicate him, he falls into the hands of the Civil
magistrate ; if he continue pertinacious, and not before. When Parli
aments do consider matters of Religion, they do it to deliver the Church
from some who would impose upon her ; . . but if they once exceed
their bounds, the issue will be Confusion instead of Reformation. . .
Thus, under favour, both by reason and precedent, it is clear that any
Church policy besides ' Episcopacy' — though only one, by right,
ought — raay stand with Monarchy."
In the, concluding, or tenth chapter of his first Section, his Lordship
begins by excepting " our Episcopacy" from his idea of a Church-
govemment " well regulated ;" and he protests that he believes " this
kind of Episcopacy, is destructive not only to good Monarchy, but all
other State Policy whatsoever !" His Lordship enters here upon a
parallelism derived from 2 Thess. ii. 3, 4, " to prove that our 'Episco
pacy' is the same really with Popery, taken properly. . . If any man
please," says his Lordship, " to survey ' Episcopacy' with an impartial
eye, he shall find this kind of Episcopacy and Popery to be all one in
re ; for they have the same rise, the same media of their progress, and
the same end. The rise of Popery was, by overthrowing Christ's Ordi
nances, and setting up of his [the Pope's] own : . . he hath played his
part mainly in Discipline ; this, raost properiy belonging to Christ's
royal office, as Doctrine to his prophetical. . .
" By God's rule the Officer's Election is to be by the People ; his
Ordination, from the People, by the hand of the Presbytery ; . . these,
[Popery and Episcopacy] to cloud their swerving from Christ's rule^
raise up new terms, and instead of Election, have Presentation, Insti
tution, and Induction. The first is done by the Patron ; the second,
by the Bishop : a way which Christ never knew. It is so well known

CHAP. XLI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 127
to all men, that ' Episcopacy' traces these very paths of Popes, that
I shall not need to say more for this part of their identity. . . The
coadjutors of the Ministers, by. the Word, in some cases were the
People ; in some oases, the Elders and Deacons ; and sometimes.
People, Elders, and Deacons : but the Pope, in lieu of them, hath
instituted another generation of Helpers, . . as Apparitor, Suwogate,
Chancellor, Official, Commissaries, Deans, Church- wardens. Overseers
ofthe Poor: in all which, 'Episcopacy' and Popery have so twin-like
a frame, that seeing one you see both 1" We cannot pursue this paral
lelism to its close ; but hasten to where his Lordship closes this chapter
and section together, with the words, " Yet but for a little while ! For
I am confident yet within few years, if not months, if not days, the
God of peace and truth will deliver his Church of this heavy yoke :
from which, with the Litany, give me leave to conclude, ' Good Lord,
deliver us.' "
An-ived at the Second Section, we find it replete with points of
general interest. Under the theme of " How consonant such 'Epis
copacy' is either to sound antiquity or Scripture," his Lordship has
seven chapters ; treating, in the first, of " the mysterious covert of
Antiquity," he wishes that " in matters which receive their being from
Scripture so immediately as Church Discipline doth, we might make
the Scripture, which is a sufficient rule, our sole gtiide, our sole
moderator." He speaks, without naming him, of " a most reverend man, famous
for learning ; especially for that learning which is not open to every
eye ;" who " hath taken upon him the defence of this cause. . ." If every
word of that his book were ttue," he remarks, " yet it is little to the
point : for the question is not, ' Whether there have been Bishops ever
since Christ's time ; but, Whether these have had power over their
brethren ; or, Whether one Bishop hath had jurisdiction over another,
. . mixt with that Lordliness which now is used ; forcing obedience by
the edge of the sword, where the keys can give no entrance. And oi
this, in the whole book, there is not the least hint, ne gry quidem !
Though this also were not enough for our question ; which is not only
of their lordly power in Ecclesiasticis, but also in Civilibus."
The second chapter, of this part, treats of "Our Bishops' Election,
and Delegation ;" the third, " Of Ordination ;" the fourth, " Of the
name and office of a Bishop in Scripture ;" the fifth treats of " What
form of Church-govemment seems raost consonant to Scripture : Whe
ther monarchical, aristocratical, or deraocratical ?" Here, we meet with
the well known text. Matt, xviii. 17. " In cases of Civil converse, we
must make our addresses to ' the Church ;' and he that will not ' hear
the Church,' must be ' as a publican.' " In the context and the text,
his Lordship remarks, " there are three things to be examined, before
the true sense can be found out.
" First, Who is meant in that gradation in the ISth, 16th, and I7th
verses : secondly. Who are meant by ' them,' ver. 17 : thirdly, What
is meant by 'publicans and sinners.' "
" Episcopacy by Divine Right Asserted. By Hall. 1640. 4to.

128 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
In that "gradation," says his Lordship, is raeant first, the Party:
second, the elders, or the bishops, the officers of the Church. " If you
say, they are not there understood; yet I am confident you will not, I
am sure you cannot, say they are there excluded I If, then, the Spirit
pointed a.tthem, with the other members of the Church, or them, solely,
it would be an unnecessary thing to bring ' him' afterwards to ' them'
again, as to the representative Church !
" Secondly: By ' thee,' ver. 17, is not meant only the Party, but
every Christian ; every church-member, to whomsoever the news of
such a miscarriage shall come. Else, this will be a means to nourish
particular party-sidings, — which the Scripture doth exceedingly shun,
— if, by God's Law, he should be 'a publican' to one — of the Church,
— and not to another. If he be so to every Member of the Church ;
this will be a hard case. That if a Bishop, or an Elder, — one, two, or
more — shall pass the bitter sentence of excommunication, he must be
so to me also, though I know nothing of it ! But, some will say, that
must be done before the Church. To which I answer. The Word saith
no such matter. And thus, those who misexpound the Scripture must
eke out the Scripture, to make good their own imagination. But,
secondly. Why should it be complained of before the Church, if the
deciding power be in the officers ? Frustra Jit per plura, quod Jieri
potest per pauciora. But, thirdly, and lastly ; If you will have the
wAo/e Church 'hear;' it seemeth, to me, against all reason in the world,
that the party deputed should have power, the party deputing being
present ! . . All officers vail bonnet, when the party giving the power
is present. Why are Parliaments the representative body of the King
dom, . . but because no place can contain the whole Body ? But if all
the people could raeet in Campo Martio, should t/wse who now are but
Servants, then be more than Servants P Surely, the whole ' Church'
being present ; four or five, by God's Law, shall not rule all, seeing
God's Law never appoints any standing laws against the rules of nature.
" In the third place, we must inquire after the sense of 'heathen'
and ' publican :' scil. the most odious of men. Is it possible that any
Christian shall be to any Christian the most odious of men, for the
sentence of a Judge which he never heard, neither hath right to hear!
Thus, if you will be bound either by text or context ; or the common
acceptation of the word, in the Scripture ; by ' Church' must be under
stood the whole Congregation. Again ; for excommunication of mem
bers, 1 Cor. V. 13, St. Paul commandeth ' them,' — scil. the whole
Church, — to ' put away' that wicked person : and, ver. 5, — ' to deliver
up' such a one to Satan : 2 Cor. ii. 6 — 8, they restore him ; <Aey ' for
give' hira !
" Thus we see everywhere. That in election of officers ; in decision of
controversies ; in cases of conscience ; in excommunication ; the w/wle
' church' disposeth everything ; not the Bishops, not the Presbyters,
alone. . . I conceive, then, I have clearly and briefly proved these three
things. That there is little in Scripture for Episcopacy; much less for
such an ' Episcopacy' as ours: something against them : another Go
vernraent, clearly delineated."
In the sixth chapter, of this part, his Lordship treats " Of the con-

CHAP. XLI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ]'29
sequents that may probably follow the change of Church-govemment :
of the great danger of schisms, sects, and heresies, etc. : and, What is,
or who are, the cause of most schisms among us ?" We confine our
selves to his closing paragraph, where he says, the Bishops' " mad
outrage in all the three Kingdoms of late, hath so incensed the common
people, that, in all men's eyes, they are become most viJe ; and while all
men reflect on their constant trade of mischievous practices, the wisest
begin to conclude ' The very Calling hurts the men, as much as these dis
grace the Calling.' Thus we have by too, too long, great, and sad expe
rience, found it true, That our Prelates have been so far from preventing
Divisions, that they have been the parents and patrons of most errors,
heresies, sects, and schisms, that now disturb this Church and State."
In the last chapter of his Discourse, his Lordship resumes the general
subject of the preceding chapter, where the dangers were applied to
" the State ;" but he considers now, " such evils as may have bad influ
ence into the Church. . . E very body, every Layman will turn Preacher !
Suppose all this," says his Lordship, "be true, — which cannot be but
supposed, — ^would it not be much better to hazard the coming in of all
these than still to suffer our souls and bodies to be ground to powder
by these tyrannical, anti-christian Prelates ; that under pretence of keep
ing out ' Superstition,' introduce downright Popery, and a sink of almost
all errors and heresies P . . We all know, that within these ten years, all
the Nonconformists in England could not amount to more than one in
two hundred ; and now, how many thousands there be, — yea, of such
that rise one pin higher than old Nonconformity ; — themselves, per
haps, know much better than I. Yet our Bishops never were more
active, than in all this time. Whence, then, ariseth the new Noncon
formity, or ' Separation,' but out of our Bishops' commotions ? I will
not say, as the Fathers did of old. Ex martyrum sanguine pullulat
Ecclesia; yet, I must confess, I begin to think there may be, perhaps,
somewhat more of God in these — which they call new schisms — than
appears at first glimpse ! . .
" Before you pass any severe censure, be pleased to hear these poor
men, you call ' Separatists:' know their tenets, and then judge. . . And
I move tliis the rather because they are still ready to say. Most that
conderan them never heard thera. I could not but do what in me lies,
to remove this scandal. . . I most affectionately entreat men not to con
temn all things in those they now brand with their usual stain of ' Sepa
ration ;' which phrase many use in scorn, as if with one stab of that
Italian dagger, tiiey could run through body and soul at once ! . .
" If God please to communicate himself, in any manner of sweetness,
so that a man begins to see how good coraraunion and acquaintance
with God is ; how easily it is inteiTupted, by loose walking ; how sweet
it is while enjoyed, so that it ravisheth the soul, and tiUeth the whole
heart, that it cannot but flow out at the lips, in sweet breathings of, for,
and after God in Christ Jesus; this man is presently stained with a
taunt of 'madness,' and I know not what ' enthusiasm !' If one that had
tasted, and experimentally found, the sweetness of peace of conscience,
and knows how impossible it is to keep it, but by close walking with
God ; how easily it is token, and how hardly it is made up again, when
II. K

160 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
broken ; so that he is content to leave friends, living, liberty, all, rather
than to break his peace, wound his conscience, sin against God, in sin
ning against light, or acting against doubts ; O ! this man is beyond
all rule of reason ! He hath a tang of frenzy : one puft up into a sort
of self-conceit : — a rank ' Separatist !' . .
" When God shall so enlarge his hand, and unveil his face, that the
poor Creature is brought into communion and acquaintance with
his Creator ; steered in all his ways, by His Spirit, and by it carried
up above shame, fear, pleasure, comfort, losses, grave, and death itself;
let us not censure such tempers, but bless God for them : so far as
Christ is in us, we shall love, prize, honour, Christ, and the least par
ticle of his image in others; for we never prove ourselves true members
of Christ more than when we embrace his members with most enlarged,
yet straitest, affections.
" To this end, God assisting me, my desire, prayer, endeavour, shall
still be, as much as in rae lies, to follow peace and holiness, and though
there may haply be some little dissent between ray dark judgraent, weak
conscience, and other good men, that are much more clear and strong;
yet my prayer still shall be ' To keep the unity of the Spirit in the
bond of peace. '^ And as many as walk after this rule, 'peace' I hope
shall still lie on them, and the whole Israel of God." ''
When the questions of the origin and authority of the Prelates came
to be investigated, and adjudged to be discordant from the Primitive
ETrio-KOTTOt, by men not only of competent abilities but of exalted rank,
it cannot be surprising if the mists which had been cleared away, should
leave exposed the rottenness of that attachment and veneration which
" Eph. iv. 3.
<> Lord Brooke, says the Vicar of Shiplake, — Granger, Biog. Hist. Eng. 1769. 4to,
vol. i. pt. ii. p. 376, 7, — "was one of those patriots who so ardently longed for
liberty, that he was determined to seek it in America, if he could not find it at home.
He and Lord Say, had actually agreed to transport themselves to New England;
but the sudden turn of affairs prevented their voyage. . . It is observable, that the
same man who was, by one party, looked upon as a monuraent of Divine vengeance ;
was, by the other, reverenced as a saint." The admitted superstitious bent of
Laud's mind, and which might have been inspired with his earliest breath, displays
itself in his Diary, under the year 1642-3, "March 2nd, Thursday, St. Cedd's day.
The Lord Brooke shot in tbe left eye, and killed in tbe place, at Lichfield, going
to give the onset upon the Close of the Church ; be having been fierce against
Bishops and Cathedrals : his beaver up, and armed to the knees ; so that a musket
at that distance could have done him but little harm. Thus was his eye put out,
who about two years since said, he hoped to live to see at St. Paul's not one stone
left upon another." Diary, prefixed to " Tbe Hist, of the Troubles and Trial" of
Laud. 1695. fol. p. 65. And see Hume's Hist, of Eng. chap. lvi. ann. 1643, note c.
This SI. Ceada, or Chad, Bede writes. Lib. iii. cap. 28, "zealously devoted himself
to all the laborious functions of bis charge, visiting bis Diocese on foot, preaehing
the Gospel, and seeking out all the poorest aud most abandoned persons to instruct
and comfort, in the meanest cottages, and in fields." It is true that he is repre
sented to have been made Bishop " of that most extensive Diocese" of the Mercians,
in 666 But such an itinerating bishop surely could not have had tbe saintlyvirtue
ofLordB.sbops his successors! He is intituled to no mean consideration in the
calendar ofthe Church of England s saints before the Book of Common Praver, if
we may judge from the importance attached to bis merif! hv =„„.>, r V ' .
ycleped " the witty Dr. South," who in a Sermon pre"cbed Tn %% v°2
ixxxvii. 2, says, " Nor is that instance in one of anothe'r reli Jon to hi ' !,"
so near it is to the former passage of Nicanor, I ^^,1^35°-^:,^::^^^^

CHAP, xll] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 131
superstition had fastened upon ignorance. It would be an omission
unpardonable if no account were found, in this connexion, concerning
that noble compatriot of the noble Brooke, who, like him, dared to he
honest in the worst of times. It will be sufficient for the purpose con
templated, to refer to " Two Speeches of the Right Honourable Wil
liam, Lord Viscount Say and Seale, Master of his Majesty's Court of
Wards and Liveries, and one of his Majesty's most Honourable Privy
Council ; spoken in Parliament. The first, upon the Bill against
Bishops' Power in Civil Affairs and Courts of Judicature : The other,
a Declaration of Himself touching the Liturgy. 1641." 4to. pp. 17. *
That it may be seen how greatly the retainers and advocates of the ac
cused Prelates slander truth and traduce heroic virtue, this portion of
the first speech is selected : " The question that will lie before your
Lordships in passing of this Bill, is not whether Episcopacy, — I raean
this Hierarchical Episcopacy which the world now holds forth to us, —
shall be taken away, root and branch ; but. Whether those exuberant
and superfluous branches which draw away the sap frora the tree, and
divert it from the right and proper use, whereby it becomes unfruitful,
shall be cut off, as they use to pluck up suckers from the root. The
question will be no more but this. Whether Bishops shall be reduced
to what they were in their first advanceraent over the Presbyters, —
which, although it were but a human device for the remedy of schism,
in the Parliament's rebel array, who, coraing to rifle and deface the cathedral at
Lichfleld, solemnly at the head of'his troops begged of God to show some remark
able token of his approbation or dislike of the work they were going about. Imme
diately after which, looking out at a window, he was shot in the forehead by a deaf
and dumb man. And this was on St. Chadd's-day, the narae of which saint that
church bore, being dedicated to God in memory of the same. Where we see, that
as he asked of God a sign, so God gave hira one ; signing bim in the forehead, and
that with such a mark as he is like to be known to all posterity." Sermons: by
lit, South, D.D. Edit. 1823. Svo. Vol. I. p. 185. Notwithstanding this, and Laud's
solemn entry in his Diary, besides wbat Clarendon and Dugdale state, and differing
in what they represent as his Lordship's prayer or address before advancing to the
attack, it is especially to be noticed that Rushworth, in his Historical Collections,
vol. V. p. 147, states that his Lordship was " killed, and Lichfield taken by the
Parliament, on Wednesday, March 1st," which raises a suspicion that Laud had
accommodated the time of the event further to gratify his personal resentment, by
creating tbe marvellous, to beguile tbe credulous j beginning with himself. But
what in one instance shows simply a weakness of tbe intellect in that particular,
betrays in another its corruption ; as when Laud and his faction represent Lord
Brooke to be " fierce against Bishops," while it was notorious that his just indig
nation was raised only against " such" Bishops, and '' so clothed, or rather veiled ;"
and that it was against " our Bishops' miscarriage in their practice" which this
Noble Senator and Patriot denounced to the highest authorities in the realm, and
to all posterity. So much for the "vengeance" ascribed to " one party;" now for
the* reverence ascribed to " the other :" this applies to Baxter, who, in the first
edition, 1649, of bis " Saints' Everlasting Rest," p. 82, 3. 4to. rejoiced that Brooke,
Pym, and Hampden, were among those of whom he had " thought of Heaven with
the more pleasure," because he should meet with them there. This passage Baxter
omitted in all editions " since 1659," to appease tbe political rancour oL*Sfe Bishop of
London's Chaplain, Dr. Jane. " But I must tell the reader, that I did it not as
changing my judgment of the persons. . . Which of these, the man knew to be in
hell, I cannot conjecture : it is likely, those who differed from him in judgraent j
but, till he prove his revelation, I shall not believe him." Baxter's Life, Pt. iii.
p. 176, 177.
' There is another impression of these Speeches, iu fourteen pages.
K 2

1S2 HISTOKICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
yet were they, in those times, least offensive, — or continue still, with
the addition of such things as their own ambition, and the ignorance and
superstition of succeeding times did add thereunto ; and which are now
continued for several politic ends, things heterogeneal and inconsistent
with their calling and function as they are Ministers of the Gospel ;
and, therefore, such as ever have been, and ever will be, hurtful to them
selves, and make them hurtful to others."' This statement exhibits,
succinctly, a large acquaintance with ecclesiastical history, besides
containing the essence of the prevailing grievances compacted in brief.
After having reduced Bishops to their origin in the New Testament,
his Lordship continues, " Their proper excellency is Spiritual ; the
denial of the world, with the pomp and preferments, and employments
thereof. This they should teach and practise ; but when they, contrary
hereunto, seek after a worldly excellency like the great men of the
world, and to rule and domineer as they do, contrary to our Saviour's
precept Vos autem non sic, ' but it shall not be so among you ;' i" instead
of honour and esteem, they have brought upon themselves, in the hearts
ofthe people, that contempt and odium which they now lie under: and that
justly and necessarily, because the world seeth that they prefer a worldly
excellency, and run after it, and contend for it, before their own ! . .
I do appeal to all who have been versed in the ancient ecclesiastical
stories, or modern histories, whether they have not been the common
incendiaries of the Christian world : never ceasing from contention, one
with another, about the precedency of their Sees, and Churches ; excom
municating one another ; drawing Princes to be parties with them, and
thereby casting them into bloody wars. Their ambition, and inter
meddling with secular affairs and State-business, have been the cause of
shedding raore Christian blood than any thing else in the Christian
world." <= The remainder of this Speech contains his Lordship's argu
ment to evince the expediency of the expulsion of the Bishops fi-om the
Upper House of Parliament; the authority upon which it could be then
effected ; and the example set in former ages.
The second Speech is airaed directly at the Hierarch himself who had
cast some personal reflections upon the Respondent, at a time when his
Grace's star was, as Heylyn would say, in its declinatim, ; which was
not, certainly, a time when any one would shrink before the breath of
his mouth, as hundreds had when his Grace revelled in the licentiousness
of power. This Speech commands attention not only for boldness, but
for the description it contains of the Anti-Churc'h of England party ;
and is hence pregnant with what concems all who entertain the prin
ciples which the better minded among that party were anxious to pro
pagate. Short as it is, it was so poignant as to draw forth an Answer
of forty-four pages, folio, dated from the Tower, December the 3rd,
from the practiser of " violence and severity ;" '' hut to which, this gene
ral reference can only be made here, with the exception of what will
appear below. His Grace displays his usual polemical tact, and does
not fail in mistifying his opponent's argument by the free use of assump
tions and ambiguities, and raaking a strange melange, or medley, of
" P- 1- ^ Matt. XX. 26. •= P 5 6
" Samuel Johnson, LL.D. Sec his Life of Blake, op. inji, ' '

CHA?. XLI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 133
persons and sects ; or, if that were not done by design, betraying igno
rance, and want of discrimination, for which he merited blame even as
a statesman ; but in which defect his Grace is followed to our day by
the crowd of those who affect to despise altogether, or deem it beneath
thera, to investigate into the minutise of what is passing around thein.
" My Lords : — I have waited to find you free from greater busi
nesses, that I inight crave leave to speak of something that concems
myself. And this I have the more desired since my Lord of Canter-
biu-y's last Speech; who, expressing his troubles and bewailing the
misery of his condition, and of the condition of the Church of Eng
land, — for he would needs join them together ; which I think he raay,
as the cause and effect, for the miseries of the Church have certainly
risen from him,* — he insisted much upon this. That these troubles had
befallen hiin through the malice of two parties, the Papists and the Sec
taries, and by those, he said, the Church was greatly afflicted ! How
far this man will extend this word. Sectary ; and whom he will compre
hend under it, 1 know not ; but I have some cause to fear that I may
lie under some misapprehensions in respect of matters of this nature,
which, how far it concerneth him, your Lordships will perceive by what
I shall say.
" My Lord of Canterbury, a raan of mean birth, bred up in a col
lege, — and that too frequently falls out to be in a faction, — whose narrow
comprehension extended itself no further than to carry on a side in the
college, or canvass for a proctor's place in the University,'' being sud
denly advanced to highest places of government in Church and State,
had not his heart enlarged by the enlargement of his fortune ; but still
' " His Lordship says, too peremptorily, that ' the miseries of the Church' have
•certainly' risen from me. No, certainly: the 'miseries' of this Church have pro
ceeded from the Separatists ; and from snch as for private at least, if not for worse
ends, have countenanced them and their strange proceedings against the government
and governors of the Church. And this so long, till they brought ' the Church's
condition' — which flourished before — to be the cause of my ' condition,' such as it
now is. And I fell into this ' condition,' by labouring, by all good means, to uphold
the Church of England from that ' misery' into which I fear it is now falling." — The
Life, Trial, and Remains of Abp. Laud. 1695. fol. Vol. i. p. 471.
^ " This concerns me indeed, and very nearly ; for I see his Lordship resolves to
rake me up from my birth : a way unusual for men well-bred, and little beseeming
a person of honour ; especially thus to insult a fallen fortune ! But yet it concerns
me not in any relation to a Sectary, unless his Lordship would possess tbe world
that I was bred in faction, and so like enough to prove one. But how my Lord is
mistaken in this, will plainly appear. First, then, it is true I am a man of ordinary,
but very honest birth ; and the memory of my parents savours very well to this day,
in the town of Reading, where 1 was born. Nor was 1 so meanly born as, perhaps,
my Lord would insinuate ; for my father had borne all the offices in the town, save
the mayoralty." Ibid. p. 473. Shakespear's father had the advantage over Laud's
in dignity. He served all the offices, even that of " chief magistrate" in the corpo
ration of Stratford. " We must not compare these offices with such as we have
seen in our days," says the writer of a Life of Shakespear ; who says also, "All
these dignities, we have already seen, were perfectly consistent with the most deplo
rable poverty." Dr. Lardner's Lives of Eminent Literary and Scientific Men. 1837.
I2mo. vol. ii. p. 78. " There were two, above all tbe rest, who led the van of tbe
King's evil counsellors ; and these were Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, a fellow
bf mean extraction and arrogant pride, and the Earl of Strafford, who as much out-
stript all the rest in favour, as he did in abilities." Mrs. Hutchinson, in ber Memoirs
of Col. Hutchinson, vol. i. p. 104.

134 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
the maintaining of his party, was that which filled all his thoughts ;
which he prosecuted with so much violence and inconsiderateness that
he had not an eye to see the consequences thereof to the Church and
State, until he had brought both into those distractions, danger and
dishonour, which we now flnd ourselves encompassed withal. Yet, to
magnify his moderation, — presently after the breaking of the last Par
liament, — he told a Lord, who sitteth now in my sight. That if he had
been a violent raan, he wanted no occasion to show it; for he observed
that ray Lord Say never came to Prayers : and added. That I was, in
his knowledge, as great a Separatist as any was in England !
"My Lords; how far he hath spit this venom of his against me, I am
not certain ; but I may well fear where it might do rae greatest preju
dice. I shall, therefore, entreat yoiir Lordships' favours and patience,
that I may give you, in these things which so nearly concern rae, a
true account of myself ; which I shall do with ingenuity and clearness ;
and so as that if I satisfy not all men, yet I hope I shall make it appear
I am not such a one as this waspish man was willing to make the world
believe. " In the first of these that he chargeth upon me, it may be he was
willing to have it thought that I would not join in prayer with your
Lordships, but refused such a communion ; which is altogether false,
/or I should most willingly join in Prayer with you : and further, I will
add, that I do not think but some set Forms of Prayer, by some men,
in some cases, may be lawfully used. But this is that which I am not
satisfied in. That a certain number of men should usurp an authority
unto themselves, to frame certain prayers and fonns of Divine Service,
and, when that is done, under the name of 'the Church' to enjoin them
upon all persons, in all times, and upon all occasions to be used, and
none other ; and upon this ground, — which makes it worse, — because
these come from the public spirit of the Church — when the Bishop or
his Chaplain shall frame them ! — and others proceed from the 'private
spirit' of this or that particular man.
"This injunction is a usurpation of power over the Churches of
Christ, and over the gifts and graces which Christ hath given unto par
ticular men, which the Apostles never exercised, nor would assurae; and
yet they might much better have done it, and the same reasons might
then have been alleged for it that are now. This turns such Forms,
instead of being directions, into superstition. This sets aside the gifts
and graces which Christ hath given unto men; and thrusts out the exer
cise of them, to substitute iu their places, and introduce, a device of
man. This injunction of such Foims upon all men turns that which,
in the beginning, necessity brought in for the help of insufficiency, to
be, now, the continuance and maintenance of insufficiency, aud a bar to
the exercise of able and sufficient gifts and graces ; as if because some
men had need to make use of crutches, all men should be prohibited
the use of their legs, and enjoined to take up such crutches as have been
prepared for those who had no legs ! This, I confess, I am not satisfied
m, yet I will further say thus much : Here are, with your Lordships,
some Bishops, men of great parts; able to offer up this worship unto
God in the use of those gifts which God hath endowed them with, and

CHAP. XLI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 135
certainly they ought to serve Him, with the best of tlieir abilities whicli
they have received: let them make use of their own gifts; nay, let
them profess that they account not themselves bound to use Forms ;
nor to this Form they use, more than any other ; but that it is free to
thera, to conceive Prayer, or to help themselves by the use of any other
Form they please, as well as this prescribed : and let thera practise the
same indifferently, that so it may be manifest the fault rests in the per
son, and not in the service ; in the negligence of him that raay offer better,
if he will, not in the injunction of that which is offered ; and 1 will not
refuse to come to Prayer; for I take the sin then to be personal, and to
reside in the person officiating only !
" I know not whether I express rayself clearly to be understood in
this, or not, and it may seem to be a nice scrupulosity : give me leave,
therefore, to endeavour to clear it by an instance or two. In the time
of the Law, when God had appointed Himself to be worshipped by
offerings and sacrifices, the shadows and types of those truths which
were to come ; if a poor man that had not ability to bring a bullock, or
a ram, or a lamb, had brought a pair of turtle-doves, or two young
pigeons, it would have been, in him, an acceptable service : but if a
man of ability, who had herds and flocks, should, out of negligence or
covetousness, have spared the cost of a bullock, or a ram, and brought
young pigeons; his service would have been rejected, and himself
punished. How much more would the service have been abomination,
if raen should have taken authority to have enjoined all to bring no
other but turtles or young pigeons, because some were not able to do
raore ? In one case, there inight be a tolerable and lawful use of that
which otherwise used,. — especially if generally enjoined, — would have
been most unlawful. God will be worshipped with the fat and the best of
the inwards ; the best of men's gifts and abilities ; which he that worships,
or officiates in the worshipping, is to do at his own peril. And if it be
left free unto him, the worship may be lawful to him that joineth with
him therein, in itself, though performed in a negligent, and so in a sin
ful manner by the Minister ; but if that raanner be enjoined, the service
itself is to be refused.
" Now, in the time of the Gospel, God hath appointed 'the foolish
ness of Preaching,' — for so the world accounts it, — to be the raeans
whereby He will save those that believe.* I conceive, where there are
no gifts enabling men to preach, there might be a lawful and profitable
use of reading printed sermons and homilies ; and in such case, they
might very lawfully be heard : but if some men, upon pretence to pre
vent extravagant preaching, should take upon them to set forth a book
of public or common sermons fit for all tiraes and occasions ;'' and
should enjoin Ministers to conform to those, and use no other preaching
at all hut the reading of these common sermons or homilies so devised
for public worship ; this would make it utterly unlawful, and to be
professed against as that which were the bringing in of a human device
and injunction, in the place and instead of God's ordinance, to the
exclusion thereof; as the Pharisees, to establish traditions of their own,
" 1 Cor. i. 21. ¦> " Articles of Religion ;" Art. xxxv.

136 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I,
made void the commandments of God. Let it be considered, what
difference there can be found between these, but only this— use and
custom have inured us to that of Prayer ; not so in this of Preaching ;
and therefore the evil of it would easily appear unto us, if so enjoined. ,
" My Lords ; Let me presume upon your patience so far further as
to give me leave to speak to the other imputation laid upon me. That
I ara a Separatist, and the gi-eatest in England ! And, first, I shall
say of this word ' Separatist,' as that leamed man, Mr. Hales, of Eton,
saith, in a little Manuscript of his which I have seen, ' That where it
may be rightly fixed and deservedly charged, it is certainly a great
offence ; but in comraon use now, amongst us, it is no other than a
theological scare-crow wherewith the potent and prevalent Party useth
to fright and enforce those who are not of their opinions to subscribe to
their dictates, without daring to question them, or bring them to any
rule or exaraination either of Scriptme or reason.' And he observeth,
that this was too usual even in ancient times, as well as now ! Secondly,
I say that there is a twofold Separation ; one fi-om the universal or
catholic Church ; which can no otherwise be made but by denying the
Faith, — for faith and love are the requisites unto that commumon : —
the other, is a Separation from this or that Particular Church or Con
gregation ; and that, not in respect of difference with them in matter of
laith and love, but in dislike only of such coi-ruptions in their external
worship and Liturgies as they do admit of, and would enjoin upon
others ; this is a Separation not from their persons, as they are Chris
tians, but from their corruptions in matter of worship, as they are
therewith defiled. And this Separation every man that will keep him
self pure from other men's sins,* and not sin against his own conscience,
must make. And I will ingenuously confess. That there are many
things in many Churches or Congregations in England, practised; and
enjoined upon all, to be practised and suffered ; which I cannot
practise nor admit of, — except I should sin against the light of my
conscience, — until I may, out of the Word of God, be convinced of
the lawfulness of them, which hitherto I could never see sufficient
ground for.
" But, ray Lords, this is so far from making me ' the greatest
Separatist in England,' that it cannot argue me to be any at all ! For,
my Lords, the Bishops do know that those whom they usually apply
this tei-m unto, are the 'Brownists' — as they call them, by another
name, — and they know their tenets. The truth is, they differ with us
in no fundamental point of doctrine or saving truth, as I know. Their
failing is in this, They hold that there is no true Church 'in England;'
no true Ministry; no true Worship; which depend the one upon the
other : they say all is Antichristian ! Here is their error ; they dis
tinguish not between the bene esse or purity of a ' true Church,' and
the esse, or true being of it, though with many defects and gross cor
ruptions ; but conclude, that because such things are wanting which
are indeed necessary to the well being of a true Church, and to be
desired, therefore there is none at all in being ! I hold no such
opinion ; but do believe to the contrary. That there are, ' in England,'
' 1 Tim. V. 22.

CH.\P. XLU.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 137
many true Churches ; and a true Ministry which I do hear ; and with
which Churches I could join in communion, were those yokes of bon
dage which are laid upon them taken off, and those coiTuptions
removed, which they do — contrary, as I think, to their duty — yield
unto and admit of I And this, I am sure, no ' Separatist' in England
holdeth, that deserveth that name. Therefore, I hope your Lordships
will, in that respect, let me stand right in your opinions.
" I shall now end, with two requests. The one, that yonr Lord
ships will please to pardon me for troubling you with so long a discourse
concerning myself. I have not used it heretofore, and I am not like
to offend again in the same kind : it is but once, and your Lordships
will consider the occasion ! The second is, humbly to entreat of you,
that where you know there is one and the same God worshipped, one
and the same faith embraced, one and the same Spirit working love and
causing an unblamable conversation, without any offence to the State,
in your brethren that in all these concur with you ; you will not suffer
them, — for Ceremonies, and things to you Indifferent, but not to them,
hut burdens which, without offence to the State, or prejudice to the
Churches, you may take off if you will, — to be thrust out ofthe Land,
and cut off from their native country : for if you thus shall wound the
consciences of your brethren, you will certainly offend and sin against
Christ !"

CHAP. XLII.
STRAFFORD. — VOTE OP JULY 16tH, 1641.  BAGSHAWE. — WHITE. 
THE bishops' fatal PROTESTATION.  THE AFFAIR OF THE FIVE
MEMBERS.  ACT TO EXCLUDE THE BISHOPS.  ORDINANCE CON
TEMPLATING THE ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES.  REMONSTRANCE OF
MAY 26tH, 1642  BOOK OF SPORTS, ETC.  CHARLEs's ADDRESS TO
THE HOSTS. — GENERAL ASSEMBLY.  CATALOGUE OF GRIEVANCES. 
POSITION OF THE PARLIAMENT.
May 12th, 1641, the "two-handed engine" fell with its deadly weight
upon the neck of the over-resolute Thomas Wentworth, Earlof Straf
ford ;* the precursor in their unhappy destiny of a never-to-be-forgotten
Triumvirate ! The Earl had reached London, it is said, on the- evening
of the same day on which the Scots' Deputation had amved ;'' and it is
remarked, that then "all the parties were on the field to finish one of
the most perilous struggles in obtaining liberty for the people, or
holding power for the crown, which history records." "= " The loss of
this gentleman's life,'! — thus writes Heylyn, — " after such a manner, so
temfied the rest of his Majesty's servants, that as some had deserted
him in the first appearance of his troubles, so there were few that durst
stand to him, or put him upon resolute or courageous counsels when he
» See back, p. 68. '' Nov. 14th. See back, p. 55.
° " The Life and Times of Alexander Henderson. By John Alton, D.D. 1836.'*
Svo. chap. vii. p. 448.

138 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
most Wanted such assistance." * This same authority relates a touching
description of the Eari's last " farewell" of his chief accomplice m then-
country's ruin. Laud had been immured in the Tower since the first
day of March preceding ; and now he expressed his hope, " That when
he carae to his own execution, which he daily prayed for, the world
should perceive he had been more sensible of the Lord Strafford's loss
than of his own." ^ Another scene is, however, imagined to have passed
between the ill-fated confederates, exhibiting the strain of popular sen
timent regarding them. We content ourselves with the closing
passages : " Straff. — ^Your head, no doubt, is grown the lighter
Since disinvested of the mitre 1
It was too proud a weight, and known
To nurse bad thoughts : 'tis better gone 1
The shepherds, on their sheephooks, laugh,
And do upbraid your crosier-staff:
No more your now deaf chaplains bark
What hour shall speak you ' Patriarch 1' '=
Cant. — Farewell, farewell ; your time draws on.
Speak thoughts more sanctified, or none.
'Tis you must lead the way, and I
Shall follow after, bye and by.
Straff. — My life's short knarled thread, doth stand
Expecting fate's impartial hand ;
Heaven hath my thoughts, my Lord : yet stay,
Shall we ne'er meet again ?
Cant. — ^We may !
There's room enough in heaven ; for two
Have more transgrest than I or you.
But I, what place and time, forbear
To name ; 'tis God knows when, and where !" ''
As one of the phases of the body-politic, and as exhibitive of the
teraper of the Commons, it is needful that the attentive reader should
be in possession of " The Order and Form for Church-Government
by Bishops and the Clergy of this Kingdom : Voted in the House of
Commons, on Friday, July 16," 1641. Whereunto is added, ' Mr.
Grimston's and Mr. Selden's Arguments concerning Episcopacy.'
1641." 4to. pp. 8.
" Iraprimis : Every Shire of England and Wales to be a several
circuit or diocese for the ecclesiastic jurisdiction, excepting Yorkshire,
which is to be divided into three. — ii. A constant Presbytery of twelve
divines to be selected in every shire or diocese. — iii. A constant Presi
dent to be established as a Bishop over this Presbytery. — iv. This
Bishop in each diocese to ordain, suspend, deprive, degrade, excommu
nicate, by and witli the consent and assistance of seven divines of his
Presbytery then present, and not otherwise — ^v. The times of Ordina
tion throughout the Land to be four times every year ; naraely, the
* Life of Laud, p. 482. l) Ibid. p. 480.
« See back, p. 49 ; the " English Pontifical."
* " The Discontented Conference betwixt tbe two great Associates, William,
Archbishop of Canterbury, and Thomas, late Earl of Strafford. 1611." 4to. pp, FS.]
" Page 1, is headed, " Sat. 17, July."

CHAP. XLII.} RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 139
1st of May, the 1st of August, the 1st of November, and the 1st of
February. — vi. Every Bishop constantly to reside within his diocese;
iu some prime or chief city or town within his diocese, as in particular 
vii. Every Bishop to have one special particular Congregation, to be
chosen out of the most convenient for distance of place from his chief
residence, and the richest in value that may be had ; where he shall
duly preach, unless he be lawfully hindered, and then shall take care
that his Cure be well supplied by another. — viii. No Bishop shall
remove or be translated from the bishopric which he shall first under
take.— -ix. Upon every death or other avoidance of a Bishop, the King
to grant a ' Conge d'elire' to the whole clergy of that diocese ; and they
to present three of the Presbyters aforesaid, and the King to choose
and nominate whom he please of them. — x. The first Presbyters of
every shire to be named by the Parliaraent ; and afterwards, upon the
death or other avoidance of any Presbyter, the remaining Presbyters to
choose another out of the Parish Ministers of that shire, and this to be
done within one month next after such death or avoidance. — ^xi. No
Bishop or Clergyman to exercise or have any temporal office, or secular
employment ; but only for the present, to hold and keep the probate of
Wills until the Parliament shall otherwise resolve, — xii. The Bishop
once a year — at Midsummer — to summon a Diocesan Synod, there to
hear and, by general vote, to determine all such matter of scandal in
life and doctrine among the Clergymen as shall be presented unto
them — xiii. Every three years, a National Synod to be; which, for
persons, shall consist of all the Bishops in the Land, and of two Pres
byters to be chosen by the rest out of each presbytery, and of two
Clerks, to be chosen out of every diocese by the Clergy thereof. —
xiv. This National Synod to make and ordain Canons of the govern
ment of the Church, but they not to bind until they he confirmed by
Parliament. — xv. Every Bishop to have, over and above the Benefice
aforesaid, a certain constant rent allowed and allotted, proportionate to
the diocese wherein he is to officiate ; that is to say, every Presbyter to
have a constant yearly profit above his Benefice. — ^xvi. As for the
revenue of ' the Bishops, Deans, and Chapters, &c.,' a strict survey
to be taken of all their rents and profits, and the same to he represented
at the beginning of our next Convention ; and in the meantime no
lease to be renewed, nor timber to be felled." *
It is evidenced enough, that what the English Bishops had of Scrip-
" "Mr, Grimston's argument concerning Bishops: i. That Bishops [are] Jure
Divino, is of question. — ii. That Archbishops are not Jure Divino, is out of question.
— iii. That Ministers are Jure Divino, there is no question. — Now, if Bishops which
are questioned, whether Jure Divino ? and Archbishops, which out of question are not
Jure Divino, suspend Ministers that are Jure Divino; I leaveittoyou, Mr. Speaker! —
Mr. Selden's answer : i. That Convocation is Jure Divino, is a question, ii. That
Parliaments are not Jure Divino, is out of question, iii. That Religion is Jure Divino,
there is no question. — Now, Mr. Speaker, that tbe Convocation which is questioned,
whether Jure Divino ? and Parliaments, which out of question are not Jure Divino,
should meddle with Religion, which questionless is Jure Divino ; I leave to you,
Mr. Speaker ! — Mr. Grimston's reply : But Archbishops are no Bishops ! Mr,
Selden's answer. That is no otherwise true than that Judges are not lawyers, and
Aldermen not citizens !" Both these arguments are good.

140 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLlLS I.
tural Spirituality in their office, was sophisticated by the increments of
their Temporalities. The " treasure" which the Apostles, one for all,
spake of with characteristic humility, and which they confessed that
they canied about in "earthen vessels," they laid no claim to, as of
themselves;* "having nothing," they yet possessed "all things.
But whoever contemplates a Bishop revelling in woridly treasure and
honour, cannot but strain his reasoning faculties to find out what simi
larity there may be between such a one and his alleged first progenitor I
The ingredients essential to the composition of the later character, being
other than what sufficed to constitute the earlier, must inevitably, there
fore, produce effects incongruous from the original purposes. Foras
the concrete is made up of a superabundance of the " earthen," so the
"earthen" must ever predominate. Hence springs the claim of juris
diction set up by Bishops of this later order, even to the Supremacy in
temporal affairs. Hence, too, the rautual repulsion which that claim
necessarily occasions, and the perpetuity of strife between the " Spi
ritual" and the Secular Powers. History unfolds an abundance of
cases attesting the truth of this conclusion ; and it comes within tlie
scope of our design to adduce, or rather revert to, an instance which
amounted, in the Body whom it concerns, to an act of felo de se. Its
own deeds produced its destruction ; and the effort was paltry to
attempt to fix the blame on " the Separatists," and " such as for private
at least, if not for worse ends, have countenanced them ;" ¦= while the
same accuser would at the same time affect to contemn the fewness and
meanness of these opponents, whom he charges now with being the
producers of the Church's " miseries." A Church linked to the State
by so raany ties of custom, statutes, revenues, and immunities, to be
shaken, but by such instruments, is incredible 1 Nothing, truly, so
much as itself, produced its overthrow. See this proposition cleared in
" Two Arguments in Parliament : The First, concerning the Canons;
the Second, concerning the Premunire upon those Canons. By Ed
ward Bagshawe, Esq. 1641." 4to. pp. 43.
Before the giving of any portions of these Arguments, it will be
serviceable to present what Heylyn writes of their author. " AVhilst
the Archbishop laboured to support Episcopacy on the one side, some
of the Puritan Party did as rauch endeavour to suppress it, by lopping
off the branches first, and afterwards by laying the axe to the root of
the tree. Bagshawe, a Lawyer of some standing, of the Middle Temple,
did first prepare the way to the ruin of it, by questioning the Bishops'
place and vote in Parliament, their temporal power, and the authority
of the High Commission : for being chosen Reader by that House, for
the Lent vacation, he first began his Readings on February 24th,
[1639-40], selecting for the arguraent of his discoursings the Statute,
25th of Edward III. cap. vii. [Pro Clero']. In prosecuting whereof,
he had distributed his conceptions into ten parts, and each part into
ten several cases ; by which account, he must have had one hundred
blows at the Church in his ten days' Reading. . . The news whereof
being brought to Lambeth ; . . the Archbishop thereupon informs his
' 2 Cor. iv. 7. » Chap. vi. 10. c gee back, p. 133, note a.

CHAP. XLII. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 141
Majesty. . . To Larabeth goes the Reader, . . and was then told, ' That
he was fallen upon a subject neither safe nor serviceable ; which should
stick closer to him than he was aware of.' Bagshawe endeavoured
something in his own defence. . . No better answer being given him,
away goes Bagshawe out of town, accompanied with forty or fifty horse,
—and it was a great honour to the House * that he had no raore, — who
seemed to be of the same faction and affections also." ''
Let us see now, also, what Bagshawe himself relates, about nineteen
years after, when his political position was somewhat altered. Alluding
to Laud's behaviour towards him, he writes, " This sudden and uncouth
act of his made a loud noise throughout the cities of London and West
minster. A great Peer of the realm merrily told him, at the next
meeting, ' That he had often heard of a silenced Preacher, but never of
a silenced Reader before !' And the vulgar people, at that time espousing
a Scottish quarrel, increased in their clamours and hatred against him.
This ti-ouble he brought upon himself in meddling with things wherein
he had no skill, and with persons over whom he had no jurisdiction :
for Reading of Law in the Inns of Court and Chancery ; in both of
which I have beeu Reader ; . . are for the benefit of the Students in
those Societies. . . and such acceptation my reading found with the
gentlemen of that Society, *= which I shall, with thankfulness, ever
acknowledge, that scarce any Reader before was ever attended out of
town with such a number of gentlemen of die sarae House. . . The
year following, without asking, or seeking, or stirring one foot out of
my Chamber in the Middle Temple to that intent, I was, by the unani
mous vote of the people, chosen Burgess of Southwark in the first
place. Presently after my choosing, a Petition was brought to rae by
some of the chief of that Borough, containing in it the total extirpation
of Episcopacy, root and branch ; as likewise of the Common Prayer ;
and, that I would commend it to the Commons' House : I being the
senior Burgess, and having the first choice. By this Petition I under
stood them, but they understood not me ; and, therefore, I dealt clearly
with thera. That if the present Episcopacy, which had so much ex
ceeded the bounds of Law in the exercise of their Jurisdiction, to the
grievance of the people, was reformed and regulated, according to the
Law of the Land, it would be better accepted than in their utter
abolition-; and this way, I thought the Parliament would go : And so
convinced them with reasons for the sarae, that they seeraed to me fully
satisfied, and the Petition stopped. But they consulting, afterward,
with Mr. John White,'' my fellow Burgess, he approved of the Petition ;
and hereupon it was delivered into the hands of Alderman Pennington,
one of the Knights for London, who brought the Petition into the
House with sixteen thousand hands ; which being read and debated in
the House, Mr. John Pym — a gentleman with whom I had familiar
acquaintance, and knew his mind in that point — spake to this purpose,
' That he thought it was not the intention of the House to abolish
either Episcopacy or the Book of Comraon Prayer, but to reform both
vvherein offence was given to the people. And if that could be effected
" The Middle Temple. '' P. 406, 407. <= The Middle Temple.
'' Chairman of the Committee for Scandalous Ministers, in 1643.

14-2 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
and assented to by thera, with the concurrence of the King and Lords,
they should do a very acceptable work to the people ; and such as had
not been since the Reformation, which was then about eighty years.'. .
For my own part, being then at that debate a member of the House,
I openly declared ray opinion concerning Bishops, for establishing
them in their function and jurisdiction, agreeable to Law ; according to
what I had done and held in my Reading, without wavering or warping
at all."* .
It should seem, frora these particulars, that the infection was become
more general than to be restrained to the "Separatists" and their
abettors only. The truth is, that the struggle was between the con
flicting J urisdictions ; and it was fit that the Civil Courts should put
an effectual stop to the usurpations of what Heylyn calls the " Court
Christian." >> That the vessel of the Church would founder, its helm
being intrusted to so rashly adventurous a Pilot, is what was foreseen ;
but that it was foreseen his incapacity — for he was of " doctissimorum
hominum indoctissimum genus," ¦= — ^would involve in the vessel's fate
the deplorable catastrophe which befel the King his Master, there is not
the smallest historical evidence which we recognize : " between resisting
a Prince and dethroning him," remarks Hume, " there is a wide
interval."'' .\nd the ascendancy of the Republicans did not display
itself till the close of the year 1644.^
Bagshawe's first Argument concerns " the legality of the Canons." ^
He says, " I hold three illegalities." And he generalizes, " that they
are against Clergy and Laity ; without their common consent : they were
not well created by any of the King's writs or commissions, to enable
them to make Canons ; which were not made in a Convocation, or, in
a new Synod derived out of an old Convocation, as was wittily observed
by a noble Lord, but they were raade in a mere convocation of the
Clergy who had no wan-ant or authority to do as they did. The raattei-s
contained in the said Canons are against the fundamental laws and
statutes ofthe Realm."
The first point which he undertook to prove, is. That the Clergy
never could make Canons and Constitutions that should bind the Clergy
and Laity, without their common consent ; and to effect his purpose
he cast "the whole Clergy into five stages of time." The first stage,
was " from Christ's time till the days of Constantino;" the second, from
Constantino's days " until the Conquest ;" the third, was from the Con
quest " till the days of King Edward I. ;" the fourth, from Edward " to
the twenty-fifth year of Henry VIII., in which time the Common Law
' A Just Vindication of the Questioned Part of the Reading of Edward Bagshaw,
Esq. 1660. 4to. p. 2—4.
'' P. 407. *= Erasmus. "l Hist. Eng. Chap. lix. an. 1649.
' Hist, of the Commonwealth. By W. Godwin, 1824. Vol. i. chap. ii. p. 18.
Hallam reraarks that '' The spirit of ecclesiastical rather than civil democracy was
the first sign of the approaching storm." Constitutional Hist, of Eng.' 1827.4(0.
Vol. i. ch. ix. p. 581. And Sir James Mackintosh, or his Continuator, says, under
1642, " There were already, beyond doubt, aspirations after a Republic ; but it does
not appear that there was any resolved design." Lardner's Cont. Mackintosh's Hist.
of Eng. 1835. I2mo. Vol. v. p. 309.
' See back, p. 49.

CHAP. XLII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 143
began to recover and get strength ; and all that time the Clergy could
make no laws, canons, or constitutions, but what the Comraon Law
did allow :" the last stage, or ti-act of time, from " 25 Hen. VIIL, cap.'
xix., until this very time."
Having produced his authorities, he adds " Thus have I, as briefly
as I could, run over the practice of all ages in raaking Ecclesiastical
laws: and the reasons of their practice are chiefly these, . . If property
of goods cannot be taken from me without my assent in Parliament,
which is the fundamental law of the Land, and so declared in the Peti
tion of Right ; why then, property and liberty of Conscience, which is
much greater, as much as bona animi are above bona fortwn<B, cannot
be taken from me without my assent. Liberty of Religion and Con
science are, as I take it, within the words of Magna Charta ; granted to
me as my inheritance : ' Nullus liber homo impiisonetur aut disseisetur
de libertatibus vel liberis consuetudinibus suis.'* And liberty of Con
science is the greatest liberty ! It is, by a necessary consequence and
deduction, within the word ' imprisonetur :' for put the case, that the
Clergy make Canons to which I never assented, and I break those
Canons ; whereupon, I am excommunicated, and upon a Significavit by
the Bishop, my body is taken and imprisoned by a writ De excommu
nicato capiendo, now shall I lie in prison all the days of my life ; and
shall never he delivered by a Cautione admittenda, unless 1 will come
in, ' et parere mandatis Ecclesiie ;' which are point blank against my
conscience. And thus have I proved the first and chiefest point. That
no Canons can bind the Laity and Clergy without consent in Parlia
ment ; and, therefore, these Canons . . cannot bind."
His second point assumes, that though Canons could be made without
common assentryet had not the Clergy lawful authority to make " these."
He has set down the dates of the calling, and the progress, of this Con
vocation, and argues that though the Canons had the form of Confinna-
tion by the King's Letters Patent, according to the form of the said
statute of Henry, yet not being made "in Convocation," the "founda
tion failing," the Confirmation is " absolutely void."
In his third point, he has shown, that notwithstanding the Clergy
had had power and lawful authority, still these Canons are void in law,
'¦ Ibr the matter contained in them." In making determinations, in the
First Canon, " concerning Royal power, and property of goods ; they
have done against law; and have meddled with things of which they
have no cognizance, for the exposition of them belongs to the Judges of
the Law ; and they have no more right to expound them, than the J udges
have to expound texts of Scripture !" Conceming the twelfth and thir
teenth Canons, "touching the freeing and discharging of Chancellors
and Officials from executing any Excoraraunication, or any Censure,
against the Clergy, because they are Laymen;" seeing, says Bagshawe,
" an Act of Parliaraent hath given this power to Laymen, it is a high
presumption in them to make Canons against it." Concerning the Oath,
in the sixth Canon, " I hold," he says, " that no oath can be imposed
upon the Subject, but what is warranted either by the custom of the
realm, >>hich is no other than the Common Law, or else by some Act
" Cap. xxix.

144 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of Pariiament to wanrant it." His authorities are laid down hereupon,
and he then proceeds to say, " An oath is no Canon or Constitution,
but a mere collateral thing ; just as if they should have enjoined a man to
have entered into a bond of a thousand pounds to have observed their
Canons ; this had been void, and a prohibition had lam at the Coraraon
Law for it ; because this is a collateral thing, and a charge upon my
goods ; and so is an oath, upon my conscience. And therefore, in
pressing an oath by virtue of their sixth Canon, they have exceeded their
authority." " Concerning the matter of the Oath, divers exceptions have been
taken by those Leamed Gentlemen that have argued before, which I will
not remember, but add four which have not yet been spoken to. The
first exception, is in these words, ' That I will not endeavour by my
self or any other, to bring in any Popish Doctrine, contrary to that
which is so established.' Now, 'that' and 'so,' being words of relation,
do refer to the next antecedent, ' Popish Doctrine,' not mentioned in
any part of the oath before. So that, reddenda singula singulis, it
runs thus in sense and construction : — I will not endeavour myself to
bring in any Popish Doctrine ' contrary' to that Popish Doctrine which
is so established : ergo, some Popish Doctrine is ' established' by the
Church of England. This constmction was so evident to thera that,
for the curing thereof, — though this Oath, with the word ' Popish' in
it, and the rest of the Canons, were confirmed by the King's Letters
Patent, 30th of June, 16 Car., yet the 6th of July after, they got a
Commission from the King, to give this Oath, leaving out the word
' Popish;' whereby they have made the remedy worse than the dis
ease, by giving an Oath which was never confirmed by the King I
" The second exception, is in these words, 'Nor will I ever give my
consent to alter the govemment of this Church by Archbishops, Bishops,
Deans, and Archdeacons, etc.,' which I may fitly call a covenant against
the King's Supremacy ; which I thus make good : It is a part of my
Oath of Supremacy, that I shall assist the King in all pre-erainences
and jurisdictions belonging to his Cro>vn.* Now, it is part of his juris
diction to ' alter' this ' government' by his Parliament, and to appoint
and establish another. Which, if he shall be so minded to do, I am by this
Oath [of the Canon] not to assist him in it, I am not so much as to
give my assent ! Whereby I do unavoidably fall upon this rock, that
for the saving of ray oath, I must deny my obedience to the King ; or,
by obeying the King, I must fall upon perjury."
" The third exception, is in these words, I will not consent to alter
the ' government' of this Church by Archbishops, &c., ' as it stands now
established, and as by Right it ought to stand.' Now, to speak properly,
there is no ' government' of this Church of England ' by Archbishops,
Bishops, Deans, and Archdeacons, etc ;' but only by the King; and
they govern only by and under him. And why the King should be left
out, seems a thing strange to rae, unless they will say he is compre
hended within the ' etc.,' which is a most unworthy place for so great a
Majesty! And that the Clergy had sorae ill meaning in this omission
of the King out of this Oath, I have some reason more than to suspect,
' 1 Eliz. cap. i.

CHAP, xlil] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 145
when I cast my eye upon some dangerous passages that are in their
writings, about the King's Supremacy ; advancing it higher than the
King himself would have them, touching the Subject's property of
goods, but depressing it too low concerning his Ecclesiastical power.''
" The fourth, and last, exception to the Oath, is in these words,
' Nor shall you ever subject it' — the Church of England — 'to the usurpa
tions and superstitions of the See of Rome ;' and doth not say the
Church of Rome : whereby it contains a neg-dtive pregnant ; that is to
say, you may not 'subject' the Church of England to the superstitions
and usurpations ' of the See of Rome ;' but you may ' subject' it to the
usurpations and superstitions ofthe Church of Rome ! . . And that the
Clergy had an ill meaning in leaving this clause in the Oath thus loose,
I have some reason to imagine, when I find in their late books, that
they say ' the Church of Rome is a true Church,' and ' Salvation is to
be had in it.' "
" And so, Mr. Speaker, I have done with the Canons, and conclude
that they are illegal, in point of original jurisdiction ; in point of
derivative authority ; in the matter and fonn of them : or more briefly,
in the language of the Schools, they are illegal and void in toto et in
qualibet parte."
Such is the best abridged representation of Bagshawe's First Argu
ment which its bearing on the interests of the then and of later " Sepa
ratists" demands at our hands. The more formal or technical portions
of this argument, omitted here, are not less stringent in their con
clusions. The Second Argument, on which more conciseness must be em
ployed, is opened thus, — " Mr. Speaker ; I am by the order of the House,
to speak, this day, of the Penalty which the Clergy, by making their late
Canons in their late Convocation, rather than Sjmod, have forfeited and
incurred. . . Illegal faults draw after thera legal punishments : for there
are no venial sins, at the Common Law, . . I was doubtful, at first, what
punishment I should fix upon the Clergy ; but considering the Vote of
this House, That the late Canons were against the King's Prerogative
Royal, the Fundamental Laws of the Land, the Liberty of the Subject,
and divers Acts of Parliament ; I settled my resolutions, . .
" I hold they have incurred a Premunire ; namely, all 'Archbishops,
Bishops, Deans, Archdeacons, etc.,' which consented to the making
of them. . .
" A Premunire, is a defence of the Crown and Laws of the Land from
the tyranny and oppression of Spiritual Jurisdiction ; . . whereby is
incurred this Penalty, of being put out of the King's protection, loss of
lands and goods, and perpetual imprisonment. This may seem a sharp
and severe punishment to be inflicted on Clergymen ; but when the
reasons and grounds of Law are considered, and how Kings of England
were necessitated to it, the sharpness of the punishraent will not seem
strange to any.
" Conceming the original cause and ground of the Premunire, it
ariseth from the opposition and antipathy betwixt the Common and the
Canon Law ; or the Law of God, and the Law of the Pope : the Com
mon Law being derived from the one, and the Canon Law from the
II. L

146 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I,
Other ; which makes the opposition as great as betwixt Christ and Anti
christ; which hath in all ages, as I could show you, caused a hatred of
our Law and the Professors thereof, from the Clergy and Professors of
the Canon Law. . . And as the contention and opposition increased, so
did the punishment ; as may appear in these four particulars : The fii-st
punishment upon the Clergy was Prohibition only ; the second, was a
Prohibition with a Pain ; the third, was by Fine and Imprisonment ;
the fourth, and last, when none of the rest would do good, was by a
Premunire. And there it ended."
Bagshawe's exemplification of the mutual strife is comprised in his
next fifteen or sixteen pages, and it exhibits much exceedingly curious
raatter. We select two only from among the " Objections'' which he
adduced. The Fourth is, that " ' The Ecclesiastical Courts, say they,
are now become the King's Courts, by the Statute 1 Eliz. cap. i., as
other Courts in Westminster Hall ; and therefore the King cannot have
a Premunire against himself!' I deny this. For they are the King's
Courts now no more than they were before: for the Statute, 1 Eliz.,
did not give the King any new power, but only restored the old which
he had before. And this answer did Chancellor Audley give to Stephen
Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who raade this objection; telling him
withal. That the Premunire was a rod that the Common Law had to
keep the Bishops in awe, and to reduce them to good order, otherwise
men would have no quiet for them!"
The Sixth and "greatest Objection" is this, "The Bishop of Exeter
[Hall,] and divers Divines more hold that ' the Jurisdiction of Bishops
is jure Divino ; whereupon it follows, that neither Prohibition nor Pre-
raunire can restrain that Jurisdiction which derives from the Law of
God.' This indeed is true, if their Jurisdiction were of that nature; but
I have proved before by divers Acts of Parliament, that their Jurisdic
tion is acknowledged, by the Law of England, only to be jure humano :
. . the Common Law doth agree with these Statutes. . . But what do I
speak of the Common Law, for the very Church of England seems to
be of this opinion, for in our Book of Common Prayer, no more is
allowed to Bishops, in point of ' Divine right,' than what is common
with pastors, ministers, and curates ; for there are but three Prayers for
Bishops in all the Book ; . . and they all run to the same purpose. The
first is in the Litany, ' That it may please Thee to illuminate all
Bishops,' etc. ; wherein nothing is raentioned but their knowledge of
God's Word, their good life and doctrine ! The next Prayer for them
is, . . that ' God would send down upon all our Bishops and Curates,
and all Congregations comraitted to their charge,' etc. ; where the taking
care of the cure of souls in Congregations comraitted to thera, is the
main thing which we pray for on their behalf. The last, is in the
Prayer for the Militant Church, ' Give grace, O heavenly Father, to all
Bishops, Pastors and Curates, that they may, both by their life and
doctrine, set forth thy true and lively Word, and rightly and duly ad
minister thy holy Sacraments ;' where there is not so much as a word
mentioned of their Jurisdiction !
"And so, Mr. Speaker, do I conclude my whole Argument touching
the penalty incurred by the Clergy, for their illegal Canons made in

CHAP, xm.]' RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 147
their Synod at Paul's ; concerning which, I will end all in these two
verses, which may be better applied to this Synod than the Anninians
applied them to the Synod at Dort :
Paulinse Synodus nodus Chorus, integer ager,
Conventus ventus, Sessio stramen, Amen."
Mr. White, co-burgess with Bagshawe, addressed the Commons,
January the 17th, 1641-2, when he told the House, " The greatest
and chiefest authors of our miseries are the Bishops and their adherents,
favourers ofthe Romish and Arminian faction ; that have, with a high
hand and stretched-out arm, in their several places of power aud juris
diction, both spiritual and temporal, exercised cruelty and tyranny
over the children and saints of God ; binding the consciences of free
subjects only to their opinions and commands, in the exercise of their
Religion. 'With extremity and greatest severity, inflicting punishment
upon those of tender consciences that shall refuse the sarae : enjoining
all the Clergy under their authority, to teach such things as may serve
only to the defence and maintenance of their devised doctrines and
tenets of their superiors, preaching the same out of fear, not conscience.
These corrupt Bishops, Lords over their brethren and fellow-servants
in the administration of the mysteries of Salvation, have been the prime
authors of all the troubles we are now encumbered withal. I speak
not, Mr. Speaker, altogether against their persons, but even their offices
and places of authority as now they are used ; contrary to the true
intent of the Apostles, in the first admitting of the ordination of
Bishops."* As usual, when the Bishops — " innocent doves" — were at fault,
otherwise to extricate themselves from error, they made no hesitation
in loading the King with all the responsibility ; accordingly. Hall ''
told the Lords, November the 12th, " They say we have made Canons
and Constitutions. Alas, my Lords, we have made none ! We neither
did nor could make Canons,- more than they can make laws. . . We
might propound some such Constitutions as we should think might be
useful ; but when we have done, we send them to his Majesty ; who,
perusing them cum avisamento Consilii sui," and approving them, puts
life into them, and of dead propositions makes them Canons. As,
therefore, the laws are the King's laws, and not ours ; so are the Canons
the King's Canons, and not the Clergy's. Think thus of thera ; and
then draw what conclusions you please." "*
So judicially overtaken were the Prelates, and apparently so resolved
to precipitate their ruin, that being bereft of all discretion, they com
mitted error upon error, and furnished their enemies with an accumu
lation of reasons for proceeding publicly to impugn their Order. It'
belongs to other histories to display the particulars of those transactions,
and to describe the tumults which they occasioned. It concerns our-
* Nalson's " Collection, etc." 1683. fol. vol. ii. p. 886. " Thus," adds Nalson, " did
these vultures and harpies accuse the innocent doves, upon whom they intended
to prey and quarry." P. 887.
^ About this time, translated from Exeter to Norwich.
" That is, alter et idem; we have seen sufficiently what was tbe influence of the
Bishops in the Council. "• Works, vol. x. p. 68.
l2

148 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
selves, however, to relate that the Bishops had incurred such odium
that they were constantly molested, and in danger of the worst effects
of popular rage. In December they were so determinately, indig
nantly treated, that twelve of them adopted the unhappy resolution of
drawing up and subscribing a " Protestation" which they presented to
the King, who transmitted it to the House of Lords. It was debated,
the next day, and a conference being resolved upon, the Lord Keeper,
Littleton, in the name of the Lords informed the Comraons that this
Protestation contained " raatters of high and dangerous consequence." *
Whereupon the Comraons resolved, within half an hour, to impeach
the twelve Bishops for conspiring to subvert the fundamental laws and
being of Parliaments. " No man, in either House, ventured to speak
a word in their vindication ; so much displeased was every one at the
egregious imprudence of which they had been guilty." ^ Heylyn called
it " the last flash of their dying light." ¦=
" Whereas," said these Bishops, " their fears" of affronts, indignities,
and dangers, " are not built upon fancies and conceits, but upon such
grounds and objects as raay well terrify raen of good resolutions and
much constancy ; they do, in all humility and duty, protest before
your Majesty and the Peers of that Most Honourable House of Parlia
ment, against all laws, orders, votes, resolutions, and determinations,
as, in themselves, null and of none effect, which, in their absence since
the 27th of this instant month of December, 1 641, have already passed^
as likewise, all such as shall hereafter pass in that Most Honourable
House, during the time of this their forced and violent absence from
the said Most Honourable House ; not denying but if their absenting
themselves were wilful and voluntary, that Most Honourable House
might proceed in all these Premises, their absence in this their Protes
tation notwithstanding : and hurably beseeching your Most Excellent
Majesty to command the Clerk of the House of Peers to enter tliis
their Petition and Protestation among their records. They will ever
pray, etc."''
The twelve Bishops being put under arrest, and ten of them "being
caged, sure enough, in the Tower, the Faction," so Hall terms them,
" had now fair opportunities to work then- own designs. They, there
fore, taking the advantage of our restraint, renew that Bill of theirs,
which had been twice before rejected since the beginning of this Ses
sion, for taking away the Votes of the Bishops in Pariiament ; and, in
a very thin House, easily passed it : which once condescended unto,
I know not by what strong importunity his Majesty's assent was di'awn
from him thereunto." "
* Rushworth, Edit. 1721. vol. iv. p. 467.
' Hume, Hist, of Engl. chap. Iv. an. 164) . » lj^ of i^^^a „. 490.
Rushworth, sup.
' " Hard Measure :" Works, vol. i. p. Ivii. Could Hall have inquired of the
Queen, she might have explained the mystery ofthe "importunity." See Heylyn,
p. 493. and Hacket Pt. 11. p. 181. "That day it broke forth, that the largest pari
of the Lords were fermentated with an anti-Episcopal sourness. If they had loved
bi,L f ;• 7 .^ Sr^l' ^T ?"™'l "''"¦ '» » P"^"". ""d l»te at night, in
bitter frost and snow." Hacket Pt. ii. p. 179. ^

tHAP. XLII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 149
It is not within our province to expatiate on the affair of the accusa
tion ofthe F'ive Membere, January the 3rd, 1641-2, and of its fiiilure;
that " unadvised and abortive attempt," which " completed the degi-a-
dation of the unfortunate Monarch :" * nor to show why " the whole
world stood amazed at this important accusation, so suddenly entered
upon, without concert, deliberation, or reflection :" nor yet to follow the
story as it grows from one degree of amazement to another till the
climax was come, " To your tents, O Israel I" Was ever King so
depicted by his spontaneous and able advocate ? " The King," says
Hume, "apprehensive of danger from the enraged multitude, had
retired to Hampton Court, deserted by all the world, and overwhelmed
with grief, shame, and remorse, for the fatal measures into which he had
been hurried. His distressed situation he could no longer ascribe ta
the rigours of destiny, or the malignity of enemies : his own precipi
tancy and indiscretion must bear the blame of whatever disasters should
henceforth befall him. The most faithfiil of his adherents, betweea
sorrow and indignation, were confounded with refiections on what had
happened, and what was likely to follow. Seeing every prospect
blasted, faction triumphant, the discontented populace inflamed to a
degree of fury, they utterly despaired of success in a cause to whose
ruin friends and enemies seemed equally to conspire." ''
The memorable Bill received the Royal signature February the 14thj
1641-2, which enacted "That no Archbishop, Bishop, or any other
person in holy Orders, from February 1 5th then next ensuing, should
have any seat or place, suffn^e or voice, use or execute any power or
authority in tbe Parliament of this Realm ; nor should be of the Privy
Council of his Majesty, his heirs, or successors ; or Justices of the
Peace of Oyer and Terminer, or Gaol-delivery ; or execute any Tem
poral authority, by virtue of any Comraission ; but should be wholly
disabled." ¦= A stupendous effort was this, against Churchmen, whose
deep-rooted and wide-spread interests were intei-mingfed with those of
so innumerable and so potent connexions over the entire kingdom ! It
could never have been accomplished, so to speak, had not the Hier-
archal Body brought them-selves into universal disrepute, and com
pleted the series of their misdoings by their Protestation in December :
" that foolish and self-undoing Declaration." "*
The two Houses of Parliament being aware of the coming difficulties,
prepared to meet them in part by their Ordinance of April 9th, 1642,
thus ; " The Lords and Comraons do declare. That they intend a due
and necessary Reformation of the Govemment and Liturgy of the
Church, and to take away nothing in tbe one or other but what shall
be evil and justly offensive, or at the least unnecessary and burden
some : And for the better effecting thereof, speedily to have consul
tation with godly and learned Divines : And because this will never, of
itself, obtain the end sought therein, they will therefore use their utmost
endeavour to establish leamed and preaching Ministers with a good and
sufficient maintenance throughout the whole kingdom, wherein many
Lingard's Hist. vol. vi. p. 426. See back, vol. i. p. 464. *> Ubi supra.
' Heylyn, p. 493. ^ Milton's Iconoclastes, chap. iv. '

150 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
dark corners are miserably destitute of the means of salvation, and
many poor ministers want necessary provision." *
The two Houses voted also a Remonstrance or Declaration, May the
26th, in answer to one "under his Majesty's name," concerning
the affair of Hull, April the 23i-d. This document is said to contain " the
most frank avowal and exposition of the common rights and liberties of
the People in the abstract, yet put forward."'' They make herein
jointly that striking avowal which has become the fixed principle of the
British Constitution, that the " erroneous maxim" infused into Princes,
" ' That their kingdoms are their own ; and that they may do with them
what they will ;' — as if their kingdoms were for them, and not they for
their kingdoms ! — is the root of all the Subjects' misery, and of all the
invading of their just rights and liberties." ¦=
On the 22nd day of August, the King raised his Standard at Not
tingham ; and hostilities were hence declared in military form. " Thus,
step by step, was the country led into that most direful of national
calamities, a civil war. The Stuarts, seated on the Throne of the
Tudors, doubted not that they were rightfully possessed of all those
arbitrary powers claimed and exercised by their predecessors. But
within the last fifty years the minds of men had undergone a wonderfiil
revolution. It had become fashionable to study the principles of Go
vernment, and to oppose the rights of the Subject to the pretensions of
the Sovereign. Elizabeth, with all the awe inspired by the firmness
of her character, had been unable, towards the close of her reign, to
check the expressions of liberal sentiments. Under the gentle sway of
James, they were diffused with rapidity; and the necessities of Charles,
arising from his wars and his debts, emancipated them altogether from
restraint. Good sense should have taught hira to go along with the
general feelings of his people : but Princes, in all ages, have been slow
to learn the important lesson, That the influence of authority must ulti
mately bend to^he influence of opinion. ""^
September the 8th, the Commons passed resolutions against the
" Reverend" Book of Sports ; against the Popish garniture of cmci-
fixes, pictures, images, tapers, and such like, upon and about Commu
nion Tables ; and against the coi-poral reverences made at the name
Jesus, and towards the east.= These particulars were not all agreed to
by the Lords, the Bishops not having yet lost all their influence. ^
Tumults arose, in consequence of the " threatening but idle speeches,
and impotent denunciations of resentment" s among the Courtiers; and
such means were adopted for suppressing them as accorded to the
summary practice of the times.
While these affairs were in motion, the King, who had retired from
one field of negociation and of military array to another, during the
" Vicars' " God in tbe Mount." 1642. 4to. p. 88.
¦> Lardner's Cont. of Mackintosh's Hist. vol. ». p. 300.
' Rushworth, vol. iv. p. 579.
••Lingard's Hist, of Engl. 1825. 4to. vol. vi. p. 442.— See an admirable note on
the influence of public opinion in relation to this juncture, in Mrs. Hutchinson's
Memoirs of Col. Hutchinson. Edit. 4. 1825. Svo vol i p 159
' Rushworth, vol. iv p. 386. . R,pi„,; Hi^,. J^g^ ^„,_ ;;_ ggj,
e Hallam s Const. Hist. vol. i. ch. ix. p. 587.

GHAP. XLIt.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 151
summer months, had concentrated his army in September at Welling
ton, for the first time, when " his Majesty made this speech to his
soldiers : ' Gentlemen, — You have heard these Orders read. It is your
part, in your several places, to observe them exactly. The time cannot
be long before we come to action ; therefore you have the more reason
to be careful : and I must tell you, I shall be very severe in the
punishing of those, of what condition soever, who transgress these
Instnictions. I cannot suspect your courage and resolution : your
cmscience and your loyalty hath brought you hither, to fight for your
rehgion, your King, and the laws of the Land. You shall meet with
no enemies but traitors ; most of them Brownists, Anabaptists, and
Atheists ; such who desire to destroy both Church and State, and who
have already condemned you to ruin for being loyal to Us. That you
may see what use I mean to make of your valour, if it please God to
bless it with success, I have thought fit to publish my resolution to you
in a Protestation ; which, when you have heard me make, you will
believe you cannot fight in a better quarrel, in which, I promise to live
and die with you.' " * His Majesty's restriction of his " enemies" to
the parties named, is somewhat astounding, all things considered ; for
what was become even of all the Puritans or Presbyterians ? Could it
be, that they were merged among the "Atheists . I"' His Majesty
placed those kindly in the rear, the furthest off, while he assigned the
van to others who cai'ried into the battle fully as much " conscience" as
he ascribes to his supporters in his camp. We ask, for these, only an
equitable allowance ; believing that not even " Brownists" would resist
" the ordinance of God," '' if the crime of resistance had not been pro
voked by such an outrageous abuse of " the sword" of magistracy as
drew down the visible vengeance of the Almighty on the chief abusers
of His sacred " ordinance ;" and that if " atheists" were indeed instru
ments in His hand, " God is the judge : He putteth down one, and
setteth up another." "
We regret to be obliged to state, that notwithstanding his Majesty
had a few days previously, protested solemnly against the charge,
yet on the 23i-d of October, he avowed, in a Declaration, his having
accepted the service of " some few" Papists of " eminent abilities in
command and conduct." ¦* The Parliament having their apprehensions,
had contracted a closer connexion with the Scots. They had written
to the General Assembly, which was to meet in July, acquainting them
with the crisis of their affairs, and that they had been interrupted in the
promotion of " a due reformation, both in Church and State," by the
plots and practices of " a raalignant party of Papists and ill-affected
persons." It is said, we believe inadvertently, that the " advice and
assistance" of the Assembly was desired, on this occasion :' but it does
not appear in the correspondence preserved in the " Printed Acts of the
General Assemblies of the Church of Scotland ;" ^ where, however, the
Asserably " do most willingly off'er their prayers and uttermost endea
vours for furthering so great a work."s "They commend their own
" Clarendon, Hist. vol. ii. pt. i. p. 16. '' Rom. xiii. 2. " Psal. Ixxv. 7.
"• Rushworth, voh v. p. 31, 40. » Neal, vol. ii. chap, xi.^
' Edin. 1682. 12mo. p. 124. s P. 129.

15'2 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Commissioners " for beginning the work of refonnation at the Uni
formity of Kirk-government : for what hope can there be of Unity in
religion, of one Confession of faith, one Form of worship, and one
Catechism, till there be first one Form of Ecclesiastical Government ?"
They assumed what they found to be en-oneous, that " the Prelatical
hierarchy being put out of the way, the work will be easy, without
forcing of any conscience, to settle, in England, the government of the
Reformed Kirks by Assemblies." Taking, too, to themselves perpe-
tuality, jure Divino, they profess to " long extremely for the day when
Kings and Parliaments shall join for bringing to pass so great, so good
a work :" when " all wars and commotions ceasing, all superstition,
idolatry, sects, and schisms," shall be " reraoved !" * Such is but
another exposure of the vanity of human wishes and expectations : the
Parliament, with more wisdom, replied that this is " hardly to be
obtained punctually and exactly," but hoped that there might be
" a free communion in all holy exercises and duties of worship ;" for
the " attaining whereof" they intended an Asserably of godly and learned
Divines, so soon as the royal assent could be obtained.'"
A measure of the Commons, carried in a large house, by a hundred
and fifty nine to a hundred and forty eight, November the 22nd, was
a Remonstrance in which they embodied elaborately a catalogue of the
grievances during the course of the past fifteen years. No other reason
presents itself for this enumeration and present promulgation of what
had already heen partially or wholly accommodated, but the lively feel
ing of distrust which the House entertained about the continuance of
what had been adjusted, and about the safety of theraselves and their
cause, if both were not fenced round with double and treble securities.
They assure his Majesty, herein, that, " It is far from our purpose or
desire to let loose the golden reins of Discipline and Government in
the Church ; to^leave private persons, or Particular Congregations to
take up what form of Divine service they please : for," say they, " we
hold it requisite that there should be throughout the whole realra a con
formity to that order which the laws enjoin, according to the Word of
God." How far they were, at present, from possessing a liberal and cor
rect knowledge of the principles of religious freedora, this passage
evinces; hut that they entertained a deterraination to meliorate the
condition of those who sought to worship their Maker agreeably to
what such considered to be the dictates of conscience, is evident where
they say, "We desire to unburden the consciences of men, of needless
and superstitious Ceremonies, suppress Innovations, and take away the
monuments of Idolatry." To effect this intended reformation, they add,
" We desire there may be a general Synod of the most grave, pious,
learned, and judicious Divines of this Island, assisted with some fi-om
loreign parts professing the same religion with us, who may consider of
all things necessary for the peace and good government of the Church,
and represent the result of their consultations unto the Parliament, to
be there allowed of and confinned, and receive the stamp of authority "<=
Dissensions grew out of this Remonstrance, and the accompanying
c M ,'^"'. ',?n „ • . , .. . " Rushvvortb, vol. V. p. 391.
Nalson s " Collection, vol. ii. p. 705.

CHAP.XLIl.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 153
Petition, between the two Houses, which induced the Commons to
commence a sj'stem of agitation araong the populace ; and the pulpits
were converted into drums ecclesiastic, as they were wont to be by their
inveterate opponents. Attack and defence, oppression and resistance,
are comrautable terms ; but to decide in all cases, to whora is to be as
cribed the one or the other of them, is not always practicable in times of
commotion ; what reproach is the due of either party, each must endure :
Iliacos intra inuros peccatur, et extra. * Hurae admits '' that the views
of the Commons were more " solid and profound," but he describes their
language to be "severe and indecent."*^ By what process of reasoning,
what deduction of inferences, what peculiarity of penetration, he was
enabled to conclude that the Comraons " were therefore resolved, if
possible, to excite" the king " to some violent passion, in hopes that he
would commit indiscretions of which they might take the advantage,''
surpasses our faculty of apprehension, if the passage were penned with
any other design than to appear to account for the appaljing indiscretion
into which Charles had already irretrievably fallen. " The Queen and
the ladies ofthe Court" urged him on towards destruction, instead of re
straining that " fatal impetuosity" which was the precursor ©f so lament
ably disastrous an issue.
The founders of those CivU liberties which their posterity enjoy, had
already committed oversights, and were now themselves earned away
with precipitancy ; yet who shall venture to deny the fact, that they
were on all occasions placed in circumstances of peculiar irarainence
and urgency ? ^ The fruits of this great stmggle are our heritage and
our boast. The King, it is said, " never took up a position frora which
he was not forced to recede," while the advance of the Parliaraent "was
made with a steady unerring pace ; which proved, at once, superior sa
gacity and power."'
" Hor. Ep. ii. lib. 1. •¦ Chap. Iv. an. 1641.
" How is the following diversity of judgment to be accounted for ? Hallam writes
thus, " The temperate and constitutional language of the royal declarations and
answers to tbe House of Commons in 1642, known to have proceeded from tbe
pen of Hyde ; as superior to those on the opposite side in argument as they were in
eloquence." P. 612. Mackintosh, or Lardner, the continuator of his History, 1835.
12mo. vol. v. p. 298, writes, " The King's papers, drawn up by Clarendon, have been
pronounced, by one writer after another, greatly superior to those of the Commons : . .
Clarendon's drafts, . . exhibit only diffuse rhetoric and flimsy dialects, approaching
to pettyfogging ; while the papers of tbe Parliament were no less remarkable for
frankness, point, and brevity."
'' See Rushworth, vol. iv. p. 518, 519. — " If any one have a desire of more par
ticular information, there were so many books then written, as will sufficiently give
it them : and although those of our eneraies are all fraught with abominable lies
yet if all ours were supprest, even their own writings, impartially considered, would
be a suflicient chronicle of their injustice and oppression !" Memoirs of Col.
Hutchinson, voh i. p. 104.
, "Lardner's Cont. of Mackintosh, vol. v. p. 302. Whatever be the impression
which might have been made by the former note from Lardner, we shall avail
ourselves of the noble writer's authority, when, recording his judgment concern
ing the members generally of his own Profession, and the relative importance of
their position in the State. On having recorded the proceedings in the House of
Commons, that they pressed that the impeached Bishops " might be sequestered
from the [Upper] House, till they should be brought to judgment ;" Clarendon goes
on to say, " And for this, they found Lawyers in their House, who, prostituting the
dignity and learning of their profession to the cheap and vile affectation of popular

154 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.

CHAP. XLIII.
cotton's CONSTITUTION OF A CHURCH;  HIS ANSWER TO BALL. —
BREWSTER.
Notwithstanding the surrounding din of arms, there were even now
those who sought to " exalt" the Lord their God, and " worship at His
applause, were not ashamed to aver custom and law for their senseless propo.
sition.'' This is in keeping with his design, to make right wrong, when it should be
expedient : but now comes what demands tbe most considerate attention, because
it lets in a flood of light which shows that disaffection had not become rampant in
the Church alone, but that it had spread in tbe same degree among that learned
profession whose ordinary boast it is that the " essence of reason" is concentrated
in the products of their labours and the results of their wisdom I We shall see
presently, to what a height animosity had grown " between sorae great Lawyers
and some great Churchmen :" and this is the subject demanding that attention we
require, for whether by accident or artifice, yet so it is that in all discussions, pri
vate or public, touching tbe ill favour of the Bishops in those times, the Puritans 1
the Puritans 1 the Separatists, the Fanatics ! constitute the one cry which carries away
the judgment of the unwary, and precludes the inquiry at large. How carae those
Bishops and their predecessors to conduct themselves so as to create a fatal schism
in the educated body they were appointed to govern ; and, moreover, to provoke
the " animosity" of that other body whose distinctive appellation is " Learned" ?
Where "judgment" should have been looked for, " behold oppression ;" where
"righteousness, behold a cry!" Isai. v. 7. This is verified on the unquestionable
authority ot Hyde himself, he who came to be the head of his order, — Lord High
Chancellor of England.
" And here I cannot but with grief and wonder remember the virulency and
animosity expressed at that time upon all occasions, by raany of good knowledge,
in the excellent and wise Profession of the Coraraon Law, towards the Church and
Churchmen ; taking all opportunities uncharitably to improve mistakes into crimes,
and unreasonably to transfer and impute the follies and faults of particular men to
the malignity of ^their order and function ; and so, whet and sharpen the edge of
the Law to wound the Church in its Jurisdiction, and at last to cut it up by the
roots and demolish its foundation. It cannot be denied, that the peevish spirits of
some clergymen have taken great pains to alienate that Profession from them; and
others, as unskilfully — finding that in former times; when the religion of the State
was a vital part of its policy, many Churchmen were employed eminently in the
civil Government of the kingdom — imputed their wanting those ornaments their
predecessors wor« to the power and prevalency of the Lawyers, of whom some
principal men, in all times, they could not but observe to have been their avowed
enemies; and so, believed the straitening and confining the Profession ofthe Com
mon Law must naturally extend and enlarge the Jurisdiction of tbe Church.
Thence arose their bold and unwarrantable opposing and protesting against Pro
hibitions and otber proceedings at Law, on the behalf of Ecclesiastical Courts ; and
the procuring some orders and privileges from the King, on the behalf of the Civil
Law, even with an exclusion of the other : as tbe Archbishop of Canterbury pre
vailed with the King, to direct ' That half tbe Masters of tbe Chancery should be
always Civil Lawyers,' and to declare ' That no others, of what condition soever,
should serve him as Masters of Request :' all which was a great mistake. For, besides,
the stopping Prohibitions was an envious breach upon the justice of the kingdom,
which at some time or other will still be too hard for the strongest opposers and
oppressors of it; I could never yet know, why tbe Doctors ofthe Civil Law were
more of kin to the Bishops, or the Church, than tbe Common Lawyers were? To
say, that their places were in the Bishops' disposal, as chancellors, commissaries,
and the like ; and therefore that their persons were more like to be at their dis
posal too ; at least, to pay them greater reverence ; concludes nothing : for the Clergy
had opportunity enough to oblige and create an equal dependence from the Pro-

CHAP. XLIIl] relating TO INDEPENDENTS. 135
footstool." * For this purpose some of them found means to obtain help
from afar. Application had been made, we are told, by " several of the
leading members in both Houses of Parliament," to one, at least, of the
voluntary exiles from that abounding tyranny which had made the cnes
of its victims mount to the very heavens, and invoke the compassion of
the only " King" who could " command deliverances," ^ to " return to
his native country." <^ But the privations and security of an uncultivated
foreign land were sweet and consoling to all who, with Cotton, could
say fi-om observation and experience, that the Ecclesiastical Courts at
home, were " dens of lions," and " mountains of leopards." >* Those, he
said, who have to do with thera "have found them to be markets of the
sins of the people ; the cages of uncleanness ; the forgers of extortion ;
the tabernacles of bribery ; and, contrary to the end of Civil govemment." ^_
On declining the solicitation to retum when " the snare of the fowlei-s"
was " broken," ^ it was, perhaps, that he transmitted certain of his manur
scripts adapted to existing exigences ; araong which, might be "The True
Constitution of a Particular Visible Church, proved by Scripture : Wherein
is briefly Demonstrated by Questions and Answers, What Officers,
Worship, and Government, Christ hath Ordained in His Church. By
that Reverend Learned Divine, Mr. John Cotton, B. D., and Pastor
of Boston in New England.— Jer. 1. 5 — Lond. 1642." 4to. pp. 13. s
This work is without preface, or other introduction. Under the
question, " How is the public worship of God to be ordered and admi
nistered in the Church ?" and after that, relating to Prayer ; and, in one
fession ot the Common Law ; and I am persuaded tbe stewardships to Bishops and
of the lands ofthe Church, which were to be managed by tbe rules of Common Law,
were not much inferior in profit to all the Chancellorships in England. And then,
if, where the policy may consist with justice, it is no ill measure in making friend
ships to look into and compare the power of doing hurt or doing good ; it is ap
parent that tbe Civil Law in this kingdom had not, in the least degree, the ability
to help or to hurt the Church in any exigency, as the Common Law had ; whose
professors had always by their interests, experience, and reputation, so great an in
fluence upon the civil state, upon Court and Country, that they were notable
friends or enemies. And the dependence of the Church as to their inheritance and
estates — except their minute tithes — was entirely upon the Law ; being only de
terminable by those rules by which they have seldom received eminent injustice.
And truly, I have never yet spoken with one Clergyman who hath had the ex
perience of both litigations, that hath not ingenuously confessed ' He had rather in
the respect of bis trouble, charge, and satisfaction to his understanding, have three
suits depending in Westminster Hall than one in the Arches', or any Ecclesiastical
Court.' " History of the Rebellion, vol. i. pt. ii. bk. iv. p. 305.
* Psal. xcix. 5. •> Psal. xliv. 4.
¦= Mather's Hist, of New Eng, Bk. iii. p. 20—23. « Sol. Song. iv. 8.
' Brook's Hist. Purit. vol. iii. p. 155. ' Psal. cxxiv. 7.
B Reprinted under the title of " The Doctrine of the Church, to which are com
mitted the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Wherein is demonstrated by way of
Question and Answer, What a Visible Church is, according to the Order of tbe
Gospel : And, Wbat Officers, Members, Worship and Government, Christ hath or
dained in the New Testament. By that Reverend and Learned Divine, Mr. John
Cotton, B. D., and Teacher of the Church in Boston, in New England. — 'The second
Edition. Printed according to a more exact Copy . The marginal Proofs, in the
former Edition misplaced, being herein placed more directly ; and raany other
faults both in the Line and Margent are here corrected : and some few Proofs and
Words are added in the margent, for the better preventing or satisfying of some
doubts in some Controversial Points. Lond. 1643. 4to. pp. 13.

156 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of the answers, stating that " if set Forms of Public Prayer devised and
ordained by men," " had been an ordinance of the Lord and a worship
acceptable to him, the Lord himself, or at least some of the Apostles
or Prophets, would not have held back that part of God's counsel
from the Church ;" Cotton says,* " Before Prophesying, it will be sea
sonable to sing a Psalm ; '' and by some of the Teachers of the Church,
to read the Word, and therewith to preach it by giving the sense and
applying the use.'= In dispensing whereof, the Minister was wont to
stand above all the people in a pulpit of wood, and the Elders on both
sides ;'' while the people hearkened unto them with reverence and
attention.* Where there be more Prophets, as Pastors and Teachers,
they may prophesy two or three : ^ and, if the time permit, the Elders
may call any other of the Brethren, whether of the same Church or any
other, to speak a word of exhortation to the people.? And for the better
edifying a man's self, or others, it may be lawful for any, young or
old, save only for women, to ask questions at the raouth of the
Prophets."'' " The Government of the Church is, in Christ our Head, Kingly or
regal ; ' but in the Church, stewardly and ministerial ; ^ and in both of
them, spiritual and heavenly : . . as being ordained, not by the wisdom
and power of this world, but of Christ ; ' and administered not
according to the precepts of men, but His commandments;'" not by
earthly weapons, but by the Word and Sacraments, and other spiritual
ordinances : " not working upon the bodies, or outward estates of men,
by fines or imprisonments, loss of limbs or lives ; but upon their souls
and consciences, by the evidence of the Spirit : " finally, not aiming at
worldly peace, wealth, or honour; but at the righteousness of faith,
peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost." p
" The body of the Church hath power, from Chi-ist, to choose and
call her own officers and members ; to send forth any of them for her
service ;i to inquire, and hear, and assist, in the judgment of all public
scandals."' It is committed to the Presbytery to call the Church
together,' and to deliver the counsel of God to them with authority;'
to prepare matters for the Church's hearing, ° and to propound and
order thera in the Assembly ; " to administer ordination,^ and cen
sures ; * and, to dismiss the Assembly with a blessing, in the Name of
the Lord."'
Such as the above, would seem to be the earliest usage under the
sanction of this devoted servant of the only Head of the true Church.
Another of his productions, bearing the same date, has, to us, the
additional interest of being "A modest and clear Answer to Mr. Ball's
Discourse of Set Forms of Prayer : Set forth in a most seasonable
* P. C. •'Cob iii. 16. <= Neh. viii. 8; Acts XV. 21; Luke iv. 21, 23 — 28.
^ Neh. viii. 4, 5. « Verse 5. f Ver. 7 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 29.
e Acts, xiii. 15; 1 Cor. xiv. 31. t Psal. ii. 6; Isai. xxxiii. 22.
' Matt. xvi. 19; 1 Cor. iv. 1 ; 1 Pet. iv. 10. i^ John xviii. 36.
1 1 Cor. ii. 6 — 8. "¦ Matt, xxviii. 20. " 2 Cor. x. 4.
o Heb. xiii. 7 ; 2 Cor. x. 5 ; 1 Cor. ii. 4. p John xvi. 33 ; Rom. xiv. 17. — P. 8, 9.
1 2 Cor. viii. 19, 23. ' Acts xi. 23 ; Matt, xviii. 17 ; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5 ; Acts xv. 33.
•Actsvi. 2; Joeli.l3, 14. 'Tit.ii. 15. "Acts xxi. 18. ' Acts ix. 13, 15.
•" 1 Tim. iv. 14. ' 1 Tim. i. 20. r Num. vi. 23— P. 10.

CHAP. XLin.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 157
time, when this Kingdom is now in Consultation about Matters of
that Nature ; and so many Godly long after the Resolution in that Point.
Written by the Reverend and Learned John Cotton, B. D., and
Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New England. Lond.
1642." 4to. pp. 49." This jiiece enables us to take a portion of that
farther, notice of Ball's " Friendly Trial" which it is intimated "would
come under review." ''
Cotton tells his opposite, that, for his purpose, it is enough that
Prayer, in general, is the lifting up of the desires of the heart for
Divine blessings ; such as God only can give : and lawful prayer, when
it is "according to His will, in the Name of Jesus Christ, by the help
of the Spirit of Grace." This being premised, he remarks upon so
many of Ball's " rules" as " more nearly touch upon the cause."
Chap. i. " You say. It is not a prayer as penned, or printed, hut
as rehearsed with understanding, feeling of wants, humility, confidence.""^
Cotton concludes on this. That a means, help, aud form of prayer,
must either find warrant from the Word, or fall under the breach of the
second commandment. Ball says, " The controverey is not of this or
that prescript foi-m, in particular; much less of one, for substance of
matter, faulty and erroneous ; but of a prescript form in general. Whe
ther it be lawful to use any set form of prayer at all, though for the
matter. thereof, never so sound and allowable P"** Cotton remarks upon
the phrase, " in general," That under this cover, men maybe persuaded
to join such a prescript form as is justly liable to manifold exceptions.
"If such," he adds, " as were compelled to worship the Lord before the
golden calves at Dan and Bethel, should put the state of the question,
not of such particular calves, but of calves, or cherubim m general, —
for one form of cherubim were like calves, — Whether it be not lawful
to worship the Lord before any cherubim at all ? it may be easily con
ceived what the issue would be ! The question admitteth the lawfulness
of some cherubim in general, — which is out of question ; the practice
will conclude the lawfulness of Jeroboam's ' calves' in particular, which
made Israel to sin !"* Upon Ball's acknowledgment. That neither Christ
nor his apostles prescribed any set form ; and therefore that no prescript
form of prayer or liturgy is simply necessary : ' this argues. Cotton
replies, not only " no necessity, but also no expediency thereof to the
edification of the church ; unless it might be presumed, that there is
some help, or means, of God's worship expedient to the edification of
the church, which never came into the heart of Christ and of his apos
tles to commend unto the church! . . If tying to set forras be requisite
to supply the defects of the gifts of ignorant ministers, then, thereby a
cloak is made for the covering and sheltering of ignorant ministers ;
who had more need to be shouldered speedily out of the church, than
• It appeared also without a date, in 16rao. pp.90. " Published for the benefit of those
who desire satisfaction in that point." The anonymous editors say, " Courteous
Reader, we think it not raeet to fall a comraending the Author. . . This only we
say, Thou wilt discern, as some other godly learned who have perused it before,
also have done, — such a clear judgment, dexterous aptness, and pithy plainness, in a
moderate and brotherly style, . . that thou wilt think thou seest the very spirit of
the author breathing in every page and line." ^ See back, p. 47.
" Ball, p. 3. i lb. • 1 Kings xii. 30. ' P. 4,

158 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
to be sheltered therein one day to an end *. . . A man raay give unto
another holy directions and rules for prayer, and raay also set down
some forms of prayer as examples of such rules ; but not to prescribe
them as set fonns to him, to be used by him for his prayers. , . We
deny not, that a man that is affected by some petitions in a prayer de
vised by others, may lawfully make use of them, and intersert them
ordinarily into his own prayers. . . We gi-ant, magistrates, or other
christians, may commend such heads or petitions to the Church, ac
cording to the present state of things ; which the Church, as they see fit,
may present and commend to God in their prayers. Thus far we con
sent ; hut further we cannot go, but rather conceive it to be unlawful to
set apart and take up a set fonn of prayer, and to use as an ordinary
prayer, that which is devised by others whom God hath not called to
be a raouth to us. We conceive it, also, to be unlawful to bring in,
ordinarily, any other books into the public worship of God in the
Church, besides the Book of God ; and, therefore, do see no more war
rant to read out of a prayer-book the public prayers of a church, than
out of a book of homilies to read the public sermons of the ministers of
the Church. We account it alike, if not more, unlawful, for ancestors
to prescribe or enjoin set forms of prayers to their posterity; or for one
church to prescribe set forms of prayer unto another. . . Proceed we
now, to consider the weight of the reasons which you give for your
judgment and practice.
Chap. ii. If it could be proved, that the reading of a prescript form
of prayer upon a book, were an ordinance of God, sanctified for the edi
fication of the church, as the reading of the Scriptures is, we might
ordinarily expect the like assistance and blessing in reading of the one
as well as of the other. The comparison would be more suitable if,
instead of ' reading the Scriptures', were put the ' reading of sennons
and homilies' in the church ; for which we find as little warrant as for
reading of prayers; nor can we expect a gi-eater blessing upon the one
than upon the other. We do not deny that read prayer may ' lead' and
affect ' the heart ;' as raay a serraon read at home : but then, neither is
such a read prayer prescribed by others, nor set apart by me as my
prayer, no more than the reading of such a sei-mon is my preaching :. .
He that giveth the Word to be read can give the affections to read it
withal, and hath proraised so to do ; which the sons of men, that give us
prescript forms of prayer to be read, cannot do. . . What, though there
might be some colour to put a set form of sound words of catechism into
the mouths of children and novices, the better to help their memories
and capacities ; will it therefore argue it to he a ' reasonable service' of
God, to put a set form of words and prayers into the mouths of minis
ters, to help their memories and capacities in pouring out their own and
the church's petitions unto God .? . . Reading of the Scripture in the
church, is an ordinance of God : so is the reading of it in a tongue
which the people understand ; and therefore it is an ordinance of God,
that the Word be read in some translation ! But the reading of a
prayer, for the prayer of the church, is no ordinance of God ; therefore
' " The Liturgy hath been a great means . . to make and increase an idle and
unedifying ministry. — Directory, 1644-5. Pref. p. 4.

CHAP. XLUI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 159
there is not the like ground from the Word, to make use of prayer-
books to read prayers, as to make use of a printed Bible for the reading
of the Word. E very minister . . ought to make use of his own gift in
examining the truth of the translation which he readeth unto the
church ; which will not be allowed in prescript liturgies ! . . We know
no wan-ant, that one church should prescribe another what division to
make of the Scriptures, or what part of it should be read this day, and
what the next. What God hath left free let no man limit ! . . As devised
worship is unlawful, so are devised forms and means of worship unlawful
also : of which sort, such set forms of words be as are devised and com
posed by the officers of one congregation, and imposed upon the brethren
of another congregation for the forms of their prayers. . . It is not the
same form of walking, to walk with crutches, and to walk upright : it is
not the same form of prayer, to pray with help of men's inventions, and
with such helps only as the Holy Ghost supplieth. . . For, in conceived
prayer, the Spirit of God within us teacheth us what to pray: and for
that, the ordinance and word of God is plain, Rom. viii. 26. But in
stinted prayer, the matter is not suggested or endited to us by the Spirit
of God within us, but prescribed and imposed upon us by the will, wis
dom, and authority of men whora the ' Holy Ghost' hath not called to
such a work. . . A set form of prayer, as it is set by one congregation
for another, can find no rule of direction, nor any footstep thereof, in
the Word of Truth. . . If every minister be to edify the church by the
dispensation of his own talents and gifts, as well in prayer as in preach
ing ; then he may not pray another man's penned prayer, no more than
preach another man's penned sermon : but the former is true, — 1 Cor.
xii. 7; Acts vi. 4 ; Eph. iv. 8, 11— 13,— therefore the latter. . . If it
be an unsanctified way of preaching, to fill a sermon with quotations
out of the books of ancient divines — whom more commonly than falsely,
they call Fathers— though the sentences be godly and pithy; how much
more will it be an un.sanctified kind of prayer, to make up not only many
petitions together, but also a whole form of prayer, out of a book less ancient
and much more offensive. . . Since, then, the second commandment is so
many ways violated by reading of a prayer-book, devised and prescribed
by human authority, for the public prayers of the Church, the Lord pardon
all our provocations of his jealousy by our former ignorance in this
point, anil keep us blameless for after times; for his Name's sake.
Chap. iii. . . The occasion ofthe question in hand springeth fi-om an
offence taken at some brethren,— as appeareth by the Letters sent to
us, about the raatter, by sundry reverend godly brethren, and sub
scribed, amongst others, by your own name,— for their not joining with
others to worship God in a common stinted liturgy, known to be de
vised by men, and prescribed to be read for the public prayers of all the
churches in the country.* Howsoever, therefore, the question he re
duced by your discourses ab hypothesi ad thesin,— md, by lawful rules
of dispute, so may be,— yet, it is against the rule, iieraPaivliv 'hg aXKa
rwov, so to palliate the matter; as to draw the question above the kind
and occasion of the question, you may upon occasion of one prescript
term ol prayer devised by men, put the question of any prescript form
* See back, p. 18.

160 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of prayer devised by men ; but it is an utter changing and forsaking of
the cause, to put off the question in hand to forms of prayer devised and
prescribed by God ! What though some, that have spoken or written in
this cause, have waived some forms of prayers devised by God himself,
and have used some arguments that grasp at more than they can hold ;
the state of the question raust not be drawn to the arguments, but the
arguments to the state of the question. It is true, some have doubted,
and some have denied, the use of the Lord's prayer, as it is called, for
a prayer ; but they would never have denied it, or doubted it, if they
had thought it had been prescribed by Christ for a prayer ! But how
soever — ^not to spend words and time in vain — we, for our parts, — I
speak for the most part, — do grant it may be lawful to pray that very
prayer in tbe same words ; and yet this will not at all prejudice the cause
in hand, to justify prayer in a book composed by men, and imposed by
one church upon another. . . Though it do appear frora Scripture, that
some forms of prayers, or blessing, or baptizing, or thanksgiving, de
vised by God, were sometimes used by godly raen — and it was lawful
so to do — yet we deny that God, in his 'Word, did set down any pre
script form of these. Prescript, I say, in such a sense as, in this ques
tion, is intended ; to wit, precisely enjoining the use thereof in all their
public holy assemblies : nor will any of the Scriptures alleged reach
that. . . When shall once it be, that the servants of God will learn to be
wise, and teach others to be wise, not above that which is wi-itten, but
according to it ; that so an end inight be put, at length, to the inventions
and innovations ofthe sons of raen, whereby they take upon themselves
a usurpation beyond the bounds of apostolical authority, and put upon
the people an unjust restraint of the bounds of their dear-bought Chris
tian liberty ? . . It is true, that every good minister is not able, at all
times, to open his heart to God in [free] prayer ; but neither is he able,
at all times, to open the mind of God in preaching : but if he be not able
to do both without book, neither will he be able to do either upon
a book prescribed to hira. I have known a minister to edify the
people more by silence in the pulpit, through strength of temptation,
than ever I knew any to do by reading a homily upon the book. . .
Chap. iv. . . In the people's joining in prayer, there is no more
required but their going along in silence, with consent of the heart ; and,
.in the end of the prayer, expressing their consent in voice, by saying
' Amen,' 1 Cor. xiv. 16 ; but in singing of psalms, all the people of
God, as spiritual priests, do sing ' with voice together,' according to
Isai. Iii. 8 ; which putteth a necessity upon a set fonn of psalms, else
one should sing one thing, and another another thing, which would,
instead of harmony, breed confusion. . . We are to teach and admonish
ourselves and one another by the singing of psalms unto the Lord, Col.
ni. 16 : we have, therefore, a lawful warrant to sing such psalms, even
in such a form of words as they are translated into by men; when yet
we have not the like wairant to pray the forms of prayers devised by
ordinary men, which are not of Divine inspiration, but of human inven
tion and injunction. . . Common sense maketh it evident [that] a man
may jom in prayer, and attend to the Word preached, as well in a new
forra of words, according to the present occasion, which he never heard

CHAP. XLIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 161
before, as in a set form which he heareth every day. . . Whatsoever is
required of the people by Divine institution, for joining in prayer, is
fully attained without a set form of words in prayer ; which cannot be
attained in singing without a set form of words. . . The Holy Ghost
hath commanded that the Word of God should dwell in us plenteously,
' teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spi
ritual songs,' Colos. iii. 16; who hath also commanded, that we should
'sing with understanding,' 1 Cor. xiv. 15. . . The Scriptures cannot be
ti-anslated into our mother tongue without the help of grammar ; nor can
the Psalms, into verse and metre, without the help of poetry [figures,]
nor be sung without the help of music — natural music, at the least ;—
and therefore these kind of helps we make use of as not being means of
worship devised or suggested by the wit or will of raan, but as they are
indeed prepared and ordained — according to the light of nature — by
God : and so not falling under the general negative precept which for-
biddeth all huraan inventions and injunctions in the worship of God. . .
There is no ' necessity' at all for a devised set form of prayer, unless it
be through the sinful defect of the minister's gifts in prayer; which is
such a ' necessity' as God abhoireth both it and the minister for it : but
the ' necessity' of a set form of psalms is such which God himself hath
put, for the celebration of that service with one accord, both in heart
and voice. . .
Chap. V. . . No man is called of God to be a minister of His church,
but he is as well apt to pray as apt to preach. . . Of private persons, it
is true, many good souls have better desires than utterance ; in regard
of which defect, or without such defect, we willingly condescend [that]
it is lawful, yea, and necessary, to [such a one] to use all godly means
to stir up the graces of God in him, and to premeditate how to utter his
requests in such sort as best serves for his own quickening and the
edification of others. But this we deny. That the using of a prescript
form of prayer upon a book, devised aud imposed by one man upon
another, to he used as their prayer, is a godly means to stir up the
graces of God in hiraself, or to edify others : for that which the Holy
Ghost hath not sanctified in his Word, for the stirring up of the graces
of God in a man's self, or others, that is not a godly means for such an
end : . . it is but an image, which will rather teach a form of godliness,
than edify to the power of it. . . It is lawful to use any extemal or
internal helps, — either before prayer, to prepare for it, or in prayer, to
quicken or enlarge us in it, — provided they be such means and helps as
God hath sanctified to such an end at such a time. As we readily
grant the help of books and meditation before prayer, so we do grant
also the help of holy and reverent gestures in prayer, — as bowing down
the knees, and lifting up of the hands and eyes and voice ; the presence
and assistance of a christian friend, — for all these God hath sanctified
to help the inward affections ofthe heart in prayer. Do but show that
God hath sanctified book-prayers imposed upon us for our prayers, and,
that by the members of other congregations ; and we will . . willingly
bless the Lord for his goodness, . . like as Phineas and the congregation
of Israel blessed God for the Reubenites and Gadites that were able to
give so good an account of their actions, beyond the expectation of their
II. M

16-2 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
brethren ? *. . If some forms of prayers,— especially such as gave occa
sion to this dispute,— do now seera to be as ' bread' to the ' hungry,
we sav no raore but this. Then hungry souls will never be star-ved that
never" want store of such like bread as this is ! . . The Word ot God
speaketh expressly that Christ ' lifted up his eyes to heaven in prayer;"
so did David ;'^ and God hath ingraffed it in the hearts of all his people,
to express the lifting up their souls, their faith, and hope, and desires,
to God, by lifting up their eyes steadfastly to heaven in prayer.''. .
Chap. vi. . . It is a usurpation of more than prophetical or apostolical
authority, to prescribe a set form of liturgy to the churches ; and a
greater usurpation for one congregation to prescribe the same to an
other : which is a sin both against the second and fifth commandments.
It is a sinful and disloyal betraying the souls of magisU-ates, to coun
tenance their intruding such prescript forms of prayers upon churches,
by taking up such forms from thera which they have not authority from
God to enjoin, and stiffly to plead for them : a sin forbidden in the
fifth and sixth commandments. . .
Chap. vii. . . God hiraself hath set before us sundry forms of Cate
chism. David's catechism was of one form,' Solomon's of another.^
the Apostles' of another ; yea, the Apostles name the heads of their
catechisin,s but neither propound the questions nor answers then in
use : an evident argument, they never raeant to bind churches to set
fonns of catechism. The excellent and necessary use of catechising
young men and novices, we willingly acknowledge ; but, little benefit
have we seen reaped from set forms of questions and answers, devised
by one church and imposed, by necessity, upon another. . . The like
may be said of forms of Confessions. When a church is suspected and
slandered, with corrupt and unsound doctrine, they have a call from
God to set forth a public confession of their faith : but to prescribe the
same, as the confession of the faith of that church, to their posterity ; or
to prescribe the confession of one church, to be a form and pattern unto
others ; sad experience hath showed what a snare it hath been to
both. . .
Chap. viii. . . A set form of prayer, prescribed to me for my prayer,
maketh, to me, a will-worship of that which he that conceived the
prayer might, lawfully, have pronounced. . . The reading of a sennon,
ifor preaching, is a sinful raanner of preaching. The difference will
ever hold between the Word read and preached : they are two distinct
ordinances. .Chap. ix. The Jews, before the coraing of Christ, did use certain
rites in Keeping the Passover ; . . and some forras of prayers : but it
doth not at all appear, that they used any set forms of prayers hut only
to that and the like effect ; and that not hy prescript or injunction from
one to another, but leaving every father of a family at his liberty there
in ; much less will it appear, that our Lord Jesus Christ took up any
set forms of prayers by their example, and least of all from their
injunction !
" Josh. xxii. I" John xvii. 1 ; xi. 41. ' Psa. cxxiii. 1.
^ Psa. cxlv. 15. " Psa. xxxiv. 11 — li. ' Prov.iv.
* Heb. vi. 2.

CHAP. XLlil.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 163
Chap. X. . . We know none of all the Refonned foreign churches
that do prescribe a set form of prayer, with necessity to be observed ,
but leave their ministers at liberty to use the same or some other fonn
to the like efl'ect, at their own discretion ; which taketh off a great part
of the sin and burden of set forms. God knoweth how to pass by the
remnant of iniquity of the ti'ansgression of them that seek him in truth,
although all the ' high places' be not ' taken away.' *. . Who knoweth
not, they have all been more studious and tenacious of what form the
doctrine, and worship, and discipline was, left unto them, than inquisi
tive after further light ; yea, sometimes more inclinable to look back
into Egypt, than to hasten towards Canaan ? . . Seeing our faith resteth
only on the Word of the Lord and his Spirit breathing therein ; and,
the Word hath promised [that] more and more light shall break forth
in these times, till Antichrist be utterly confounded and abolished ; we
shall sin against the grace and word of Truth, if we confine our truth
either to the divines of present or former ages ! . . The argument from
the practice and judgment of churches, was of greater force in the
apostles' time than ever since. The estate of the churches as then,
remained tanquam intemerata virgo while the apostles and the apos
tolic men lived : men that could not err themselves, and were more
watchful and zealous than to suffer any error to get head in any of the
.churches. But let them that press die like argument now, let them
show us the like infallibility, vigilancy, and zeal, of the guides of the
churches in these days, and we shall readily captivate our own judgments
to such Divine testimony ! . .
Chap. xi. . . We conceive that good reason may be showed, why, —
if it be unlawful for the minister to pray, upon a book, a devised and
prescript foi-m of prayer, — it is unlawful likewise for the people so to be
present at it, or to join with it, or seem to join with it : . . if, then, it le
^ unlawful' for the minister, . . it is alike ' unlawful' for the people to
join with hiin. . . No man can be freed from the guilt of such ' cold
ness' as the minister and the people do contract, by the customary use
of such devised prescript forms of prayers, if he do not, so much as in
him lieth, remove such occasions of evil. . . We do not separate from
the church and assembly of the saints ; but willingly join with you in
every part of your holy worship, and in every doctrine of your holy
faith ; only we withdraw ourselves from such parts of your administra
tion wherein we cannot join with you."
The companion to this piece of Cotton's, as arising out of that por
tion of the " Friendly Trial" which concerns what Ball styles " The
primitive subject and first receptacle of the power of the Keys," will be
brought under consideration in another place.''
"2 Chron. xv. 17.
'• Because of the insight acquired by it into the sort of commotions to which
society was then subjected, we append to our other memorials of 1642, "The
Anatomy of the Separatists, alias 'Brownists;' the factious Brethren of these
Times: Wherein this Seditious Sect is fairly dissected, and perspicuously dis
covered to the view of [the] World. With the strange Hubbub, and formerly
unheard of Hurlyburly, which those fanatic and fantastic Schismatics made on
Sunday in the Afternoon, being the Sth of May, in the Parish of St. Clave in the
Old Jewry, at the Sermon of the Rt. Rev. Father in God, Henry, Bishop of Chi
ll 2

164 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [{HARLES I
In obedience to the injunction,— " Render ^hel-efore to all their
Chester ; in the presence of tbe Bt. Hon. the Lord Mayor of this renowned
Metropolis, and divers worthy Members of tbe Hon. House of Commons. 1642."
4to. pp. 6. " It is too true," we are told, p. 1, " that many places in the kingdom of
England and in this city of London, are too much Amsterdamnified by brainless
opinions and several senses which, indeed, are senseless senses in religion. Religion
is become common table-talk ; the ordinary discourse at our very Commons and
Ordinaries, where a man shall hardly find four together of one mind. . . One, out
of zeal somewhat inconsiderate, cries down Episcopacy as antichristian ; another,
very moderate, wishes earnestly Episcopacy were reformed and purged from the
Romish and tyrannical government that encumbers it ; a third kind of men, carried
by a contrary wind, maintain Episcopacy to be 'jure Divino:'. . from these pre
mises of discord and faction, needs must there proceed rauch tumult and distraction,
to the great disgrace and scandal of the true Protestant religion. . . These [Brown
ists, p. 2] are the late up-start sectaries of this age, the new crept-in caterpillars of
our kingdom, that do more mischief daily than any sect whatsoever : . . they are so
many for their multitude, that like bees they swarm amongst us. Indeed the time
was when they crept in corners, but now they are like the Egyptian locusts, cover
ing tbe whole land. Ye raay know them by their frequent and far-fetched sighs;
the continual elevation of their eyes ; their meagre physiognomies, solitary coun
tenances, sharp noses ; by the cut of their hair, made even with tbe top of their
prick-ears — for their hair is as short as their eye-brows, though their consciences be
as vast as the ocean. — Ye may further discern them by their broad bats and narrow
ruffs which they usually wear ; the putting of their gloves under their girdles, and
the folding of their hands one within another. . . Their lives are hypocritical," so it
is said in p. 4 ; " Their positions schismatical ; their thoughts perilous ; their words
malicious ; their acts mischievous, and their opinions impious ! . . They have made
so many uproars," p. 5, " the like in pristine ages unparalleled : motions and com
motions in our Churches of late days ; in tbe cathedral of St. Paul within these
few months ; and in St. Olave's Church . . the Sth of May . . a company of rude
rascals to the number of above a hundred, as soon as the Rt. Rev. pious and learned
Bishop came up into tbe pulpit in his lawn sleeves and otber vestments suitable to
a prelate, presently .. made such a hideous clamour, crying jointly, most impu
dently, and with one accord, ' a pope, a pope, a pope ;' to the astonishment of the
man of God, and to tbe admiration and amazement of the Lord Mayor, the Parlia
ment gentlemen, and their noble and worthy auditors. . . Some of tbe varlets ran out
of the church ; others, by the Lord Mayor's officers were thrust out. . . I would
not be accounted uncharitable, therefore my opinion is, that these sons of tumult
bare no violent malice to the Rt. Rev, Bishop's person — for he is the object of every
man's love,' — only I imagine their inveterate spleen aimed at his function ; a pope
and a bishop are all one with them. . . P. 6."
The above was followed by "A Letter sent to My Lord Mayor and his Venerable
Brethren : By no Atheist, no Papist, no Arminian, no Anabaptist, no Familist, no
Separatist or Brownist ; but an honest Believing Protestant, and that, because that
' Separatist,' otherwise called Brownist, was, in many men's account, said and held
to be worse than Papist. Written by A. S. 1642." Svo. pp. 6. This advocate, who
subscribes himself "Aron Streater, Divine; and Licensed Physician," tells their
Worships that " Separatists called * Brownists'. . are a people very desirous to make
the Scripture the rule and pattern of their lives and actions. . . And according to
these rules, do ihat sect of Separatists called 'Brownists' walk, and those good
christian Protestants called ' Puritans,' or ' round heads' [and] ' prick-ears,' walk.
But shameless ruffians, past grace and good raanners, with black-raouthed Tertullus,
[Acts xxiv. 1] will be babbling, when the sharae lieth in length of their own hair!
Is it not ' a sharae' for a man to wear ' long hair ?' If they will not believe me,
they may St. Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 14. .. This sect .. endeavours, according to St. Peter's
rule, to live, first, soberly, in respect of themselves ; and so are no drunkards, orat
least no comraon ones, if they fall : . . secondly, they live uprightly, in respect of
their christian brethren, using fair and honest deahng between man and man. If
there be a close hypocrite amongst them, as Judas araongst the apostles, . . let us
not condemn all for some, a generality for a particularity. Thirdly, they live holily
towards God ; and it excellently appeareth in tlieir frequent receiving ofthe sacra-

CHAP. XLIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 165
dues, . . honour to whom honour,"* it is incumbent upon us especially
that we should assist to perpetuate the memory of one of those servants
of Christ, whom the hands of friendship and love have embalmed thus
preciously: "This year, 1643, about the 18th day of April, died
Mr. Williara Brewster, the ruling-elder of the Church of Christ at
Plymouth [New England] ; '"conceming whom I could say rauch of
my own knowledge, but I shall content myself only to insert the hon
ourable testimony that Mr. Williara Bradford [sen.] deceased, hath
left. . . ' My dear friend, Mr. W. Brewster, was a raan that had done
and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the Gospel's sake ; and hath
home his part, in weal and woe, with this poor persecuted church above
thirty-six years, in England, Holland, and in the Wilderness ; and
done the Lord and them faithful service in his place and calling. And
notwithstanding the raany troubles and sorrows he passed through, the
Lord upheld him to a great age : 84. He had this blessing added by
the Lord to all the rest, to die in his bed in peace, among his friends,
who mourned and wept over him, and ministered what help and comfort
they could unto him, and he again recompensed thera while he could. . .
I would now demand of any. What he was the worse, for former suffer
ings P What do I say, worse ! no, he was better, and they now add to
his honour. ¦= But though he wanted the riches and pleasures of the
world, in this life, and pompous monuments of his funeral; yet the me
morial of the just shall be blessed, when the name of the wicked shall
rot,"* with all their marble monuments !
" ' He was well educated in learning ; as at inferior schools, so also
at the University ; and frora thence went to the Court, and there served
Mr. Davison, a godly gentleraan and Secretary of State to Queen
Elizabeth; and attended him on his embassage to Holland, and was
employed by him in matters of greatest trust, as in keeping the keys of
the Cau tionary- towns delivered up to hira for her Majesty, and things
of the like nature. This raaster would always, in private, confer with
him as a friend or equal. He afterwards lived in good esteem in his
own country, and did much good until the troubles of- those times en
forced his remove into Holland, and since to New England ; and was,
in both places, of singular use and benefit to the church and people of
ment, and in having a reverent r.'gard of the name of God, not daring to take it in
vain, much less to curse, swear, or blaspheme that holy Name by which they 'are
sealed to the day of redemption,' Eph. iv. 30. Besides, tbe Sunday, most properly
named the Sabbath-day or Lord's-day, they celebrate not in luxury or wantonness,
not in riot or excess ; not in hobbyhorsing, raorrisdancing, carding, dicing, bowling,
wrestling, tippling, sporting, garaing ; or unnecessary idling or vain spending that
day or the evening thereof, in unnecessary walking to take the air, and so forth :
but in sanctifying that day as the Lord requireth, and as is prescribed in the Prac
tice of Piety, a book we allow good, and made by the Spirit of God ; which tells us
that if we do not sanctify that day, and every part thereof, we shall never keep a
Sabbath with tbe Lord in heaven. Methinks, when we consider our neglects in
this duty, we should tremble to punish these good and godly people hy Courting, or
imprisoning thera!".. P. 1 — 3. In 1643 was printed "One Argument more
Against the Cavaliers : taken from their Violation of Churches, etc. Printed in
the year when Men think what they list, and speak and write wbat they think."
4to. pp. 20. " Ro"^- ''i'i- ^¦
>> See back, vol. i. p. 391. ' 2 Thess. i. 5—7; 1 Pet. iv. 14. <i Prov. x. 7.

1G6 HISTORICAL ME.-MORIALS [CHARLES 1.
Plymouth, whereof he was ; being eminently qualified for such work as
the Lord had appointed him unto, of which, should I speak particulariy
as I might, I should prove tedious. I shall content myself, therefore,
only to have made honourable raention in general of so worthy a

CHAP. XLIV.
CONTROVERSY, BY HERLE ; E. MATHER AND W. THOMPSON ;
KUTHERFURD ; MATHER.
The order of time has brought us to " The Independency on Scriptures of
the Independency of Churches; Wherein the Question of Independency
of Church Government is temperately, first. Stated ; secondly. Argued ;
thirdly. Cleared from the Objections ; and fourthly. Appealed in, to the
Judgments of such as stand for it. — By Master Herle, a Lancashire
Minister ; at the Request and for the Satisfaction of some Friends of
his, and by them published. — Lond. 1643." 4to. pp. 44.
It does not appear who were the parties making this request; but
the author, in his prefatory epistle, addresses them thus : " Gentlemen,
In answer, if not satisfaction of your desires, I send you the enclosed,
wherein, as I have argued against the tenet, so have I appealed to the,
judgment of those of the Independent opinion, whom you profess, and
not unworthily, so much to reverence." And his candour is, afterward,
expressed in these words, " For the difference between us and our
brethren that are for Independency, it is nothing so great as you seemed
to conceive it ; we do but, with Abram and Lot, take several ways ; we
are, as Abram speaks, ' brethren' still ; and, as they were, ready to
rescue each other, on all occasions, against the common enemy." ''
Again, he writes, " Every difference in opinion is not a diversity of
religion. Opinion is well called the spy of truth; reason's projector;

* Morton's New-England's Memorial, 1669. p. 116. — In p. 77, Morton records,
under the date 1629, " Mr. Skelton and Mr. Higginson arrived at Salem iu June.
Between tbe latter and Mr. Brewster a correspondence commenced concerning
church-membership. They agreed, that ' Baptism was a seal of membership ; only
when they were adult, they, being not scandalous, were to be examined by the
church-officers, and upon their approbation of their fitness, and upon the children's
public and personal owning of the [church] covenant, they were to be received unto
the Lord's supper. Accordingly, Mr. Higginson's eldest son, being about fifteen
years of age, was owned to have been received a member, together with his parents;
and being privately examined by the pastor, Mr. Skelton, about bis knowledge in
tbe principles of religion, be did present bim before the church when the Lord's
supper was to be administered, and tbe child then, publicly and personally, owning
the Covenant of tbe God of his father, be was admitted unto the Lord's supper.
It being then professedly owned, according to I Cor. vii. 14, that the ' children' ot
the church are 'holy' unto tbe Lord, as well as their parents; accordingly, the
parents, owning and retaining the baptism which they themselves received in their
infancy in their native land, as they bad any children born, baptism was adminis
tered unto them, namely, to the children of such as were members of that particular
I'hurcb." I" Gen. xiii. 8 ; xiv. 16.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 167
and while but modestly laid down as a problem of discourse, — not cried
up for an article of faith ; setting, so, the sun by the dial, — it is the
' fan' to 'purge' the religious ' floor' with * The Turk's religion is never
a whit the better that it never passed through this furnace. The strife of
tongues : it is a sign the devil hath no such quarrel to it, nor God any
such care of it, as by this kind of ventilation to make it take the faster
root." The treatise opens with " The question stated ;" and after showing
that papists' make " four several kinds of visible churches :" the virtual,
or the pope ; the consistorial, the cardinals ; the representative, a coun
cil ; and, the essential, the whole number of professors : it is said the
first two of these are, here rejected ; all acknowledge the " essential ;"
but the "representative" is denied by the Independents. Hence,
" co-ordinatively mutual dependency of churches in their governraent,
is the thing in question." •" That is, " Whether it be necessary to the
'well being' of such a single church, or congregation, that where it
stands in neighbourhood with other churches, especially under the same
civil govemraent. That it be equally and mutually co-ordinated with the
rest in a dependence on the ministerial government of a synod or
asserably of them all ? This, they deny, and we affirm." "^
The points which Herle laid down for his discussion, are these four,
The pattern of the Jewish church; The institution of our Saviour;
The practice of his apostles ; and, Other rules of Scripture.
His first argument he founds on Deut xvii. 8 — 10; 2 Chron.
xix. 8, 10, 11 ; and Psal. cxxii. 4, 5. As there was always something
of " type," he says, in the " ceremonial" laws proper to the Jewish
church, and of "rule" in the "judicial" laws proper to that " State;"
so, in both, there remains " somewhat of general equity, and moral
concemment ; obliging us and all now and always, as well as them
then."'* And he infers, that "if the benefit of appeals, and consociation
of churches, . . should not be as free to us as to the Jews, how much
more defective and improvident were the Gospel than the Law!""
From this he resorts to meet the objection. That these gi-adual forms of
appeal are borrowed from heathenish customs. " It is easily answered,"
he says: " Custom, in whomsoever, as it cannot by differing from it,
prescribe against, so rauch less can it by agreeing with it, forfeit nature,
or morality. In spiritual actions, wherein a natural and raoral neces
sity of forms is implied, it is no heathenism to use such forms as have
been used by Heathen ; as in preaching, for one lo speak at once ; in
prayer, to bend the knee. . . Hence is it, in all likelihood, that no more
is written in Scripture of these kinds of dependencies and appeals in
church government, because they are of natural light." ^ What cogency
there might appear to be in this mode of reasoning in the author's own
mind, we confess our inability to perceive any. " If," he says after
ward, " the papists urge the same texts, they do not urge the same
arguments from thera :" s neither can we. With no more force, as
appears to us, Herle writes, " For that common objection. Where do we
read in Scripture of a national church since this of the Jews ? It is
* Matt. iii. 12. >> P. 3. "^ P. 4. " P. 5. P. 7,
' 1 Thess. iv. 9.-P. 7. e P. 8.

16S HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
answered well enough," he says, "with a like question, Where, in
Scripture, do we read of a nation converted to the faith, besides that of
theirs ? Wherever," he adds, " they show us such a nation, we will
show thera such a national church." *
Herie's second argumentis founded on Matt .xviii. 17, "Tell the
church." Here he begs the question, where he reasons that " The re
medy of complaint, or appeal, raust be as large as the malady offence ;
otherwise Christ's salve were not equal to the sore : but offences may
arise as well between divers congregations in the same [national] church,
as between divers members in the same congregation." '' And into
what difficulty he brought himself is plain, where he ventures on the as
sertion, " That an offence may be so general as to defile and make
guilty a whole land, sufficiently appears in Scripture ; "^ and why not,
then, the remedy as large as it ? ' Tell the church.' Suppose the magis
trate an enemy to religion ; and the land, or whole church therein, —
or, if that word sound not well, the whole number of believers, — ^have
occasion to make a solemn renewal of their covenant with God ; shall
not this whole church, or number in their collective body, have power
to enjoin it ? How else is the remedy equal either to the offence or
need ? "'' If divines will persist in mixing the church with the world,
and so make the world the church, they are only to be pitied for cre
ating their own difficulties: so, however, did not our Saviour direct ;
otherwise it were a flat contradiction to his own testimony, " They are
not of the world, even as I am not of the world ;" * whence, as God
has " ordained" the " powers" ^ which preside over the various States
in the world, so the world is, and ever must be, till the consummation of
all things, contradistinguished from the church in its elements and its
govemment ; benefited, indeed in degree, by the corrective properties
of " the salt" wherewith it is salted, s
Herle thought, however, doubtless, that he had reduced those of a
contrary judgment, to a perceptible absurdity, in this succeeding para
graph, " That by the word ' church' here in this place, is principally
meant the presbytery and eldership, will be easily evinced out of the
text itself: thus, those, questionless, our Saviour means when he bids
' tell the church ;' to whom he continues his words in that immediately
onsuing promise of ratifying in heaven whatever they shall ' bind' or
' loose' on earth ; assuring them that when ' two or three' of them shall
be so ' gathered together,' he will be ' in the midst of them.' . . "^ If the
whole congregation be the ' two or three' there mentioned, — as Indepen
dents would have it, — suppose of those ' two,' the one be the offending,
the other the offended ' brother' whom the offender • will not hear ;' what
' church' shall he ' tell ? ' Where shall he find the ' two or three vrit
nesses' to ' tell' first, — before he tell it to ' the church,' — in whose
'' mouth' the matter may be first ' established ? ' ' Shall the offended
" P. 9. l-P. 10. " Num. xxxv. 33 ; Hos. iv. 1; Jere. xxiii. 10.
'' P. 11. ' John xvii. 14 ; xv. 19. ( Rom. xiii. 1.
e Matt. V. 13. — " The moral doctrine of government, or the reasons why and
bow far it ought to be obeyed, is perfectly distinguished from tbe physical theory
which explains bow it is formed and changed." Life of tbe Rt. Hon Sir James
Mackintosh, 1836. 2nd Edit. Svo. vol. i. p. 72.
>¦ Matt, xviii. 18, 20. i Ver. 15, 16.

CHAP. XLIV.] REL.Vl'ING TO INDEPENDENTS. 1 69
party be the ' witnesses,' and ' church,' and judge, and all ? How so i'
Is the apostle's rule observed, ' When ye are gathered together . . to
deliver such a one to Satan ;' * must the one gather himself together to
excommunicate the ot/ier ? Or, because, until excommunicated, he is yet
a ' brother,' must he join with the other in excommunicating himself .'" •>
We ask, in retum, by what authority the word " so" is inteiposed
before the words " gathered together ;'' and whence is it that the " two
or three" are necessarily, referred to " the presbytery and eldership" of
this paragraph ? Has it been a vain imagination, hitherto, that Christ
has graciously promised to be " in the midst" of any and every " two
or three" gathered together in his " Name," unless they were presby
ters, or elders ? And in the case supposed, that the " two" are " believers,"
it follows that when diversity of opinion arises, they will avail thera
selves of such helps as the raatter shall require ; but if no outward
means present themselves, they can each seek by prayer that counsel
and direction needful for the occasion, and if they still fail to be agreed
or pacified, they must divide and walk each by the " light" that is in
him. ¦=
The following argument, or the third, is taken, Herle says, " from
Acts, chap. XV." He now makes a stand upon the consent, or imanira-
ity, of those whose separate systems are only upheld by being placed
on the same foundation. " If" says he, " that all ancient and modern
writers, of all sorts, — excepting only sorae few of these last fifty years,
engaged by their own tenet of Independency, — have with one voice
concluded this chapter a fonnal precedent for synods, would weigh any
thing herein, the matter would soon be at an end." '' It is sufficient for
us, to show that, in answer to the objection against this " occasional
message" brought fi-om Antioch being invested with the like circum
stantials imparted to transactions canied on between the high and
mighty ; " thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers ; " " he
is compelled to reason inconclusively on the subject, for thus he wi-ites,
" It neither follows, because the commissioners of the other churches
are not named, therefore they were not there ; nor because they were not
there, therefore they ought not to have been." ^ And, again, he concludes,
" It is raore than probable" that the apostles " subraitted it to this way,
of purpose hereby to institute this synodal waj"^ of church govemment." s
But setting all this aside, others besides " Independents" are, in our
days at least, to be placed among the exceptions." ^
After more than four pages eraployed in the fruitless attempt to swell
into importance a very simple natural transaction, which only the theory
of a national church makes compulsory on its advocates, we find our
selves aiTived at the fourth argument, or that relating to " The laying
on of hands of the presbytery." 1 Tira. iv. 14. As this subject par
takes of similar qualities with that relating to synods, it holds, in our
'ICor. v. 4, 5. t P. 17. " Matt. vi. 22, 23. " P. 19.
'Col. i. 16. fp. 20. sp. 21.
'' To call the coming together of the apostles and elders, in this chapter, a " synod"
or "council," is, Mosbeim says, " a raanifest abuse of the word. That meeting
was only of one church, and if such a meeting be called a council, it will follow that
there were innumerable councils in the primitive times." Eccles. Hist. bk. i. chap. ii.
sect. 14. and note, Maclaine's edit.

170 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
estimation, but the same comparative importance; and would never
have been so much contested but for the assumed relation it bears to an
external dominancy claimed exclusively by the ambitious, and practised
upon the submissive and credulous. Beyond the simple admission of
confraternity, we have yet to learn that" there is any transmissive and
delegated power competent, in these latter ages of the churches, to ob
trude itself to confer and preserve the principle of vitality and continuity.
Such a doctrine, if sound, would unchurch in reality all those christian
communities which have existed in various parts of the world, but
which were never instituted and confirmed by other than the promised
communication of the Holy Spirit " to them that ask." * That this
gilt is descendible only through the popish succession, is a profanation
of it even to imagine. Holiness and sanctity are prostituted terms when
applied to innumerable individuals in that pretended succession, so that
it were blasphemy to assert that they had themselves ever received the
Holy Spirit ! It follows, that there is other provision for giving validity
to the external matter of a Christian church. So much, then, for a
" ministerial" in opposition to an " essential" institution of churches.
Herle endeavours to sustain his previous efforts by a further attempt
to meet objections which " fall not within the replies upon the fore
going arguments." But as he does this by merely arguing a m'toj/i in
simile, frora the like to the like ; from the integi-ity or entireness of a
" single church" composed of members, to the integrity of "a synod,"
composed of churches ; he makes no advance in his general argument.
After this, he quits his premises, and turns, in the concluding sec
tion, to entreaty, by appealing " to the judgments of the adverse Party."
He tells his " Reverend and dear brethren," — " I acknowledge and ad
mire the excellency of those gi-aces of learning, industry, piety, that
shines in many, in raost of you : however, give me leave in all humility
and friendliness, to offer to your dis-pre-engaged judgments these seven
considerations following, from the order, unity, peace, communion,
strength, authority, and safety of government. " '' These several cate
gories Herle handles in a fancifiil raanner ; as that " order is the sinew,
the soul of Nature ; unity, is the centre, and peace the circle of Nature;
etc." The " end" of all, he says, is " safety ;" the cliraax which he had
prepared to enable him to append these words, " Now, — besides how
much the civil State may in its ' safety' be endangered, by a multiplying
and, as it were, retailing, entireness of church power into so many
hands; which I leave to others whom it more concerns; — how much
will this way of church-independency he sure to endanger itself? Every
congregation throughout the land, suppose, consisting of 'a hundred and
twenty' members apiece ; the maximum quod sic of a congregation, as
sorae conceive, from that of Acts i. 15; — will not be able to allow
their pastor and other officers such maintenance as will counteivail so
large an expense of time and cost in study, but that for the most part
they must enter young upon the ministry. . . When every such single
congregation so governed shall have entire and independent power of
govemment, and liberty of doctrine, accountable in neither to Assem
blies; how apt such young pastors will be, through want of experience,
" Luke xi. 13. ii p. 37.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 171
to eiT, and, through those juveniles calores, those heats and headinesses
incident to green-heads, to persist in that error, and their congregations
with them ; and thereupon, if the eiTor be not generally received, to
break and subdivide into pieces, and, in the end, into nothing ! " * Such
is one of the hypotheses which were calculated, in those times to intimi
date and alarm : the author of this, concentrates the object of his present
efforts, in his final sentence, " Solomon tells us, that it is ' in the mul
titude of counsellors' that there is ' safety ; ' '' and experience tells us,
that counsellors without any authority are but foils without point or
edge, to be played with not trusted to, in case of ' safety' or defence."
Whatever diminished importance may now belong to the treatise we
have just dismissed, and on which we had penned our remarks before
having perused that which we are about to introduce; yet respect for
its author, and the posture of public affairs, gave to Herle's treatise
an interest, originally, in which we cannot fully participate. It crossed
the Atlantic speedily, and a formal reply to it returned almost as speedily,
under the title of " A Modest and Brotherly Answer to Mr. Charles
Herle, his Book against the ' Independency of Churches.' Wherein his
four Arguments for the Govemment of Synods over Particular Con
gregations are friendly examined, and clearly answered. Together with
Christian and loving Animadversions upon sundry other observable Pas
sages iu the said Book. All tending to declare the true use of Synods,
and the Power of Congi-egational Churches in the points of Electing
and Ordaining their own Officers, and Censuring their Offenders. — By
Richard Mather, Teacher of the Church at Dorchester; and William
Thompson, Pastor of the Church at Braintree, in New England. — Sent
from thence after the Assembly of Elders were dissolved that last met
at Cambridge, to Debate raatters about Church Government  Lond.
1644.'' 4to. pp. 58. It will be obvious that the date bears relation
only to distance of place, not of tirae ; which is our reason for putting
this article in juxta-position with what occasioned it.
In this Epistle, they begin by alluding to the strenuous efforts then
raaking to find out " the right fonn of Church government ;" and by
confessing themselves not to be exempt from the obligation to " try all
things."'^ Not being satisfied with Herle's book, they tell hiin that they
publish " to show unto yourself and others what yet hinders us, that
we do not think your ' Arguments' to be convincing." They might
have manifested the more zeal in expediting their reply from the interest
they had personally in "Lancashire," and especially in Herle's parish
there, " 'Winwick, wherein one of us was born, and the other was, for
smidry years together, an unworthy minister." They take the oppor
tunity of testifying their " thankfulness for that loving respect which we
found from you when we lived together in that country; when you were
pleased to own us, in our sad times."
Among their remarks on Herle's first section, these respondents state
that they will not yield that a Synod is a representative or collective
" Church," unless " it could be found that in Scripture the name of a
church is given to a synod ;" but they concede the assembly in Acts xv.
» p. 42. ""Piov. xi. 14. '^ 1 Thess. v. 21.

172 HISI-ORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLF.S I.
to have been a synod : still they restrict the authority of such bodies to
" being according to the Scripture" only.
They think that notwithstanding Matt, xviii. 20, a Church must con
sist of " so raany as shall be necessary and requisite for the can-ymgon
of church work, in admonition and reprehension, . . and, therefore they
had need be seven or more. . . There are three, at least, that must be
acquainted with the matter, before it must be brought unto the church ;
namely, the brother offending, the brother offended, and one witness at
the least; so that [there must be] another number gi-eater_ than they,
and distinct from them, to whom the matter is brought m the last
place." " For excommunication, ordination, and censures, there is nothing
in Scripture, nor proved in this discourse of yours, that these matters
belong only to a synod, and not to a particular congregation. Yea, we
conceive it will not be easy for any man whatsoever to prove that synods,
and they only, have power to ordain officers and to excoramunicate
offenders: and till this be proved, the ' Independents,' as you call them,
need not to relinquish their judgment and practice in these particulars.
Sure it is, that synod in Acts xv. did neither meddle with admonition
nor excoraraunication."
There is much weight in their remarks on Herle's concession, where
he acknowledges " That where there is no consociation or neighbour
hood of congregations, or single churches, whereby they may, with
conveniency, be aiding to each other," and, " whereto the particulars
raay have recourse, . . there, a single congregation must not be denied
entireness'of jurisdiction."* They say, " We suppose a raan may improve
this grant of yours to a confirmation of that ' Independency of churches'
which you plead against ; and to a disproving of a good part of that
authority of synods which you would establish. For, if a church that
hath ' no neighbourhood' of other churches have power of ' jurisdiction'
entirely within itself, . . then. First, let it be considered whence such a
church hath such power ; and see if that ground will not reach to prove
the like power in other churches also. Now we suppose," they con
tinue, " none will deny but such a church hath this authority or power
by the gift of Christ, and the liberty which he hath granted to every
church, as it is a church ; which we had rather express in Dr. Ames'
words than in our own. ' The power itself,' namely, in reproving scan
dals, and purging out the wicked, ' of right, or in respect of the first
act, cannot be separated from a true church ; because it flows immedi
ately and necessarily from its very essence : for it is contained in that
covenant whereby believers are gathered into a church.''' Now if this be
so, . . then it will follow, that this ' power' must not be granted to be in
such a church as hath no neighbour churches, and be denied unto one
that hath : because a church that hath neighbours is a church, and
hath the essence of a church, as truly as that which hath none. . .
" Secondly, let it be considered also. What is the end and use of
the 'consociation' and 'neighbourhood of churches;' and the same
truth will thence appear also : . . it may be helpful by casting in move
» Herle, p. 2.
'' " Conscience, with tbe Power and Cases thereof." Bk. iv. chap. 24. q. 4. », 17.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 170
light; but cannot abridge thera of any 'power' which they had before.
When Dr. Ames had said that the ' combination' of churches ' into
classes and synods' doth 'neither constitute a new form of the church,
nor ought, by any means, to take away or impair that liberty and power
which Christ hath left unto his Churches, since it serveth only for the
directing and furthering of the same ;'* what saith Mr. Paget hereunto ?
' This,' saith he, ' we willingly gi-ant''* Now, if this must be granted,
then, that dependency of churches, and that power of synods, which
you plead for, must not be granted ! For, let a church have ' entireness
of jurisdiction' before she have any neighbouring churches, and be de
prived of the power when God sends such neighbours ; and hy this
means she sustains loss by having neighbours ; she comes to be, in this
respect, in worse condition than when she had none : which is against
the true intent and use of the ' consociation' of churches."
To Herle's statement that the Independents say church govemment
ministerial is equally, and fully, in every single congregation ; "above
or besides which, there is no ministerially goveming church, by any
means, — they say, — to be admitted ;"¦= this answer is furnished, " If the
Presbyters of a congregation raay be called ' a church,' then, since they
do admit the ' goveming power' of the Presbytery, they do admit a
' goveming church,' besides the congregation ; if by congregation you
raean the whole multitude of the raerabers. And, if a synod may be
called ' a church ;' and if ' power' by disputation and disquisition to
clear up the rule, and then to coraraand obedience thereto, raay be called
¦' government,' then, they also admit a synod to be a ' governing church :'
for the ' power' here mentioned they do allow unto synods. But it seems
to us that the ' power' is not properly a power and exercise of govern
ment and jurisdiction, but a power of Doctrine ; and so a synod is
rather a teaching than a governing church. But that any other church,
be it synod or any other besides the congregation and its Presbytery,
should have such a ' governing power' above the congi-egatiou and the
presbytery thereof, as that neither the congregation nor its presbytery
may ordain their own officers, nor excommunicate their own offenders,
but both must be done by that other ' goveming church;' this, we do
not admit indeed ; hecause, hitherto, we have seen no convincing proofs
for the sarae". . . " You know there are divers sorts of synods ; some
particular, which are called Classes ; some Provincial ; sorae National ;
and some General, or Oecumenical synods. And we should be glad to
know which of all these it is in whom the ultimate ' power' of these
things doth reside ; and, why it may not reside in any of the rest ; y^ea,
and why the ultimate ' power' of censures may not reside in the congre
gation, as well as in any of them ?"
On the second Argument of Herle it is replied, " Though it were
granted, that when our Saviour saith 'Tell the chiu-ch,' he raeans. Tell
the Elders ; and though it were granted also, that enjoining such a gra
dual proceeding, he prescribeth no new rule; but the same that had
been given before unto the Jews ; yet neither of these do prove that
congregations must depend upon the authority of synods : and the reason
* " The Marrow of Sacred Divinity." Bk. 1. chap. 39. sect. 27.
¦> Defence, p. 107. " Herle, p. 3.

174 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
is, because both these may be performed in a particular congregation ;
for therein, a man may proceed by such steps and degrees as our Saviour
enjoineth ; and may also, tell his matter to the elders of that particular
church." " Congregations raust depend upon the governraent of synods ! Yes,
say you, because the remedy ' must be as large as the malady ;' and
'otherwise, Christ's salve were not equal to the sore.' But if this reason
be sufficient against the ' Independency of churches,' then, by the
like reason, a man may prove that the church of a Nation must not be
independent either. For . . offences may arise between divers national
churches. . . What if the national church offend the church of another
nation ? Would you now say, that all these offences must fall within
our Saviour's rule of Telling the church ; and, that this were a sufficient
reason against the independency of national churches and national sy
nods ? . . Of necessity, for aught we can discern, you raust own the
reason as strong in both cases ; or else refuse it as weak in both ! . .
Whole churches are subject to the wholesome advice and counsel of
other churches ; and so far as the same shall be according to God,
they ought to hearken thereunto : and if they do not, they may law
fully be renounced by other churches from all church communion with
them." Herle having said, " No other place can be showed wherein our Sa
viour used the word ' church' for a single congi-egation ;"* it i§ replied
by these Answerers, " Nor that he ever used the word at all but
only here and in Matt. xvi. 18, ' Upon this rock I will build my
church ;' in which place he means a synod uo more than a single
congregation." From their reply to Herle's third Argument, we extract as follows.
Referring to Acts xv., " The matter detennined, was a matter of Doc
trine; namely, whether 'circumcision' was necessary to salvation ; and,
therefore, [it was] no matter of Jurisdiction, unless jurisdiction and
doctrine be the sarae." And where Herle writes, " This ' decree' is
itself a Rule given, wherein and whereby to use the Keys upon such
as shall prove stubborn : . . and, that authority which can give the Rule,
can, a fortiori, back, and punish its breach :"'' they ask, "But is this
certain and clear ? . . We propose to consideration these instances for the
contrary : First, . . Isaiah, Joel, Araos, and the rest, . . not being Priests
themselves, nor Levites, they had not authority to punish, by way of
Discipline, such as disobeyed their Doctrine, and those holy Rules
which they delivered frora the Lord. Next, any one minister who is
truly sent of God, may in his Doctrine, deliver the Rules of God's
Word, . . and yet one minister alone cannot punish the breach of those
Rules. . . Further, Any minister, or ministers, of one church, be- it
congi-egational or national, may, upon occasion, being desired thereto,
preach the Word of God in another the like church, and so impose
burdens of christians' duties to be observed by them ; . . yet it would
not follow, they might, by Discipline, punish such as should walk con
trary to those Rules. , . We suppose it is clear, that some men mav have
authority, by way of Doctrine, to impose Rules that must be observed
• Herle, p. 12. b jf,_ p_ 25.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 175
as ' necessary things ;'* and yet not have authority, by way of Discipline,
to punish those that shall disobey those Rules. And, therefore, though
the first of these were granted to be within the power of a synod, yet
that they have power to do the other also, is not proved thereby."
Under the fourth Argument of Herle, and upon his having asked,
" Where, in all the Scriptures, do we read of any ordination of pastors
but by presbyters ? "'' answer is made in three things, " First, That we
do read of such a matter in the Scripture : secondly, that if we did not, yet
we read so much as by good consequence doth infer the lawfulness of the
practice : thirdly. That which we do read, that may seem to make against
this practice, is not because the thing is, in every case, unlawful ; but
for other reasons. For the first of these, we allege Numbers viii. 10.
Which place showeth that though the Levites were church officers and
the children of Israel were none, yet the children of Israel did ' lay
their hands upon the Levites.' By which Scripture thus much is mani
fest, That when a church hath no Elders, but the first Elders them
selves are to be ordained, and this, at such times and in such places
where Elders cannot conveniently be borrowed from any other church,
in such case imposition of hands may lawfully be perfonned by some
principal men of the Congregation, although they be not Elders by
office ; for, since it was so in the church of Israel, as this text doth wit
ness, what should hinder but, in the like case, the like may be lawfully
done in these days ? If any shall ask how was it possible that the
children of Israel, being six hundred thousand, should all lay hands
upon the Levites at once .i* It is not likely that ' all' did it, but some,
instead of the rest. And so, when some do impose hands instead of all
the congregation, that may be sufficient." Granting that these children
of Israel were Elders, " If they did it as Elders, then either as Elders
and govemors ecclesiastical, or as civil governors : but not the first, for
that charge was only belonging to Aaron and his sons, and these Levites
now ordained : "^ if the second be said, then it will follow that civil ma
gistrates, though no church officers, may impose hands in ordination
of church officers ; and so the point is gained, for if magistrates may do
it, then it will follow, that a church, wanting magistrates, may perform
this action by other the fittest instruments she hath."
" Now that iraposition of hands cannot always be perforraed by officers
three instances make it manifest : First, When there are no officers of
any other church to be had, as at the first rise of the first Christian
church in a pagan country far remote from all churches ; as here, in
America, by the English ; and in the case which you put, of a company
of Christians by shipwreck cast upon an island where no pastors were.
Secondly, when those that may be had are so exceedingly corrupt, and
the churches to which they do belong, that it could not be convenient
to make use of them, but very dangerous to fetch ordination only from
them ; as at the first Reformation after the times of popery, when there
were none to be had but from the popish bishops and priests, from whom
to receive ordination were as rauch as to say either that the ministers
of Antichrist raay ordain ministers to the church of Christ ; or else,
that popish bishops are true ministers of Christ ! . . Thirdly, When
* Acts XV. 28. " Herle, p. 26. -^ Levit. viii.

176 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
those that are more desirable have no sufficient calling to dispense ordi
nation in another church ; which is the case when they are not re
quested thereto: for since ordinary Elders are not like apostles,
to feed all flocks, but that 'flock of God' which dependeth upon
them ; * that ' flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them ' over
seers ;' '' therefore, we do not understand how they can assume au
thority and power unto theraselves to ordain Elders to other churches
whereof themselves are neither elders nor members, unless they
had a calling thereto by the request of that church where the elders are
to he ordained. . . Therefore, in .such cases as these, since officers must
not be admitted without iraposition of hands, iraposition of hands must
be performed by non-officers. . . We do willingly grant, that where a
church is furnished with Elders imposition of hands is to be performed
by the Elders ; and so rauch the examples in the New Testament do
evince." " This a.ssembling of Elders unto a classis, or synod, doth imply
that there were Elders before there was any classis, or synod ; and if
so, then certainly, there was no concurrence of the classis, or synod, in
the ordination of those Elders, since they were Elders before that synod
had any being : which doth sufficiently show that the concurrence of a
synod is not always required in the ordaining of Elders."
On the choice of Ministers, the Answerers say, " If Ministers must
not be chosen by the church, then, either they must be called of God
immediately ; or [they must be] Ministers without any calling at all ;
or be chosen and appointed by some other men. But not the first, be
cause such immediate calling is now ceased : . . nor the second, because
that is expressly against the Scripture which saith ' No man must take
this honour to hiraself, but he that is called of God, as Aaron : ' "^ and,
therefore, they that ' ran' when God sent them not, are many times,
and very sharply, reproved in the Prophets : '^ nor the third, for God
hath not given any such authority to other men that are not of the
church, to appoint officers to the church ; nor may some of the church
arrogate this power only to themselves, excluding the rest ; because
that which concemeth all, as this matter doth, ought to have approbation
of all, unless it might appear that God had committed the thing only
to some, which for the choosing of officers cannot be said."
" Inasmuch as our intentions were chiefly to consider the weight of
your 'Arguments,' but not to undertake the defence of every objection
which you purpose ; and, considering withal that those ' considerations'
from the order, unity, peace, and strength of government, with the rest,
are not intended by you, as we suppose, as convincing, but only as prob
able, grounds against that way which you deal against ; therefore, for
these and some other reasons, having spoken to that which we conceive
to be the main substance of your book, we will, for this time, surcease."
It does not appear that Herle encountered these his former acquaint
ance, personally ; that task should rather seem to have been devolved
on a more noted disputant, who produced in 1644, 4to " The due
Right of Presbyteries : Or, a Peaceable Plea for the government of the
» 1 Pet. V. 2. b Acts XX. 28.
¦^ Heb. V. 4. J Jer. xxiii. 21.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 177
Church of Scotland. By Sarauel Rutherfurd. — Lond." * This author, it
is true, took occasion only to introduce incidentally, in the progress of
his discourse, strictures on certain points in the " Answer" to Herle ;
that circumstance restricts our notice of Rutherfurd, here, to the replica
tion which his strictures provoked from one of the authors of the "An
swer," intituled " A Reply to Mr. Rutherfurd : Or, a Defence of the
AnswertoMr. Herle. — By Richard Mather. — Lond. 1647. "4to. pp. 109.
As nothing arises to affect, even by way of illustration, any other
matters than the mere argumentation, the date of publication need not
prevent the placing of this tract in contiguity with its precursors.
Mather writes in the Preface, dated Dec. 1646, "It is true which
our reverend brother saith, in his Epistle to the Reader before his
Peaceable Plea, ' That there is great cause of sorrow that all the Lord's
people should not mind one thing, and sing one song, and join in one
against the children of Babel.' Nevertheless, this may he some comfort
against this sorrow, That by the Providence of the Lord, this diversity
of opinions and disputes, if it be Christianly carried, as it may, raay
occasion and produce, in the issue, the further clearing up of truth.
For, as our author well observeth, ' From the collision of opinions re-
sulteth truth ; and disputes, as stricken flints, cast fire for light.' " ^
He accounts for the apparent delay of his Reply, by referring to the
remoteness of his residence ¦= from this country ; " in which respect,
many things raay be spoken and printed against us, whereto it cannot
be expected that we should retum a speedy answer."
We leam fi-om the proem, that Rutherfurd had cited the joint "An
swer" in " twenty-four, or twenty-five several places," ^ which, " if they
be indeed erroneous and unsound, are a great many . . in so small a
* He had, previously, sent forth •' A Peaceable and Temperate Plea for Paul's
Presbytery in Scotland : Or, A modest and Brotherly Dispute of the Government
ofthe Church of Scotland. Wherein our Discipline is demonstrated to be tbe true
apostolic Way of Divine Truth, and the Arguments on the contrary are friendly
dissolved ; the Grounds of Separation and the Independency of Particular Congre
gations, in defence of Ecclesiastical Presbyteries, Synods, and Asserablies, are ex-
annined and tried. By Samuel Rutherfurd, Professor of Divinity at St. Andrews.—
Psal. xlviii. 12, 13.— London. 1642." 4to. pp. 316.
We find it asserted, in the Epistle to the Earl of Lindsey, that " The pens
of the worthy Reformers. . have cleared the Scripture way of tbe government of
Christ's Kingdom to lie in a mid-line between the Pope's and Prelates' lawless
church-monarchy and the inorderly confusion of democracy." And there also the
writer's implacability is betrayed : "What daring insolency is this ? When the Pielate
could not find his father, and thought shame of his native father ' Diotrephes,' that
one Dr. Hall and others have put him in tbe line of the blood-royal, and pointed
him an office 'jure Divino, by Divine right ?' Their predecessors were content
of [with] the good old 'jus humanum.' " The next Epistle commences with this
passage, " I am bold, reverend and Christian Reader, to appear in print to contribute
my weak judgment for the Government of the Church of Scotland. In which suit
I have tu do with foes and friends." Tbe body of the work consists of twenty chap
ters, eighteen being headed with a proposition in tbe form of a query. VVe have
endeavoured, but in vain, to set out intelligibly the plan of this piece, or even to
select a striking portion of the contents ; so scholastic and little discursive is its
construction. The title shows his design, and the spirit displayed by the writer
accords to it with but few exceptions.
'' " Due Right, Ep." ¦= Dorchester, in New England.
'' " Page 315, is the first place wherein I find him meddling with the ' Answer.' "
II. N

178 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
work." He submits, therefore, " Whether the same do not still remain
agreeable to the rule of truth," notwithstanding these objections.
Under his first chapter, we have this specimen of Mather's raanner
of raeeting his opponent: "But saith he, 'The true cause,' namely, of
appealing to higher courts, ' is, because they do not so frequently err :
they are not so inclined to err ; for raany eyes see raore than one, and
do raore seldom miscarry in taking up the right object : and because
we conceive more equality and less partiality in higher courts.'.. Let
us consider what force there is in this to take away ' entireness of juris
diction' from a congi-egation, and to establish the necessity of ' appeal
ing.'. . The thing I doubt of is this. Whether a congregational church
of saints, furnished with a faithful presbytery, for of such only do I
speak, may not, by virtue of this promise. Matt, xviii. 20, be as fre
quently preserved from en-or as those greater assemblies, . . it being
supposed that the synods and councils did as frequently come together
as the congregation doth. For, otherwise, I grant the synods meeting
' more seldom' may err ' more seldom :' but let the coraparison be equal
. . and then I doubt whether synods be preserved from error any oftener. . .
It is well known what Nazianzen said of synods and councils in his
time ; namely, ' That he had never seen good and happy end of any
of them ;' and, ' That evils were not so much redressed as increased
thereby.'. .* Seldoniness of erring lying in the multitude . . of ' eyes' in
such assemblies; it must follow thereupon, that universal or general
councils, as having in thera the most ' eyes,' are the assemblies that do
most seldom 'en-,' and so, unto thera there raust be most appeals!
which, if it be granted, the classical, provincial, and national synods,
are all, by this raeans, deprived and stript of 'entireness of jurisdiction :'
. . and so there must be no 'entireness of jurisdiction' but only in the
general councils ! . . Our brethren, by this means, have spun a fine
thread, drawing forth a conclusion which is every whit as prejudicial to
their own cause as to ours. . . But we think Christ Jesus hath prorided
better for his church than so ; and hath not appointed such a necessity
of appeals upon appeals, but that causes may be deterrained afore any
general council can be asserabled."
Mather contends, in his second chapter, for the power to " com
mand" in synods, as well as to give advice ; that is, " if a .synod may be
called 'a church.' " And he concludes, in his third chapter, with this
opponent, " First, That there is no necessity that synods should ex
communicate any, but only command the 'churches' to do their duty
therein : secondly, in particular conceming that synod. Acts xv.. That
they were to remit the censure of excommunication to the presbyteries
of Antioch and Jerusalem, in case of the obstinacy of these ohtruders of
• circumcision.' Which particulars being most true, as 1 for the most
part esteem them, it follows thereupon that what Master Rutherfurd
saith in this place . . is greatly weakened thereby. For how both these
can stand together. That this synod should have power not only to
rebuke but to excommunicate these false teachers, and yet neither pro
vincial, national, nor oecumenical synods to excoramunicate any; nor
this synod in particular, to excommunicate these false teachers, but to
* Ad Procopium, ep. slii.

QHAP. XLtV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 179
remit the censure to other churches to whom it concemed, commanding
them to do ; — how these things, I say, can stand together, I for my
part, am not able to understand."
" It is plain from verse the second," he continues, in his third chap
ter, " that Antioch did endeavour to have ended that controversy
amongst themselves, so far as they were troubled therewith. For,
sorae, teaching that corrupt doctrine amongst them, they had much
'disputation' about the point afore they determined to send out for help
elsewhere. Now, to what end was thus much 'disputation' if they had
no right to deterraine the raatter ? . . Since we do not find them in the
least reproved by the Holy Ghost for this attempt, therefore we cannot
but think they did well therein. And thereupon it followeth, that if
Antioch was a 'congregational church,' as it seems from Acts xiv. 27,
either this controversy did trouble no church but Antioch only, or else,
when a controversy, or corrupt opinion, doth trouble many chtirches,
one of them may lawfully determine and end it so far as concerns
themselves." The fifth chapter reverts to Acts xv., and inquires " Whether their
rebuking the false teachers do prove a power of jurisdiction and excom
munication in synods : and, 'Whether preaching do prove the assembly
where it is, to be a church ?" On the fonner division Mather writes,
" I suppose it will not be denied but [that] one congregation, if need
so require, may rebuke and reprove another congregation, though nei
ther of them be superior to other, but both of them equal and inde
pendent of each other in regard of subjection. Mr. Rutherfurd confesseth
' That congregations and churches may admonish and rebuke each
other:' and sure it is, that Scripture, Cant. viii. 8, 'We have a little
sister, what shall we do for her .•"' doth show that churches ought to care
one for the good of another. And if they must take care and consult
for one another, there is the like reason that they should reprove and
admonish one another as need shall require. . . But can any man infer
hence. That the church thus rebuking another church hath power to
excoraraunicate that other church ? . . And if this may not be affirraed,
I do not see how rebuking perfonned by many, even by a whole synod,
can be any sufficient ground to prove that the synod hath power to
excommunicate." On the latter division ; in order that ' the apostles
and elders' might seem to be invested here with all the authority and
power which some have endeavoured to confer upon them, Rutherfurd
had said, they 'are not considered here, as merely preachers and
teachers in the act of teaching ; for why then should they not be for
mally a church assembly, if they be an assembly meeting for preaching
the. Word ?" Mather writes, ""Though we think here was a church, and
a church assembly, we do not think Mr. Rutherfurd's reason doth prove
thera so to be. For Paul and Silas were preachers of the Word in the
prison at Philippi ; and at Mars' hill ; and the market-place.* And yet
we think it hard to infer thence that those assemblies were ' formally'
churches." From the sixth chapter, where is discussed " Whether the power of
synods be a power of jurisdiction : and, Of the dependence of the syna-
» Acts xvi. 32 ; xvii. 17, 22.
n2

180 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
gogues upon the synedrion at Jemsalem ;" we gather that " It doth'not
follow that our congregations shall therefore be dependent, as were the
Jewish synagogues, except it were also proved that they must depend
upon synods in point of jurisdiction and discipline, as well as in point
of doctrine ; yea, and so depend as that the sentence of those synods
must be obeyed under pain of death.* Sure the synagogues, and every
meraber of them, were in this sort dependent upon the supreme syne
drion ; but we hope our Reverend Brother will not say that congrega
tions raust, in this sense, be dependent upon synods ; at the leastwise,
this, we hope he will not deny, that every member of a church is bound
to depend upon the pastor of that church in point of doctrine : and yet
it will not follow that he raust depend upon one pastor alone in point
of jurisdiction and discipline. And the reason is, because doctrine may
be dispensed by one pastor alone, but discipline must be dispensed by
a church, which one pastor alone cannot be. And therefore, if congre
gations were to be dependent upon sj'nods in point of doctrine, it would
not follow that they must be dependent in point of jurisdiction and
discipline." Passing to the seventh chapter, "Whether the lawfulness or necessity
of appeals do prove a superiority of jurisdiction in synods over congre-.
gations ;" here Mather asks for proof that if appeals be lawful, that then
there is a supremacy of synods over congregations. " I conceive," he
says, "it is not proved hereby at all ; but, contrarily, appeals may he
granted ' lawful' when there is just reason and ground for them ; and
yet the 'supremacy of synods over congregations is still uncleared. It
still reraains a question, who must be the judge of the reasonableness of
the appeal, and of those cases that are put to show when they are rea
sonable, namely. That the raatter belongs not to the congregation and
the rest that are naraed ? And unless it he cleared to whom it belongs
to judge these things, we are still left at uncertainty in the main matter,
namely. In whom the ' supremacy' doth lie, from whora we may not
appeal ? . . And therefore, what we said in the 'Answer' doth still, for
aught I see, remain sound, 'That there must be some final and supreme
judgraent, that controversies raay not, by appeals after appeals, be
spun out in infinitum; and to determine where that supremacy doth
lie is the main question, which, unless it be determined, the usefulness
of appeals may be granted, and yet we shall be still at uncertainty
about the thing in question, and as much to seek as before ; because
that there ought to be appeals till you come to the highest, is one
thing, and that a synod and not the congregation is the highest, is an
other.' ^ Now, whether our Brother, in that which we have hitherto
heard, have sufficiently cleared it unto us, that we may know where
this 'supremacy' doth lie, I leave it to the judicious to consider."
The subject of the eighth chapter is, "Whether Antioch, Acts xv.,
had right to have ended the controversy araongst theraselves if they had
been able, etc." From the second verse it is plain, Mather says, " that
Antioch did endeavour to have ended the matter ' amongst theraselves. '. .
Now this endeavour doth argue their right; for otherwise it had been
» Deut. xvii. 11, 12.
* "Answer, p. 13, 14," of which the above is Mather's own summary.

CHAP. XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS.

181

sinful, as being a presuming to do that which did not belong to them. . .
Therefore . . Antioch was not dependent upon the jurisdiction of other
phurches, but had independent power within themselves ; as many may
have who yet need the help of light from others for their direction in
using their power. '
Under the ninth chapter, "Whether the congregational way, or the
presbyterial, do make the Gospel raore difficult! ve than the Law : Ot
excommunication by a church that hath only three Elders: and.
Of doing things suddenly ;" Mather remarks, that " rational and judici
ous readers" may better judge of what he and his colleague had written
in their "Answer,"* he has "here re-collected the same into this short
sura, . . namely. If the Jews had a supreme judicatory for the final
ending of causes, and ' the congregational way' hath the like : if the
Jews had a standing judicatory always in readiness for the hearing of
causes, and ' the congregational way' hath the like : and, if the supreme
judicatory among the Jews vvas very far remote from many of them ;
and in ' the congregational way,' be more convenient, and near at hand ;
then, ' the congregational way' is, in sorae things, equal to the Jews',
and in other things more excellent." Upon " the presbyterial way,"
Mather retorts thus, " If the Jews had a supreme judicatory for the
final ending of causes, and the 'way' of our Brethren hath not: if the
Jews had a standing judicatory always in readiness for the hearing of
causes, and the ' way' of our Brethren hath not : and, if the supreme
judicatory among the Jews was very remote from many of them, and
synods among our Brethren are the same ; then, the 'way' of our Bre-.
thren is, in some things, as defective as the Jews', and in other things
more defective than theirs." He continues, " Having thus reduced our
argumentation to its own proper and genuine shape, let us now consider
of Mr. Rutherfurd's answer thereto. Saith he, ' The speediness of
ending controversies in a congregation is badly comprised with the
suddenness and temerity of delivering men to Satan upon the decision
of three Elders, without so much as asking advice of any classis of
Elders ; and with deciding questions deep and grave, which concemeth
many churches ; wliich is putting of a private sickle in a common and
public harvest' If," replies Mather, " advice from other churches may
be had, we never spake word for doing weighty matters without the
same ; but, in such cases, it is both our practice and advice, to make
use thereof: and, therefore, this 'delivering men to Satan' in way of
' temerity' or rashness toucheth not us. . . As for ' suddenness,' I con
ceive if the sarae be sometimes accorapanied with temerity and rash
ness, and so worthy of blame, — yet not always : for in the Reformation
of the House of God in the days of Hezekiah, it is said that ' the thing
was done suddenly,' '' where suddenness doth not signify any sinful
' temerity' or rashness ; but, contrarily, doth testify God's great good
ness that had so prepared the people to so good a work. . . Though
hasty delivering of men to Satan, without due consideration, be not
good ; yet over-long delay of due proceeding against delinquents is bad
also ; for the Holy Ghost tells us, ' because sentence against an evii
work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is
> P. 17, 18. " 2 Chron. xxix. 36.

182 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
fully set to do evil :' * for which cause, ' execute judgment in the morn
ing,' '' that is to say, speedily, is sometimes expressly required. Which
being spoken of justice to be executed by civil authorities, doth hold,
by ])roportion and like reason, in ecclesiastical censures. . . — Whereas
our Author thinks much that excommunication should proceed upon
the decision of ' three Elders,' as we know nothing but [that] a con
gregation may have more Elders than ' three,' if God provide them fit
men, and the numerousness of the congregation so require ; in which
case our Author saith nothing to the contrary but [that] they may
have power to excommunicate ; so, if they have but ' three,' we know
nothing in this, but [that] they raay have power to excommunicate,
notwithstanding. . . He tells us that the ' inferior judicatures in Israel
had power of life and death :' " for aught that doth appear, if three judges
had power of life and death, why may not a congregation with ' three
Elders' have power of excommunication ? . . Yea, he saith that ' this is
a principle of church policy, That every politic body of Christ hath
power of church government within itself :' ¦* either, therefore, a congre
gation with only ' three Elders' is no politic body of Christ, or else it
must have power of church government within itself ! Lastly, his words
are express, 'Where there are not many churches consociated, then
ordination and excommunication may be done by one single congrega
tion.' « If, therefore, a congregation have not above ' three Elders,' yet
being not consociated with other churches, it may lawfully excommu
nicate, by his own gi-ant. For deciding questions that concern many
churches, if they decide them no further but only as they concern
themselves; this is no 'putting a private sickle in a common and
public harvest,' but a metldling with matters only so far as they do
concem theraselves. He saith 'matters concerning many churches
must be handled by many :' this may be gi-anted in a safe sense with
out any prejudice at all unto our cause ; for we are well content, that
so far as they concem ' many,' they may ' be handled by many,' so that
each congregation may have liberty to deal in them so far as they con
cem themselves."
The tenth chapter inquires " Whether the necessity of discipline be
greater than of sacraments : and. Whether a congregation that hath
neighbours may not exercise entireness of jurisdiction as well as one
that hath none : and. Whether a man raay take on him the whole mi
nistry, having no outward calling thereto ; and may not as well take
on him one act of baptizing; or, ministering the Lord's supper?"
Under this^ complex head, Mather asks, " Doth the accession of
'neighbours' to a congregation take away from such a congregation the
essence of a church which it had before ? . . A family having the ' es
sence' of a family now it is alone, doth not lose this essence by means
of other families added ; nor doth a city that is such as it is alone, lose
the 'essence' of a city by the access of other cities ; and the same may
be said of a corporation, a province, a kingdom, or any other society. . .
That there should be such power in a congregation as in a master of a
family over his children, needs a good deal of proof afore it may be
"Eccles. viii. 11. I- Jerc. xxi. 12. ' P. 315. •> P- 302. c P. 338.

CH4P. XLIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 183
yielded, inasmuch as the power of the one is plainly and plentifully
taught in the Scripture.* But I desire one clear place of Scripture . .
to show the like power in a congregational church over the raerabers of
other churches ! . . Of the greater necessity of discipline than of sacra-
raeuts, his words are these, ' There is no such moral necessity of sacra
ments as there is of the ministry of the Word ; and, consequently, of
the use of the Keys, where a scandalous person may infect the Lord's
flock. For where ' vision' ceaseth, 'the people perish :' '' but it is never
said where baptism ceaseth 'the people perish!''^ How shall we be
sure that by ' vision' is meant discipline ? . . The latter branch of the
verse, 'he that keepeth the law, is blessed," doth show that by 'vision"
in the fonner branch is meant the law or doctrine, or Word of God. . .
Neither doth the Scripture say where administration of censures ceaseth
' the people perish ;' and therefore no necessity of censures above sacra
ments can be concluded hence.""
Proceeding to the eleventh chapter, the subjects change to "Whether
the power of jurisdiction, flowing immediately from the essence of a
church, do not agree to a church that hath neighbours as well as to
a church that hath none ; and, Whether otherwise, neighbouring
churches be not a loss : and. Whether pretence of mal-administration
be a sufficient reason for neighbouring churches to deprive a congrega
tion of its power." Here we must lirait ourselves to this portion only
of Mather's reply, " This indeed is raost true, and must be so acknow
ledged. That though the Lord Almighty have given a power unto soci
eties, whether they be families, commonwealths, or churches ; and have
made sundry of them subordinate to none other the like societies, in
the exercise of their power, but to have supremacy of power within
themselves ; yet he hath also given them just and holy rules in his
Word for the directing of them in the use of this power ; from which
rules it is not lawful for them to swerve ; but if they do, it will be sih
unto them, and he will surely require it of them. But now, between
these two — the power itself, and the abuse or right use of the power, —
we must carefully distinguish ; for though the abuse of their power be
not given of God, from whom comes nothing hut good, yet the power
itself being good is given of him, and is so to be acknowledged. And,
though abuse of their power do justly deserve at his hands that they
should be deprived of the power itself, yet God doth not always forth
with deal vrith men according to their deserts herein ; . . much less doth
he allow others to deprive them of this power because of every abuse
thereof; witness, among others, the examples of the pagan princes in
the apostles' times, who, through their ignorance, infidelity, pride, and
other sins, could not but in great raeasure abuse their authority ; and
yet the Holy Ghost commands the Christians to be ' subject' and obe
dient thereunto.'* Not to 'obey' them indeed, in doing evil at their
commands ; for, in such case, they must 'obey God rather than man.''
Yet still they must be 'subject' to the 'powers' either actively or pas
sively, even then when the powers were sinfully abused. . . And if it be
' Eph. vi. 4; Col. iii.; Deut. vi. 7; xxl. &c. •> Prov. xxix. 18.
"jP. 455. "• Rom. xiii. 1—7; Til. iii. 1. ," Acts v. 29.

184 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
SO in commonwealths, and families, why may we not say the same of
churches ? Or how will it follow, if a church shall abuse their power,
that other churches, in such cases, may take away the power from such
a church ? . . Christ hath given to every church a power of administrar-
tion, which, if they manage not aright, and do abuse the same, the
Lord Jesus will be displeased with them for this abuse; and other
churches may and ought to advise them and admonish thera, and
testify against them for the same ; but for the power itself, as Christ
himself doth not forthwith deprive them thereof, so rauch less may
other churches take it from them ; for who gave them this authority?..
Churches are all of equal authority, and not one superior or inferior to
another. . . Mal-administration in a congregation may possibly be but
pretended and not real ; and the adrainistration of the classis may,
peradventure, be really such ; in which case Mr. Rutherfurd saith the
power of the classis ' is not of Christ ;' but their 'voices' ought de jure
to be swallowed up by the congi-egation and the Elders thereof!..
Therefore, for aught that doth yet appear, suprerae ministerial church
power, which I conceive mlist needs be somewhere, may as well be in
the congregation as in the classis."
In the next chapter, or the twelfth, the subjects are, " Whether it be
against the light of nature, that the adverse party be judge : and, Whe
ther Mr. Rutherfurd can safely say that none of them do so teach: and.
Whether this saying, That parties may not be judges, do raake against
entirenes of power in a congregation, any more than in a general, or
national council." After repeating here, charges against Rutherfurd of
perplexing the sentiments he purported to find in the "Answer" to
Herle, — " our words much differing from those which Mr. Rutherfurd
sets down as ours ;" and also, after showing here, as elsewhere, various
contradictions between Herle and Rutherfurd, and between Rutherfurd
in one place against Rutherfurd in another ; Mather remarks '' if so great
an oversight be found in him, I hope himself may be enti'eated to be
tender of aggravating matters against us or others; at leastwise, not so
far to aggravate them as to impute unto us matters which we do not
hold. . . And Christian readers may be warned hereby, not hastily to
receive all that Mr. Rutherfurd hath written ; . . though, nevertheless, he
is otherwise. a raan of great worth, and so ever to be acknowledged."
The chapter concludes in this form, " Taking,'' Mather says, "what is
granted, That no 'light of nature' forbids a congregation when it is
alone, to have entireness of jurisdiction within itself; nor forbids the
same to the general, or national council : I think it may hence be in
ferred, that the like must be allowed to congregational churches that
have neighbours ; and that entireness of jurisdiction in these is no more
against ' the light of nature' than in the other. For to say that one con-.
gregation may have this entireness of jurisdiction, and ' the light of
nature' allows it ; and others may not, but ' the light of nature' forbids
it ; yea, to .say the light of nature allows it, and then forbids it, and
then it allows it again, these are such abstruse and intricate things ; yea,'
so apparently incongruous and inconsistent; that it passeth my under
standing to perceive how they can stand together."
The thirteenth chapter embraces these particulars, "Whether. the

CHAPi XLIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 185
churches at Thessalonica and Jerusalem were, each of thera, more than
one congregation : and, Of Mr. Baynes, his judgment therein. Of the
'assembly' mentioned Luke xii. 1. : and, Whether our Saviour did there
speak to his disciples only, or to all the people also:" Mather exclaims,
" I may justly wonder" that Mr. Rutherfurd should mention Mr. Baynes
in this cause ; " for if ever there was a man in this world that denied
many congregations to be one church ; and allowed only such churches
to be instituted of Christ as may meet, ordinarily, in one congregation,
this Mr. Baynes was one of them ! . .* Therefore, though he grant a
numerous 'multitude' in this church at Jerusalem ; yet Mr. Ruther
furd's purpose, for many congregations in Thessalonica and yet all but
one church, is not gained."
In the three next chapters the inquiry is pursued, respecting the
largeness of numbers in the churches at Corinth, at Ephesus, and at
Antioch ; all which churches Mather maintains to have been but each
one congregation. And, in the seventeenth chapter, he confirms the
judgment which he and Mr. Thompson had laid down in their "An
swer" to Herle,'' That " women and children" are not to act in
.such matters as ordination, and excommunication ; " the one being
debarred by their sex, and the other for want of understanding and dis
cretion." Remarks on Mr. Rutherfurd's report of certain Synodical Propositions,
occur in the eighteenth chapter ; and as those remarks relate to what is
strictly historical, and are also necessary to the right understanding of
what actually occun-ed in the affair alluded to ; we cannot withhold this
statement: "Our Reverend Author falls to ' scanning,' as he saith, sorae
' Synodical Propositions of the churches of New England,' as he calls
them ; together with a table of church power, which he calls, ' The Table
of New England.' But with favour of so worthy a man, he doth greatly
mistake the matter ; for neither was there any such synod, nor synodical
propositions, as he speaks of; nor any such Table of New England as
he mentioneth. There was, indeed, at Cambridge, in the year 1643,
a printed conference of some of the Elders of that country ; where sundry
points of church judgment were privately discoursed of, and this was all.
But as the raeeting was not a synod, as synods are usually understood,
so neither were there any ' synodical propositions" there agreed upon,
nor any ' table' of propositions agreed upon to be given forth as the
doctrine of New England. This I am able to testify, having been present
at that meeting from the beginning thereof unto the end. . . What in
formation he goeth upon, I know not : . . peradventure some, in their
simplicity raeaning no hurt, may have called that private conference by
the name and tenii of a ' synod,' and Mr. Rutherfurd raight thereupon
adventure to publish in print as here we see. . . Himself, and others,
may do well and wisely hereafter, to be informed by good and sufficient
intelligence of such things as they publish to the world concerning the
churches in New England."
We pass by four other chapters as containing only explanatory matter
against Rutherfurd's misrepresentations. " He greatly wrongs our words,
' In " The Djocesan's Trial ; wherein all the Sinews of Dr. Downham's ' Defence'
are brought into three Heads, and orderly disposed." 1621, '' P. 8.

186 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
and thereby wrongs the reader;" thus Mather complains, under the
twentieth chapter ; " by leaving out those words wherein the plainness
and strength of our argumentation lies." And at the end of the succeed
ing chapter, touching " the supreme magistrate," he writes, " We neither
had mind nor meaning to meddle at all with that question. Whether
churches may assemble in national synods against the temporal magis
trates' will ? . . And therefore, for his discourse which here he falls upon^
maintaining at large against malignants, and, namely, against Thomas
Fuller, that the Reforraation begun in Scotland and prosecuted in Eng
land against the King's will, is lawful and warrantable by the Word: this
discourse, I say, being altogether concerning others and not us, I will
therefore pass it over."
To Rutherfurd's requirement, in the twenty-third chapter, — " we
desire our brethren to prove, which they must if they oppose our prin
ciples, that the word ' church' is never taken for eldership alone in all
the Word of God ;" Mather replies, " Must we prove a negative ? . . If
we prove what we undertook, we have done as much as can in reason
be required of us : . . that the word ' church' is taken for a congrega
tion in other Scriptures besides 1 Chron. xiv. ; and this we have per
fonned. . . Mr. Rutherfurd himself allowing some of our proofs for
good ! '
The next chapter, relating, in part, to " Those children of Israel,
Num. viii. 10.," contains this passage, " It is marvel that our Reverend
Brother should thus go on in representing our words and mind amiss;
for as here he sets down the objection under our name, some of our
words are changed and altered, others being substituted ; . . some are
wholly suppressed, as if there had been none such; and others are added
as ours which never came from us." Subsequently Mather writes,
" 'There is not,' saith he, 'a place in all the Word of God, where Peo
ple confer ordination to the pastors of the New Testament; therefore
our Brethren flee to the Old Testament, to prove it from the Levites.'. .
We have given a reason," Mather continues, " why no such Scripture
can be expected in the New Testament, naraely, because in those times
Elders were not wanting ; for there were the apostles and apostolic men,
who were Elders in all the churches : and we do willingly grant that
' where Elders are not wanting, imposition of hands is to be performed
by the Elders.'. .* If it be such a disparagement to our cause, . . how
will Mr. Rutherfurd free his own way from another objection, which we
think as sore and weighty against the same ? . . I raean, . . "That there
is not any place in all the New Testament, where ordinai-y pastors or
elders imposed hands on ordinary pastors or elders ; but all the exam
ples, . . where either the persons imposing, or the persons on whom
hands were iraposed, or both, were officers of extraordinary note and
degi-ee, such as now are not extant in the church, but are ceased long
ago ! Not that I deny but an argument raay be taken frora those exam
ples, for imposirion of hands in these days ; but the thing I stand upon
is this. That no example can be given from Scripture directly parallel
to the way which our Brethren in these days do practise and allow;
but some dissonancy will be found therein from their wav as well,, and
* " Answer," p. 49.

CHAP. XLlV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 187
perhaps as much, as from the way of imposition of hands performed by
the People in some cases. Let them tell us of Acts vi. 6, and xiv. 23,
and 1 Tira. v. 23; and we answer. The persons imposing hands in those
places were apostles and evangelists, such as our Brethren are not, nor
do so account themselves. Let them name Acts xiii. 3, and I Tim. iv.
14; and we answer. The persons on whom hands were there laid were
the like, even apostles and evangelists, whatever the iraposers were ; and
therefore neither will these places perfectly suit the case. So that if we
could give no example in the New Testament, of imposition of hands
performed, in some cases, by the People, we think INIr. Rutherfurd
and our Brethren of his way inight be favourable to us for their own
sake !""
Chapter the twenty-fifth comprises the points " Whether a minister's
'calling' consist in election, or in imposition of hands; and, whether of
those is greater ; and, whether is prior, or posterior : Whether ] Tira.
iv. 14, Acts vi. 2 — 4, xiii. 1 — 3, do prove that the rainister's 'calling'
consist in imposition of hands by the presbytery; and, that such irapo
sition of hands is not a consuramatory rite, or benedictory sign : also.
Whether Rom. x. 15, do prove that a man cannot be a minister except
some presbytery ordain him afore the People choose him ; and, whether
otherwise, the People do send a minister to thenjselves : and. Whether
the People of God may not as well discei-n a man's fitness to be ordained,
as his fitness to be elected." Mather writes here, " Take 'ordination'
as we take it, for imposition of hands on a church officer, and then we
think it less than election, as being but a note or ceremony used at a
ministers entrance into his office, but not at all of the essence thereof. . .
Election is soraething essential, and so consequently raore than impo
sition of hands, which is but a rite, or ceremony, which may be absent
and yet a man have all the essentials of a minister notwithstanding. Ag
for 1 Tim. iv. 14, . . I consider it only an approbatory sign or rite,
which might be used by inferiors towards superiors : for Timothy being
an evangelist, how could any ordinary presbytery have authority over
him or give authority to him ? . .* The substance of the Levites' ' call
ing' was in the iraraediate designment and appointment of the Lord, and
not in the performance of this laying on of hands : and therefore it
follows, that if laying on of hands were granted to be a ministerial act,
yet still it may be merely a benedictory sign, and the substance, or es
sence, of the minister's ' calling' not consist in it, but in something else. . .
If God do furnish a raan with gifts and a holy propensity of raind to
the work in general, and to such or such a people in particular, and
make way by his Providence thereto ; then, who can deny but such a
man is 'sent''' of God, unto that people ? And then, if that people, ob
serving God's sending of him in this sort, do hereupon elect and choose
him, and promise to be obedient to him in the Lord; what is there now
wanting to the substance and essence of such a man's ' calling' to such a
people ? And yet the man is not ' sent' by them to themselves, but ' sent'
by God, and received and chosen by them. . . And to understand it
otherwise would be to condemn the prophets and apostles, who were not
' " See more in the ' Plea for the Churches in New England,' pt. ii. chap. xii.
qu. 2, 4." '' Rom. x. 15.

188

HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES

'sent' by men at all, and vet did truly answer to this Scnpture, in that
they were 'sent' of God. True it is, ordinary ministers are not 'sent ot
God in such an extraordinary way as the prophets and apostles were,
but in an ordinary way, and by ordinary means ; which way and means
if they do observe, they also may be truly said to be ' sent of God unto
the people . . It would be requisite to be cleared, that some raen besides
the church have authority to send ministers to the church ; and who
these men are that have such authority had need be cleared also ; which,
I, for ray part, think will not be done in haste! . . Mr. Rutherfiird . .
should have given some reason why the people may discern a man's
fitness for election, and yet not discern his fitness for ordination; for this
is the consequence of our argument, which he denies.
The last, or twenty-sixth chapter, upon "Whether the epistle to
Timothy and Titus" prove that the action of lajdng on of hands "may
not, in any case, be perforraed by non-officers, etc.," presents nothing
for our purpose beyond the remark that "as for Timothy, Scripture tells
what the pre.sbytery did to him, but what he must do with the presby^
tery it tells us nothing. . . If there be rales in the epistles that do belong
to Elders alone, yet since it is confessed, and may not be denied, that
other things therein do concern all Christians, how shall we be assured
that such passages as concern laying on of hands are of the former sort,
and not of the latter ? For to say ' it is so,' and ' it is clear,' we think
doth not ' clear' it at all !"

CHAP. XLV.
FBRNE AND BRIDGE ON RESISTANCE.  BOOK OF SPORTS BURNT. 
ASSEMBLY Ob' DIVINES CALLED.  THEIR ADDRESS TO THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY.  SOLEMN LEAGUE AND COVENANT.  THli FIVE DISSENT
ING BRETHREN.
Not the most inefficient of the timely manifestations of that moral
heroism which dared to discuss, in a tyrannical reign, the just relation
ship of Princes and Subjects, — but which it had been the long labour of
venal parasites and prostituted advocates of a Church virtually above
the King, and a King claiming to be above the laws, to disparage and
to vilify, — were produced by the pens of Herle,* BuiToughes,'' and
others, compatriots with Milton, and precursors of Locke and
Hoadly ; all whose efforts have succeeded in deducing fi-ora the imma
culate precepts of primordial reason and Divine institution — and, con
sequently, determined — the basis and the boundaries of Civil Govern
ment, in a Christian State.
— ' " An Answer to Misled Dr. Hen. Feme, according to his own Method of his
Book. 1642." And, " A Fuller Answer to a Treatise written by Dr. Feme, inti
tuled ' Tbe Resolving of Conscience, &c.' Lond. 1642."
*> " The Glorious Name of God, tbe Lord of Hosts, opened in two Sermons ; with
a Postscript : Briefly answering a late Treatise by Henry Feme, D.D. By Jeremiah
Burroughes. Lond. 1643." 4to.

CHAP. XLV. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 189
When Charles had retired to York, one of his attendants, " having
the honour to be the first that printed anything, as it is said, for the
King," put out, in November,* " The Resolving of Conscience : Upon
this Question, Whether upon such a Supposition or Case as is now usu
ally made, — ' The King will not discharge his Trust, hut is bent or
seduced to subvert Religion, Laws, and Liberties,' — Subjects may take
Anns and resist P And, Whether that Case be now ? By H. Fern[e],
D.D. — York, 1642." 4to. pp. SO.*" Among the answers which rapidly
appeared, was "The Wounded Conscience cured, the Weak one strength
ened, and the Doubting satisfied : By way of Answer to Doctor Feme.
— Lond. 1042." 4to. This first attack by Bridge, was raet with " Con
science Satisfied, that there is no Warrant for the Arms now taken up
by Subjects : By way of Reply unto several Answers made to a Treatise
forraerly published for The Resolving of Conscience upon the Case :
Especially unto that which is intituled 'A Fuller Answer.' By H.
Feme, D.D. Oxf. 1643." 4to. pp. 85. No tirae was lost, unneces
sarily, in producing " The Truth of the Times Vindicated : Whereby
the Lawfulness of Parliamentary Proceedings in taking up of Arms is
Justified ; Dr. Feme's ' Reply' Answered ; and the Case in Question
" Ath. Ox. edit. Bliss, vol. iii. c^. 534.
" Reprinted, Lond. 1643. 4to. In the first edition. Feme writes, " Conscience will
discern whether part[y] is upon the defensive, by inquiring first, Who were first in
Arms ? He that can number the succession of books and months in his almanack
may decide this. He shall find that armed men were thrust into Hull; the King's
arras seized against his will ; the militia set up, and by that the King's subjects
drawn into arms before tbe King had anything to oppose but proclamations : that
subscriptions for plate, money, horse ; that listing of soldiers for the field, and
appointing of officers of the army ; were begun upon their part, before his Majesty
did tbe like.'' p. 36. Milton supplies an answer to these queries, incidentally, in
bis " Eiconoclastes," 1049, where he says, " Hull and the magazine there had been
secretly attempted under the King's band ; from whom, though in his Declarations
renouncing all thought of war, notes were sent over sea for supply of arms ; which
were no sooner come, but the inhabitants of Yorkshire and other counties were
called to arms, and actual forces raised, while the Parliament were yet petitioning
in peace, and had not one man listed. As to the act of hostility, though not rauch
material in whom first it began, or by whose commissions dated first, after such
counsels and preparations discovered, and so far advanced by the King, yet in that
act also he will be found to have had precedency, if not at London by the assault
of his armed court upon the naked people, and his attempt upon tbe House of
Commons, yet certainly at Hull, first by his close practices on that town, next by
his siege. Thus, whether counsels, preparations, or acts of hostility, be considered,
it appears with evidence enough, though much more might be said, that the King
is truly charged to be the first beginner of these civil wars. To which may be added
as a close, that in the Isle of Wight he charged it upon himself at the public treaty,
and acquitted the Parliaraent !" Chap. x. — It will be useful to reraind tbe reader
here, that in Laud's obnoxious Canons of 1640, tbe first, or that " Concerning the
Regal Power," directs to be read " upon sorae one Sunday in every quarter of tbe
year," that " Tbe raost high and sacred order of Kings is of Divine right, being tbe
ordinance of God himself, founded in the prime laws of nature, and clearly estab
lished by express texts both of the Old and New Testaments. . . For Subjects to bear
Arms against their King, offensive or defensive, upon any pretence whatsoever, is
at the least to resist the powers which are ordained of jGod : and though they do not
invade, but only resist, St. Paul tells them plainly, ' They shall receive to themselves
damnation.' " And all the Clergy are required to " exhort their people" that '¦ they
presume not to speak of his Majesty's Power in any other way than in this Canon
is expressed."

190 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES- I.
more fully Resolved. By William Bridge, Preacher of God's Word, at
Great Yarmouth. — Printed according to Order. — Lond. 1643." 4to.
pp. 54. This piece will afford some insight into the nature of the
controversy. In his Dedication, to the Right Worshipful the Knights and Gen
tlemen, Deputy Lieutenants of the County of Norfolk, the author tells
thera that " because it hath pleased God to lay the foundation of your
proceedings in your good success at Crowland, by the hand of that
worthy gentleraen Sir Miles Hobert, I wish you that blessing which
the Abbot of Crowland. . . would have made the foundation thereof,
Perpetuam felicitatem." * But in an Advertisement, signed I. A., ^ they
are informed that Dr. Feme's Reply " somewhile went up and down in
the dark ;" that when it fell into the hands of this author " he soon
dispatched his answer," but " new Licensers being appointed, much
tirae was spent." Bridge's Introduction follows : here he writes, " The
disputing time is almost now over ; the Doctor hath stayed so in bring
ing up his rear, that I fear the controversy depending is now rather to
be determined with the dint of the sword than with the strength of the
pen ... I am not unwilling, for truth's sake, once raore to appear in
this cause. . . It is not long since I met with the Doctor's ' Reply:'
and at the first, I thought it not necessary to give any answer unto it :
partly, because the subject is so well beaten that he is almost answered
before he hath objected; partly, because I count the 'Reply' scai-ce
worth a solemn answer, which is clothed with so many scoffing jeers
and vile reproaches, things unworthy of a D. D., especially such as
pretend satisfaction of conscience ; but it will find entertainment with
conscience according to its own nature ... Yet, because I have been eamestly
desired, by friends, to open more fully the nature of Government, and
Civil Government of England, I am not unwilling to set pen to paper
again." The treatise consists of six chapters. In the first, are laid down six
propositions " Conceming the nature of government, rule, and authority ;
or ruling and governing power." Noticing the literal interpretation of
e^ovaiat, Rom. xiii. 1., — a liberty, or authority, to work or act towards
others ; — and having instanced where else in Scripture, it is used in the
abstract, and where in the concrete. Bridge remarks, after Gerard "= and
others, that it was ad\isedly used here in " an abstractive manner" to
show that not the persons so much as their office is what we ought to
regard. And the dominion of jurisdiction which is Civil, and concern
ing which is " our question," if not distinguished from the absolute
dominion of property, produces " State en-ors." Secular, or civil power,
he defines, after Alman, "* to be " that power which regulariy is given to
one or more, by the People, for the ordering and preservation of the
Commonwealth, according to the civil laws thereof" The voice of
- Among Bridge's works is " A Sermon preached unto tbe Volunteers ofthe City
f«^,°™.;? ' '° *^ Volunteers of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. Lond.
c P«''W« /"h'^^Arrowsmith, D. D. See Brook's Hist. Puritans vol. iii, p. 315.
In Jipist. ad Rom. '^
^ De Potest. EccL et Laic. i. q. i. apud Gerson.

CHAP. XLV.j RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 191
nature is the voice of God: on this axiom Bridge says, "now nature
itself teacheth" that justice cannot be administered in a community,
"unless authority, power, or jurisdiction, be first appointed; for what
hath a private man to do to put another to death ? ' Thou shalt not
kill,' is made to all men." The apostle Peter is not, he remarks, incon
sistent in using the phrase aydpunrlur} Kriaie 'a human constitution, or
creature,' epist. I. ch. ii. 13.; for he is speaking of the form or quali
fication of the "abstractive power," as monarchy, aristocracy, democracy ;
the channels in which this power runs ; and the apostle says, therefore
" be subject to every ordinance of man."
The first subject seat and receptacle of ruling civil power under God,
is the whole People, or body politic : " to this purpose," Bridge, after
having adduced several strong authorities, instances in the maxiras of the
council of Basil, " Plus valet Regnum quam Rex ; The Kingdom is
more worth than the King." He supports his position, or proposition,
by Old Testament examples and illustrations, until he amves at where
it might be pressed against him, that this is all set aside since the New
Testament assures us that " the powers that be are ordained of God,"
so not of man ! Remarking that the word " ordained" should rather have
been "ordered" in that place, * "Government," he says, "is of God
two ways ; either by immediate donation, as that of Moses, or by
raediate derivation, as that of judges and the kings of Israel. The
governraent of princes is not now by iraraediate donation or designation,
but by mediate derivation, and so is both of God and man too ; as
Fortescue speaks, Quicquid facit causa secunda, facit et causa prima."
Adducing, next, several passages from Dr. Feme's Reply, Bridge brings
them into contrast with other passages ; thus, " First, whereas the
Doctor saith that the first kings were not by the choice of the people
' at the first;' and, that popular election was a kind of ' defection from
and a disturbance to that natural way of descent, of governing kingly
power, by a patemal right,' I refer Dr. Feme unto Dr. Feme, who saith,
both in his first and second book, — page 67 of his Reply — ' It is probable
that kings, at first, were by election here as elsewhere.'. . We take it not
unkindly, that the Doctor cannot agree with us, seeing he cannot agree
with himself ! Secondly ; Whereas he saith ' monarchical governraent
is not a raere invention of man, as aristocracy and democracy are,' I
refer him to what he saith himself, — first book, p. 13, 14, — ' We must
distinguish Power itself, and the qualification of that power, in several
forms of govemment : if we consider the qualification of this govem
ing power and the raanner of executing it, according to the several fonns
of govemment ; we granted it before to be the invention of raan. And
when such a qualification or form is orderly agreed upon, we say it hath
God's permissive approbation.' Yet, in his Reply, he makes this form
of monarchical government, rather an appointment of God both ductu.
natura and exemplo divino ; and ' not a mere invention of man' as
other forms of government are. Here, I must leave him to agree with
himself! Thirdly ; Whereas he saith ' That the first fathers of mankind
were the first kings and rulers.' " — Bridge shows the contrary from
Scripture ; and brings proofs from Austin and others out of Mendoza, ''
* Dr. Doddridge renders, " disposed." '' Tom. i. Annot. iii. Proem, sect. 6.

192 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
" that kingly governraent fell [out] in the fourth age of the worid.*'
And, fourthly ; Whereas the Doctor tells us "that this govemment 'is
natural though not jure, yet ductu natures,'. . Molina* will tell him
that ' Power is of two sorts, . . natural, as the power of a father over his
children ; . . and the will of men, . . to subject themselves to the supreme : '
so that patemal and civil power are not the same, but have two originals. . .
Besides," adds Bridge, " if paternal govemment do lead us to regal,
then kings should and ought to rule as arbitrarily in their kingdoms as
fathers do in their families ; and if subjects deny this arbitrary power
to them, they sin, because they are led thereunto by nature ! And so
all the kingdoms of the world should lie in this sin : for in what king
dom of the world doth a king rule as arbitrarily as a father in his family P. .
Fifthly ; Whereas the Doctor saith, this monarchical govemment was
the first government that God set up ' in Moses, Judges and Kings of
Israel,' and so, though not 'jure divino, yet exemplo divino;' I con
fess," says Bridge, " I cannot but wonder at the conceit, seeing the
difference between the government of the Judges and Kings is so abun
dantly made out. . . Surel}% God, at the first, by all we can read in the
Scripture, was pleased to appoint Magistracy itself, and left the chil
dren of men free to set up that way and form of govemment which, in
prudence, might best correspond with their condition; still making
People the first subject and receptacle of civil power. In proof whereof
I have stayed the longer, it being the foundation of all this controversy. . .
Therefore, the Prince, or supreme raagistrate, hath no more power than
-what is communicated to him from the community, because the effect
doth not exceed the virtue of its cause, . . So, the People, or community,
cannot give away from themselves the power of self-preservation. . .
Therefore no act of a community can cut off this entail from their
posterity, or make such a deed of conveyance whereby themselves and
their children should be spoiled of self-preservation ! . .Then, in case
the Prince doth neglect his trust so as not to preserve them, but to ex
pose them to violence, it is no usurpation for them to look to themselves,
which yet may be no act of jurisdiction over the prince, or taking away
of any power from hira which they gave hira, but is, in truth, a stimng
up, acting, and exercising, of that power which always was left in
themselves." From power in general. Bridge descends, in his second chapter, to
" the governing and ruling power of England." And here he introduces
among sorae others, from " Learned Fortescue, Lord Chief Justice, and
after Lord Chancellor, in King Henry the Sixth's time," these remark
able passages, " The form of institution of a politic Kingdom, is that
where a king is made and ordained for the defence of the law of his
subjects, and of their bodies and goods, whereunto he receiveth power
of his people, for that he cannot govern his people by any other power.'. .
' The King of England cannot alter or change the laws of his realm
at his pleasure, for he governeth his people by power, not only royal
but also politic' " '' Bridge then instances that even William the Con
queror had not come to the crown " without all conditions." And he
" De Jure et Just. Disp. xx. Tract. 2.
^ De Laudibus Legum Anglia;, cap. xiii. ix.

CHAP. XLV.} RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. l!)3
reasons thereupon, that " If it be said, that this People are , . as a
people raerely conquered, then any sword that is longer than the prince's'
may fetch back that power again. If it be said, that this People gave
away this power by indenture, at the first election of their prince, then
let raen show us such indenture. If it be said, that God hath forbidden
such a forcible resistance by Rora. xiii. 1 — 3, or the like Scriptures,
then it must be affirmed that the Parliament are not ' the highest powers,'
which Dr. Feme granteth. * I'or if the Parliament come within the
compass of those words ' higher powers,' then that Scripture Rora. xiii.
doth not reach them ; but rather requires others to be obedient to them :
yea, if by ' the higher powers' is understood only the King, then the
two Houses may not raake any forcible resistance against any petty
constable that comes in the King's authority to do violence to the two
Houses. Surely, therefore, this and the like Scriptures are much
abused ; the meaning being only to command obedience to authority
in all things that tend to the encouragement of good, and punishment
of evil : and, therefore, there is such a power in the Subjects, both by
the law of nature and constitution of the Kingdom, to take up Arms,
when the State, or two Houses, express it; notwithstanding the ex
pression of any one man to the contrary."
In the third chapter, Bridge writes, " I now come to the Vindication
of the Truth, as opposed by Dr. Feme, in his last book, called ' Con
science Satisfied,' wherein he spends the seven former chapters mostly
in answer to a hook called ' A Fuller Answer.' In his eighth section, he
comes to examine such giounds as I premised for the lawfulness of Par-
liamenbiry proceedhigs in taking up of Amis as now they do. . . ' Mr.
Bridge tells us,' saith the Doctor, ' that there are three gi-ounds of their
proceeding by Arms : to fetch in Delinquents to their trial ; to secure
the State from foreign invasion ; to preserve themselves from Popish
rebellion.' Dr. Feme replieth, ' Yet this must be done in an orderly
and legal way ; and if conscience would speak the tmth, it could not
say that any Delinquents were denied or withheld till the Militia was
seized, and a great Delinquent, in the matter of Hull, was denied to
be brought to trial at his Majesty's instance.' How true this is that the
Dpctor writes, all the world knows I need not say. The Parliament, to
this day, never denied to try any that were accused by the King, so that
they might be tried legally by himself and the two Houses; which is
the known privilege of every parliament-inan, according to. law."
Passing by, from necessity, much of Bridge's argument here, we take
it up with these words, " ' Of the French and Low Country Divines, he
brings no testimony,' saith the Doctor ; ' but, for proof, tells us, we know
their practice ; so I, for answer, may return him his own words, we
know what hath been the practice of those Protestants, and so they are
parties interested not so fit to give in witness.' Very well ; if they be
' parties interested,' and so not fit ' to give in witness,' then they are of
our judgment ! Observe, Reader, here he gi-anteth that the Protestant
Churches, and the Divines of France and the Low Countries, ' are
pai-ties interested,' and so of our judgment ; what Protestant Churches
or Divines, then, will he allege for his sentence ? Will he have the
" Reply, p. 02.
II. o

194 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Divines of Switzerland ? I brought a testimony of the Divines of the
Council of Basil ; and that he doth not contradict ! Are the Divines of
Geneva of his raind ? I brought the testimony of Calvin ; that he saith
nothing to, but it passeth with him as granted by him ! Are the Divines
of Scotland ? I brought him the testimony of Master Buchanan ; that
testimony also he doth not deny ! It may be that was but one, and so
would not take notice of it ; read, therefore, what Master Knox saith, . .
and what the judgment of the Scots' Divines is for the present ... But
it may be the Doctor will tell us that the Scottish Divines are also
' parties' and ' interested' in the cause. Very good : we shall shortly
have a great party in the Protestant Churches for us and with us : what
Divines, then, are against us, in the Doctor's opinion ? Are the Divines
of England ? He tells us also, ' Yet do some of them allow of Resist
ance, in sorae cases.' Good still : by and by it will arise to soraewhat ;
here is yet raore of our party, — as the Doctor calls them, — by his own
confession ! As for the testiraonies that I brought, of Dr. Bilson and
Dr. Willet, he saith ' that is plain, they speak of such govemment,
such states, such cases, as will not agree to this kingdom, at this time.'
But why not, the Doctor will not tell us ! . . When the Doctor, or
other, bring forth testiraonies of Divines, ancient or late, to prove
that Subjects may not take up Anns against their Prince, they had as
good say nothing ; that is not to our case : but let them prove by tes
timonies, that it is not lawful for the Parliament to take up Arms to
secure the Kingdom, to bring accused persons to trial, and to deliver
the Prince out of the hands of Malignants ; and then they say some
thing to us, else it is but clamour, not reason."
The fourth chapter does not admit of more than slight notices of
points more or less pertinent to the subject. " He would prove,"* Bridge
remarks, " that the people of Israel did not by any forcible resistance
' rescue' Jonathan out of the hands of Saul ; which work, says he, was
but set off ' with a soldier like boldness.' Let the Doctor call this work
what he please, Saul, the King, had sworn that Jonathan should die ;
and the People sware he should not die, and they being in arms ' did
rescue Jonathan,' saith the text. '' This ' rescue' the Doctor calls in his
first book,<^ 'a loving violence,' and, in his Reply, 'a setting off the
matter with a soldierly boldness !' I hope the Doctor will give us leave
to use like terms, if a Prince swear the death of some parliamentary-men
who deserve not to die, but to be preferred, and ' the People rise up in
arms and rescue' their 'Jonathans,' saying, 'as we live, they shall not
die that have wrought this great deliverance for us;' this is no resistance,
it is but ' a loving violence,' and ' a setting off the matter with a sol
dierly boldness 1' Why may not we call this so, as well as the Doctor,
that ? But I appeal to all reason, Whether a ' rescue' by men in arms
from those that have sworn a man's death, be not forcible resistance !
But say we, this is raore than ' prayers and tears ; ' which is the only
remedy allowed by the Doctor. To which he replieth, ' The Doctor
had nowhere said, though Mr. Bridge makes him often say so. That pray
ers and tears, is the only remedy left for Subjects ; but, besides their cries
to God, he allows their intercessions, reproofs, denial of subsidies and
»P. 49. " 1 Sam. xiv. 45. c p 51.

CHAP. XLV ^ RFLATfNG TO INDEPENDENTS. 19,5
aids.' I will not search into the Doctor's boolr for every word ; take
what he granteth here, yet this ' soldierly boldness' of ' rescuing' is raore
than prayers, tears, reproofs, or denial of subsidies and aids ; which is
all the remedy that he affordeth, as he confesseth now. Yet the Doctor
is so full of this sentence still, that he saith ' that the children of Israel
being under the oppression of their kings, had no remedy but crying
to the Lord ; ' and again, ' all the remedy they had was by crying to the
Lord : ' so also, in his first book, * ' The people are let to understand,
1 Sam. viii. 11 — 18, how they should be oppressed under kings, and
have no remedy left them but crying to the Lord.' '' Thus do men for
get themselves and what they have said, while they contend against
the truth !'' And thus does Bridge meet his opponent, in other points r
as that urged of David, who took up arms to defend ^himself from the
violence of his prince, Saul. " The Doctor replies," he says, " now,
' that David's example was extraordinary :' well ! hut when it is said
that David, having advantage of Saul, did not lay his hands upon him
to cut him off, as he might have done ; ¦= what if we should say, that act
of David ' was extraordinary ;' would not the Doctor tell us that our
answer was but ordinary ? . . But be it so that David's example was
'extraordinary;' is Hot our case, now, extraordinary? Is England's
case ordinary ? Hath it been thus, ordinarily, that anns have been taken
up against the Parliament ; and Delinquents kept from legal trial by
force of arms ? Has this been, for many years ? See how the Doctor
helps himself by this ' extraordinary' answer 1" The remainder of this
chapter consists of passages of Scripture " delivered" by Bridge from
his adversary's " objections."
The fifth chapter, consisting but of replications of what one and the
other had said in their former pieces respectively, presents nothing of
interest that can be detached. In the sixth and last chapter, they dis
pute after this manner: "Whereas the Doctor had said we shai-pen
many of our weapons ' at the Philistine's forge ;' and I had showed the
difference between us and Papists in this cause ; he replieth, ' differ
ence there must needs be between you and Papists, in this particular,
for they challenge such a power from the Pope, you from the People.'
Very well ! And is not here a vast difference. The Papists say, the Pope
»P. 10.
•¦ Heylyn instances in the case of Julian's attempt to subvert Christianity, — in
Which, however, be confines himself to when that empire " began to intrench upon
the liberties of the Christians, — they knew no otber way, nor weapons, by which
to make resistance to such lawless violence, but their prayers and tears : Kat
rovro ftovov Kara, rov SlijJktov cpd.pp.aKOv ; and this was all tbe 'medicine' which they
had to cure that malady, as we find in Nazianzen, Orat. i. in Julian. The like I could
produce from St. Ambrose, Orat. v., were not this sufficient." The Rebel's Ca
techism. 1643-[4]. 4to. p. 9. — It may be asked, whether even " prayers and tears"
do not come under Heylyn's description of " the rebellion of the heart, and of the
tongue : " praying and crying being " words" and " deeds," and so making "a man
guilty of ' damnation' in the sight of God ? " p. 2, 3. A recent historian reraarks
that Julian's reign did not last two years, and that "had be been suffered by Provi
dence much longer to persist in his aggression, with proportionate increase of se
verity, it is probable that the final triumph of Christianity would not otherwise have
been achieved than by tbe means of a religious war." Hist, of tbe Church from
the Earliest Ages, &c. By George Waddington, M. A. 1833. Svo. chap. viii. p. 109.
I Sam. xxiv. 4.
o2

196 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
may depose princes ; we say, in case the prince doth not perform his
trust, the people may look to their own safety ? . . . We say, with Chry
sostom and others, that every soul, even Priests, as they and you call
them, are to be subject to higher Powers : that it lies in the power of no
Priest to depose princes. . . Again, whereas I said ' the Papists hold it
lawful to kill a prince ; and, that a private man, invested with the Pope's
authority, may do it; we abhor it :' the Doctor replieth ' That is their
new forge under ground, set up of late by Jesuits. I did not mean
you sharpened your weapons there, but at the old forge ; and however
you say you abhor this doctrine of killing kings, yet I fear and tremble
to think if your Sovereign had fallen in battle by the edge of your
sword or shot of your artillery, you would have found him guilty of his
own death in that he would not, being desired, forbear to go down him
self into battle.' It is well the Doctor will excuse us from Jesuitism
in this particular ; and well he may in all things else : especially here,
where he knows there is so much correspondency between his own opi
nion and the Jesuits' ; who, for the most part of them, hold that as all
Ecclesiastical power is given to Peter, and so to the Pope aud Bishops,
not to the Church ; so all Civil power is given imraediately to the King
and not to the Commonwealth, but only as derived from him! And,
therefore, well may the Doctor excuse us from whetting our swords at
the 'new forge' of the Jesuits, that being a forge which he reserves to
whet his own weapons at Neither do we whet our weapons ' at the pld
forge ;' for I suppose the Doctor will say that Aquinas' forge is of the
oldest frame, and he speaketh directly contrary to us, thus ; ' As soon
as ever any is denounced excommunicate for apostacy from the faith,
his Subjects are, ipso facto, absolved from his dominion and tlie oath
of allegiance whereby they were bound to hira.'* We say, if a shot of
our artillery had fallen on the King, — whereas you say, we ' would have
found him guilty of his own death,' — ^we .say we would have found you
and such as you are, guilty thereof, that put him on such designs ! . .
But in this matter. Doctor, you have answered yourself, for you told us
in your fonner treatise, ' That it is lawful for Subjects to ward their
Prince's blows, to hold his hands, and the like.' Now, if the Prince
raise an anny against his Subjects, how can his blows be warded but by an
army ? . . Aud then answer yourself, ' What if a shot of artillery should
fall upon your Prince ? '. . ' But who knows not,' saith the Doctor, 'if
that party of Brownists and Anabaptists which are now so prevalent
in the arms taken up against the King, should get the upper hand,
what would become of the King's supremacy and government ?' Here
is a loud cry against ' Brownists and Anabaptists ;' but who are ' Brown
ists ? ' Not all those that are against Prelates and not for the English
Common Prayer-Book ; for, then, all the Reformed Churches are
Brownists. And as for ' Anabaptists,' I wish it may be considered,
whether they do not take some footing for their opinion from the Com
mon Prayer-Book : they deny baptism to infants upon this ground, Be
cause actual fnith and repentance are pre-required to baptism : and doth
not the Common Prayer-Book seem to acknowledge as much, whenas
before baptism, the witnesses, in name of the Influit, must ansner to
* Tho. Aq. 2. 2. q. 12. art. 2.

CHAP. XLV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 197
these questions, ' Dost thou believe ? Dost thou renounce the Devil and
all his works P ' I must naked!}- profess my judgment against that opinion ;
yet were it not good that the very Common Prayer-Book should come
under consideration upon this, and other reasons ? . . Suppose that the
army should prevail, wherein there are 'Brownists and Anabaptists,' as
you say, yet is there not so much danger that they should prevail to
mislead the Parliament, who are three or four hundred, as that Papists
should prevail to mislead one [the King] ! . . At last, the Doctor tells
us, concerning supremacy, ' that the King is supreme not so much in
opposition to particular persons, as in relation to the whole body
politic : . . that the two Houses of Parliament are, in a sort, co-ordinate
with his Majesty to some act or exercise of the supreme power ; that is,
to malting laws, by yielding their consent' And if they be ' co-ordinate'
iu that act of supremacy, Parajus and others will tell him that the nomo
thetic part of supremacy is the highest. * We acknowledge the King our
Supreme to defend us ; but not to defend ourselves, where cause requires,
gives a supra-supremacy uuto him. . . In the next section, the Doctor
saith, ' Mr. Bridge enters upon a loose discourse against Ejiiscopal
govemment.'. . No other ' loose discourse' than what his loose treatise
led me into. . . And, whereas I said, ' now the Doctor shows himself:
he had rather the Kingdom should be imbrued in a bloody war than
Episcopacy should down, because he had said in his treatise, '' ' that the
King has reason, by power of arms, to divert the abolishing of Epis
copal govemment;' the Doctor answers, 'Nay, Mr. Bridge, you and
your party in arms show yourselves what spirit you are of, who will have
this land embroiled in a bloody war, rather than Episcopacy shall not
down.' Not so. Doctor ! There is not the same reason why you should
retort these words upon us ; for I had nowhere said, the Parliament
hath reason ' by power of arms' to divert the evil of that government ;
yea, I ara so far from it, that I profess freely that if the King and
Parliament would establish that government still to be continued, that
the People is not bound to rise up in anns to root it out, though I judge
it evil. Yea, if any man be of that opinion, I think he is to be suffered
to live, enjoying himself and his estate here ! . . Good Sir; in the fear
of God, make your humble addresses to his Majesty, and petition him
to return to those that are faithful to him. The worst that he can lose,
you know, — if you pretend rightly,— is but a piece of some prerogative'
or some exercise thereof, for the present. Why should so good a land
as this be imbrued in blood for such a cause ; war being the worst of all
evils, and therefore not to be undertaken but to prevent gravissimum
malum ? . . Labour you to take off those exasperations that are amongst
men with you ; and do not still put your unguem in ulcere ut recrudescat
dolor ! " <=
» In Rom. xiii. •> P. 25.
"= Besides this, and other answers to Feme, there appeared " Scripture and Rea
son pleaded for Defensive Arms : Or, The whole Controversy about Subjects taking
up Arms. Wherein, besides otber Pamphlets, an answer is punctually directed to
Dr. Feme's Book, intituled ' Resolving of Conscience, &c.' The Scriptures alleged
are fully satisfied : The rational Discourses are weighed in tbe Balance of Right
Reason : Matters of Fact concerning the present Differences are examined, — Pub-
liohed by divers Reverend and Learned Divines. — Lond. 161'3." 4to. pp. 80. "A Re-

l!^8 HISTORICAL ME.MORIALS [cHARLES I.
Among other measures condemnatory of the proceedings of the exe
cutive government, Heylyn tells us that in this year, 1 643, " On the
fifth of May, it was ordered, by no worse men than the Commons m
Parliament, — the Lords either not consulted, or not concurring, — ' That
His Majesty's book for tolerating Sports on the Lord's day, should be
forthwith burned by the bands of the common hangman, in Cheapside
and other usual places ; and, that the Sheriffs of London and Middle
sex should see the sarae put in execution :' which was done accordingly.
Than which, an act of a greater scorn, an act of greater insolency and
disloyal impudence, was never offered to a sovereign and anointed
prince I" * Should he not rather have lamented that they who jirompted
Charles to republish '' this " stumbling-block, "¦= had committed another
offence against religion, and were consequently the real instruments of
the sovereign's degradation ? There were those who were no less wise
and righteous than Heylyn, who have left the records of their abhor
rence of that book ; but so has not be."*
The time having fully arrived when it had become expedient to prac
tically ^ encounter the difficulties or erabarrassments with which the
affairs of religion were encompassed ; and in-coinpliance with repeated,
but as yet ineffectual appeals, commenced in the year 1641 ; the Par
liament, apart from the King, resolved upon a novel and decisive mea
sure. Notwithstanding that the Act of 25th of Henry VIII. cap. xix.,
interposed a legal obstacle on the part of the clergy touching their
" submission," yet the crisis demanded an investigation ofthe grievances,
alleged notoriously to be oppressive and noxious, which sprung from
the govei-nment of the Church. A Bill had been proposed to the King,
in the treaty at Oxford in 1 642, for the calling of an 'assembly of
Divines " to be consulted by the Parliament," but the proposal not
having been entertained by his Majesty, the two houses proceeded with
the Bill and converted it into an ordinance of their own, under the title
of "An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parlia
ment : For the Calling of an Assembly of Leamed and Godly Divines,
to be consulted with by the Parliament ; for the Settling of the Govern
ment and Liturgy of the Church of England : And for 'Vindicating and
Clearing the Doctrine of the said Church from false Aspersions and
Interpretations, as shall be most agreeable to the Word of God. — With
the Names of all the Ministers appointed for the same. 12th June,
1643. — Printed June 13, 1643." 4to. pp. 6.
ply to several Treatises pleading for the Arms now taken up by Subjects in the
pretended Defence of Religion and Liberty : by Name, unto the Reverend and
Learned Divines with pleaded Scripture and Reason for Defensive Arms; The
Author of the Treatise of Monarchy [Philip Hunton] ; and, the Author of A Fuller
Reply. Oxon. 1643." 4 to.
* Hist. Presb. p. 456. '' See back, vol. i. p. 514. = Rom. xiv. 13.
^ Heylyn follows up tbe words of the above quotation, with these, " So as it was
no marvel, if tbe Lords [!] joined with them in the Ordinance of the sixth of
April, 1644, for to expose all books to the like disgrace, which bad been writ, or
should be writ hereafter, hy any person or persons, against the morality of the Sab
bath."— This Ordinance was turned into an Act, 29 Car. II. cap. vii., which they
who condemn tbe Ordinance are bound to approve !
f See back, p. 149. April 9lb, 1642.

CHAP. XLV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 199
"^Whereas amongst the infinite blessings of Almighty God upon
this Nation, none is or can be more dear unto us, than the Purity of
our Religion ; and, for that as yet many things remain in the Liturgy,
Discipline, and Govemment of the Church, which do necessarily re
quire a further and more perfect Reforraation than as yet hath been
.attained: And, whereas it hath been declared and resolved by the
Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That the present Church
Govemment by Archbishops, Bishops, their Chancellors, Commissa
ries, Deans, Deans and Chapters, Archdeacons, and other Ecclesiastical
Officers depending upon the Hierarchy, is evil, and justly offensive and
burdensome to the Kingdom ; a great impediment to Reformation
and growth of Religion ; and very prejudicial to the State and Go
vernment of this Kingdom ; and that therefore they are resolved that
the same shall be taken away, and that such a Government shall be
settled in the Church as may be most agreeable to God's holy Word,
and most apt to procure and preserve the peace of the Church at Horae,
and nearer agreeraent with the Church of Scotland, and other Refonned
Churches abroad ; and for the better effecting hereof, and for the vindi
cating and clearing ofthe Doctrine of the Church of England from all
false calumnies and aspersions. It is thought fit and necessary to call
an Assembly of Leamed, Godly, and Judicious Divines, to consult and
advise of such matters and things, touching the premises, as shall be
proposed unto them by both or either of the Houses of Parliament ;
and to give their advice and counsel therein, to both or either of the
said Houses, when, and as often as they shall be thereunto required. —
Be it therefore ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present
Parliament assembled. That all and every the persons hereafter in this
present Ordinance named, that is to say, Algernon, Eail of Northum
berland, [a hundred and fifty more naraes follow], and such other person
and persons as shall be nominated and appointed by both Houses of Par
liament, or so many of them as shall not be letted by sickness or other
necessary impediment, shall meet and assemble, and are hereby re
quired and enjoined upon summons signed by the Clerks of both
Houses of Parliament, left at their several respective dwellings, to meet
and assemble themselves at Westminster in the Chapel called King
Henry the Seventh's Chapel, on the first day of July, in the year of
our Lord one thousand six hundred and forty-three ; and after the first
meeting, being at least of the nuraber of forty, shall from tirae to time
sit, and be removed from place to place ; and also, that the said Assem
bly shall be dissolved in such manner as by both Houses of Parliament
shall be directed. . . And be it further Ordained by the authority afore
said. That for the charges and expenses of the said Divines, and every
of them, in attending the said service, there shall be allowed unto
every of them that shall so attend, during the time of their said attend
ance, and for ten days before and ten days after, the sum of four shillings
for every day, at the charges of the Commonwealth.". .
Prorision was raade to limit the conferences to such matters, " and
no other," as should be proposed by either or both Houses ; and that
the results of the deliberations were not to be divulged " by printing,
writing, or otherwise," without consent of Parliament. Heylyn tells us,

£00 HISTORICAL ME.-MOniALS [ci!Ai;LtS I.
that the Assembly was made up "of so many of the Lords [10] and
Commons [20], as might both serve as well to keep them under, and
control tlieir actions, as to add some countenance unto them in the
eye of the people. . . The Knights of every Shire must raake choice of
two to serve as members : . . raost of them Presbytenans, sorae few
Royalists, four of the Independent faction, and two or three to repre
sent the Kirk of Scotiand. . . His Majesty makes a stan at this en
croachment on his royal prerogative, and countermands the same by his
Proclamation* of the 22nd [June]." " "Which prohibition, notwith
standing," Heylyn writes elsewhere, " most of the members authonzed
by that Ordinance, assembled in the Abbey of AVestminster on the first
of July, in contempt of his Majesty and the laws." "
Tbe Asserably at Westminster was no sooner organized than the
Lords and Commons agi-eed in a Declaration to the General Assembly
of Scotiand. Having commended tiieir " pious endeavours" for the
preservation of the " true" Protestant Reformed religion, — " to the neces
sary reformation of church-discipline and government in this kingdom,
and the more near union of both churches,"— the two houses of pariia
ment " fully concurring," desire that reverend Assembly to take notice
that they have called an Asserably of divers godly and learned Dirines
and others : "and likewise have norainated and appointed John, Earl
of Rutiand, Sir William Amine, Bart, Sir Henry Vane, the younger,
Knt, Thomas Hatcher and Henry Darley, Esquires, Committees and
Commissioners of both houses, . . to resort to the Gener.il Assembly of
the Church of Scotiand, and propound and consult with them . . in all
occasions w'hich may further the so much desired Refoi-raation in eccle
siastical matters, . . and a nearer conjunction betwixt both churches. In
performance whereof. Master Stephen Marshall and Master Philip
Nye, ministers of God's Word, . . are appointed to assist and advise . .
ill such things as shall concern this church. . . It is likewise desired,
that that reverend Assembly will, according to their fonner promise and
resolution, send to the Assembly here such number of godly and leamed
Divines as, in their wisdom, they think most expedient. . . And, that
their endeavours may be more effectual, the two houses do make this
request to thera, . . to stir up that nation to send some competent forces
in aid of this parliament and kingdom, against the many armies ofthe
popish and prelatical party and their adherents." ''
The commissioners left London July 20th, 1643. Their arrival
was earnestly looked for, the General Assembly having commenced
sitting, and Baillie writes, " of purpose time was spent ; for we did
greatly long for the English commissioners, of whose coining we were
well near out of hope." " In the same letter, he WTites, " on Monday,
August 7th, after we were ashamed with waiting, at last they landed at
Leith. The lords went, and conveyed them up in a coach. We were
exhorted to be more gi-ave than ordinary ; and so indeed all was canied
to the end with much more awe and gravity than usual. Mr. Hender
son did moderate with some little austere severity, as it was necessary."'
" Bibl. Regia, p. 331. 1= Hist. Presb. p. 453. "¦ Life of Laud, p. ,607.
'' " .\cts of Gen. .Assembly," 'vfrn, p. 166,
' Letter to Spang, .Sep. 22d. No. 36. vol. i. p. 376. ' P. 379.

CHAP. xLv.] RELATING TO INDl.PENDENTS. '201
A commiltee was appointed " to salute and welcome them ;" by whom
it was arranged that " their access to tiie Assembly, as private spectators,
should be when they would ; . . but as commissioners, their access
should not be iraraediately to the Assembly, but to some deputed to
wait on them, who should report frora tiiem to tiie Assembly, and from
• it to them, vvhat was needful. . . When we met, four gentieinen ap
peared. Sir W. Arrain[e], Sir H. Vane, younger, one of the gravest
and ablest of that nation, Mr. Hatcher and Mr. Dariey, with two mi
nisters, Mr. Marshall and Mr. Nye." * Besides their credentials and
other documents, the English commissioners presented a letter " sub
scribed by above seventy of their divines, supplicating in a most
deplorable style, help fiom us in their present most desperate condi
tion.''. . All these were presented by us to the Assembly, and read
openly. The letter of the private divines was so lamentable, that it
drew tears from raany. . . We had hard enough debates. The English
were for a civil league, we for a religious covenant. When they were
brought to us in this, and Mr. Henderson had given thera a draught of
a covenant, we were not like to agree on the frame ; tiiey were, more
than we could assent to, for keeping of a door open, in England, to
Independency. Against this, we were peremptory. .. At last .. to
that draught . . all our three committees . . did unanimously assent :
from that meeting it came immediate!}' to our Assembly : . . it was re
ceived with the greatest applause that ever I saw anything. ..In the
afternoon, with the sarae cordial unanimity, it did pass the Convention
of Estates. This seems to be a new period and crisis of the most great
affair which these hundred years has exercised tiiese dominions. What
shall follow from this new principle, you shall hear as time shall dis
cover.""^ P'riday, August 1 1th, "was the first day of the English
appearing in our Assembly."'' The loth, " I told . . Mr. Henderson,"
s"dys Baillie, "my opinion, that the Directory inight serve for raany
good ends, but no ways for suppressing, but much increasing, the ill of
novations. However, I assured I would make no din, but submit to
him, who was much wiser than I. These my thoughts, I would not
couimunicate to othei-s. . . Mr. Henderson, Mr. Calderwood, and Mr.
Dickson, were voiced to draw with diligence that Directory ; wherein
I wish them much better success thau I expect ; yet in this I am com
forted, that in none of our brethren who are taken with these conceits,
appear, as yet, the least inclination to Independency ! " ' Thursday,
the 17th, Baillie continues, " was our joyful day of passing the English
Covenant. . . Friday, the 18th, a committee of eight were appointed
for London . . Our last session was on Saturday. . . On the Sabbath,
before noon, in the new church, we heard Mr. Marshall preach with
great coutentnieut : but in the afternoon, in the Grayfriars, Mr. Nye
did not please. His voice was clamorous : he touched, neither in
* P. 3S0.
^ See it in "Acts of Gen. Assembly." Printed, 1682. 12mo. p. 168. " In a deeper
sense of this extrerae danger," say tbey, " ibreatening us and you, and all ibe
churches, than we can express, we have made this address unto you. .. Ob, give us
the brotherly aid of your reinforced tears and prayers, that ihe blessings of tiulh
and peaee wliicb our prayers alone have not obtained, yours conjoined mav!"
" P. 3S0— 3S2. "l P. 384. « P. 3S6.

202 HISTORICAL ME.MORIALS [cHARLES 1.
prayer nor preaching, tiie common business. He read much out of his
paper-book. All his sennon was on the common head, of a spintual
life, wherein he ran out above all our understandings, upon a know
ledge of God as God, without the Scriptures, without grace, ^without
Christ. They say he amended it somewhat the next Sabbath." *
We can readily admit that Nye was heard with prejudice; and
regret that, not having met with it, we are not benefited by particulars
in "A Letter from Scotiand, to his Brethren in England, concerning
his success of affairs there. 1643." We cannot doubt, however, that he
watched with Vane, with the most indefatigable care and foresight, every
turn and construction in the frame ofthe Covenant; and not onlycon-
cun-ed in Vane's religious but civil securities. "The main of it,"
E chard says, " was managed by the superior cunning and artifice of
Sir Henry Vane, who, as Dr. Gumble tells us, was very earnest with
the Scots to have the whole called a League, as well as a Covenant, and
argued it almost all night, and at last carried it. He held another
debate, about Church governraent, which was to be according to ' the
exaraple of the best Reformed churches;' he would have it only 'ac
cording to the Word of God !' but after a great contest, they joined
both, and the last had the precedence. One of his companions after
wards asking him the reason why he should put them to so much
trouble with such needless trifles; he told him, 'He was raistaken, and
did not see enough into that matter, for a League showed it was between
two nations and inight be broken upon just reasons, but not a Covenant.
For the other, that church government ' according to the Word of God,'
by the difference of divines and expositors, would be long enough before
it be deterrained, for the learned held it clearly for episcopacy ; so that
¦when all are agreed, we may take in the Scotch Presbytery !" '' Thus,
remarks one, he " effected a saving retreat for the supporters of a just
toleration." '^
Three of the Scotch commissioners, with " Mr. Hatcher and Mr.
Nye, made sail on Wednesday the 30th day [of Aug.], the wind made
no sooner ; but some eight days before, the English had dispatched a
ketch, with a double [duplicate] of our Covenant, which, when it came,
was so well liked at London, that Friday, the 1st of Sept., being sent
to the Assembly of Divines, it was there allowed by all, only Dr. Bur
gess did doubt for one night. On Saturday it passed the house of
commons ; on Monday, the house of peers." ''
Heylyn records of the Covenant, that " the Commons were so quick
at their work, that on Monday, Sept. 2.5th, it had been solemnly taken
by all the members of that house,^ and the Assembly of Divines, at
St. Margaret's in Westminster : in the same church, within two days
after, it was administered with no less solemnity to divers lords, knights,
gentleraen, colonels, officers, soldiers, and others, residing in and about
the city of London, a serraon being preached by Coleman, — though,
otherwise, a principal Erastian, in point of government, — to justify
» P. 387, 388. " Hist, of Engl. fol. vol. ii. p. 450.
<^ Foster, Life of Vane. 1838. 16mo. p. 62. <i Baillie, sup. p. 390.
'¦ The copy printed l-'eb. 1643—4. 4lo. pp. 20, is followed by two bundled and
twenty-eight names only.

CHAP. XLV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 203
the piety and legality of it :* and, finally, enjoined to be taken on the
Sunday following, iu all churches and chapels of London, within the
lines of communication, by all and every the inhabitants within
the same, as afterwards by all the kingdom in convenient time. Pro
secuted, in all places, with such cursed rigour that all such who
refused to subscribe the same, and to lift up their hands to God in tes
timony that they called him to witness it, were turned both out of
house and home — as they use to say, — not suffered to compound for
their goods or lands, till they had submitted thereunto. . . It was com
pared, by some, to the six-knotted whip, or statute of ' the six articles'
in the time of Henry VIIL, this Covenant drawing in the Scots, and
thereby giving an occasion of shedding infinitely more blood than those
'articles' did... Others, with no unhappy curiosity, observing the
number of words . . abstracted from the preface and conclusion of it,
found them amounting, in the total, to 666, neither more nor less ; . .
being the number of the Beast in the Revelation : . . for if the Pope
showed anything of the spirit of Antichrist, by bringing Cranmer, the
first Protestant Archbishop of Canterbury, to the stake at Oxon. this
Covenant and the makers of it, did express no less, in bringing the last
Protestant archbishop to the block, in London !" ''
The only portions we can present of the Covenant are the first two
articles ; which, and the other four, with the preiunble, etc., would extend
over the space of about three of these pages. — Art. I. " That we shall,
sincerely, really, aud constantly, through the grace of God, endeavour,
in our several places and callings, the preservation of the Reformed
religion in the church of Scotiand, in doctrine, worship, discipline, and
government, against our comraon enemies ; the reformation of religion
in the kingdoms of England and Ireland, in doctrine, worship, dis
cipline, and government, according to tlie Word of God, and the
example of the best Reformed churches ; and we shall endeavour to
bring the churches of God in the three kingdoms to the nearest con
junction and unifonnity in religion, confessing of faith, foi-m of church
government, directory for worship and catechising ; that we, and our
posterity after us, may, as brethren, live iu faith and love, and the Lord
may delight to dwell in the midst of us." — Art. II. " That we shall, in
like nianner, without respect of persons, endeavour the extirpation of
popery, prelacy — that is, church government by archbishops, bishops,
their chancellors and commissaries, deans, deans and chapters, arch
deacons, and all other ecclesiastical officers depending on that hier
archy, — superstition, heresy, schism, profaneness, and whatsoever shall
be found to be contrary to sound doctrine, and the power of godliness ;
lest we jiaitake in other men's sins, and thereby be in danger to
receive of their plagues ; and that the Lord may be one, and his Name
one, in the three kingdoms."
Various constructions were endeavoured to be put on several words
" " The Heart's Engagement : A Sermon preached at St. Margaret's Westminster,
at the Public entering into the Covenant : 8:c. Sep. 29, 1643. By Thomas Coleman,
Pastor of Blylon, in the County of Lincoln ; and being thence driven by tlic Cava
liers, now Preacher at St. Petei's Cornhill, London. 1643." 4lo. pp. 39.
'' Life of Laud, p. 511.

201 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
and clauses in the Covenant, to elude their literal import ; and many
contrivances were resorted to, in order to evade it altogether : so diffi
cult is it in any case to embrace all judgments in one form of words.
Malignancy and exuberance of power alone, eould have driven the
major part of " the three kingdoms" to combine, by such an instniment,
for self-preservation ! It wrought evil, in its turn; for which surely
they are more to be blamed, whose inal-adrainistration of affairs occa
sioned it, than they who had not the pretext of " law" to sanction the
injustice they but only repaid without interest. No wonder that his
Majesty's prohibition of October 9th, against the Covenant taking, was
slightly regarded, and that the framers of it should, in reply, humbly
advise hira " to take the Covenant himself." *
That a body also, constituted as the Westminster Assembly was,
.should draw upon itself the utmost scorn which the haughtiness of a
superseded or displaced hierarchy could pour forth, is. less to be won
dered at than if it had been otherwise. Judging from their leaders, tiie
now humbled party resolved to exhibit very little or no regai-d at all for
truth : even his Majesty is raade to assert, " That the far greatest part
of those who had been nominated to the present service, were men of
neither learning nor reputation ;" '' and Laud, with his accustomed as
surance, says, " The gi-eater part of them" were " ' Brownists' or Inde
pendents, or New-England ministers, if not worse ;"¦= while Clarendon
affirms, cavalierly, that " Many of them" were "infamous in their lives
and conversation, and most of thera of very raean parts in learning, if not
of scandalous ignorance, and of no other reputation than of malice to the
Church of England."'' It must be owned, there was one among them
who had the meanness to act as a spy, and was imprisoned on that ac
count; but Dr. Featiy, Chaplain in Ordinary to the King, was so loyal
a churchman, that he must not be considered either " infamous" or
malicious ! ^ Echard, a no less zealous churchman than his lordship,
imitates Clarendon in his slanderous imputation. ^ Milton attacked
thera, it is true, but, unhappily for him, from pique.s Baxter honoured
himself and them, where he remarks that " being not worthy to be one
of them myself, I may the more freely speak the truth, even in the face
of malice and envy ; that, as far as I am able to judge by tbe informa
tion of all history of that kind, and by any other evidences left us, the
Christian world, since the days of the a])ostles, had never a synod of
more excellent divines than this and the synod of Dort." ^
In this body, then, of more than a hundred other Dirines,
were five at the least, — Bridge, Bun-oughes, Goodwin, Nye, and
Simpson, — called henceforward " The Dissenting Brethren," whose
names will ever stand pre-eminent for their regard for the inalienable
rights of conscience ; aud who contested on behalf of the utmost lati
tude of religious freedom, and have not only left their joint and sepa
rate testimonies, but merited and received the censure of the worst and
" Whitelock's Memorials, p. 77. b Hist. Presb. p. 454.
•^ His " Troubles. &c." chap. xix. p. 208. d Hist. Rebel, bk. v.
¦! Clarendon, bk. vii. f Echard. Hist, of Engl. vol. ii. p. 41^.
'- In bis Hist, of Engl. bk. iii. p. 503. Work's. Ed. 1S03, imp. 8vo ; and Crme'i
Baxter, vol. i. p. 89. i' Baxter'^ Life. Ed. 1696. pt. i. p 73.'

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 205
the commendation of some of the best of opposite parties ; whence, it is
not Jo them, " scandalous ignorance" is justiy imputable ! If it appear,
ou sufficient authority, that one or all of them were guilty of occasional
extravagance, we remark upon it here only by asking, who else was
free of the charge in those days of such excitement ? An opportunity
occurring, one of this redoubtable littie band was presentiy selected to
improve the occasion, as om- next chapter will show.

CHAP. XLVI.
Simpson's i-ast sermon. — nye's exhortation. — the scots' com
missioners. — baillie's disclosures. — oe mixt communion.
The concluding passage of the foregoing chapter gives notice of " Re
formation's Preservation : Opened in a Sennon preached at Westmin
ster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at the late solemn
Fast, July 26, 1643. By Sidr.[ach] Simpson, Minister of the Word.
—Published by Order of that House. 1643." 4to. pp. 30.
"All the well-affected in the Kingdom," Simpson tells the Com
mons, in the commencement of his Epistle, " cry unto you, as the
woman of Samaria did unto the King, 'help' * us ; or, as the disci
ples did to Christ, you have 'bid' us come unto you upon the waters,
' save' us,'' for we are sinking ! Sinking in our estates, our liberties,
our religion ; yea, in our hearts and courage too. You have many
ways before you for our safety, as the speedy execution of justice on
offenders,"^ — their ' life' may be our death ; "^ — the vigorous prosecution
of the War; the taking hold of all advantageous opportunities; the
wise and active improvement of that spirit God hath yet left in the
People, which never was more high and great than now it will be."
But there is no means like to Reformation : that is a 'defence' [whichj
cannot be beaten down. . . Some Evils have so subtilly laid theraselves
between the stones of the Commonwealth ; gotten such laws ; obtained
such favour amongst men, becau.se tiiey are employed so much in Civil
matters ; that no Word of God alone can destroy them without sharp
contentions, unless your hands be on thein. Every one raay refonn
himself, but you only can the nation, of those evils', and unless those
be removed, actum est de religione. The God of heaven give to all
and every of you such a spirit as may make you feai-less of dangers,
faithful to your trust, true to your professed ends, and successful in this
work ! "
The text is fi-om Isaiah, " For upon all the glory tiiere shall be a
defence." Chap. iv. v. 5.
" 'There are but two things," — so Simpson opens his discourse, —
" that are the desire of all good men in these times ; The reformation
' 2 Kings vi. 26. i* Matt. xiv. 28, 30. ' Jere. v. 1 ; 2 Sam. xxi.
'' 1 Kings XX. 42. " " Great dangers raise great courage." Marg.

206 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of Religion ; and. The safety and preservation of it and of tiie King
dom : and you have both these in the text ; Reformation, in the word
'glory;' Preservation, in the other. There are but two works of this
day — soul-afflicting, and soul-comforting of ourselves in God ; and we
have matter for both these in the text too. For mourning, because
our 'glory,' Religion, is stained, darkened, assaulted, endangered. It
is now with us as it was with the Israelites ; our ' Ark' * is in the field,
therefore it is fit every man's hand should be on his loins and his heart
be fiill of trerabling. For matter of corafort and encouragement, the
text is fitting too ; for the words are a promise that none shall hurt us,
' Upon all the glory there shall be a defence.'
" If you look to the former chapter, and the foregoing verse of this
chapter, you shall find as bad times foretold as could be. . . You have,
in the latter end of this chapter whereof my text is a part, a double
consolation given them : first, that God would, by all their troubles
and afflictions, reform them and make them a 'glory:' secondly, that
when they are so, there shall no hand touch them ; He would be their
'defence.'. .
"Glory, in the general, is nothing else but apparent excellency.
First ; in ' glory,' there must be some Divine excellency, some sur
passing good ; and therefore it is given unto God — ' Thine is the
glory.' 'The King's daughter is all glorious within ;''' as 'within' is
opposite not to outer but to apparent, she is really 'glorious:'
therefore it is called a 'weight of glory.' ¦= Secondly; this raust be evi
dent; and therefore he that offers rae 'praise,' saith God, he 'gloriBes
me :'•* from hence it is attributed to the Church that is reformed, and
after the mind of God, ' Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou City
of God ;' ' ' My soul thirsts . . to see thy power and thy glory, as I have
seen it in the sanctuary.' * And because that upon this, one great part
of the discourse hangs, I shall therefore, by the way, make it evident
that by 'glory' is understood here— a Church reformed : and that from
a threefold ground : By considering the context ; — Because there is
nothing in the Reformation of the Church hut what is included in the
word ' glory' in the Scripture phrase ; — Because there is nothing in
'glory' but what is in a Church reformed.
"First : If you look to the context, — you shall find there a 'branch'
coming out of the 'earth ;'« that is, a Church erected when the face of
it was spoiled, corrupted, yea undiscernible :'' this is beautiful. The
Septuagint render it iv (iovXrj, in all parts according to the will of God.
It is such, the members whereof are ' holy ;' are' 'purged,' and that 'by
the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.''
" Secondly : Whei-eas there go but two things to the Refonnation
ofthe Church, they are both in the word 'glory.' First, there must be
all the Ordinances; thus the Ark was called 'glory,''' and the Ark sig
nified both the Word and Sacraments. Here are, secondly, communi
cants in these, and they are such as are cleansed and undefiled.' Here
is, thirdly, government; it is said of some, they do despise and not
¦ 1 Sam. iv. >¦ P.al. xiv. 1 ,¦!. « 2 Cor. iv. 17. '' Psal. 1. 23.
• Psal. Ixxxvii. 3. ' Psal. Ixiii. 1, 2. e Isai. iv. 2. " !¦ Isai v 7- xliv S 4.
' Isai. iv. 4, 5. '' 1 Sam. iv. 21. ' Isai. iv. 3. • • • ¦ '

CHAP. XLVI.j RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ^07
respect 'dominions,' or glories, as the word is :* and the 'glory' that is
there spoken of is not Civil but Ecclesiastical ; for it is such a kind of
despising as Corah and Dathan were guilty of against Moses.'' Now,
they opposed Moses not as a Magistrate, "but as a Minister and Law
giver unto the Church; and therefore they said. Are not all the people
of the Lord 'holy V" and not, wise, or valorous, or true-hearted, which
are the virtues of a Magistrate ! Besides, false-teachers are, for the
most part, flatterers of princes ; not despisers, as Zedekiah was, and
Simon Magus who adored Nero 1 When you have the Ordinances, then
the second thing required to a Reformation is to have them pure, and
after God's prescript, without human addition or alteration. Take this
for a rule, 'The more plain God's ordinances are, the more pow
erful : the more there is of man, the less there is of God in them I
God tells them they had polluted his Sanctuary ;^ that is, made it com
raon : the sacramental ' bread' did thera no more good than their own
ordinary bread ; and the company of the saints, no more than the com
pany and society of raen. "You have this in the Text too, for here is
'beauty' joined with 'glory,' verse 2nd, and 'beauty' is a nati\e com
plexion : here is ' glory' joined with purging, ' the spirit of judgment'
and 'of burning,' in the verse before my Text : here is holiness 'written'
on every soul, verse 3rd; and to be 'holy,' is all one with being set
apart to a holy use, and being prepared and fitted for it. Thirdly, take
' glory' in the highest sense that possibly you can, yet then it suits with
Refonnation. Take glory, for bliss and happiness in heaven ; the Scrip
ture so describes a Church as you can scarce know heaven and it asun
der: 'You are come to the City of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, unto an innuraerable company of angels, unto the general
assembly,^ [andj to the Church of the first-born which are written in
heaven, unto God the Judge of all, and unto the spirits of just men made
perfect,^ etc. ;s and yet it is apparent it is meant of the Church here,
for he saith they ' are come' into it And if he had only meant it con
cerning the communion [which] all saints had together, he had not
attained his end for which he spake these words; which was to prove,
that, ui the New Testament there was such a communion as the Old had
not in comparison of it. Revelation, 21st chapter, you have there
spoken of, a ' City' all whose pavement and gates are jewels ; you
would think it were heaven, but it is not ; for you read, in the 22nd
chapter and [I2th to the] 16th verses, of a judgment day that doth
come after.
" There are three things that make Heaven, or everlasting glory :
God's revealing hiraself; God's full communicating himself; the con
volution or turning of all the soul upon God, according unto what he doth
reveal of himself: and all these are in the Church Reformed. . . ' The
Kingdom of Heaven,' that is, the Church of the New Testament, ' suf
fers violence, and the violent take it by force :'' that is, men are so set
" 2 Pet. ii. 10. l" Jude 8, 11. " Num. xvi. 3. " Ezek. xliv. 7.
' Tlavriyvpu, Jjc/cXj/ffia, avvoSoQ iravriyvpie Cfvvayayr]. Hesych.
' Tt-;\nu)psvu>v, Phil. iii. 15; Heb. xi. 40. LXX vocant, TeTiXta/ievovc,
pipvrjpevovc rd Twv Saifiovwv pvarripia hiaaxopivovQ.
i Heb. xii. 22, 23, '' Matt. xi. 12.

20^ HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
on it as that whatever they pay for it they will enjoy it ; so ' violence"
signifieth, in the language of the Seventy, in not a few places. *. .
" But the main point I would insist on, and for which I have chosen
the Text, is this. That ' upon all the glory shall be a Defence :' Reforma
tion will be preservation !
"If you will have the trowel in your hands to build God's house,
God will can-y the sword in his, for your Defence.'' And in explication
of this, I shall do these three things :
" I. Show you what those Evils are, which these that go about Refor
mation are liable to, that fliey need protection against.
"II. Show what that Defence is, that 3'ou may see whether it be
answerable to the trouble and opposition you shall meet with.
" III. Make good this Defence belonging unto Reformation bya
reason or two : and I shall go no further than the very chapter wherein
my Text is, for all these.
" First : For the Evils, you have three sorts. First, inhuman trea
cheries ; for this verse doth refer both unto Pharaoh's persecution and
to the dealings of the Canaanitish Kings with the people of Israel in the
Wilderness. Pharaoh's dealing was very treacherous ; he bade the peo
ple go, gave them their liberty hy proclamation, but when he had got
them at advantage he brought up an anny to cut them off: the kings of
Canaan dealt very inhumanly, they would neither let the Israelites live
quietly by them, nor pass quietly through them ; they would neither
let them have things for their necessities freely, iior afford them for mo
nies. The Reforming Church will meet with such kind of enemies ; yet
they are not all, but, secondly, here is, in the 6th verse, heat and cold,
that is, such Evils as are intolerable. . . Thirdly, you have also storm and
rain spoken of — ' a covert from the storm and the rain ;' that is, such
E vils as are desolating, and corae on a sudden before one be prepared
for the enduring of them : . . the Church Refoi-mers raust look for such
like stonns ; . . and yet against these there shall be ' defence.'. .
" And for this 'Defence,' you have five words in this littie chapter to
set it forth, 'tabernacle ; shadow ; place of refuge; a covert;' and, 'De
fence,' the word of ray Text. . . God speaks often of his defending us,
because there are but few who think He is ' Defender of the Faith !'
that nail will hardly down, therefore God gives it so raany blows. . .
God makes the Church his heaven, as it is our means to heaven ; 'Go,'
saith he, 'and build my house ; and I will be glorified in 11.'"= But, how
can this thing be ? you will say. Con.sider, as there is a double incar
nation of Christ, as I may call it ; one, proper, in the flesh of his person;
another, mystical, in the flesh of his saints, and, therefore, they are called
' Christ;'"* and Paul is said to fulfil the sufferings of Christ in his body ;'
so you may conceive a double glorification of God : the one, in the be
holding of his excellencies in Himself; the other in beholding of Him
self in us and in his worship. .. If so be, the Church should suffer ruin,
the whole world would come to ruin too ;•" for ' the holy' are the props
and pillars of it. . . Rev. xi. 7, the ' witnesses' were slain ?. . . first, they
had ' finished their testimony ; '. . .they could not be overcome, verse 1 1 ;
» Gen. xix. 3 ; xxxiii. 11 ; Jud. xix. 7. i" Rev. iii. 20. "^ Hag. i. 8.
" 1 Cor. xii. 12. • Col. i. 24. f Isai. vi. 13. Vide Jun. in loc.

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 20ft
and in tiie ISth yerse, when, as the Popish party think, that now
they have none to trouble them, then shall there corae an ' earthquake,'
^a part of this ' Defence," — such civil wars, as shall be their utter ruin,
but the advance of these 'witnesses' again to renown and glory 1
" Now we have done altogether with the Explication of the Text,
I come to the Application of it : ' Upon all the glory there shall be a
defence.' " First : See the reason why God doth expose his People, the Peo
ple called by his Name, to so many troubles ; why he lets in crosses,
calls in enemies, disheartens and disables these that are on His side :
they have defiled his ' glory ;' and, therefore, he will not defend them ! . .
That which is said concerning one ordinance, the Ministry, is ti-ue
concerning all ; if they have lost their 'savour' they are not fit to be
kept, but to be thrown out to the dunghill.* What would you have God
to do, ray beloved ; would you have him defend the People called by
his Narae, when they are but so ' called,' but are enemies to his 'glory ?'
Would you have him embrace his Spouse when she hath played the
harlot and brought forth to strangers ? Would you have him keep his
House when the ' devils' haunt it ; for so, in 1 Cor. x. 21 , ,that which is
not done by the Word, in God's worship, is done 'unto devils?'. .
Whoever they be that corrupt his worship, or are corrupt in his wor
ship, they shame God, they disgrace God, nay, they do as rauch as
they can . . to take frora him his 'glory;' and, therefore, upon them,
there shall be no 'defence I'
" Secondly: . . How hath it been, I beseech you, with us in this
Land ? The face of Religion was grown wan and pale unto death ; her
beauty gone, her favour changed ; her countenance so smutted, man
gled, blun-ed, that yon could scarce know her ; her own children were
afraid of her, and therefore fled from her, as from her — in the story —
that would have put them unto death : her speech was changed, she
spake she knew not what; instead of ' minister,' she said ' priest ;' for
'sacraments,' 'sacrifice ;' for ' table,' ' altar :' her heart was wounded ;
her fundamental doctrines rased, her worship mingled ; original sin
denied ; the will of man was made supreme over God, and God a ser
vant unto it : Christ's precious blood raade common ; shed without
respect unto any one's good in particular, and, for aught that either
Christ or God the Father knew, for all his death no man should be saved
by it, for all was left uuto man's will, and of a fallible cause there can
be no certain and infallible knowledge ! . . And, as you may find in the
last Canons, as great penalty put upon one that should not say that
Bishops were jure Divino, as on him who denied that Christ or the
Father were not God : the person [ality] ofthe Holy Ghost was ques
tioned '
" I raight send you the parts of Religion, as the Levite's concubine's
quarters were sent abroad unto all the 'Tribes.'' Give me leave to repre
sent it to you like Tainar, Amnon's sister, with her hands on her head,
thrust out of doors, and complaining in the streets with tears,'' thus.
They have ravished me, and forced rae to their wills and ends ; they
" Luke xiv. 34, 35. >> Jud. xix. 29. " 2 Sam. xiii. 19.
P

210 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHAHLES I.
pretended love to me, but intended Popery and Atheism; they have
corrupted me, and now they cannot abide rae ; some of my children
have been starved for want of food, some have fallen into diseases be
cause the food they had was not wholesome, and some were forced
fi'om me to the howling Desert and Wilderness ! Who can now abstain
from tears ?
" Look on the present corruption : Christ's body is trodden under
feet by swine, in the Sacrament : the Sabbath, profaned : Purity, nick
named : Refonnation, feared raore than vassalage. Never, never was
the ' glory' so near departing as it is now ; it is on the threshold, taking
the wing. We are at that pass they were, Joel ii. 14, ' 'VVho can tell
whether God will return and leave a blessing behind him ?' And there
fore it is tirae to 'rend' your hearts, and ' turn unto the Lord :' ver. 13.
Religion is agoing ; persecuted by Papists, hated by the ignorant, un
kindly used by her own friends. Itis true, indeed, that [the] people have
offered theraselves willingly unto Refonnation ; but David, you know,
and the people, did so, long before God built the Temple.* It is ti-ue,
there are many righteous among us ; never kingdom afforded so many :
but yet scarce will Abraham's ' ten' be found, to the number of other
profane persons. It is true, there are that humble themselves in dust
and ashes ; but there are, as you have heard to day,"" that make these
days of mourning like days of slaughter :¦= and if there were none such,
there is a time when mourning, prayers, tears, humbling, will do uo
good, but merely to men's own souls, Levit. xxvi. 40 — 44 ; if they do
' accept of the punishment' and humble themselves, yet ' the land' shall
lie ' desolate' and ' enjoy her sabbaths.' The Lord grant this be not our
condition ; because we have been often threatened and afflicted, but have
not returned. The light, it is true, shines very gloriously, and it hath
broke out of the clouds that covered it; but the sun shines most
brightly a little before it sets ! Jerusalem had never better preaching
than a little before its ruin ; then she had Christ and the aposties !
There are raany that desire Reformation, it is true: but, look in
that place of Rev. xi., when, that the Witness of the ' measure' of
the ' temple' was delivered, they were all slain, ver. 7 ; and Antichrist
came to sit in his throne with greater quietness than ever before, for
now all that would trouble them were taken away. What would the mi
sery of this Land be, should Religion perish ! Shall I present it to you
in the carriage of Phineas' wife ?. .'' Micah could not let his idols go
but he cried out ;^ and can you let the Gospel go, and Christ go, and
not do so much ? Jesus Christ, who never shed a tear for all he suf
fered, wept, and could not speak for weeping, when the Gospel was de
parting : he wept and said, ' O, that thou hadst known ;' and he could
go no further : every word he spake was uttered with a sigh, and pointed
with a tear; and he could go no further than ' 0,that thou hadst known,
at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace !'^
" I Chron. xxix.
'¦ From Mr. Coyant, according to tbe Order, thanking the preachers "forthe
great pains they took in the Sermons they this day preached at tbe entreaty of this
House." <: Isai. xxii. 13. '' I Sam. iv. 20 — 22. « Jud. xviii. 23, 24.
' I-uke xix. 42.

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 211
Shall the thoughts of it make Christ weep, and not the feeling of it
make you ?. .
" Thirdly: If upon the 'glory' there shall be a 'defence,' be not
therefore fearful, but believe. Set down this,— your purity is your safety.
It is an ordinary word, ' God defend,' when any danger or evil is fore
told. God will not defend except you be a glory : he will defend when
you are. . . Man is against you, God is for you : if so be they he 'rain,'
you have a 'covert;' if they be a 'storm,' you have a 'rock ;' if so be
they be 'heat,' you have a 'tabernacle.'* Shall the lion dread the lamb,
and the strong the weak ; the giant, tiie pigmey p Why busy you your
selves about the thing belongs not to you ? Look you to the ' glory ;'
God will, to your ' defence' and safety I You must provide means ;
God will find success. . . But you will say, There are many oppositions
in the way of Reforraation! I answer, Else you needed no 'defence.'
The ' wicked' will always be like a raging sea ; they will cast forth
' mire and dirt''' when once God doth reduce and bring his people back
to such an estate of glory. Truth is brought into the world with pain ;
it is born in blood : there never was, nor ever shall be a thorough Refor
mation without troubles ; for the most are always the worst, and will
not endure it ! . .' But, when shall this be, that we .shall have tiiis 'de
fence ?'. . When you have the ' glory :' and let me tell you this, You
have made a Reformation when you have made a Resolution, if it be
on good grounds : and I will prove it from Scripture too ; 2 Chron.
xxx. 19, 20, they were not sanctified, 'according to the purification of
the sanctuary,' who carae up unto the passover, but their ' heart' was set
to be so ; and the text saith, God ' healed' the land.
"Fourthly: Set on, I beseech you, on the work of Reformation. You
may reform things that are amiss ; you have a law of God for it. Ezra
V. 2, they ' began' to build the Temple ; the decree of King Darius came
after, in chapter vi. 12. You have a fundamental law for it; a law of
nature ; it is for your ' defence :' ' Upon all the glory there shall be a
defence !' Reformation is your militia, your army, your bulwarks ; your
all in all ; but be sure when you go about Reformation you makejt a
' glory'. . That is very hardly changed afterwards that passeth in Re
forming times ; as the errors iu the first concoction are not mended in
the second. The reason of the fall of the 'house' lies not so much in
the strength of the storm, as because the foundation was not laid well at
first.'' You know who it was that said, when he brought in so raany
Popish things. He intended but only to bring things to the first and
primitive Reformation ; to King Edward's time ;* because there was then
but a little step gone, in many things, frora Popery. And if you would
make a thorough Reforraation, give me leave, fi-ora the Scripture to pro
pound some such things as not being observed may hinder it.
" First : Take heed of Policy. The Shechemites, to get the estates
of the people, would be circumcised ; but you know it cost them their
lives. f Policy doth with Religion as Aronon did with Tamar; when it
hath its will of it, and served its tum, it thrusts it out of doors :S Jero-
* Isai. iv. 6. ^ Isai. Ivii. 20, 21. ' Acts ii. 19, 50 ; Mal. iv.
¦' Matt. vii. • "Archb; C, in Star-Chamber." ' Gen. xxxiv. 22 — 26.
e 2 Sam, xiii. 18. V 2

212 HISTORICAL MEMOKIALS [cHARLES I.
boara to preserve his kingdom, set up the ' calves :'* lest the Roraans
should corae in and take the city of Jerusalem,'' the Jews would not
receive the Gospel ; but they lost both ! In schismatis remedium ;'¦ to
prevent schism, they would have one Bishop over the ministers, and
that brought in a Pope ; for, by the same reason [that] there ought to
be one minister over another ; to keep them in order ; there ought to be
one above all, to order all ! . .
" Policy may be considered two ways : either as an orderer or ran
ger of things into their proper place and season ; and so. Religion is
subject unto Policy ; because they have both one end, the public de
fence : or else. Policy may be considered as the lord, and Religion as
subordinate ; and so it must not be subject to it [Policy] ; for Religion
is supreme ; the end of all things !
" There is a natural worship, which depends on the nature of God ;
and that a raan must do though he die presently ; as a man must believe,
and a man must acknowledge God, though the point be at the breast, —
the dagger be at the heart. But there is, secondly, a worship of God
which only doth arise from the will of God; 'instituted worship,' as
Divines tenn it ; where the things are not good in themselves, but in
order to God's will ; as there is nothing in the bread nor in the wine,
but what is in ordinary bread, but as the character of God's institution
coraes on it. In things of this nature, the rule is, 'I will have mercj',
and not sacrifice.' "^ Moses professeth he would not ' sacrifice' among the
Egyptians, because they would ' stone' him presently :" the kingdom
was ' established' in David's hands ;' all things were at quiet before he
would bring in the Ark.s In tumultuous times, it is dangerous to alter
any thing in matters of Religion, of this sort, more than needs, . . for it
both puts a new title on the quan-el, and divides among the friends, too,
and acquaintance of the cause. Not to change, is not so much Policy
as Religion ; and Religion will never thrive the worse for it The Gos
pel tells us there is a leavening time, wherein the leaven is put into the
meal before such tirae as it is kneaded up. The sum is. Policy must
not make any thing hinder our Confession ; Policy may [be], and is,
a just ground why men should forbear the profession of some things that
are good ; but that is the first thing.
" Secondly : Would you make a thorough Reforraation, take heed to
the Laws. Whence is it, that there are so many non-residents that do
not ' feed' but starve the flock ? We have a law for it. Whence is it,
that men are forced to profane the Lord's Supper and to eat and drink
their own daranation ; but because you have a law, that men of sixteen
years of age must come to the Sacrament ? A law like the Spaniard's
practice, who forced the Indians into the river to be baptised, and then
cut their throats ; a less evil than this drinking of damnation ! Whence
came it, that the Ceremonies grew to be like clouds ; so many were in
troduced that the 'glory' could not be seen ; but because there was a law,
of retaining such as were among the Papists, ' apt to stir up the dull
mind of man to the remembrance of his duty, by some notable signi
fication, whereby he raight be edified,' as you raay find it in [before]
" I Kings xii. 28. '' John xi. 48. ' Jerome. J Matt. ix. 13.
« Exod. viii. 26. ' 2 Sam. v. 12. I 2 Sam. vi.

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 213
the Book of Comraon Prayer ? Take heed unto the laws : I had almost
said, — if I might crave pardon for the word, — take heed what laws you
make, in matters of Religion ; for if the thing should fall out to be evil,
— as what man is there that errs not ? — when once it is a law it will be
followed: Hosea, v. 11th, they 'willingly' followed the 'command
ment,' of worshipping the calves : the counsels of Jeroboam and his
persuasions prevailed much ; but ' the statutes of Omri' found no oppo
sition.* Suppose the things he good, a law will be a ne plus ultra, . .
and so it may either hinder or make, a future Reformation, harder: not
to be contented to do what is enjoined by raen of wisdom, that will be
accounted unquietness of spirit, at the best ; and to go any further than
the law, will be esteemed pride, if not disobedience. Moses gave the law
of divorce, and you shall find that men stuck so unto that, that
Christ's interpretation of it would not pass."" Yet that you may not be
mistaken, consider that the things of Religion are of several sorts : first,
some are such as consist in indivisibile, which adrait of no variation,
such as are known to all saints, in one degree or another ; such in which
there is uo possibility of alteration afterward ; let me add unto this,
such as the common light of all Christians reacheth unto ; as the ob
servation of the sabbath, the law, and divers other things ; and let me
add unto that, such things as do, immediately and properly, concem the
Weal-public ; these ought to be established ; there should be such rules
for them as all men should goby. But there are [secondly] some other
things in Religion whereof a good and godly man may have no know
ledge, the knowledge whereof is rather a privilege unto some than a pro
priety unto all saints. Romans xiv., the text saith there, expressly,
that these were to be received into the church who held for Jewish cere
monies at that time lawful, — I say, at that time, — though they held them
not necessary for salvation. In things of this nature, God is tender ;
and man should be so too ; and yet the Weal-public not he hindered.
"Thirdly: In Refonnation, do not make Reason your rule nor line
you go by : it is the line of all the Papists. God, say they, hath not
less care of his Church in the New than in the Old Testament ; there
he gave them one High Priest, who should infallibly determine all con
troversies ; and therefore, now there should be one Bishop, who should
have the same light and power ! You shall never read in Scripture
where any man walked after the imaginations of his own heart but,
by-and-by, you shall read he did do wickedly. In the point of wor
ship of God, the text saith clearly, ' Thou shalt not make unto thyself,'*^
that is, by thy own wit, anything which may, as an ' image,' be like to
what God hath appointed, as an image is to the person ; anything
which may keep God in mind, or keep or stir up affection to him, as a
picture doth to him it represents : nay, it reacheth further than that ;
the greatest reason in the world of any obedience is God's nature ; if he
be God that gives being to all things, all things must depend on him
by faith ; if all things come from him, all things must return to hira, as
the utmost end ; he ought to be served with all a man hath, because all
a man hath is from him ; this, the nature of God teacheth a man : but
* Micah vi. 16. "i Matt. xix. " Exod. xx. 4.

214 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES t.
the nature of God is not the reason, but his will is the reason, of his
outward worship. It doth not follow. If God be God, he must be
served with sacraments, or such ministers ; but, because he hath set it
down, and appointed it. The second Commandment doth forbid not
only Reason but all Divine Reason that is not sanctified by institution,
in the worship of God : I say, not only all human, but all Divine.
Reason raay be considered two ways ; first, as it is a disposer and placer
of all things in their order, and so it belongs to all knowledge and
science ; secondly, as it imparts a principle of doing anything, and so
God's outward worship hath no ground in any Reason, but [in] God's
Will. " Fourthly : If you would make a thorough Reformation, look unto
the Ministry. If an angel fall from heaven, he will sweep many
together with hira. Your own experience hath taught you that no place
hath yielded such stubbornness in superstition, so much disobedience
and rebellion, as those where the Minister hath . either been blind or
profane. The only Rule of Reformation, is the Word of God. What,
I beseech you, will you do with that, in the worship of God, which will
not bring your souls to heaven, but perisheth in the use ?* And that
will never bring you to heaven that never carae frora heaven ; for there
is no effect of a greater power, or of another nature, than the cause.
If so be that Christ hath only told you thus, in the general, 'You shall
have Government ;' but not told you what Govemraent ; he hath not
left hiraself the crown on his head, but put it upon yours ! Be j'ou judges,
whether is the greater, that saith ' I will have this to be done," or he that
hath power to say ' I will have it done this way or no way ; you shall
have it done as I please ?'
" Lastly : Would you have Refonnation ; begin, then, to reform
yourselves ! God would not have David build his Teraple, because he
had had his hands in blood ; that is, he had shed the blood of Uriah.
For, otherwise, in the biulding of the second Teraple, they might fight
and build ; use the trowel and the sword together.'' There was none
might work at the Tabernacle, but he that had a ' spirit' <^ What have
'Tobiahs' and ' Sanballats' to do with such kind of things as these?
Certainly that will be accounted but Policy which is done, in Religion,
by men who are not holy in their conversation : you have motive
enough to this, within my Text : your lives lie in it, for without this,
you shall have no • defence ;' your way unto 'glory' lies in it, for, with
out it, it will not be 'glory,' that is, it will not make you glorious in
the eyes of God.
" I shut up all with a word of exhortation. Lift up Prayers unto
God, that he would make us a ' glory,' that so He may be our 'defence.'
There is that in the Text that would make a dumb man speak, and that
would work a heart in him who hath no mind to pray ; the very men
tion of It is alluring, 'glory' and a 'defence;' heaven and safety; God,
and all m the worid. The words ' Upon the glory there shall be a
defence, are not so much declaratory as promissory ; they have bound
God so fast he cannot go back. There is nothing doth prevail with God
¦ Col. ii. 22. !, Neh. iv. 13-17. c E,od. xx.xv. 30, 31.

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 215
so much as Prayer that is for Refonnation. In the 18th of Luke,
' I will' go and give her her desire, ' lest she trouble me,' ver. 5, the
word that is used there, by the Evangelist, is hiDDwiaieiv, and tnrwiria
signifieth a ' black eye,' or a ' mark in the face :' * look ! as this reports
that a man hath overcome one with whom he either fought or wrestled,
so it will bring such a blot on God as he shall never wipe out, if your
poor Prayers should be turned into your own bosoms. That Prayer,
for Reformation, obtains as soon as ever it is made ; and you have a
Scripture for that, in the book of Daniel : — as soon as ever- — 'At the
beginnmg of thy supplication, the commandment came forth, and I am
come to show thee, that thou art greatly beloved.' '' He that will not
pray for 'glory' hath no grace ! He that will not pray for a 'defence,'
he hath no nature alive in him ! He that, when he is promised he
shall have, will not a.sk, despiseth, nay, he doth worse than that, he
incenseth God unto the greatest wrath against hira ! Take up, there
fore, the words God hath taught you, and speak unto him, ' Lord, spare-
thy people, and give tbem not to be a reproach : why should thy ene
mies say. Where is their God ?' " 'Where are thy bowels and thy truth,
thy goodness and thy power, are they not for everlasting P
" To conclude all : say unto God, in Prayer, and pour it forth with
tears, what Ruth did unto her mother-in-law, when she bade her go
away, ' Where thou goest, I will go ; where thou livest, I will live ;
where thou diest, I will be buried :' '' So say to God, — Lord, if thou
wilt take away Religion and the Gospel, then first take us away : If
thou wilt have thy Name blotted out from under heaven, first begin
with ours ; life will not be worth the having when we may not live with
Thee in glory ! I will assure you this,; — and it is in the words of my
text, — ^if so be you will be so set as you will have ' glory,' you shall
have 'defence.' You shall be God's 'glory,' and God will be your
shelter ; for ' upon all the glory there shall be a defence ! ' "
We shall at this place, present a portion of what proceeded from an
other of" The Dissenting Brethren," being "An Exhortation made to
the Honourable House of Commons, and Reverend Divines of the
Assembly, before he read the Covenant, at Margaret's Church, West
minster, Sept 25th, 1643. By Philip Nye, A.M." Reprinted, 1646.
4to. pp. 6.
" How much this Solemn League and Oath may provoke other Re
formed churches to a further reformation of themselves ; what light aud
heat it may coraraunicate abroad to other parts of the world, it is only
in Him to define to whom is given the ' utmost ends of the earth for
his inheritance,' and worketh by his exceeding great power, gi-eat things
out of as small beginnings. But, however, this I ara sure of, it is a
way, in all probability, most likely to enable us to preserve and defend
our religion against our common enemies; and, possibly, a more sure
foundation this day will be laid for ruining popery and prelacy, the
chief of them, than as yet we have been led unto in any age.
" For Popery ; it hath been a religion ever dexterous in fencing and
mounting itself by association and joint strength. All sorts of profes->
' Budaeus, in Pandect. ^ Dan. ix. 23. <¦¦ Joel ii. 17, ^ Ruth i. 16, 17.

216 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
sors, amongst thein, are cast into fraternities and brotherhoods; and
these orders Carefully united, by vow, one with another, and under some
raore general notion of common dependency. Such states also and
kingdoms as they have thus made theirs, they endeavour to improve
and secure, by strict combinations and leagues, each to other ; witness,
of late years, that ' La Sainte Ligue,' The Holy League. It will not
be unworthy your consideration, Whether, seeing the preservation of
popery hath been by leagues and covenants, God may not make a
league or covenant to be the destruction of it! Nay, the very rise of
popery seemeth to be after such a manner by kings, that is, kingdoms,
assenting and agreeing, perhaps by some joint covenant — the text saith,
' with one mind,' why not, then, with one mouth ? — to ' give their
power and strength unto the Beast,' and ' raake war against the Lamb,'
Rev. xvii. 13, 14, where you read, 'the Lainb shall overcome the
Beast ;' and, possibly, with the same weapons. He is the Lord of lords,
and King of kings ; he can unite kings and kingdoms, and give
them 'one mind' also to destroy ' the whore,' and be her utter ruin. And
may not this day's work be a happy beginning of such a blessed
expedition ?
" Prelacy, another common enemy that we covenant and swear
against; what hath it been, or what hath the strength of it been, but a
subtile combination of clergymen, formed into a policy, or body, of their
own invention ; framing themselves into subordination and dependency,
one upon another, so that the interest of each is improved by all, and a
great power, by this means, acquired to themselves ; as, by sad expe
rience, we have lately found ? The joints and members of this body,
you know were knit together by the sacred engagement of an oath ;
'The Oath of Canonical Obedience,' as they call it. You remember,
also, with what cunning industry they endeavoured, lately, to make
this oath and covenant more sure for themselves and their posterity ;
and intended a more public, soleran, and universal engagement, than,
since popery, this cause of theirs was ever maintained or supported by.
And, questionless, Ireland and Scotland also must, at last, have been
brought into this their holy league, with England. But, blessed be the
Lord, and blessed be his good hand, the Parliament, that, from the in
dignation of their spirits against so horrid a yoke, have dashed out the
very brains of this project ; and are now, this day, present before
the Lord, to take and give possession of this blessed Ordinance, even
an oath and covenant as soleran and of as large extent as they [the
prelates] intended theirs ; uniting these three kingdoms into such a
league and happy combination as will, doubtless, preserve us and our
reformation against thera, though their ' Iniquity,' in the mysteries of
it, should still be working* amongst us. ' Come,' therefore — I speak
in the word of the prophet'' — 'let us join ourselves to the Lord,' and
one to another, and each to all, 'in a perpetual Covenant that shall not
be forgotten ! ' "
Baillie writes, that " the chief aim" of the Covenant was for the pro
pagation of the Scottish church-discipline in England and Iie-
" 2 Thess. ii. 7. i> Jer. 1. 5.

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 217
land ; " so that Nye could only have approved of it from policy ; and
Baillie seems to confirm it, where he says, " Mr. Henderson's hopes
are not great" of the Assembly's " conformity to us, before our army
be in England." '' The 20th of November, the Scots' Commissioners
were admitted to their places in the Assemlily, where " no mortal man
raay enter to see or hear, let be to sit, without an order from both
houses of parliament." "=
" At our first coming, we found them in a very sharp debate anent
[concemingj the Office of Doctors. The Independent men whereof
there are some ten or eleven in the Synod, many of them very able raen,
as Thomas Goodwin, Nye, Bun-oughes, Bridge, Carter, Caryl, Phillips,
Sten-y, were for the divine institution of a Doctor in every congregation,
as well as a Pastor. To these, the others were extremely opposite, and
somewhat bitterly, pressing much the simple identity of Pastors and
Doctors. Mr. Henderson travelled betwixt them, and drew on a com
mittee for accoraraodation ; in the which, we agreed unanimously upon
some six propositions, wherein the absolute necessity of a Doctor in
every congregation, and his divine institution, in formal terms, was
eschewed ; yet where two ministers can be had in one congregation the
» Let. 37, to William Spang, M.A., at Campvere, a sea-port in the north-east of
Walcheren. Nov. 17, 1643. p. 393.
>> P. 395.
« Let. 39. Dec. 7. p. 398. He adds, " The like of that Assembly I never did
see ; and, as we hear say, the like was never in England, nor anywhere is shortly
like to be. They did sit in Henry VII.'s chapel, in the place of the Convocation ;
but since the weather grew cold, they did go to [the] Jerusalem chamber, a fair
room in the abbey of Westminster. . . On both sides, are stages of seats. . . At the
uppermost end, tiiere is a chair set on a frarae . . for the Prolocutor, Dr. Twisse.
Before it, on tbe ground, stand [wo chairs for the two Mr. Assessors, Dr. Burgess
and Mr. White. Before these two chairs, through the length of the room, stands
a table, at which sit the two scribes, Mr. Byfield and Mr. Roborough. The house
is all well hung, and has a good fire, which is some dainties [rare thing] at London.
Foreanent [opposite to] the table, upon the Prolocutor's right hand, there are three
or four ranks of forms : on the lowest, we five do sit. Upon the other, at our backs,
the members of parliament deputed to tbe Assembly. On the forms foreanent us,
on the Prolocutor's left hand, going from the upper end of the house to the chim
ney, and at the other end of the house, and backside of tbe table, till it come about
[round] to our seats, are four or five stages of forms, whereupon their Divines sit
as they please ; albeit commonly they keep the sarae place. Frora the chimney to
the door, there are no seats, but a void for passage : the lords of parliament use to
sit on chairs, in that void, about the fire.
" We meet every day of the week, except Saturday. We sit, commonly, from
nine to two or three after noon. The Prolocutor, at the beginning and end, has a
short prayer. The man, as the world knows, is very learned in the questions he has
studied, and very good, and beloved of all, and highly esteemed ; but merely
bookish, and not much, as it seems, acquainted with conceived prayer ; among the
unfittest of all the company for any action, so, after prayer, he sits mute. It was
the canny [prudent] conveyance of these who guide most matters for their own
interest, to plant such a man, of purpose, in the chair. The one assessor, our good
friend Dr. Burgess, a very active and sharp man, supplies, so far as is decent, the
Prolocutor's place ; the other, our good friend Mr. White, has kept in of the gout
since our coming. Ordinarily, there will be present, about three score of their
Divines. These are divided into three committees ; in one whereof every man is a
member. No man is excluded who pleases to corae to any of the three. Every
committee, as the parliament gives order, in writ, to take any purpose to considera
tion, takes a portion, and, in their afternoon meeting, prepares matters for the

*
218 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
one is allowed, according to his gift, to apply himself most to teaching,
and the other, to exhortation ; according to the Scriptures. The next
Doint,— whereon we yet stick, — is Ruling Elders. Many a brave dispute
have we had upon them, these ten days. I profess my marvelling at the
great learning, quickness, and eloquence, together vrith the great courtesy
and discretion in speaking, of these men. Sundry of the ablest were
flat against the institution of any such Officer by divine right, as Dr.
Smith, Dr. Temple, Mr. Gataker, Mr. Vines, Mr. Price, Mr. Hall,
and raany more ; beside the Independents, who truly speak rauch, and
exceedingly well ! The most of the Synod were in our opinion, and
reasoned bravely for it ; such as Mr. Seaman, Mr. Walker, Mr. Mar
shall, Mr. Newcomen, Mr. Young, Mr. Calamy. Sundry times Mr.
Henderson, Mr. Rutherfurd, Mr. Gillespie, all three, spoke exceeding
well. When all were tired, it carae to the question. There was no doubt
but we would have carried it by far raost voices ; yet because the oppo
sites were raen very considerable, above all, gracious and learned little
Palraer, we agreed upon a coraraittee to satisfy, if it were possible, the
dissenters. . . All of them were willing to adrait Elders in a prudential
way ; but this, to us, seemed most dangerous and unhappy, and there-
Assembly ; sets down their minds in distinct propositions ; backs their propositions
with texts of Scripture. After the prayer, Mr. Byfield, the scribe, reads the propo
sition and Scriptures, whereupon the Assembly debates in a most grave and orderly
way. No man is called up to speak but who stands up of his own accord. He speaks
so long as he will, without interruption. If two or three stand up at once, then the
Divines confusedly call on his name whom they desire to hear first. On whom the
loudest and maniest voices call, be speaks. No man speaks to any but to the Prolo
cutor. They harangue long and very learnedly. Tbey study the question well
beforehand, and prepare their speeches ; but withal the men are exceeding prompt,
and well spoken. I do marvel at the very accurate and extemporal replies that
many of them usually make. When, upon every proposition by itself, and on every
text of Scripture that is brought to confirm it, every man who will has said his
whole mind, and the replies, and duplies, and triplies, are heard ; then the most
part calls to the question. Byfield the scribe rises from the table, and comes to the
Prolocutor's chair, who, from the scribe's book, reads the proposition, and says,
'As many as are in opinion that the question is well stated in the proposition, let
them say Aye ;' when 'Aye' is beard, he says, 'As many as think otherwise, say
No.' If tbe difference of Ayes and Noes be clear, as usually it is, then the question
is ordered by the scribes, and they go on to debate the first Scripture alleged for
proof of the proposition. If the sound of Aye and No be near equal, then says the
Prolocutor, ' As many as say Aye, stand up :' while they stand, the scribe and
others number them in their minds ; when they are sat down, the Noes are bidden
stand, and tbey likewise are numbered. This way is clear enough, and saves a
great deal of time which we [in Scotland] spend in reading our catalogue. When
a question is once ordered, there is no more of that matter ; but if a man will devi
ate, he is quickly taken up by Mr. Assessor, or many others, confusedly crying,
' Speak to order.' No man contradicts another expressly by name, but most dis
creetly speaks to the Prolocutor, and at most holds on tbe general, ' The reverend
brother, who lately or last spoke on this hand ; or that side, above, or below.'
" I thought meet, once for all, to give you a taste of the outward form of their
Assembly. They follow the way of their parliament. Much of their way is good,
and worthy of our imitation ; only their longsomeness is woeful at this time, when
their church and kingdom lie under a most lamentable anarchy and confusion.
Tbey see tbe hurt of their length, but cannot get it helped ; for being to establish
a new platform of worship and discipline to their nation for all time to come, they
think tbey cannot be answerable if, solidly and at leisure, they do not examine
every point thereof."

CHAP. XLVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 219
fore was peremptorily rejected. . . This is a point of high consequence ;
and upon no other we expect so great difficulty, except alone on Inde
pendency ; wherewith we purpose not to raeddle in haste, till it please
God to advance our army, which we expect will much assist our argu
ments ! However, we are not desperate of some accommodation ; for
Goodwin, BoiToughes, and Bridge, are men full, as it seems yet, of grace
and modesty : if they shall prove otherwise, the body of the Assembly
and parliament, city and country, will disclaim them."*
Its author could never have intended the foregoing paragraph to be
read by his posterity. Independents will continue to regard the contents
with peculiar interest. Another passage out of the same long letter to
his confidential " Cousin," discloses the commencement of a species of
management which demands terms, to characterize it justly,that feelings
of indignation unfit us for using. Other opportunities will, unhappily,
require the like exercise of forbearance. " "There is shortly to come from
the Assembly here, and us Commissioners from Scotiand, Letters, in
Latin, to all the Reformed churches ; and among the rest, to you of
Zealand and Holland. It is my eamest desire, if, by some of the emi
nent brethren there, you can obtain, in their answers, which I hope will
come, some clauses to be inserted of the churches of Holland and Zea
land, grave counsel and earnest desire. That,, according lo our profession
in our late Covenant, taken now hy both the Asserablies of Scotland
and England, we would be careful in our reforraation after the Word,
to have an eye to that Discipline wherein all the Refonned churches do
agree ; and, that we be very diligent to eschew that democratic anarchy
and independency of particular congregations, which they know to be
opposite to the Word of God, and destructive wholly of that Discipline
whereby they and the whole Reformed churches do stand ! If by your
dealing, such clauses could be gotten put into your Letters unto us, and
in the Letters of the churches of France, Switzerland, Geneva, and
others, by the means of your good friends Dr. Rivet, and Spanheim, or
some others, it inight do us rauch good : for however we stick, here, on
many things, yet the great and dangerous difference will be from the
Independent faction, to whora it would be a great dash if — not only we
of Scotland, but— they also of Holland, France,and Switzerland, who
are alike interested, would give a timeous warning upon the occasion,
from this, against the coraraon and great enemies of that Discipline
which is common to us all." ''
As part of the Assembly's last transactions this year, Baillie informs
a reverend brother in Scotland, "We have, after many days' debate,
agi-eed, nem. con., that beside ministers of the Word, there are other
ecclesiastical governors to join with the ministers of the Word in the
' P. 401. — " The other day, a number ofthe city and country ministers gave in
an earnest and well-penned Supplication to the Assembly, regretting the lamentable
confusion of their church, under the present anarchy ; the increase of Anabaptists
Antinomians, and other sectaries ; the boldness of some in the city, and about in
gathering separate congregations ; requesting the Assembly's intercession with the
Parliament for the redress of these evils." P. 402.
'¦ P. 406. At the end of this Letter, Baillie writes, " My pamphlets do not sell. I
have brought up some of my ' Laudensium' and ' Parallels' hither, but for no
purpose."

220 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
government of the church ; that such are agreable unto, and wan-anted
by the Word of God, especially Rora. xii. 8 ; 1 Cor. xii. 28. . . This
day, the office of Deacon is concluded from the 6th of the Acts. There
will be some debate of the perpetuity of his office, and the necessity of
it in some cases, as where there are no poor ; and, where the raagistrate
provides for thera ; but that will not rauch trouble us. . . = We have be
gun a business — very handsomely I trust, — of great consequence. In
the time of this anarchy, the divisions of people, do much increase :
the Independent party grows ; but the Anabaptists more, and the An
tinomians most. The Independents being most able men, and of great
credit, fearing no less than banishraent from their native countiy if
Presbyteries were erected [!] are watchful that no conclusion be taken
for their prejudice. It was my advice, which Mr. Henderson presently
applauded, and gave me thanks for it, to eschew a public rupture with
the Independents, till we were mx)re able ^ for them. As yet, a Pres
bytery, to this people, is conceived to be a strange monster ! . . In the
raean time, we would essay to agree upon the Directory of Worship,
wherein we expect no sraall help from these men to abolish the great
idol of England, the Service book; and to erect, in all the parts of
worship, a full conformity to Scotland in all things worthy to be spoken
of . . 'Ways are in hand, which if God bless, the Independents will
either come to us or have very few to follow thera. As for the other
sects, wise raen are in opinion, that God's favour, in this Assembly,
will raake thera evanish." ¦= From such auguries, we turn ; in the mean
while the " army" of Scots will be advancing to do their best toward
securing a successful accomplishment.
July Sth, of this year, is the date of a tract intituled, " Satisfaction
concerning Mixt Communions : In Answer to the Doubts of some
who abstain frora the Sacraraent of the Lord's Supper, because Wicked
Persons are present." 4to. pp. 14, and bearing the Imprimatur of
"John Downame." It was replied to, with the Imprimatur of "John
Bachiler, Oct 5th, 1643;" undei the title of " Satisfaction conceming
Mixt Communions, Unsatisfactory : Or, Some Short Animadversions
upon the most material Passages of a late Book, intituled ' Satisfaction
concerning Mixt Communions.' — I Cor. v. 11 : 'But now I have
written unto you, fii) awavafxiyvva^ai, not to be mist together, etc'
Jer. XV. 19: 'If thou take, etc' Ezek. xxii. 26; xliv. 23: 'Her
Priests have broken my law, and have defiled my holy things : they
have put no difference between the holy and profane.' " 4to. pp. 1 4.
"As for my name," says this writer, " I purposely suppress it till the
author of the 'Satisfaction' express his." These tracts are noticed here,
to show with what tenacity both sides held to their opinions. All we
can notice further regarding them, is, that on the advocate having as
serted that " There is some honour to Christ in the public profession
of His death by those who yet sin grievously in the manner of per
formance," and having turned his thesis to the point, that " these join
with me, then ; not I with them : they profess to join in that ti'ue
» In the next Letter, No. 41, he says, " After, . . we spent two or three sessions
upon Widows." P. 410. "i See back, p. 219, "our army."
« Let. 40. No date. [Dec. 18th, 1643.] P. 407—409.

CHAP. XLVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 221
service to God that I perform : I do not profess, but disclaim, to join
in that sinfulness which they bring :" he at once confuted himself,
and needed only to be so responded to, in his very next words, saying,
" They should not do it, if 1 had authority. Now, I can but be sorry
for them, and pray." P. 5, 6. " But you want ' authority,' " says this
respondent : " that's pity. What are you, 1 pray you ?— a minister,
or pastor, of a congregation, rightly gathered ; and you, rightly called ?
Otherwise, what talk you of your ' authority, if you had it ? ' But
authority from the congregation or church which you are over, you will
have none ! " P. 5.

CHAP. XLVIL
THE FAMOUS APOLOGETICAL NARRATION.  THE SAINTs' APOLOGY.
Few pieces attracted more notice at the time, and few indeed will
retain a more prominent importance, than that toward which attention
is now directed. Minds in advance of their age invariably gather
around the centre of their influence a mixed multitude, whose gaping
astonishment, or dull fatuity, or sottish obstinacy, disdain to adrait
conviction ; and thus would they impede the best interests of them
selves and their posterity. The laws of natural and raoral instinct,
the iiTepressible power of reason, nevertheless, operate the accoraplish
ment of the purposes of Providence, and continue their onward mo
tions quietly but surely — slowly but effectually ; and the films of igno
rance, prejudice, and selfishness, can no longer shut out even the
faintest gliramerings, much less obstruct the broad effulgence of Truth.
There are others besides " swine," * before or among whom it may be
unwise or unseasonable to throw what is precious ; and such others
have also shown the like propensity to "trample" and to "rend."
Wherein these remarks are justifiable from the contents of this chapter,
their special application is left to be appropriated by whomsoever
shall feel competent to the adventure : but whatever the policy
pursued by those who assisted in selecting the persons who constituted
the Assembly of Divines, we are ourselves peculiarly interested in the
five names contained in the tract intituled "An Apologetical Narration
Humbly submitted to the Honourable Houses of Parliaraent. By
Thomas Goodwin, Philip Nye, Sidrach Simpson, Jeremiah Bur
roughes, William Bridge. — 1643." 4lo. pp. 31.
Returned from their abodes in exile, these Ministers were " now
members of the Assembly of Divines." Their joint production'' bears
the imprimatur of " Charles Herle," hiraself a raeraber of that distin
guished body, and who had, as we have shown, but very recently
* Matt. vii. 6.
i' It " came forth in the month of December." Edwards, Gangr^na. Pt. ii. p. 50.

222 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
attacked, in print, the principle of " Independency ;" * but who now, in
his character of a Licenser of the Press, is so respectful in the tenns
he employs toward the Apologists in particular, that for the credit of
himself and them, we record his words at length : " This ' Apologetical
Narration' of our reverend and dear brethren, the learned authors of it,
is so full of peaceableness, modesty, and candour; and, withal, at this
time, so seasonably needful, as well towards the vindication of the Pro
testant party in general from the aspersions of incomraunicableness
within itself, and incompatibleness with Magistracy, as of themselves iu
particular, both against raisreportings frora without, and sorae possible
mistakings from within too ; that, however, for raine own part, I have
appeared on and do still incline to the Presbyterial way of church-
govemment, yet do I think it every way fit for the Press."
The.se Apologists coraraence their Narration by asserting, rather
indistinctiy, that awakened with " a sudden and unexpected noise . .
we are enforced to anticipate a little, that discovery of ourselves which,
otherwise, we resolved to have left to tirae. . . And now we shall begin
to make some appearance into public light, unto whose view and judg
ments should we, that have hitherto lain under so dark a cloud of mani
fold misapprehensions, at first present ourselves, but the Supreme
Judicatory of this kingdora ?"
They reraind the Legislature that " the most, if not all of us, had,
ten years since, — sorae more, some less, — several settled stations in the
ministry, in places of public use in the Church." The " evil" of the
corruptions in that Church took hold, they say, upon their consciences,
long before it did upon the consciences of some others of their brethren.
At first, they saw only " the dark part ;" the evil of the " superstitions"
adjoined to the worship of God ; which was enough to bring upon them
"violence and persecution, or an exile to avoid it;" which latter, they
say, also, "we did the rather choose."
While in their condition of expati-iation, they commenced inquiring
into " the lightpart ;" the " positive part of church worship and govem
ment" — ^what were the first apostolic directions, pattern, and examples,
of " those primitive churches recorded in the New Testament ?" That,
they subjoin, was the sacred " pillar of fire" by which they were guided !
"And," they proceed, "we had, of all men, the greatest reason to be
true to our own consciences in what we should embrace, seeing it was
for our consciences that we were deprived, at once, of whatever was
dear to us. We had no new commonwealths to rear, to frame church-
govemraent unto, — whereof any one piece might stand in the other's
light, — to cause the least variation by us from the primitive pattern.
We had no state ends, or political interests to comply with : no king
doms in our eye to subdue unto our mould ; which yet will be co
existent with the peace of any form of civil government on earth ; no
preferment, or worldly respects, to shape our opinions for. We had
nothing else to do but simply, and singly, to consider how to worship
God acceptably, and so raost according to his Word."''
» See back, p. 166.
'• The words in Italics in these passages are not so in the original ; but they seem
to require tbe distinction.

CHAP. XLVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 223
They remark, in continuation, that they were not engaged by educa
tion, or otherwise, to any otiier of the Reformed Churches. " And al
though we consulted, with reverence, what they hold forth, both in their
writings and practice, yet we could not but suppose that they might not
see into all things about worship and government ; their intentions being
most spent— as also, of our first Reformers in England,— upon the re
formation in Doctrine. . . And we had, witii raany others, observed that
although the exercise of that goverament had been accorapanied with
more peace, yet the practical part, ' the power of godliness,'* and the
profession thereof, vrith difference from carnal and formal Christians,
had not been advanced and held forth among thera as in this our own
island ; as themselves have generally acknowledged.
" We had the advantage" they continue, " of all that light which the
conflicte of our own divines— the good old Nonconformists, — ^had struck
forth in their times ; and the draughts of Discipline which they had
drawn. . . We had, likewise, the fatal iniscaniages and shipwrecks of the
' Separation' — whom ye call ' Brownists,' — as landmarks to forewam us
of those rocks and shelves which they ran upon : which also did put
us upon an inquiry into the principles that might be the causes of their
divisions. " Last of all, We had the later example of the ways and practices —
and those improved to a better edition, and gi-eater refinement, by all
the forementioned helps, — of those multitudes of godly men of our
own nation — almost to the number of another nation ! — and among
them, sorae as holy and judicious divines as this kingdom hath bred ;
whose sincerity in their way, hath been testified . . by the greatest un
dertaking, but that of our father Abraham, out of his own country, and
his seed after him ; a transplanting themselves, raany thousand miles
distance, and that by sea, into a wilderness ; merely to worship God more
purely." " We resolved," they say afterward, "not to take up our religion by
or from any party; and yet to approve and hold fast whatsoever is
good in any, though never so much differing from us ; yea, opposite
unto us.
" And for our own Congregations, we mean of England ; in which,
through the grace of Christ, we were converted, and exercised our mi
nistries long, to the conversion of many others ; we have this sincere
profession to make before God and all the world, That all that con
science of the defilements we conceived to cleave to the true worship of
God in them, or of the unwan-anted power in church-governors exer
cised therein, did never work in any of us, any other thought, ranch
less opinion, but that raultitudes of the assemblies and parochial con
gregations thereof, were 'the true churches and body of Christ; and
the ministry thereof, a true ministry :' rauch less did it ever enter into
our hearts to judge them 'antichristian.' We saw, and cannot but see,
that, by the same reason, the churches abroad, in Scotland, Holland, etc.,
though more refonned, yet, for their mixture, must be, in like manner,
judged no churches also ! . . We always have professed . . and when our
selves had least, yea, no hopes of ever so much as visiting our own land
• 2 Tim. iii. 5.

224 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
again in peace, and safety to our persons. That we both did, and would,
hold a 'communion' with them as the churches of Christ. . . What we
have, since our retum, publicly and avowedly made declaration of to
this purpose, raany hundreds can witness ; and some of our brethren, in
their printed books, candidly do testify for us.* And, as we always held
this respect unto our own churches in this kingdom, so we received,
and were entertained with the like, from those Reformed Churches abroad
among whora we were cast to live ; . . gi'anting, to some of us, their own
churches or public places for worship, to assemble in . . at differing hours
the same day ; as, likewise, the privilege of ringing a public bell : . . and,
others of us, found such acceptance with them, that . . they allowed a
full and liberal maintenance, annually, for our ministers ; yea, and con
stantly, also, wine for our communions. And then, we, again, on our
parts . . received also some of the members of their churches . . unto com
munion in the sacraments and other ordinances."
They next, commence a brief relation of" the way and practices"
of their churches. Their Worship was composed of "public and solemn
prayers ' for kings, and all in authority,''' etc. ; the reading of the Scrip
tures of the Old and New Testaments ; exposition of them, as occasion
was ; and, constant preaching of the Word ; the administiation of the
two Sacraments, baptism to infants, and the Lord's supper; singing of
psalms ; collections for the poor, etc. every Lord's-day."
" For Officers and public rulers in the church, we set up no other
but the very same which the Reformed Churches judge necessary and
sufficient, and as instituted by Christ and his apostles, for the perpetual
government of his Church ; that is, pastors, teachers, ruling-elders—
with us, not lay, but ecclesiastic persons separated to that service, — and,
deacons." " And for the matter of Govemraent and Censures of the church, we
had, nor executed, any other but what all acknowledge ; namely, ad
monition ; and excommunication, upon obstinacy and impenitency."
For their guidance, or " directions," they adopted " three principles,
more especially:" — " First, The suprerae rule, without us, was the pri
mitive pattern and exaraple of the churches erected by the apostles. . .
"The fulness of the Scriptures ; that there is therein a coraplete suffi
ciency, as to make ' the raan of God perfect ;''= so also, to raake the
churches of God perfect ! Mere circurastances we except, or, what rules
the law of nature doth in common dictate. . . Not daring to eke out
what was defective in our light, in matters Divine, with human pru
dence, — the fatal error to Reformation, — lest by sewing any piece of tiie
'old garment' unto the 'new,' we should make the rent 'worse'., ."i A
second principle . . . was. Not to raake our present judgraent and prac
tice a binding law unto ourselves for the future : . . which principle we
wish were,— next to that most suprerae, namely. To be, in all things,
guided by the perfect Will of God,— enacted as the most sacred law of
all other, in the midst of all other laws and ' canons ecclesiastical' in
Christian states and churches throughout the world ! Thirdly, .whereas
one great controversy of these tiraes, is about the 'qualification' of the
^A^'.J^f^'"^' ^'•r":;;.^"^..D^"ge''»''Soclnianism. By Francis Cheynell. Lond.
1643." 4to. b 1 Tim. u. 2. c 2 Tim. iii. 17. d Mar. ii. 21.

CHAP. XLVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 225
members of churches ; and, the promiscuous receiving, and mixture of
good and bad. Therein, we chose the better part ; and, to be sure, re
ceived in none but such as all the churches in the worid would, by the
balance of the Sanctuary, acknowledge faithful. . . The i^ules which we
gave up our judgments unto, to judge those we received in amongst us
by, were of that latitude as would take in any member of Christ; the
meanest, in whom there maybe supposed to be the least of Christ; and,
indeed, such, and no other, as all the godly in this kingdom can:y in
their bosoms to judge others by. We took measure of no man's hoh
ness by his opinion ; whether concurring with us, or adverse unto us.
And churches [any church] made up of such, we were sure no Protest
ant could but approve of, as touching the members of it, to be a true
church, with which communion might be held."
Conceming the great Ordinance of Public-prayer, and the Liturgy
of the Church, they say, " Whereas there is this great controversy upon
it—About the 'lawfulness' of set Forms prescribed; — we practised,
without condemning others, what all sides do allow, and themselves do
practise also. That the Public-prayers in our assemblies should be framed
by the meditation and study of our own ministers, out of their own gifts,
— the fruits of Chiist's ascension, — as well as their Sermons use to
be. This we were sure, all allowed of; though they superadded the
other." " So, likewise," they proceed, " For the Government and Discipline,
in the churches : . . we could not but imagine. That the first churches,
planted by the apostles, were, ordinaiily, of no more in one city, at first,
than raight make up one entire congregation, ruled by their own elders
that also preached imto them. For that in every city where they came,
the number of converts did or should arise to such a multitude as to
make several and sundry congregations ; or that the aposties should stay
the setting up of any churches at all, until they rose to such a nume
rous multiplication as might raake such a Presbyterial combination, we
did not imagine ! . . And we judged. That all those precepts, ' obey your
elders,' and '^hem that are over you,' were . . meant of the pastors and
teachers, and other elders, that were set over them in each particular
congregation respectively ; and to be as certainly the intendment of the
Holy Ghost as in those like commands, ' wives obey your own hus
bands," ' servants, your own governors," to be meant of their several
families, respectively !"
" We could not, therefore, but judge it a safe and an allowed way,
to retain the Govemment of our several Congregations, for matter of
Discipline, within themselves ; to be exercised by their own Elders ;
whereof we had, for the most part of the time we were abroad, three at
least in each Congregation, whom we were subject to. Yet not claim
ing to ourselves an ' independent power' in every Congregation, to give
account, or be subject to none others ; but only a full and entire power
complete within ourselves, until we should be challenged to err grossly:
such as Corporations enjoy ; who have the power and privilege to pass
sentence for life and death within themselves, and yet are accountable
to the State they live in. But that it should be the institution of Christ,
or his apostles, that the combination of the elders of many churches
Q

226 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
should be the first coraplete and entire seat of church power over each
congregation so corabined ; or, that they could challenge and assume
that authority over those churches they feed and teach not ordinanly, by
virtue of those forementioned apostolical precepts, was, to us, a ques
tion, and judged to be an additament unto the other. . . And, certainly,
of all other, the challenge of all spiritual power from Christ, had need
have a clear patent to show for it."
"And whereas the comraon prejudice and exception laid into all
men's thoughts against us and our opinions is. That in such a Congre
gational Governraent, thus entire within itself, there is no allowed
sufficient reraedy for miscan-iages ; . . no relief for wrongful sentences ;
. . no room for complaints ; no powerful, or effectual means to reduce a
church, or churches, that fall into heresy, schism, etc. : . . we have . ,
•wherewith to vindicate ourselves and way, in this particular." Here the
Apologists commence an account of their method of proceeding in a case
of deposition of a minister ; wherein they proffered their advice in con
formity with that apostolic command, that churches, as well as indivi
dual members, are bound to " give no offence, neither to Jew, nor Genr
,tile, nor to the churches of God"* they live amongst " So that," they
add, " in all cases of such offence or difference, by the obligation of the
common law of 'communion of churches,' and for the 'vindication of
the glory of Christ,' which in common they hold forth, the church, or
churches, challenged to offend, or differ, are to submit themselves . -. to
the most full and open trial and examination by other, neighbour,
churches offended thereat, of whatever hath given the offence. And,
further, that, by virtue of the sarae and like law, of not partaking in
' other raen's sins,''' the churches offended may and ought, upon the un-
penitency of those churches . . to pronounce that heavy sentence against
them, of withdrawing, and renouncing, all Christian coraraunion with
them, until they do repent ; and, further, to declare and protest this,
with the causes thereof, to all other churches of Christ, that they may
do the like."
Further than the above, what " authority, or proceedings purely 'ec
clesiastical,' of one or raany sister churches towards another whole church,
or churches, offending; either the Scriptures do hold forth, or can ra
tionally be put in execution, without the Magistrates' interposing power
of another nature ;" they profess not to see. They argue, however,
against the principle of " an ' authoritative' power in the greater part
of churches combined," that " unless it do take hold of men's con
sciences, and be received amongst all churches, the offending churches
will slight all such ' excoraraunications' as rauch as they may be sup
posed to do our way of protestation, and sentence of 'non-communion.' ''
On the other side, they say, " Let this way of ours be but as strongly enter-
tained, as that which is the way and command of Christ, and upon all
occaisions, be heedfully put in execution ; it will awe raen's consciences
as much, and produce the same effects." Still, so far from disclaiming
subjection to rightful "authority," they affirm "we give as rauch, and,
as we think, more, than the principles of the Presbyterial Governraent
will suffer them to yield;" which "power" of Magistrates, if it " do but
" I Cor. X. 32. l> 1 Tim v. 22.

CHAP. XLVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDEJfTS. 227
assist and back the sentence of other churches denouncing this ' non-
communion' against churches miscarrying. . then without all coiitro-
veisy, this our way of church proceeding will be every way as efl^ectual
as their other can be supposed to be ; and, we are sure, more brotheriy,
and more suited to that liberty and equality Christ hath endowed his
churches with : but without the Magistrates' interposing their authonty,
their way of proceeding will be as ineffectual as ours; and more liable
to contempt, by how much it is pretended to be more 'authoritative.'
and to inflict a more dreadful punishment,* which carnal spirits are sel
dom sensible of."
How much soever, after all, these Apologists had searched into the
original of church power ; and, how raeritorious and successful soever
they had been in reviewing and revising " the fatal miscarriages and
shipwrecks of the 'Separation;'" yet in steering clear of the rock
Scylla, that they were drawn into the vortex of Charybdis is evinced
in the importance they attach to this singular passage — " That it was
the most to be abhoired maxim that any Religion hath ever made pro
fession of, and, therefore, of all other, the raost contradictory and dis
honourable unto tiiat of Christianity, That a single and particular
society of men, professing the name of Christ, and pretending to be
endowed with a power fi-om Christ to judge them that are of the sarae
body and society within themselves; should further an'ogate unto
themselves an exemption from giving account to, or being censurable
by any other, either Christian Magistrates above thera, or neighbour
churches about them." This, they adduce in proof that, as they say,
" so far were our judgments from that ' independent' liberty that is im
puted to us, then, when we had least dependency on this kingdom, or
so much as hopes ever to abide therein in peace." We cannot but re
mark, that the terms " most contradictory, and dishonourable," are not
in our own judgment, justly applicable to the case to which they are
applied by the Apologists : for, how can it follow necessarily, that be-r
cause any Church chooses to restrict its authority within its own bOun-*
dary, that therefore any other church or churches, or what else soever
is extrinsic should claim to have an tmdisputed and undefined juris
diction extending over a church so restricted ? If such church be large
and reputed, for instance, to be heterodox, it may be that ostensible
interference will only provoke immitigable hostility, and thence pro
mote disunion among those churches which so interfere : and, again, if
any church be reputed to be defiled by countenancing iramorality, and,
perhaps, retaining in membership a notoriously wicked person, active
interference, or reraonstrance, becomes extreraely hazardous, frora the
danger incident to huraan nature, of partisanship arising from clash-i
ing interests, personal and family. The ordinary rules of human pru
dence may suggest the wisest course to be pursued to prevent much evil ;
but the apostolic injunction extends to communities, " Let not your good
be evil spoken of;" '' and our Divine Master has graciously bestowed a
coiTective and salutary principle, in perfect harmony with the extension
" " A delivering of whole churches and their elders offending ' unto Satan ;' for
which we know no warrant in the Scriptures, that churches .-.hould have such a
power over other churches." '' Rom. xiv. 16.
Q 2

228 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
and purity of his kingdom, " Let your light so shine before men tiiat
they may see 'your good works, and glorify your Father which is in
heaven." * The Magistrates' province extending over all persons civilly,
none can, under any pretence, be exempt from accountability, and sub
mission to their lawful authority : yet Civil Governors have certainly
less to apprehend from religious societies, or churches, formed on the
principle of the Independents, than from a compacted ecclesiastical cor
poration extending over the empire, and with capabilities of erecting
itself into a hostile " imperium in imperio ;" exemplified, signally, in
the instance ofthe Church of England under Jaraes II. But, reverting
to the Apologists, it is not to be wondered at, that their rainds should
be influenced to favour the high claims of prerogative : later times have
discovered intolerance nearly disarmed; and the just limits of a right
ful sway are defined and preserved with more accuracy than was ever
projected in their age. If the " exemption" which they so strongly de
claimed against were to be abandoned, and not rather qualified, where,
we ask, would then be the evil of acknowledging the supremacy of the
same temporal head over a church, or churches, as over the State ? For
an evil, we contend, that must be, which directly contravenes Christ's
supremacy, who has himself said " Ye cannot serve God and Mam

mon

i"b

The Apologists tell the Parliament that " when it pleased God to bring
us poor Exiles back again, in these revolutions of the times," they then
found " godly leamed brethren," — meaning the Puritans or Presbyterians
" to differ" from them in some things wherein they "judge the Calvi
nian Reformed Churches, of the first Reformation from out of Popery,
to stand in need of a further Reformation themselves :" the " founders"
of that first Reformation " not having," as they justly remark, " apostolic
infallibility, might not be fully perfect the first day." They found also
that prejudices had preceded them on their return ; for besides " a cloud
of mistakes and misapprehensions," they were calumniated as " schis-
matics,"whichj since " the fonner ecclesiastical govemraent of this church
established" was then suppressed, — who, they inquire, " is not involv
ed" in. the calurany " as well as we ?" But what seemed to give them
most particular concern, they represent again in these remarkable words,
" That proud and insolent title of ' Independency,' was affixed unto us
as our claim ; the vei-y sound of which conveys to all men's apprehensions
the challenge of an exemption of all churches from all subjection and
dependence, or rather a trumpet of defiance against whatever power,
spiritual or civil : which we do abhor and detest. Or else, the odious
name of 'Brownism,' together with all their opinions, as they have stated
and maintained thera, must needs be owned by us: altiiough, upon the
very first declaring our judgments in the chief and fundamental point
of all Church Discipline, and likewise since, it hath been acknowledged
that we differ much frora thera ! '' This has brought us to that notice
able passage in which they propounded and thus publicly professed
their relative position with regard to extreme parties. " We believe,"
say they, " the truth to lie and consist in a middle way betwaxt that
which is falsely charged on us, ' Brownism ;' and that which is the con-
• Malt. v. 10. b Matt. vi. 24.

CHAP. XLVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS.

229

tention of these times, the ' autiioritative Presbyterial Government' in
all the subordinations and proceedings of it"" '
They affirm, that since their return, had it been their disposition they
had had " manifold advantages" to make and increase a party. " We
found the spirits of the people of this Kingdom that profess or pretend
to the power of godliness,— they finding themselves to be so much at
liberty, and new come out of bondage, — ^ready to lake any impressions,
and to be cast into any mould that hath but the appearance of a stricter
way. And we found that many of those mists that had gathered about
us, or were rather cast upon our persons, in our absence, began, by our
presence again, and the blessing of God upon us, in a great measure to
scatter and vanish, without speaking a word for ourselves or Cause."
Still they make strong allusion to the conduct of the then predominant
party having made " incitements to this State not to allow' them the
peaceable practices of their consciences, which the Reformed Churches
abroad allowed thera ; and these incitements they coraplain were " edged
with calumnies, and reproaches cast upon our persons in print ; and all
these heightened with this further prejudice and provocation, That this
our silence was interpreted, that we were either ashamed of our opinions,
or able to say littie for them ; whenas, on the other side, besides all
other advantages, hooks have been written by men of much worth, learn
ing, and authority, with moderation and strength, to prepossess the
people's minds against what are supposed our tenets. . . We have, and
are yet, resolved to bear all this with a quiet and a strong patience — in
the strength of which we now speak, or rather sigh forth this littie, —
referring . . what we conceive to be God's truth therein, to the due and
orderly agitation of this Assembly whereof both Houses were pleased
to raake us members."
Notwithstanding that the Apologists could have taken other courses,
which, say they, " we have had, these three years, opportunity to have
done," they persisted in " the orderly and peaceable way of searching
out truths, and reforming the • churches of Christ," having, " in a
conscientious regard" thereto, " adventured ourselves upon this way of
God, wisely assumed by the prudence of the State," and that amidst
all sorts of disadvantages "of number, abilities of leaming, authority,
[and] the stream of public interest."
In all matters of Doctrine, they professed an agreement, or they
weuld never have exposed themselves " to this trial and hazard of dis
covery in this Assembly ; the mixture of whose spirits, the quickness
of whose judgments, — intent enough upon us, — and variety of debates ..
would be sure soon to find us out, if we nourished any monsters or
serpents of opinions lurking in our bosoms. . . And in matters of Dis
cipline, we are so far frora holding up the differences that occur, or
making the breaches greater or wider, that we endeavour, upon all such
occasions, to grant and yield, — as all may see, and cannot but testify
for us, — to the utmost latitude of our light and consciences !"
They declare, in their concluding paragraph, that though they have
* The reference to this passage is accompanied, by Neal, with a representation
of particulars, brought together; but conveying an imperfect idea of the real opi
nions espoused by these Apologists. See " Hist. Puritans." vol, iii. chap. iv.

230 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
thus " rendered a clear and true account" of tiieir ways and spirits
hitherto, they reserve, nevertheless, a more exact and scholastic relation
of their judgments about church governraent "unto the more proper
season and opportunity of this Assembly, and that liberty given by both
Honourable Hou.ses, in matters of dissent; or, as necessity shall
require, to a more public way of stating and asserting them. In the
raeantime," they say, " from this brief historical relation of our prac
tices, there raay a true estimate be taken of our opinions in difference;
which being instanced in, and set out by practices, is the raost real and
least collusive way, and carries its own evidence with it." They
remark, too, that they "differ" as littie frora their " brethren" the Non-
confoi-mists, "yea, far less than they do from what themselves were
three years past ; or than the generality of this kingdom [differs") from
itself, of late." And they call upon the Parliament to consider them
"as those who, in these fonner times, for raany years suffered, even
to exile, for what the kingdora itself now suffers in the endeavour to
cast out ;" and who " in these present times, and since the change of
them, have endured . . the opposition and reproach of good raen, even
to tiie threatening of another banishment !" Their final entreaty is, to
be allowed to obtain "a subsistence, be it the poorest and meanest," in
their native land ; with " a latitude to sorae lesser differences, with
peaceableness, as not knowing where else with safety, health, and live
lihood, to set our feet on earth."
We complete this chapter with "The Saints' Apology: Or, A Vin
dication of the Churches which endeavour after a Pure Communion,
from the odious names of 'Brownists' and 'Separatists.' In a Letter
sent to an eminent Divine of the Assembly ; showing that they sepa
rate not from True Churches; but keep themselves free from other
men's sins, in separating from the Corruptions only which such
Churches maintain in their Extemal Communion, and from that yoke
of bondage which they subject themselves unto under Prelates, and
Huraan Devices. — Printed with Order. 1644." 4to. pp. 15.
The publisher states, under the signature " S.," that this Letter
" was written a year or two before this Parliament began," and that he
" thought fit to put it forth to public view, hoping sorae raay receive
such light frora it as may rectify their judgments, or at least make
them more charitable to their brethren." The Letter itself opens
thus : — •
" Sir. — For the satisfaction of your desire expressed in the Letter,
I will first lay down some grounds which I conceive to be agreeable to
truth, and thereupon give you the reason of my judgment and
practice. " First : I conceive a visible, ministering, church, under the Gospel,
to be a company of believers joining themselves together, in the Name
of Christ, for the enjoyraent of such ordinances, and exercise of such
spiritual governraent as the Lord hath appointed, for His worship and
honour, and their rautual edification. . . If the truth of anything herein
be questioned, that raust stand or fall according to Scripture. I call it
a 'visible, ministering,' church ; to distinguish it frora that 'universal'
which can be neither, except we will admit the Pope, — or some image

CHAP. XLVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 231
of hira, some such human device, — to be it virtually: always to existi
visibly, for the performance of such duties as Christ hath enjoined his
churches to perform upon all ocpasions of ' offence' or otherwise : and
yet that will not serve, neither; except courts and officers be allowed,
even to the apparitors, as hands, in all places, to supply defects in this
way ! I add, ' under the Gospel,' because the constitution, under the
Law, was national ; the officers, ordinances, and places of .worship, all
fitted to such a frame, and typical : which, under the Gospel, was
changed, as appeareth both by Christ's institution. Matt, xviii., and all
¦the apostles' practice, throughout, in all places, who best, tinderstood
our Saviour's intention and meaning. . .
" Secondly : The matter of this church, is a company of saints ;
such, of whom, as the apostle, so the church that admits them or joins
with them, ought to tiiiiik it meet to judge of every one of them, that
Christ ' hath begun a good work' in them, and 'will finish it.'* The
apostles always style them ' saints,' and ' faithful brethren ;' or ' the
church,' of such a place, ' which is in God the Father and in the Lord
Jesus Christ ;' saints by calling; sanctified in Christ Jesus; the church
elected together with them ; and such like tities, applicable only unto
men sanctified : that they ought to be such in profession, will not be
denied ; that they ought to be what they profess, is as evident. The
power ol the church, and the exercise of that power commanded by our
Saviour, is for this end, that 'offences' raay be taken away when men
shall appear to be other than they raake profession to be ; and that
•they ['offences'] raay be prevented, so far as man can judge, by keep
ing out ' false brethren,' that they creep not in ' privily.' The unruly
are to be admonished ; and if upon admonition they will not reform,
Christ directeth what course shall be taken with them ; and he who is
to be cast out, when he is known, ought not to be admitted, could he
be known to be other than a saint by the church, before he was
received. " Thirdly : The form of such a visible church, I conceive to be the
relation which, by their mutual consent, is raised between them for
spiritual ends ; by which it is that they have power of jurisdiction, and
may and ought to 'judge' those ' that are within :' •• which jurisdiction,
no man can, lawfully, be subjected unto but by his own agreement.
The superiority of jurisdiction, either in things spiritual or temporal, —
if it be not natural, as the patemal, — must be voluntarily subjected
unto, or it is usurped and tyrannical : therefore, to raise this relation,
which gives a power of judging, there must be a voluntary submission
of themselves one to another testified by some act, whether you will
:Call it a covenant, or consent, or agreement, between fit members for
such ends.
" This consent and agreement, ought to be explicit, for the well-
being, but not necessarily to tbe being, of a true church ; for it may
be implied by such constant and frequent acts of communion performed
by a company of saints, joined together by cohabitation in towns and
villages, as that the falling, in of their spirits into tiiis brotherly lellow-
* Phil. i. 6. ''I Cor. v. 12.

232 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
ship and coraraunion in things spiritual, is acted unto the tme being
of it : but for the draught of the clear and full expression thereof
among themselves ; the relation it raises, the power it gives them one
over another; the duty it obligeth them unto in the exercise of that
power, is obscurely and little apprehended, and less practised. This,
I conceive to be the present state of most of the churches in this king
dom, which, although they be true churches,-— -I do not naean it ofthe
whole towns, — ^yet being too ignorant wherein that [relation] consist
eth, and what power and privilege they have and ought to exercise by
it, they suffer themselves, by usurpers, to be deprived of the exercise
of this power; and, thereby, a mixed multitude press in among them,
to their own hardening ; to the churches' leavening, contracting guilt
through neglect of their duty to separate the vile from the precious,
suffering sin to fret like a gangrene ; and to the great dishonour of
Christ, who, hereby, is held forth, through the negligence of the
church, to be a Head unto such members, in the eye of the world 1
There is, besides, through the same usurpation, a yoke of bondage cast
upon the churches by the imposition of many human devices both upon
officers and members, full of tyranny and superstition ; the suffering
whereof, will cause the Lord to have many things against them, but
doth not unchurch thera, since many wants and many corruptions may
stand with the being of a true church ; as all experience showeth.
" I expect, hereupon, to be deraanded, What reasons I can give,
why Separation should be made from such churches which are ac
knowledged to be true churches, although with many wants and cor
ruptions ? In answering whereof, 1 shall give you an account of that
[which] I undertook.
"And, first; I say this word 'Separation' is no such bugbear as
many would make the world and theraselves believe ; who, — ^hand
over head, without differencing things or persons, or understanding that
whereof they affirm, — take it up and cast it abroad with as little charity
as leaming ! ' Separation,' whereof we speak, is either from the com
munion of the invisible church, ' the general assembly and chm'ch of
the first-bom, which are written in heaven,' * or from this or that par
ticular visible church's communion : The first, cannot be made but by
denjting the faith ; for the requisites unto that communion are faith and
love : and this is a ' separation' as fearful and terrible as they would or
can make 'separation' to be. The second, consisteth in refusing to
join in the extemal communion of this or that particular church ; as in
their liturgies, public prayers, participation of sacraments : and this
' separation,' upon due cause, may he made without any more danger
or ill consequences than there is in keeping ourselves free from par
taking with other men in their sins;'' aud being made, it neither
separates those men who made it, from the communion of the catholic
church, nor from intemal coraraunion with the saints of that particular
visible church, as they are saints and raembers of the catholic church
but only fi-om the con-uptions of their extemal communion, which they
hold in that visible church whereof they are. Luther made a ' separa-
> Heb. xii. 23. b Eph. v. 7.

CHAP. XLVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 233
tion' from the extemal communion of all the churches in the world ;
and he, -with those that adhered to his doctrine in that 'separation,' did
constitute churches more pure, both in regard of their constitution and
exercise of extemal communion ; yet none but Papists, or such in our
times as linger after Popery, and would be glad of a captain to lead
them back again into Egypt, will accuse him to have made a schism,
and brand him with the odious name of a schismatic : for he septirated
not from believers as believers, but from those corruptions which were
universally spread over all in the extemal communion that then was
held in the Christian world. And this he was bound to do, and others
with him who believed his docUine, if they would keep themselves pure
from the guilt of those common corruptions.
" In the second place, I answer, that there is a necessity laid upon
many, and it is, as I conceive, the duty of all that have light to see it,
to separate themselves from holding extemal communion with many
churches, here in England, although acknowledged true churches ; and
that, for these reasons. First, because such things are required of them
to be performed, if they will hold extemal communion, as they cannot
practise without sin : Secondly, if they raight be free for their own prac
tice, yet they cannot perfonn that duty which, by Christ's command,
lieth upon them, as members of a visible church, to perform and fulfil,
that they may not contract guilt and be leavened by the sinful practises
of fellow raerabers. For the first, I will instance in those things which,
being retained in these churches and enjoined upon all, have been, ever
since the Reformation of religion, opposed and witnessed against by the
greatest lights of this later age, both strangers and of our own nation ;
yea, and cast out by the purest, if not by all other Reformed churches ;
abjured as antichiistian, by some ; only these, which hang between
heaven and earth, and are still moving downward towards the centre of
their old superstitions, do not only retain them, but will suffer none to join
in extemal communion vrith them, except they will approve and practise
what they do ! These are the usurping Hierarchy, and the Popish cere
monies, the devices of men ; the ornaments and dress of the Romish
Whore, thought decent and fittest for to adom God's worship ; not, in
my judgment, at any time, lolerabiles ineptia, in their use here, as
one calls the [English] ceremonies, * but at this time much less ' toler
able,' as they are maintained and pressed ; the one, not by commission
from the magistrate, but as a superior degree of ministry by Divine
institution, not esteemed to be jure humano ; the other, not as idle,
empty ceremonies, but serving to teach, and express the inward affec
tions of the heart : the ' white linen ; ' what can that express, but an
gelical purity ! the ' cross,' hath its expression ; and what it teacheth is
given unto it, constancy in confession of the faith ! ' kneeling,' in the act
of receiving, urged as a gesture of more reverence, and fitter for that ordi
nance, thau that which our Saviour used and thought congruous to it !
Unto these, I will add that composition of a Divine public worship, by
men, which they call ' the public prayers of the Church ; ' ' the Service
Book," containing the Divine service! White, in his Epistie to the
* Calvin, in Epist., Jan. 18, 1555 ; Works, ed. 1667. Fol. voh viii. p. 98. And
j^ee Erasmus, Annot. in ep. i, ad Corinth, xiv. 19.

2:34 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Archbishop of Canterbury, before his book against the Sabbath, styles
it ' the universal sacrifice which, araongst the Jews, was the daily otter
ing, the raorning and evening sacrifice.". . Now, this consecrate tiling,
raore holy than the singular and affected devotions of pnvate spmts,
because devoted to God, by tbe Church and State, for His public ser
vice ; what is it, but a device of raan ? a ' new cart," * taken up from the
papists, as the Israelites in imitation of the Philistines heretofore did,
to ease the Levites, who ought to have cai'ried the Ark upon their own
shoulders, and not suffered to be carried by beasts instead of men !
The same thing is done here; Christ hath given 'gifts to men,''' that
those ' gifts' may be the foundation of offices for the edification of his
' body.' " He hath given ' pastors and teachers,' "^ and, therefore, the gift
of teaching, the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge ; by the
e.xercise of these gifts, in the several administrations whereto they serve.
He will be honoured, and by an effectual operation, edify his ' body : '
those who are fitted for such offices, and called to them, must therefore,
to these ends, give themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the
Word. In place hereof, is brought in, and enjoined to be used, this
'new cart' which a boy of twelve years old may drive. Even the mean
est of the people, if he will draw near and fill his hand with this Ser»
vice-book, raay be a scribe instructed^ sufficiently, and furnished to bring
forth what is here required ! So that instead of Christ's way for his own
honour, and his churches' edification, here is man's way brought in in
stead of the ' gifts' which He giveth and fumisheth men withal to be
exercised in the ministry ; here is a composure and frame of Dirine
Service, pieced up together into a body by some raen, which must serve
instead of ' gifts' to all men and. for all times, and be enjoined to be used
without variation as coraing from the public spirit of the church and
thereby devoted. Hereby, they do not only set their posts by God's
* posts,' f but they lay aside his, and enjoin theire only to be used, as
fitter for the building !
" If it be said, men are not prohibited to exercise the gift of prayer j
nor preaching, in their public ministry : I answer, they are expressly
enjoined to use no prayers but these consecrated Prayers of the Church
in their public ministry; and this is de jure, whatever, in some places,
is done de facto. And again ; if we yield that they have authority to
consecrate and enjoin one form which must not in a tittle be receded
frora, for sanctifying of sorae ordinances, as in the administration of the
sacraments ; they raay, with a good authority, enjoin a set form for
other ordinances, as the preaching of the Word : and they have done
so. For jireaching, I never yet saw substantial reason given that inight
show a difference between these two. The taking authority to make a
Book of Common Public Prayer to read, which all shall be tied to in
the exercise of the function of pastor and teacher, instead of praying ;
and, The taking authority to make a book of coraraon public Sermons,
and enjoining all pastors and teachers to read those, instead of preaching.
But if it be unlawful to introduce and enjoin a public Homily book in
place of the gift of teaching ; it will be no less unlawful to bring in a
» 1 Sam. vi. 7. '' Eph. iv. 8. "^ Ver. 12.
" Ver. 11. c Matt. xiii. 52. >^iei. xliii. 8.

CHAP. XLVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 23$
Book of Common and Public Prayers, and enjoin the same upon all
paistors and teachers, in place of the gift of prayer. Therefore, as they
have done the one, they may with as good reason and authority do the
other. For if the reading of Homilies, commanded in place of preach
ing, and all other preaching prohibited, do appear unto us unlawful, —
and in that case, we should apprehend God's ordinance thrust out and
man's device brought in place of it, — I would see a reason given, why
we should not have the same apprehension of the other also, but that
use and custom have reconciled us to the one and not to the other ! Here,
to fall into a dispute of Set-Forms of Prayers, in general, and endeavour,
as Master Ball * and others do, to prove that some Set-Forms of Prayer
may, iu some cases, by some persons, be used ; or to ask, whether all
directory Liturgies, appointed in some other churches, by way of direc
tion only, not of injunction, — the officers being left at liberty, and the
churches, to raake use of thera or not as they see occasion, and as their
own gifts may he excited -ard helped thereby, — be altogether unlawful ?
is altogether besides the question ; and rather changeth the state of the
question than answereth the objection that is made against this, — to use
king James, his words, — ' ill translated Mass-book,' wherein some gross
tilings only are pared off; and that, as being enjoined upon all churches,
and thus pressed for such reasons, and with such respects, and circum
stances : for if this raay not be used, the parties whom they seek to
satisfy, receive no satisfaction by all that can be spoken of the other,
to induce them to use this.
" In the second place ; if men for their own practice, could be free
and dispensed withal for these particulars, yet there lieth a duty upon
every member of a visible church which he is obliged to perform, or
else he will partake of the guilt of ' other men's sins ; ' '' and this duty,
Jie shall not be suffered to perfoi-m. This obligation, lying upon every
member in communion with a visible church, ariseth from the power of
the Keys wherewith every visible church, and every member thereof^ for
his part, is entrusted by Christ ; and, for the exercise of church trust,
as the whole body, so every particular member shall be accoiuitahle,
according to the neglect of duty therein. For this end, the Lord, by
the aposties, hath cast Evangelical churches into such bodies as might,
conveniently meet together ' in one place,' upon all occasions to exercise
this power. '^. . Other frames, of universal, national, provincial, and such
like visible churches, are men's devices and constitutions, serving for
and tending to a universal vicar ; being either the same, or the image
thereof [!] : standing upon the same grounds and reasons of huraan
policy ; and cannot be always existent for the reraedy of offences and
scandals to be brought to them, as Christ commandeth-; but in a way of
antichristian usurpation, by courts, chancellors, commissaries, officials,
and such like officers of the kingdom of Antichrist ; in imitation of
earthly kingdoms : whereof there is no footstep in apostolical direction
or practice ; but the clean contrary. . . But, after their times, ' the
* See back, p. 4fi. This reference fixes the date of this piece to not earlier than
1610 : see infra, p. 236, note b.
I- I Tim. v. 22. . ^ , ., , .
<^ Gal i 22 ; 2 Cor. viii. 1 ; Gal. i. 2; 1 Cor. xiv. 23; with 1 Cor. v. 4., &c.

236 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
mystery of iniquity'* soon brought forth, first the foundations of
this tyranny, and then, by degrees, the entire building. . .The ways for
particular members to keep themselves from bemg leavened and involved
in the guilt of such common sins— 1 Cor. v. 8.— are but two: either
first, the doing of that, for their part, which is their duty in such a com
munion; or, secondly ,if that will not be suffered or will not prevail, to
disclaim the holding of such communion and join in a more pure. . .
Men fall into long disputes, and bring many arguments to prove that the
ordinances are not made less comfortable; or the partaking in them, made
sinful to one man ; because of the sins of other men who partake with
them. They set up a man of straw to contend withal, and fight against
what theraselves have framed. It is not the sins of other men, as they
are their personal acts, that can cast guilt upon any but themselves ;
but it is tbe suffering of these sins and sinners to pass, without such
censure as the Lord hath appointed to be pronounced against them by
those whom He hath invested with power to that end, which makes
these sins the sins of the whole body that so neglect their duty enjoined
them; and hereby 'a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.''' So that
they either deceive or are deceived, that agitate with so rauch eagemess
this, as they say, strange opinion, That another man's sins, should hin
der any from partaking, comfortably, in the ordinances. It is not another
man's sin that hindereth ; but their own ! . . Now, particular members
are not suffered to discharge themselves by doing that duty which, in
such a case, — of the church's neglect, — doth lie upon them to perfoi-m ;
or if they will perform it to their own acquitting and the church's edify
ing whereof they are members, they are no less certain to run upon ruin,
in these times, "^ than to prevail nothing at all with churches so constituted
and consisting of such mixed multitudes as the most are. . . There is a
necessity that doth lie upon many, to disjoin themselves from being
members of divers churches in this kingdom, — that the obligation
which, by reason of such a relation, will lie upon their conscience, may
not press them when they cannot discharge the sarae ; — and to unite . .
where they raay — ^in doing, and subraitting themselves mutually unto,
all that Christ enjoineth them for his honour and their edification, —
exercise communion in the use of all the ordinances free from the mix
ture of human inventions and antichristian usurpations.
" Suppose a congregation in this land ; some town or parish, to
speak common road language, wherein a company of godly men, saints
all, so far as raan can judge, had united themselves together by mutual
consent, to walk in all, the ordinances and ways of the Lord, without
admitting the linsey-woolsey mixture of human invention ; and with
resolution not to be the servants of men, but to cast off their yokes, in
things spiritual, and exalt the Lord alone to rule and judge in thera
and by them, according to the guidance of his Word : if, finding this
society and their course fully to answer the persuasion of my heart
concerning the way of God, I should change my habitation and take
a house in that town, that I might thereby join myself to this company
* 2 Thess. ii. 7. » 1 Cor. ,. 6.
' " This discourse was written some years since, when the times were perilous "
Marg. See back, p. 235, note a. "^ '

CHAP. XLVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 237
in church-fellowship ; because this is your dark and ignorant way of
falling into fellowship here in this land, there would be no complaining,
no out-cry of 'separation,' no whispering and muttering of forsaking
' the mother church,' no writing up and down to intimate the gi'eat fear
there was of seduction and separation, and the scandal that would arise
fi'oin thence ; and yet I should come out, thereby, from holding exter
nal communion with one congregation, whose external communion
I saw so many con-uptions so weaved into, that I could not hold it,
and be free from them, and [should] join myself in communion with
another who exercised a coraraunion between themselves free from such
con-uptions and bondage. And, should I, or others, do any more but
the same thing, if, in one street of a town, we should join ourselves
together in communion for spiritual ends ; and separate ourselves from
the extemal communion which is held in another [street], burdened
with many superstitions, and subraitting theraselves to bear the yoke of
bondage imposed by men who lord it over them in things spiritual :
and all this, without breaking off from internal communion with any
saint amongst them ; consisting in the embracing and holding the doc
trine of the same true faith and obedience, but separating alone from
their corruptions and continuance in disobedience. Wherein, then,
serveth the raising of so ranch noise and clamour of ' separation,' but
to give up friends into the hands of enemies !
" I have, in my plain way, endeavoui'ed to express my judgment in
these particulars ; desiring to be always ready to open my eyes to re
ceive further light fi'om whomsoever it shall be showed unto me : in the
meantime, I must walk according to that I have ; accepting no man's
person, nor giving flattering tities to man.* I pretend not to so much
scholarship, that you should require of me exactness in method or
expression ; therefore, I pray you, stick not upon some expressions
which you may conceive not so meet, to winnow and fan them by
scholastic wit : neither quarrel with me for a loose discourse ; I rest
satisfied with expressing myself to be understood. But if there be any
begged principles, or grounds wanting proof, or anything inferred
from grounds too weak to maintain the sarae ; stay upon these, and
make that appear unto me, and I shall either make them good, and
able to stand upon solid foundations, — at least to my apprehension, —
or quit them. Any other way of answer but this only, will be received
by me as the fruit of an acute wit, much exercised in controversial
writing, and work no other effect.
" I expect, upon your answer, to be put to make good these two ;
first. The constitution of a visible church under the Gospel ; secondly,
the power thereof ; wherein will consist cardo questionis : all turning
iibout, upon the determination of these. I shall make appear what
I have said, I hope, not to be ' the fancy of Mr. Jacob,' as you please
to say ; a leamed man, deserving not to be slighted ; nor of any man,
but the truth of God, having ground in his Word, and embraced for
such not by shrubs in learning, as some may be thought to be, but by
the strongest and tallest ' cedars of Lebanon' for learning and piety ! "
-¦ Job xxxii. 21.

238 HISTOIIICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
CHAP. XLVIII.
ANATOMY OF INDEPENDENCY.— THE ANATOMIST ANATOMISED. —
QUERIES.  OBSERVATIONS, ETC. BY A. S.
Who, with only the foregoing tract of the five Apologists in his
hand, could imagine that it would cause so much excitement as it ra
pidly produced. The swarm of replies betrayed but the apprehension
of their authors, lest the plot of substituting their plan of politico-
ecclesiastical machinery for that which the nation had, for the present,
discarded, should fail ? Many curious particulars are evolved in their
pages, which enable us to penetrate far into the real condition of affairs,
and the relative position of parties. The first that meets our view is
intituled "An Anatomy of Independency : Or, A Brief Commentary,
and Moderate Discourse, upon the 'Apologetical Narration, etc' By
Argument, laying naked the dangers of their Positions; and from Ex
perience, discovering their Spirits and Ways. — 1 Thess. v. 22. — Pub
lished by Authority. — Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 52.
This piece is attributed to Alexander Forbes. The Preface asserts
that " a main hindrance unto Refonnation . . proceeds from a gross
raistake, whereby all, opposing the ways of the Hierarchy, are judged
by the ways of sorae, and equally and indifferently ranked in one rank,
and delineated by one character, and under one notion of Puritan,
Brownist, or Independent, if not of Anabaptist." Such being the case,
as Forbes represents it, he adds, " It must be found a thing not only
expedient, but also very necessary, to make a fidl discovery of men and
their opinions and ways ; that every man appearing in his own colours
and livery, may be the better discerned and owned. . . These being the
sincere aims and ends of this ensuing discourse, — though my weakness
may perhaps in raeasure frustrate both me and it, of obtaining these
ends ; — j-et I hope the integi-ity of these aims shall procure . . pardon
for what may come short thereof; especially from these ray brethren
the authors of this Apology, since it is their main desire to be disco
vered and judged by experience of their ways and spirits : which is the
work of this discourse."
Forbes begins accordingly by commenting upon the " sudden and
unexpected noise" which the Apologists advert to in their opening.
This, he writes, raakes hiin " suspect there inight be sorae reality in
such noises of unexpected and strange exclamations and expressions of
Independents against Presbyterial governraent, as have come lo our
ears ; which," this commentator construes " might be the cause of the
suddenness of these exclamations" against the aforesaid Apologists ! But,
he adds, "that they should not have expected this 'noise,' — as it might
seem somewhat strange to any who know how liberal they have been,
from time to time, to vent their contumelious and scornful censures ou
Presbyterial government; and considers them standing at such a distance
in their ways and government, from all Christian churches ; — so, on the
other hand, it seems no way strange to me, that these, who are possest
witii such a conceit and confidence of themselves, their abilities in

OHAP. XLVIII. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 2.39
searching and finding out new truths, and their ways, as is ordinary for
most of their mould to be, and as this Apology shows they are ; should
not expect to hear any whisper against them, though they may cen
sure others at their pleasure !" * And he asks, in the next page, " May
it not seem strange that these our Brethren should be so avefse from
owning exclamations against Independency and Independents, as
directed against thera ? Whereas they not onl3' profess here in this
Apology, what pains they have taken to find out and establish in their
churches that 'governraent' which they know the world calls Indepen
dency ; but know also, tjiat they are looked upon generally hy all, as
the chief authors and abettors thereof in all England !" ''
" They will not own the name of ' Independency,' yet, if we speak
or preach against Independency, they will tell us we preach against
them ; as appeared in a late instance of one of these our Brethren's own
fellow-labourers in the same congregation at Rotterdam, with some one
of his flock, expostulating with another Reverend Divine for telling his
people that that govemment which they sware to maintain in the Scots'
Covenant, did exclude Independency; affirming, 'this was to preach
agahist them.' This 'noise' enforced thera to this Apology; and that
by anticipation. . . This Apology comes forth when there was likelihood
they should be frustrate of liberty ; the desire whereof, is the conclusion
and residt. . . It shall, God willing, appear, that their main study here
is to cover rather than ' discover' themselves : concealing most of their
differences from us, and delivering some only in general tenns — as,
that the 'truth' of church discipline lieth in 'a middle way betwixt
Brownisra and Presbyterial government;' without telling us wherein
4.his 'middle way' doth consist.""^
" Our Brethren's 'government' hath always been accompanied with
3ects and schisms, strife and debate, multiplying of churches out of
churches; and the people's casting off their pastors at their pleasure by
their Independent liberty : and if not casting them off, yet improving
that power they assume, as due unto them to the utmost in reproaching,
rebuking, and drawing up Articles against them. Whereof Mr. Bridge
and others have found plentiful experience at Rotterdam. . . A gi-eat part
of that church . . joined with others to the erecting of that church whereof
Mr. Simpson was pastor, and were by him received without any more
ado, notwithstanding that their schism. . . These two churches being of late,
commanded by the Magistrates of Rotterdam to unite again in one ; and
that church whereof Mr. Simpson had been pastor, and Mr. Symonds ''
then was, being unwilling to join the other, unless some members thereof
should first he put off, especially one, . . their Teacher must be forced,
— as himself confesseth with gi-ief of heart, having nothing to except
against the person,^ — to urge him to take his dismission. . . 'Who know
eth not that holy and learned men, as these our Brethren are known to
be, may hold forth a spirit of holiness in actions not approvable ? . . As it
was Dr. Ames, his prudence and charity, not to judge simply and abso-
"P. 1. I" P. 2. ': P. 2, 3.
'' See Brook's Lives ofthe Puritans, vol. ill. p. 40 ; where, as it appears (hat "Joseph
Symonds" was returned to London, in 1641, so he might be the person intended by
BaiUie: see baclc, p. 56. Steven, '' Hist. Scottish Church, Rotterdam, &c. 1833,''
p. 335, had not heard of this Symonds.

240 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
lutely of Dr. Burgess, his spirit, but only of that spirit which God left
him to put on, when he became a ' Rejoinder.' by the marks of his spint
in that work ; so shall this be a fit place for us not to judge absolutely
of our Brethren's spirits, but only lo discover what spmt God seemetii
to have 'left them to in this their plea and Apology."*
" That wherein they were to satisfy the worid by this Apology, ought
to have been a clear discovery of their opinions and ways wherein they
differ from us ; and a vindication of the truth and equity of these above
ours. . . Whereto serves this Apology ? Unless it be by big and plau
sible words to gain the affections of the unstable vulgar before they shall
know their ways, which is to hold out a popular spirit . . The confi
dence they have of their looking upon the Word of God 'as impartially,
and unprejudicedly, as men made of flesh and blood are like to do in
any juncture of time that may fall out:''' surely, humility, and impar
tial respect to themselves, would have blushed to own such an ex
pression, and have taught them to judge better of others than them
selves ! . . Might there not be some 'juncture of time' as much favouring
others in this, as that did them ? . . Consider we, the different eye
wherewith they looked upon the writings and practice of other Reformed
Churches and the old Nonconformists, and those of New England; and
if they have looked no more 'impartially' on the Word of God, they
shall appear to have been but flesh and blood ! Here, first, One argu
ment why they judge the Discipline of other Reformed Churches not so
good as their own, is because they found that that Discipline was not so
accoinpanied with the practice and power of godliness as they found
even that in England, however 'accompanied with more peace.'" Is not
this prejudice and partiality, to respect a governraent, because they can
not discern those under that government to be proportionable in ' god
liness' to those whom, I think, they will not say lived under a better,
but, we may confidently say, under a worse ; to wit. Episcopacy ?. .
Secondly, "They but ' consulted with reverence' with the ' practice and
writings' of other Reformed Churches ; but they looked upon the 'light'
of the ' old Nonconformists' as matter of advantage to them ; and what
' they had written,' came raore ' comraended' unto them, not only be
cause they were their 'own,' but ' because sealed with their manifold and
bitter sufferings.''^ So, also, ' the ways and practices' of those of New Eng
land they propounded as 'examples' to themselves; — this is more than,
' with reverence, to consult' with them ! . . Hereunto we raay add, their
partial and tender care and wariness of saving the credit of those of the
'Separation,' whom theywill not call 'Brownists,' but whom, say they,
'ye,' — that is, we, — 'call Brownists:' noways thus lender or careful of
the credit of other Reformed Churches. . . Thirdly, If we will take a fur
ther scantiing of their partiality and pride in this Apology, let us more
particularly consider their aggravations of their 'miseries,'. . as, assum
ing so frequently the titie of 'Exiles, — God's poor Exiles, — sufferers
even to exile; . . 'the saddest days' of their 'pilgrimage on earth,' and
so forth ; . . but I have had occasion to be somewhat acquainted with
their conditions there ; and I profess sincerely, that, all things consi
dered and compared, a man, in such a condition inight be well content
" P. 5-7. " Ap. Nar. p. 3. ' lb. p. 4. 1 jaem.

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 241
to esteein any country his native country; such 'miseries,' mercies; and
such days the most comfortable days of his 'pilgrimage;' and never
to desire to come off that service with life. Oh, how pride and partial
self-love tum mercies into 'miseries!' Fourthly, Look we on the exces
sive hyperbolical encomiastics, whereby they magnify the actions and
qualities of raen of their own profession, and see if there be no partial
spirit . . Fifthly, Compare we the weakness and deficiency of the Foun
ders of Refoi-mation in the Calvinian churches, in attaining to the per
fection of that Reformation ' the first dny,'* as they call it; . . it would
appear, the world would have come to a better and more perfect issue,
if they had been the first Founders of Reformation I Sixthly, . .To come
to such a judicatory as they acknowledge the Parliament to be, and re
quire an allowance and Toleration in the practice of their unknown and
unjustified opinions and ways ; . . if this be that respect and authority
they give to the Civil Magistrate beyond us, we can well spare them this
precedency."'' " What concerneth a spirit of faction, singularity, and schism ; let
theworld judge whether, for these our Brethren, without the knowledge
iind consent of that 'Assembly' whereof they are ' Members,' to set out an
'Apology' of this nature to desire a Toleration before their ways be
known and taken into consideration by the 'Assembly,'. . savoureth not
of a spirit of faction, etc. It is certain there is a party and faction, and
a headstrong one too, of their profession in England ; and therefore.it
is not easily to be iraagined that this can be, without some influence
from them who are known to be the chief owners and patrons of these
opinions there.""^
" They cannot endure the name of a ' National Church,' not only as
Episcopal men absurdly understand it, meaning thereby the Bishops
of a nation, or a Convocation ; but even as we rightly understand it to be
raeant of all the particular congregations making one entire body which
is represented in a National synod ! And therefore, in this 'Apology,'
they constantly speak of the ' churches' of England, in the plural,
never ofthe Church of England, in the singular number."''
" Why do they tell us of their appearing and appealing ' first'* be
fore or unto the Parliament ?. . I can conjecture no other reason why this
word ' first' was inserted, unless it were to pacify the 'Assembly of Di
vines,' in showing themselves willing, afterwards to appear hefore them. . .
This kind of disorderly appeals, troubling Parliaments with such mat
ters, — the decision of Ecclesiastical controversies, — inverting the order
of legal proceedings ; contemning the ' Order' of Parliaments, and .slight
ing and neglecting inferior judicatories ; may show us how likely it is
that their ' mould' will be ' co-existent with the peace of any form of
civil government on earth,'^ as they affinn. Though it hath been ob
served to be the impudentiy false language of some, that their mould
and government is the main cause of Christ the Parliament contends
for; yet I suppose the peace of this Parliamentary Government hath
been somewhat disturbed by their ' mould.' And if it be the same with
that of 'Brownists,' to wit popular government, as experience hath
"7i. p. 22. hp. s_i3. cp. 13. ¦'p. 14. ¦= Apol. Nar. p. I. '76. p. 3.
11. R

242 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
and doth hitherto demonstrate,— whatever 'middle way' they tell us of,
—then the raany long and bitter lawsuits before the governors and go
vernraent of Amsterdam, flowing from the shameful rents and divisions
occasioned by that mould, may tell us how likely tiieir ' mould' is to be
' co-exi|j;ent' with the peace of any civil government on earth ! Neither
hath the peace of the civil government of Rotterdam been altogether
free of disturbance by their mould. I could yet give other symptoms of
the co-existence of their mould with the peace of any other civil govern
ment, if I would follow their exaraple in going about to exasperate the
spirits of those in Authority against thera, as they endeavour to do
against us, by telling the world that they ' give as much, and,' as they
think, 'more,' lo the Magistrate's power, ' than the principles of Presby
terial governraent' will 'suffer' us lo yield.* . . I leave the impartial to
apprehend, whether they should not rather be found to be hinderers than
furtherers both of the peace and Refoi-raation intended ; unless they ap
prehend their ' governraent' to be the Refonnation intended ! . . "These
men and Bishops raay, in the end, be like to agree and conspire again
in odium tertii: for better one bishop than many."''
" They acknowledge no man a true minister by virtue of his ordina
tion in England; but all their acknowledgment of any true ministry in
England is only by virtue of an explicit or implicit Call, grounded on
that explicit and implicit covenant with him. Hence, they all renounced
their ordination in England, and ordained one another in Holland.
When Master Wai-d"= was chosen pastor, and Master Bridge, teacher at
Rotterdam, — first Mr. Bridge ordained Mr. Ward, and then immediately
Mr. Ward again ordained Mr. Bridge."''
" Those of thera who were at Rotterdam, know what opposition
Master Parke'= had frora the Dutch church at Delph, the rainisters
thereof drawing their raain plea from the confusions and schisras of Rot
terdam ; . . where their preachers had maintenance allowed them ; and
that was by reason that that church was formerly under Presbyterial
govemment and conformable lo the Dutch churches, and had only be
gun to decline towards their ways a little before their coming lo it in
Master Peters his time, who yet notwithstanding professeth himself, at
this hour, lo be a Presbyterial man, for all his having been in New Eng
land since his being pastor of that church ! Mr. Simpson's church main
tained their own officers, and preached in a private house, which tiiey
then fitted to be a public allowed church since, — if this word ' church'
in tiiis sense, be not offensive to them. . . We confess they acknow
ledged them [the Reformed Churches] for true churches, yet it is not
unknown with what disdain and censure they and their Presbyterial way
have been comraonly spoken of at Rotterdam. Neither can they show
us such a correspondency and fraternity between thera and these
churches, as I ara, — and I believe truly.,^in fonned Mr. Shnpson's
church — whether by him, or after his time by Master Symonds,' I have
not inquired— entered in wii,h those of the ' Separation' at Amsterdam,
'/ft. p. 19. >" P. 17—19.
•¦ Samuel Ward, B.D. See an interesting account of him in Brook's Lives of the
Puri.ans vol .1. p. 452. " P. 22. e gee Brook's Purilans, vol. iii. p. 39.
: ' See Brook, vol. in. p. 39. ' '^

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 243
by a mutual covenant and agreement to own each other. I believe it to
be by virtue of that correspondency and covenant that sorae of their
members, — not officers of the church, nor ecclesiastical person.?, — do
publicly preach in Master Canne's pulpit at Amsterdam.''*
" They grievously complain that ' the odious name of Brownism, to
gether with all their opinions'. . are cast upon them : a man would think,
therefore, that it should concern those men . . to show the world fully
how much they differ from Brownists ; . . and yet . . they mention no
thing but what is the way and practice of the Brownists in conformity
with us, as fully as theirs ! . . Mr. Simpson's often hearers and very good
friends, told me his prayers and sermons contained little or no matter of
confession of sin, or threatening of judgment, or what concemed the
Law, or repentance ; but of exalting the grace of God in Christ already
wrought, and of thanksgiving, as being bound to frame his sermons and
direct his speech to the benefit of none but those of his own church on
whora he looked as already converted ; these, therefore, he was only to
confirm and awaken to thankfulness, and not to aim at the conversion
of any, it being the ordinary opinion among them that this is not the
work of a pastor."''
" They tell us their Officers are the same with those allowed by the
Reformed Churches ; but so are the Brownists' officers also. Why did
they not tell us, whether their way of calling and ordaining their offi
cers was the same or not ? Here we should have seen that an officer
cannot be 'called," among them, unless he be first a raeraber of their
own church, as among the Bro^vnists : so that if they be to 'call" some
one who hath been, or is a pastor, elsewhere, he is not capable of a ' call"
to be their pastor ; but they must only ' call' hira to be a member
with them, and he must take his hazard of being called Pastor, after he
hath left his fonner charge. . . I hear of no ' ruling elders' that ever
Master Simpson had in his church, but that he thought that office
unlawful."" " They do not complain that they are simply made to own all the opi
nions of Brownisra ; but that they are raade to own them, as they are
stated and maintained by them."''
We find nothing, after the foregoing, " much material to take notice of,"
to use Forbes's own phrase,' till we arrive at the fifty -first page, where he
writes, "Another pretty argument they have to prove the efficacy of this
their ' way :'. . ' Suppose,' say they, ' that other principle — of an autho
ritative power,' in combining churches to excoramunicate other churches,
to be the ordinance of God, 'yet' say they, ' unless it do take hold of
men's consciences,' the offending churches will ' slight' it, as rauch as
that other ' way.' On the other side, say they, ' Let this way of ours be
but as strongly entertained, as that which is the way of Christ, etc.,' and
'it will awe men's consciences as much.'' To which I shall give no other
answer, but that this is a way of arguing which is sure to carry the
cause !"
Forbes's attack was soon followed, as frora its personalities might have
been expected, by a self-vindication from the individual raore particu-
•P. 23, 24. " P. 25. "= P. 26. " P. 27. « P. 52. 'Ap. Nar. p. 18.
r2

244 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAKLES I.
lariy airaed at, who retorted under the titie of " The Anatoraist Anato
mised: Or, A short Answer to sorae things in the Book intituled 'An
Anatoray of Independency.' Wherein it is showed. That many things
reported are misreported : That if all were true, yet divulging of them
in this manner, is not according to the Word of God : Nor, argu
mentative against the Cause that is falsely called ' Independency.' —
Gal. iv. 17. Heb. xii. 3. — By Sidrach Simpson. — Lond. 1644." 4to.
pp. 12.
Simpson commences by remarking, that " There are two too usual
errors in handling controversies : one, to make the difference volumi
nous and many-headed ; . . the other, to raake the opposites odious,"
Both these, he says, are committed in the present controversies of
Church Government, against the Apologists. " Some write large books,
and lay together all that is writ by any, or reported to be any man's, as
though it were raaintained by them all ; whereas . . the difference lies
but in a very few particulars : . . others, fall foul upon their persons :
First, To brand them with the narae of ' Independents :' a name which,
formerly, was proper unto those who stood for Presbyterial govemment !
Under that very name, they chose to argue against Bishops, above any
other; and the Bishops called them by it* But since it came to be a
reproach, they have put it upon those who count it ' proud and inso
lent.''' And [secondly,] Lest this brand should be worn out, and their
opinion not hurt their names ; an ill report is given of them, by their
conversation to discredit their opinion. When the ' Apologetical Nar
ration' came first out, many rejoiced in it, and gave us thanks for it ;
but presently the authors were reported to be ' cunning, proud, boastere
of themselves ;' and, what not ?. . But besides that report, there is an
'Antapology''= in [the] press; or a collection of such faults as either
men's mistakes and malice, or perhaps men's own infii-mities have made,
either beyond the seas or here. This 'Anatomist' is a forerunner to that,
as some few great drops before a shower ! . . Is this your aim. To make
us despised of the people ? The best way to that, were to have proved
things orderly and fully ; and, that our faults come from our Cause, as
well as from ourselves ! Or, is this your aim, By oppression to provoke
us to write more of you than you have done of us ? that so, if we cannot
be punished for any foulness in opinion, yet we may be for unpeace-
ableness \"^
" Things were not, as they are reported : He saith, 'A great part of
that church . . joined vrith others to the erecting of that church whereof
Mr. Simpson was pastor, etc.'= The truth is, that none that ever were
of that church did join to the erecting of that church where I was.
They were all such as had not joined themselves to any congregation
before. A ' great part" of that church never did, at any time, join them :
they were a very few."f
" 'The defection of some of their members to Anabaptism : how apt
" " That wherein we," that is. Bishops and Presbyters, " contradict one another,
¦s. We" that IS the Presbyterians, "affirm that all churches were single congrega
tions Lqual and Independent each on other in regard of subjection."--The Dioces
an's Trial, by Paul Baynes, A.M. 1621. p. 13. See b irk n 18S
"Ap. Nar. p. 23. « See Chap. LIV. '' P- 1-8. '.Anal. p. 6. f P. 8.

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 245
Others of them are to be made a prey therein . . more than the members
of other Reformed Churches, as late instance hath manifested, some
having professed [that] Mr. Simpson's principles have made them Ana
baptists.'* This ' some' that 'professed' so, is but one, of all that ever I
have heard!"''
" What 'flaming sword' is there in the hand of a Classical Presbytery
to keep raen out of errors, which may not be in a Congregation ? In
one Congregation there may be as raany presbyters as, from many con
gregations, make a classis : and why, then, raay they not do the self
same acts ? Their officers and office are the same, and therefore the
promise of assistance is the sarae. And if the counsel and advice of
other neighbonr churches be required, a Congregation may have that as
well, and perhaps sooner than a Classis can ; which must stay for a Pro
vincial Synod ! There have been as great defections both of ministers
and people unto errors, under Presbyterial government as under any
ether: as is clear in the Low Countries, where so many ministers and
people turned Arminians, Papists, Socinians : . . and in other countries
too !"=
" ' Mr. Simpson's church [met] in a private house, etc.'"* Six months
at least, before the church was gathered, we had a public act to do it,
by the State of Rotterdam. . . The place wherein we met was in an open
street, a noted place near the Exchange. . . The public Act runs thus,
' To have such rainisters as they shall choose from time to time ; and
such Discipline as they conceive to be according to the Word of God :
and to be protected in this, with the same care and love our own natives
are."° " There is 'a mutual covenant between Mr. Simpson's church and
those of the Separation at Amsterdam, to own each other.'' This was
not in my time ; nor have I heard it hitherto. How near soever they
are joined, yet this, I am sure, is not to any separation frora the
churches of Christ, though they be not of their judgments for church
government, "s
" Mr. Simpson's ' prayers and sermons contained little or no matter
of confession of sin, etc., as being bound to frarae his sermons and di
rect his speech to the benefit of none but those of his own church ; . .
it being the ordinary opinion among them, that this is not the work of
a pastor.''' It is neither the ' ordinary' opinion , nor of any one, that
ever I heard of; but the contrary : much less was I 'bound' unto it!"'
" 'Mr. Simpson had no ruling elders, but thought that office unlaw
ful.''' It is true, de facto we had none, but were resolved to have them.
Their office and duty hath been opened by me, and the church informed
of their necessary use. I know not that ever any word was spoken, or
any thing insinuated against that office, by me. But if I were, I should
not he alone : all that allow the Presbyterial government allow not them ;
and some that do, yet think there is no j'us divinum for them : so that
whatever evil follows my supposed tenet, follows from yourselves as
well !"'

• Anat. p. 6, 7".

tp. 9.

<: P. 10.

¦^ Anat. p. 24.

" P. 10, 11.

' Anat. p. 24.

SP. 11.

'¦ Anat. p. 25.

'P. 11.

I* Anat. p. 26.

' P. ult.

246 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
" If I may but obtain this. That the Reader will not believe those, or
any other reports of this kind, which are either in this book or in that
which is coming forth, until the authors of them will appear and bnng
their witnesses to a fair hearing in any lawful, though the stnctest, judi
cature, where we may suffer if we have done what is reported, or else
the reporters may,— a small and just request,— I have the scope and
end I aim at.""
The tract to which Simpson's, as we have seen, is a short answer,
was not the only production called into existence frora the pens of those
who felt that the reputation of their countryraen and their religion was
being indirectly tamished by the Apologetical Narration. No time
was lost in composing a vindication, under the titie of " The Reforma
tion of Church Government in Scotiand, Cleared from some Mistakes
and Prejudices : By the Commissioners of the General Assembly —
Lond. 1644." 4to. But we pass, at present, those disciples of Knox,
that we may attend to some " Queries of Highest Consideration, Pro
posed to Mr. Tho. Goodwin, Mr. Philip Nye, Mr. Wil. Bridge,
Mr. Jer; Burroughes, Mr. Sidr. Simpson : And, to the Commissioners
from the General Asserably, so called, of the Church of Scotiand.
Upon Occasion of their late Printed Apologies for Theraselves and
their Churches. — In all Humble Reverence, presented to the View of
the Rt. Hon. the Houses of the High Court of Parliament. — Lond.
1644." 4to. pp. 13.
"We have been humbly bold," it is said in the Epistle to the Par
liaraent, " to presume, as Esther into Ahasuerus" presence, against your
Order : for who can pass the raany locks and bars of any the several
Licensers, appointed by you, with such a Mes.sage ? By such circum
scribing and immuring of yourselves, by such a guard, — their persons
we honour and esteem, — it is rarely possible that any other light but
what their hemisphere affords shall ever shine on your Honours' souls,
though never so sweet, so necessary ; and though it come fi-om God,
frora heaven !
" These worthy and much esteemed persons unto whom we Query . .
appear in the front, and present their moulds and patterns of church-
govemment from Holland, from Scotiand, to an inquiring England.
Their rautual just exceptions, which they have already or may further
express against each other's tenets, we leave to theraselves ; though we
might express them to our advantage. We shall be hurably bold . . to
present such Queries to your Honours' view as respect their joint
' agreement' — pardon the phrase, — like Ephraira and Manasseh, though
fighting each against other, yet both against Christ Jesus, the Lion of
Judah 's tribe ; we mean, so far as they oppose the truth and purity of
His last Will and Testament. . . Concerning souls, we will not, as most
do, charge you with the loads of all the souls in England, Scotiand, and
Ireland : we shall humbly affirm, and, by the help of Christ, raaintain,
That the bodies and goods of the Subject, is yom- charge : their souls
and yours are set on account, to those that profess to be the ' lights and
guides,' the 'messengers and ambassadors,' sent from heaven to
them. « Ibid. fin.

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 247
" You will please to say. We are constantly told, and we believe it.
That Religion is our first care ; and Reformation of that, our greatest
task : Right Honourable, Your Wisdoms know the fatal miscarriages
of England's Pai-liaraents in this point : what setting up, pulling down ;
what formings, reformings, and again defonnings, to admiration !
Three instances are dreadful, yet to express, seasonable. — First : The
last and best of England's changes, established ' Lord Bishops;' they
and two more. Priests and Deacons, are by law the established minis-
tei-s of England's Church. The former makes [sic} the latter, so far
as concems a lawful, extemal, Calling. The ' Lord Bishops' them
selves are now voted ' antichristian :' your Wisdoms, then, see what
Callings by law, the other two sorts. Priests aud Deacons, have all this
while been furnished with ! Secondly : If he that eats and drinks the
body and blood of Christ ' unworthily," eateth and drinketh his own
' judgment," * and all English souls are bound by law to eat that ' body
and 'blood' at sixteen ; who sees not — since, as it is confest, scarce one
of a thousand but is found ignorant, impenitent, unregenerate, at those
years, — that the body of the people are compelled by law to eat and
drink, at sixteen, their own ' judgraent ?' Thirdly : For Nonconforming
to these and other practices, the English Mass-book, etc. ; what heavy
persecution have thousands felt, and that ' By Law Established ?'
" We shall, in all humble reverence, suggest our fears, that for the
very laws aud statutes of England's Parliaments, concerning Religion,
and haply for some not yet suspected, the Lord Jesus hath drawn this
sword that is daily drunk with English blood ! It shall never be your
honour, to this or fiiture ages, to be confined to the ' Patterns' of either
French, Dutch, Scotch, or New-English, churches. We humbly con
ceive some higher Act conceming Religion, attends and becomes your
consultations. If He whose name is 'Wonderful, Counsellor,' be con
sulted, and obeyed, according to his last Will and Testament, — as you
may please in the Queries, to view, — we are confident you shall
exceed the Acts and Pattems of all neighbour nations ; highly exalt the
Name of the Son of God ; provide for the peace of this distracted State ;
engage the souls of all that fear God, to give thanks and supplicate for
you ; further the salvation of thousands ; and leave the sweet perfume
of your names precious to all succeeding generations."
The first Query seeks after the Scripture precept for the " Synod, or
Assembly of Divines ;" and anticipating a reference to Acts xv., " as all
Popish synods and councils do," it is then urged. That, " if two or
three brethren of one particular congregation at Antioch," being sent
to the church at Jerusalem, " where the apostles were, who being im
mediately inspired from God, could say, ' It seemeth good to the Holy
Ghost, and to us, etc.,' " '' and who also made " decrees" for all the
"churches,""^ Whether this be a pattern for a nation or kingdom ? If
so, why not for " more nations ;" and for " all the world," if under one
government, as iu Augustus Csesar's tax;"* "to send their several
priests and deacons, — for other spiritual officers than bishops, priests,
and deacons, you know we have not,-^to reforra or form a religion,
' 1 Cjr. xi. 29. iJ Acts xir. 28. "^ Acts xvi. 4, 5. * Luke ii. 11.

248 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES L
etc. ?" It is submitted, " If the ' golden image' " be not a type of the
several national and state religions ;" and which " ours" hath set up ;
and for which the wrath of God is now upon us ? The title, " The
Assembly of Divines," is impugned as an appropriation of what seems
to be " common to all the children of God.'
Under the second Query, on the proposition, that the Five Brethren
and the Scots' Cominissioners " both agree, though with some differ
ence," that the Civil Magistrate must "reform the Church," as the one
says ; and as the other says, "establish religion;" so, consequentiy, he
must first judicially determine which religion is true and which is false,
"or else, must implicitiy believe as the Assembly believes, and take it
upon trust ; and the magistrate is the head, root, and fountain of the
supremacy of all spiritual power, and hath the power of the keys, of
opening and shutting heaven-gates, etc.:" of which power Henry VIIL,
"with consent and act of Parliament," despoiled the Pope: we now
Query, " since the Parliament, being the representative of the comr
monwealth, hath no other power but what the commonweal derive
unto and betrust it with. Whether it will not evidently follow, " That
the commonweal, the nation, the kingdom ; and if it were in Augustus"
time, the whole ' world ;' " must rule and govern the church, and con
sequently "Christ" himself, as the church is called, 1 Cor. xii. 12?
And, if the Honourable Houses erect a spiritual court, Whether or not,
ulthough a new name be put upon it, such a court be not, in its nature,
a " High Coraraission ?" " Is not this a reviving of Moses, and the
sanctifying of a new land of Canaan, of which we hear nothing in the
Testaraeut of Christ Jesus ; nor of any other holy nation, but the par
ticular church of Christ, 1 Pet ii. 9 ?" Is not " this," to subject this
"holy nation," this " heavenly Jerusalem," the spouse of Jesus, "the
pillar and ground of truth," to the vain, uncertain " mutations" of this
present evil world ? Who knows not, in how few years the common
weal of England hath set up and pulled down [religion] ? The fathers
made the children heretics ; and the children, the fathers. And the
present Parliament would ha\e been esteeraed heretical in former
tiraes ! Since, then, the coinraonweal cannot, without a spiritual rape,
force the consciences of all to one [mode of] worship, may it never
commit that which a stronger arm and sword raay soon, as formerly,
arise and alter.
The third and fourth Queries are connected ; and fear and trembhng
are hinted at, lest those to whom the queries are addressed " be found
to reject the 'Corner-stone,' in not fitting to Him only 'living
stones.'"'' The one party " confess and practise," that without true
matter it is impossible to build " a spiritual house" unto God : " the
other, " mingles sheep and goats together." Few of the people, and-
fewer of the gentry, are such spiritual matter, " living stones," truly
regenerate and converted.
The fifth, grounds all reformation, in a "dead soul," upon "repen
tance :" ¦* where extemal fbrms matter nothing, as " a thousand new
forms of postures, in an anny of Cavaliers, cannot make a Pariiament
• Dan. iii. I> 1 Pet. ii. 5, 6. <: lb. ver. 5. ^ Heb. vi. 6.

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 249
army." Allegations may be brought from the " corruptions" of the
church of the Jews, and the churches of Christ ; but reformation should
have reference to the Institution alone.
The sixth Query is exactly such a one as might have proceeded
from Erastians, whom, but for the next following query, we had
imagined to be the originating source of this anonymous piece. " We
query. Whether there hath not been as holy, able, and zealous men
since the Apostacy; men like Antipas, faithful witnesses of the Lord
Jesus, in what light they saw, even to death,* who yet never came up
to such a work of reformation as you speak of; and others, as excellent
and heavenly as yourselves and fathera, whose professed Refoi-mation
you now dislike ?"
The seventh, turning upon Heb. i. 1,2, is, Where do you "now"
find " one footstep, print, or pattei-n," in this doctrine of the Son of
God, for a " nation.il holy-covenant ;" and so consequently, — though
we conceive the one of you stumble at it, — for " a national church ?"
Such as hold " a national church of God," raust needs disclaim Christ,
and follow Moses ! And that doctrine leads " unavoidably" to "a holy
covenant of many nations." But the doctrine of Christ Jesus tells us,
" In every nation, ke that feareth Him, etc. ;" '' not every nation that
feareth Him ! " The light of much truth may shine forth on the brazen
candlesticks of strong national churches, raaintained and held up by the
seeming strong sword of steel in an ann of flesh : there may be silver
candlesticks, raore refined and pure in respect of the matter of which
they are constituted, namely, godly persons, etc. ; but Jesus Christ only
walks in the midst of his ' golden candlesticks,' "^ gathered and governed
after the golden institution of his Word, which is like ' fine gold.' " ¦*
The eighth Query condemns the fighting for religion, since there is
no "precept or promise" for civil war for Christ's sake, but what
is limited hy Rom. xiii. If security may be taken by the wisdom of
the State for civil subjection ; still, why may not even Papists them
selves, and their consciences, be permitted in the world ? " For, other
wise, if England's government were the government of the whole world,
not only they but a world of idolaters of all sorts, yea the whole world,
must be driven out of the world !"
The ninth Query relates to the sufferings of God's children ; and
proposes, Whether the term comraonly applied to those who lost their
lives for Jesus, " martyrs," that is, " witnesses," ' be not applicable to all
the servants of Christ who vritness against any part of the " Beast's"
kingdom and tyranny, although they never witness to the death ?
The tenth, is. Whether, since the Five Apologists and the Scots'
Commissioners report their " opposing and suppressing of heresies,"
and their " glorious success," that be a demonstrative argument from
the Scriptures for a truth of a church ; or, government of it ; as even
the Church of Rome may boast of the same, against many schisras and
heresies ? And, Whether the power of godliness, shining forth in per
sons, may evidence their state and worship good ? " You both confess
the gi-eat profession of the power of godliness in England : yet we be-
' Rev. ii. 13. '' Acts x. 35. ' Kev. i. 12.
" Psal. xix. 10. = Rev. xi. 3

250 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
lieve the one of you acknowledge the Church of England, as a national
church, not true ; and both, confess the governraent, govemors, and
the Coraraon Prayer, — the service and worship of it, — to be abomin
able. Yet it is confest, that England's "false" national church, with
her bishops, common-prayer, ceremonies, etc., had more evidence of
the power of godliness in her children than was to be found amongst the
Scotch, French, Dutch, who pretend a Reformation purer ! It seems,
therefore, evident. That neither oppo.sing of heresies, nor success in
victories, deliverances, nor power of godliness in some persons, can
evidence and prove their state and worship to be right and pleasing
unto God, according to his ordinance in Jesus Christ."
The eleventh Query states that " since you both seem to magnify
the seals of baptism and the Lord's supper with a difference and excel
lency above other ordinances, we query, Where the Lord Jesus ap
pointed such a difference and distinction ? Whether there was not as
full communion practised by the first christians, in the word, prayer,
and community, as in breaking of bread, Acts ii. 42 ? Further, Since
baptism is one of those fundamentals, Heb. vi., and every one that will
be saved is bound to prove his faith and his baptism true, Mark xri. 16;
we query. How two baptisms, or two great seals, can be true in the
kingdora of Christ Jesus, any raore than two great seals can be true in
the kingdom of England ?. . To insist upon a late instance : since the
Bishops' power and calling is condemned as antichristian ; How cau
we evidence the seal of baptism true, which we have received frora
them ? Furthermore, since a true baptism giveth right to all the ordi
nances of Christ Jesus ; we query. How any Protestant or Papist,
whose baptism you acknowledge to be true, can be denied communion
in the supper also, according to 1 Cor. xii. 13, 'By one Spirit are we
all baptized into one body,' and, consequently, into tbe participation of
the ordinances thereof : and if so, we query. How far off Rome and the
Pope himself is from our bosoms ?"
The last, or twelfth Query, commences in these terms : " Since you
both profess to want raore light ; and that a greater light is yet to be
expected ; . . we query, How you can profess and swear to persecute all
others as schismatics, heretics, etc., that believe they see a further light,
and dare not join with either of your churches ? . . Whether the states
of Holland, who tolerate, though not own, as you say, the several sects
araongst them, . . come not nearer to the holy pattei-n and command of
the Lord Jesus ; to permit the 'tares' to have a civil being in the ' field'
of the 'world,' until the 'harvest'* — the end of it ?"
Having from necessity compressed all the queries with what care we
could, we now give thus much of the concluding matter : — " We know
the allegations against this council. The head of all is, that from
' Moses", not Christ's pattern, in the typical land of Canaan, the kings
of Israel and Judah, etc." — we hurably desire it may be searched into,
and we believe it will be found but one of Moses" shadows, vanished al
the coraing of the Lord Jesus ; yet such a shadow as is directly oppo
site to the very Testament and coming of the Lord : . . opposite to the
very essentials and fundamentals of the nature of a civil magistracy, . .
" Malt. xiii.

CUAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 251
which can only respect civil things : opposite to the Jews' conversion
to Christ, by not permitting them a civil life or being : opposite . . to
the civil peace and the lives of millions, slaughtered upon this gi-ound,
in mutual persecuting each other's conscience : . . opposite to the souls
of all men who, by persecutions, are ravished into a dissembled worship
which their hearts embrace not !"
From one anonymous writer, — or writers, if so they were, — ^we turn
to another, of a very different character, called, " Sorae Observations
and Annotations upon the 'Apologetical Narration,' Humbly Submit
ted to the Honourable Houses of Parliament ; The Most Reverend
and Learned Divines of the Assembly ; And, all the Protestant
Churches, here in this Island, and Abroad. — Lond. 1644." 4to.
pp. 71.
In the front of this work we are met with a Licenser's allowance con
veying his approval of what he terras " These judicious ' Observations,'
etc."^ as being " at this time, necessai-y and seasonable for the vindica
tion of all Protestant Churches ; defending of the authority of Par
liaments, and Synods ; and prevention of sad Divisions amongst our
selves ; though I reverence the Persons of the Apologists, yet, I approve
to be unpressed. — James Cranford."*
The Introductory Epistie, signed " Your very loving Brother in
Christ, A. S.," '¦ is addressed " 'fo the Right Reverend and Learned
Divines, the Authors of the Apologetical Nanation. — He tells them
of the " high esteem'' he ever had of their " persons," and of the " great
holiness" of their " lives ;" desiring ever to be such himself as he es
teems them to be, ' ' except only" in their " particular opinions," wherein ,
he says, they "dissent from all Protestant, yea all Christian churches
in this world ! " And he enumerates among the considerations which
induced him to publish, " your hard expressions against them that love
and pity you ; your appai-ent resolution in desiring a Toleration of your
religion, and consequently of a separation frora our churches, which,
howsoever they have power to hinder you [!] yet condescend to be
suppliants to you, that you will entertain union and communion with
tiiem." A littie after, he says, "yet after all these testifications of so
great and tender affections towards you, ye Five men. Five Members of
the Assembly, — by whose coimsel and instigation, or upon what motions
we know not, — ^joined yourselves in a particular combination ; without
the knowledge of either Parliament or Assembly, to draw up and publish
unto the world an ' Apologetical Narration,' as ye tema it ; containing,
in effect, howsoever ye name it, a singular desire of Separation from
them that so cherish you ; with sorae unworthy nicknames ye put upon
them who style you by no worse names than ' Brethren.' By such
* James Cranford, A.M., was Rector of St. Christopher's, near the Old Exchange ;
and, according to Whitelock's Memorials, p. 144, incurred the heavy censure of the
House of Commons, for a political charge against sorae of its Members.
'' These initials are attributed, in "The Life of John Goodwin, A.M., by Thomas
Jackson, 1822," Svo, p. 116, to Dr. Adam Stewart [Steuart], who wrote " An An
swer to 'A Cool Conference between the Scottish Commissioners' Cleared Reforma
tion,' and the Holland Ministers' ' Apologetical Narration ;' brought together by «
Well- Wisher to both. Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 18.^

252 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
proceedings what else have ye done, but erected . . in one word, an
Asserably to overthrow the Asserably?" He terminates the Epistle
with these words, " My main aim has been God's glory, and the edifi
cation of weak Brethren who may have been misled by your most learned
discourse ; esteeming, that during the rest of my pilgrimage, which
cannot be long, having no other thing to do, I shall do well to do this,
and so improve my talent to His glory, the edification of the church,
and the salvation of my own soul ; and so I remain,— Your very lovmg
Brother in Christ, A. S."
Nine " General Considerations" follow the Epistie ; the fifth of which
contains the remark that tiie Narration " is commonly thought to be
particularly intended" against the Scots, who at this very time, " according
to their duty,hazard their lives and estates for God's church, all this king
dom, and you also." Many, he writes in the seventh, are desirous to
know " Whether this 'Apologetical Narration' published by you Five
alone, be published in the name of you Five alone, or of all those also,
or a part of those, whom ye pretend to hold your ' tenets ? ' To the end,
we may know in what esteera to have it. And, if in the name of you
Five only, the promoters and contrivers thereof. Whether ye Five can
aiTogate a power unto yourselves, to raaintain these ' tenets,' as the con
stant opinion of all your churches, having no general Confession of
their Faith thereabout ? If in the name of all the rest ; we desire you
would show your coraraission from all your churches, by what authority
ye do it ? Or if ye do it on that commission and authority from them,
If that be not to assurae unto yourselves a greater ' authoritative power,'
than that ye call Presbyterial ? Yea, than ever was the Episcopal ? "
Among his "Annotations'' A. S. notices, in course, the passage in
the "Narration," where it is stated by its authors, that they had " no
preferment or worldly respects" to shape their opinions for. On thisj
he put several queries, one being " What ' preferment' or ' worldly res
pects' could they have, that refused them when they were offered unto
thera, and prefened death and perpetual exile, before good fat Bishop
rics?" Adding, "We know king James's round answer when some
asked him ' Wherefore he prefen-ed not good men to bishoprics ? The
devil an honest man,' says he, ' will accept them ! '" » Nothing of any
historical importance presents itself through a succession of pages, nor
even of powerful reasoning ; the character of the composition being
carping and disputatious, with abundance of elenchs and quiddities ;
we may, however, stop to transcribe what this writer thought of the
Apologists, " That they condemn not others who approve of set Forms
of Prayers ' prescribed,' and the ' Liturgy.' But whether these of New
England," he tells us, " and others of their profession, will not condemn
them in this, we know not. I wish that this were not added i-ather in a
compliance with the present time than otherwise ! " ''
The Apologists had said that nothing was written to show " a clear
patent" from Christ for authoritative Classical Govemraent, "^ befor*
those books written by two Divines of Scotiand, one of England, and
others of Holland. " Here ye raistake," says A. S., "for we can pro
duce you sundry others of good note, here printed in London. We
'I'- 11- 'P-SS. <= Ap. Nar. p. 15.

CHAP. XLVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 253
are sorry ye have not seen them, or disdained to read them. If there
were not many written ' before' those, it was in pity of your aflliction.
Neither thought they your party so considerable : neither were your
opinions much known or published abroad ; being only written in En
glish, and not in Latin, except by one or two of your Divines, for any
thing 1 know. Neither thought they that ye were so averse from their
Discipline, as ye appear in this Asserably ; but that ye suffered only
for not conforming yourselves unto Episcopal Gevernment." *
He tells them, that reasons dependent on the charge against " Con
gregational Government," '' that there is " no allowed sufficient remedy"
for various evils, induced his side to think, " That these reasons, within
these two years, have raade you to refine your opinion, and to raould
some new solutions, and to suit your opinions raore close to the cur
rent of the tirae than you were wont to do." "
" As for rayself," he writes, " I believe truly, that ye be very learned,
pious, and honest raen ; and howsoever ye raay fail by infirmity, yet
believe I not that ye err out of malice ; and, consequentiy, that ye are
no Schismatics hitherto. And I hope and am confident, that God will
not permit that so good and godly men fall away from his church.
And this I say by moral probability, because of the good opinion I have
conceived of you by good men's relations, and some observation of your
carriages in the small conversation I have had with some of you." ''
" You disclaim not ' Brownisra and their opinions' absolutely, but
with a restriction and secundum quid ; videlicet, ' as they have stated
and maintained tiiem.' = By another limitation, namely, that ye ' differ
much from them,' ^ not in re, sed in modo rei, it may be, ye hold and
maintain the same ' opinions,' but not in the same ' way !' "s " Ye also
declare what ye confess and ' believe,' namely, ' the truth to lie in a
middle way betwixt Brownism, and the authoritative Presbyterial
Government,' But this is nothing but your error. Verity consisteth not
in the 'middle' of this or that which ye iraagine; but in a conformity
of our conceptions with their object and due measure ; which, in this
matter, is only God's Word revealed in the holy Scriptures. And, ac
cording to this rule, I take Presbyterian Govemment rather to be the
'middle' betwixt Popish tyranny and Independent anarchy." ''
As a specimen of this writer's analogical reasoning, this single position
may suffice, " God in the Old Testament granted no Toleration of divers
religions, or disciplines; and the New Testament requireth no less union
amongst Christians than the Old amongst the Jews!'''
On the place where the Apologists coraplain of calumnies and re
proaches cast upon theii persons, and that their " silence" was inter
preted that they were either " ashamed" of their opinions, or able to
say but little for them ; '' their present opponent answers, "If any man
hath uttered any such expressions out of malice, or contempt of your
persons, they are to be blamed : If out of zeal to the truth, and of the
good opinion they have of you, I believe ye will not blame them ; for
all good men esteem you to be very godly men ; and no raen of learning

* p. 36.

" Ap. Nar. 15.

« P. 37.

" P. 56.

• Ap. Nar. p. 23.

f lb. p. 24.

e P. 60.

h P. 61.

' P. 62.

k Ap. Nar. p. 25.

254 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
know you, but know you to be very learned men, as some of your books
testify abundantly. But if ' littie' can be said, to the purpose, for that
cause which ye maintain, what marvel is it, that ye can ' say littie' for
it ? Neither can honest men doubt but an ill man can and will say more
for it than all ye Five can say, so soon as ye have considered it more
profoundly, and the better raen ye be, the less ye will have to say ! Ye
are not so able to maintain an ill cause, as an ill raan [is]"* " The two
Houses would never recommend men thither, either ignorant or vicious,
but the learnedest and godliest of the kingdora ; so this your Apology
is unseasonable. Only this needs an apology. That being ' Members
of the Assembly,' ye will not submit yourselves unto the Assembly of
Divines, but take odd ways, proper to you Five alone, to publish par
ticular Apologies, and desire a particular Toleration ; which no other
' Members of the Assembly' do. But as for this, transeat cum caeteris
erroribus."^ "Ye excuse yourselves frora false 'doctrine ;''^ whereof, no
raan accuseth yon."** That this piece^ was not suffered to pass unnoticed,
will be seen in the appropriate place.

CHAP. XLIX.
BAILLIE.  cotton's " KEYS."  SION's VIRGINS.
In the forty-sixth chapter, we availed ourselves of sorae of the pub
lished confidential relations and sentiments of Robert Baillie, and we
dismissed him there, •' under the influence of foreboded apprehension.
It has been seen, in the interval, what other disputants were employed
upon ; the dependent matters being kept in useful contiguity. On re
turning, to connect and continue in orderly succession, fiirther details
of practices and infomiation exposed and recorded by the Scottish con
spirator, we find him stating, that " Sundry things were in hands, but
nothing in readiness to come in public ; for this reason, among others,
' P. G6. b p. 69. c Ap. Nar. p. 28. <l P. 70.
« Other pieces bearing the narae of " Adara Steuart," are—
" Zerubbabel to Sanballat and Tobiah : Or, The First Part of the Duply to M.S.
alias Two Brethren. — Imprim. Mar. 17, 1644." 4to.
" Tbe Second Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren : Wherein are
maintained. The King's, Parliament's, and all Civil Magistrates' Authority about
the Church. Subordination of Ecclesiastical Judicatories : refuted. Independency
of Particular Congregations. The Licentiousness of wicked Conscience, and Tole
ration of all sorts of most detestable Schisms, Heresies, and Religions ; as Idolatry,
Paganism, Turcism, Judaism, Arianism, Brownism, Anabaptism, &c., which M.S.
maintain in their Books.— With a Brief Epitome and Refutation of all the whole
Independent Government. Most Humbly submitted to the King's Most Excellent
Majesty : 'To the Most Honourable Houses of Parliament : The Most Reverend and
Learned Divines of the Assembly : And all tbe Protestant Churches in this Island
and Abroad.— Oct. 3, 1644. Imprim. Ja. Cranford.— Lond. 1644." 4to pp 194
There was published also in 1644, "A Short Answer to the Second Part of his
overgrown 'Duply to tbe Two Brethren.'" 4to
' See back, p. 220.

CHAP. XLIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 255
many were the more willing to have the Assembly adjourned for the
holidays of Zuil [Christmas], much against our minds. . . Yet we pre
vailed vrith our friends' of the lower house, to cai-ry it so in Parliaraent,
that both houses did profane that holy day, by sitting on it, to our joy,
and some of the Assembly's shame." *
" One of the committee-matters," he continues, " is the Psalter. . .
Mr. Nye spake much against a tie to any psalter, and something against
the singing of paraphrases, as of preaching of homilies. We, under-
lutnd, will mightily oppose it ; for the Psalter is a great part of our
unifonnity, which we cannot let pass till our church be well advised
with it" i"
" Some of the Anabaptists came to the Assembly's Scribe with a
Letter, inveighing against our Covenant, and can-ying with them
a printed sheet oP ' Admonitions to the Assembly' from an old English
Anabaptist at Amsterdam, to give a full liberty of conscience to all
sects, and to beware of keeping any Sabbath, and such like. The Scribe
offered to read all in the Assembly. Here rose a quick enough debate.
Goodwin, Nye, and their party, by all raeans pressing the neglect, con
tempt, and suppressing all such fantastic papers : others were as vehe
ment for the taking notice of thera, that the Parliament might be
acquaint therewith, to see to the remedy of these dangerous sects. The
matter was left to be considered as the committees should think fit ;
but many marvelled at Goodwin and Nye's vehemency in that matter.
Yet the day following, their passion gave greater offence. We were
called out before twelve, to dine with old Sir Henry Vane. . . The ques
tion carae. What should follow the Widows ? There were left some
branches of the apostles and evangelists' duties yet undiscussed. We
thought these questions needless, and wished they had been passed ;
but sundry, by all means would have them in, of design to have the
dependency of particular congregations fi-om the aposties in matters of
ordination and jurisdiction determined. The Independents, foreseeing
the prejudice such a determination might bring to their cause, by all
means strove lo decline that dispute ; as indeed it is marked by all, that
to the uttermost of their power, hitherto they have studied procrastina
tion of all things, finding that by time they gained [!] We indeed did
not rauch care for delays, till the breath of our army might blow upon
us some more favour and strength. However, that day, we being gone,
the one party pressing the debate of 'the aposties' power over congre
gations ;' the other, sharply declining, there fell in betwixt Goodwin
and Burgess hotter words than were expected frora Goodwin. Mr. Mar
shall composed all so well as he could. Men's humours, opinions,
engagements, are so far different, that I ara afraid for the issue. We
doubt not to can-y all in the Asserably and Pariiaraent clearly accord
ing to our mind ; but if we carry not the Independents with us, there
will be ground laid for a very troublesome schism. Always it is our
care to use our utmost endeavours to prevent that dangerous evil ; and
in this our purpose, above any other, we had need help of your
prayers."^ * Let. 41, " For Scotland" Jan. 1. 1644. P. 411.
•" Ibid. ' P. 412.

256 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
" We had, as I wrote, obtained a sub-committee of: five to join with
us for preparing to the great committee some matenals for a Directory.
At our first meeting, foi- the first hour, we raade pretty progress, to see
what shoidd be the work of an ordinary Sabbath, separate from fasts,
communions, baptisms, marriage. Here came the first question, about
Readers. . . Always these of best note about London are now m use, in
the desk, to pray, and read in the Simday raorning four chapters, and
expone [expound J some of them ; and cause sing two psalms, and then
go to the pulpit to preach. We are not against the minister's readmg
and exponing when he does not preach : we fear [lest] it put preachmg
in a more narrow and discreditable room than we could wish, if all this
work be laid on the minister before he preach. . . As for the minister's
bowing in the pulpit, we did misken it [let it alone] ; for, besides the
Independents' vehemency against it, there is no such*custora here used
by any. . . While we are sweetiy debating, . . in came Mr. Goodwin,
who, incontinent, essayed to tura all upside down, to reason against all
Directories. . . All these our debates, private and public, I have in writ . .
The most of all the Assembly write ; as, also, all the people almost,
men, women, and children, write at preaching. . . He troubled us so,
that after long debates we could conclude nothing. For the help of this
evil, we thought it best to speak with him in private ; so we invited
him to dinner, and spent an afternoon with him very sweetiy. It were
a thousand pities of that man ; he is of many excellent parts." *
" Fail not," adds the subtle writer, in a letter to his cousin Spang,
bearing the date of the foregoing, " when onr Letters come, as quickly
they will, to obtain from your folk, and if ye can, from these of Swit
zerland, France, and Geneva, a grave and weighty admonition to this
Assembly, to be careful to suppress all schismatics, and the mother and
foster[er] of all, the independency of congregations. This counsel will
be very seasonable, and will be well taken, I assure you, both by Par
liament and Assembly, and all, except some few who are guilty of the
fault"'' In the next, " To Scotiand," he tells them, " In the debating of a
proposition, anent [concemingj the Pastor's power to judge who was
meet to be admitted to the Table, and who to be excluded, and who to
be excommunicated ; there were sundry weighty questions stated, espe
cially that of excoraraunication, by Mr. Selden, avowing, with Erastus,
that there is no such censure in Scripture, and what it was, was merely
civil : also, that of suspension from the sacrament ; the Independents
denying the lawfulness of all such censures. . . And at last, the commit
tee gave in their propositions anent Ordination ... To day the debate will
begin : the Independents, holding off with long weapons, and debating
all things too prolixly which come within twenty miles of their quarters,
were taken up sundry times somewhat sharply, both by divines and par
liament-men ; to whom their replies ever were quick and high, at will.
At last, foreseeing that they behoved, ere long, to come to the poiii*;
they put out in print, on a sudden, 'An Apologetic NaiTation' of their
- P. 413.— "Mr Rutherfurd's other large book against Ibe Independents is in the
press, ajid will do good." Ibid. d l^^^ ^^^ 419,

CHAP. XLIX. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 257
way, which had long lien ready beside them ; wherein they petition the
Parliament, in a mos|, sly and cunning way, for a Toleration ; and
withal, lend too bold wipes to all the Refonned churches, as imperfect yet
in their reformation, while their new model be embraced, which they
set out so well as they are able. This piece, abruptiy they presented to
the Assembly ; giving to every raeraber a copy : also they gave books to
some of either house. That same day, they invited us, and some prin
cipal men of the Asserably, to a very great feast, when we had not read
their book, so no word of that matter was betwixt us ; but so soon as we
looked on it, we were mightily displeased therewith, and so were the most
of the Assembly, and we found a necessity to answer it, for the vindica
tion of our church from their aspersions. What both we and others shall
reply, ye will hf^ar ere long in print. The thing itself coming out at
this time, was very apt to have kindled a fire ; and it seeras both the
devil and some raen intended it, to contribute to the very wicked plot at
that same instant a-working, but shortly after discovered almost miracu
lously.* Yet, God, who overpowers both devils and men, I hope shall
turn that engine upon the face of its crafty contrivers, and make it advan
tageous for our cause." ''
" Being wearied with the length of their proceedings, and foreseeing
an appearance of a breach with the Independents, we used all the means
we could, while the weather was fair, to put them to the spurs. . . We
wrote a common Letter to the commission of our" church, desiring a
Letter from them to us, for putting us to more speed, in such terms
as we raight show it to the Assembly. . . Likewise, we pressed the sub
committee, to go on in the Directory. At that meeting, Mr. Goodwin
brought Mr. Nye with him ; which we thought an impudent intrusion,
but took no notice of 11.""=
" Manchester, in our Synod, in the name of the Lords, did move to
expedite the point of Ordination, that so gracious youths who so long
' Called Sir Basil Brook's, or the Oxford plot. — " The ways of the Court are des
perately irritative ; and if they continue a little, may have more dangerous effects
for the contrivers than ever. The plottings are incessant. They thought to have
given us a new-year's gift, which God in his great goodness, at the very nick, did
prevent. . . There was rauch speech also of the Independents treating at Oxford at
the sarae time. I know they have offers from the Court of all they require."
P. 423, 424. " My Lord Lovelace offered, in tbe King's name, all Sir Harry [Vane
the younger] could require to his person and party ; withal assuring that many
were making their peace at Oxford, especially one for himself, and all tender
consciences ; that is, my Lord Say, for himself, and the Independents." P. 427.
Another, called Ogle's plot, is described in this Letter, p. 428.
'¦ Let. 43. Feb. 18, 1644. p. 420, under date, ante Jan. 3. — " The other day,
His Excellency, my Lord Essex, came to the Assembly, . . where, after he had
given his oath, as the form is . . he was welcomed by an harangue from the prolo
cutor. We had so contrived it with my Lord Wharton, that the Lords that day did
petition [!] the Assembly [that] tbey might have one of the divines to attend their
house for a week, as it came about, to pray to God with them. Some days there
after the lower house petiUoned [I] for the same. Both their desires were gladly
granted; for by this means, the relics of the Service-bo-.ik which, till then, was
every day used in both houses, are at last banished. Paul's and 'Westminster are
purged of their images, organs, and all which gave offence. My Lord Manchester
made two fair bonfires of such trinkets at Cambridge." P. 421.
'Ibid. p. 421, 422.
II. S

25S HISTOPvlGAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
have expected, may be admitted. A commiltee drew up two projiosi-
tions for that end: 1. That in extraordinary cases, something extraor
dinary raight be done; keeping always so near to the rule as may be:
2. That for the present necessity, the ministers of London inay be ap
pointed by the houses of pariiament, to ordain ministers for London.
The Independents, do what we are all able, have kept us debating these
fourteen days on these two propositions; but littie to their advantage,
for I hope this day .shall conclude the propositions. And now all the
worid proclaims in their faces, that they, and they only, have been the
retarders of the Assembly, to the evident hazard of the church's safety,
which will not be much longer suffered."*
" After our fourteen days' debate, for a present way of Ordination ; . .
when we were ready to conclude it, upon my Lord Say's harangue, and
vehement desire, it was laid aside ; and . . we fell on the long-wished for
subject of the Presbytery : whereupon we have been skirmishing ever
since. The proposition we stick on is, That no particular congregation
raay be under the goverament of one classical presbytery. The Inde
pendents agree for the negative. But finding that all they brought yet,
was but vellications on quiddities, the most was impatient of their ways;
so much the more as, this day, being pressed to answer to the Scrip
tures which the committee had given in for the affimiative, they were
obstinate to end first their negative. They promised at last, to come to
their Scriptural objections ; but would not name their Scriptures before
hand : by this the most took them rather to seek vantage and victory,
than the truth in so ingenuous a way as tiiey professed. However, the
matter cannot take long debate.
" The heat and clamorous confusion of this Assembly is, oftentimes,
greater than with us. The reason, I think, is their way, both in As
sembly and parliament, to divest the Speaker, and Prolocutor, of all
authority, and tum them to a very and mere chair[man], as they call
thera. " We raind yet again to essay the Independents in a privy confe
rence, if we can draw them to a reasonable accommodation ; for, to
that Toleration they aim at, we cannot consent. . The Anabaptists and
Antinomians increase ; which yet cannot be helped."''
" How great things are presently in hand ! "The highest affairs, both
of church and state, being now in agitation ; the diligence and power
both of devils and all kinds of human enemies, being in their extreme
bent-sail of opposition, either now or never to overthrow us. . . It is said,
these of Oxford are so far fallen as to acknowledge the parliament at
Westminster, and to put down Episcopacy, and to disclaim the cessation
of Ireland. If our march to Newcastle has procured thus much, I hope
our taking of it shall obtain the rest. . . A course will be shortly taken
with all sectaries, and is begun already. The misorders which are, at
this time, in New England, will make the Independents more willing to
accommodate and comply with us.""^
» p. 430. *¦ P. 430, 431.
" p. 433, 434.— In p. 430, of this long Letter, or Journal, Baillie says, "Canter
bury [Laud] every week is before the lords, for his trial ; but we have so much to
do: and he is a person now so contemptible; that we take no notice of his process."

CHAP. XLIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 259
We revert, at this place, to the companion piece noticed in oiir forty-
third chapter;* because some particulars are contained in the preliminary
address " To the Reader,"subscribed by the English publishers, pertinent
to some of those copied from Baillie, who, by the bye, has not yet al
luded to this tract, intituled " The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven,
and Power thereof. According to the Word of God. By that Learned
and Judicious Divine, Mr. John Cotton, Teacher of the Church at Bos
ton in New England. Tending to reconcile some present Differences
about Discipline.— Published by Tho. Goodwin and Philip Nye. 1644."
4to.pp. 59.'' .
" The greatest commotions in kingdoms," say tiiese editorial invin-
cibles, " have, for the most part, been raised and maintained for and
about Power and Liberties of the Rulers and Ruled. . . And the like hath
fallen out in churches ; and is continued to this day, in the sharpest
contentions, — though now the seat of the war is changed, — Who should
be the first adequate and coraplete subject of that Church-power which
Christ hath left on earth: how bounded, and to whom committed. This
controversy is, in a special manner, the lot of these present times. And
now, that raost parties that can pretend anything towards it, have, in
several ages, had their turns and vicissitudes of so long a possession of it ;
and, that their pleas for their several pretences have been so much and
so long heard ; it raay well be hoped it is near determining, and that
Christ will, shortiy, settie this Power upon the right heirs, to whora he
primitively did bequeath it
" In those fonner darker times, this golden Ball"^ was thrown up by
tiie Clergy — so called — alone to run for among themselves. And as they
quietly possessed the name KXrjpoe — The Clergy, and [that] of 'Church'
appropriated to themselves ; so answerably, all raanner of interest in
Power, or cognizance of raatters of the church, was wholly left and
quitted to them : while the People, that knew not the law, having given
up their souls to an implicit faith in what was to be believed, did much
more suffer themselves to be deprived of [all] liberties in church-affairs.
And this royal donation, bestowed by Christ upon his church, was
taken up and placed in the [so] high Thrones of bishops, popes, general-
councils, etc., not only far above these things on earth — the People;
but things iJi heaven also, — we mean the angels and ministers of the
churches themselves, — in so great a remoteness from the People, that
the least right or interest therein, was not so rauch as suspected to be
long to them. But towards these latter times, after raany removals of it
down again ; and this as the issue of many suits again and again re
newed and removed, and upon the sentence — even of whole states — as
often reversed ; it hath now, in these our days, been brought so near unto
the People, that they also have begun to plead and sue for a share, por
tion, and legacy, bequeathed them in it ; the saints, in these knowing
times, finding, that ' the key of knowledge' * hath so far opened their
hearts, that they see, with their own eyes, into the substantials of god
liness ; and that, through the instruction and guidance of their teachers,
" See back, p. 163.
'' And, in the same year, '• A second time imprinted :" also, pp. 59.
' A play upon the name of the author of the " Friendly Trial." ^ Luke xi. 52.
s 2

260 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
[they] are enabled to understand for themselves such other things as
they are to join in [the] practice of: [they do, therefore, further, many of
them, begin raore than to suspect that some share m the Key ot i-ower
should, likewise, appertain unto them,]*
" It was the unhappiness of those who first, in these latter times,
revived this plea of the People's right, to en' on the other extreme,— as
it hath ever been the fate of Truth, when it first ariseth, in the church,
from under that long night of darkness which antichnstianisra had
brought upon the worid, to have a long shadow of error to accompany
it,  by laying the plea and claim, on their behalf, unto the whole
power ; and that the Elders set over thera did but exercise that power for
them : which was, properly, theirs; and which Christ had, as they con
tended, radically and originally estated in the People only !
" But, after that all titles have been pleaded of those that are con
tent with nothing but the whole, the final judgment and sentence
may, possibly, fall to be a suitable and due proportioned distribution
and dispersion of this Power into several interests, and the whole to
neither part.
" In Commonwealths, it is a dispersion of several portions of power
and rights into several hands, jointiy to concur and agree in acts and
process of weight and moment, which causeth that healthful Kpdais and
constitution of them which makes them lasting, and preserves their
peace ; when none, of all sorts, find they are excluded, but that, as they
have a share of concernraent, so a fit raeasure of Power, or privilege, is
left and betmsted to thera. And, accordingly, the wisdom of the first
constitutors of commonwealths is raost seen in such a just balancing of
power and privileges ; and besides also, in setting the exact limits of that
which is committed unto each : yea, and is more admired by us in this
than in their other laws. And in experience, a clear and distinct define-
ment and confinement of all such parcels of Power — both for the kind
and extent of thera — is judged to be as essentially necessary, if not more,
than whatever other statutes that set out the kinds and degrees of crimes
or penalties.
" So, in that Polity, or Govemraent, by which Christ would have
his churches ordered, the right disposal of the power therein — we humbly
suppose — may lie in a due and proportioned allotment and dispersion,
though not in the sarae raeasure and degree, into divers hands ; ac
cording unto the several concernments and interests that each rank, in
his church, may have ; rather than in an entire and sole trust committed
to any one man, though never so able ; or any one sort or kind of men
or officers, although diversified into never so many subordinations under
one another. And, in like manner, we cannot but imagine that Christ
hath been as exact in setting forth the true bounds and limits of what
ever portion of Power he hath imparted unto any — if we, of this age,
could attain rightiy to discern it — as he bath been in ordering what
kind of Censures, and for what sins ; and what degrees of proceedings
unto those censures ; which we find he hath been punctual in.
" Now, the scope which this grave and judicious Author, in this his
treatise, doth pursue, is to lay forth the just lines and terriers of this
• Added, in Edit. 2nd.

CHAP. XLIX.3 RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 261
division of Church-power unto all the several subjects of it; to the end,
to allay the contentions now on loot about it. And in general, he lays
this fundamental maxim that holds, in common, true of all the parti
culars to whom any portion of Power can be supposed to be committed.
That, look, whatever power or right any of the possessors and subjects
thereof may have, they have it, each alike, immediately — that is, in
respect of a mediation of delegation or dependence on each other — from
Christ ; and so, are each, the first subjects of that power that is allotted
to them I And for the particular subjects themselves, he follows that divi
sion . . which the controversy hath made, . . to wit. What power each,
single, congregation — which is endowed with a charter to be a body-
politic to Christ — hath granted to it, to exercise within itself: and,
What measure, or rather, kind, of power, Chiist hath placed in
neighbour-churches without it, and in association with it.
" For the first ; as he supposeth each congregation such as to have
the privilege of enjoying a Presbytery — or company of more or less
Elders, proper unto itself; so, being thus presbyterated, he asserteth
this incorporate body or society, to be the first and primary subject of
a complete and entire Power, within itself, over its own members ; yea,
and the sole native subject of the power of ordination, and excommuni
cation, which is the highest censure. And, whereas this corporation
consisteth both of Elders and Brethren, — for, as for women and chil
dren, there is a special exception, by a statute-law of Christ, against
their enjoyment of any part of this public power ; his scope is, to de
monstrate a distinct and several share and interest of power, in matters
of common concernment, vouchsafed to each, and dispersed araong
both, by charter from the Lord. . . And, because these particular con
gregations, both Elders and People, may disagree and miscarry, and
abuse this power committed to them ; he, therefore, secondly, asserteth
an association [or communion] of churches, sending their elders and
messengers into a Synod,— so he, pur])osely, chooseth to style those
Assemblies of Elders which the Reformed churches do call Classes, or
Presbyteries, that so he might distinguish them from those presbyteries
of congregations before mentioned ;— and . . [acknowledgeth] that it is
an ordinance of Christ, unto whom Christ hath,— in relation to rectifying
mal-administrations and healing dissensions in particular congregations,
and the like cases, — committed a due and just measure of power suited
and proportioned to those ends, and furnished them not only with ability
to give counsel and advice, but, further, [upon such occasions] with a
ministerial power and authority to detennine, declare, and enjoin, such
things as may tend to the reducing such congregations to right order
and peace. Only in his bounding and defining this power, he affirms it
to be, both for the kind and quality of it, but a dogmatical or doctrinal
power — though stamped with authority ministerial, as an ordinance of
Christ, — [whether] in judging of controversies of faith — [when they]
disturb the peace of particular congregations, and, [which] thera
selves find, too difficitit for thera, — [or, in] discerning matters
of fact, and what censures they do deserve ; but, jiot arraed with
authority and power of excoraraunicating, or delivering unto Satan
either the eongi-egations or the members of thera : but they, in such

262 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
cases, having declared and judged the nature of the offence, and adnio-
iiished the peccant churches, and disceraed what they ought to do with
their offending members, are to leave the fonnal act of this censure to
that authority which can only execute it, placed by Chiist in those
churches themselves; which, if they deny to do, or persist in their
miscarriage, then to determine to withdraw communion from them.
And, also, for the extent of this power in such assemblies, and associa
tion of churches ; he limits and confines that also unto cases, and with
cautions, . . to wit. That they should not intrench or impair the privi
lege of entire jurisdiction, comraitted unto each congregation, — as a
liberty purchased them by Christ's blood, — but to leave them free to
the exercise and use thereof, until they abuse that power, or are unable
to manage it ; and in that case only, to assist, guide, and direct thein,
and not to take on them [selves] to administer it for them, but with
them, and by them.
"As for ourselves, we are yet neither afraid nor ashamed to make
profession — in the midst of all the high waves on both sides dashing
on us, — that the substance of this brief extract [summary] from tiie
Author's larger discourse, is that very ' middle-way' which, in our
'Apology,'* we did in the general intimate and intend, between that
which is called 'Brownism,' and the Presbyterial-governraent as itis
practised. Whereof the one doth, in effect, put the chief, if not the
whole, of the rule and government into the hands of the People, and
drowns the Elders' votes, who are but a few, in the major part of theirs;
and the other, taking the chief and the principal parts of that rule —
which we conceive is the due of each congregation, the elders and bre
thren, — into this jurisdiction of a common presbytery of several con
gregations, doth thereby, in like raanner, swallow up not only the
interests of the people, but even the votes of the elders of that congre
gation concerned, in the major part thereof.
" Neither let it seem arrogance in us, but a testimony rather to the
truth, further to remonstrate that this very boundary -platform and dis-
posement of church-power, as here it is, — we speak for the substance
of it, — set out and stated ; as, also, that the tenure and exercise thereof
in all these subjects, should be immediately from Christ unto them all;
is not now new unto our thoughts. Yea, it is no other than what our
own . . apprehensions have been moulded unto long since. And this,
many of our friends, and some that are of a differing opinion, having
known our private judgiuents long, as likewise, our own notes and
transcripts written long ago, can testify ; besides raany public profes
sions since, as occasion hath been offered. Insorauch, as when we
first read this of this learned Author, — knowing what hath been the
more general current both of the practice and judgment, of our bre
thren for the Congregational-way, — we confess we were filled with
wonderment at that Divine hand that had [thus] led the judgraents —
without the least mutual interchange or intimation of thoughts or
notions in these particulars, — of our brethren there, '' and ourselves,
unworthy to be mentioned with them here. Only we crave leave of the
» See lack, p. 228. ''America.

CIIAP. XLIX. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 263
Reverend Author, and those bretiiren that had the view of it, to declare
that we assent not to all expressions scattered up and down, or all and
every assertion interwoven in it : yea, nor to all the grounds or allega
tions of Scriptures ; nor should we have, in all things, perhaps, used
the same terms to express the same materials by.
" For instance ; we humbly conceive ' prophesying,' as the Scriptui-e
terms it, or speaking to the edification of the whole church, may, some
times, be performed by brethren, gifted, though not in office, as
elders of the church; only, first, occasionally; not in an ordinary-
course : secondly, hy men of such abilities as are fit for office : and,
thirdly, not assuming this of themselves ; but judged such by those
that have the power, and so allowed and designed to it : and, fourthly,
so as their doctrine be subjected, for the judging of it, in an especial
manner, to the Teaching Elders of that churchi And when it is thus
cautioned, we see no more incongruity for such, to speak to a point of
divinity in a congregation, than for men of like abilities to speak to
and debate of matters of religion in an Assembly of Divines ; which this
Reverend Author allows, and here, with us, is practised !
"Again; in all humility; we j'et see not that assembly of apos
tles, elders, and brethren. Acts xv., to have been a forraal synod of
messengers sent out of a set and corabined association from neighbour
churches ; but an asserably of the church of Jerusalera and of the mes
sengers from the church of Antioch alone. . . It may be observed, with
what a wary eye, and exact aim, he [the learned Author] takes the
latitude and elevation of that Power there held forth ; not daring to at
tribute the least, either for kind or degree, than what that example
warrants ; which was, at utmost, but a doctrinal discernment both of
the truth of that controversy they were consulted in, as also the raatter
of fact in those that had taught the contrary ; . . without so much as
brandishing the sword and power of excommunication, against those . .
that should not obey them [inj that epistle.
" Only, in the last place ; for the further clearing the difference of
the People's interest, — which the Reverend Author usually calleth
' liberty,' sometimes ' power,' — and the Elders' rule and authority ; . .
we take the boldness to cast a weak beam of our dim light upon either
of these. . . We conceive the 'Elders and Brethren,' in each congrega
tion, as they are usually in the New Testament thus mentioned dis-
tinctiy apart ; and this, when their meeting together is spoken of ; so
they make, in each congregation, two distinct interests ; . . so as, with
out the consent and concun-ence of both, nothing is esteeraed as a
church act : but so as, in this corapany of Elders, this power is pro
perly, authority ; butin the People, [there] isaprivilege, or power. . .The
like difference would appear, if we had seen a [civil] government tera-
pered of an aristocracy and democracy ; in which, suppose the People
have a share, and their actual consent is necessary to all laws and sen
tences : whereas a few Nobles that are set over them, — whose concem
ment is less general, — in whom, the fonnal sanction of all, should lie ;
in these, it were rule and authority ; in that multitude, but power and
interest : and such an authority is to be given to a presbytery of elders
in a particular congregation, or else, — as we have, long since, been

264 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
resolved, — all that is said in the New Testament about their rule, and
of the People's obedience to them, is to be looked upon but as meta
phors, and to hold no proportion with any substantial reality of rule
and government. And in this distribution of power, Christ hath had a
suitable and due regard unto the estate and condition of his Church, as
now, under the New Testament, he hath qualified and dignified it. . .
" We need not enlarge the application of this. Although a greater
asserably of elders are to be reverenced as more wise and able, than a
few elders with their single congregations, and accordingly may have
a higher doctrinal power, — a power properly and peculiarly suited to
their abilities, — in cases of difficulty, to determine and direct congrega
tions in their way ; yet Christ hath not intrusted them with that power
he hath done the congregations : because they are abstracted from the
people ! And so, one tribe of raen, concerned in all the foreraentioned
respects, is wanting ; which Christ would have personally concurring,
not by delegation or representation alone ; not to the execution only,
but even to the legal sentence also, of cutting men off. , . And, the
higher and the greater, the association of the presbyteries are, the fur
ther are they removed from the people. . .
" Other considerations of like weight ought here to be added, . . but we
should too rauch exceed the bounds of an Epistie."
We are alraost precluded, by this long exposition of the Reverend
Publishers, from presenting a view of Cotton's raethod in his own
words. The first chapter, — "What the Keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven be; and, what their Power," — opens thus: '"The Keys
of the Kingdom of Heaven' are promised by the Lord Jesus ; the Head
and King of his Church; unto Peter, Matt. xvi. 19. The words being
allegorical, are therefore somewhat obscure ; and, holding forth honour
and power in the church, are therefore controversial : for where there
is no honour, nor pride to pursue it, there is no contention !" He then
analyzes the text, and arrives at the "busy question, How Peter is to
be considered in receiving this Power of the Keys : whether as an
apostle ; or as an elder ; * or as a believer, professing his faith before
the Lord Jesus, and his fellow brethren ? Now," says the author, "because
we are as well studious of peace as of truth, we will not lean to one of these
interpretations more than to another. Take any of thera ; it will not
hinder our purpose, in tiiis ensuing discourse ; though — to speak
ingenuously, and without offence, what we conceive — the sense of the
words will be most full if all the several considerations be taken jointly."
Thus he concludes ; that as Peter " there received the power of an
apostle. Matt. xvi. 19; so the rest of the apostles received the same
power, either there or elsewhere, John xx. 20, 21, 23 ; and the pres
bytery of each church received, if not there, yet elsewhere, the power
belonging to their office, Heb. xiii. 17; 1 Tim. v. 17; and in like sort,
each church, or congi-egation, of professed believers, received that por
tion also of church-power which belonged to them. Matt, xviii. 17 18."
In the second chapter, — "Of the Distribution of the Keys,'"— he
takes his stand upon four particulars "defective." For, first, both
among Protestants and Papists, the "key of knowledge," clavis'scien-
" I Pet. v. 1.

CHAP. XLIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 265
tice, is contradistinguished frora a " key of power," clavis potentice.
Secondly, there is a real defect " in omitting" that key which belongeth
to the church itself Thirdly, there is another, " in dividing the key
of order [ordersj from the key of jurisdiction ;" that of chancellors and
commissaries, " at raost, of the order of deacons only, whereof our Lord
spake nothing touching jurisdiction."* Fourthly, "Order [orders] is
appropriated to the Officers of the church only." But " church-order,"
properly understood, " is common to all the members of the church,
whether officers or private brethren : there is an order, as well in them
that are subject, as in thera that rule ; there is a ra^ie as well tUv
vTTOraKTiKixiv as rSiv 'ewiraicniciiv the maid, in Athenseus, '' is said
SrcpaTraivrje ra^iv eTriXajBovira, as well as her mistress.
His third chapter, assigns the keys of knowledge and order. The
first, which is one with the key of faith ;' " belongeth to all the faithful,
whether joined to any particular church, or not. . . An Indian, or pagan,
may not be received into the church till he have first received the faith
and made profession of it before the Lord and the church ; which
argueth that ' the key of knowledge' is given not only to the church
but to some before they enter into the church." The other, the key of
order, here, — "speaking, as we do, of church-order, as Paul doth,
Col. ii. 6, — belongeth to all such who are in church-order, whether
elders or brethren."
The fourth chapter treats of the " key of church-privilege, power, or
liberty." The liberties ofthe "Brethren, or ofthe church consisting of
them, are many and gi-eat'' — To choose their officers; Acts i. 16;
xiv. 23 ; vi. 3, 5, 6 : — to send forth one or more of their elders ;
Phil. ii. 25 : — power and liberty of propounding any just exception
against such as offer themselves to be admitted unto their communion,
or unto the seals of it; Acts ix. 26, 27; x. 47: — as, in case of private
scandals. Matt xviii. 15, 16; so the whole church, to join with the
elders, ver. 17; Acts xi. 2—18; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5, with ver. 2, 12, and
vi. I — 5 ; 2 Cor. ii. 7, 8. "The jury by their verdict, as well as the
judge by his sentence, do both of them judge the same malefactor; yet,
in the jury their verdict is but an act of their popular liberty, in the
judge it is an act of his judicial authority." This power, or privilege,
may reach also to an offensive elder. Acts xi. 2 — 18, as before ;
Col. iv. 17; Gal. v. 12, 13. Other liberties which the Brethren have,
are, " to resort to a synod," Acts xv. 1, 2, with ver. 7, 12 ; 22, 23 : —
to withdraw, eKKXivare,'^ frora the communion of those whom they
want authority to excommunicate : " for as they set up the presbytery
by professing subjection to them, in the Lord ; so they 'avoid' them
by professed withdrawing their subjection from them, according to
God :" — and, lastly, liberty of communion " with other churches ;" by
way of participation ; recommendation ; consultation ; congregation
into a synod ; contribution ; admonition ; propagation, or multiplica
tion of churches. "Though the apostles be dead, whose office it was
to plant, and gather, and multiply, churches ; yet the work is not dead.

* " Christ hath given no jurisdiction but to whom he hath given office."
' De Epicure, lib. xi. ' Luke xi. 52 ; Isai. liii. 11 ; John x

p. 10.
ixvii. 3.
'' Rom. xvi. 17.

266 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAKLKS I.
but the sarae power of the keys is left with the churches in common ;
and with each particular church for her part ; according to their mea
sure, to propagate and enlarge the kingdom of Christ, throughout all
generations I"
"To whom the Key of Authority is committed," heads the fifth
chapter. Cotton adduces here, 1 Tim. v. 17, and Heb. xiii. 7, 17;
with Tit. ii. 15, and Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. But, to found, or base,
upon these texts barely, the " authority" or rule, whatever it be, which
is intended under this head ; appears to us littie better than a non
sequitur ; and, granting that the " rule" imports what is, or has been,
asserted of it, by whom, we ask, is the qualification, KaXdg, " well," to
be satisfactorily judged ? So, too, of iwiTayrje, " authority," in Titus ?
That the ordering or management of each particular church is in the
ot irpoetrruiTeQ irpecrjivTepoi, those who preside over it, follows, pro re
nata. The following passage sums up the author's reasoning here :
" The elders, to be both ' servants,' 2 Cor. iv. 5, and rulers of the
church, raay both of them stand well together ; for their ' rule' is not
lordly, as if they ruled of themselves, or frora themselves ; but stewardly
and ministerial, as ruling the church from Christ, and also from their
call : and withal, ruling the church for Christ ; and the church, even
for their spiritual everlasting good. A queen may call her servants, her
mariners, to pilot and conduct her over the sea to such a haven ; yet
they being called by her to such an office, she must not rule them in
steering their course, but raust submit herself to be ruled by them, till
they have brought her to her desired haven : so is the case between the
church and her elders !"
The sixth chapter is " Of the Power and Authority given to Synods."
The Reverend publishers have enlarged so much on this place, that we
shall content ourselves with the point in it which has reference to
synods enjoining things, in their nature and use, "indifferent." Cotton
denies thera any such power, pleaded for from Matt, xxviii. 19, 20;
and he says, " that much urged and much abused place in 1 Cor. xiv. 40,
will not reach it. For, though Paul, requiring that all the duties of
God's worship . . should be perfonned ' decently and orderly ;'
thereby, forbiddeth any performance thereof undecently . . he doth not
at all . . enjoin such things as decent whose want, or whose contrary, is
not undecent ; nor such orders, whose want, or contrary, would be no
disorder. Suppose the church of Corinth, — or any other church, or
synod, — should enjoin their ministers to preach in a gown : a gown is
a decent garment to preach in ; yet such an injunction is not gi-ounded
upon that text ; . . for then, a minister, in neglecting to preach in a
gown, should neglect the commandment of the apostie, which yet
indeed he doth not ; for if he preach in a cloak, he preacheth 'decentiy'
enough, and that is all which the apostle's canon reacheth to. In these
things, Christ never provided for uniformity, but only for unity."
The seventii [and concludingj chapter, and the longest, is headed,
" Touching the first subject, of all the forementioned Power of the
Keys. And an explanation of Independency." The introductory para
graphs are devoted to tiie subject of the Headship of Christ. " The
good pleasure of the Father; the personal union of the human nature

CIIAP. XLIX. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 267
with the eternal Son of God ; his purchase of his church with his own
blood, and his deep humiliation of himself unto the death of the cross;
have, all of them, obtained to him this his highest exaltation, to be
'"Head over all things unto the church,' Eph. i. 22, and to enjoy, as
King thereof, this sovereign power. Col. i. 19; ii. 2,9,10; Acts xx. 28;
Phil. ii. 8 — 11. But, of this sovereign power of Christ, there is no
question amongst Protestants especially studious of reformation."
Concerning the "ministerial power," Cotton propounds in this treatise,
that " a particular church, or congregation of saints, professing the
Faith; taken, indefinitely,* for any church — one as well as another —
is the first subject of all the church-offices, with all their spiritual gifts
and power, which Christ hath given to be executed araongst them.
'Whether' it be 'Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas ; . . all are yours ;' speak
ing to the church of Corinth, 1 Cor. iii. 22, not as a peculiar privilege
unto them, but common to them with any other particular church.
And, theirs was such a church, of whom it is said that they carae all
together 'into one place," for the communication of their spiritual gifts,
1 Cor. xiv. 23. And Paul telleth the same church, that God hath set
the officers, and their gifts, and all variety of members and tneir func
tions, in his 'church ;' xii. 28. . .
" In the New Testament, it is not a new observation that we never
read of any National Church, nor of any national officers given to them
by Christ. . . And yet we willingly grant, that particular churches, of
equal power, may, in some cases appointed by Christ, meet together by
themselves, or by their messengers, in a synod, and may perforra
sundry acts of power there. . . But the officers themselves, and all the
brethren members of the synod, yea, and the synods themselves, and
all the power they put forth ; they are all of them primarily given to
the several churches of particular congregations, either as the first
subject in whom they are resident, or as the first object about whora
they are conversant, and for whose sake they are gathered and em
ployed. . .
"That ample and universal latitude of power which was conjoined in
the apostles, is now divided, even by themselves, araongst all the
churches, and all the officers of the churches respectively ; the officers
of each church attending tiie charge of the particular church committed
to them, by virtue of their office ; and yet none of them neglecting the
good of other churches, so far as they may be mutually helpful to one
another in the Lord.
" When the church of a particular congregation walketh together in
the Truth, and peace, the Brethren of the church are the first subject
of ' church-liberty,' and the Elders thereof of 'church authority;' and
both together are the first subject of 'all church-power' needful to be
exercised within themselves ; whether in the election and ordination of
officers, or in the censure of offenders in their own body. . . If the Bre
thren . . were not the first subject of their ' church-liberty,' then they
derived it either from their own Elders, or from other churches : but
they derived it not from their own elders ; for they had power and
" The second impression reads, " independently.''

268 HISTORICAL ME-MORIALS [CHARLES I.
liberty to choose their own elders, and therefore they had this liberty
before they had elders ; and so could not derive it fiom them ! Nor
did they derive it frora other particular churches : for all particular
churches are of equal liberty and power within themselves ; not one
subordinate to another. We read not in Scripture, that the church of
[Cenchrea] was subject to that of Corinth, though it was a church
situate in their vicinity. Nor did they derive their liberty from a synod
of churches : for we found no footstep in the pattern of synods, Acts xv.,
that the church of Antioch borrowed any of their liberties frora the
synod at Jerusalem. They borrowed, indeed, light from them, and
decrees, tending to the establishment of truth [faith] and peace, . .
Acts xvi. 4,5; and, also, in consolation and peace, xv. 31, 32; but
they did not borrow from them any church-liberty at all. . .
"The elders of churches are never found in Scripture to derive their
authority which they exercise in their own congregations, either from
the elders of other churches, or from any synod of churches. All par
ticular churches, and all the elders of them, are of equal power; each
of them respectively in their own congregations. None of them call
others their rabbies, or masters, or fathers, — in respect of any authority
over them, — but all of thera own and acknowledge one another as
fellow brethren. Matt, xxiii. 8 — 10. . .
" The church is never put for the presbytery alone, throughout the
New Testament ; though sometiraes it be put expressly for the frater
nity alone, as they are distinguished from the elders and officers.
Acts XV. 22 ; and, therefore, 'tell the church,' Matt xviii. 17,* cannot
be raeant, tell the presbytery alone ! . . As a whole particular congre
gation may offend, so may a general asserably of all the presbyteries
in a nation offend also : for general councils have erred ; and what
remedy shall be found, to remove such errors and offences, out of this
text ?. . Why raay not a complaint be orderly made to a whole multi
tude ? The Levite, Judges xx. 1 — 11, made an orderly complaint to
a greater multitude than four hundred particular congregations are wont
to amount to ! . . The reproof for not proceeding to sentence sooner, is
directed to the whole church [at Corinth] as well as to the presbytery;
they are all blamed for not mourning, for not putting 'away' [the
incestuous person] ; for being 'puffed up' rather, 1 Cor. v. 2. The
commandment is directed to them all, when they ' are gathered toge
ther ;' — and what is that, but to a church-meeting ? — to proceed against
him, ver. 4. In like sort., [the apostle] commandeth them all,
ver. 13. He declareth this act of theirs in putting hira out, to be a
judicial act, — ' Do not ye judge them that are within ?' ver. 12. Sayj
that the judgment of authority be proper only to the presbytery; yet
the judgment of discretion, — which, as concurring in this act with the
presbytery, hath a power in it, — may not be denied to the Brethren ;
for here is an act of judgment ascribed to them all. Which judgraent
in the Brethren, he [the apostie] esteemeth of it so highly, that from
thence he taketh occasion to advise the members of the church to refer
their differences, even in civil matterSi to the judgment of the ' saints,'
¦ " This text, not the obscurity of the words, but tbe eminency of the gifts and
worth of expositors, bath raade difficult." P. 44.

CHAP. XLIX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 269
or 'brethren :' ' know ye not,' saith he, ' that the saints shall judge the
world ?' yea, the 'angels ?' vi. 1 — 3; 'how much more, the things of
this life ?' Yea, rather than they should ' go to law,' and that ' before
infidels," in any case depending ' between brethren ;' he adviseth them
rather to set up the meanest in the church to hear and judge between
them I ver. 4. When the apostie directeth them, upon the repentance
of an offender, to forgive him, he speaketh to the brethren, as well as to
their elders, 'to forgive hira:' 2 Cor. ii. 4 — 10... That which the
apostle calleth the church of [at] Corinth, even ' the whole church,'
was no larger than was wont to meet together 'in one place;' one con
gregation, 1 Cor. xiv. 23... Christ hath soraething against 'the
church of [in] Pergamos,' for suffering Balaam, and the Nicolaitanes,
Rev. ii. 14, 15 ; and something against ' the church of [in] Thyatira,'
for suffering Jezebel, ver. 20. Now, if these churches had not, either
of them, sufficient power to purge out their own offenders, why are they
blamed for toleration of them ? Yea, why are not the neighbouring
churches blamed for the sins of these churches ? But we see, neither
is Pergamos blamed for tolerating Jezebel, nor Thyatira for tolerating
Balaam, nor Smyrna for tolerating either ! Indeed, what Christ writetli
to any one church, his ' Spirit' calleth all ' the churches' to hearken
unto ; and so he doth our churches also at this day. . . Every church
of a particular congregation, being a body, even a body of Christ in
itself ; it were not for the honour of Christ, nor of his body, if, when it
were in a sound and athletic constitution, it should not have power to
purge itself of its own superfluous and noisome humours. In case a
particular church be disturbed with error or scandal, and the same
maintained by a faction amongst them ; now, a synod of churches, or
of their messengers, is the first subject of that power and authority
whereby error is judicially convinced and condemned ; the truth
searched out and determined, and the way of truth and peace declared
and imposed [enjoined ?] upon the churches,"
After several particulars, which we pass by, we find the author
guarding his doctrine thus : " Touching this gi-eat work of Communion
and Consociation of churches, give us leave to add this caution — To
see that this Consociation of churches be not perverted, either to the
oppression or diminution of the just liberty and authority of each par
ticular church within itself; who, being well supplied with a faithlul
and expert Presbytery of their own, do walk in their integrity, accord
ing to the truth aud peace of the Gospel. Let Synods have their just
authority in all churches, how pure soever, in detennining such Biara^eic
as are requisite for the edification of all Christ's churches according
to God. But, in the election and ordination of officers, and censure
of offenders, let it suffice the churches consociate, to assist one another
with their counsel and right-hand of fellowship, when they see a par
ticular church use their liberty and power aright : but let them not
put forth the power of their community, either to take such church acts
out of their hands or to hinder thera in their lawful course, unless they
see them, through ignorance or weakness, to abuse their liberty and
authority in the Gospel I All the liberties of churches were purchased
to them by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus ; and therefore neither

270 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAnLES I.
may the churches give them away, nor many churches take them out
of the hands of one. . . The Lord Jesus having given equal power to
all the aposties, it was not lawful for eleven of them to forbid the twelfth
to do any act of his office without their intervention : neither was it
lawful for the nine who were of inferior gifts, to commit the guidance
and command of all their apostolic administrations unto Peter, James,
and John, ' who seemed to be pillars,' Gal. ii. 9 ; and that, not only
because they were all, one as well as another, immediately guided by the
Holy Ghost : but because they were all equal in office, and ' every one'
to 'give account for [of] himself unto God.' Rom. xiv. 12. Itis the
like case, in some raeasure, of particular churches, . . attending the
translation of their power, in these ordinary administrations, into the
hands of a synod of presbyters, commonly called a Classis ! . . The
practice of this power of the Keys only by a synod of presbyters, still
keepeth the church as under nonage ; as if they were not grown up to
the full fruition of the just liberty of their riper years in these days of
the Gospel. . . And yet, in any such part of her way as raay be more hard
to hit right upon ; as in her elections, and ordinances, and censures of
eminent persons in office ; it is a safe and holy and faithful office of
the vigilancy of the Community of churches, to be present with them,
and helpful to them in the Lord."
We proceed to notice, in the next place, — not indeed because of its
connexion with what precedes it immediately, but for having made its
appearance about the same tirae, * — a tract of seven pages, intituled,
" To Sion's Virgins : Or, A Short Form of Catechism of the Doctrine
of Baptism, in use [useful] in these Times that are so full of Questions.
By an Ancient Member [Elder ?] of that long ago gathered Congre
gation, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob was an instrument of gathering it,
and the Pastor ' worthy of double honour ; ' Mr. John Lathroppe, suc
ceeding him, now Pastor in New England : and, the beloved Congre
gation, through God's mercies, sees her Teachers waiting when God
shall give more Liberty, and Pastors according to his own heart ; pray
ing the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth Labourers into his harvest —
Printed in the year 1644." 4to.
The address " To the Reader'' affords nothing historical, "What I
have received," the writer says there, " by hearing and seeing, I desire
to manifest in defence of the Baptism and Form we have received ; not
being easily moved but as Christ shall more manifest himself, which I
cannot conceive to be in the dipping the head, the creature going in
and out of the water : The Form of Baptism doth, more or less, hold
forth Christ. .. Baptism declares Infants to be Virgins;'' the Supper
declares Believers to be Spouses." *=
The head-line of the work is, " Queries Concerning Baptism." The
following portions of the argumentation are divested of their catechetical
form. The author's assumptions are, that Infants are "ofthe kingdom,"''
> It raight be called forth when Mr. H. Jessey, who succeeded Mr. Lathrop, in
1637, " held several debates . . concerning paedobaptism." — Life of Jessey, 1671,
p. 83. — In 1645 Jessey was dipped, "though his own congregation at that time
was most of tbem for Infant baptism."
•• [Cant, vi 8.] " [Eph. v. 25.] <1 Luke xviii. 16.

CHAP. XLIX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS., 271
through the " Father's good pleasure;"* that they are ingredients of
the " many nations" whom the Saviour shall "sprinkle;"'' that they are
of the spouse, or church, "washed" in Christ's blood, "^ as were those of
old, of the " vine out of Egypt," '' even of those who were " all" bap
tized " in the cloud and in the sea." '
Baptism, under the Gospel, is the church's office; done " in the name
of the" Three, by the power or authority of Christ : they only " put on
Christ" who are "baptized into," ^ or unto Christ, by the Spirit, " not
all that are baptized by water." No one is " fully" baptized without
poijring, sprinkling, and washing ; not dipping of the head, any more
than " whole wafers" in the Supper : bread there is, but no breaking,
showing forth Christ's sufferings; so, "whole rivers" show not forth
Christ's sufferings, pouring hira out like water s besprinkling all his
raiment. . . '¦ As by " their faith" who brought him lo Christ, the "man
sick of the palsy" was healed ; ' so the faith of the parents inducelh
them to carry their Infants to Christ's Ordinance, " confessing original
sin : believing God is their God, and the God of their seed ; showing
the need they [their infants] have of Christ; so leaving the infant in
the house of God, to grow up in his courts at the soles of Christ's feet". .
" To dip an infant, there is a dim light of Christ". . " For a creature
to go in and out of the water ; the dipper to dip down the head ; is no
showing Christ al all.". . " Sweating water and blood," then was Christ
" buried" by baptism ! Being under the wrath of the Father, all his
waves were over hira : then were the elect buried with him, having com
munion with him in his death : when Mary carae " aforehand" to anoint
his body : il being manifest lo believers, when they are baptized by the
Spirit, dying unto sin and rising again unto " newness of life :" but,
when Christ was buried by Nicodemus, in the dust, there was no need
of showing forth that burial, nor his resurrection ; seeing he was " seen"
after his resun-eclion. . . Christ died for sin, and rose again " for our
justification ;" so believers die lo sin, and rise to " newness of life ;"
justifying themselves to others that they " are risen with Christ."
"The two seals under the Gospel, are of one nature; but washing
makes ¦us capable of eating : So circumcision makes [madej them
capable of eating the passover. Then, say such as be called ' Anabap
tists,' Why do not children eat the Supper ? Children were not capable
of eating the passover before they were capable of instruction ; asking
the parents what it raeant; so, the children of the Church are not
capable of the Supper before they can " examine" theraselves : where
fore let such as deny Infant baptism, and go into the water and dip
down the head, and come out, to show death and burial, take heed they
take not the Name of the Lord in vain ; more especially such as have
received baptism in their infancy I"

» Luke xii. 32. ^ Isai. Iii. 15; Ezek. Xxxvi. 25. ' Rev. i. 5.
•' Psal. Ixxx. 8, &c. " 1 Cor. x. 2. ' Gal. iii. 27.
f Psal. xxii. It. •¦ Isai. Ixiii. 3. ' Matt. ix. 2.

272 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
CHAP. L.
PURITAN TRACT, EDITED BY RATHBAND.
Amidst the spirit-stirring excitement distinguishing the era through
which we are traversing, one of those immured or chest-bound relics,
consigned to its fate through prudential considerations, was dragged
forth and represented as bearing the evidences of wisdom, and a peculiar
adaptation to what was become, for it, a propitious futurity : such is
" A Most Grave and Modest Confutation of the Errors of the Sect
commonly called 'Brownists,' or ' Separatists:' Agi-eed upon, long since,
by the joint consent of sundry Godly and Learned Ministers of this
Kingdom ; then standing out and suffering in the cause of Inconfomiily,
and now published, in a time of need, for the good of God's Church, and
the betler settling of men's unstable minds in the Truth against the
subtle Insinuations and plausible Pretences of that Pernicious Evil. —
Published by W. Rathband, Minister of the Gospel. — 1644." 4to.
pp. 71.
Vv''ith what consistency this production appeared under the name of
its publisher, will be perceived from these particulars ; " Having pub
lished a book against the ' Brownists,' which Dr. Slillingfleet quoted to
prove that preaching, when prohibited by the established laws, was
contrary to the docirine of all the old nonconfonnists ; one of his sons
assured Mr. Baxter, in a letter, ' That his father was not to be reckoned
among those who held that sentiment; since he exercised his ministry,
though contrary to law, for raany years at a chapel in Lancashire; and
after he was silenced, he preached in private as he had opportunity, and
the times would bear.' " * We turn from this lo the Publisher
himself. " Christian Reader; this ensuing treatise . . was compiled, so as now
thou bast il without any addition or alteration, raany years since, by
sundry reverend and godly rainisters of this kingdom, who, in their
times, stood out and suffered in the cause of inconformity to the cere
monies, and laboured the reformation of things then, and still in part,
remaining amiss in our church : therein, both for opinion and practice,
endeavouring to keep close to the rules of Scripture and, what in them
lay, to eschew all errors and exorbitances, both of Separation on the
right hand, and of Superstition on the left.
" Who the raen were by name, is neither now necessary lo be pub
lished, nor in respect of them all certainly known. . . It is now presented
lo public view . . the rather because, first. The Press is now more free
and open . . to books of this nature, which do so oppose the schism of
the Brownists as not at all to allow ofthe tyranny and corruptions of the
Bishops. Secondly, It seemeth now more needful than forraerly, through
the late lamentable increase of opinions and practices of Separation ;
and the dangerous rents already made and likely lo be made thereby,
» Baxter'ssecondpart of "The Nonconformists' Plea for Peace," 16S0.4to. p. 193.
Suoted in Brook's Lives of the Puritans, vol. ii. p. 470.

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 273
even to the utter ruin of this Church, if, by the raercy of our God and
the wisdom of our King and Parliament, some timely and effectual
remedy be not provided. Thirdly, Hereby, good reader, thou raayest
see that the opinions and practices of those that way addicted, — now so
much extolled, wondered at, and greedily embraced by many under the
notion of new truths, and a new and fiirther light, as if some new cre
ated star had now appeared to the world never seen before ! — are, indeed,
no other for substance but the old errors and dotages of Ban-owe and
Greenwood; long since. . exploded, save that now, like rusty weapons,
they are newly furbished ; and being but the same metals and materials,
are only cast into a new mould, with addition of some things more of the
same sort than they expressly held ; mitigation of others, by them more
sharply and rigorously delivered ; and interlacing of others, more pleas
ing and plausible. . . Fourthly, Hereby, also, thou mayest perceive and
take up the true judgment of the true ancient and present Noncoii-
foi-misls of this kingdom in these points : . . whereof, by the help of
God, thou mayest raake these and the like uses : 1. Thou mayest clear
them, in thy thoughts, frora the misrepresentations and imputations
both of the Episcopal and Schismatical parlies ; both of which, would
make the world believe that the Nonconformists have laid the founda
tion of Brownism, by their principles of Inconformity ; and that if ihis
be lawful the other raust needs be necessary. . . 2. Thou raayest see that
the cause of Separation may be confuted without relinquishing in one
part, the grounds of Inconformity, or leaning at all unto Episcopacy :
as the cause of Inconformity may be fully maintained without fetching
weapons firom or betaking ourselves unto the camp of Separation. Which
thing I could wish, with all my heart, had been well observed by some
— otherwise, godly and judicious Brethren, — in these days, who no
sooner begin to distaste and cast off their old burden of superstitious
Conformity, of late augmented and made utterly unprofitable by sundry
other innovations, but withal they begin lo dislike all Set Forms of
Prayer, especially in our Liturgy, as unlawful ; lo question their own
standing in the ministry as antichristian ; and to abstain from our wor
ship, especially our sacraments, as idolatrous ; with other like unreason
able opinions and practices ! As if it were not possible for raen to leap
out of the Surplice unless also they leap out of the Church ; and as if
there were no middle between Separation from the Church . . and Sub
scription unto, or practice or approbation of, all the comiplions in the
same. An en-or in some sort, formerly, excusable ; when ' oppression'
and persecution made even wise raen themselves 'mad ;'* and soraetiraes
in haste, between fear, grief, and anger, in avoiding one extreme to fall
upon another: but now, since that, by the miraculous mercies of God,
the stings of those great bees are pulled out, and their boms sawed off,
whereby they have so long afflicted and willingly destroyed this poor
Church ; I say, now, methinks wise men should look before they leap. . .
Lastly ; Thou raayest be soraewhat stayed frora hasty adhering or in
clining to their courses of Separation not only by the treatise itself but
also by the consideration of the Ireatisers. . . We are soraetiraes almost
deafened with the praises of some of the Separators' erainent learning,
• Eccles. vii. 7.
II. T

274 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
piety, sincerity, zeal, etc. : . . I hope it need not be offensive to any . .
lo oppose these raen's leaming, piety, sincerity, zeal, etc., against the
others; . . accounting it more agreeable to all rules of piety, charity,
and christian prudence, to tolerate, for the time, what they could not
mend ; rather than lo rend and tear all in pieces, to an utter ruin .
" To conclude ; though, perhaps, some few particulars in this treatise
raay seem raore questionable, yet for the main I doubt not but the au
thors have held close to the truth both in their own positions and in
opposing their adversaries. . ."
The pretensions, capabilities, and object, of the Reverend Con-ectors,
they set forth thus, in their preface : " We take it to be our duties, being
raerabers and ministers of this Church, having, by God's grace received
some, though a small raeasure of gifts fit thereunto ; as, to maintain the
credit of the Church wherein we live, and to justify the practice of our
ministry therein so far forth as truth will permit ; so, chiefly to seek and
endeavour both the recovery of those that are strayed from the sheep-
fold of Christ among us, and also the stay of those that are ready to run
after them : . . and now have bestowed our labours in writing this treatise
following, to the sarae end ; wherein, after we have proved, by certain
reasons, that our Assemblies are the true Church of God, we take upon
ourselves to show, 1. The four chief exceptions they take against our
Church for warranting schism and separation from us, are vain and fri
volous: 2. That the main grounds they stand upon for the erecting then-
new church, are weak and slender : 3. That the best arguments that
they use for conderaning us and justifying theraselves, are loose and
unsufficient. Which points, as we have gathered out of their printed books
and written papers, — where they were before scattered, — and brought into
one fonn and body, so have we more plainly and nakedly both proposed
and dealt in : passing by all impertinent and offensive raatters, and
their flouting declamations, petitions, exclamations, and bitter reviling
speeches against our churches, ministers, and people ; all their reproach
ful, slanderous, profane scornings, fearful blasphemies against the Word
preached and sacraments administered ; prayers and holy exercises of
religion, used in our Asserablies ; wherewith their writings and printings
swell to some bigness, as bladders puffed up with wind ! . .
" This work of ours we commend first unto our Brethren departed
from us. . . We exhort them . . to try carefully, the allegations of Scrip
ture wherewith they have fully painted the margents, and with the mul
titude whereof they have astonished the simple or credulous readers,
persuading thein that their cause standeth upon the sure ground of
God's holy Word ; and they shall plainly perceive that the places hy
them alleged do, for the most part, prove that which we deny not : and
if they be brought to confirm the matter in controversy, they are either '
unconscionably or ignorantiy wrested against, or besides the raeaning of
the Holy Ghost A second thing which we entreat them to do is to riew
the persons of whom their Assemblies consist ; and let them tell us how
raany of them there be whom they have brought fi-ora gross ignorance
unto true knowledge, from infidelity to holy faith, from profaneness of
life to a conscionable walking with God : if there be scarce any, araongst
them, which have not been of some note, in our churches, for holy and

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 275
sincere profession : and, if they had no good thing in them which they
have not received by the ministry of those men and in the bosom of
those churches which, now, they condemn and fly from ; why, then,
take they the seal of our ministry and church, and set it unto their
blank ?. .
" A second sort to whom we commend this labour of ours, be our
Brethren also, who, by the writings, doings and suff'erings, of these de
ceived men, are in danger likewise to be deceived, being brought to halt
between two opinions. . .
"A third sort . . are our stronger Brethren, which continue with com
fort in the society of their Church. . .
" We, lastly, commend this simple travail of ours to the Church of
God whereof we are unworthy ministers ; beseeching her to accept our
poor endeavours, the rather for that we are not ignorant that the labours
which we have taken in this cause will be diversely judged of according
to the manner and affection of those men to whom this work shall come.
Some, as namely our deceived Brethren, against whom we deal, will
hold it damnable and execrable, as being bestowed against ' the church
of Christ,' against the 'saints and children of God,' against the 'holy
tmth taught in the Testament of Christ.'. . Some others. Fathers and
Brethren, ministers and members with us, of this Church, . . will hold
our pains requisite and necessary to stay the course of these waters
which we have given passage unto, and to make up the breaches we have
opened, by speaking against the Government established in this Church ;
the Ceremonies used therein ; and other our unadvised dealings in the
execution of our ministry !
" To these men we say, first, that as we have been and are persuaded
of the truth of these things which we have delivered touching the defects
and wants, the blemishes and deformities of this Church ; so have we,
in the .sincerity and uprightness of our hearts, dealt for the redress and
reformation thereof: wherein, though we know nothing by ourselves
before men more than truth will permit, if they should have taken occa
sion by our doctrine . . to make this schism, yet were this no reason to
reprove us, unless those men which have set down true positions, be to be
blamed as authors of the false collections and conclusions which are in-
feiTed and gathered thereupon. Secondly, we answer. That our deceived
Brethren do no less condemn those churches of God as the synagogues
of Satan, where the doctrine which we have taught, touching the Govei-n
ment of the church, and matters of Ceremonies, is maintained ; and
where all things which we hold offensive in our Church are abolished;
than they do the Church of England : insomuch that they have written
of the Church of Geneva, — ^which is holden to be the best pattern of a
Befoi-med Church, — that it becarae a miserable precedent and pernicious
example even unto all Europe ! Whereby it is evident, that they have
been brought unto this schism by some other induceraents than the
dealing of those men, in the execution of their ministi'y, who are charged
to be the occasions, if not the authors thereof. Thirdly, there is such
difference and plain contradiction, between them and us in judgment ;
yea, in the matter of Discipline and Church-government ; besides many
other material points of Doctrine ; as we marvel any man should esteem
T 2

276 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS • [cHARLES I.
US causes of their defections from this Church : much more, that any
man should write, ' That between the Brownists and others,' he meaneth
them and us, ' there is no controversy as touching the framing of a
church by the Word of God !' . .
"Whereas the work is somewhat long ; . . know that we desired to be
much more brief therein than we are : . . for that fewer words and reasons
might have as well satisfied the leamed sort ; but whereas our desire is to
satisfy the simple as having more need . . we could not use raore_^brevity
without raore obscurity. And thus we coraraend thee to God, and to his
blessing upon the reading hereof, that it raay be a means to teach thee
to discern the things that differ, and to keep thee from thy being ' over
much just' lest thou become too 'wicked.'* Amen."
The treatise is composed of four parts: naraely, the thesis, that " The
Church of England, is a ' true' Church of Christ :" an assumption, tlia.t
" We have a 'true' Ministry in England;" another, that "Our People
may be accounted members of a 'true' Visible Church:" and "The
Conclusion." The books aud positions controverted, almost exclusively,
are those of Barrowe and Greenwood, of whora, as we have already made
our readers acquainted, and are not called upon to be their apologists
for too plain dealing or irreverent treatraent, we shall not again concern
ourselves beyond a few particulars.
We find these spiritual Censors writing thus, in their nineteenth page ;
which is given entire to show how they dealt with one of the embanass-
ments which rose in their path. "They object . . 'That we stand under
a false and antichristian Governraent : for that we are directed by and
s'abject to canons, courts, and authority of the Bishops;' which they do
not content theraselves, in the sixty-eighth and sixty-ninth pages of
their Collection of Letters and Conferences, to call ' Popish, and Anti
christian, and Egj'ptian, and Babylonish yokes ;' but in regard thereof,
they say our Asserablies 'cast out Satan by the power of Satan.'
" To this, we raake answer, first ; Seeing it hath been already showed,
that the Discipline which our Church exerciseth is, in substance, the
same with that which Christ instituted, they cannot with any colour
of trutii say that all our church-govei-nment is ' popish and antichri.s-
tian,' but only that it is popishly and corruptly administered. Secondly;
Though it were confessed that in the callings and authority of the
Bishops, there be divers things ' antichristian,' yet see we not how our
Bishops could truly be called Antichrists, or Antichristians : because,
1 . The Word, when it describeth Antichrist, and teacheth us how to know
him, useth to mark him out by his false doctrine.'' Neither can we find
in holy Scripture any such accounted an Antichrist, or Antichristian,
who, holding the truth of doctrine, and professing all the fundamental
articles of the faith, doth swerve, either in judgment or practice, from
that rule which Christ hath given for the discipline of his church. Now,
it is evident that our Bishops both do, and, by the laws of our land,
ought to hold and teach all doctrines and truths that are fundamental :
yea, some of them have, learnedly and soundly, maintained the truth
« Eccles. vii. 16, 17.
'>2 Thess. ii. 10; 2 Tim. iv. 2, 3 ; I John ii. 22 ; iv. 3 ; 2 John, 7;
Kev. xiii. 5, 6.

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 277
against heretics that have gainsaid it ; some have not only, by their
doctrine and ministry, converted many to the Truth, but have suffered
persecution also for the Gospel. And, though Henry Ban-owe, in the ele
venth page of his Discovery, call them ' pseudo-martyrs' and ' run-away
professors,' yet can he not prove that they all, since their accepting
their rooms, renounced and are fallen frora that Truth which they then
suffered for. 2. Their hierarchy, and other their corruptions that are
charged upon the calling of our Bishops, were rather to be esteeraed as
the stairs and way to Antichristianity, than Antichristianity itself;
which is evident by this, tiiat they were in the Church before the
Pope, — who is the Antichrist, and the chief head-link of all Antichris
tianity, — was revealed. 3. The Antichristian Bishops hold their pre
eminence as from God's law, which is unchangeable : whereas our
Bishops, since her Majesty's reign until this day, for the most part,
held their superiority by no other right than by the positive law, which
is variable. Yea, it appeareth both by the institution of the Courts of
Delegates, and by the continuance thereof to this day, that they do, and
ought hy law to hold their jurisdiction not as from God, but as from
the prince ! Thirdly : Adrait that both our Bishops and the govern
ment by them exercised were Antichristian ; yet might we that stand
in that sort as we do, be subject unto them that are the true Church of
Christ. It is evident that, to speak properly, the yoke of Antichrist is
only inward and spiritual where the faith and conscience are enjoined,
upon pain of damnation, to receive other laws and worship than that
which God, in his Word, prescribeth. And even to this yolse, the true
church hath been often subject ; or else the church of the Jews, even in
the days of Christ, was no tme church, that held themselves bound in
conscience to observe sundry traditions of the elders. In a more large
sense, those Prelates are called Antichristian that join civil jurisdiction
with ecclesiastical, or usurp more thau they ought in external govern
ment, or tyrannously abuse the power committed to their hands; and
this Antichristian yoke also, the true Church hath home many a time :
in the days ofthe Maccabees there was a true church among the Jews,
yet the Priests did exercise civil jurisdiction. There was a true church
both in Jeremiah's and Ezekiel's days which yet did bear this Anti
christian yoke.* The authority which our Bishops are said to usurp
over the ministers and church is not worse than that which Diotrephes
usurped ! for, besides that he sought for an Antichristian pre-erainence,
it is evident that the chnrch was unable to resist hira, and therefore the
Apostie purposed himself to come and rebuke him. Their own tenns
they use in this, — namely, ' Egyptian and Babylonian yoke,' — shall
teach them thus rauch ; for, seeing that the Jews remained still the
Church of God even in that bondage that they stood under in Egypt
and Babylon, why raay not we also remain God's Church still, notwith
standing the yoke which we bear, being nothing so heavy as that was ? "
Thus much we copy from p. 37 : " Concerning Ordination by El
dership;'' this we answer in particular. That unless the Eldership be
' Jere. v. 31 ; xx. 1, 2 : Ezek. xxxiv. 4.
'¦ " That we are not chosen by that people over whom we are set, nor approved
by an eldership," P. 35.

278 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES 1.
held SO essential a thing that there can be no true church without it,—
which we are well assured of that our Brethren themselves, and all that
have any knowledge, will deny,— ordination by the eldership cannot be
absolutely necessary: albeit, in the settied govemraent of a church, we
hold it of the essence of the Calling of a minister that we [he] have the
substance of the ordination appointed in the Word. Agam : That as m
tiraes past, so now also, there raay be, in some places, such an estate of
the church as wherein no manner of ordination and investing of mi
nisters hath been or could be used in the giving of an entrance into
the ministry. And though, where it may be conveniently had, we
hold it fit that the weakness of the people's judgment in their choice
of their minister, should be supported by the discreet kno-wledge of
the ministers and elders that are about them ; yet, where it cannot
be conveniently had, — as in places where the Gospel is newly
planted, and far removed from other churches already established,
— there, that — amongst other considerations — the course of the
Gospel should not be stayed till ordination be fetched from far
countries, the Lord himself oftentimes supplieth the places of the
ministers and elders, and layeth on His hands : such [is the] eri
dence of gifts and graces proper for the ministi-y as not only the church
doth willingly acknowledge, but the enemies also — will they, nill they
— are in their consciences convinced to be divine and excellent. And
seeing it is evident, that neither the prophets under the Law nor many
worthy ministers that God hath raised up since the time of Gospel, had
ever, before their entrance into the rainistry, their gifts solemnly ap
proved, or been ordained ; our Brethren must needs grant that this kind
of ordination is not simply or absolutely necessary to the being of a mi
nister. To which also this raay be added, that our Saviour, in giving
notice whereby the true pastor should be discerned frora the false, nameth
only these. That he enter himself, and lead the people in and ont by
that door : That the people of God agree with hira, and consent to his
ministry : That the Porter — the Holy Ghost — open the hearts of the
hearers to hira and his doctrine. Which three notes doubtiess our Saviour
would not have rested in, if there could have been no true minister with
out the ordination which our Brethren speak of, and urge that as a mat
ter of absolute necessity. So that, to conclude this point, we say that
the ordinary course of entering into the rainistry is not kept, but a great
imperfection and want is to be acknowledged where this election and or
dination is not used ; yet is not the want such as taketh away the very
life and being of a true ministry !"
At page thirty-nine, these Puritans state it to be objected against
their ministry, " That the administration and exercise of our function
is not agreeable to the Word, but antichristian ; because, say they, as
at our entrance we 'swear canonical obedience to the Bishops,* so do we
' perfonn it, in our whole administration, by going to their courts ; by
standing and falling at their comraandraent !'" To this they answer, in
part, that "As we may lawfully yield some obedience to the Bishops in
these things, so we may lawfully bind ourselves by oath to do it, if our
oaths be required of us by the christian magistrate's authority : espe
cially seeing we do, by oath, bind ourselves to obey, in regard of the civil

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 279
authority which is coraraitted to thera by the christian magistrate. For
our ' going to their courts ;' this we answer : That seeing we do testify
in our callings, our dislike to the vile and odious corruptions of their
courts ; and do also, utterly refuse to yield obedience to any of their un
lawful decrees; we cannot, justly, be condemned for appearing in their
courts or any other place whereunto we are, by his Majesty's authority,
summoned. And, whereas the persons before whom we appear are judged,
usually, corrupt, and enemies to that refonnation which we desire ; and
some of them also such as — being no ministers themselves — do, by all
means, seek the disgrace of our calling, and the utter discouragement of
such Christians as in whom they perceive any sparks of true zeal ; we
account this our appearing at their courts, not only for an abridgment
of our liberty, but also for such a burden as we have just cause to groan
under, and to pray that God would, in his good time, move his Ma
jesty's heart to ease us of it And yet as the Apostle, being free, was
content, for the Church's sake, not only to become bound in serving it
with the labour of his hands, but also by subjecting himself to those ce
remonies which, in Christ, were abolished ; so may and ought we, for
the Church's sake, to bear this burden rather than to forsake or refuse
the ministry when the Lord hath called and fitted us unto it. For our
yielding to the suspensions and deprivations ; we answer. That so long
as the Bishops suspend and deprive according to the law of the land, we
account of the action herein as of the act of the Church, which we may
and ought to reverence and yield unto: if they do otherwise, we have
liberty given us, by the law, to appeal from them. If it be said, that
the Church is not to be obeyed, when it suspends and deprives us for
such causes as we, in our consciences, know to be insufficient : we an
swer. That it lieth in them to depose, that may ordain ; and, they may
shut, that may open ! "
Another "objection" against their ministry, they say, in page forty-
two, is "That we are not maintained according to the direction Christ
hath given in his Testament ; but our maintenance is Jewish and Anti
christian ! . . And lest they should seem to say it only, they bring sun
dry reasons to prove that our maintenance is such as no minister of
Christ can accept or live by : for, say ye, ' our ministers receive main
tenance from all sorts of men in their parish, without difference.' This
is alleged in their Collection of Letters, page eighteen ; and called, in
p. 145, of the Refutation, 'An execrable sacrilege, and covetous-raaking
merchandize of the holy things of God; a letting out' of ourselves 'to
hire, to the profane, for filthy lucre ! ' To this first reason they bring
against our maintenance, this answer we give: 1. That the Christian
magistrate is bound to use his authority for the furtherance of the sub
jects in all things that concem godliness and honesty; and to see that
the moral law be kept by them: whereas, therefore, the Christian ma
gistrate, in conscience of his duty, hath provided by the law, that all
his subjects should, of the increase God giveth them, contribute some
what towards the maintenance of their rainistry ; we may truly be said to
receive our maintenance rather frora the raagistrate than from the peo
ple. 2. The raagistrate raay lawfully appoint so rauch of the subjects'
goods, as by law is given to the minister's maintenance, to be employed

280 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
to this or any other good use; as is evident by that which the apostle
saith, Rom. xiii. 7. 3. The magistrate may, without any show of wrong,
compel the sui j ecu to pay this part of their goods which tiiey give to
their minister; because in Parliament it was voluntarily bestowed, even
by the people themselves, whose free act. that is to be accounted which
is enacted and done in Parliaraent 4. It is evident by the Word, that the
offerings which [the] heathen voluntarily brought, and gave to the build
ing and beautifying of the Temple, were accepted of.* 5. Seeing the
apostie calleth it our ' own bread''' we get by our honest labours ¦," and
our Saviour saith, in this case, that ' the labourer is worthy of his hire ;'''
we raay, with comfort and good conscience, take maintenance of the
wicked that live in our parishes, for whose sake, both publicly and pri
vately we take pains, and to whom the benefit of our labour is offered ;
seeing that the apostle avoucheth that such as sow ' spiritual things'
araongst the people — though God bless not their seed — raay lawfully
and honestly ' reap' their ' carnal things.' ". .
" Our maintenance," continue these Puritans, p. 44, '"is fixed and
certain.' This is alleged in the sixty-first page of their 'Discovery,'
and in sundry other parts of their writings. Concerning which, we an
swer. That this can be no good reason against all our ministei-s, seeing
that we have some preach ordinarily and painfully, who yet either live
wholly of themselves or take nothing of the people but that which they
give voluntarily ! If it be a great fault to live upon a set stipend, yet seem -
eth it strange unto us that they should account it so great [as] to make
a nullity of our ministry. We can see no reason why it should be thought
either unlawful or inconvenient to set stipends, to be given unto and
received by the minister. . ! It standeth with sound reason that the mi
nister's maintenance should be ' certain :' for first, seeing it is already
jiroved that a sufficient maintenance must, necessarily, be given to the
minister of [by] the people ; how can it be unlawful either for the peo
ple by their own promise, or for the magistrate by law to bind them unto
that which they should ordinarily do of themselves ? Secondly ; by tiiis
kind of maintenance, sundry of the people's infirmities, — as their grudg
ing to give aught when it is in their power to give or not to give ; their
base estimation likewise of the minister, and looking for civil duties at
his hand ; and raany such like, — are best prevented : yea, we deny that
ever any church was so well informed wherein the most part of the
jieople had not need to have such infirmities restrained in thera by the
wisdora and authority of the civil magistrate. . . Admit it inight be proved
from Matt, x., that no set maintenance were given to the ministers
during the apostles' time, which cannot be ; yet followeth not, that there
should be none now ; seeing that the church was then without those
' nourishing fathers,' which the Lord promised by the prophet,'^ without
whose authority we see not how that order for forced maintenance could
be taken : neither doubt we to acknowledge even this for a special fruit
of that blessing promised to come to the church by christian magis-
tiates. Whereas they said ' That whatsoever is given to the mainte
nance of God's service, should be free and voluntary;" and allege, for
» Ezra i. 4, 6 I Neh. ii. 8. •'2 Thess. iii. 12. ' Ephes. iv, 28.
" Luke X. 7. M Cor. ix. 11. f lajii ^lix. 23.'

CHAP. L.J REL.ATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 281
that these places, Exod. xxv. 2; 2 Cor. viii. 12; ix. 5, 7; we answer.
That the bond of the people's proraise and magisti-ate's law, is no hin
derance to the freedom and voluntariness ; seeing the service and obe
dience of David was free and voluntary, notwithsunding the vow and
oath he bound himself with, Psal. cxix. 106 : so was that also which
is mentioned in Nehemiah, x. 29 ; for if covenanting should take
away the voluntariness of the act, then should it not be lawful to cove
nant with servants and labourers, or any other: yea the Lord our
God doth bind hiraself by covenant, to give that reward to the faith
and obedience of His servants which yet he giveth most freely and
voluntarily !
" They allege against our maintenance," so they proceed in p. 46,
" that we are ' maintained by Jewish tithes ;' and conceming which, they
have these words, in the sixtieth page of their ' Discovery,' ' It is evident,
[they] who are thus maintained by those Jewish tithes and offerings,
are not the ministers of Christ;' and a littie after, ' These priests and
people still retain the Levitical decimations, in the same fonns, to the
same ends:' and, p. 16, ' I could never see any difference between the
Jews and thera, save that the swine-herds, tithe-pigs and geese, etc'
To all which, we thus answer : first ; it is evident that the tithes are not
held, amongst us, by virtue of the Levitical law, but only by the positive
law of our land :*. . secondly ; as the prince, without any show of Jewish
superstition, raay requ-lre, of the rainisters, first-fruits and tenths; and
ot all the rest of the subjects, fifteenths and subsidies ; for the main
tenance of the wars, and other civil purposes ; so doubt we not but he
may as well, — especially by act of Parliament, which is also the act of
the people, — require tenths of his people to the maintenance of the mi
nistry ; of which, as we have said before, he is bound to have a more
special care aud regard than of the maintenance of the wars or any other
civil estate.
" Their last reason,'' page 47, "against our maintenance, is ' That it
ariseth from Popish offerings, and mortuaries.' Concerning which, we
answer as followeth : first ; there be sundry of our ministers that receive
none at all ; against whose congregations and ministers, this reason can
not hold : and many even of them to whom the law alloweth ' offerings,'
have reftised them that were accustomed to be given at the churchiugs
* Their "proof whereof," is so peculiar, considering against whom tbey contended,
that we annex it in the shape of a note. " First, If this kind of maintenance were
given to the minister for conscience and obedience to that law ; why should not tbe
first-fruits also, offerings, and divers other things which, by a plain commandment,
were due to the Levitical priesthood, be given us as well as tithes ! Secondly, The
nianner of tithing, — which in divers parts of our land, is diversly used, and which,
through custom also, is raany ways altered, — proveth that paying of tithes, araongst
us, is not according to the Levitical law, nor in religious obedience tliereunto.
'I'hirdly, The law, by consent of the states in the Parliament, having alienated the
tithes, in many places, from the minister unto the prince and other men ; doth
thereby, declare that it appointeth not the paying of the tithes by virtue of the law
of God. Fourthly, Sundry of our rainisters are, — and that even in the judgment of
our whole Church, — lawfully by other means maintained than by tithes; which is
also a plain demonstration that both the Levitical law is not held to be in force with
us: and if it were, we might yet have some 'true' ministers in our land, notwith
standing."

282 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES 1.
[of women,] and burials, and such other, as the receiving whereof, they
see, would be likely to nourish superstition in the people : secondly; if
all did receive and live by 'offerings,' we see not what pollution can
corae to their ' ministry' thereby; for why may not that creature of God
which was first given to profane and superstitious uses, be now lawfully
translated to the maintenance of God's service ? seeing that, even under
the Law, translation was lawful when, — for a ceremony, to shadow what
detestation the ' people of God' should bear to the. manners of the hea
then, and how they should be separated from them, — many things were
made unclean to the Jews that are not so to us : . . thirdly ; if those ' offer
ings' were polluted things, yet are they too accidental to overthrow the
very being and nature of our ' ministry.' "
" To the places of Scripture," these Puritans say, p. 56, " which they
[the Separatists] bring against our 'people,' in the sixty-eighth page
of their ' Collection of Letters and Conferences ;' we answer. That they
are all most unskilfully applied ; for although some of them do prove
that God's people should be separated from the rest of the world ;*. .
surely we cannot but wonder that our Brethren do thus deal with the
sacred Word of God, they use to fill the margents of their books with
such store of places of Scripture that the simple might think that they
have even a cloud of witnesses against us, when theraselves could not
but know that the Scripture is, by them, dragged, as it were, by vio
lence, to bear witness in a matter for which they have not one word to
speak !"
The fourth part of the treatise of these anonymous Puritans, is headed
"The Conclusion." Here they say, p. 57, "The first article in their" —
the Separatists' — " conclusion is this, ' TheAssemblies which we go from,
are such as the Word of God doth warrant us to go from.'" Nothing
short of the very words could exhibit the infelicity, not to say, imbe
cility, of these opponents, in adding, " Whereunto we answer, that we
may, much more strongly, conclude, upon that which we have above
written. That because we have a true church, consisting of a lawful mi
nistry, and a faithful people ; therefore, they cannot separate themselves
from us but they must needs incur the raost shameful and odious re
proach of manifest Schism !" In the next page, we find this other cu
rious speciraen of their intellectual and ecclesiastical prowess: "Even
as a Christian may eat privately with a wicked man, or with an excom
municate person, in some cases, when his company cannot be eschewed;
as being in an army, or prison, or ship upon the sea, amongst a com
pany of vile, wicked men ; being by the prince, or any other that hath
power, enforced either to do so or utterly to want all food; so, much raore,
is it lawful for a Christian to eat with the wicked man at the Lord's ta
ble, wherein he is enforced either to do so or utterly to want all the great
benefits and comforts that God offereth hira in the Sacrament !" And as
a further example of skill at straining a point, we copy these words from
the same page: " Their," the Separatists', "testimonies, — 2 Cor.
vi. 14 — 18; Rev. xviii. 4,— do, indeed, partly concern that 'separation'
which Christians should make from idolaters, in the service of God ; yet
do they no ways serve to justify this their Separation from us, unless
* Lev. XX. 24; John xv. 16.

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 283
they would prove — which they are not able to do[!] — that those assem
blies, which these Scriptures command a separation from, were in the
profession of truth equal to us [ I ] , or that the corruptions which are
amongst us are equal unto such as were in those assemblies." To the
second article, or "reason" in the Sepai-atists' conclusion, " wherein they
pretend a charitable regard of us who, by their joining with us in God's
worship, raay be hardened in the liking of our corruptions ; and, by their
Separation, may, happily, be brought to repentance ;" these " sundry,
godly, and learned ministers," answer, somewhat partially in regard to
the premises, but in terms wherein the objects of their hostility could,
nevertheless, join, " That the godly man who hath reproved the open
offender, shunned his private farailiarity, and hath gone so far in testi
fying his dislike to his sin as the bounds of his calling will permit, is no
way accessary to his sin, nor hath any ' fellowship' with the ' unfruitful
works of darkness.'* And if that any wicked man will imagine that the
godly do not rauch dislike him, because they will not, for his sake, shun
the public worship of God ; it is an offence taken and not given." With
the inference, however, we judge that no conscientious Separatist could
have coincided : "And, therefore, such as wherewith the conscience of a
godly man need not be troubled !"
The passage in imraediate succession to that just dismissed, must,
from what has preceded, be so unlocked for, as to serve to arouse the
reader out of any moody temperament which this " Most Grave and
Modest Confutation" might have brought him into. Mark, then, the
testimony borne against their own side by the -pi-SLCtical- Inconformitants
who had audaciously laid the sin of schism upon " whosoever wittingly
and willingly separateth himself" from "the Church of England,"''
which they so arduously laboured to evince was, in their time, "a true
church of Christ" In p. oO, thus it is written : " Thus have we answered
that which they pretend for the warrant and necessity of their Separation
from our Assemblies. And, now, lest any should be justly offended by
thinking that, in this apology we make for our Church, we do any way
plead for 'Baal,' or seek to daub up the breaches of our Church 'with
untempered mortar, '"^ and so run ourselves into the danger of that curse
which the Lord denounceth against them that call darkness, light, and
speak good of evil; we therefore freely confess, That there are indeed,
in our Church, great cormptions ; and, that [it] is the great sin of our
ministers, that they do not with so much zeal and courage reveal and
show their dislike of them ; and of our people, that they mourn not nor
seek, by all humble and eamest means, to God and the magistrate, for
Refonnation of thera, as they ought to do." Still, after all this, and
more, had it been convenient, in this stage of the dissensions, to avow
so much, we find it stated a few lines lower, " Whereas they could not,
with any just warrant to their consciences, separate themselves from us
till they had found us obstinate in our corruptions, and contemptuous
scomers of all good means used for refonning us ; . . we affirm that they
have departed from us before they could . .be so persuaded of us :" thus,
they prescribed a rule in which the judgment and practice was to be all
» Ephes. V. 11. " P. 1. ' Ezek. xxii. 28.

284 HISTORICAL ME-MORIALS [cHARLES I.
on their own side ! And because these Puritans chose rather to hanker
after the " flesh-pots" of Egypt,* they, forsooth, must be " soundly con
victed," and it must be "manifested" to their "judgment," what " dan
gerous errors" they hold, to justify Separation; although it is manifested
that they who claimed to be, exclusively, The Church of England, were,
as the Puritans themselves found, "obstinate" in their "corruptions,"
and " contemptuous scomers !" It is even matter of complaint, p. 62,
that "those of them which once exercised the places of ministry
amongst us, and received, for the same, the reward due, which they
call ' Balaam's wages,''' have not before or since their departure, made
actual restitution of that which was — if their opinions be true — most
unjustly received ; nor yet showed theraselves willing so to do, to their
ability ; which, notwithstanding, by the Law of God, they are most
strictly bound to do."
It is asked, in page 66, " by what testimony of holy Scripture, can
they warrant the admitting or choosing, into the ministry, such a one
as, within some six or eight weeks before, was transplanted from so
antichristian a Church and rainistry, as they reckon ours to be ; as not
only Master Francis Johnson, but sundry other of their ministers have
been ?'' And it is asked, further, in page 67, " What is there to be seen,
amongst them, whereby so many simple Christians are deceived and
moved to forsake us [!] and join to them ; save only, that show of sin
cerity and zeal, and holy conversation, wherein they are thought to go far
beyond any of us ?"
Page 67, contains this passage, " This we dare boldly say, That there
was never any raan of note, in our Church, that, in his writings, hath
bewrayed so in-eligious and unsanctified a spirit as their chief leaders
have done : for proof whereof, we desire the christian reader to consider,
first, the sharaeful lies which, wittingly, and against the light of their
own hearts, they have published, and whereby they have, in a manner,
borne false witness against us. In the ninth page of their ' Discovery,'
they say that 'All the atheists, papists, and anabaptists ; and heretics of
all sorts, whores, thieves, witches, conjurers, and who not ? that dweU
eth in this Island, or is within the Queen's dominions, are received and
nourished, within the bosom of this Church, with the Word and Sacra
ments ; none are refused, none kept out." Surely this were no libel,
since it is the express doctrine of the Champion of their Church, that
" There is not any man of the Church of England but the sarae man is
also a member of the Commonwealth, nor any raeraber of the Com
monwealth which is not also of the Church of England. . . Nay, it is so
with us, That no person appertaining to the one, can be denied also to
be of the other !" "^
" What need we," to use their own words, p. 70, " any further evi
dence, or denionsti-ation," of the " spirit" which actuated these Pmitan
Censors ?
At this place we have the opportunity of noticing a piece of Johnson's, not be
fore accessible to us : "A Treatise, Of tbe Ministry of tbe Church of England.
Wherein is handled this Question, Whether it be to be separated from or joined
" Exod. xvi. 3. '' Deut. xxiii. 4.
' Richard Hooker; Ecclesiastical Polity, Bk. viii. Sect. 1. Ed. 1830. vol.iii.p.254.

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 285
unto : Which is discussed in two Letters j the one written for it, the other against
it. Whereunto is annexed, after the Preface, A brief Declaration of the ordinary
Officers of the Church of Christ. And, a few Positions. Also, in the end of the
Treatise, sorae Notes touching the Lord's Prayer : seven Questions ; a Table of
some principal things contained in this Treatise. — 1 Thess. v. 21 ; Jere. xxiii. 22 ;
Isai. liii. 1 ; John xii. 38 ; Rora. x. 16." 4to. pp. 141. Dated, in p. 137,-1595.
That this is Johnson's production is acknowledged in the Preface to his piece
intituled " An Answer to Master H. Jacob, his ' Defence of tbe Churches and
Ministry of England.' 1600." 4to. pp. 217, of which, from p. 184, but paged on, is
" An Answer to Master H. Jacob, his Treatise concerning the Priests of the Church
of England, made by the Prelates, accepted and joined unto by the People: which
he termeth 'a Pastoral Calling.' By Francis Johnson, an Exile for the Testimony
of Jesus. — Jere I. 14 ; li. 26." Under Sect. 5, [p. xvi.J in the Preface to the for
mer of these two, Johnson writes, " He knoweth that I have otherwhere written of
this very point ;" and in the margin, he refers to tbe " Answer to Mr. H., p. 50."
This corresponds ; and the " Mr. H." is in tbe margin, two pages back, thus, " Mr.
Hild.," whom we take to be the Puritan divine, Arthur Hildersbara, A. M., con
firmed indeed by what we find in tbe Preface of the " Treatise," where it says,
" The ground and occasion of these Letters . . was this. There was a gentlewoman
imprisoned because she would not join with the public ministry of England in the
worship of God. She being much solicited to tbe contrary, gave in writing a
reason of that her faith and practice to one Mr. A. H., a minister, and a man very
learned. The reason was this, . . ' 'W hosoever be be that dealeth with the holy
things of God, and worketh upon the consciences of men, by virtue of an antichris
tian power, office, and calling, bim the people of God ought not to receive and join
themselves unto : But all the ministers that stand over the church asserablies in
England, deal [and work so] : . . Therefore the people of God ought not to receive
them, or join themselves unio tbem. 2 Thess. ii. 4 — 10.' Unto this arguraent, Mr.
H. made answer by a Letter unto her. .. To get it answered, was obtained of one
Mr. F. Jo., prisoner for the sarae cause, who also directed his answer to the fore
said gentlewoman. Both of these, with some few other things, are now set forth
for thy benefit, good Reader.'*
Having taken — see vol. i. p. 104 — seventeen heads of " False Doctrine" from
Johnson's "Answer" to Jacob; we select from this " Treatise," p. 93 — 95, 98, 105,
a number of like kind concerning the " Priesthood" of the Church of England.
He introduces it by requiring of Hildersham, " That be would a little pause, aud
take a view of that themselves have published touching their priests heretofore, for
whom he now pleadeth. As, for example, to give him a taste : they write, that
'Their parsons, vicars, parish priests, stipendiaries, with the rest, came -from the
Pope, as out of tbe Trojan horse's belly, to tbe destruction of God's kingdom.'
Also, that ' The Church of God never knew them :' Admonition to the Par
liament; first and second... Now, to proceed; it followeth in his writing [Letter],
thus, ' Tell us not that the same name is given ^o our office as to the popish sacri
ficers. Do you think the worse of yourself because you are called Brownists ? And
shall tbe holy office and calling which is so agreeable to the Word, be misliked
because it is called a Priesthood? Considering, that though it agree in name, yet
it differeth in nature and substance as much from the popish priesthood as light doth
from darkness.'. . Let men call us ' Brownists' or wbat they please, it troubleth not
us, seeing we are so termed untruly and unjustly. But for tlieir name of ' Priests'
it is far otherwise. . . Which, although it be sufficiently proved already, . . it shall
be good here, by way of comparison, to set down tbe agreement of theirs with the
Popish Priesthood, on the one hand ; and, on the other, tbe disagreement of them
both from the Pastor's office which Christ hath appointed.
1. " And first of all, it would be known, what the cause is why they retain the
same ' name' if they have not the same ' office :'. . as also, if they have the same
'office" with the Pastors described in the Word, why then they have not also the
same ' name V. . Are these men wiser than the Apostles ? . . are they fathers in
Christ, raore than the Apostles? Eph. iv. 11, with 1 Cor. iv. 15. .. But we will
proceed to corapare them together, in other things which themselves account of
greater raoraent, as in these which follow.
2. "The office of the popish priesthood is such as befor e any receive it, they
must first be made deacons by some prelate : such also, is the office of priesthood

286 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
received and used in England : but such is not the pastor's office appointed by
Christ; Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12 ; I Cor. xii. 28; Acts xiv. 23; Tit. i. 5—9; Rom.
xii. 4 — 8.
3. " The popish priestsare capable of the offices of archbishops, lord-bishops, arch
deacons, suffragans, deans, etc., retaining still their office of priesthood withal : so
are the priests of England . but so are not pastors whom Christ hath given to His
church; 2 Cor. vi. 15— 17; Rev.xiv. 9— 12 ; Gal.iLlS; Rom.xiLT; Eph.iv. 11, 12 ;
1 Cor. xii. 5, 18, 28.
4. " The popish priests may in their constitution, notwithstanding their eccle
siastical office, take upon them civil offices and callings — as to be justices of peace,
county-palatine, lord-president, lord-chancellor, etc. — and be honoured likewise
with the titles of kings and nobles ; as grace, lord, honour, metropolitan, primate,
etc. : so is it also with the priests of England in their constitution : but so is it not
with the pastors ordained by Christ in His cburcli ; Luke xii. 14; xxii. 25, 26;
1 Pet. v. 3 ; John v. 44 ; Rora. xii. 7 ; 2 Tim. ii. 4.
5. " The popish priests in their constitution are inferior officers to archbishops,
lord-bishops, archdeacons, etc. : so are also the priests of England : but so are not
pastors in tbe constitution and churches of Christ ; Eph. iv. II, 12 ; Rora. xii, 7, 8 ;
I Cor. xii. 28 ; I Tim. v. 17 ; Acts xiv. 23 ; xx. 17, 28.
6. " Tbe popish priests must be ordained to their office by a lord-bishop or bis
suffragan : so must also the priests of England : but so may not the pastors of the
churches of Christ ; but either by the eldership or, — at the churches' first growing
into order, when yet they have not elders, — by some of tbe fittest members, in the
church's name; and by the church's authority appointed thereunto ; 1 Tim. iv. 14 ;
Num. viii. 10.
7. " The popish priests at their ordination must be presented to the lord-bishop
by an archdeacon or his deputy: . . so likewise must the priests of England be pre
sented ; but so may not the pastors, appointed by Christ; Rev. xiv. 9, 11, 12;
2 Cor. vi. 14—17.
8. " The popish priests must be ordained to their office according to their pon
tifical, devised by themselves : in like manner must the priests of England be
ordained to their office, according to their pontifical ; that is, according to their
Book of Ordering Priests and Deacons : . . but so may not any be ordained to the
pastor's office, but only accordiivg to tbe Testament of Christ; John x. 1, 2, 7;
Acts xiv. 23; 1 Tim. iii. 10, 15; iv. 14; Heb. v. 4; Rev. xxii. 18, 19.
9. " The popish priests at their ordination must kneel upon their knees at the
feet of the lord-bishop that ordaineth them ; and he must say unto them — though
blasphemously — ' Receive tbe Holy Ghost, whose sins, etc. :' so must tbe priests of
England likewise be ordained, humbly kneeling at the prelate's feet, and with the
same blasphemous words spoken unto them by the prelate : but so may not tbe
-pastors of Christ be ordained ; Rev. xiv. 9 — II ; I Cor. xii. 4 — 7, etc; John xx.
22, 23 ; Isai. xiii. 8, with 2 Thess. ii. 2 — 4.
10. " The popish priests are not ordained in and before tbe congregation where
they are to have charge and minister, but in metiopolitan or cathedral cities, orat
some of the prelate's palaces, or where else he pleaseth to give ' orders,' as they call
it; sometimes forty, or fifty, or sixty miles from the place where tbey are to
minister ; so are the priests of England : but not the pastors of the churches of
Christ ; for tbey are and must be ordained in tbe face and presence of the congre
gation whereof they are chosen pastors ; Acts xiv. 23 ; vi. 2, 3, 5, 6 ; i. 15 ; Num.
viii. 9, 10.
11. " The popish priests are taken and ordained without fasting and prayer of
the congregation where they are to minister : so are tbe priests of England : but
pastors not so ; Acts xiv. 23 ; xiii. 3.
12. " Tbe popish priests taking charge of souls, are not elected by the congrega
tion whereof they are to take charge, but are presented by a patron to the lord-
bishop, to be instituted and inducted into a benefice, being deacons or priests
before, so made by the prelates : thus also are the priests of England : whereas,
contrariwise, the pastors of Christ are elected by free and voluntary choice of the
church whereof they are to be overseers ; Acts xiv. 23 ; vi. 2, 3, 5 ; 2 Cor. viii. 19 ;
Num. viii. 9 ; Ezek. xxxiii. 2.
13. " The refusal of the whole parish cannot debar a popish priest from having
charge of their souls when he is presented by the patron, and instituted by tbe

CHAP. L.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 287
prelate : neither can it the priests in the parishes of England : but so it is not with
the pastors and churches of Christ; Acts xiv. 23 ; vi. 2, 3, 5 ; 2 Cor. viii. 19.
14. " The popish priests may at their pleasure, without consent of the people,
resign or give over their benefices and, commonly, betake themselves to sorae otber
of greater value : so raay also tbe priests of England: but pastors may not give
over or leave the flock over which the Holy Ghost, by the churches' calling, hath
made thera overseers, except it be with consent of the church, and for such cause as
is warranted by the said Holy Ghost in tbe written Word ; Acts xx. 28, with xiv. 23 ;
Col. iv. 17; Rora. xii. 7; 1 Pet. v. 1 — 4; Isai. Ixii. 6, 7 ; Ezek. iii. 26, 27, with
xxxiii. 22 ; Num. viii. 25.
15. "One popish priest in their constitution raay and doth take tbe charge and
commodity of many parishes and benefices at once : so also may the priests of Eng
land : whereas pastors have but one only flock depending upon them, whereunto
they must attend with all faithful diligence ; 1 Pet. v. 2, 3 ; Acts xiv. 23 ; xx. 28 ;
Rom. xii. 3 — 7 ; Tit. i. 5 ; I Thess. v. 12 — 14 ; Heb. xiii. 17 ; Ezek. xxxiv. 1—31.
16. " Tbe popish priests wait not the churches' calling to the ministry, but seek
and make suit to some prelate to be ordained priests, giving money also for their
Letters of Orders : so do also the priests of England ; but so do not pastors, but
stay till the Lord by His church call them to that offlce ; Heb. v. 4 ; Acts xx. 28 ;
with xiv. 23 ; Isai. Ixii. 6, 7; Ezek. xxxiii. 2, with Jer. xxiii. 21, and 2 Chron.
xiii. 9.
17. " The popish priests are ordained to their office though they have no flock to
attend upon ; yea, commonly, twenty or thirty of them are ordained at once,
whereof no one is called to any particular congregation ; but tbey must afterward,
like raasterless raen, seek and sue for places where to be employed : so is it also
with the priests of England : whereas pastors are always ordained to the attendance
of a certain particular church for the work of the ministry therein ; Acts xiv. 23 ;
XX. 28 ; Tit. i. 5 ; 1 Pet. v. 2 ; Rev. i. 20.
18. "Such be popish priests and have cure of souls among them as are not at all
able to preach the Word : such be also priests and have charge of souls in England :
but none such be pastors but they only that, being ' apt to teach,' are lawfully called
to that office ; 1 Tim. iii. 2 ; Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12 ; Tit. i. 7, 9 ; John x. 1—5 ;
Num. xvi. 5, 40.
19. " Ofthe popish priests that can preach it is required that, besides ordination
to their office, they have special licence from the prelates to preach : so is it also
required of the priests of England : but not of tbe pastors of Christ ; Acts xx. 28 j
1 Cor. vii. 23 ; ix. 1 6 ; xii. 5, 28 ; Eph. iv. 12 ; Rev. xiv. 9—1 2.
20. " The popish priests are subject to be silenced, suspended, deprived, de
graded, by the prelates : so are also the priests of England : but not pastors ; Rev.
ii. I; xiv. 9, 12; 2 Tim. iv. 1, 2; Isai. Ixii. 1, 6, 7; Zech. xi. 17; Jer. xlviii. 10 ¦
1 Cor. ix. 16 ; xii. 28 ; Acts iv. 19, 20 ; xx. 28.
21. "The popish priests at their institution must swear to perform canonical
pbedience to the prelates their ordinaries : so must the priests of England : but not
pastors; 1 Cor. xii. 5 ; 1 Pet. i. 2— 4 ; Rev. ii. 1; xiv. 9, 12 ; Acts v. 29, 31 •
John XV. 14; Rom. vi. 16; 2 Cor. vi. 14 — 16.
22. " The popish priests are tied to a book of stinted prayers, and a prescript
order devised by man, for their worship and ministration : so likewise are the
priests of England bound to a prescript order of service and book of common-
prayer, taken out of the pope's portuis : whereas the pastors of the churches of
Christ are free to use their gifts received from Christ for the work of His ministry,
being tied therein to no inventions of men, but only to the rule and order which
Christ, in his Word, hath appointed thereunto; Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12; 1 Cor. xii.
4 — 8, 11 ; Exod. xxx. 9, with Psal. cxli. 2, and Rev. viii. 3 ; Isai. xxix. 13 ; Matt.
XV. 9 J 1 Pet. iv. 10, II ; 2 Tim. i. 6, 7 ; Rom. viii. 26 ; John iv. 24 ; 1 Tim. iii. 15 j
vi. 13, 14, with Gal. iii. 15; 2 Tira. iii. 16,17; Rev. xxii. 18, 19.
23. " The popish priests are bound in that office to perforra such actions as
Christ never appointed for the work of his rainistry ; as to church woraen, to bury
the dead, to solemnize marriage, etc. : so are the priests of England : but so are not
pastors; Eph. iv. 11, 12 ; Bom. xi. 7, 8 ; 1 Tim. iii. 15 ; v. 17 ; 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17;
Rev. xxii. 18, 19.
24. " The popish priests be not of like and equal power, degree, and authority,
among themselves ; but are, some of them, inferior to otber herein, as parsons to

288 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
archdeacons, archdeacons to lord-bishops, lord-bishops to archbishops : so is it with
the priests of England : but not with pastors, for tbey have, all of them, like and
equal power, degree, and authority, under Christ the only Archbishop and great
Shepherd of the sheep ; 1 Pet. v. 3, 4 ; ii. 25 ; Luke xxii. 24—26 ; Kev. i. 20 ; EpK.
iv. 11, 12 ; Acts XX. 28 ; Heb. xiii. 17, 20.
25. " The popish priests, together with their people, stand subject to the ecclesi
astical courts, canons, citations, excommunications, absolutions, and other the like
jurisdiction of the prelates and their officials : so stand also the priests of England
and their people : but so stand not tbe pastors and churches of Christ ; Rev. xiv.
4, 9, 12 ; Matt. vi. 24 ; xxviii. 20 ; John iii. 35, 36 ; x. 4, 5; Gen. xlix. 10; Isai.
xxxiii. 22; Jas. iv. 12; Heb. iii. 1 — 3.
26. " The popish priests have, joined with them, in their charge, churchwardens
and sidemen, which are sworn to present to the ordinary's court, as also to his
chancellors' and comraissaries' courts, all such offences, faults, and defaults, as be
committed among them against the prelates' articles and injunctions : so is it also
with the priests of England : but not with the pastors of the churches of Christ,
wherein they are not only freed from all antichristian bondage, but have also joined
with them teachers and elders for the instruction, oversight, and guidance of the
church, according to the ordinances of Jesus Christ, and no other; I Tim. v. 17;
vi.l3,I4; Rom.xii.7,8; Eph. iv. II, 12 ; I Cor. xii. 5, 28 ; xiv. 37; Acts xv.
2, 4, 6, 22, 23 ; xx. 17, 2S ; 1 Pet. v. 1—3 ; Matt, xxviii. 20.
27. " The popish priests, with their churchwardens and people, have not the
power of Christ to cast out any from among them ; neither have in this, nor any
thing else in their constitution, the keys of tbe kingdom of heaven to open and
shut, to bind and loose, to remit and retain, according to the Word and ordinance
of Jesus Christ ; but the chief ecclesiastical power and authority among them is in
the bands of the prelates, and their chancellors, archdeacons, and officials, to be
administered according to their canons and constitutions, as before is said : so is it
also with the priests, churchwardens, and people of England : but contrarily with
the pastors, elders, and people of tbe churches of Christ; Matt xvi. 16, 19, with
xviii. 17, 18 ; 1 Cor. v. 4, 5 ; 2 Cor. ii. 6 — 8; x. 4—6; Psal. cxlix. 9; Num. v. 2, 3;
1 Thess. V. 12, 14; 2 Thess. iii. 6, 14, 15 ; Eph. iv. 11, 12 ; 1 Tim. v. 17; Acts
XX. 28 ; Rom. xvi. 17 ; Rev. xix. 14, 15 ; 2 Cor. vi. 14 — 16.
28. " The popish priests must be discerned from tbe other people by surplice,
tippet, square cap, etc, : so must also the priests of England : but not pastors ; Isai.
xxx. 22; Iii. 11; 2 Cor. -vi, 17; Rev. xviii. 4 ; ITim. iii. 2; iv. 12, 16; Num.
XV. 39.
29. " The popish priests, by virtue of their ordination to that offlce, are capable
of induction and institution to any benefice whereto they are presented, to receive
the tithes, glebes, chrisms, oblations, and such like maintenance belonging there
unto : so are also the priests of England : but so are not any by virtue of ordination
to the pastor's office ; neither is the pastor's maintenance to be by tithes or any other
Jewish or popish manner, but only of the Gospel, as Christ bath ordained ; 1 Cor.
ix. 14; Gal. vi. 6; Rom. xv. 27; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13, with Heb. vii. 5, 12 ;
Col. ii. 17.
30. " The popish priesthood was never appointed by Christ, but is a new minis
try devised by man, even tbe man of sin, in the office, entrance, administration
and maintenance thereof; 2 Thess. iii. 4, 8 ; Rev. ix. 3 ; xiii. 16, 17 ; xiv. 8 — 11;
xvii. 1 — 5 ; xviii. II : such is also the priesthood of England : whereas the pastor's
office, Eph. iv. II ; Rom. xii. 8; entrance, Acts xiv. 23; vi. 2, 3, 5 ; Num. viii.
9, 10; Heb. v. 4 ; I Tim iii.; iv. 14; CoL iv. 17; administration, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17;
Eph. iv. 8, 12; Rom. xii. 8; I Tim. iii. 15; v. 17, 21 ; vi. 3, 13, 14; Tit. i. 7, 9;
Acts XV. 6, 22 ; xx. 28 ; 1 Thess. v. 12— 14 ; 1 Pet. v. 2, 3 ; 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2 ; Gal.
i. 8, 9 ; and maintenance, is not any invention of man, but tbe appointment of Christ
set down in his Word; 1 Cor. ix. 14; Gal. vi. 6; 1 Tim. v. 17, 18; I Thess. v. 12,13.
31. " The popish priesthood is such in their office, entrance, administration, and
maintenance, as princes and magistrates may and ought, by their authority, to
abolish it out of their dominions ; Rev. xvii. 16; 1 Kings xxiii. 5, etc. ; Deut. xii.
2 — 4 ; I Tim. ii. 2 ; Psal. Ixxii. 1, etc., Rom. xiii 4 : such is also the priesthood of
England, in all those particulars: but such is not tbe pastor's place and function;
Eph. iv. 11-13; 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 28 ; Rom. xii. 8 ; xiii. 3; Heb. xii. 28 ; 1 Tim.
ii. 2; V. 17; vi. 13—15.

CTIAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 289
32. " The popish priesthood is such in all the particulars aforesaid, as the Lord
Jesus will consume with the brightness of His appearing in the light and power of
his Gospel, before his second coming ; 2 Thess. ii. 8 ; Rev. xiv. 6—8 ; xvii. 1 ;
xviii. 20—23 ; with Jer. li. 60 — 64 ; Rev. xix. : such is also the priesthood of Eng
land : whereas, on the contrary, the pastor's office and function is to continue to the
end ofthe world, even till we all meet together in the unity of faith, and acknow
ledgment of the Son of God, to a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fulness of Christ; Eph. iv. 11—13 ; Rom. xii. 5, 8 ; Heb. xii. 28 ; v. 20 ; 1 Tim.
iii ; Matt, xxviii. 17 ; vi. 13, 14.
33. " Finally, therefore, the popish priesthood is such as none may have any
spiritual communion therewith, but all ought to forsake and depart from it, though
all princes under heaven should comraand the contrary ; John x. 5 ; Rev. ix. 3 ;
xiv. 9—11 ; xviii. 4 ; Amos iv. 4, 5 ; v. 5 ; Num. xvi. 24, 26 ; Matt. vii. 15 ;
Psal. cxix. 113, 128 ; 2 Cor. vi. 14—17 -. such is also the priesthood of England :
wliereas, on the other side, the pastor's function is such as is not to be left but to
be joined unto in the service of God, notwithstanding the prohibition of princes or
any other whomsoever to the contrary ; Eph. iv. 11, 12 ; 1 Tim. v. 17 ; vi. 13 — 15 ;
Rom. xii. 4—8 ; I Cor. xii. 5, 28 ; xiv. 37 ; Matt, xxviii. 20,"

CHAP. LI.
RATHllAND AND HIS OPPONENT, WELDE.
Agreeably to our resolution, at the commencement of this our under
taking, that we would work our way steadily through " evil report and
good report ;"* and that it shall never be said truly of us, Ne aspectum
quidem hostis sustinere valuerunt ; here, though having but just rid
ourselves of one species of encounter, we enter upon another, with un
shaken purpose. It is erabodied in "A Brief Narration of some Church-
courses held, in Opinion and Practice, in the Churches lately erected in
New England : Collected out of sundry of their own Printed Papers and
Manuscripts, with other good Intelligences. Together with some short
Hints, given by the way, of their Correspondence with the like Tenets
and Practices of the Separatists' Churches: And some short Animad
versions upon some Principal Passages, for the Benefit of the vulgar
Reader. — Presented to Public View, for the Good of the Church of
God; byW. R. 1644." 4to. pp.55.
That this editor or publisher, is W. Rathband, the same as the fore
going,'' there can be no doubt ; from the initials, from the bookseller's
name, and from an allusion, in the Postscript, page 53, to the "Grave
Confutation." If it be the same, there is, however, an effort to conceal
it, for some cause which is not explained. His Preface opens thus : —
" Christian Reader ; Give rae leave, before I present thee witii the Nar
ration following, to apologize something for myself. I have not fallen
upon this task for want of other work, nor out of any itching, rauch less
ambitious desire to appear in print, which, as I never affected, so much
less now, when it is becorae no singular praise ; for, scribimus omnes,
indocti, doctique : nor out of any raalignancy of spirit against the raeii
» 2 Cor. vi. 8. '' See back, p. 272.
II, U

290 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
whose church-ways 1 here relate, whom, so far as I know them, I pro
fess — God and ray conscience bearing me witness* — highly to love and
honour in the Lord. But the first occasion of my thoughts, in this kind,
was that a soleran agreement being, a good-while since, made between
the Brethren of the Independent way, then, and still, residing in Lon
don, and those of the opposite judgment; wherein, amongst other things
on both sides agreed upon, those IJrethren promised then shortly to put
forth a Narrative of their doctrine and practice in church-courses, that
so it inight appear where the differences lay. Which Narrative being
once puijlished, — the materials whereof they then professed to be all
ready, — they also promised to join with the rest, in preaching against
the Brownists, Anabaptists, and other sectaries. But the said Brethren
— though sundry times called upon to put forth their Narrative, ac
cording to promise,'' — have yet not only delayed, but at length altoge
ther denied to do tbe same. Upon which denial, I began to entertain
sorae thoughts of raaking a Narrative myself: and began so to do, but
through many discouragements I laid it by again ; till, of late, some of
the said Brethren, that had forraerly proraised the Nan-ative, published
a ' Nan-ation Apologetical,' which seemed, in title, to me, a per
formance of the forraer engagement ; but when I had read it, I found
it nothing less [than Apologetical,] as being neither full nor clear,
as a Nan-ation ought to be : but touching that, I will say no more,
because others better able have [dealt,] and I hope will, deal tho
roughly with it.
" Only I let the Reader know, that upon this occasion I resumed my
former purpose ; considering, now, the necessity of such a course, in
regard, That not only theraselves continued in that way, but also others,
both ministers and people, out of ignorance or inconsideration were
daily drawn aside thereto : new churches were erected according to their
model ; our churches and rainistry, and God's ordinances in them, began
to be neglected, slighted, deserted, yea contumeliously and scornfully
reproached as 'Antichristian, Babylonish, false, and nuU,''^ that many
were distracted and doubtful what to hold and do, and to which side to
cleave : some thought better of their ways, and otiiers worse, tiian they
deserved ; and both sorts, for want of right information what they were!
That, the full relation of their ways, if it did not tum men quite off from
them, yet, at least might so far prevail as to raake men pause awhile
and inquire further into them before they were too far engaged ; espe-
^ " It would grieve a tender heart to hear this raan call 'God, &c.* and by and
by to assault with horrible untruths and bitter invectives.".  Welde's Answer,
p. I. — See it hereafter.
l" " Some of us profess, solemnly, we never so ranch as heard of any ' promise.'. .
If tbey did not this so soon as he would have them, let him know, the extreme
distractions of these times, and the public service of some of these Brethren who
were employed by tbe State, for a good space together, raight justly hinder greater
things than this." Ibid. p. 1, 2.
» " Such contemptuous speeches and reproarhful carriages cast upon the Brethren
of the churches bere, neither are nor ever were allowed by us. . . Tbey are not alone
in these reproaches ; ourselves also are fellow-sulFevers with them herein, from di
vers Sectaries now in London, whose usual tones and dialects these words he men
tions, are, and not the voice of Independents." Ibid, p. 2.

CHAP. Lt.J RELATING TO INDE'pENDENTS. 291
cially, inight give occasion of a more full agitation of all these differ
ences in this venerable Assembly of Divines now met for consultation
about matters of this nature. That, all the printed books which I had
seen, did not, together, make out a full story; and that what wiis in them
here and there dispersed, could not be so satisfactory as to see all things
together, in a short synopsis, with one view. That, myself, by Divine
providence, had sundry intelligences lying by me, which, joined to what
was already printed, raight either make the story complete, or else
might occasion and spur on sorae other — perhaps of themselves — to
jiublish a better. And, lastiy. That some of that way, contrary to their
fonner promises and pactions, and laying by not only the due regard
we think they should have had, of their Brethren of the contrary judg
ment, but also the public peace and common cause of Reformation —
which, by such distractions is retarded — have, impetuously, both in
pulpit and press, besides what they have done in private, laboured to
promote these their popular church-ways as the only ways of God ;
and to make all men they could, to disrelish and abominate that which —
for distinction' sake — we call ' Presbyterian' Govemment.* These and
other like things, after much pondering in my spirit, at last cast the
balance, and caused me to resolve to pursue my firat intention in this
way as here you see.
" Now, lest I be mistaken, I desire the Reader to understand . . that
I intend not . . to set down all things, . . but such things only, or for
the most part, wherein there lies some difference between them and us,
or other the best Reformed churches. Neither do I intend to -wi-ap up
all and every one of the Elders — much less, raembere — of the New
England churches in the same imputations : forasmuch as . . sorae of
them do not only differ from the rest, but have stiffly opposed the rest
therein ; which I write to preserve the just repute of sorae eminent per^
sons there from such censures and hard opinions as others of them,
perhaps, may seem to merit and incur.". .''
" " To show how far from this spirit and practice we have been, consider how
loth we were to appear in the case, who, though we had books of this subject ready
for Ihe press, yet, by joint consent, suppressed them ; haply to the great detriraent
of our cause, for that we were unwilling to blow a fire. When we did appear in
pulpit or press, whether it was without instigation or not, and how sparing we have
been ever since — until sorae late forced replies— and bow inoffensive in our
carriages and preachings, we leave to all godly to judge. Instance but in the
Holland Brethren's 'Apology;' was it 'impetuously done?' Was it a mock
' Narrative,' a mere gull ? as this raan most abusively styles it. Was it not rather
'fullof peaceableness, modesty, and candour; and seasonably needful,' as that
Reverend raan affirmed in print? Doth not W. R. know that about this time of
' promises and pactions,' or a while after, our Brethren of the Presbyterian way
did write a Letter into Scotland with many of their hands to it, telling the minis
ters there, they did approve of their Government, and would join in the furtherance
of it? Now, for bim to bind our hands, and seal up our mouths, and then, under
hand, at the same time to fore-determine the matter, and be engaged in that way,
before any solemn dispute, and yet to accuse us for breaking ' pactions,' seems nei
ther rational nor fair." Ibid. p. 2.
I" " 1 crave leave . . to give some few directions. . . At tbe end of tbe several arti
cles [in each chapter], are set down tbe proofs thereof, collected out of their
printed papers and . . manuscripts, . . After the said proofs, . . follow, by themselves
, . quotations [references] of some one or move writers of the ' Brownists,' which
u 2

292 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I,
Such is the plan on which tiie " Brief NaiTation" of W. R. is printed ;
and such, also, is the unusual manner iu which the " Answer" to it is
printed ; that, to render both the more perspicuous, we shall resort to
placing as notes the several portions of the latter which we deem useful.
But we must previously prepare the reader by setting before him the
necessary preliminary information.
We begin with "An Answer to W. R., his 'Narration of the Opi
nions and Practices of the Churches lately erected in New England :'
Vindicating those Godly and Oithodoxal Churches from more than a
Hundred Imputations, fathered on them and their Church-way by the
said W. R. in his Book. Wherein is plainly proved: 1. 'I'hat tiie
Grounds of his 'Nan-ation' are sandy and insufficient. 2. That the Maur
ner of his handling it [is] unloving, and irregular. 3. That the Matter
of it [is] full of gross Mistakes and divers Contradictions. 4. That the
Quotations [are] extremely wrested, and out of measure abused.
5. That his Marginal Notes [arej Impertinent and Injurious. — By
Thomas Welde, Pastor of the Church of Roxborough, in New Eng
land. — Jude, 10 [first clausej ; Prov. xviii. 17. — This is Licensed aud
Entered according to Order. Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 68.
This Author's " EpLstle to the Reader" begins, " There was a law in
Israel, that if any man did bring ' an ill name upon a Virgin of Israel,'
the matter was to come before the Elders, and he was to be chastised, and
amerced ' a hundred shekels of silver.' * There is one W. R., if tiiou
knowest the man, that hath brought many ill reports, not upon one
virgin, but all the virgin churches of New England. When thou seest
him, do so much as bring him forth to answer this law. Tell him, we
purpose to try an action with him, and have satisfaction from him : and
if he saith he hath not raised these reports himself, but had them fiom
others ; then tell hira again, from us. That cannot satisfy ; for we have
learned from Divine and human laws, that if any be taken reporting of
slanders, — as we .shall abundantly .show he hath done in his Jvarrative, —
he raay be charged as the raiser of them, until he can clear himself by
bringing such authors into light as will own them. . . To produce Bar
rowe, Browne, Robinson, etc. for autiiors, — for they were dead before
New England churches were born, — or H. W., T. P., and I know not
what jirivate Letters, lying by him in his study, — Ibr we know not
their voice, — [is not relevant] : nor let him say, ' it was told me,' as

being consulted with, it will appear (bat the opinions, &c in the preceding articles,
do very much agree with tbem : . . underneath the same, . . short animadversions, . .
to admonish the vulgar and injudicious Reader, lest by reading things so plausibly
put forth as some of them are, he should be ensnared at unawares. , . 'Ans. to 32 ft.'
and 'Ans. to 9 Pos.,' and ' Discourse of Cov. ;' look for these iu the book lately
]mblished by Mr. H. Peters. ' Cott. Cat.,' I call . , Mr. Cotton's Church Constitution,
by way of Question and Answer : there are also cited two printed letters, under
the same name. . . 'Apol.,' that is ' Tbe Apology ofthe Churches in New England,
for tbe Church Covenant,' which 1 have hy me, in MS. Mo^t of the other quota
tions [relereiices], are of letters between friend and friend. When you have
' Rob. Apol.,' that belongs to the allegation of tbe ' Brownists,' and is distinct from
the former, [from New England]. The rest are more easy. Now the blessing of
Heaven go with this poor pamphlet. " Pref. fin.
" DluI. xxii. 18, 19.

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 293
he often doth, for ^we protest against such testimony ; nor, ' I was
informed so,' etc. . . for fama est meiidax, and prejudice hardly speaks
well of any. . . Wonder not, this Answer stayed so long : . . I thought it
shoitid need no other answer than itself, until I perceived some ill effects
of it. But why do I undertake this work ? I am one of the nearest
kinsmen to those churches, of any other man in these parts : . . few or
none are here, [who] have had more experience of New England 'church-
courses' than myself; . . aud to whom I am returning, when God makes
way. . . God knows my spirit, how exceeding loth I was to controvert
with a Brother,— though but a defendant,— and to uncover his naked
ness ; but when God calls, I am bound with Moses, when he saw the
Hebrew did wrong to his brother, to say, 'Why smitest thou thy fel
low ? '. .» I think it not meet to answer all I could : . . neither is it
possible for rae to answer the sayings of his private Letters lying by
him, — such a ground of church-stories as I never heard of ! — because
I know neither who they are, nor what their own words are ; or if I did,
were it material. .. Nor is it my scope, to discuss the points of Disci-
phne,-^that work is in abler hands,— but I look upon his book as a
historical narration, and accordingly I frame my answer. Though he
brings not the words of any of his authors cited, . . yet I have done it
for hira ; especially in the last six or eight chapters, that yon may
judge whether he hath dealt fairly with them or not. . . When, at any
time, in my answer, I say such an article, or such a clause, is ' untrue'
or is ' false,' I am not willing to impute the falsity thereof to the au
thor's knowledge ; I would judge otherwise of him than so ; but to the
thing itself asserted. . . Thine, T. W."
By way of proem, or introduction, Welde writes, "As he [W. R.]
saith he had 'laid by' the thoughts of it ['of making a Narrative my
self 'J a good while, through many discourageraents ;' so, I conceive,
if he had cast them by for ever, and raade the place of conception their
gi-ave, he had dealt better for the truth and himself. But he is very
angry for want of 'Narratives:' one, he raust have ; and one he will
have, be it right or wrong ; and if neither New England nor Holland
Brethren be worth a 'Narrative,' let him come, he will frame one hira
self; and this shall be no mock ' Nan-ative,' no mere gull, as the Hol
land-Brethren produced ; but a more solid thing ! Now, what it is,
will appear, if we weigh three things : i. That the Grounds on which
he builds it, are sandy and insufficient, ii. The Manner of his proceed
ing [is] unloving, and irregular, iii. The Matter of it, 1, full of gross
mistakes, contrarieties to the truth, and contradictions to itself; 2, his
'quotations' abused extreraely, and wrested; 3, his marginal notes,
very scandalous and offensive. . .''
"You would think that the Giounds on which all his work is
founded, and all New England churches [are] taxed, had need be sound,
even adequate ; or else he will not prove hiraself a wise builder : but
they are these three; our own ' printed' books ; private letters ; ' other
good intelligences,' as hiraself saith, in his title.
" For the printed Books which he quotes, they are writings of some
godly and leamed men there ; but that these be rightly conceived [of]
» Exod. ii. 13. " P. 3.

294 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHAULES I>
know, these books, five in number, are not written from all the 'El
ders :' two of them, but from one only ; another, from some few ; none
of them, from all : not written to tbe churches here, as a platform of
our practice, but sent as an ' Answer' to some one or more Brethren in
England, that desired satisfaction to sorae Queries of their own;
whereof W. R. himself was one :* nor intended by them for the Press,
much less to be raade a standard, to prove our churches' opinions and
ways by; but published by some well-minded here, without their
knowledge, yea, against the rainds of sorae of them. Yet, if he had
kept close to these in his 'Narration,' he had saved his credit and my
pains : but you shall see he hath so abused and wrested them — I dare
say, in wellnear a hundred places — that his assertions are not their sayings
and words, but his own ; and they will leave him to quit himself as well
as he can ; for as Scripture itself . . abused, is no Scripture, so the
writings of men perverted, are no more theirs : this we shall malje
plentifully appear.
" Sundry private ' Letters' lying by him, as he saith, sent from
' New England,' — but names only two letters of their names — ai-e an
other Ground of his story : and whatsoever any one of these writs, —
though never so privately [sent], and unknown to any other man in
any of all the churches, — must needs be the opinion of all the churches
in New England ! But to show the invalidity, yea, and impossibility
of this, to be a good ground, consider. These are incompetent proofs,
and liable to great and just exceptions ; for some there, are coiitrai-y to
us, in their opinions — antinomians, familists, antichurchians, etc. — and
even some of his cited Letters, as near as we can gather, are from .some
of these ! others that write Letters from thence, ai-e weak iu judgment,
not understanding what the churches hold, or not able to express aright
what they themselves understand : are all these fit to be the churches'
interpreters ? Doth not W. R. himself, in his preface, say, ' scribimus
omnes, indocti, doctique ?' Others may be novices, and not well
verst in our wa}', nor ripe to give the churches' verdict : some others,
haply, are but in part of our judgment, and not come off fully to the
churches' practices there : others are prejudiced against the place and
persons, and, prejudice, himself knows, can hardly speak well. And, we
know, divers such have written Letters which, it is likely, are fallen
into his hands ; therefore, these cannot be built upon for competeut
witnesses ! And whereas he saith, in his ' Postscript,' p. 50, that these
Letters come from ' members' of churches, and many from ' ministei-s
of the Word :' it is answered. That ' members' of churches, and ' minis
ters' too, may be liable to sorae or other, — and some of them, possibly,
to many — of the said exceptions : neither is it in our power, nor hi any
church in the world, to cure all their 'members,' or 'ministers' either,
of their distempers ; for if it were, you would not suffer your own
churches . . to be so infected with sundry gross errors as they are.**
" I have good ground to question ; because he thrusts in, T. G. to
J. G. amongst his New England Letters; and yet these men never
came there, though himself saith in ' Postscript,' p. 50, that his Letters
' come' from ' members' of our churches in New England ; and as he
' See back, p. 22, note b. ¦> P. 4 5.

CHAP. LI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 295
adds some, so he may add more, for aught I know. . . He tells us oilier
stories, in this book, that are as far from truth as Old England is fi-oin
New. . . If he hath so extremely inistitken the 'printed' Letters, which
he knows we can come at to peruse, how can we, or any else, be as
sured that he hath not more abused his private Letters, which no eye,
but his own, may see ? . . If this be a good ground, to prove churches'
judgments, by private Letters ; raark what absurdities will ensue :
1. That we raust believe that the churches of New England deny a
power of votes, ordinarily, to the people ; because Mr. Parker, a pastor
there, wrote so ;* and so, of necessity, we must believe a falsehood :
2. That if W. R., and two or three more, should write unto New Eng
land of their allowance of the lawfulness of an imposed Common
Prayer-Book ; then, we may write, and print it, — for so doth W. R., —
that the churches and ministers in Old England do, generally, allow
such impositions : 3. Then, any few envious or malicious persons in a
church, may bring a scandal unavoidable, upon any church in the
world ; if what they say and hold should be accounted the church's
judgment, where they live : 4. Then the churches of England are ill
Antinomian and Familistical ; because, on our knowledge, such Letters
have been written from sorae in these churches as [who] professedly
maintain such opinions. How absurd these conclusions would be, let
any indifferent man judge !" P. 5.
The reader is now fully prepared to enter upon the " Brief Narra
tion" and the " Answer" lo it, re.spectively ; the forraer occupying here

* " I assure you we have a great need of help in tbe way of Discipline, and we
hope that we shall receive much light from you. My cousin [James] Noyse and
myself have seen such confusion of necessity depending on tbe Government which
hath been practised by us here, that we have been forced rauch. to search into it
within these two or three years. And although we hold a fundamental power of
Government in the People, in respect of election of ministers, and of some acts in
cases extraordinary, as in the want of rainisters ; yet we judge, upon mature delibe
ration, that the ordinary exercise of Government must be so in the Presbyteri as
not to depend upon the express votes and suffrages of the People. There hath been
a convent, or meeting, of the Ministers of these parts, about this question at Cam
bridge, in the Bay ; and there we have proposed our arguments, and answered
theirs; and they proposed theirs, and answered us : and so tbe point is left to con
sideration. Also, concerning admission of Members, we hold, the rule must be so
large that the weakest Christians raay be received ; and there was, according to
appearance, much conjunction in this particular. . . From Newbury, in New
England. Dec. 17, 1643." p. 3, 4. " The True Copy of a Letter written by Mr.
Thomas Parker, a Learned and Godly Minister in New England, unto a Member
of the Assembly of Divines now at Westrainster : Declaring his judgment touch
ing the Government practised in the Churches of New Englani.^Imprimatur, Ja.
Cranford. — Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 4. This, the only son of Robert Parker, a
noted Puritan divine, "came over to New England in the year 1634:. . he de
parted.. April, 1677, in the eighty-second year of his age... Mr. Parker, and his
colleague [Noyse,] both considered the Sabbath as beginning the evening preced
ing ; . . being asked, ' Why be adopted a practice different from bis opinion,' [he]
replied, ' Because I dare not depart from the footsteps of the flock, for ray own private
opinion!' . . Though Mr. Noyse fled from the Church of England, he was not so
high a republican, iu religious aff.iirs, as his brethren in general. He no way ap
proved the governing vote of the fraternity, but took their consent in a silential
way." Morse and Parish, Compendious Hist, of New England. Edit. Lond. 1808.
Svo. p. 46, 47.

296 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
the smaller type in our pages, and the latter being placed below, in the
ordinary type.
Nar. Chap. I. Article i. " This is to be observed and remembered all along, That
all the churches in New England . . are of one and the same way in church-constitu
tion, government and discipline, without any material difference, so that what raay
be truly said of any one of them may be believed of them all. — Ans. to 32 Q p. 82 ;
J. C. to A. H., J. W. in Answ. to 10 Q. ; J. D. to L. H. : so all affirm uno ore."
" Many of these Letters cited, speak contrary one to another, as
himself well knows, and his ' Narration' ftilly expresseth : therefore it ig
impossible that his Letters, which speak contraries, can be a sufficient
ground of testiraony for our church-way, which is but only ' one !' "
T. W. p. 6. " He will, against all coraraon sense, needs make us as much
differing from the churches of England, as the most rigid Brownists,
yea, in some respects, more ; and this, he strongly contends for, though
we, professedly, in our writings, preachings, practices, manifest the
contrary ; and testify, as often as occasion serves, the great dislike of
their rigid separation." T. W. p. 8. "As in our judgment, we much
differ from them, so in several particulars of moraent, we practise what
the Separatists, properly so called, will not do ; as hearing, preaching,
praying in the Assemblies in England, and also in private communion
with thera, etc. . . It is well known, we differ from them in opinions
and grounds of our Practice ; and how we have opposed rigid Separa
tion in that very point, let our own writings witness. Disc, of Cov.
p. 36 — 38, 52. Here note, once for all, he saith that the churches in
New England are ' of one and the same way' in Discipline, . . and this
he would have ' remembered all along' his book : I hope he will not
start from this afterward ; I pray hira to mind it." T. W. p. 10, 11.
Art. ii. " Yet they have no Platform solemnly agreed upon amongst them : but
only they have all acted theraselves into one and the same way. — J. W. in Ans.
to 10 Q. ; V. S. to W. R.— . . It is a wonder, that no other churches in the world
should see that light which yet all the churches in New England, and all their
members, do so clearly see as to practise uniformly, without difference ; rauch more,
that all otber churches should oppose it. If [it be] by imitation, and precedent,
one following another, then, query. Whether this be not a more rational course and
likely to be less erroneous, "That the churches should jointly consider of, agree upon
and in writing set down a set Platforra, according to reason, and Scripture rule, to be
observed amongst them, rather than to tie themselves so to precedent, which, if closely
followed, is slavish, and worse; if loosely, will soon breed differences, if not divisions:
and it is not unknown, that some such have been already amongst tbem.''
" We hold it not unlawful to have a ' Platform' of church-government;
that is, a Confession of the Discipline of Christ collected out of Scrip
ture and set down in writing : yet we see no grounds to impose such a
Platform upon churches, but leave them to their liberty therein, because
— we know not that — Christ ever enjoined it ; and therefore we desire
W. R. not to stumble at our churches, rauch less take upon him, so
masterly, to conh-ol us, because we have it not. He wonders how we
so soon fell into such an 'exact' form of Discipline without a Platfonn:
we answer hira, yea, he tells us himself, — We had it from that ' Pattern'
of wholesome words written in the Scriptures, God's good Spirit open
ing our eyes to see it! And some others also, — laying aside prejudice,
and humbly .setting themselves to wait on God for light, — may come to
,sce an exacter form of Discipline than, it may be, hitherto they have

CHAP. LI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 297
done ! But, Why do not ' other churches in the world,' saith he, be
sides yourselves, see this way ; but ' all oppose it ?' Blessed be God, it
is not so : . . and even England is coming nearer it by many steps of
late than before. He that hath brought them from Episcopacy, ira
posed Fonns, and popish Ceremonies, etc., can carry them on further!
. . But we ' tie' ourselves to a ' Precedent ;' why not to a ' Platform ?'. .
'Air our churches, saith he, ' in New England,' and ' their members,'
so 'clearly see' the ' shining' light of Discipline by a 'clear evidence of
the way revealed' to them, and yet do ' tie themselves' to a ' Precedent'
Is not here a contradiction ? For if we all have full clear ' shining
light,' then we need no spectacles of a ' Precedent;' or if we 'tie' our
selves to a ' Precedent,' it is because we conceive we have not full and
clear 'light' of our own! But we have had 'divisions' amongst us :
These 'divisions' were not caused by our church-discipline, but by cer
tain vile 'opinions' brought to us from England. . . Through rich mercy,
they are, long shice, subdued by the light and power of His Truth.
P that you could say the sarae of all the loose opinions here [in Eng
land], if the will of God were so ; for which we sigh daily to Heaven
on your behalf, and dare not reproach you with it. When these ' divi
sions' AiAfall, it was while our Discipline stood; which shows that our
Discipline bred them not, but destroyed them rather." T. W.
p. 11, 12.
Art. iii. " The reason why they have no set Platform agreed upon is rendered by
some of them, to be because such a one is unnecessary ; yea, inconvenient, if not
utterly unlawful ; at least, so as to be imposed on the churches : as J. W. in Ans.
to 10 Q. iraplieth, where he saith, ' We all walk in the same way, but not by any
public and soleran agreement, as prescribing to any what to do.' — See the Ans. to
32 Q., p. 63, 64. at large. — . .. If a tyrannical and imperious iraposition of a
Platform, be so evil in their eyes, — as also it is in ours, — then, why do tbey so rigo
rously press others that come amongst them to such a perfect conformity to their
precedent ; in that, they permit no man whatsoever to be a member in any of their
churches, or partake with them in any church fellowship, unless he exactly enter
in their way of entering and walk in their order ; nor will own others as sister
churches that differ from them, — though butin some things, — in church-discipline ? . .
Is not this, really, a more rigid imposition of their pattern, than any church ever
used in urging of their Platform ? . . Objec., There is a Platform sent over lately,
called ' The Way of the Churches in New England :' * Jns. True, but . . it is
compiled by one particular raan ; not consented to by the rest, as from thence we
are informed, and therefore warned, by some of themselves, so to look at it, and no
otherwise." "We appeal . . from W. R. in a distemper, to the same man in his
right mind, to tell us now, ingenuously, if this be a good arguraent.
By one man's writing to prove the churches' judgment ! No, saith
W. R., it is not; for such a book, saith he, called our 'Way of the
Churches,' proves not that they hold ' a Platform,' etc. ; and why ?
because it was 'compiled by one particular man, and not consented to
hy the rest !' What can be more full ?" T. W. p. 6. " But we for
bear giving of our privileges to such as conform not to our 'way.'. . It is
no more than all other societies in the world do, who first require con
formity before they permit to any the enjoyraent of their liberties. Do
we any more herein, than the Reverend Assembly themselves at this
day, who would not willingly admit unto church employments and
* See a subsequent chapter.

298 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I,
privileges any of a contrary judgment in point of Discipline ? And yet,
I hope you will not say that either these or those exercise a ' rigour !'
But we will not 'own' such as our 'sister churches,' that 'differ
from' us, 'though but in some things,' in 'church-discipline !' Do not
the churches in England 'differ from' us, not only in 'some things,'
but in many; as W. R. himself saith ? And yet we 'own' them as
'sister churches ;' witness his own quoted authors ; Disc, of Cov. p. 36,
at large ; Mr. Cotton's printed Letter : all which, affirras in effect, and
some in words, that we bless 'the womb' that bare us, and 'the paps'
that gave us suck ! [Luke xi. 27"]. . . Yet, we more rigidly impose our
•Pattern' than any churches ever did ! How great an aspersion this is,
I leave others to judge, and the Lord himself to convince him of.
Why, hath there ever been so rauch as any attempt, amongst us, to
suspend, excommunicate, deprive, banish, imprison, any, for dissenting
from us in matters of Discipline, as of late in England for Nonconfor
mity ? Or, to raise a bloody war for Bishops and a service-book, as
against our Brethren in Scotland ? Or, to slander, falsify, authors ;
render many churches odious to the world, as W. R. himself hath done
in this book, merely for difference from him in point of church-govern-
raent ? We have, indeed, civilly and ecclesiastically', censured divers
there amongst us ; but it was for obstinacy in weighty points in reli
gion, sedition in the state, scandalous practices, as also manifest con
tempt of the churches of Christ there ; but not any for inconformity in
church-discipline I" T. W. p. 13.
Chap. II. Art. i. " Tbey currently bold that there is no visible church of Christ
now, in tbe days of the Gospel ; but a particular church, which may consist of a
very small nuraber, as seven, eight, or nine persons, but raay not exceed the num
ber of so many as conveniently may and ordinarily do meet together in one con
gregation, in the same place and at the same times, for the solemn worship of God,
to their rautual edification. — Ans. to 32 Q. p. 9, 10, 43 ;* Cott. Cat. p. I ;'' Ans. to
9 Pos. p. 62;<: R. M. to W. R. ; H. W. to Master B,
See Johns. Plea, p. 250 ; Rob. ApoL p. 12; Rob. Justif. p. 107, 108, 111.
. . How can so few, either employ, or ordinarily maintain, officers of so many
sorts as themselves hold necessary in every church ? and, if they cannot have offi
cers, how should they have churcb-ordinances regularly ? It may be a query, Whe
ther this 'particular' church raay, lawfully, be no raore in number than one only
congregation ; since the apostles' churches, — raost, at least, if not all, — consisted of
so many thousands as possibly could not raeet all conveniently together 'in the same
place and at tbe same times :'. . for which, see more in Mr. Rutherfurd's and Mr.
Ball's late Treatises.". .
" Though the quoted authors say, there is uo church, properly so
called, wherein ordinances may he administered, but ' a particular
church' only ; yet, we acknowledge also, in some ' sense,' a domestical
church, — ' To the church in thy house,' Phil. 2 ; — and a universal
church consisting of visible believers, according to 1 Tim. iii. 15 : and
this himself grants, we hold, — Marg. 2, Art. ii, — Why then ? doth he
say, [T.W. p. 14.]
Art. ii. " Therefore tbey deny all national and provincial churches, much more
a universal visible church in any sense. — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, 63, 60 ; Apol.
p. 7, 23; R. -M. to E. B. p. 2.
Rob. Ju.stif. p. 217.
* By Richard Mather. 1643. » See back, p. 155. '^ See back,^). 20.

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 299
" He stumbles at the smallness of the ' number' of members in our
churches, at their first creation ; ' seven, eight, nine,' saith he : and on
this string he harps four or five times at least in this book. What
'number' expressly shall make a church, is not set down in Scripture :
in Adam and Noah's time, when there was not above ' seven, eight,' or
' nine' persons, will he deny the being of a church ? And what will he
make of Christ's family, where were not above twelve besides himself?
and, of the first foundationals of the famous church of Ephesus, who
'were about twelve," Acts xix. 1,7? And Beza in that place, saith,
Paul then planted a church among the Ephesians. When our nuraber
is thus small, it is only in the very first infancy of it; it abides
not so, but members are speedily and daily added until they be — as
he blames us for not being — ' a complete organical body.' Hence those
objections also in Iris margin, 2, Art. i., are answered ; of want of
employment and maintenance for officers, in regard of their small num
ber." T. W. p. 14.
Art. iii. "Also they deny all representative churches ; whether tbe officers of one
particular congregation representing that church in the judicature within itself, or
the commissioners of several churches meeting together in a compound presbytery
— or synod — representing all those churches by whom they are sent.
Rob. Justif. p. 162.
Yet sometimes themselves are forced to use commissioners or messengers to re
present the whole body absent : as at the constitution of any new church . . So in
their private examinations of members to be admitted .. Especially, in tbe late
Synod at Cambridge, in New England. And always that part of tbe church which
is present, includes others that are absent, by representation ; and the males, tbe
women." " It is because we know no rule to set the ' officers' in the roora of
their whole church, and the 'presbytery' in the place of all their
churches, to bind the one or the other to stand to their decrees, unless
we had apostles on earth again for church-officers ; yet even they were
very tender in this point: . . He saith, Marg. 2. Art i., ' The apostles'
churches consisted of many thousands.' Not in the first beginnings ; for
in the gi-eatest church, the nuraber was small enough at first, in com
parison ; Acts i. 15 : — and this is the time of our churches we now speak
of. — Their ground was sudden, and by an exuaordinary way; certain
thousands being added in two days ; and so necessity enforced their
abode together at present They continued not long so great a body,
but were soon dispersed by Saul's persecution of them, Acts viii. 1.
While they did hold together they raight, possibly, raeet to edification,
as well as in sorae of our churches here in London, as Cripplegate,
Olive's, Sepulchre's, and others ; where the rainisters' voice raay reach
to edification four, five, six, seven thousand souls every Lord's day.
Therefore for hira to say ' it is not possible,' is too large. He tells us
our churches cannot be gathered ' in country villages,' especially of such
' choice members,' where so few saints are. This is the fault of the peo
ple, not of the rule, nor of the way. If the saints be thin sown, who can
help it ?. . They may partake of all ordinances, as they did, except the
sacraments ; and such as are fit, of those also ; in best times and ways as
may be ordered for most conveniency." T. W. p. 15. " He would bear
the world in hand, if you will believe him, That our practice doth cross

Soo HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I,
our principles : but there is no such thing, for here he proves not, nei
ther can, that we deny a church that liberty, which all societies have in
the world, that is, to depute and delegate her officers, in some particular
cases, as in her narae and stead, to represent the whole body: for this
is no raore than the church of Antioch did. Acts xv. 2, and than our
selves frequently do, in sorae instances he mentions, and divers others.
But, what is this, to the giving those officers generally a power of judi
cature in and over that church ; and, ' a compound presbytery,' in
and over all the churches whom, he saith, they represent ? Because we
deny the latter, do we therefore the fonner ?" T. W. p. 16.
Art. iv. " This particular visible church, they define to this effect. It is a mys
tical body whereof Christ is the Head ; the raerabers, are saints called out of the
world and united together into one congregation, by a holy covenant, to worship
the Lord and edify one another in all his holy ordinances. — Cott. Cat. p. 1; Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 13.
. . Here [is not] any mention of the church-officers, as any part of this de
finition. " He knows well, that a 'definition' must accord to the lowest degree
of the thing defined ; therefore we use to put in only essentials and not
all integrals : . . for suppose the ' officers' of a church be taken away, by
death, from it ; yet, I hope, he will not say, that, in the vacancy, the
' church' ceaseth to be : ' officers' are not siraply for the being, but the
well-being of a ' church !' See, how he adulterates his quotation, in two
or three Articles of this chapter: he saith, — Art i., we hold there is
'no visible church,' but 'a particular ;' but his author, Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 10, saith, 'no visible church, properly so called, but a particular!'
W. R. leaves out the raiddle woids, just as in Matt. iv. 6 ; whereby the
sense is exceedingly altered, since a church, iraproperly so called, is
yet a church. He saith, we 'currently hold' this, but his author speaks
modestly, in these words, ' We know not any, etc. :' Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 9. Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 66. He saith, we hold there is no 'universal
visible church, in any sense :' but his author, Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 66, saith
only, 'We know no such visible catholic church, wherein the seals are
to be dispensed.' A man with half an eye may discern this is not square
dealing !" T. W. p. 17.
Chap. III. Art. i. " The matter of a true visible church, is either infants or per
sons of age and understanding.
Art. ii. " In persons of age, they require, first, that they be all real saints, sincere
believers, not only having common gifts, but also saving graces; that they be not
common but choice Christians. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 8, 9 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 4 ; Ans.
to 9 Pos. p. 69, 70 : Apol. p. 2, 0, 21, 43 ; Cott. Cat. p. 1, 4; R. M. to E. B.
p. 5, 9. So Rob. Just. p. 11, 38, 41, 47, 48, 61, 91, 254.
Yea, convincingly such: T. G. to J. G. — Meek and humble spirits; for fear
they should abuse their church-power : E. O. to W. R. — Void of insincere ends,
in seeking of church-communion : Disc, of Cov. p. 4. — If any others should
attempt to be admitted, the church were bound, upon discovery, to repel them:
Apol. p. 2 — 5, 24, 33, 43 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 5. The reason of which, is rendered,
lest tbey take a harlot into the bosom of Christ, instead of a chaste spouse. If any
such, be admitted, they are not true but false matter of the visible churcbJ"
". . If by 'choice' he means eminent Christians, it is very false;
for we accept Christians of the lowest form, and never reject any for
want of parts, or eminency of grace, if we can discem in them a heart

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. SOl
smitten with sense of sin and need of Christ, joined with a blameless
conversation, though very weak in knowledge and faith, etc., we dare
not refuse but embosom them in the Lord : and hiraself, when he will
speak the naked truth, confesseth as much. Art. viii., and tells us what
great 'indulgence' we use in the admitting members. Let the reader
take notice, that upon perusal of his [W. R.'s] authors quoted, he shall
not find any one sentence or word tending to justify his saying herein.
He would make raen believe that we hold. If any be admitted, that is
not a ' real saint,' he is ' false matter' of the visible church. This he
boldly affirms, but not one word of proof, nor truth. We hold no such
thing ; for a visible saint may be true raatter of a visible church, when
admitted a member upon his profession of godliness and taking the
covenant ; as Achan, Judas, Ananias and Sapphira, were all true matter
of the visible, though not of the invisible church ; else they had never
been admitted into the churches.". . T. W. p. 18.
Art. iii. " That the church may consist of none bul real saints, so far as in them
lies, they hold, The church is bound to make strict inquiry and take exact trial of
all such persons as are to be admitted into church-fellowship ; yea, so much, and
so long, as until they have thoroughlv approved their sincerity. — Disc of Cov. p. 10 ;
Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 70, Apol. p. 2. 43 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 5 ; R. M. to T. S : this
last, giveth this advice to his friend intending to go over, ' Above all things, let
those that come to New England search their estate well towards God, and make
their calling sure before they corae ; for if men corae to offer themselves to be mem
bers of any church here, their evidences will be then viewed and scanned, and
search will be made wbat they can say for themselves to show both their cutting
off from sin and ingrafting into Christ.' And many other such warnings from thence
we have had.
See Barr. Disc. p. 33 ; Rob. Just. p. 255, 256 ; Rob. Apol. p. 81 ; Canne's
Neces. of Sep. p. 167.
. . " Seeing tbe Scripture saith to a particular person, ' If thy brother say, it repent-
eth me, thou shalt forgive him,' Luke xvii. 3 ; query. Whether the same rule will
not, by proportion, reach also to a whole church ? and so, by consequence, to church-
admission ? Neither do we read of any such strict examination, in admission of
members, mentioned in Scriptures, but that raen were accepted upon very easy and
general terms. The reason why they keep their church doors so close shut is good
and plausible in itself; but applied to this course, seems to cast an aspersion upon
Christ that hath made no such rule of prevention, and upon the apostles and their
churches which practised none such that ever we read of. . ."
Art.iv. "In which trial, they use to require, first, Letters of recoraraendations from
Other churches, or persons absent. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 28, 29 ; Apol. p. 1 . Secondly,
Testimony of their own raembers present, if there be auy that know tbe parties. —
Apol. p. 1 ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 24. Thirdly, Experience of their Conversation
amongst themselves ; in taking up of which Experience, soraetimes the time is long,
if other testimonials be wanting. — E. C. to R. C. Fourthly, They examine them touch
ing their knowledge in the principles of religion. — Ans. to 32 Q. p. 23.
Art. V. " Though some or all the forenamed proofs be given, yet tbey confide not
therein, nor can be satisfled therewith, without a verbal Declaration, — either made
by a man's self or else drawn out of bim by interrogatories, — touching the man
ner of his Conversion, from point to point, and what evidences be can show of the
Irutb of his grace, of his sound faith, and sincere repentance. — H. W. to T. S.,
saith, ' Let none trouble himself for a Certificate ; it will not avail hira, whosoever
he be that coraes — though tbe best known, and most erainently godly — must be
exarained, etc'
. . J. Vi. to T. S., saith, ' The special things they drive at are to find some degree
of Legal terrors. Evangelical mourning for sin, desire after Christ ; and upon wbat
promise the soul was quieted. W. T., to Master B., ' The chief points that the
church desires to be satisfied in, are concerning tbe cutting off from the old Adam
and a man's engrafting into Christ; how tbe Law bath had its work, how the

302 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Gospel its work ; what sight a man hath had of sin, what conviction' of former
erroneous ways, what despair of salvation in and from themselves, what throwing
down and humiliation, etc. ? Also, Whether Christ be revealed to them in the
ministry of the Word, or any other way ? What esteem they have of him ; what
desire to enjoy him ? Whether they have yet closed with their Redeemer in any
sweet promise, or be still in a waiting, expecting, condition, staying tbe time when
tbe Holy Ghost will stir up the aut of faith, make up the union, give the assurance,
etc. ?' Tbe sarae band writes, ' Tbe churches here admit none but upon confession
of their faith, and a humble commemoration, before God and tbe church, how
God bath wrought with them, and how far and in what manner he hath gone along
with them in their vocation, etc' Now , . 1 ask, . . If it be not impossible for many
good souls, fit for church-society, aud who have right to church-ordinances, to ren
der such an account and in such manner, to tbe satisfaction of a multitude, concern
ing the soundness' of their conversion? Yea, I ask. Whether so to exact it, be not
a greater usurpation and tyranny over tbe souls and consciences of men, than the*
Bishops themselves, though bad enough, did ever exercise ? If there must needs be
such an account given, both of men's knowledge and grace, were it not better and
safer that a set and standing Rule were, by common agreement, made, according
to God's Word, for trial of both ; and this, one and the same — for substance at least,
in all the churches ; durable, and to continue the same without variation, — unless
upon cogent necessity, — written and recorded, and so made public not only to the
churches and tbeir members who are to be measured thereby, but also to other
churches whom it may concern to know what their sister churches do, and how they
walk in the Lord ? . ."
" He is again besides the truth, for in the churches where we have
lived raany years, we have seeH such a tender respect had to the weaker
sex, who are usually more fearful and bashful, that we commit their trial
to the Elders and some few others, in private, who, upon their testi
mony, are admitted into the church without any more ado : and so show
more indulgence to thera, than W. R. doth to us !" T. W. p. 19.
Art. vi. " This Declaration is made first in private, before either some of the
officers or otber persons betrusted with tbe examination of the persons to be ad
mitted : and after, also in public before all the church — though never so many,-^
and that, so as to the conviction and satisfaction of them all. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 23,
24 ; Ans. to 9. Pos. p. 62, 70 : Apol. p. 2—4 ; R M. to E. B. p. 6 ; J. W. to T. S.
Why may not tbe officers, or some private men with them, betrusted with their
private examination, be sufficient, and their testimony satisfactory, etc ?"
" So they are, frequently, according to your wish. That, in the
public, their Declaration must be ' to the conviction and satisfaction of
all,' before they can be admitted : it is not so ; for, though some few be
unsatisfied, they use to submit to the rest, and sit down in their votes,
unless their reasons he such as may convince the church. For his
quotations cited to prove both these last mentioned, good reader, do us
the favour but to search Answer to 32 Quest, p. 23, 24, and Ans. to
9 Quest. [Pos.J p. 62, 70, and you will find them to justify him so far
as not to afford him any one word, or so inuch as .show and countenance !
All I say to W. R. is this. How can this stand with simplicity and
truth?" T.W. p. 19.
" Multitudes of our English in New England, yea, the major part of them are
there out of church order, and so both they and theirs live little better than hea
then ; some of which before tbey went, were bere reputed good folk, and godly peo
ple ; but is not this our brethren's rigour one of tbe causes thereof? . . That many
amongst them are out of the church, see Apol. p. 33, 36 ; Ans. to 32 Q. p. 7 ;
Master F. to J. B., E, O. to VV. R. ; and some good ones too, J. P. to W. R., A. M.
to Master C."

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 303
" He would make raen believe. Art viii., that 'sometimes' we go
contrary to our former 'rigour,' by using 'great indulgence' in our ad
mitting members ; as if we were not consistent to ourselves and princi
ples, through inconstancy : and upon this, taxes us, in the margent, for
so doing. Do but mark his dealing in this his proof of our incon
stancy; for the self-same author and page he quoted to prove the
' rigour' of our admissions, he cites to prove our ' indulgence.' Ans. to
32 Q. p. 8, he brings this for the one and the other, as if the same pen
had written contradictions in the same page ; yet no show of any such
thing will appear if you peruse the place !" T. W. p. 19.
Art. vii. " When any raeraber of any of the churches, of tbeir own way, go from
one church to another, only as travellers or sojourners, for the time, they are ad
mitted to sacraments, only bringing with them Letters of recommendation from their
own church. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 29. But when any such member coraes frora one of
their churches to another, to be adraitted as a fixed member there, then he is not
admitted, — notwithstanding any Letters, etc. . . — without such a new Examination
as aforesaid; and as if be had never been exarained, nor admitted into church-
society before. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 29, 30 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62 ; Apol.
p. 2, 7, 9, 35.
. . By this strict course, [regarding ' travellers,' etc.,] they tell us, they have seen
much good to follow, both in the discovering and cashiering of some unsound both
in opinion and grace, and in the convincing, bumbling, and converting, of others. —
Apol. p. 3. 35 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 69. . . They do not tell us what evil: how many
godly have been kept out of church-society by this means 1". .
" Though we hold it a convenient thing, — especially for such as live
far off, and altogether unknown to any of the church where he desires
participation of the Supper, — to bring a testimonial with him, yet it is
a constant and usual thing, especially if any of the church knows them,
to accept members of other churches, upon their desire, without any
Letters testimonial : and the author quoted, does him the favour rather
to seem to speak contrary to him than for him, for saith the Answer to
32 Q. p. 29, 30, ' We require Letters testimonial from the Congrega
tions in Old England for such as corae from thence, before we admit
them to the sacraments ; whereas such as come from one church to an
other in New England, we receive, because these churches in New Eng
land are better known to us than the other.' See how this testimony
favours him!" T.W. p. 19.
Art. viii. " Notwithstanding all this rigour and strictness, sometinies they will as
sure us that the churches use great indulgence in their trial, and stoop unto very
low terras, that they may take men into church-fellowship. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 8.,
' The known godly, are presently admitted, upon their own desire.' W. T. to Mr.
B. saith, ' If a man be humble, and have an earnest desire, though be be but in a
waiting condition, if in other things be make conscience of his ways,' he knows ' no
man of wit will deny him to become a member.' Tbe same man, to P. H., * If your
ministers were here, they would not think us too strict but too remiss in discipline.'
' I think, in tirae, we shall grow like Old England 1' E. C. to R. C. But of their
abatements, see af\er, more particularly.
If it be the mind of God, that they should be so strict . . how can they remit any
degree of that rigour ?". .
Art. ix. " Thus far of the first, which is the main thing, they require in persons
to be admitted into church-fellowship ; naraely. True and real saintsbip. A second
is. That tbey be such as can cleave together both in opinion and affection. — -Disc.
of Cov. p. 4. And, that there be a suitableness and sweetness of spirit in them, apt
tp close one with another. — J. Cott. Notes ofthe Church, fol. p. 2, 3.
" This is very good and comfortable when it may be had; but suppose some differ

304 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
from us in opinion in points inferior: raay they not be admitted and tolerated in
that, so long as they be not turbulent or infectious ? And what, if men be of more
sour and cynical dispositions, by nature, must nobody admit them into church-
fellowship, . . though they should have truth of grace, . . because of some invincible
remains of a harsh and crabbed constitution ?"
Art. X. " A third is. That they cohabit together as near as may be, for their better
mutual watching one over another. — Disc, of Cov. p. 4 ; Cott. Cat. p. 5.
. . Whereas our Law hath tied all men, dweUing within such and such precincts
[parishes,] to meet together in such a place, under such a ministry, . . sorae of them,
contrary to this good Law, destroy these. . orderly consociations, pull asunder our
true, though not pure. Christian churches, and patch up others of their own mak
ing, gotten sorae from one parish, etc., some from another ; . .whereby other pastors
are robbed of their sheep, etc.". .
Art. xi. "A fourth thing is. They must be such as know wbat belongs to church-
covenant, and approve thereof. — J. P. to W. R. ; T. G. to J. G.
Therefore, if any raan deny or but doubt of this church-covenant, — namely, as
distinct frora the Covenant of Grace, — tbeir church-doors are for ever shut against
him. God help me, then '."
Art. xii. " Lastly, Tbey must seek and desire church-membership and church-
fellowship — namely, in their way of it. — Apol. p. II, 39; Disc, of Cov. p. 4 ;
J. W., Ans. to 10 Quest. ; J. W. to T. S. ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 8 ; Cott. Cat. p. 4.
Which, if they do not, they account them despisers of it; yea, wicked and graceless-
persons, and so unworthy of it. — Apol. p. 25 — 27, 34 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 69 ; Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 21 ; J. W., Ans. to 10 Q. ; Disc of Cov. p. 28.
This is the harshest of all the rest. May not such forbearance proceed out of
humility or modesty — though unwarrantable, — ignorance, or tenderness of con
science ; as scrupling their covenant, and the courses following it, discouragement,
or the like ? Men forget the royal law of love. To do as they would be done unto.
Some call sharply, for charity ; charity to themselves, that show but slender cha
rity to others."
" The last and worst report of all the rest, is in Article xii., where
he reports, that if any amongst us do not ' seek and desire' chm-ch-
fellowship, in our ' way ;' we ' account them despisers of it ; yea, wicked
and gi-aceless persons.' To which I answer, with detestation, God for
bid ! We speak it as knowing God hears all our words. We hope we
are far from such a spirit ; for we well know that many gracious and
precious saints there amongst us, raay, and soraetimes do for a good
time, abstain from seeking and desiring church-fellowship, for other
grounds than despite, wickedness, and giacelessness ! Sometimes, be
cause they are not settled in a place ; sometimes, because they desire
more experience of the ministers and people where they should join :
sorae, for want of clear light and full conviction of the church- ways we
walk ill ; and some others, out of many fears about their own spiritual
estate before God. . . See what cause, therefore, he hath, in his mar
ginals to this Article, to upbraid us : . . whereas he forgets the law of
'love' and trust [truth] also. . . And for these quotations cited, of Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 21 ; and Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 69 ; we boldly say, and do chal
lenge him with it, that there is not one word therein to bear him out ;
and, therefore, I do here lay this report upon himself as tiie raiser of it ;
let him defend it, or humbly take the blame.
" Besides these blurs he puts upon us in the text, he attempts no less,
in his large marginal comments ou this chapter ; by many objections
raised against us : . . as that, we keep our ' church-doors' so close 'shut;'
and, why may not ' fair overtures,' and ' shows of grace,' in such as offer
themselves, be sufficient for admission ? and, what need such narrow

CHAP. LI.J REL.VTINO TO INDEPENDENTS. 305
searching and sounding of ¦* men's hearts' to the bottom ? and, that
'Christ' never made such rules ; and 'the apostles and their churches'
never practised the like ; and, that 'real aud internal holiness' is not re
quired to make a member, but only ' federal and external,' etc. ! Do but
see how church-members were wont to be qualified : Matt. iii. 6 ; Acts
viii. 37, 38 ; xix. 18, 19 ; Rom. i. 7, 8 ; xv. 14 ; Eph. i. 1 ; 2 Cor. ix. 13 ;
2 Cor. viii. 5; where is plainly expressed what frame such were of: they
confessed their sins ; they professed their faith ; they believed in the
Lord Jesus with all their heart ; they confessed and showed their works ;
they openly burnt as raany conjuring books as were worth no less than
fifty thousand pieces of silver ; they were men beloved of God, called to
be saints ; full of goodness ; filled with knowledge ; the faith of some of
them spoken of through the world ; faithful in Christ Jesus ; professed
their subjection to Christ ; gave up themselves first to the Lord, and then
to the church, by the will of God ! Now let W. R. speak, is here only
' federal and extemal holiness ?' were here only ' fair overtures' and some
'shows of grace ?' But if we go further than his principles carry him,
then, we keep our church-doors 'too close;' then he cries out, it is
against 'charity,' against 'Christian wisdom,' against 'justice,' and all!
And then, why will not ' overtures' and 'shows' serve our turns ? I tell
you, these ' overtures' and ' shows,' W. R., have done mischief enough
already, a man would think, to Christ's kingdom, and to these poor
English churches. It is high time, sure, to press on further now than
' overtures :' first you were for Stinted Liturgies, and now plead for ' ovei -
tures !' Whitfier next ?". . T. W. p. 20, 21.
" If it seems so 'impossible' for some Christians to give an account
of the work of grace in them, what meant Peter to direct all believers
to 'be always ready to give an answer to every man,' ofthe 'hope' that
is in thera ? 1 Pet iii. 16. . . What if they know not the time, order,
and raanner of their conversion, yet if they can give any evidence of
Christ now in them by the workings of his Spirit for [the] present,
though they know not how Christ came into them, it is sufficient. . .
' If any man deny' the church-covenant, or 'doubt' of it, your * church-
doors are shut for ever against him !' We pray you, good W. R., speak;
not against common sense : how can we possibly admit him into our
church-covenant, that denies the church-covenant ? Can we raake him
do what he denies to do ? Since God's people must be a ' willing' peo
ple, Psal. ex. 3 ; or, if he doubts of the lawfulness of it [the covenant,]
is it lawful for hira to enter into it doubtingly, or for us to offer it, see
ing 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin,' Rora. xiv. 23 ? But to say our
' church-doors' are ' for ever' shut against him ; is a speech as untrue
as harsh.". . T. W. p. 22, 23.
Chap. IV. Art. i. " Tbey bold tbe Form of a true visible church of Christ, is that
which they call ' Th& Church-Covenant ;' whereby all the members of the society
are united to Christ and to one another : which, therefore, they count absolutely
necessary, essential, and constitutive to and of the True Church. — Disc, of Cov.
p. 5—15; Ans. to 32 Q„ p. 9, 39; ApoL p. 6, 9,17, 19—21, 24, 25,38,39; Cott.
Cat. p. 4. Without this, no true church, nor true church members ; but all are har
lots and concubines. — Apol. p. 20, 24; Disc, of Cov. p. 14, 18—21, 24. Withpuf
it, all men are 'without' the church, — for which, they usually cite 1 Cor. v. 12,—
and uncapable of any church privilege. — Apol. p. 6, II, 13, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, "38,
II. X

306 HISTORICAL MEaiORIALS [cHARLES 1.
39, 42; Disc, of Cov. p. 17, 22, 28; Ans. to 32 Q., p. IJ, 21, 24, 38; Ans. lo
9 Pos. p. 69.
So the Separatists: Rob. Just. p. 75, 79, 56, 81, 82, 85, 86, 110, 210, 207,
231, 257, 351.
This point, of church-covenant, is worthy of deep consideration ; for it will
touch the freehold — not only of our English churches, but also — of all the churchea
in the world, if this be the rule to try all churches by !"
" He Utterly raistakes the subject of the question ; for those authors
he quotes declare not what it is that makes a ' true' church, but a ' pure
congregational church, as it is refined according to the platform of the
Gospel. . . This one thing being cleared, what will now become of all
his marginal collections, exclamations, insultations, on the 1st, 3rd, Sth,
Articles. He cries out of our unheard of rigidness, as if we would ' touch
the freehold' of the churches of England, etc. : but all his invectives are
as arrows shot into the air, for we hold no such thing as he exclaims
at. . . For the quotations he raakes for these words ['all are harlots,
etc.,'] I marvel his paper blushed not, when he wrote it, because him
self did not ; for let any man read over the pages as we have done, and
see if one can be found so rauch as savouring of such a thing. . . He
contradicts his own relation. Art. iii., where he plainly saith, 'that
raany' that be ' within the church-covenant' are not in ' the covenant of
grace ;' and so, not in Christ : and yet, here he saith that by the 'church-
covenant' a raan is ' united to Christ'. . . How can both these be true ?
This is too frequent with him, to lay things that are contradictory to our
charge ; and not a word of proof from the authors [cited] as any gi-ound
of it!".. T.W. p. 24, 25.
Art ii. " No other tie, nor all others imaginable, without this [church-covenant,]
they conceive are sufficient to knit men together into one church ; nor is there
any other way of admission into the church but by this : not visible profession,
and practice of true holiness, though never so complete and sincere. Therefore
"they say ' Job and Melchizedek,' with others such eminently godly, ' were yet no
jnembers of the visible church, because not within this church-covenant 1' — Ans.
to 9 Pos. p. 66 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 14 ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 28, 37 J nor ' baptism;'—
Ans. to 32 a., p. 12 : nor ' cohabitation ;' — Disc, of Cov. p. 14, 20 ; nor ' volun
tary and usual frequenting the same place of worship ; subjecting a man's self to
the same officers and laws of government ; nor joining himself iri all holy fellow
ship, both public and private, with the same society;' — Ibid. p. 21 ; nor 'the law
of the land,' made by the magistrate's authority, with our own implicit consent in
Parliament, appointing. That all professors of religion that sit down within such
and such precincts, shall be of such a society or church ; — Apol. p. 14 : nor all
these together, without the church- covenant ; which only, is sufficient to do it !
—Ans. to 32 Q., p. 24 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 5, 14, 18—21, 24, 25 ; Apol. p. 19,24."
" He reports that we hold. That 'joining' ourselves 'in all holy fel
lowship,' cannot ' knit' a man as a raeraber of a church : and quotes
Disc, of Cov. p. 21, for his proof The author hath not one word to
bear hira out ! We wonder what the man raeans, to affirm this ; for
'joining one's-self in holy fellowship,' he knows is our usual and fre
quent description of the church-covenant, when we speak most punctu
ally to it ; aud do commonly, for that end, cite Jer. 1. 5 ; Acts ix. 26.
That very author and page he cites to prove we hold that 'joining our
selves in holy fellowship cannot knit,' etc., speaks directly the contrary,
in these words, ' When joining,' saith the author, ' is used for a man's
taking on him, voluntarily, a new relation,' as in this case he doth, ' there
it always implies a Covenant'" T. W. p. 25. "In his margent to

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 307
Art. ii., 'A strange, 3'et hold assertion,' saith he, • spoken . . without
good show of reason ;'. . that 'Job and Melchizedek' were no members of
' the visible church.'. . All that Ans. to 32 Q.,p. 37, saith, is this, ' We
make no question of the salvation of Job and his friends, j-et it is a
gi-eat question whether they were of any visible church or not ;' and gives
his reason ; ' seeing the visible church, in those times, seemed to be ap
propriated to the posterity of Abraham, etc. ; of whose line it cannot
easily be proved that all these men did come.' And all the other cited
author, — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 66 [67] — saith, is this, 'We nowhere
read,' — there is this reason — that Melchizedek, Job and his four friends,
' were circumcised ; neither do we believe they were.' Now see whether
we ' say' and conclude that these holy men were in no church ; if we
boldly assert it, etc. !" T. W. p. 29.
Art. iii. " This Covenant, they hold to he distinct from the Covenant of Grace ;
so as that many which are within the covenant of grace, — that is effectually, yea,
and visibly, called, too, — are not within the church-covenant, and so not vrithin
the -visible church, as Job, Melchizedek, etc., of whom before. And again ; many
are within the church-covenant and so within the visible church, that are not
within the covenant of grace, as hypocrites in the church. — Apol. p. 5, 6, 14 ;
Disc, of Cov. p. 3, 16.
. . When an express vocal covenant is held forth and with all eagerness pressed,
on us and on all churches, as a Divine ordinance particularly commanded in
Scripture ; absolutely necessary; essential, and constitutive to a true church ; with
out which, there is no true church, . . and without which there is no right unto
nor orderly participation of any church duty or ordinance : and this so obligatory,
that it is piaculum to remove from that society, with which one is in covenant,
without their general consent, sought, at least, as after is showed : and not only so,
but also Letters are sent over with strong lines, to dissuade our people from living
any longer in the way they have done ; out of church-order, because out of church-
covenant : Sermons are likewise preached, hooks printed, and private discourses
made ; and in all these, arguments artificially used, and passionately and persua
sively urged, yea, the Scriptures themselves forced to speak for their church-
covenant as a Divine ordinance, etc.: I say, 'When it is thus held forth and urged
on us, no marvel if it be not entertained without much agitation ; yea, if it meet
with much opposition, and that amongst the godly and learned, both persons and
churches." Art iv. " Yet sometimes they tell us. It is not distinct altogether, or in sub
stance, but in some respects only ; as a part ii-om the whole, this being a branch
of that— Disc, of Cov. p. 3, 7, 8, 12, 26, 28 ; Apol. p. 8, 31, 43 : a 'voluntary'
profession of subjection thereunto ; — Apol. p. 22, 24 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 18 : espe
cially, to that part thereof which concerns church-fellowship and church-duties ;
— Disc, of Cov. p. 4, 7, 8, 26 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 75 : -with application to this par
ticular church only to which one is now to he joined by this covenant...^Disc. of
Cov. p. 10, 15, 28 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 75.
. . As this covenant is destructive to our churches, so it is apt to cause schisms
and separations of one church from another even amongst themselves. It is a par
tition wall, as one calls it, built up to hinder that communion that ought to be
among churches, and that care that one church and member ought to have of
another ; here being so strict a tie to the duties belonging to our own church and
the members thereof, but not a word of any duty to be performed to other churches
or their members : so that if a member of the same church with myself want
watching, counsel, reproof, etc., my covenant binds me to perforin accordingly ;
but if one of another church do need as much, and I have fit opportunity, etc.,
yet, by this covenant, I have nothing to do with him, he is ' without' to me :—
1 Cor. v. 12."
" In Articles iii. and iv. he would make as though we ourselves speak
contrary to ourselves. In the one place, he saith, we ' hold' our church-
x2

308 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES 1.
covenant ' to be distinct, etc. ;' in the other place, that ' it is not
distinct, etcJ!- But we must digest grosser things than this, in his
narrations. Consult with his author, and you shall see nothing to
countenance him ; yea, he quotes the same author for both." T.W.
p. 25.
Art. V. " And this covenant is made, by every member, both with God and the
church ; and by the church also, back again, with every member. — Disc, of Cov.
p«4, 10, 12 ; J. W. Ans. to 10 Q. ; R. M. to W. R."
Art. vi. "And thus they define it : — All the middle part of this definition, ex
plains the matter of a true church ; of which, in the former chapter : only the be
ginning and end, do show the nature of the covenant, which they call the Form,
of which here, in this chapter : — It is a solemn and public Promise, before the
Lord and his people. Whereby a company of Christians called, by the power and
mercy of God, to the fellowship of Christ ; and, by his providence, to dwell toge
ther ; and by his grace, to love and cleave together in the unity of faith and bro
therly love ; and desirous to partake, according to the will of God, in all the holy
ordinances of God together, in one congregation ; Do bind themselves to the Lord,
to walk in all such ways of holy worship to him, and of edification one towards
another, as God himself hath required, in his Word, of every church of Christ aud
the members thereof. — Apol. p. 5 ; Disc of Cov. p. 3.
The words are good ami fair ; but he that takes this covenant, had need to con
sider that, in the sense of them that give it, The ways of God, are the ways of
church-constitution and popular government ; which, if he be not, upon good
ground, satisfied that they are indeed the ways of God, then how can he safely en
gage himself to them by this covenant ; and that, not only tq be, a patient to tole
rate what he cannot mend, but even to act with them also in the same ? Our
Brethren conceive that a minister, in swearing canonical obedience, in omnibus
Ileitis et honestis, to a Bishop, did thereby justify Episcopacy ; and do not, by
the same reason, all that take this covenant, justify Popularity and Independ
ency 1"
Art. vii. " The properties hereof: It is sacred, not civil. — Disc, of Cov. p. 3, 4.
It must be public, before all the church. — Disc, of Cov. p. 4, 17 ; R. M. to W. R.
'Vocal, and express. — J. W. Ans. to 10 Q.; Apol. p. 45. So flrmly binding, as
that it cannot be loosed without the consent of the church. Of which, see raore
hereafter." " He tells us we hold our church-covenant must be ' vocal ;' but
proves it not by any one testimony we can read ; and it is contrary, we
are sure, to our constant practice that admits members into tbe church
by a covenant agreed to by their silence only. And as it is contrary to
our practice, so. to our writing in the Discourse ofthe Covenant, which
expressly saith that 'silent consent is sufficient,' and there proves it by
Gen. xvii. 7, and Deut xxix. 10, etc." T. W. p. 25.
Art viii. " After all the rigorous exacting of this covenant, sometimes they mol
lify the rhatter, and tell us, 'That an agreement, or consent, to be members of this
or that society, and to walk with them in church-fellowahip ; will serve and is
equivalent. — Apol. p. 32, 44 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 21 — 23 ; T. G. to J. G. And some
times, instead of exacting this covenant, they only inquire what is in men's in
tention ; whether they ' intend' to do so or not ; and if they intend it, that sufficeth.
— Mr. W. to Mr. P, And as for us, they sometimes acknowledge that our consent
to the law of the land, made by king and parliament, appointing that all such as
sit down within such precincts shall be of this or that parish or church, is an im
plicit covenant. — Apol. p. 14: and sometimes, that our promise to believe and
walk according to our Articles of Religion, is sufficient. — Disc, of Cov. p. 40."
" Whereas he had reported before, of our ' rigorous exacting,' etc. ;
it raust be 'vocal, and express,' or it would not serve our turn; nay,
no churches at all without this explicit covenant ; etc. : now, he pulls
down all he hath built, and tells us that we hold that a bare ' consent and'

CHAP. LlJ RELATING TO INDEPENDENPS, 309
agreement, etc., will serve ;' and that men's implicit intentions, etc.,
may suffice ! He grossly falsifies his author brought to prove this minc
ing of the covenant, — Disc, of Cov. p. 21, 22,.— where is not one word
that way; and, which much aggravates, he still quotes the verj' same
author and page, for our mincing of the covenant, that he did, in
Art. i., for our rigorous exacting of it ! He slandereth us, to raake the
world believe we run contrary ways : sometimes by over ' rigorous ex
acting,' etc. ; soraetimes again, that . . we bring it so low, almost to no
thing ! Whereas, in all our writings, I profess it solemnly, there is no
show at all of any such differing practice. Hence, also, the ground
being rotten, his marginal construction falls on his own head. He doth
not only abuse his author and us, but himself also, who said, in Chap. I.
Art. ii. that New England Churches walk in 'the same way,' without
any raaterial difference : and yet this is the third time he hath taxed us
for grossly differing from ourselves. How can these things be ? See,
how many gi-oss faulterings in one poor Article ; what are in all his
book ?" T. \Y. p. 25, 26.
Art. ix. "This covenant amongst them, though for substance of matter it be &11
one in aU their churches, yet in form of words it is diverse in divers churches, but
in the same church it is ever in one and the same form of words as well as matter,
and therefore put in writing ; aud when any one is admitted, it is then read, either
by the party himself that is admitted, or else unto him by some other man, where
unto he is to give his assent. — R. M. to W. R. ; Apol. p. 5.
. . What is this better or more lawful than such a set form of Prayer ; especially
since this covenant is imposed as an ordinance of God, and absolutely necessary
so as no book-prayer is? . . And if one form of covenant be lawful for all the
churches consociated ; why not one form of Liturgy, or Directory for Worship,
also?" " He was hard driven for arguments, else he could never have pro
duced this as a ground for set forms of Prayer in churches : for, he might
know, there is a large breadth of difference betwixt a covenant and a
prayer. The one is presented to God himself only; the other, to man
also. . .We have express wan-ant, in Scripture, for a form of words and
writing of a covenant, — which is the very thing we are blamed for ; —
see Neh. ix. 38; and x. 29 — 39. . . Let him show us the like warrant, in
the Word, for a Liturgy, or set form of book-prayer, for a congregation.
I much wonder that a grave, learned, man, — especially in such reform
ing times as these, — should so far forget himself as to make such paral
lels, and still talk of Liturgies ! He saith, in this marginal, that the
church iraposeth that set forra of covenant, etc. . . It is never iraposed
on any : . . if he hath not light and ground, he is, in no case, forced to
it ! . . Any church hath and taketh liberty, as they shall see just cause
. . to alter it [their covenant,] and renew it before the Lord; and bind
not themselves, to continue in any oversight because they once fell into
it: and some churches have so done." T. W. p. 30, 31.
Art X. " One or two of their Forms I will here insert, that the reader may the
better, by example, take up their sense touching this covenant.
The Covenant of the English church at Rotterdam, — as is reported to us ; —
renewed, when Mr. H. P. [Hugh Peters] was made their Pastor ; was to this effect :
— "We, whose names are hereunder written, having a long tirae found, by sad ex
perience, how uncomfortable it is to walk in a disordered and unsettled condition,
etc. ; do renew our Covenant in Baptism, and avouch God to be our God.i We

3^0 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
resolve to cleave to the true and pure worship of God ; opposing to our power, all
false ways : we will not allow ourselves in any known sin, but will renounce it so
soon as it is manifested from God's Word so to be ; the Lord lending us power :
we resolve to carry ourselves, in our several places of government and obedience,
with all good conscience, knowing we must give an account to God : we will labour
for further growth in grace, by hearing, reading, prayer, meditation, and all other
ways we can : we mean not to over-burden our hearts with earthly cares ; which
are the bane of all holy duties, the breach of the Sabbath, and the other Com
mandments ; we will willingly and meekly submit to Christian Discipline, without
murmuring, and shall labour so to continue ; and will endeavour to be more for
ward, zealous, faithful, loving and wise, in admonishing others : we will labour,
by all our abilities, for the furtherance of the Gospel, as occasion shall be offered
to us : we promise to have our children, servants, and all our charge, taught the
ways of God : we will strive to give no offence to our brethren hy censuring them
rashly, by suspicions, evil speakings, or any other way : lastly ; we do protest not
only against open and scandalous sins, as drunkenness, swearing, etc., but also
against evil company and all appearance of evil, to the utmost of our power."
"The Covenant of the Church of Christ at Salem, was renewed to this efl'ect:
We, whose names are hereunder written. Members of the present Church of Christ
at Salem, etc., solemnly in the presence of God, etc., renew that Church Covenant
which we find this church bound unto at their first beginning, viz.. We covenant
with the Lord and one with another, and do bind ourselves, in the presence of
God, to walk together in all the ways of God, according as he is pleased to reveal
Himself to us in his Word ; and do, more explicitly, in the fear of the Lord, pro
fess and protest to walk as followeth : We avow the Lord to be our God, and our
selves his people, in the truth and simplicity of our spirits : we give up ourselves
to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of his grace, for the teaching, sanctifying,
and ruling of us in matters of Worship and Conversation ; resolving to cleave to
Him alone for life and glory, and oppose all contrary ways. Canons and Constitu
tions of men, in his worship ; we promise to walk with our Brethren and Sisters,
in this Congregation, with all watchfulness and tenderness ; avoiding all jealousies,
suspicions, backbitings, censurings, provokings, secret risings of spirit against
them ; but in all offences, to follow the Rule of the Lord Jesus, to bear and for
bear, give and forgive, as he hath taught us : in public, or private, we will willingly
do nothing to the offence of our Church ; but will be ready to take advice for ourselves
and ours, as occasion shall be presented : we will not, in the Congregation, be
forward either to show our own gifts or parts, in speaking, or scrupling, or there
to discover the failings of our Brethren or Sisters, but attend an orderly call there
unto ; knowing how much the Lord may be dishonoured, etc., by our distempers
and weaknesses in public : we bind ourselves to study the advancement of the
Gospel in all truth and peace, both in regard of those that are within and without ;
noway slighting our sister-churches, but using their counsel as need shall be, not
laying a stumbling-block before any : we hereby promise to carry ourselves in all
lawful obedience to those that are set over us in Church aud Commonwealth, know
ing how well-pleasing it will be to the Lord, etc., we resolve to approve ourselves
to the Lord in our particular callings ; shunning idleness as the bane of any state,
nor will we deal hardly or oppressingly with any : we will, also, to our best abili
ties, teach our children and servants the knowledge of the Lord and his will that
they may serve Him also."
" All things in these two Forms, in a fair construction are very good, but some
things are subject to a harsh construction. . . We have, in the latter, a particular
promi.se not to ' be forward in speaking in public, or scrupling.' By which it
appears that they are allowed, when called, publicly both to speak, that is as I
understand it, to prophesy ; and to scruple, that is, to propound questions, raake
objections, etc., else, what need a law, to restrain them from doing it uncalled ? ..
But what diflTers this law, in force, from an Ecclesiastical Canon ? but that Canons
are now grown out of request, that church-covenants may be the better cried up !". .
"^He sets down two of the Forms of the Church-Covenants ; which,
any savoury and gracious spirit, viewing over and surveying the godly
simplicity of them, cannot, one would think, but approve and relish.

CHAP. LI ] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 31 1
Yet see this raan's spirit, so prejudiced against us and all things we do,
that he cannot choose but without reason find fault with divers innocent
passages therein ; as that we promise, willingly and meekly, to submit
to Christian discipline ' without murmuring !' etc, , . He is angry with
us also, p. 18, that we mention not, in our covenant, more particular
sins and duties than we do ; and yet is offended that we mention any at
all : how shall we please hira ? . . He then flies from New England to
some particular persons here, who, 'being rainisters of churches there,'
saith he, p. 19, 'accept of settled [fixed] employments, even charge of
souls ;' and how can they ' watch over' their church ? 1 know but two
ministers of the churches there, that are in England at this time ; and
how far both these are from settied employment,-^rauch more from
taking livings, as these words, 'charge of souls' imply, — God, their own
consciences and the people to whom they, at present, preach, can testify ;
littie to the comfort and credit of any that thus slander them. I advise
him to reflect upon his words, and see if there be not something in
them to be repented of, and recalled. . . That hand of Providence, that,
upon weighty causes, and with their people's consent, first led them
hither ; and upon like necessary gi-ounds, bej'ond expectation, still de
tains them here ; takes them off, at present, from performing that duty
of watchfulness over their people ; as, in like nianner, it doth to other
persons, that are absent from their families and churches, by long sea
voyages, wars, etc." T. W. p. 26, 27.
Art xi. " This covenant, thus distinguished from the covenant of grace, they
hold to be that covenant which is sealed hy the sacraments, and. for the sealing
and ratifying of which the sacraments were principally ordained of God ; and
therefore to be administered only to such as are first entered into this covenant,
as seals thereof. — Apol. p. 15, 19, 31 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 63, 66. And therefore,
that such persons as, by their condition, cannot join in church -covenant, nor live
in church-fellowship with a set society, are not bound to partake in sacraments. —
Apol. p. 39, 41.
See Rob. Justif. p. 80, 110. Though I do not find the 'Brownists' so
solicitously to distinguish between the church-covenant and the covenant of
grace, as these our Brethren do.
Here is a piece or two of such divinity, as I never heard or read before ; but
uno absurdo dato, mille sequuntur ! "
" I Stand amazed at this report. . . All his proof we can see is 'Ans.
to 9 Pos. p. 63, 66 ;' I will relate the very words : . . ' Baptism,' saith
the author, 'serves to seal our justification, as circumcision did ; yet not
that alone, but also the whole covenant ;' that is, of grace, 'with all the
privileges, as adoption and sanctification, fellowship with Christ ; the
jsalvation of our souls, and the resurrection of our bodies : Acts ii. 38 ;
Gal. iii. 26, 27; Tit iii. 5; Matt. xx. 23; 1 Pet iii. 21. And not
only the covenant of grace, which is common to all. believers ; but
church-covenant also, which is peculiar to confederates, according to
1 Cor. xii. 13.' Now, here is not said that the church-covenant is
the thing ' sealed,' rauch less the principal end of this ordaining ' the
sacraments;' least of all, that the church- covenant, as distinguished
from the covenant of grace, is the principal end of the sacraments : but
all that is said is this. That, though justification and the whole cove
nant of grace, be the principal things sealed in their circumcision and
oivr baptism ; yet ' all the privileges' of the covenant of grace, and the

812 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
' church-covenant also,' are not without their share and benefit in the
sacrament. How far this expression coraes short of his assertion, let
others judge. Now, see in his marginal note upon this Article . . I could
retort, ' Here is such an absurd foisting in of untrutiis as I never hardly
read in heathen or christian writers ;' and having taken liberty in a few
things at first, now they come in by troops. As he hath had very ill
success hitherto all the chapter through, let us see if he will speed any
better at the close." T. W. p. 27, 28.
Art xii. " Such as were admitted into their churches Infants by the covenant of
their parents, are not yet permitted to receive the Lord's Supper when they come
to years, until they have first run through all the foresaid course of public and
private examination ; profession of faith, declaration of the manner of their con
version, and personal, vocal, express entering into the same covenant as others, of
years, have before them done, and as if they had never been received members
before. — Ans. to 32 a., p. 20, 21."
"All that the author — whora only he cites, — saith, is this, that 'There
ought to be a renewing of their covenant, or a new profession of their
interest in the covenant, and walking according to it ;' and professeth
modestly too, these are but their ' present thoughts,' not settled ' deter-
iiiinatively, for want of occasion to bring it into practice :' yet he brings
hira in as speaking conclusively ; and, with a luraber of additions, de
viations, alterations, of his own putting in : where is now, his running
through 'all the foresaid course,' etc. ? . Whose words are all these ?
The author expressly tells us that ' Children are entered into church-
covenant already, and do but renew their covenant ;' and [but] he saith.
They raust enter in afresh, as if they had never yet been received at all!
This, we must tell him, is not fair dealing." T.W. p. 28.
Chap. V, Art. i. " Any small number — almost — of persons, — so fitted as
before, — they hold, may lawfully unite themselves into a church body, by enter
ing into the church- covenant aforesaid; and so, may constitute themselves a true
visible church of Christ, without any authoritative consent of the Christian
Magistrate, — supposing there be one, — or of the neighbouring churches or their
ministers. — R. M. to W. R. ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 43.
Rob. Justif. p. 181, 182.
Art ii. " Yet a law is made in their general court, civil, That no chnrch shall
be there set up without the knowledge of the Magistrate aud neighbour churches.
R. M. tb W. R. Yea, as Mr. H. P. informeth us. Not witliout the consent of five
or six of the neighbouring churches at the least."
" He is at a set, in Art. i. and ii., and their marginals ; and falls a
wondering at the ' contradiction' in them. . . I will do him the favour to
help him out of this strait, and salve his credit by telling hira. There is
no contradiction at all : . . do but distinguish of tiraes, and you untie the
knot. For there was a time in New England, for some few years'.
space, before such a law was raade, and then churches did use to gather
without any notice given to magistrates, or other churches. But after
the opinions grew on, and experience discovered the danger, there was
a law raade. That none must constitute any church, but first give notice
thereof to magistrates and churches ; and since that, this course is duly
observed. So both your Articles, W. R., you see are true, and your
report honest and right ! yet, withal, let ine give you a few animadver
sions, by way of brotheriy counsel : and, I pray you, take them well.

CHAP. LI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 313
" See what it is to wrong so many godly saints and faithful churches,
upon private various informations find your own raistakes, and so break
that ninth commandment of our ever blessed God ! While you live, under
take no more NaiTatives of ' Church Courses' in places you are no better
acquainted withal ; lest, at unawares, you speak evil of the things you
know not ! When a matter lies before you that admits a double con
struction, be sure you ever take it in the better, and not in the worse
sense !
" In those two reports, you see one good sense, which indeed is the
truth, and that I have given you ; another, bad, and that yourself have
taken : for when you stood amazed, in your marginals, at the contra
riety of the reports, in the conclusion who raust be beaten, but either
your informer, or else New England churches, for practising such 'foul,'
yea, 'more foul, contradictions,' as you are pleased to speak ? And yet
note, you see neither he nor they, but yourself only is in all the blame.
. . For Art. i. the Ans. to 32 Q., p. 43, there is not one word nor jot to
prove that the churches in New England are erected without the ma
gistrates' cognizance. Then, for the proof of both the Articles — where
this contradiction lies — he makes R. M. the father of that monstrous
birth of 'a foul contradiction.' Now this R. M. is a godly and reve
rend teacher of a church there, who would not write such a seeming
contradiction without clearing of it some way or other. Ever have we
found him sober and wary in all his expressions. . . Now, I beseech you,
W. R., . . to consider if this he an act of love towards your dear friend,
without his consent to discover his Letters to the world, which were
written to you in private, . . as one that reports to you such things for
truth as they neither hold nor practise in New England. . . In Articles iii.
and iv., to the end of the chapter, be reports, and that truly, excepting
some few mistakes, the nianner of the first constitution ['erecting'] of a
['visible'] church in New England." T. W. p. 32, 33.
Art iii. " The persons intending to enter into church-estate do, beforehand,
often meetprivately amongst themselves, to be inwardly acquainted with each other's
spirits, by conferring, praying together, aud mutually examining each other, until
they have approved themselves to one anotlier's consciences in the sight of God :
which, when they have thoroughly done iu private, then they agree together to
enter into a church-estate. — R. M. to W. R ; H. W. to Mr. B.
Art. iv. " Which before they do, notice is given thereof to the Magistrate, and
neighbouring churches, that so such as please may be present at the time and
place thereunto appointed.— R. M. to W. R ; H. W. to Mr. B ; J. W. to T. S.
Art V. " The number wherewith they usually begin, at the first constitution of
every church, is about seven, eight, or nine. — Ibid.
Art. vi. " Notice being given, the magistrate and churches send their messengers
or deputies to see how things are carried, and to give them advice, direction, appro
bation or disapprobation, as they shall see cause. — Ibid.
Art. vii. " The day appointed is kept with fasting and prayer ; and sometimes,
if not always, preaching of the Word, which is performed by some of the persons
that now come to be combined into this church-society. In the latter end of the
day, each of those persons now to be churched, — if I may so say, — maketh public
profession of his faith ; thereby showing his knowledge and opinion in the grounds
and principles of religion, and declaring, from point to point, the work of God
upon his soul in his conver^on. And all this, in an extemporary — at least — con
ceived speech ; that is, not in any set form.^Ibid.
Art. viii. " Which, when the messengers of the magistrate and churches have
heard and considered, if they be unsatisfied, — or any slander by — they may make

314 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
tbeir objections, or propound further questions, as they think fit, until they be
satisfied, if it may be. — Ibid.
Art. ix. " If in the end, the said messengers be not satisfied, then they, or so
many of them, as concerning whom they are not satisfied, either in pojnf of
knowledge or grace, are forbidden to enter into church-estate : and so remain
still, as before, out of the pale of the church. — Ibid.
Art. X. "If at length, they be fully satisfied, and all doubts cleared, then the
said persons proceed to enter into church-covenant ; which, being wntten, oue of
them reads, and all of them subscribe it ; and so they are become a true constituted
visible church, as they say. — Ibid.
Art. xi. " Which being done, the said messengers of the other chvu-ches give
thera the right hand of fellowship, and own them for a sister church : and so, re
turning back, do' make report to the churches that sent them, of all things done,
and declare to them that they are to account of them as of a true church of
Christ — Ibid.
Marg. note, on Art. x. " If so much time, and so many circumstances, be need
ful to join seven or eight together into one church ; how much time would be
requisite to join three thousand together ? But our Brethren will acknowledge the
apostles went a shorter way to work, Disc, of Cov. p. 29, 30. The reason whereof
they tender, ' Because the church was not then subject to so many hypocrites;'
which is more than any man knows, when Christ saith, ' Many are called, few
chosen.' Matt. xx. 16; many seek, but few find. Besides, this course is used, by
our Brethren, not to ordinary Christians only, but to the most godly and approved.
I believe, therefore, it was rather because the Holy Ghost had given them no such
direction, nor was this manner ol ^church-constitution then hatcht"
" Now, what can W. R., or any man, object against the substance of
things done in this relation : some mistakes only excepted, in the laying
of it down ? One would think the godliness of the persons, joining tbe
plainness and sincerity of their dealing, frora the beginning to the end ;
their care and endeavour to do all ' as becomes saints,' and to begin this
holy and weighty business, as in the sight and presence of God, with
fasting and prayer ; at least, should stop raen's mouths from speaking
ill of them and their ways : yet W. R. fails in his dealing with them, in
divers points, which I desire to advertise him of in the spirit of meek
ness. . . He speaks twice of ' the messengers- of the magistrate,' Art vi.,
viii. : . . but there is no such thing done ; the magistrates come them
selves in person, if they can, or, if not, they send no deputies or mes
sengers : the churches, indeed, send messengers, — commonly their
Elders, — to lend them a word of counsel, if they need ; being more
experienced in those ways than, commonly, new beginners are ; to join
their prayers with theirs, and to give them the right hand of fellowship.
. . In Art. viii., . . and his marginals upon it, . . are raany unwise and
uncharitable passages laid unjustly to our charge ; and all those without
any proof at all but only ' H. 'W. ; J. W. ;' and who knows where to
consult with them ?. . None raay speak a word, but soberly and orderly;
and not without leave desired and granted ; not how rauch he will, nor
' what he please,' but things very weight}' and necessary, and not of any
failings to their disparagement : for if they be unsatisfied with any of
thein, in point of 'discipline,' or matters of fact, they are first to deal
with them in private ; seeing they know before, both the persons that
are then to join, and the time and occasion of that day's raeeting. And,
I ara confident, never a godly, sober man will write otherwise. . . Art. ix.,
is as wide as the rest : for the 'messengers' never arrogated to them
selves such power to this day. . . The most .they do at any timer in t'l's

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 315
case, is to desire leave to be faithful in intei-posing their counsel ; and
that only when they see very great cause ; and withal, leave them to
their Christian liberty.". . T. W. p. 33, 35.
The unusual length of our representation of the present dispute, has
induced us to defer the remainder to the next chapter.

CHAP. LIL
RATHBAND AND WELDE, CONTINUED.
This chapter being but a continuation of the subject which occupied
the chief portion of the chapter preceding, is entered upon without fur
ther preface.
Chap. VI. Art 1. " They hold that every such Company, as aforesaid, though
never so small, consisting of private persons only, — that is, such as are in no
church-ofiice, — and, perhaps, all illiterate too, yet is [are] rightly and immediately
intituled to all the privileges of the visible church of Christ, and invested with
all ecclesiastical power from Christ, as the first and proper receptacle thereof ;
have the keys of the kingdom of heaven committed to them, and may now forth
with administer and partake of all church-ordinances, — except only sacraments, —
execute all church -censures ; and, transact all their own businesses within them
selves.— Ans. to 32 a, p. 10, 41, 44, 48—50 ; Cott Cat p. 10 ; R. M. to W. R. ;
R. M. to E. B. p. 4; J. W. Ans. to 10 Guest.
See Rob. Justif. p. 106, 107, 112, 121, 122, 125—127, 138, 190, 113, 167,
184, 198, 331 ; Sion's Prerog. Royal, pref. ; Barr. Disoov. p. 39.
Art. ii. " The particular sorts of which church businesses are these. Admission
of more members into tbeir society : Authoritative admonition of members offend
ing : Binding ; and excommunicating of such as, having offended, prove incorri
gible: Loosing, and authoritative forgiving such as, upon admonition and excom
munication, do repent ; re-acoepting them into the communion of the church
again : Making, that is, examining, electing, and with imposition of hands ordaining
their pastors, and all other their officers : Unmaking, that is, degrading and deposing
them again, when they see cause so to do : Preaching, that is, expounding and
applying the Word ; with all authority, to the several uses of their members : And,
generally, whatsoever else may concern the edification and spiritual good of that
society, — save only, the administration of the seals. And all this, before they
have any ofiioers ; or if they have any, yet without reference to them as oflicers
at all. And when they have ministers, then they have sacraments too. — Ans. to
82 Q., p. 10, 15, 41,42,44, 45, 48—50, 68 ; Cott Cat p. 10—12 ; Disc, of Cov.
p, 23 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, 70, 76, 77 ; J. W. Ans. to 10 Quest ; R. M. to E. B.
p. 4 ; R. M. to W. R; Apol. p. 24.
Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111."
" He reports, — to recite such things only as most need answer, and
let the rest pass, — Arts. i. ii., That we 'hold' that Christ hath invested
with all power any that are in church-fellowship, etc. Ifl did delight
in retorting, I could say of these words as he, of Holland Ministers'
Apology, ' they are a raere gull ;' for almost so raany words so many
mistakes ! The Narrator should have done well first to have proved
all the churches and rainisters in New England men out of their wits,
and void of common sense ; and then he raight more easily have raade
the world believe they ' hold' and practise such a congeries of absurdities
aud impossibilities : for, else, many of them there being well known to

310 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
be learned, godly, and sober raen, no wise men will believe him that
they can 'hold' that 'illiterate' men can examine 'pastors" fitness; de
pose thera at pleasure ; preach, expound, and apply the Word ' with all
authority ;' and that, without any 'reference' to their officers at all : and,
which is raost strange, that Christ himself hath 'invested' these 'iUite-
rate' ones ' with all power' to do all these things !
" It is a received practice araongst us, that when any combine into a
church, there is one, at least, of them endued with able parts of human
and divine learning; that either hath been a minister in our native
~ country, or is fit to be one amongst them ; who usually and frequently
preacheth to them after they are united. So that ' all' of them are men
not 'illiterate;' and W. R. himself knows this to be true, for the 'An
swer to the 'Thirty-two Questions,' p. 42, . . directly saith this, in so
many words. That those 'illiterate' men do examine their ministers'
abilities : and that we ' hold' they ought : is another great mistake ; for
so we should put men upon a work beyond their reach, which were
idle. Whereas the truth is, that, if the sufficiency of such men as they
intend to call into office, be not well known to them, they use to call in
the help and assistance of Elders in other churches, to survey their abili
ties, and to inform them therein ; that thereby, as well as their own
experience of them, and discerning of their gifts, they may be able to
give in their suffrage for election when the time comes. For their ' un
making' and 'deposing them again, when they see cause;' we hold and
profess it a thing most injurious to Jesus Christ himself in heaven, and
to his ministers on earth. . . We are so far from holding this, that we
protest against such practices. And, to show how wary we are in this
point, . . his quoted author speaks, Ans. to 32 Quest, p. 41, 'Our prac
tice is, in removal of ministers, to have counsel and assistance fi-om
sister churches.' Whereas he saith also, that we 'hold' that raen 'ilhte-
rate' should preach ' with all authority,' — which is a work and a task for
the ablest rainisters to perform, — .. we deny not, but in some cases
some able, judicious, experienced Christians raay humbly and soberly,
when necessity requires, — as in the want of ministers, and being invited
thereunto, — dispense, now and then, a word of exhortation to their bre
thren : this is far enough from ' preaching,' in an ordinary way, ' with
all authority;' which are words of his own, put in without any ground.
But, for him to add that we 'hold' they raay tiius preach when they
'have' officers, and that 'without' any 'reference' at all to them ! is ex
tremely contrary to our practice, and furthest from the truth. . . And
this expression of his is contrary to his own Narration, in Art viii.
[infra.] . . You will think, sure, his proofs are strong : . . true, he quotes
many ; and that I might see his bottom, I have surveyed all the printed
authors in every page quoted ; and I solemnly profess it ! that none of
these particulars rehearsed as he hath laid them down, much less in them
all, will any of them bear him out ; and I desire the reader to try whe
ther I blame hiin justly or not, by perusing the books. But, that you
may see how soberly and cautiously his quoted authors speak of churches
using their liberty, I will write their own words : Ans. to 32 Q., p. 44,
'We conceive every church hath right from Christ, to transact all their
church-business,' mark the cautions, ' if so they be able, and carry mat-

CIIAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 317
ters iustly and according to the rules ofthe Word.' How different are
those words fi'om his : yet this is tiie very place he cites ! . . Dai-e you,
[W. R.J, pray for a 'blessing' on your book, as in the last words of
your preface you do ; . . when it is so stuffed and bombasted with such
fearful untruths and slanders ?" T. W. p. 36—39.
Art. iii. " AU which things they claim to themselves power to do, without any
authoritative concurrence or assistance of any other churches or their ofBcers ; which
they hold unlawful in others to offer and in themselves to accept or admit. — Ans.
to 32 a, p. 41 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 10.
Rob. Justif. p. 335, 339."
"Authority is either immediately from the person, — and that, some
call coercive and forcing, — or from the rule, — and that, some call doc
trinal; no less binding than the other. — The former, in transacting
church-matters, we use not for want of Scripture grounds that Christ
hath given any other churches, or their officers, power over us : the latter,
upon all occasions we improve by calling in the assistance of other
churches ; and hold ourselves bound to follow their counsel as far as it is
grounded on the Word." T. W. p. 39.
Art iv. " Therefore they ordinarily convene together, — before they have any
officers, — and hold public ecclesiastical meetings, and execute all ecclesiastical duties
and offices, — sacraments only excepted, — by mere laymen, that neither are nor, per
haps, ever shall be oflicers in the church.
Art. V. " This church, being thus invested with all church-power, deriveth part
thereof upon her officers, — namely, so much as she cannot conveniently execute
herself, — and the rest she keeps still in her own hands, and executes accordingly. —
Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57 ; R. M. to W. R ; R. M. to E. B. p. 4.
Barr. Discov. p. 223.
Art vi. " The officers have no power in church-matters but what the church de
riveth on them, and which she may revoke and resume unto herself if she conceive
they do not use it well  Ibid. And, therefore, she may call them to account for
their actions, though they were even apostles themselves. — J. Cott. on 5 Vials, p. 10."
". . If great need require, they may admonish him [their officer] ;
and if no other means will possibly cure, they may at last, for incon-igi-
hle going on iu manifest abuse of his place, excommunicate him ; but
in no wise, while he abides in office, to resume their power and enter
upon his work. Observe hiin again, quoting his author . . who is not
for him, but against him ! Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 'No member, without
breach of order, and presuming above his place, may do our ministerial
acts of church-govemment; but the presbyters may only do them!'
Which answer of ours doth also take off those marginals [against Arts.
viii. ix.], . . and part of Art. vii. also, that speaks to the same effect"
T. W. p. 39.
Art vii. " The officers are all but the church's servants, in propriety of speech ;
and she is the mistress, the queen. In all things she hath the power of decreeing',
and they with her, as others the meanest members of the society : but as ministers)
so they are only as her mouth to speak and her hand to act what she decrees ; doing
all things for her, by her power and in her name. — Ibid. ; Mr. N. to W. R. ; R. M
to W. R. Rob. ApoL p. 49. ; Rob. Justif. p. 121, 122, 138, 166, 178, 180, 185, 303,
o22.
"That all officers are • the church's servants,' was no strange thing to
a minister far better than any of us, ' Ourselves your servants [^oiXovc]
for Jesus' sake :' 2 Cor. iv. 5. But . . he will in this, as almost in all

313 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES L
his Articles, be still adding soraething of his own to blur the business :
therefore he saith, we 'hold' officers 'but the church's servants;' which
word 'but,' implies a vilifying of ministers and their place. Whereas
we have leamed 'to esteem them very highly, for their work's sake;'
1 Thess. V. 13: and also, that they are 'only' servants; nothing 'but'
servants ! whereas we know that they are govemors also. He adds
another expression of his own, ' in propriety of speech,' and raakes a
great stir in his margin on that ; . . whereas it is his own addition, and
not our speech. The officer may be said to be a ruler and a servant too,
in divers respects, as Heb. xiii. 17, with 2 Cor. iv. 5 ; and Christ him
self is both ; and so is the greatest prince in the world a ' servant' to the
commonweal. But his ['W. R.'s] spirit is loth to acknowledge this;
and [he] labours to evade it by such arguments as the Bishops made
use of for their sole power in the church ; but we know, to be servants
of the church, is no other than to be for the church ; and not the church
fo/r them [rulers], equally. . . In this case, the maxira of law holds good
in divinity, that a king is singulis major, universis rainor; so the
church-officers are singulis majores, ecclesia minores !" T. W.
p. 39, 40.
Art. viii. " The acts which tbey ascribe unto the officers are such as these, namely,
To declare, unto their people, the mind of God in any matter ; to advise, counsel,
exhort, reprove, etc.: To moderate in church-meetings that order may be observed,
by propounding of things to be debated ; gathering of voices ; pronouncing the
sentence accordingly : To execute all the church's decrees, in admission of members,
ordination of ministers, admonition, excommunication, etc. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57 ;
Cott. Cat p. 3, 10 ; Cott on 5 Vials, p. 9, 10.
Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111, 114, 116, 121 ; Canne's Neces. of Sep. p. 135.
Art ix. " Every member of the society, that is of years, except women, hath
equal power with other, — even with the ministers themselves, as they conceive, — ¦
in propounding, debating, objecting, answering, and in judicially decreeing and
giving sentence in all matters of tbe church, whether pertaining to faith or raanners
doctrine or practice whatsoever. — W. T. to P. H; Mr. W. Let to a friend; Ans.
to 32 Q , p. 44.
Bar. Refut of Giif. p. 81 ; and in his Discov. p. 36, 38, 125, 223;
Rob. Justif. p. 9, 111, 121 ; Sion's Prerog. Roy. pref.
This body is all eye, and all tongue, no diversity of members, all governors, none
to be governed : all teachers ; contrary to tbe apostles' rule, 1 Cor. xii. 29. . . They
coraplain in print, and otherwise, that rainisters are slighted amongst them, yea,
trampled upon by sorae ; Cott. on Vial 2nd, p. 24 ; Mr. H. to S. A. They profess
to condemn Morellian and popular government, but what can be raore popular than
this ? . . At most tbey are but as the Speaker in the House of Parliament, or as a
Moderator in a Synod ; which rule not, but are rather ruled."
" The relator of a story, — especially when he pretends and promiseth
to write nothing material but from his cited authors, — should be faith
ful, and not make bold grossly to vary from the matter, manner, words,
scope, and all ; much less to cite authors that speak against-him I But
if you read his author, Ans. lo 32 Q., p. 44, the place cited even now,
you will find that ' The church,' indeed, ' hath a right, within herself,
to transact her own raatters ;' but how 1 'according to the rights of the
Word.' Did 'the Word' ever give people liberty equal with the minis
ters .? Doth it not professedly condemn such doing in the church ? And
yet this is the only printed author of our own that we can come at
brought to justify this absurd Article. Besides, all men know, that are
seen in our ways, it is against our principles to hav^ people propound,

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 319
and give sentence in the church's decrees; these being acts of rule pro
per to the officers, as Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57, 58, plainly speaks. . . Now,
what will become of his margin . . full of exclamation and clamour ?
'This body,' saith he, 'is all eye, all tongue,' etc. ; wherein he fights
with a shadow ; and we leave him so to do." T. W. p. 40. — " He men
tions Cott on Vial 2nd, p.'24, of whose words judge, and you shall not
find one word to wai-rant him !" Ibid. p. 46.
Art. X. "And therefore, although the officers may lawfully prepare matters, in
private, for the church's hearing ; yet they hold, all things ought to have «. full
public debate in the presence ofthe whole society, that so tbey may be able to give
their sentence in faith. — Apol. p. 31 ; J. C. printed Let. p. 4. Which is therefore
usually done on the sabbath-day, after evening sermon.
Johns. Plea, p. 307 ; Rob. Apol. p. 38."
" Mark his words, how large; 'all things ;' ' a full debate ;' it ' ought'
to be so before ' the whole society ;' etc. : and not one word we can corae
at to prove these universals. Whereas the truth is, we neither ' hold' so
nor practise so; . . rather labouring to take all things up in private, and
then make as short work in public, when they must needs come there,
as may be. . . Many of our churches are oft, for many days together,
and weeks, and months also, free from such heaps of raatters as he
dreams of, and oftentimes from any at all. But this is his dealing,
first he makes an Article of his own, . . and then draws his own col
lections from it." . . T. W. p. 40.
Art. xi. " Whether matters be carried amongst them by most voices or not, is not
so generally agreed upon. Sorae affirra that the major part carries it against the
lesser part ; yea, though the officers be in this lesser part, and do show strong rea
son to the contrary. — Mr. M. to J. M. Others, that the whole body raust agree,
else nothing proceeds. . — J. P. to W. R. ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 60, 61. Some, that
things are not carried by voices at all, but by truth and right, and according to God.
—Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 72 ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 60.
Barr. Discov. p. 78, 261 ; Johns. Plea, p. 307.
Sometiraes they grant, indeed, all things are carried by consent of all ; but then,
they explain it thus, namely. That if it fall out that any lesser number do dissent,
then the greater endeavour to give unto, or to receive from thein, due satisfaction ;
which, if it be done, then all agree in one vote. If the lesser party dissenting, nei
ther can give satisfaction to the greater, nor will receive satisfaction from them, but
still persist in dissenting; then do the major part, after due forbearance, and calling
in the counsel of sorae neighbouring churches, judicially adraonish them ; who,
being thus under censure, tbeir voice is now extinct and made void. And so, the
rest proceed to vote ; which vote is now the vote of all the church ; naraely, of all
that have the power of voting therein. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 61."
" In Art. xi. he deals exceedingly ill. . . He represents us to the world
as a people unsettled and strangely divided amongst ourselves, in the
way of voting. . . Our Narrator undertakes to relate the ' opinions and
practices generally held' by the churches ' in New England,' — Head of
Page 1, — and that the churches, in New England, walk in ' one way,'
— Chap. I. Art. i; — and yet here he brings three relations crossing each
other of our 'practices' in a very material point of Discipline ! . . I con
fess, if he had undertaken to declare the ' practices' of some particular
men only ; . . or of some churches, not of the churches of NewEngland
in general ; . . then his task were easier to show how they walk in three
several ways at once. But now, I leave him to untie the knot, and save
bis credit. . . Here you see his speech verified in his ' Postscript,' p. 50 -

3'20 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES f.
that whether tiie reports he brings 'be true or false,' it 'is nothing' to
him ! Now we will scan his auth6rs quoted, to see whether the blame
lies on them or himself. The first pretended proof is Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 60 — 62, that 'the whole body raust agree, else nothing can be done:'
whereas this author saith no such thing, but the contrary rather ; that is,
that ' if the whole body accord not at first, but the minor part disagreeth,
there are other means, partly within themselves and partly by calling
in help from other churches, to bring matters to an issue.'. . The se
cond [pretended] proof, is for this, that some things ' are not carried
by voices at all, but by truth and right, according to God ;' and [he]
cites Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 60 : who saith to this effect, that 'The Word
is the only rule whereby all church-votes are carried ;' and that ' matters
are not to be carried 07ily,' — that is far enough from 'not at all !' — ' by
multitudes of voices.' For though ' the word of truth,' we all grant,
be ' the only rule' of church proceedings, yet the means of all transac
tions, in our church, must be tbe lively voices of the saints, etc. Thus,
his proofs failing, who must be the father of this untruth cast upon
New England, you may well judge. Note yet further, whereas he quotes
Ans. to 32 Q., p. 61, to prove that unless all • agree' nothing can be
done ; yet from the same author and self-sarae page, in the end of this
same Article, he concludes that though some disagree, yet matters may
be ended, and ' the rest proceed.' As he often speaks contrary to him
self, so he can make his author do'the sarae, if he list ; and can, as
ships use to do at sea, sail contrary ways with the same wind ! And
yet, which is worse than the other, he would seem to hide . . this deal
ing of his, and lay the fault upon our variableness, and say, ' Sometimes
they grant, etc.'. . yet all is from the same author, in the same page, at
the sarae tirae. And often you will find this word ' sometimes,'. . to
make the world believe that our judgraents and practices are vai-iable;
and to defend himself from a blow, in case he be questioned.
" If a 'lesser number,' saith he, 'dissent' from the 'greater, neither
can give satisfaction to them, nor will receive it from them, and k contra;
but still persist in dissenting^ then the major part, after due forbearance,
etc., admonish; and censure thera.' This, he saith in the margent, is
'harsh' dealing, and 'uncharitable,' and 'foolish,' yea ' destructive ;' and
[he] spares no words that inight lay load upon us. . . But he cites only
Ans. to 32 Q., p. 58, 6i ; whose words are, 'If it appears that such as
dissent from the major part hefactiously or partially carried ;' and, 'after
the rest have laboured to convince them by the rule, yet still they con
tinue obstinate, they are admonished, etc' Now speak, W. R., is this
fair dealing, first, to pretend proofs, and leave out the most raaterial
words ; and, secondly, blame us for harshness when there is no cause ?
Here, you see, faction; partiality; both those, appearing; obstinacy;
continuing in obstinacy, after means used according to rule ; all these,
before the censure of admonition passed ! but you, in your relation,
leave out all these words of your author's, and put in such of your own
as will not so much enforce a censure as these ; and then tax us, at your
pleasure, and make bitter invectives against us in your margent . . We
have learned what tiie apostle saith, 1 Pet ii. 23 and to forbear " T W.
p. 41— 43,

CHAP. LII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 321
Art xii. " Notwithstanding all this power aforesaid, by them attributed to this
church when it is yet young, of very small number, and without officers too ; yet
do they deny unto it, — though grown never so nuraerous, and well furnished with
godly and learned officers, and withal sti-engthened with the consent of other
churches, and the Christian magistrate's authority,— all power to make any particular
rules, or laws in things indifferent,— conducing to the better government, of her
self, and more orderly and more edifying performance of God's worship and use of
His ordinances,— according to the general rules of Scripture in such cases provided. —
Ans. to 32 Q., p. 66 ; Cott Cat p. 9 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 9.
Barr. Discov. p. 84, 255 ; Rob. Apol. p. 73."
" He hath falsified his printed authoi-s, alleged for this Article, Ans.,
and Cott, where is not a syllable of things 'Indifferent;' for whereas
they indeed deny churches' power to raake laws about church-govern
ment, etc. ; their words and meaning are expressed [that] it is only in
such matters where the Scripture hath made laws already ; and there
fore they say, 'The churches have no power to make laws; but to ob
serve, those laws which Christ hath given and commanded :' and do
allege Matt, xxviii. 20; Deut. xxxiii. 3 ; John xx. 27. None, I hope,
can think this a thing ' indifferent,' for us to add laws to Christ's own
laws ; and this is all they say. If you mean by making of 'laws,' infer
ring of plain and necessaiy conclusions frora their proper grounds in
Scripture ; we gi-ant a power in a church so to do : yet so as they shall
not be binding, unless the evidence of the consequence be made appear,
as Rom. xiv. 5, 22, 23. But, if by making of ' laws,' you raean a draw
ing of conclusions from remote principles, — such as the Bishops were
wont to do, 'All things must be decently done, and in order,' 1 Cor.
xiv. 40, therefore a surplice, a cross in baptism, a bowing at the altar,
etc. ! we deny it, as an inlet of all human inventions," T. W. p. 43, 44.
— " There are sundiy unsound and uncouth passages in this chapter, . .
which, for brevity, I am forced to pass by. . . I inti-eat thee [reader], to
take all his sayings with a grain of salt ; knoning from what spirit they
proceed." Ibid. p. 45.
Chap. VII. ,\rt. i. " All raen are bound, say they, to becorae settled members of such
a particular church, — as is before described : — and whosoever doth not, if possibly
he can, sinneth. And whether he can or not yet he remains, for the time, ' with
out' the visible church of Christ, — for which, they frequentiy allege 1 Cor. v. 12; —
and in that estate, uncapable of any church ordinance or privilege ; though he be
not only baptized but also truly converted, yea eminent in the profession of faith
and practice of holiness, even unto martyrdom itself. — .\ns.to 32 Q., p. 11, 30, 38;
D. against P., p. 4 ; R. M. to E. B., p. 6. Nay, be is accounted as one that despiseth
church-fellowship, and unworthy of it ; yea, wicked and profane. — Apol. p. 25 — 27,
34; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 69, 62 ; Ans. to 32 Q.., p. II, 12, 21 ; J. W. Ans. to 10 Guest
Rob. Justif. p 56, 71, 85, 86."
" In this Article, there are three things that will be found too light.
First, He affirms we say ' All raen are bound to be settled members,
etc. ;' yet in his margent he affirms we 'allow some to be admitted
transient raembers, for a tirae only,' Apol. p. 20, 27. . . He must grant
either a contradiction in his own words or prove one in our practice.
Secondly, He affirms we say, that 'whosoever' is not a meraber of such
a church 'as is before described,* that is, a New England chm-ch, is, ' for
the time, without the visible church, etc. ;' and quotes Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 1 1. The author is abused, for he saith . . that ' If raen be not raem
bers of some particular church or other, they raay, in some respect, be
II. Y " "

322 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
said to be without the power and privileges of the visible church.'. . See
how, against our expressed judgments, plain words, and the mind of his
authors, he would make us odious, by laying such a gross tenet to our
charge ! Thirdly, That whosoever do not become settied members of
our churches, are accounted despisers, etc., 'yea, wicked and profane.'
He again rolls the same unhappy stone he did . . chap. iii. art. xii.
But you will say, sure, his proofs are strong ! . . therefore I entreat the
reader but to review his proofs, which I will relate verbatim. Ans. to
9 Pos. p. 62, . . saith thus, 'We maintain communion with all godly
persons, though they be not in church-fellowship with us :' and, idem,
p. 69, 'To be without church-fellowship, is the case of some believers.'
And Ans. to 32 Q., p. 11, .. 'Some Christians, that are not without
Christ, yet are not within any particular church !' These are the au
thors and pages he brings to prove the clean contrary. . . He hath an
expression . . exceedingly gross, . . that ' whosoever doth not, etc. sin
neth !' and, mark, 'whether he can or not, . . he is accounted . . profane
and wicked !' He would make us up for the raost absurd raen that ever
lived : . . but the bleraish will and raust needs fall upon himself." T.W.
p. 45, 46.
Art. ii. " Persons admitted, are either infants or such as are of age.
Art iii. When any person is of age to be admitted, he is first to desire and seek
it in this or that particular church ; and therefore, to make bis desire known to the
church by some of the Elders or raembers of the same. — B. M. to W. R. ; J. M. to
R. M. ; J. W. to T. S. ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 8.
Art. iv. " Which said Elders, or others, do first privately examine him touching
bis knowledge in the doctrine of faith, and the truth of bis conversion ; as is before
showed.— H. W. to Mr. B. ; J. W. to T. S. ; E. C. toR. C. ; J. M. to R. M.; Apol.
p. 3, 4.
Art. V. " If the examiners, upon this trial, conceive him not fit to enter into
church-fellowship, then he is there stayed, without any further proceeding.— J. M.
to R. M."
" He should have added, ' only for the present,' else . . such a person
is 'stayed' from church-fellowship for ever; which himself knows to be
untrue : [comp.] Art vii., infra." T. W. p. 47.
Art vi. " If they find him fit, — according to tbe fitness mentioned, chap. iii. —
then they propound the man and his motion to the church ; who are then desired
to inquire further of [concerning] him, for their better satisfaction. And if any of
them do or shall, by such inquiry, know anything justiy lo hinder bis adraission,
to declare it before he be adraitted. — J. W. to T. S. ; E. C. to R. C.
Art. vii. " After this, a day is appointed, — usually on the Sabbath, — and, when
other public worship is ended, the said party is called forth and there makes public
profession of his faith, and declareth the manner of bis conversion : which, by such
as can, is done in a continued speech of their own ; by others, not so well able, in
making answers to questions propounded to them concerning the same. — Apol. p.
3, 4. Wherewith, if any of the company be not satisfied, bis admission is stayed
for the time, till all things be cleared, and all objections answered. And then, by
consent of the church, he enters into church-covenant with them ; and so is admit
ted in the sarae manner as the rest were at the first constitution of the church.—
R. M. to W. R. ; H. W. to Mr. B. ; E. C. to R. C. ; J. M. to R. M. ; J. W. lo T. S.
If the party be a woman, or otherwise weak in expression ; some tell us, that
tiie body of the church meets more privately. . . E. C. to R. C. But if all the church
meet then, how is it more private ? If but some only, how shall the rest, by their
tenet judicially consent ? . Delegation, or representation, tbey will, by no means,
allow . . Sometimes, they say, their confessions are taken privately by the examiners,
and by tbem only related . . to the church : . . as Mr. II. to S. A. intimates. But
bow doth this agree with . . ' Do nothing partially,' I Tim. v. 21 ? "

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 3l*3
" Is not this contradictory [not in agreement] to what he said,
chap. iii. art. vi. ? Now, to press all to make their declaration before
the whole assembly ; and yet to accept [allow] of some weaker ones
doing it ' more privately,' — which, indeed, is the truth, — are a contra
diction ! . . The church knows, ['judicially,'] by the testiraony of such
godly men whom they betrust : . . who . . making report, . . the church
proceeds to admit them [whom the messengers or delegates have tried].
'Partiality' is, to respect the person, not the cause : here, the cause is
respected, not the person ; or the person, for the cause. Some, being
more weak and fearful, we rather tender, as Jacob would not 'overdrive,'
the feebler sort [Gen. xxxiii. 13]." T.W. p. 47, 48.
Art viii. " After the party is so adraitted, the minister, or some one or more of
the members of that church, in name of the rest, do give him the right hand of
fellowship ; and do, likewise, repromise to perform all church-duties to him, con
tained in the same covenant, as unto the rest of her members. — J. W. to T. S.
Art. ix. " Thus, for adraission of persons of age : now, for Infants, they account
them in the same estate with their next parents ; for if either of their next natural
parents be now, — or, being deceased, died — a member of some such particular
society, as aforesaid, then are the children also accounted raembers, and so baptized,
if they were not baptized before. Bnt if neither of them have been, — or having
been forraerly, if at the present being alive, neither of them be a member ; then,
their infants, — as themselves, — are accounted to be ' without' the visible church : in
tbe same estate with the children of Turks and heathen, 'aliens from the common
wealth of Israel,' Eph. ii. 12, and so uncapable of baptism, or any other church-
privilege whatsoever. Yea, though tbe grandfather be a member, or perhaps a
minister of that church ; or though one or more of the next parents, being no
raembers, be eminentiy and famously godly, and will undertake to educate their
children in the true faith and fear of God ; and neither wilfully nor negligently
omit to join themselves to such a church, but abstain only out of want of fit
opportunity to do it, or out of tenderness of conscience, as scrupling sorae things in
their way; yet for all this, their Infants shall not be admitted to baptism, as not-
being within, but without the church. — Mr. M. Ans. to 9 Pos. 61—63, etc.; Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 20, 21 ; Apol. p. 29.
Cold comfort to christian parents, not being of their way ; and cold charity to
their infants !"
"It were 'cold comfort' indeed! if that he said were true: but,
blessed be God, it is not so. For, though such infants be not as yet
members of this or that particular church there; yet he knows we
account them and their parents members of ' the visible' churches of
England: witness our writings in point, 'Disc, of Cov. p. 36, etc'
Therefore he much forgets himself. . . To say we esteem them as 'chil
dren of Turks, etc.,' is a most uncharitable and groundless censure ;
unworthy of his pen or our practice ; to which we answered before.
The Lord forgive him such hard speeches. For his quotations, 'Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 20, 21 ; and Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 61, 62,' if they will afford
him the least word or show for either of these particulars, I will take
the blame for ever ; let any please to peruse them ! But he forgets the
law in Israel, of amercing and striping the raan that brings an ill report
upon a virgin of Israel, [Deut xxii. 18, 19] : I raust raind him of it."
T. W. p. 48.
Chap. VIII. Art. i. " No person once thus admitted, as aforesaid, into any of their
churches, ought to remove thence, without the consent of the said church first
sought and obtained. For, if he do, they hold that he breaks covenant with God,
and the church ; and, like Ananias and Sapphira, lies against the Holy Ghost. —
y2

324 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 73 ; Apol. p. 39 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 6. Inasmuch as they conceive
their covenant binds thera, not to depart without consent Ibid.
Art. ii. " Therefore, when any would remove, they require that he first give
notice thereof to the church wherewith he is in covenant; and lay before them, —
bow many soever they be, — in a public meeting, both his reasons for which he de
sires to remove and also to what other church he would remove, and consult with them
about both. — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 74; Apol. p. 20.
Why must be needs consult with this, rather than any other ? Perhaps this may
be more partial, . . beca-use concerned more . . Why with the whole church ?. . What
if his reasons be secret, and he cannot discover them but to his shame, loss, or
danger !"
"..Shall this engagement, so solemn, so sacred, so deliberate, be
loosed at pleasure ? . . Shall a man infringe this covenant, deprive the
church of her proper right, and lay her under blame of 'partiality' upon
a mere supposal ? Let ' this' church be first consulted withal, ' rather
than any other :' and good reason too, for the covenant is raade with
her ; and if it appear she is indeed ' partial,' then let the counsel of
other churches and ministers be called in ; which was never yet denied
any meraber, and I hope never will be. The covenant being made with
the whole, reason speaks the whole ought to untie the knot. But if
there be some case extraordinary, . . let the party but intimate so much
to the church, and desire that some two or three faithful men be in
trusted : and what hinders ?" T. W. p. 48, 49.
Art iii. " If, upon examination, they approve both of his reasons why, and of the
pl.Lice whither he would go, then tbey consent ; and giving him Letters of dismission
and recommendation to that other church, they send him away with their prayers
and blessing. — Ibid.
Art iv. " If contrarily, they approve not, either the one or the other, they dis
suade hira frora his purpose: if tbey prevail not, tbey will not hold bim by vio
lence, — for that they cannot, — yet they will neither give tbeir consent nor give him
their Letters of recommendation, — though he were otherwise never so well deserv
ing, — nor send him away with their benediction as otherwise tbey would. — Ibid.
Yea, he shall depart little better than an excommunicate ; as a covenant-breaker
with God and man ; and as one that is wise in bis own conceit, and refuseth to
hearken to counsel. — Ibid.
If this be so, as the Disciples said of marriage. It is not good to touch this cove
nant ! . . If be 'depart without consent, he goes . . tacitly accused, slandered ; not
only not blest but virtually cast out and curst: . . there being, as it seems, a tacit
agreement amongst them to receive no members from one church to another, unless
tbey bring with them Letters, etc. . . I cannot but pity tbe good people of this
kingdom, especially of this city [London], if the New England discipline and
governraent should take place, — as many of them do desire ; — for how will they
endure to be so tied, who have [been], so long time, accustomed to keep with no
society, but to pick and choose, now one and then another, every Sabbath almost
a new ministry and a new church ; yea, tenaciously hold it as a maxim that ' They
will be bound to none ;' that, ' They may lawfully go where they like best, and
where tbey can profit most.' "
•• . . If any man be desirous and steadfastly bent to depart, the church
never holds him against his will, though she sees little or no weight in
his reasons ; and I hope it is not the case of ' marriage,' so easily to be
dissolved. . . What would he have them do, when they cannot be satis
fied with the gi-ounds of his departure ? Must they needs act against
light and conscience ; and say they are satisfied, when they are not ?
Especially when they see a brother, haply, running into evil or danger
by such a removal ! All tiiey can do is, through indulgence, to suspend
tiieii- vote, and leave him to his own liberty. And yet they will neither

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 323
accuse nor slander him; much less curse him, or ca.f/ him out! These
are words fit for nothing but retractation and repentance. . . To my best
remembrance, I never heard of or knew any godly church-member that
repented of this church- way, and desired, upon that ground, to make a
retreat . . I have read of Harpia, in Seneca, who still complained of the
roughness of the way that made her limp, but saw not her own lameness
to be the cause ! I will not stand to make application ; but unloose his
knot, by telling him. Though a church cannot see cause enough to
commend such a person as we speak of to another church, for [on ac
count of] his departure, frora them, as being not clear in it themselves;,
yet, he being a godly man and of a good conversation in the general,
they may and do use to commend hira for his godliness, etc., and in
prudence conceal any supposed error or infirmity in his departure frora
them : <md upon such a testimony, he is received ; and so need not be
left 'as a heathen.' " T. W. p. 49, 50.
Chap. IX. Art. i. '• They solicitously distinguish between church-communion and
christian or religious communion. This latter, they hold generally with all whom
they conceive to be true Christians, without reference to their church-estate, and
whether they be in church-estate or not : therefore, they will confer, pray with
them, etc. But the forraer, tbey hold only with such as they acknowledge to be
true churches, and with their church-members. — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, 63 ; Apol.
p. 28, 34. Robinson hath a distinction not much unlike, of private and public com
munion ; that he allows with all Christians; this only with church- members.
Concerning which, see bis whole treatise. [^Supra, vol. i. p. 256 ]
Art ii. " They call that church-coraraunion which is only in such duties, privileges
and ordinances, as are proper to such a particular society, and belong to none otber;
as. Admission of members into their society; Mutual watchfulness of each member
over otiier; Admonition, in way to censure; Excommunication; Re-acception
into society again, upon repentance ; Administration, and receiving, of the seals ;
Vocation of ministers and all otber officers, and deposing of them again. — Ans. to 9
Pos. p. 63 ; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 7 ; Apol. p. 27—29.
Art. iii. "As for preaching, reading and hearing the Word, catechising, praying,
singing of Psalms, blessing the people, etc., though performed by church-officers
and members only, and in the church assembly only, yet, in these, they hold there
is no church-communion at all. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 7, 28 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62 ;
Apol. p. 26, 34.
Rob. Justif. p. 192, 195.
Here we may see, how much and how long we have been mistaken ; for when
our Brethren of that way do so frequently, — perhaps fixedly, — preach and pray
with us, not only privately in houses, but in our public asserablies also, we — fools 1
— think all this while, they bold church-communion with us ; and do, thereby, ac
tually own our ministry and church-estate as true ! But alas, there is no such mat
ter! It is but Christian-communion, at the best. Neither do they at all, preach
unto us or pray with us, as ministers ex off cio i much less, as our ministers: no!
they will not confess themselves to be so much as members of our churches ; but
ex dono, only as men well gifted, and so able to edify tbe church by their gifts as
mere private men, ex communi officio charitatis, as any man else may do that bath
gifts to speak to the church's edification. . .
Art iv. " These things, say they, do not only belong to church-communion, but
to the communion of this particular church only of which one is stated a meraber ;
and therefore, are to be perforraed only to the raerabers thereof, and not to the
members of otber churches, rauch less lo any such as are not at all in church-estate.
—Ans. to 32 Q., p. 11.
Art V. " Especially sacraments are to be administered, — as only by ministers of
the same churches as after so, — only to church-members, and raerabers ofthe same
church. — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62—64, 66, 70; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 11, 12, 37; Apol.
p. 29, 30, 39—41 ; Cott. Cat p. 6, 7 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 4—6 ; R. M. to W. R."

826 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
" The first thing meets us is a contradiction ; for here, he saith in plain
terms, that we in New England ' conceive* men may be ' true Christians,
whether they be ' in church-estate or not :' but, chap. vii. art i., he
affirraed absolutely, that whosoever is not a ' settied' raeraber of ' a par
ticular church' is accounted, by us, profane and wicked. . . He saith
rgain, arts. iv. v. ; that we say that the ' sacraments, etc.'. . do belong
' only' to the raerabers of the sarae church : he speaks flatly contrary to
this, chap. x. art. i., in these words, ' We [they] grant that [the] se
veral churches have a coraraunion araongst themselves, etc. :'. . and both
of them within a leaf, one of the other, in his book. W. R. hiraself
must, of necessity, grant . . a manifest contradiction, by himself, in a
main point of his story : or, that his authors or intelligencers have writ
ten or spoken contrary conceming our way ; and so, a man would think
he hath little ground, in conscience, to build his ' Nanation' upon their
testimony: or, that [hej hath abused them, at his pleasure, and warped
their words. . . Furthermore, I here confidently avouch, and shall make
it good, that those printed writers by him cited, are all consistent with
themselves in this point of administration of sacraments to members of
other churches; and not one of them crossing another or himself
Therefore, I raust again, — but with giief of heart, to lay such load on
a Brother, — lay this dealing upon him. . . Nay, I will say raore : If
I cannot prove, plainly, that these authors cited, do not only not justify
him, but write point-blank against him, I will bear the blame : Vide
Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, ' We do not,' say they, ' appropriate the seals
only to members of our own church, excluding all other churches of
Christ:' and Cott. Cat. p. 7, ' The supper,' saith he, ' is dispensed to the
faithful of the same body, or recommended to them by a like body :'
and Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 78, in these words, 'The members of other
churches do mutually communicate at each other's churches, even as
often as God's Providence leads them, and they desire it.' Lastly ; If
all this, be not enough to open his abusing us and the truth, I will go
further to show you that he still cites the very same author to prove
both parts of this conti-adiction : . . for, in chap. ix. art. i., he cites
'Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62,' to prove we hold communion with other churches
and their members ; and also, chap. x. art. i., he cites the sarae author
and page, for one church's coraraunion with .another, in the sacraments:
but here, in art v., when he would prove the contrary, . . he brings the
self-sarae author and page for that end ! And thus, . . in like manner,
'Ans. to 32 Q. ; Apol.; R. M. to E. B. must all come in to avouch
both parts of his contradiction : the one, in chap. x. art. i., for com
munion ; the other, in arts, iv., v., of this 9th cha])., against commu
nion. . . and yet these authors give him no occasion thereto, but speak
all the self-sarae thing plainly and constantly, without ^'ariation." T.W.
p. 60—52.
Art. vi. " Tbey hold that if any sin be coraraitted by any in the church for want
of watchfulness and admonition in others, all tbe body is defiled therewith and made
liable to a common judgment as was all Israel by Achan's sin.— Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 50 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 75 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 7 ; Apol. p. 10.
Art vii. " That a man that is sui juris may not lawfully, stand member of such
a church iu which he cannot observe and enjoy all God's ordinances ; nor where
any corruption in God's worship, or other sin, is suffered unreformed : but if he be

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 327
joined to it, he must separate flora it else he is dedled therewith. — Ans. to 32 Q,,
p. 32, 33. Rob. Justif. p. 15, 16, 197, 200, 201 ; Johns. Plea, p. 245. Barr. Discov.
p. 26, 29, 34, 3S."
" The NaiTator knows in his own conscience, that this is not spoken,
by his cited author, of our churches in NewEngland, but ofthe parish
churches in Old England : nor of all the churches in Old England, but
of such only where a man either cannot enjoy some ordinances of God,
or else live there without sinful conformity ; for this was written by his
author in the time of the Bishops' reign. He alters the author's words
and meaning, and that grossly : . . his author saith, ' In such parish as
semblies where a raan shall and raust' himself ' confonn to those cor
ruptions, there his standing is unlawful.' Ans. to 32 Q., p. 32. So he
leaves out the very nerves and strength of the place which is the
ground of our both withdrawing; that is, a necessity of sinning." T.W.
p. 52.
Art viii. " Especially where any set Liturgy, or set form of prayer is imposed
to be used.— Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 52, 59—61 ; Mr. M. to J. M. ; Cott Cat. p. 5, 6 ;
R. M. to E. B. p. 7.
Johns. Plea, p. 245, 285; Brown[ist] Confess. [1596.] Art xiv. ; Canne's
Necess. of Sep. p. 110; Rob. Justif. p. 344.
. .Whereas they dislike set forms, because 'imposed:' I cannot see bow bare
imposition, by lawful authority, of that which is lawful, — so far only, as it is law
ful, — should make it unlawful ; I should rather think it should make it neces
sary. . ."
" This is the fourth time he hath harped on this string. . . If God had
not pitifully left him to himself, in this Narration, I am confident he
would not have come thus far, . . that, if we, in New England, ' allow set
forms of psalms;' and of ' blessings of the people ;' and forms of 'church-
covenants,' and of ' catechising ;' etc. : why not as well ' set forms of
prayers imposed ?'. . I leave him to the Father of truth, to show him his
error." T.W. p. 52.
Art. ix. "And where bad men are suffered to come to the sacraments with the
good ; because thereby both the ordinances, and all that partake in them, are de
filed.— Apol. p. 37 ; J. D. to L. H.
Barr. Discov. p. 34; Rob. Justif. p. 15, 197, 201, 204.
Chap. X. Att i. " They grant that several churches have a communion amongst
themselves, whereby they do and may mutually partake, each with other, in some
churcb-ordinances ; as, sacraments. And, that this communion is both between the
ministers and members of the same. — Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 62, 78; Ans. to 32 Q., p 29-
Apol. p. 2, 13; B. M. to E. B. p. 11."
"He saith, and that truly. We 'gi-ant, etc' Ofthe contradiction be
tween this and chap, ix, arts. iv. v., it is spoken to already, [p. 326] . . .
Note how thick his sayings and unsayings fall. In chap. ix. art. i., he
affirms ' we hold' communion with other ' churches and church-members ; '
and then, presently, in arts. iv. v., he expressly denies that we hold
any such ' communion.' Then again, in the very next chapter, x. art. i.,
he saith as full as can be, that we hold comraunion ' mutually, etc. ;'
and, by-and-bye, in chap. xii. art. viii., as fully and expressly denies
again, that we hold auy such thing! The raan being an able and judi
cious man in other things, it is more remarkable he should be thus ex
tremely left to confound himself, while he sought to confound our poor
innocent churches.". . T. W. p. 53.

828 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Art ii. " By viitue of this church-communion, tiiey say, one church, by Letters
of recommendation, may give power lo another church over any of her members
for excommunication; and the ministers of one church may convey power to the
ministers of another church for administration of the sacraments to any of their
members.— Cotl. Cat. p. 7 ; Apol. p. 2, 14, 26, 40 ; J. W. to T. S. Hence the in
fants of some of Windsor-church, in NewEngland, have been baptized by the mi
nisters ofthe church of Dorchester there. — R. M. to W. R."
" He reports that one church ' may give power to another, etc. ;' that
' the ministers of one church may, etc' Neither of which do we hold
or practise ! The only author cited, that we can come at, is Cotton,
whose words are these, ' The supper is dispensed by the rainister to the
faithfiti of the same church ; or to such as are comraended to thera by a
like body :' See, if here be one tittle to bear hiin out !" T.W. p. 53.
Art. iii. " But without such Letters of recommendations, and formal granting
over of such power from one church and minister to another, it were unlawful in
any case to administer any church-ordinance to any church or raembers but their
own, or to admit them to any church-communion upon any pretence whatsoever. —
Apol. p. 14, 26, 40."
" Here is neither truth nor proof to be seen. ' Letters, etc' for public
participation, are not sent from one minister to another, but fiom a
church to a church. W^e hold it not ' unlawful,' but do often practise,
to receive other members to communion with us without ' Letters;' es
pecially if they be known to any of our church ; else, such ' Letters' are
desirable. But he saith, we do not ' in any case ;' ' upon any pretence
whatsoever:' which is utterly false." T. W. p. 53, 54.
Art. iv. " Though tbey hold it lawful, by this communion of churches, for or.e
church to admit the members of another uuto feUowship of church-ordinances and
privileges, yet not of every church : but tbey think themselves bound to know the
church well, — whose raembers they so admit, as well as the members themselves, —
whether it be a true chuich or a false, a pure church or a corrupt. — Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 29. Art. V. " And that if they should admit any members of a false church, they
should offend iu so holding communion with a false church : yea, if they should
admit any raembers of a corrupt church, they should be defiled by such communion ;
unless they did first protest against their corruptions. — Ans. to 32 Q.., p. 29 ; J. C.
printed Letter, p. 12. Yet they hold no such defilement by admitting them into
religious comraunion, though their church were not only impure but utterly false.
Art vi. " They are very strait-laced in denying communion to the members of
other churches that are not constituted and governed in tbe same manner with
their own ; which only, tbey conceive to be constituted and governed according to
' the rule of Christ' — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 82 — 84. Yea, if a company of approved
godly people should sit down near them, — where their power reacheth, — differing
from thera only in sorae points of churcb-government-some of them tell us. That
not only they should not be owned as a sister-church, but should also be in danger
of severe punishment by the civil magistrate. — H. W. to P. H."
" If you weigh well this accusation of us in all the particulars, it is
very harsh and sore ; and here is no proof hut H. W. Who this should
be, I profess I cannot tell ; unless some malignant, or back-friend,
araongst us there ; or, whether such a thing were ever written in these
words and sense, I know not And if it be certainly so written,|'and
frora a godly raan, yet it is but one single witness ; and I am forbidden,
and so are all others, 1 Tim. v. 19, to receive 'an accusation' against
one 'Elder'— much more against all the elders and churches in New
England, — without ' two or three witnesses :' therefore we dare not be-

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 329
lieve it To this very point in hand, the 'Ans. to 32 Q., p. 82, 83,'
speaks fully and fairly ; which W. R. well knowing, — for it was written
to himself, amongst others, — deals not candidly to conceal that Answer
of a printed book from known authors of credit in New England, be
cause it is fair and loving, — for what other ground could he have ? —
and bring in the answer of H. W. — a raan we know not, — which is
harsh and distasteful." T. W. p. 54.
Chap. XI. Art. i. " I hear, some of them, have pressed that not only the scan
dalous, but also, the non-proficients that grow not in grace under the raeans, might
be excoraraunicated. Which was the ground, as sorae of thera report, of a ground
less course set on foot amongst them at Cambridge in New England, that the peo
ple met together privately, at certain tiraes, weekly or fortnigbtiy, each one to
hold forth unto the rest, the work of God upon his or her soul, from their first
conversion unto that present day ; that so, their pastor might know bow they grew
in grace.— A. W. to Mr. B."
" With what face can any godly raan call such a meeting of the
saints for such a holy end . . 'a groundless' meeting ! . . No marvel he
calls his book a 'poor paraphlet :'. . it will appear yet poorer, before we
have done, to any candid reader.". . T. W. p. 54.
Chap. XII. Art. i. " When a church, by admission of more raerabers, is now
grown to a competent nuraber, — which ofttimes proves sorae years first — then they
address themselves to the calling of some to the ministry and other offices in the
church  B. M. to W. R."
". .Why he should so double and treble the very sarae things, totidem
verbis, I know not ; unless, haply, to make a deeper impression of
his own raistakes in his reader ! It is our usual and constant course, as
hath been said, not to gather any church until they have one amongst
themselves fit for a minister ; whom with all speed they call into office,
and account themselves a lame and imperfect body till that be effected.
In his margin, he saith he is told to his 'comfort,' that ' many that
were counted good ministers in Old England,' are there laid aside, be
cause they aim at men of 'special' parts ! We desire proof for this
aspersion... And whereas he saith he was told so; . . let him produce his
authors..." T.W. p. 56.
Art ii. " If any of their own members be fit for the service, they make choice of
them ; if not 'hey procure elsewhere : yet so, that none is chosen to be an officer
in any church till he be first formally admitted meraber of the same church, in the
same manner, everyway, as others have been. — W. W. to Mr. B.
Art iii. " Tbe several churches with thera, — ^how small soever, and though as
yet without any officers, — do challenge to themselves both power and execution of
all things whatsoever do belong to the calling and creating of their own officers ; as.
To examine and try their abilities and fitness ; To elect them ; To instruct them in
their office, at their ordination ; To ordain them with iraposition of hands, prayers,
and charges given thera ; And, in sura, to give them all tbe power of their office
in that church, in the Narae of Christ.— Ans. to 32 ft., p. 40—42, 68, 71 ; Disc.
of Cov. p. 23 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 70, 77 ; R. M. to W. R. ; H. W. to Mr. B.
Rob. Justif. p. 300, 303 ; Canne's Necess. of Sep. p. 29 ; Barr. Refut of
Giff. p. 130 ; A light for t'ne Ign. p. 7 ; Rob. ApoL"
"..Is it not a thing mo.st natural for a body to employ its own
members ? Is not the mutual interest, in each other, the stronger tie ?
Do not all bodies and societies in the world, the very same ? Was ever
any raan of another corporation elected sheriff or mayor, or unto any
special office in London, unless he were first seasoned with this same

330 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
' salt,' as he saith [in the margin] of ' membership' of the sarae body ?"
T. W. p. 55.
Art iv. " Whereby it is corae to pass that every of their first ministers at least in
every of their churches, is ordained by one or more private men appointed by the
rest in their naraes, to pray over them, impose hands upon them, instruct, charge
them, and give them authority there to minister. The act being the act of the
whole church ; but, for order and ease sake, the formality is committed to one or
two in narae of the rest, as the Israelites laid ' hands upon the Levites,' Num. viii.
10.— J. M. to R. M.; Ans. to 32 Q., p. 68—70 ; R. M. to E. B. p. 10.
Rob. Justif. p. 328, 331, 338."
" . . Though the Levites were church-officers, and the children of Is
rael were not, yet the children of Israel did lay their hands upon the
Levites : and, though all the children of Israel could not do this, yet
some principal ones did it instead of the rest. So, it may be lawful, in
some case, to do the like. If [the] people have apower of election of officers
— which is the greater — then, why may they not ordain thera — which
is the less — unto the office which, before, they elected thera to ? But
I refer the reader to see raore of this, in Mr. Mather's late Answer to
Mr. Herie, p. 45." T. W. p. 56.
Art V. " They hold that the People's election is not only essential unto, but also
the whole substance of the calling of tbe rainister or other officer. But as for or
dination with iraposition of hands of the presbytery, or other sign, they hold it
not essential at all, but a raere forraality or solemnity of tbe calling : the presence
whereof, addeth nothing to the substance of the calling ; and the absence thereof,
takes nothing from it — Ans. to 32 ft., p. 67 — 69 ; Disc, of Cov. p. 23 ; R. M. to
E. B. p. 10 ; ApoL p. 24.
Rob. Justif. p. 308, 332 — 335 ; Rob. Apol. p. Per electionem jus ministerii
Presbyteris confertur, etc.; Barr. Refut of Giff. p. 219. 130."
" Doth he judge all the churches and ministers of Christ there, so
devoid of religion, reason, or the light of common sense, as to account
a venerable ordinance of God ' a mere formality ?' But that you may
see whether he deals well with us or not, vide 'Ans. to 32 Q., p. 67,'
where it is expressly said, that ' though the essence of a minister's call
consists in his election, yet we look at ordination by imposition of hands
necessary by divine institution.' Can he, with any show of reason, ex
plicate a thing 'necessary by divine institution,' by 'a raere formaUty?'
Is this right coraraenting upon the text ? . . For the other printed proof,
•Disc, of Cov. p. 23,'. . there is not the least show for such an expres
sion, . . but only that ' People have power to choose their own officers.'. .
It is his call, not his wages, raakes a pastor or no pastor." T. W.
p. 56, 67.
Art vi. " After the first officers are thus made by the church, the formality of
ordaining the rest is, ordinarily, committed to such officers as are already called and
ordained ; not as having any more power, by virtue of tbeir office, to do it than
before, for the power is the church's, and belongs equally to every raeraber as a
member ; but, as being the churches' public servants, to do it for them, and in their
name and stead. — See tbe quotations [or references] cited. Art. iv.
Rob. Justif. p. 321, 323, 327.
So that if they have but one pastor or teacher, he alone lays bis hand on tbe next
officer to be ordained. But St Paul's rule is . . tbe hands of the presbytery ; not
of one single presbyter, rauch less of one private man."
" That • one pastor, etc' hath neither proof nor trutii ; but is against
our judgraents and practice." T. W. p. 67.

CHAP. LII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ^ 331
Art vii. " In the sorts or kinds of their officers, they agree with others of the
best reformed churches. Only, whereas in opinion and tenet, they precisely dis
tinguish between the pastor's and teacher's office ; yet, in practice, they usually
confound them ; both pastor and teacher equally teaching and equally applying
both the Word and seals, without any difference ; and either of them usually sup
plying the place of both, in divers of their churches which are not furnished with
both. See J. C.'s Sermons on Rev., and other texts, for proof of this : besides
what we have by others' report."
". . In such congregations where there is but one, he labours to im
prove his talent both ways, for the present necessity. . . And for his proof,
see how punctual he is ! . . Would he have us look over all Mr. Cotton's
Sermons ? . . We turn hira not to all, . . but to one certain place in his
Cat. p. 2, 'The pastor's special work isto attend upon exhortation; the
teacher, on doctrine ;' and his own, and others' practices there, mn ac
cordingly." T.W. p. 57.
Art. viii. " They hold, the officers, so called and made by this church, are officers,
only in and unto this particular church that hath so called them ; and bound only
to minister to that and the members thereof, and to none other : so that the pastors
and teachers thereof may, lawfully, do no ministerial act whatsoever in or unto any
other church or the members thereof than their own. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 11, 15, 70 ;
Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 64, 67, 70, 76, 78 ; Apol. p. 14, 26, 29, 38.
Rob. Justif. p. 317, 318, 335."
" In the margin, he saith that 'some' of us do question ' the comrau
nion of churches,' as a thing overthrowing some of our principles : that
' others,' to uphold it, ' have invented a power' in one minister to trans
late his own power to another rainister, ' to adrainister the seals and
censures to any of their members.' These are ungrounded, unproved,
expressions ; and but repeated by hira now ; answered before by us. . .
As for that inference he seems to draw, that every ministerial act,' with
out ' power,' and irregularly done, seeras ' void ;' and so, ' millions' of
persons unbaptized to this day; . . that maxim in law, well approved of
by divines in this case. Quod fieri non debuit factura valet, holds good
here. I know no grounds that Zipporah had to have circumcised her
son — Exod. iv. 25, — for it was proper to the raan. Gen. xvii. 9, 23 ;
yet being done, it was not void or null : and, though a priest, popishly
affeeted, should baptize a child with many invented superstitions, the
child is not looked on as unbaptized." T. W. p. 67.
Art ix. " They grant indeed, that ministers may preach unto, and pray with,
other churches and their members, because these are, properly, no ministerial acts.
Only the adrainistration of the sacraments, with thera, are properly ministerial ;
and therefore belong only to tbe ministers. All other acts, are comraon to other
members, either by virtue of their gifts, and ex communi officio charitatis, or by the
power of the Keys, which they have received in comraon with that church of which
they are members, or by a temporary deputation from the same. — Ans. to 9 Pos.
p. 78. Rob. Justif. p. 195."
" 'All other acts are common :' it is not true. We hold no such
thing. The proof he brings no whit reacheth it. It is directly against
his own authors he builds upon : 'Ans. to 32 Q., p. 57, Tbe calling,'
saith he, ' of assemblies, and dismissing them ; preaching the Word,
and prayer ; administering the seals ; permitting to speak in the assem
bly ; enjoining silence ; voting of matters; pronouncing of censures, etc.:

332 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
these are acts which the presbyters may do, and no other members.'
It is contrary to himself, chap. vi. art. viii., where he sets down the
several acts which he himself saith we ascribe unto our officers." T. W.
p. 57, 68.
Art X. " They hold that a minister's calling lives and dies with bis union unto,
and disuniting from, that particular church wherein and whereby he was so called,
as before ; so that, if a rainister, lawfully chosen and ordained in one place, shall re-
move,^upon never so just and necessary grounds, — to another congregation, he is,
thereby, divested of his forraer ministry, and now become as a mere private man
again ; unless and until he shall be called and so created again by the same, or
some other, congregation ; in which case, he is not only to be elected anew but also
to be ordained anew by the imposition of the hands — perhaps, of some mere private
man, or men, — as if be had never been ordained before. And so toties quoties. —
Ans. to 32 Q., p. 09, 70 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 67, 77 ; J. W. Ans. to 10 ftuest.
Rob. Justif. p. 317."
" Whereas he is looked on and reverenced as a worthy instrument of
Christ ; a man of gifts and parts ; one that hath honoured God in his
House, and may do it again ; and, in the mean time, is employed in
dispensing his gifts, etc. ; is this, to be as ' a mere private raan ?' But
he is not able to speak, without disparaging." T.W. p. 68.
Art xi. " They hold, the rainisters are but the church's servants; her raouth,
by whom she speaks, and bands, whereby she acts ; and therefore, though they
meet together to consult matters for the good of the churches, or to prepare matters
for the churches' hearing, yet in point of government they can decree, act or exe
cute nothing but wbat the church doth dictate and direct — Ans. to 32 Q.., p. 57.
Rob. Apol. p. 49 ; Sion's Prerog. Roy. p. 26, 20.
Art. xii. " Ministers, tbey bold, are only ministers of churches already gathered;
which are all supposed to be already real saints effectually called : so that the end
and work of tbe office of rainisters and their ministry is only the confirmation and
building up of raen already converted and inchurched ! Nor are they bound, by
virtue of their office, to attend unto tbe work of converting souls, any more than
otber gifted brethren are, who use it by the office of common charity. — Ans. to
32 Q., p. 80,82.
Rob. Justif. p. 308, 11, 47.
Whence, it must needs follow, that either none are converted in tbeir churches,
by their ministry ; or else, if any be, that falls out only accidentally, not as the direct
end of their office, and God's ordinance."
" He Strangely forgets himself : for we say not that all our raembers
are, certainly, ' real saints,' but only, visibly ; . . hypocrites, . . [and]
children of our members, . . are not yet, haply, converted ; and he is
bound to fulfil his office towards them... 'To prove this Article, 'Ans. to
32 Q.' affords him not one tittle towards it ; therefore I look upon this
Article as a devised thing of his own... He draws many invective con
clusions against us in a long margent, but . . the ground sinking, the
building falls : and thus he shoots at his own shadow. So, still he keeps
his old custom : frames a false Article, . . then pretends a proof; . . then
falls out with us for holding such absurdities ; lastly, draws his infe
rences from his own premises : this is his dealing all along his book.". .
T.W. p. 58.
Art xiii. " They acknowledge a most strict tie between tiie minister and his
people; and that tbe one hath special propriety in the other  Anol d 11 24-
R. M. to E. B. p. 11. 1- ¦ l-- ' >
Art xiv. " They conceive it unwarrantable, that ministers should have set and
certain stipends or wages ; much less that they should live upon tithes : but rather,

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 333
upon the people's voluntary contribution, weekly cast into the common treasury
according to their weekly gains ; out of which, the deacons are to distribute both
unto the officers and poor, according to that which is brought in, and as they con
ceive to be fit and needful for every one. — R. M. to W. R. ; Mr. B. to S. A. ;
J. VV. to T. S. ; Ans. to 32 Q.., p. 77 ; Cott Cat. p. 7, 8 ; B. M. to E. B. p. 7, 8.
Rob. Justif. p. 214, 353; Barr. Discov. p. 53, 61, 62; Brown. Confess.
Arts. XX., xiv.
. . How comes it to pass, that some of them, amongst us, do not only receive but
strictly require so rauch set stipend for such a Lecture, and so rauch more for such
another, or else they will not preach ; but also, can be content to take the glebe,
tithes, and other profits of sequestered parsonages and vicarages amongst us as well
as others ? But, in some sort, I marvel not at it, if that be true, which we are cre
dibly informed, that some of our Brethren of the ministry there, have not long since
complained that their prophets did now prophesy in sack for want of maintenance.
— M. B. to S. A. And others of them, out of their love, have warned us of the like
danger, if tithes amongst us should go down — Mr. W. to Mr. M. And therefore,
no marvel if our Brethren that have been bitten with the people's cold contributions
there, be content to forsake that rule, and to covenant for wages, as we do bere."
" Here are three particulars affirmed, and hardly any one of thera
true : for this ' weekly contribution' is properly intended for the poor,
according to 1 Cor. xvi. 1 ; yet so as, if there be much given in, some
churches do, — though others do not, — appoint the overplus towards the
minister's maintenance. This is not given in by the people ' according
to their weekly gains,' for that is an addition of his own, but ' as God
hath blest them with an estate in the general ;' for, suppose a member
that is rich, though he hath not gained but lost the week last past, yet
he contributes on the Lord's day following. Nor is this dispensed to
the rainisters, in those churches where any part of it is so given ; though
by the hands of the deacons, yet not, for proportion as they please, for
this were to set the deacons above the pastor and teacher ; but by the
church, who usually, twice in the year, or oftener, do raeet to consult
and determine of the sum to be allowed for that year to their ministers,
and to raise it either from the church's treasury, — so much of it as there
is to be had, — only a contribution to be then raade on purpose. And
for one proof of all those, he brings ' Ans. to 32 Q., p. 77,' wherein is
nothing to prove any one of those particulars mentioned, but sorae things
rather against him ; for there it is said that ' Our ministers' maintenance
must be honourable, for his person, charge, and for hospitality ; not as
alms and courtesy, but as debt and duty : and to be paid according to
rules of justice, etc. But, for a way of settled and stinted maintenance,
there is nothing done that way,' — mark this ! — ' except from year to
year.' Do but compare these words with his NaiTation ! Now, upon
these premises unsoundly laid, he builds . . in his margent. . Then he
falls ujion some of us, in particular, whosoever they are, for ' strict' re
quiring of so rauch ' set stipend, eic.'. . I must here profess, . as in the
sight of God, for ray part, I know not any one of us that doth so. But
sure I am, I know some, of the contrary practice, who neither stand
compounding at all, much less, ' strictiy,' as he saith, ' require' so rauch
and so much ; least of all, refuse to ' preach' when such sums of the
people's own voluntary proffering lie unperformed ; but yet, notwith
standing, go on as painfully and constantly in their preaching to them,
as before. . . His arrows are shot against a brazen wall : let hira take
heed lest, by a Divine hand, they rebound.". . T.W. p. 69, 60.

334 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Art XV. " As this church hath power to make her own ministers, so also to ques
tion, censure, unmake and depose them ; and by re-assuming tbeir power, to reduce
them into the state of mere private men again. And this also, they claim power
to do, as well as the other, without any authoritative concurrence of any others
whatsoever ; whose counsel, although they raay and, perhaps, will, crave and use
yet that is done freely without any authoritative obligation in foro externo. — Ans.
to 32 Q., p. 41 ; Ans. to 9 Pos. p. 77 ; J. C. printed Letter, p. 3.
Rob. Justif. p. Ill, 176, 177 ; Sion's Prerog. Roy. p. 26 : Separ. [atists' or
Brownists'] Confess. Art. xxiii. ; Canne's Necess. of Sep. p. 155."
" In the margent . . he makes three several accusations, and that of
three churches [' Mr. W., S. B., R. S., their cases'] without any one
witness ; therefore, till the true father appears, we must still lay the brat
at his door." T.W. p. 60.
Chap. XIII. Art. i. " They hold It lawful for mere private persons, — that is,
such as neither are in office, nor are ever likely to be, — to exercise their gifts in
and before tbe whole congregation, in preaching, that is, expounding and applying
the Scriptures to the several uses of the auditors, by instruction, confutation, repre
hension, with all authority ; yea, that this is an ordinary and perpetual ordinance
in the church, grounded upon 1 Cor. xiv.- — Ans. to 32 Q,., p. 78 ; Cott. Cat p. 6;
11. M. to E. B. p. 7. There is a book printed, called ' A Sermon, preached at Ply
mouth in New England,' which, as I am certified, was made there by ' a Comber of
Wool.' Rob. Justif. p. 183 ; Johns. Inq. p. 7 ; A Light for the Ignor. p. 19. Some
of tbem, indeed, tell us that it [private men's preaching] is seldom used ;
namely, only where the church is unfurnished with officers, or in case of their
absence or sickness. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 77.
. . Some of tbem have their farms . . so far off, from their settled congregations
that they cannot possibly come every Sabbath : . . and therefore must either preach
one to another or else be utterly without. — I. P. Besides we are informed from
thence, the people of late grow more violent in claiming . . public prophesying;
urging for it the writings and arguraents of Mr. Robinson the ' Brownist .' sorae
tiraes, also, . . deserting their own ministers and churches, because they are not suf
fered to enjoy it [.'] M. B. to S. A."
" Of ' private men, prophesying,'. . this is the fifth time of repeating
it : . . but the oftener he hath said his lesson, the worse he hath learned
it :.. First, W. R. saith this prophesying is done by 'mere' private
men: his author, 'Ans. to 32 Q., p. 77, 78,' tells us, 'men haply
indued with a gift of prophesy.' Secondly, he saith they preach for
' confutation ;' as if they raust be polemical men ; . . but not one word
of that in the author. Thirdly, he saith they expound and apply the
Word 'with all authority;' but no word sounding that way in the au
thor ! those words being properly applied by Paul to the officers.
Tit. ii. 15, not to the prophets. Fourthly, he saith this prophesying is
'ordinary;' the author saith, 'They are not called to prophesying ordi
narily,* — if by ordinary, he means frequentiy and usually, — 'but spar
ingly and seldom ; frequently, when the officers are sick, or absent, etc'
His other author cited is Mr. Cotton, 'Cat. p. 6 ;' and as in other quo
tations he added divers particulars of his own ; . . so, in this, as cor-
ruptiy he leaves out many material things : . . as, prophesy must 'be
allowed for prophets;' 'not prophesy till the elders have done ;'' not
unless the time permit ;' 'and then also, they must be first called there
unto by the elders :' but W. R. hath not one word of all these, that so
much serve to cleai- our practice... He would here cast a blur, by say
ing there is a book printed, . .'A Sermon, . . by a Comber of Wool :'
but I entreat the reader to ])ut him to his proofs. . . He comes in with.

CHAP. LII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 335
'some of thera tell us, etc.;' . . as if w-e were at variance amongst our
selves. . . He saith in his margent, that ' some' of our people ' have their
farms so far off. . that they cannot possibly come every sabbath, etc.*
I should know New England as well as I. P., or M. B., or any of his
informers ; but I solemnly here profess, and with a safe conscience
avouch it, that I know no truth in any of all these particulars asserted,
but rather the contrary : unless, haply, in those of the Island ['Aquid-
nect, or Rhode Island :' See Morse and Palish, Hist, of New England,
p. 87, 88J, or such as adhere to them ; who, he knows well, are not of
us ; whose ways and spirits are as grievous to our churches as to him
self. Why should he impute their practices to us, more than the opi
nions of the Antinomians and Familists, here in London, to the godly
ministers and people of the city ? . ." T. W. p. 61.
Art ii, "Also, after their preaching, they take upon thera to bless the people at
their disraission, as the ministers do."
" I desire his grounds and proofs : . . that Answer to 32 Q., p. 38, . .
expressly saith, that ' blessing the people in the Name of the Lord, is
an act . . which no raeraber raay presume to do.' "
Art iii. " Likewise, they have a course, before their dismission, to give leave to
any that doubts of anything that hath been then, or forraerly, delivered in public,
by the minister or any other, publicly to propound their doubts and make their
objections, and to argue, pro and con., about any matter good for edification.^
W. T. to P. H. ; Ans. to 32 ft., p. 78 ; Cott Cat p. 6.
Bar. Discov. p. 139 ; Johns. Inq. p. 7.
Methinks it is an abrupt course, at the first dash openly to implead the minister
of error delivered before all the people. . ."
" If a better than himself, durst not reproach one worse than our
selves, though he had ground enough to have done it, I hope then
W. R. dare not, without any ground at all, bring these sore accusations
against so many churches. But what his proofs are you shall see.
Mr. Cotton's words are these, ' It may be lawful for any, except wo
men, to ask questions at the mouth of the prophets.' Cat. p. 6. Mr. C.
speaks only of asking ' questions' of ' the prophets,' that is, such mem
bers as prophesy; he [W. R.] adds, of the ' ministers' also. Mr. C.
seems to speak of [with a reference to] the matter then delivered only;
he [W. R.] adds, 'formerly' also. Mr. C. excepts 'women;' he ['W.
R.] saith leave is given 'to any,' without exception. Mr. C. speaks
soberly ; ' it may be lawful ;' he [W. R.] speaks peremptorily, we ' have
a course, etc' Mr. C. allows only ' to ask questions ;' but he [W. R.]
adds, — a beadroU of his own, to raake us odious, — the)^ raay object,
'argue, pro and con., about any matter, etc.:' yea, they do abruptly,
' at the first dash, openly implead, etc. ;' so as it is a ' scandal to the
people,' and a ' reproach to the minister, etc. :' all this is his own ! Then
lor the other cited author, 'Ans. to 32 Q., p. 78,' he deals more grossly
with him than the former; who is, in a manner, point-blank against
him : . . his words are, ' We never knew any minister that did call upon
the people thus to do, — that is, to propound ' questions,' — ' and such
calling upon them is far from us. Some think the people have a liberty
to ask a question . . upon very urgent and weighty cause. None judge
the ordinary practice of it necessary ; but, if not meekly and wisely
carried, inconvenient, if not utterly unlawful ; and, therefore, such ask-

336 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
ing of questions, is seldom used in any [church], in most churches
never. True it is, in the .times of the opinions, some were bold in this
kind ; but these men are, long since, gone. The Synod [query ? at
Cambridge, in New England] and sermons have reproved this disorder;
so that a man may now live from one end of the year to another, in these
congregations, and not hear any man opening his raouth in such kind
of questions.' Now, good reader, do us the favour to give righteous
judgment... See, what a vast gulf betwixt the author and W. R. ! . .
What will not W. R. boldly attempt against his Brethren of the Inde
pendent way ?.." T. W. p. 62, 63.
Chap. XIV. Art i. " They grant that churches may, and ought to, consult and ad
vise one with another in any doubtful matter incident ; and ought to hearken to the
good advice of one another. And therefore, they sometimes allow combinations of
divers churches for consultation ; but not imperative, or coercive. — Ans. to 32 ft.,
p. 64—66. Johns. Plea, p. 251.
Of late, some of them, grow shy of the word ' Independent' — H. P., in his Epistle
to the Reader. Some utterly renounce it. — Apol. Nar. p. 23. But yet it is gene
rally owned by raost, in the narae ; — R. M. to E. B. p. 9 ; Ans. to 32 ft., p. 46,
47, 64, 65 ;— by all, in the thing, as after.— Ans. to 32 a., p. 43, 44, 46.
They love no imperative Synods, or Presbyteries ; but they have store of impera
tive churches. . . "Why have not many churches united, as much power over every
particular church within the union, as many members united have over every per
son amongst themselves ? "
" If the word ' Independent' be rightly taken, — as in Ans. to 32 Q.,
p. 46, it is expounded — for one church, that is not under the power of
another, or in subjection to a presbytery ; but, as having received power
from Christ to govern herself according to his laws : then, all accord to
it. But if the word be abusively taken, as it is often, with the vulgar,
for such a society as are neither subject to magistracy nor regai'd the
counsel of other churches ; but, are a conceited and self-sufficient peo
ple, that stand only on their own legs : then, we have cause to be ' shy'
of a word that may render us odious without cause ! That we ' have
store of imperative churches, etc' [is] another slander, — without
ground, or proof, or truth, — which I leave here upon record... To per
suade raen to act without light, much more to ' command' or ' compel,'
. . though the thing required were lawful, are odious in the churches of
Christ..." T.W. p. 63, 64.
Art ii. " But each particular congregational church is the supreme judicature,
whose power is absolute, and iraperial ; and therefore, may, and ought to, transact
all things within theraselves, without seeking or subraitting unto any authoritative
concurrence of any other churches. — R. M. to W. R.; Cott. Cat p. 12, 13; Ans.
to 32 ft., p. 44, 62, 64 — 66 ; J. VV. Ans. to 10 Quest
Rob. Justif. p. 107, 112, 444; Johns. Plea, p. 70, 251 ;
Barr. Discov. p. 261."
" All we use to speak of our church-power is, that it is ' ministerial ;'
which is far from ' absolute, and iraperial :' words fitter for eraperors of
this world, than [for] the churches of the saints. . . For his two printed
authors cited, — for we cannot come at his private Letters, — if there be
any one word, or show of ground from them, to raaintain his speech,
let rae bear the shame of it ; for I here a\'ouch the contrary under my
hand." T.W, p. G4. •" ''

CHAP. LII.J REL.ATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 337
Art iii. " Therefore, they hold it unlawful for any such combinations, whether in
classes,— that is, compound presbyteries, — or synods, provincial, national, or others,
to take upon them, authoritatively, to deterraine or decree anything in matter of
doctrine or practice, as intending thereby to oblig? any more, or others, than their
own persons ; no, not in foro externo : much less, to execute any censure at all upon
any otber, nor yet upon any of theraselves present, though never so delinquent
All this, belonging only to particular congregational churches, as their proper right.
Therefore, also, they deny all representation of churches absent ; all authoritative
deputation, or sending of raessengers, to act for thera ; all appeals from the par
ticular congregation to any higher judicature ecclesiastical. — Ibid.
Johns. Inq. p. 70.
Yet some tell us, that Mr. P. and Mr. W. were sent over hither, by the
churches, to negociate for them, here. . ."
" That we 'deny all representation of churches absent,' and 'all au
thoritative deputation of messengers, to act for them ;' the reader may
well see it is his own saying, not ours ; for he brings no proof but from
Barrowe and Johnson, who . . were in their graves, — ^both or one, — long
before ever we had a being in New England... And it is answered be
fore, chap. ii. art. iii... What will you say now, W. R. ; . . for neither
did their own churches, nor all ' the churches,' send Mr. P. and Mr. W. ;
but the whole State of New England, — or General Court, — with one
consent upon some special employments which cannot yet be all
finished.?.." T.W. p. 64, 65.
Art iv. " If any church, among thera, do err or sin in any notorious sort, the rest
agree together to call them to an account, to instruct, advise, reprove, admonish
them, etc. If they prove obstinate and obey not their advices and admonitions, etc. ;
then tbey likewise agree together, to desert them, and withdraw themselves from
their communion : it raay be, also, to call in the aid of the magistrate, to punish
them with the civil sword, if the cause require it. — Ans. to 32 Q., p. 62, 79 ; Ans.
to 9 Pos. p. 77 ; R. M to E. B. p. 12 ; H. W. to P. H. ; Cott Cat p. 13.
Canne's Guide to Sion ; about the midst.
Are not here, virtually, so raany synodical decrees, etc. ? . . Popular government,
and waiitof authoritative Synods ; the cause of their raany schisms, confusions, and
contentions ; which, though by some dissembled, yet have been by others forraerly
espied, and now by some of themselves lately confest ; see Mr. Parker's Letter to
Mr. Baillie, lately printed." [And see supra, p. 295.]
". . Why have you said so oft, in opposition to our way, that our
churches 'have no power over one another,' whereas our churches have
a power to 'withdraw' by non-communion ; and that withdrawing, say
you, is as much as your ' Synodical excommunication ?' Why do you,
so slight our churches' counsels and admonitions to other churches, as
not being ' authoritative ?' Whereas, if they be not obeyed, it seems,
they can pass as sore a censure as all your Synodical authority ; for you
can do no more, by it, than ' excommunicate ;' and so far, you say, we
cau proceed ! . . Though W. R. thinks they are both one, I cannot : for
that [Synodical excommunication] is positive; this, [non-comra union,]
only negative : that, after a sentence passed ; this, not so : that, a cutting
off from Christendom, at least for the present, and a giving up to Satan,
etc.; this, only a cessation of conferring church-privileges, etc. By the
one, the churches withdraw, and call in that only which once they gave,
the right-hand of fellowship : by the other, the Synod or Classis take
away that which they never gave or had power to bestow, the excoramu-
nicate's membership, in their own church. So that, when we stand for
the one, — as having no rule to carry us further, — we do not establish
the other ! . . By non-communion, a man is only let go into the world,
II. z

3'3S HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
where Satan's walks are : by Synods' excommunication, he is given up,
and cast to Satan to terrify and vex hira. . . 'Popular government' is
one ' cause' of schisras, in New England: Mr. Parker's Letter. Blessed
be God, that under that governraent of ours which you call, — or rather,
miscall, — 'popular,' the very neck of 'schisms' and vile opinions,
brought to us from hence, was broken : when here, amongst you, where
there is not such a government, they walk bolt upright araongst you,
and crow aloud. You shall do better to lay aside this objection, till a
Prebyterian governraent have healed these sore breaches in these
churches here !
Chap. XV. Art. i. " They hold, the magistrate cannot, lawfully, compel men to
enter into covenant with God ; but being entered, they may and should compel
them to keep their covenant. — Apol. p. II, 12.
Rob. Justif. p. 242, 243 ; Barr. against Giff. Preface.
How will our late Solemn League with God and one another, stand with this ?
And, the opinion of many of them, that hold tbe magistrate hath nothing to do in
matters of religion ?"
" This Article saith, we 'hold the raagistrate cannot, etc.'. . He means
a national covenant ! . . As long as I lived there, I never heard, or knew,
the churches held so. . . Let hira know, and all others, that all the
churches with us do abhor that vile 'opinion.' Some I believe, of Road
[Rhode] Island, and some others banished from us, do hold so."..
T. W. p. 67.
Art. ii. " Christians may, and ought to, set up and constitute new churches, and
practise in them all the ordinances of God, without tbe consent, yea, and against
tbe peremptory commands and established laws of a christian state ; yea, and that
in the midst of, and against the mind of, such churches as themselves freely ac
knowledge to be the true churches of God. — Ans. to 32 ft., p. 35 ; K. M. to E. B.
p. 2, 3.
Yet they deny this to us, in their country. . ."
" He reserved a strange Article for the last. If I had not read it, I
could scarce have believed it possible he should have written it. No pen
can express a greater latitude of opposition against magistracy, and
laws, and churches, than here he affirms to be in us. . . You shall hear
his cited author himself speak. ' Ans. to 32 Q., p. 35, 36,' saith thus,
' Observing the things commanded of God, in a peaceable way ; yielding
due reverence to all in authority ; I [aye], and praying for them. This
observing God's ordinances, cannot he unlawful for lack of the command
of man.' The scope . . is this. That Christians raay obseive God's or
dinances, though they have no command from the magistrate so to do.
Now, where is doing of this, 'against' his ' command ;'. .yea, againsthis
'laws,'. . 'established laws ;'. . a 'christian' state ! . . 'Against the minds'
of all the churches of God araongst us ! These are, all, his own addi
tions ; that so he raight load his Brethren with contempt. . . It is con
trary to his own words, chap. v. arts, ii., iv. . He again crosseth him
self, for . . he saith, we hold that Christians may, and ought to, set up
new churches, 'against the minds of other churches;' and yet he, in
his margent, saith that we ' deny' them, — that is, himself and some
others,— any liberty to do thus ! He must prove either that we hold
him and the rest, no ' Christians,' or that we cross our own rules and
principles; or else freelv acknowledge a mistake in his word" T W.
p. 6&.

CHAP. LIlJ RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 339
" The Postscript — Thus, at lengtii, good reader, thou bast the sum of the ' Church
Courses' of our New England Brethren : even the way that so many, that know it
not or cannot judge of it do so admire, so desire [!] And which theraselves do hold
forth, to us, as the only way of God ; with such superlative commendation in their
Letters to us, as if it were a perfect idea of the constitution, discipline, and govern
ment set up and exerced in and by the Apostolic Churches from point to point ;
frora tbe beginning, till now of late, methinks they begin to abate :— see Mr. Par
ker's Letter to Mr. B. printed : — inculcating, what rare and admirable effects it
hath produced araongst thera ; impatient that any should oppose it, or so much as
question it ; yea, threatening us with continuance of the sword until we shall em
brace it ! See Mr. Peter's Preface, p. i., excluding and exploding all other ways as
erroneous, false, wicked, and savouring, at least, strongly of antichristianism. . .
As for myself, I look for lashes from many hands and tongues ; but in patience,
through the help of Christ, I shall possess ray soul, being supported by the conscience
of mine own integrity. . . 1 pray it may be conceived and remembered, that I have
not undertaken to report things as they really are, — wliich I could not do unless I
had been an eye-witness, — but to collect their own reports of things scattered here
and there in their own papers, and present them jointly together to thy view ; so
that whether their reports be true or false is nothing to me [!] [See back, p. 319,
T. W. under chap. vi. art xi.] If I can clear it to a candid and ingenuous reader,
that I have not mis-reported tbeir reports, I will be guiltiess both before God and
men. . . I shall desire of hira, whosoever he be, that shall call the truth of this rela
tion in question, for substance at least, that he himself would put forth a truer. It
is a small thing to say, they hold not or they do not this or that, but tell us what
they do hold and practise, that we may be misled no longer, as hitherto. . . Their
' courses' are not to be covered, . . seeing by forbearance all this while, they have
fretted like a gangrene into the bowels both of city and country : and I fear we
have kept their counsel so long that raany of thera are already past cure in their
error, and we almost remediless in our rents, tending unto ruin, . . The press is
still in travail, ready to bring forth more and new confutations of them. . .
" They sometimes cite and approve of the Brownists' books, in questions between
us and them, and provoke us to answer thera. . . They distinguish of .Separation ;
one, they call ' moderate ;' the other, ' rigid or bitter ;' this, they condemn, but
that they own. But what tbey mean by this 'rigid separation' we well know not;
for even the separatists theraselves do conderan each other's 'rigour ;' the latter gene
rally conderan some bitterness used against our churches by Barrowe and Greenwood :
and of the latter also, sorae, — as Robinson, — were far more moderate than the rest
yet were all of them complete Separatists ; and so raay these our Brethren be too,
notwithstanding that distinction : . . yea, some assure us of profest correspondence and
agreement between some of our late Apologists themselves and those of the Separa
tion here. . . They withdraw themselves from all church-communion with us, in the
best and purest of our assemblies; so they do not from the Brownists. .. And when
they would seem to justify, and plead for us, yet then they do it with such uncouth
and far-fetcht proofs, as we know not whether to accept or refuse their acknowledg
ment of the truth of our churches, upon such conditions, be the worse bargain : as
when they say we have ' true churches,' because knit together in church-covenant,
though implicit because we had true churches planted here, — in the New England
frame, — in the apostles' time, and perhaps also since, etc. — Ans. to 32 ft., p. 26-
Disc. of Cov. p. 36, 37 ; R. M. to E. B. . .
" In like manner, the Brownists father their Separation upon the Nonconformists ;
but both sorts do it unjustiy. .. See Mr. Ball's book against Mr. Canne upon that
very point ; and, in good part by another book lately printed, called, ' A Grave
Confutation, etc' [See back, p. 272]. .. In such things wherein either the Brownists
or these Brethren do mainly differ from other, the best Reformed, churches, they
have no consent or approbation from the Nonconformists at all : nay, contrarily, by
many undeniable evidences frora their writings and practices, it will appear that
they have ever stiffly opposed and conflicted with all Popular and Independent
government in behalf of that we call Presbyterial. True, indeed, some of them [the
Nonconformists], especially in their polemic writings, while they had the Prelacy
in their eye, and no considerable adversary but that to contest withal, did, perhaps,
somewhat unwarily, — as may befall tbe best, and best learned men, in such cases, 
let fall sorae few things which these Brethren make their advantage of: as that a
z2

340 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARI.ES I.
particular church ought only to consist of one congregation ; that each particular
church hath power to transact all its own matters ; that this power is seated in
the body ! Many m.ore than these, I do not now remember. . . But if any of them
have gone far [further], as it is nSore than I know, so it is more than I will defend. . .
Objection : We see the most of the better sort go this way, now. Answer : I
believe not ' the most' by many : but if it were so, that were no good argument
to justify it; because, of those that do go that way, a great number are Anabap
tists, Familists, and Antinomians, etc., who all willingly choose to fall into the
same channel of Popularity and Independency. Perhaps, partly, out of design to
make a more considerable — I say not formidable — party, that so either for favour
or fear they may be the more indulged ; partly, because it suits so well with man's
proud nature ; for every man by his [own] good will would rule ; and no man
would willingly, depend upon orbe obnoxious unto another : Most good raen's affec-
tionsare strong when, oft, their judgments are weak: All men are ever apt to run
into extremes ; hence it is that while they flee Prelatical tyranny, they easily fall
into Popular anarchy : The novelty of their course : The people's good opinion of
the persons that way siding and drawing: And, the advantage the said persons
have had, whereby to screw themselves further and further into the people's good
opinion and affection ; by being ever employed in the chiefest work of the ministry
in some of the chiefest of our churches : although they have been so far frora
acknowledging themselves ministers as that they do not so much as acknowledge
themselves as members of any of our churches ; but, — as to us, according to
their own rule, — altogether without. Objection : This seems to reflect upon our
Brethren that come out of Holland, but these are not so rigid as the rest; what
is this Relation to them ? Ans : It concerns them, I grant, not so rauch nor so
directly, yet in some sort it doth : because sometimes they tell us they are of the
same way with the New England Brethren : both their disputes and practices, so
far as they are known, do all look that way : their lying so close locked up and
reserved, in many things, makes them, — I conceive, not without cause — the
more suspected ; for truth seeks no corners, no cloaks. If therefore now, by this
occasion, they would please to put out, according to their promise, not a mock
narrative, a mere gull, such as the last was [See back, p. 221,] but — as a true so
— a full, perfect, and plain discovery of their opinions in these things, from point
to point, and from end to end, I should heartily rejoice as in the much desired
fruit of this my poor labour; that so all misunderstandings and misprisons
being removed, and we rightly informed of the just latitude of their and our dif
ferences, we might either more hopefully address ourselves to satisfy their
judgments or else, if that cannot be obtained, the more willingly condescend to
move with them, for the favouring of their consciences according to the rules of
piety and prudence, in such things as are capable of toleration and indulgence.
But lest, good reader, I should be tedious to thee, I will cease to pursue these
things any further, at this time." P. 50 — 55.
" A Postscript to W. R. — Now, I entreat you . . to review your own
work; weigh ray Answer without prejudice; and consider well, how
raany precious saints and godly churches, dear to Christ, persecuted
heretofore by Prelates, loving to yourself, without their least stimulation
of you in this kind, you have, in your ' Narration,' extremely wronged. . .
There was a law in Israel, that he that digged ' a pit' was not to leave
it open, but ' cover it,' else whatever damage happened he was to ' make
it good ;' Exod. xxi. 33, 34 : you are able to make application. Solo
mon, Austin, etc., never gained so rauch as by their retractations. There
are some sins God will not seal up the pardon of till satisfaction
be raade by the party ; defamation is one of thera ! It will be no grief
of heart, but rauch corafort to remember, when you are about to leave
this world, that although through precipitancy you did bleraish your
Brethren, yet [that] after consideration, you did again as readily wipe
away theblot by a brotheriy vindication as far as truth reouired : which

CHAP, lul] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 341
if, after conviction, you shall forbear to do, upon what pretence i soever,
how will you be able to lie down in your grave in peace ? " T. W.
p. 68.

CHAP. LIIL
REPLY TO A. S.
From the " Observations and Annotations" of A. S. in our forty-eighth
chapter, we have advanced here to " A Reply of Two of the Brethren
to A. S. : Wherein you have Observations on his 'Considerations, An
notations, etc' upon the • Apologetical Nanation.' With a Plea for
Liberty of Conscience for the Apologists' Church- Way ; against the
Carils of the said A. S.— Formerly called ' M. S., to A. S.'— Humbly
submitted to the judgments of all rational and moderate Men in the
World. — With a short Survey of W. R., his 'Grave Confutation' of
the Separation ; and some modest and innocent Touches on the Letter
from Zealand ; and Mr. Parker's from New England. — The Second
Edition. Corrected and enlarged. Licensed and Entered, according
to Order. Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 112.
These " Two Brethren" coraraence with " A Word to the Reader,
showing the causes of this Second Edition ;" which was " Not raere
importunity of friends, though many ; but to undisplease, if it may be,
some of the contrary judgment, by blotting out some sharp expressions;
though extorted, forced, and wrung forth, by the violent hammering and
inculcating provocations of A. S." "And, to tell A.S. why no names
at length were put to their book ; namely, because he did not put his
name at length to his, nor hath he anywhere iii print owned it, that we
know of. Therefore have the Two Brethren, who, only for despatch
joined in this Reply to A. S. forborne also, in this second edition, to
subscribe their naraes."
The preliminary reraarks are introduced thus ; " If A. S.'s heart" be
'rent' with discontent in 'two' pieces, as he saith in his Epistle, at the
innocent bleatings of that wronged Lamb, the ' Apology ;' surely, our
hearts more justiy may be ' rent' in twenty pieces, to hear and see this
roaring Lion-like Reply, with his many claws of ' Observations, Anno
tations, Considerations, and Notes,' rending and tearing that modest
and innocent thing, and no man saying to him. Why doest thou so ?
. . How many Replies in a few weeks, appearingly, have turned the
world, if not the church, upside down ! Most raen seeming to be re
solved, before the arguments are solved ! Believe it, it works raore
upon the spirits of the best men, than ever anything yet that befel this
kingdom. Things, before, were irregular enough, but now, preposter
ous : before, resolute enough ; now, violent: before, the Body of the
Kingdom, the Commonwealth, was sore sick; now, the Soul, the
Church !" '¦ " Soul," in A. S.

342 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1,
" This one, single, simple, A. S., now starts up by himself, peremp
torily to state and determine the Questions, for the resolution whereof
the Parliament thought the Assembly of Divines few enough to under
take !" ^ " Yet James Cranford is quoted by the printer, in the page
before the titie, as approving it, and the book, with a licentious appro
bation." i> " Mr. Cranford !,. ask your reason, ask the book itself.
Whether there be one true clause in all that you have said ? Are these
' Obseivations, etc' of A.S. , 'judicious ?'. . Are they ' at this time, neces
sary,' when the grave Commissioners of Scotiand had, with far more
prudence and solidity than A. S., said, by way of reply, so rauch to the
Apology, nemine reclamante, none replying till A. S. was abroad ?" '
" Are they ' for the vindication of all Protestant churches,' whenas, in
condemning the Apology, they condemn many, very many churches in
England ; many in Holland ; generally all, in New England, notwith
standing some private Letters and Manuscripts sent over, to which we
shall answer afterwards." ^ "Are these 'Observations' for the defence of
the authority of Synods, in opposition to the Apology ? What Synods ?
Scripture Synods ! Where doth the Apology whimper against them ?
Or, do you m'ean Classical ones ? If so, that is the question ! And so
you proclaim a Defence of that which yet hath no existence : the ques
tion is not resolved !"'= "Well, Mr. Cranford, you have, by this, en
deavoured to set Divines together by the ears more Ecclesiastico : your
licentiating hath enabled men to give the ' second blow,' upon which the
Comraon Law layeth the breach of the peace. And, notwithstanding
you license these 'Annotations,' yet you say you ' reverence the persons
of the Apologists !' A pin for such a compliment ! Love me, love
the truth... Away with your dare verba, your frothy words... Standby,
Mr. Cranford, and hear A. S. tried ; and, in him, yourself!" f
Proceeding to the Epistle of A. S., and beginning at the compella
tion ; M. S., — for here and in some other places his initials alone are
set before the paragraphs, — tells A. S., " The authors of the Apologeti
cal NaiTation desire more of your ' right,' though they have less of your
reverence. Had I written a book with so rauch unreverence, I would
either have blotted out my title, ' Right Reverend,' or else I should
never have put in that episcopal style, ' Most Reverend,' and ' Right
Reverend,' seeing that the Bishops are going ! For, to stroke in the
title, and strike in the book, is but fiattery, if not gross dissimu
lation !" s
A. S. having generally alluded to " particular opinions, wherein ye
dissent from all Protestant, yea, all Christian churches in the world,"
M. S. answers, "Now let the ' Protestant churches,' to whora ye say
you submit, judge whether in these words there be not a notorious un
truth. For wherein do the Five ministers and their churches differ
frora many churches in England, divers in Holland, and generally all
within the Patent of New England, if you account these places ' Pro
testant ?' It may be you will object Mr. Parker's Letter, and some
Manuscripts frora New England ; and a Letter from Zealand.''. .
There is a Scottish Church, of which one Spang is a very busy
" P. 2. *¦ P. 3. <' Ibid. i p. 4; e p. 5,
' lb. s lb. '' P. 6.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 343
agent, at Trevere [Campvere] .. whence the Letter came. ..« Most
happily, by almost a miraculous Providence, in this nick of time, came
two Letters from New England to countermand Mr. Parker's Letter
thence, and the other from Zealand. The first, fi-om Mr. Winthrop,
Governor of New England, ' To his Reverend and very Godly Brother,
Mr. Hugh Peters, Minister of the Gospel ; These deliver in London.
-_'Our late Assembly, of about forty Elders, met; wherein the Way
of our Churches was approved, and the Pre-sbytery disallowed.— Win
throp, Gov., Dec 10, 1643.' The second, from another of NewEng
land, to another minister in Old England, about the same time ; wherem
we have these passages : ' We have had,' saith he, ' a Synod lately, in
our College, wherein sundry things were agreed on gravely ; as, 1. That
the votes of the People .ore needful in all admissions and excommuni
cations, at least in way of consent ; all yielding to act with their con
sent— 2. That those that are fit matter for a church, though they are
not always able to make large and particular relations of the work and
doctrine of Faith, yet raust not live in the commission of any known
sin, or the neglect of any known duty. — 3. That Consociation of
churches, in way of more general raeetings, yeariy; and more privately,
monthly, or quarterly ; as Consultative Synods; are very comfortable,
and necessary for the peace and good of the churches.— 4. It was gene
rally desired, That the exercitium of the churches' power raight only be
in the Eldership in each Particular Church ; unless their sins be appa
rent in their work.— 5. That Parish Churches in Old England could
not be right without a renewed Covenant at least, and the refusers ex
cluded.' And, were not New England so far [off,] the churches in New
England would soon send a third [Letter], punctually to approve the
Apology; unless it be for their nearer compliance with them who, notwith
standing, have written against them I"*"
Noticing the full titie ofthe " Most Grave and Modest Confutation," •=
it is said, " It cannot be forgotten, that the choicest doctrines held in
England have been called ' pernicious' heresy. And therefore it is a
high peremptoriness, in a general title, to call all those things ' pernici
ous evils,' some of which are truths. We have and do disclaim ' Sepa
ration' and ' Brownism' properly so called." ^
" England was never quiet, but worse and worse, since it hunted
away almost a little nation of Saints to New England; though W. Rath
band,' joining issue with A. S., will follow them with a blotting pen in
print, even to that kingdom too. Yea, and take in his way raany
churches in Old England, and some that are, and lately were, in Hol
land ; and then, have at New England ! None comes amiss that have
gone an inch in Reformation beyond W. R.'s Nonconformity... And all
this work he cuts out for himself in his book he calls ' A Narration, etc' ^
Oh, that all readers that will not be wilfully blind, would, by the way,
observe how A. S. condemns the Apologists as guilty of dissenting from
the churches in New England; and, W. R. condemns them for agreeing
with the churches in New England ! So that A. S. and W R. do not
agree between themselves !" s
»P. 7. See back, p. 219. i* P. 7. « See back, p. 272. '' P. It
' See back, p. 289. f lUd. e p. 12.

344 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
" The tiirice-worthy Pariiament had it in debatein the House," being
put on by tbe Letter frora Middleburg, in Zealand ; and [but], upon
the speech of learned Mr. Seldon, and others, they resolved, with a ge
neral acclamation. That the Apology was to be left as it was found,
' unblamed.' The God of Heaven in mercy bless the Parliaraent, as
for all the good they have done, so for their uprightness therein. The
joy of tbe churches is now as high as their son'ows would have been
deep, had it been condemned ! for it would then have been not only a
doleful ante or cmti, but ' anticipating' presage !" *>
" I am informed," M. S. tells us, "that the worthy Commissioners
of Scotiand, — nobly done ! — do utterly dislike A. S.'s book ; from whom
we have far more evident and effectual symptoms of their cordial love
than the word ' Brethren,' which with A. S., in his book, is nothing but
a ' complimental dissimulation ;' for his Epistle begins as it were with
kissing, naraely, ' Right Reverend and Dear Brethren,' and his book is
biting !" '^
Under the head of " His Considerations," and remarking on the
fourth, quoting those words of the Apology, that, since the change of
times, from their " exile," they had " endured" that which to their
spirits " is no less grievous, the opposition and reproach of good men,
even to the threatening of another banishment;"'' M. S. writes, "No
doubt but the Apologizers know what they say, and what they can say,
if called to speak out. Besides, if the people had let them alone, it
should seera some ministers would not. Oh, it was an unhappy 'An
ticipation,' — Oh, if the will of God had been to have prevented it, —
that, in the very nick of time, before the Assembly met, two books
should forestal the market ; the one penned by a learned Scot, and the
other by a learned Englishman, that set the tongues of men so
awake \" "
"A.S. tells ns of ' the honour the Parliament showed the Apologists,
in calling thera to be Members of the Assembly,' which was enough to
justify their persons frora all aspersions, without any Apology." To
this, M. S. answers, " That they and their friends will ever acknow
ledge the Honourable Parliament's great respect to thera... But," he
says, " I think I should not cross the sense of the Parliaraent if I should
not raake it a u niversal major proposition. That all whom the Honour
able Parliaraent shall call to be Members of the Asserably are ipso facto
vindicated from all aspersions ; and so to conclude. That all Episcopal
prelatical men, . . if they should be called to be of the Assembly, were
eo nomine vindicated from ' all aspersions !' I ara sure, de facto, that
some very learned men were called by the sweet indulgence of the
Honourable Parliament, for the common good, to be Merabers of the
grave Asserably, who since, upon better knowledge of them, are, by
the Parliament, purged out of the Assembly, — a good rid ! the Assem
bly is the better for their absence, — and some are at Oxford ; see how
terse they be I And sorae, in prison ; see how their Membership of the
Assembly hath vindicated thera ! Be sure of it, that the choice of men
" "Mar. 13. 1643-4." " P. 14. c /j.
•1 Ap. Nar. p. 31. ' P. 19.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 3l5
for the Assembly was, to find men good, not to make them so. And
two worthy Pariiament-men of a County may not know, at first, all the
faults in every town, or the lint on every black coat ; and, therefore,
since that, the worthy Pariiament hath well brusht some.""
" A thousand, and a thousand, good Christians were glad to hear, how
the Five ministers dissented from the rigid Separation, and closed with
the best Reformed Churches ; the sole business of the Apology in
effect" ''
On the " Eighth Consideration" of A. S., M. S. writes, "We chal
lenge it as your duty, that are Protestants, to allow us our liberty, that
are Protestants, and hold with , you in doctrine, and discipline also, in
substance ; the difference being an accident : First, the quantity ; you
would have it extended to Colloquies, Provincial Classes, etc., over
every church ; which appears not in Scripture, either name or thing.
We would have it bounded within every particular church made up to
competent hundreds, with a sufficiency of church-officers for parts and
numbers. And, secondly, necessity of constraint ; for, in appeals; you
would cite and constrain men to appear before the said Colloquies and
Classes, etc. ; for which there is not the least in the Scriptures. We
would have a free voluntary recourse, out of conscience, to the brotherly
advice of neighbour churches, or a synod, dogmatically to declare
Christ's mind to us ; and, in case of refusal to submit to their judg
ment, havhig no ground in Scripture to refuse, the advising churches to
renounce communion with the offending church ; and the particular
church to pronounce ' excoraraunication' against their offending brother.
So that the difference is not in ente, sed modo ; not in the thing, but the
manner rather. We say, therefore, it is your duty to give us our own,
our liberty, as much — if not more — as we to let you alone ; while both
parties avouch that they are unconvinced, as yet, of a possibility of a
nearer agreeraent. We know not of the least chance of a sentence or
piece of an example in all the Scriptures, for any to constrain men's
consciences by outward violence, positively to act contrary to their prin
ciples conscientiously held ; or for any to yield thereunto. We have
many passages to the contrary in Scripture."'^
"We have seen the event of endeavouring to force conscience in
matter of opinion or worship. On the one side, in England it made
many thousands hypocrites, church-papists, time-servers, etc. : and on
the other side, in Holland and Scotiand it justiy caused State-insurrec
tions ; and for the same reason, we also are legally now up in arms to
obtain assurance that we shall have the liberty of conscience and
law."'' M. S'. it seems set limits to Toleration, since even he did not "ap
prove a toleration to the broaching of all opinions, or any toleration of
some practices." " But this he would have to be " only a suspension
and intermission of the outward man from acting towards others ; not a
coacrion or subversion of the inward acts of judgraent and understand
ing in himself: and so, Jews, etc. inay be permitted among Christians,
so as they do not raanifest their enors and defiance against the funda
mental truths." f
" lb. •> P. 22. <: P. 22. ^ P. 24. ' Ib. ' P. 25.

346 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
The other of the " Two Brethren" » now commences his portion of
this Reply to A. S. ; and, by way of preface, says, "Any man that shall
but diligentiy observe the endless variety and multitude of keen expos
tulations, imperious interrogations; the importune, pereraptory, and
insulting charges, criminations, and aspersions ; the wrigglings, wring-
ings, wrestings, wranglings ; the strainings, stretchings, stingings,
stinglings ; the captious, crooked, and cross-grained interpretations of
things, wherewith that piece is farced in an unreasonable proportion to
the bulk of it, cannot lightly but conclude that Indignation was the
chief Oracle consulted with, about the framing of it I" "^
Referring to the " Anatoray of Independency," "^ and to the author's
" false translation of straight actions into crooked reports," this one of
the " Brethren" remarks, " Suppose his naiTative of ' Independent'
infirraities and miscarriages would abide the touchstone, yet was it a
grand oversight in a raan pretending to so rauch knowledge and wis
dom as he seems to do in this piece, not to consider. Whether the
dunghills of princes as well as of peasants, do not afford rags to thera
that will rake in thein : Whether the ' Independent' story, though writ
ten by an adversary, yields that proportion in weakness, which the
Presbyterian Commentaries, if but unpartially penned, would do in
wickedness !" '' He says, " There is another advocate for the Presby
terian cause stepped forth lately upon the stage, who adventures his
name upon the confidence, it seems, which he hath of his work. It is
intituled 'A Confutation of the Anabaptists : By T. B.' ^ This man,
with a part of his discourse faces the Anabaptists, whilst with the main
body of it he falls in upon the quarters of the ' Independents ;' in which
respect, though I cannot justify hira in his intentions, yet, as touch
ing matter of execution, I judge him innocent : animum nocentem,
calamum innocentem gerit. Independency, if I mistake not very much,
will never fall by the edge of his sword !" '
He enumerates four signs when religious peace shall appear to be
approaching in the world : " First, When raen shall begin to grow to a
clearness, singleness, honourableness, and Christian-like greatness, in
their ends : making theraselves and their own interests their footstool ;
and the glory of God and the public accommodation of the world, their
throne. This is one great sign that that golden age we speak of is at
the door. The reason is, because there is no hope, scarce a possibility,
of a general accord araongst men in any degree conscientious, but in
the truth, or mind of God, revealed in the Scriptures. No other band
is like to gather them all, or hold them longer fast together." s " Another
sign of those halcyon days approaching . . is this. When aposties, pro
phets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, shall be no raore turned into
councils, synods, and secular arms. I mean, when men shall be freely
permitted, without fear or danger of molestation, to consult with the
apostles, prophets, etc. of what religion it were best for them to be,
without having their judgraents emancipated [sic'], forestalled and over
awed by the definitive, and compulsory determinations and allowances
" John Goodwin, A.M. See his Life, bv Jackson, p. 57. l" P. 29.
¦: See back, p. 238. " P. 31. « Q«fry.' Thomas Blake, A.M. ' Ib. s p. 32.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 347
of Other men"" "Thirdly, When the generality of men professing
godhness and religion, shall be content to furnish themselves with reli
gion, — I mean, with knowledge in religion, — ^by smaller parcels, as the
stock of their own judgments and understanding shall be able, from
time to time, to accommodate them ; and shall raake scruple of taking
it up by wholesale frora synods, councils, and books, only for ease and
cheapness' sake. This also, is as the putting forth of the fig-tree, which
shows the summer of a universal accord araongst the saints to be at hand.
The reason is, because God hath proraised, and will perform accordingly,
that if men shall ' apply' their ' heart' to understanding ; and shall ' cry'
after knowledge, and ' seek' her as silver, and ' search' for her as for
'hid treasure;' they shall 'then' understand the fear of the Lord, and
find the knowledge of God." '= " Fourthly, When Christian Slates, and
men of soundest judgment, greatest learning, parts, and abilities, therein,
shall give free liberty to men looked upon as opposite in judg-raent to the
truth, to publish and openly declare the gi-ound and reasons of their
judgment in each particular ; and not compel thera either to keep them
burning and glowing in their own breasts, or else to propagate and vent them
privately, and araongst persons that have neither leaming nor abilities
in any kind to encounter or oppose them. This is another hopeful sign,
that the days of a general accommodation in matters of religion, are
coming upon the world. The reason of this is plain ; because, till Truth
reign among the saints. Peace is not like to reign !" *=
In stripping the Civil Magistrate of "any directive power in'matters
of religion," and putting on him, in the words of the writer before us,
" instead thereof, the purple robe of ' an executive, coercitive, and ex
temal power only ;' ^ by such an umpirage and decision as this, between
the civil magistrate and hiraself with his fellow presbyters, hath he not
made the one judex, and the other carnifex ? The one must give the
sentence, the other must do the execution ! The civil magistrate is much
beholding to the presbyter for giving of him a consecrated sword to fight
the Presbyterian batties, and for persuading him to pull out his own
eyes upon this presumption. That he shall see better with his ! I perceive
Presbytery is policy in the highest : and asks to put the magistrate be
tween itself and the envy and discontent of the People ; and yet, never
theless, hopes to gain from the hand of the magistrate such an inter
pretation of this practice as thereby to be esteemed the best and faith-
fulest friend it hath in all the worid. . . Surely, the frarae and constitu
tion of Presbytery is exactiy calculated for the meridian of this present
world. . . And indeed, A. S. himself is soraewhat ingenuous in acknow
ledging that this government hath little or no relation unto or compliance
with the world which is to corae ; professing, the ' external' peace of
the church to he the ' adequate end' ' thereof. " '
" You must know, it is the manner of the Presbyterian school, to
hang gi-eat weights upon small wires: for what need Dictators argue ?
But if it be the ' magistrate's part to take away superstitions, heresies,
etc.,'e sure it is his part also to raake himself able to discern supersti
tions and heresies from the true worship and truths of God ! He is to
'¦ P. 33. ¦> Prov. ii. 2—5. P. 34. <: P. 35. ¦* A. S. p. 6.
= /6-p. 13. 'P. 36. sA. S. p.63.

348 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
serve God in such a practice with his own understanding, and not by
the proctorage of Presbytery, — as you tell the Apologists, that they raust
not ' serve God by a Proctor,'" — and if so, you must untruss, and de
liver back again to him, that ' directive power in matters of religion'
which you lately took from hira. When the magistrate takes away su
perstition, heresy, etc., he had need have better security than a Synod
can give him, to save hira harraless in case he should raistake, and smite
the Truth of God, instead of ' heresy ;' and the true worship of God,
instead of ' superstition.' Gamaliel inight have had the full vote of a
synod or council, for persecuting the ' superstition, schism, and heresy,'
of the Apostles, but this was not security enough to him ; he was afraid
of fighting ' against God,'*" this notwithstanding. And for ray part, when
the civil magistrate shall be far enough out of this danger of fighting
' against God,' I have nothing to say against his fighting with ' super
stition, heresy, schisra, corruptions in raanners, etc' Only my prayer
for him unto God is, that he would give hira a wise and understanding
heart, to consider and discern whether usurpation over the judgments
and consciences of the saints of God, in matters of religion, be not as
grand a ' corruption in manners' as a church or kingdom is highly in
cident unto."'^
"If the civil magistrate hath an actual coercive power to suppress
' schisms, heresies, etc' because he is ' truly Christian,' which he had not
before ; then truth of Christianity alters the property and tenure of Ma
gistracy, and that for the worse, in respect of those that are in subjec
tion to it ; yea, and possibly, in respect of the best of those that are
in such subjection. Before he was ' truly Christian' he had, saith A. S.
and Presbyterians generally, no power to punish, fine, imprison, banish,
crush, any of his subjects, for the exercise of their conscience towards God ;
but, by virtue of that great raercy vouchsafed unto hira by God in giving
him part and fellowship with the saints in Christ Jesus, he is invested
with a new power, to persecute the saints, and to raake them pay dearly
for having consciences better, it may be, than his own ; at least better
than to comply outwardly with what they cannot inwardly digest and
approve. If this be the case between a Christian and the civil magis
trate under whom he lives, he hath small encouragement to pray for the
conversion of such a raagistrate to the Truth, in case he were for the pre
sent, heterodox, or pagan. "''
" But that 'coercive power in matters of religion, for the suppressing
of errors, schisms, heresies, etc' was never attributed to the civil raagis
trate by any Christian, but only by those that were very confident that
it would be used for their terras, and to effect their desires : ergo, A S.
himself is wary and tender above measure in confen-ing it upon him ;
distinguishing once and again, and the third time also upon it, . . before
he dares let him have it ; yea, and in the close, doth as rauch, in eff'ect,
as tell him, that except he be Presbyterian right down, and will accom
raodate hira and his party with it, he ought not to claim it."'
" It is the impatient and importune desire of all ignorant, loose, luke
warm, and carnal professors, to have all Religions, as tbey call them ;
'A.S. p. 48. •> Acts V. 24, 28 ; 38, 39. « P. 52, 53. -l P. 59. e P. 61.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 349
all ways, sects, opinions, and practices, in religion; wholly silenced,
suppressed, and abolished, where they live ; excepting only that one
way and practice which shall be authorised and practised by the State.
Because by this means, they hope they shall not be distracted about
their religion ; nor be put upon that sore trouble of seeking it they
know not where nor araongst whom, but shall have it put into their
mouths by the hand of Authority, which they hope likewise will stand
between tiiem and harm, in case it shoitid not prove a religion of that
purity and goodness which God requireth."*
" Thus, 1 have given A. S. an account of ray present thoughts touching
that ' coercitive power in matters of religion' which he is so importune to
put into the civil magistrate's hand with both his own ; making it as
strange and uncouth a matter as a ' new Independency''' amounts unto
that any man should not give the right hand of fellowship to his con
ceit herein l""^
In proceeding to treat of the " Foundation" of Presbytery, this one
of the " Brethren" begins by saying, " It is easy to observe, and yet
well worth the observing, how A. S.'s hand shaketh, in drawing the line
of the descent and pedigree of his Presbyterial Govemment. He knows
not well where to find the source, first-spring, or original of it. He is
between the Scriptures on the one hand, and the Law of Nature on the
other ; as the poet describes a fierce tiger between two droves or herds
of cattle, ' he knows not which he had best fall upon, but hath a great
raind to fasten upon both \'^ When he hath occasion to skirmish with
the Apologists upon this point, methinks I see him traversing his ground
as if he trod upon hot irons ; he treads daintily and tenderly, and shifts
his stoppings to and again, off and on, as if he felt no ground under
him but that whereof he was jealous. And it seeras that for the whole
family itself of persons engaged in A. S.'s judgment about Church Go
vemment, though they be but one, resolutely enough agreed for the go
vemment itself, yet there are great divisions of heart amongst thera
conceming the parentage and descent of it. Some, out of a desire to
have it the raore adored and reverenced in the world, will needs have it
to be of the house and lineage of John's baptism, namely, 'from hea
ven ;' from the Scriptures. Others of them, fearing that genealogy to be
so perplexed and intricate, that it is fitter to make strifes and questions
of than demonstration and satisfaction, think it better to waive that title
and claim, and to content theraselves with a Meropean instead of a
Phoebean parentage for it : to rise no higher than the liberty or power
of the Church itself, to seek its original. Which cleft in the house con
sidered, it was a very prudent spoke put into the wheel of the Apologists
by him that gave counsel, — if all tales be true, — at no hand to have it
put to vote. Whether Presbyterial Govemraent could be proved frora
the Scriptures, or not ? Such a vote as this, raight very possibly have
proved of as interruptory a consequence to the builders of this Govem
ment, as the confusion of tongues sometimes did to builders of another
fabric."' On this basis the argument is pursued with an ability and a boldness
¦' P. 62. >> A. S. p. 60. ' P. 63.
'' Nescit utro potius ruat, et mere ardet utroque. ' P. 64.

350 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
which we have not been accustomed to witness in later times ; and as
the subject is of such relative iraportance now in connexion with our
own practices, and was then so well calculated to reduce the assumed and
boastful superiority of the opponents of Independency to their proper
position, we must indulge ourselves in following this writer amply on so
inviting a theme.
In this free raanner he handles his opponent: " But A. S. is A. per
se A, for aught that ever I could hear, — save only from his own pen, —
in making ' subordination between superior and inferior Ecclesiastical
judicatories,' that is, in plain English, Presbyterial Government, to be
partim juris divini, partim naturalis aut mixti, partly of Divine right,
partly of natural or mixt ; which yet is his decision." When he affirms
that his Presbyterial power ' needs not any pattern [patent ''] expresslj'
and formally from Christ, it sufficeth that it hath one from nature ;' '^ would
not a man think that he waives the Scriptures in the question, as being
completely furnished otherwise, to raake good his standing ? And yet
within a few lines after, he glories too, in the superfluous and over-
abounding contributions of the Scriptures to him : ' And yet,' saith he,
' we can show a patent for it, not only from the Law of Nature, which
should suffice ; but also frora the Law of Grace in the Old and New
Testament' In other places, he seems wholly to decline the Law of
Nature, as if men by their prudentials, or power in any kind, had
nothing to do to institute or set up any power in the Church, but by ex
press order and warrant from God in the Scriptures : ' It is only in God,'
saith he, ' who is a king in this spiritual kingdom, a Master in this
house, a Father in this family, who can give power therein unto any
man; we dare not be so bold, etc' '' And, 'verity consisteth not in the
' raiddle' of this or that, which ye imagine ; but in a coiifomiity of our
conceptions with their object and due raeasure ; which, in this matter;
is only God's Word revealed in the Scriptures : and according to this
ritie I take Presbyterian Governraent rather, etc' ' And yet once raore ;
'Combined Presbyteries, qud totd, sed non qud totaliter consideratd,' —
that is, no raan can tell how or which way, — 'judge of points of doctrine
and discipline already revealed in holy Scriptures, and give us new
Ecclesiastical Laws of things indifferent, and so to teach and rule the
churches, etc' ^ Come, A. S., let you and I confer loringly together
of these affairs before we part.
" I wonder ranch, that having two Natures, at least, if not more, in
your bowels, such material differences as have been touched [are] in your
Presby terian Tribe ; nay, that having line against line, page against page,
leaf against leaf in your own book, you should be no raore compassionate
towards your Brethren the Apologists than to bebrand them with differ
ences amongst themselves as you do, more than once, and that with
much bitterness, e Si variasse vocas crimen, variavimus ambo.
" The differences that are araongst the Apologists and men of their
judgraent, about the Way of their Governraent, are nothing considerable
" A. S. p. 27.
"J So it is in the Ap. Nar.; but in tiie tract before us, and in A. S.'s the word
" pattern" is frequently substituted. ¦= A. S. p. 36. li Jb r> 48
<= Ib. p. 61. f Ib. p. 34. s " In p. 69, and elsewhere.'" '

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 351
in respect of yours. They differ but in their hair, and you in your
heads. They differ among themselves but as one star differeth from
another; you differ between yourselves as much as heaven and earth.
They all, as one man, unanimously affirm. That their Way of Govern
ment is canonical, and of Divine assertion : You are divided about the
Authority of your Way ; some raaking it canonical, others apochryphal,
some fetching it frora the stai-s, others from the dust ! Hinc caput atque
illinc, humero exutroque pependit.
" By the way, the ingenuous dissent of that party amongst you who
cannot say that they see any lineament of Heaven in the face of your
Government; beingyet well-willers, and friends, of affections large enough
unto it; is, unto rae, as little less than a demonstration as may he, that
your Way is but frora raen, and not from God. For, as the saying is.
Quid non sentit amor ? If there were any thing in the Scriptures that
did but look merrily, or cast a plausible glance upon your way, would
not they that are so entirely devoted, both in their judgments and afl:ec-
tions to it, find it out P yea, and double and treble the sympathy and
strength of it, with their imaginations ? As it is the property of ' love' "
to cover a multitude of sins or trespasses that are, so is it a property
likewise of the sarae affection to discover a raultitude of pleasing accom
modations which are not ! Besides, it is somewhat raore than a mote
in the eye of your Unity, that ' in some churches, of your Presbyterial
calculation, ' particular, or parochial senates or consistories, have power
to suspend from their communion those that he members thereof; yea,
also, to excommuniate thera, etc' *> This is your own bounteous acknow
ledgment ! I thought that such a misderaeanour as this, in the State-
Presbyterial, had been of Classic vindication at the least.
" If Presbyterian Govemment ' needeth no formal or express patent
from Christ,' then, either it hath none such from Him, or Ihis patent,
wheresoever it is found, is but a superfluity or impertinency of Scrip
ture. But that there is nothing superfluous or impertinent in the
Scriptures, is a glory asserted unto them by the Holy Ghost himself; "
therefore, by A. S.'s own confession, his Govemraent hath 'no formal
or express patent from Christ!' In one sense it may be gi-anted, that
Presbyterian Govemment 'needeth no formal' nor yet material ' patent'
from Christ, naraely, in such a sense as it raay truly be said that 'cas
tles in the air need no reparation.'
" But if your Governraent ' needs no forraal or express patent from
Christ,' we would gladly know whether it ' needs' any material or im
plicit 'patent' from Him ; or what it 'needs' from Him, whether some
thing or nothing ? But if you understood or would please hut to con
sider the necessities of it, I verily believe you would confess that it did
stand in 'need' of that ' forraal and express patent' frora Hira, which
you speak of. You see that for want of such a 'patent' it drives but
heavily, and is long in getting up into its throne.'' It hath lost raany
a men-y day already, and yet daily meets with such contestations, oppo
sitions, contradictions, from sober, wise, learned, and religious men,
that it is like to reign but in the tire of contention, and with the soitovv
' Prov. X. 12. * A. S. p. 26. ¦: 2 Tira. iii. 16, 17. "i Prov. viii. 12.

352 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
and sadness of many such hearts as Christ would not have made sad.
And all this calamity befalls it for want of a ' formal and express patent
from Christ :' and yet hath it no 'need' hereof ? Surely, it is very
magnanimous and high spirited to be able to bear all this heavy pres
sure of misery upon it, and yet profess that it stands in no ' need' of that
which would ease it I
" If it ' needs no formal express patent from Christ,' we would wil
lingly be informed what ' patent' it is which you boast you ' can show
from the Law of Grace for il in the Old and New Testament ?' " We
suppose that it stands in ' need' of all that you ' can show' for it, either
from the Law of ' Nature' or of ' Grace ;' either from ' the Old Testa
ment' or from ' the New ;' and much raore. You tell us you ' can' show
patent upon patent, but show none. Surely, you would be thought to
do very nobly : posse et nolle nobile. You do not ' show' us, but only
tell us that if we ' will,' we ' raay' see it ' in the ordinary practice of the
church of the Jews in the Old Testament''* It seeras that sight you
have of your Presbyterial Governraent either in this ' practice' of the
Jewish church, or in any other passage or jiart of Scripture, depends
upon your 'wills :' you are willing to see it, and therefore you see it !
Otherwise, why should you tell us, that we ' may' see it, 'if we ' will ?'
You are happy men who have your eyes dependent upon your wills ;
and so can ' see' what you please, or have a raind to ' see.' Nobis non
licet esse tam disertis ; our ' wills' depend upon our eyes : we dare not
' will' anything but what we first ' see' to be the will and mind of God !
It is no marvel that you cast it as a sore aspersion upon the Apologists,
that you saw them ' noways minded to submit' themselves, in these
matters of conscience, to the ' desires' of the Parliament. ¦= I verily be
lieve, that, did their judgments depend upon their ' wills,' as it seems
yours do, they would have been as freely willing to have subraitted in
all things unto the 'desires' ofthe Parliament as you are.
" But if our 'wills' be weak, and thereby are hindered from seeing
that goodly vision of Presbyterian Govemment in the ' practice of the
Jewish church' which you ' see ;' what do you contribute or afford us
towards the healing and strengthening of thera ? Nay, do j'ou not rather
occasion that which is weak in this kind, to be quite turned out of the
way ? For, when you tell us, as you do, that the ' adequate end' of your
Presbyterial Govemment ' is the extemal peace of the church ;' " and,
that the ' power' thereof consists, first, ' in the creation, suspension, and
disposition, of church-officers ;' secondly, ' in detennining raatters of
Doctrine;' thirdly, 'in making Ecclesiastical laws concerning things
indifferent, etc. ;' — all which you tell us on a heap ;' — you both make
us very loath and unwilling to find your Government there : and,
withal, very confident that there it is not to be found.
"For, first. Was the 'adequate end' of the Government of that
church, the ' external peace' of the church ? Had it nothing in design
for the spiritual good, for the edification ofthe members of it in know
ledge, faith, and holiness P Was the power of the High Priest given
hiin only to keep the church in ' external peace ?' I thoun-ht, that to

A.S. p. 36. 6/6. p. 41. "Ib.f.i. •'76. p. 13.

Ib. 42.

CHAP, nil.] RELAriNG TO INDEPENDENTS. 3i''3
provide for the ' external peace' of the church, had rather .appertained to
the Civil magistrate and governraent than to the Ecclesiastic ; and itis
the Apostie hiraself that thus thaughleth me, where he enjoineth, that
• supplications, prayers, etc, be raade for kings, and all that are in au
thority ; that we raay lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness
and honesty.' * Secondly ; Neither do I find in the practice of that
church any power given to the combined rulers and governors thereof,
for 'the creation, suspension, deposition of church-officers.' I read of
the deposition of a church-officer, and no raean one either, by the Civil
magistrate ; ' So Solomon cast out Abiathar from being Priest unto the
Lord;''' but, of any such 'deposition' by the combined rulers of that
church, I remember not that I have read.
" But as for any 'power' of 'determining matters of Doctrine,' this is
further out of ray ken, in the 'practice' of that church, than anything
else. I know not well what A. S. means by his phrase of ' determining
matters of Doctrine ;' but in my notion, and in the gi-aramatical and
proper sense of the word 'determine,' the claim of such a 'power' riseth
up as a high partition wall between me and his Government. If by a
' power of deterraining matters of Doctrine,' he means nothing else but
a liberty or ability of discussing and arguing such matters, and of re
commending the issues, and results of such discussions unto the churches
as consonant, in their judgments, to the Truth ; -with a proposal of their
¦desires unto the churches, to consider well of thera and to erabrace
thera, if they can so judge and conceive of them ; I have nothing to
ojipose against this ' power.' But if, by his ' power to determine' mat
ters of religion, he raeans a ' power' of concluding or defining what men
shall be bound in conscience to receive and believe for Truth ; and shall
be looked upon as sinning in case they do it not, whether they see suf
ficient ground for what is so concluded and obtruded upon them, or not,
— which I partly believe to be A. S.'s sense, [and] I am sure is the
proper sense of the word ; — such a 'power' is, and I think ever will be,
the first-born of the abhorrings of my soul !
" I confess I cannot be over-confident that A. S. intends the resi
dence of such a power as this, in his Presbyterian Assemblies ; partly,
because he speaks somewhat lUce a man in this behalf elsewhere, sup
posing it to be ' safe evgn for a few raen to dissent frora all the world,'
in case they have ' very strong reasons for their dissent,' "^ and requires
no subjection in 'particular Congregations unto the judgraent of Se
nates or Assemblies, but according to God's Word;''' — 1 trust he
means, so apprehended by the Congregation : witiiout this, there is no
subjection according 'to God's Word.' — And, again, acknowledgeth it
as 'an undoubted maxim, that the church hath no absolute power in
her judgraents, etc' ' with many savoury expressions in tiiis kind :
partly, also, because I find this indulgence generally subscribed with
Presbyterian pens, ' That the Authority which Classes and Synods ex
ercise is not absolute; nor their Decrees held to be infallible, but to he
examined by the Word of God, and not to be received further than they
do agree herewith.' And yet, on the other hand, I confess that I cannot
27. = lb. p. 68.

I Tim. ii. 1, 2.

I" I Kings ii

Pagf t, Def. of Ch. Gov. p. 22.

" Ib. p. 28.

I.

2 a

354 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES i,
conceive or comprehend how A. S.'s Government can hold up her head
like herself, if this iron-mace be taken out of her hand ! For ray part,
if this one Article, Of a liberty to waive Presbyterial Injunctions and
Decisions, in case of a non liquet frora ' the Word of God' to hiin to
whom they are tendered ; will be but assented unto, and candidly kept
and performed ; it would be the best Mediator I know to reconctie my
thoughts and judgment to it
" Nor can I, in the 'practice ofthe Jewish church,' find either vola
or vestigium of a 'power' granted unto the Rulers thereof, to make Ec
clesiastical laws ' conceming things indifferent' I rather find a prohi
bition served upon them for making any such laws : ' Ye shall put
nothing unto the word which I command you, nor shall you take ought
therefrom.' " If A. S. can but produce one example of any such law or
constitution made by them, he shall be a good benefactor to the penury
of my notions ; and in consideration thereof, I will bestow upon him a
dashing out of this piece of his charge.
"And, lastly; In the 'practice of the Jewish church,' the Prelatical
School sees a vision or Platform of her Government also ! And, A. S.,
by your leave, the High Priest, as well in his Authority as in his Robes
and holy accoutrements, did far more plausibly sympathize with Me-
tropolitical state and greatness than with Presbyterial ! For my part,
I ara not able to discem in all the ' practice of the Jewish church,' from
one end of it unto the other, any piece, strain, or vein of such a 'patent'
as A. S. speaks of. Surely, the vision is so conditioned as not to be
seen but upon Presbyterian ground. The man did wisely, in gi-anting
that he had ' no formal or express patent* for his Govemment, either
from the Old or New Testament.'' But he should have done more in
genuously to have added. No, nor yet any material, or implicit 'patent'
either ! For if he hath any material ' patent,' it is so purely material
that it raay contend with materia prima itself for the prize of Invisi
bility. If he hath any implicit, it is wrapt np under so many folds
and plaits of obscurity that no seeing eye is able to pierce through
to it
" But do we not give sentence too soon ? It may be, his 'patent'
frora the 'New' Testaraeut will can-y it, though that from the 'Old' re
fused to meddle with it ! But where shall we seek this ? He tells us,
' Ye may see it in the History of the New Testament, in the judgment
given out at the Synod,' — either truly, or untruly, so called, — 'of Je
rusalem ; concerning the business of Antioch.' ' What possibly we
' may see,' in length and time, is not easy to be determined for the pre
sent ; but I have both more hope and fear of seeing a thousand other
things, — which yet I cannot certainly say that I shall see — than I have
of either, ever to see Classical proceedings demonstrated out of that
passage of Scripture. Nor doth A.S. so much as put forth his little
finger towards such a demonstration, but contents himself, for the pre
sent, to threaten us with his own ' hope' of ' seeing' the business ' clearly
demonstrated' to us 'by a better hand, ere long!''' Clear demonstra
tions of any thing from the Scriptures shall be very welcome to us at any
- Deut. iv. 2 ; xii. 32. " A. S. p. 36. c /j. p. 4,. , ^^ g^^ ^^^ ^ ^^^^

CHAP. LIII.J RELAI'ING TO INDEPENDENTS. 355
time ; but, methinks I see such insuperable difficulties in the way, that
I fear that 'demonstration' will never corae out 'clear.' Yet, because
I would help forward the clearness of it, what I can, I shall make bold
to propound unto him that either is, or shall be, the undertaker thereof,
a few particulars which, I humbly conceive, must be substantially
proved, to raake the demonstration ' clear ,^ at least to rae and many
others, " It must be proved. That the Aposties, in that Meeting at Jerusa
lem," sat there only in the capacity of ordinary Elders or Presbyters,
and not as Apostles : that is, that they waived or silenced the spirit of
infallibility which was given them, and fell to work with the weak and
fallible spirits of other men ; which is as if a' raan should pull out his
eyes to see with the holes. — It raust further be proved. That this
Council at Jerusalem had their stated and set tiraes of meeting ; as
weekly, monthly, yeariy, or the like ; and, that they did not assemble
occasionally only. For this is one of the high characters of Presby
tery, by A. S.'s own calculation,'' — It must be proved. That they had
Authoritatem citationis, an authoritative power to cite and call before
them whom they pleased, within the pale of Apostolical jurisdiction ;
that is, within the compass of the whole world ! — It raust also be made
"¦ clear,' That ' the Aposties and Elders' that were members of this
Synod, were sent hereunto, by those particular churches over whom
they had right to claim jurisdiction, or intended to include in their
detenninations. — The ' demonstration' will never be ' clear' till it be sub
stantially proved. That there was none authorized to sit in that Council
but only church- officers and ecclesiastical men: the contrary hereof
seeming, at least, very appai-ent."^— That likewise must not be left un
proved. That this Council had power as well to make new Laws, of
indifferent things, as to impose things 'necessary' upon the churches.''
— The Demonstrator, to make his work ' clear' and clever, raust prove.
That the churches of ' Syria and Cilicia' had their Commissioners and
Delegates sitting authoritatively in this Synod ; because they are
included in the determination.' — It must be proved likewise. That Paul
and Barnabas sate as Commissioners upon the same terms, for the
church of 'Antioch' in this Synod. — It must be raade to appear. Either
that this Synod or Council would have proceeded as now they did,
whether they could have said, ' It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and
to us,' or not ; or, that ordinary Synods or Assemblies may lawftilly
proceed as they did, though they have no assurance of a concurrence of
the Holy Ghost with thera, as they had. — And, lastly, proof must be
made. That those words, in the close of the epistle sent frora this Coun
cil to the respective churches, ' Ye shall do well,' ^ are fulrainative, and
import sorae such threatening or intimation as this, That if they did not
submit, some further course must be taken with them !
" If all these particulars shall be substantially cleared and proved, I
shall freely acknowledge that there is a plausible ' patent' for A. S.'s
Government, in the ' New Testament :' but, hic labor, hoc opus est. I
" Acts XV. 6. "A.S. p. 39. •- Acts xv. ?.?, ?i«.
<> Ver. 23. " Ver. 23. ' Ver. 29.
2 a2

356 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHAKLES I.
shall not prejudge any man's abilities ; but for the present, I do as
much expect the fulfilling of that poetical prophecy, Unda dabit flam,-
mas, et dabit ignis aquas, as I do ever to see that Fifteenth of the
Acts safely delivered of the man-ehild called ' Presbytery.' There
fore, A. S. must pardon us if, as yet, we be not able to see any ' patent'
at all of his Government, neither ' formal,' nor ' material ;' neither
* explicit,' nor ' implicit ;' either in the ' Old' or ' New' Testament !
" Well ! but yet the man hath one string to hia bow more : though
' Grace' vrill not relieve him, it raay be ' Nature' will. He hath, as he
saith, 'a patent' in the ' Law of Nature' which will 'suffice.'" They
must, I believe, have very good appetite to Presbytery, that will be suf
ficed with this ' patent.' The ' Law of Nature' is a very vast volurae ;
and A. S. hath not quoted either page, leaf, or section of the book, so
that, I know not whither to turn, or where to look for his 'patent.' But,
methinks, the raan hiraself hath given ample testimony to the ' Law of
Nature,' that it is noways guilty of or accessary to his Presbyterian
Government. For that which cannot be raade out to the judgments and
consciences of raen, without the help of snch a host of scholastic,
intricate, if not inexplicable, distinctions, as A. S. is fain to levy and
muster together, '' before he can make either head or foot of his busi
ness, what other original or descent soever it raay claim, I know not ;
but, questionless, the ' Law of Nature' will not own. The Law of
Nature saith, with one of Nature's sons, Odi difficiles nugas : she
meddles not with subtilties, niceties, or curiosities of distinctions. A
man that is unlearned and but of ordinary capacity, that shall read the
pages last quoted, may very possibly take his odd and uncouth distinc
tions for names of unclean spirits, and think that the man conjures for
his Govemment !
" But will you please to hear the names of his beagles with which he
follows his game and hunts Classic Law out of those deep and dark
caverns and tullians of the earth, where ' Nature' had hid it, stygiisque
admoverat umbris. The first couple, 'Actus primus,' senior, and 'Actus
secundus,' senior : the second couple, 'Actus primus,' junior, and
' Actus secundus,' ']\mior : the third, 'Actus primus,' tertius, and 'Actus
secundus,' tertius : the fourth, 'Actus signatus,' senior, and 'AcIms exer-
citus,' senior: the fifth, 'Actus signatus,' junior, and 'Actus exerciius,'
junior : the sixth, ' Collective,' and 'Distributive :' the seventh, ' For
mally,' and 'Materially :' the eighth, 'Totum simpliciter,' and 'Totum
et totaliter: the ninth, 'Omne simpliciter per omne,' and 'Pro omni
et omnino vel omnimodo:' the tenth, 'Totum, totaliter,' and 'Totum
modificatum :' the eleventh, 'Divisim, et conjunctim :' the twelfth,
'Perse,' and ' Per accidens :' the thirteenth and last, ' To^Mm cowfit-
sum' and 'Totum ordinatum !''^
" Can any reasonable man imagine that that conclusion, or practice,
which cannot be justified or cleared to the understanding and conscience
of learned, pregnant, and apprehensive men,— for these are no lettuces
for illiterate lips,— but by tiie contributions and engageraents of all
these distinctions, and some others not listed, should be sufficientiy
» A. S. p. 36. '" lb. p. 29-32. Src. c gee A. S. p. 29, 30.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO I INDEPENDENTS. 357
contained in tiie ' Law of Nature ?' The ' Law of Nature' is a book
for every man's reading and understanding ; but this volume of dis
tinctions is scarce for any man's. If A. S. and his party would but
spare the vulgar and common sort of men, — as there is neither reason
nor religion but why they should, — from puUing their necks under the
yoke of Classic Govemment until they can plough with these heifers ;
I raean, till he or they have raade them capable of all these distinctions,
for ray part, I should not fear much danger and inconvenience from it,
except it were the intercepting or suspending of such a Government as
might be a benefit and blessing to thera whilst they are in prejjaring for
the other. In the mean time, we clearly see that all A. S.'s Founda
tions for his Presbyterial building fail him. Neither the ' Old' Testa
ment, nor the ' New ;' nor yet the ' Law of Nature ;' will consent to
bear or to support any such fabric. Nor is all that hath been here said
by way of contest with hira about his Government any whit more than
a first fruits of what is further opposable to it."*
Thus, having shown, in tum, "the independency on Scriptures"*
of the Presbyterian system, this one of the " Brethren" follows out his
refutation of A. S. by returning to the "justification" of his own sj'stein
and practice. This portion of his Reply is headed, " Concerning the
Forra of Church Govemment maintained by the Apologists ; commonly
called, —nomine ad invidiam comparato — by the nickname of ' Inde
pendency;' by theraselves, 'Congregational:' And, Whether A. S.'s
exceptions against it be material, or of that moment that it should give
place to its Competitor ?"
He begins by saying, " For the Justification of this Govei-nment, in
a cataskeuastic, or assertive, way, I shall plead nothing further, for the
present, than what the Presbyterian School itself gi-ants ; conceiving
that to be a ground impregnable, especially quoad homines, to found
the lawfulness of it upon. I shall rather addres to my antagonist A. S.,
and try whether he be any whit raore dexterous at pulling down than
we lately found him at biulding up. It may be, he is better at hiding
than at finding
" But, first, towards the building up of the Congregational Government,
this corner stone is given us by our adversaries, that ' Where there is no
neighbourhood of congregations, or single churches, whereby they may
with conveniency be aiding to each other, there a single Congregation
must not he denied entireness of jurisdiction." '^ If we cannot, upon
this advantage ground, make good this Government against all opposi
tion, it is very ill bestowed on us ; and we deserve to be punished with
that which lifts up itself against it !
" But, first. If ' entireness' of Government or 'jurisdiction,' be not
to be denied to a ' single congregation' when it is solitary, and without
neighbours ; then, certainly, it hath a lawful right, title, or claim to such
a 'jurisdiction.' For whatsoever doth not in a way of equity or right
belong unto any man, ought to be denied unto hira. If then, a ' single
church,' in this case, hath a right to an ' entireness' of rule and govern
ment within itself, I would gladly know by what right any other church
P 64—73. * See back, p. 166. ' Herly's " Indep. on Scrip. &c." p. 2

35S HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES T.
or churches, be they never so raany, can take away this light or privi
lege from it ? Those whom ' God hath put together,' saith our Saviour,
in the case of marriage, 'let no man put asunder,'" Doubtless, if a
' single church,* under the circurastance mentioned, hath a right to an
• entireness of jurisdiction' within itself, it hath this right conferred upon
it by God, or Christ himself; there being no other fountain or founda
tion thereof imaginable. And if so, then, whoever shall take away or
deny this right of 'jurisdiction' unto it, must show a comraission from
Heaven to do it, or otherwise be guilty of putting those 'asunder' whom
' God hath joined together.' Secondly, If a church yet ' single' be in
vested with a power of 'jurisdiction' within itself, and should be cashiered
of this power by the rising up of more churches near unto her ; then,
that which is intended by God as a ' table,' should become a ' snare'
unto her : '' she should suffer loss,' and have sorrow, from those by whom
she ought to be comforted. Thirdly, If a ' single church' should suffer
loss of so considerable a privilege as ' entireness of jurisdiction' is, by
the multiplication of churches near unto her ; then cannot this church
pray for the propagation of the Gospel in places near to it, but she must
pray against her own comfort and peace ; which is a sore temptation
upon her either to pray very faintly or not to^pray at all for such a
thing. "If it be objected and said, That ' entireness of jurisdiction' is no
benefit or privilege to a ' single church,' but rather an inconvenience,
or a diminutive privilege at best, and that her condition shall be improved-,
not impaired, by combining herself in point of Government with other
churches: I answer, First; That the Scripture itself raakes 'entireness'
of governraent, or subjection only unto those that are of the same society
or body, a special mercy, favour, and blessing frora God : ' And their
nobles shall be of themselves/ saith God, speaking of that great good
ness he meant to show unto his people after their i-eturn from Babylon ;
' and their govemment shall proceed from the raidst of thera.' "^ So it is
made a character or sign of the prosperous estate of Tyrus, that her
' wise men' that were in her, that is, of her own nation, were her
'pilots'.'' " Secondly, Subjection unto strangers, is still spoken of as matter of
punishment and soitovv ; ' Give not thine heritage to reproach, — that
the heathen should reign over it :' ' the nations of the Jews were ex
pressly forbidden to 'set strangers' to mle over thera. f If it be objected.
But pastors or elders of neighbour churches ought not to be looked upon
as ' strangers,' but as Brethren : I answer, in a word. Though they be
Brethren, in coraparison of the unbelieving party of tiie world, and in
respect of their spiritual descent from the same Father with them, yet
have they more of the relation and consideration of ' strangers' to them
than those that are, as it were, of the same domestic society with them.
And, therefore, subjection to them, must needs have less of the blessing
and more ofthe curse in it, than subjection to their own.
" Thirdly, The grants of government and rule, within themselves,
» Matt xix. 6. "Rom. xi. 9. c j^,. ^xx oi
- E.ek. xxvii. 8. 'Joehii. 1?. ' D^iit xvii 15.

CHAP. LIU. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 059
unto towns and corporations, were ever esteemed matters of special grace
and favour from princes ; and have sometimes l^en purchased with great
sums by the inhabitiuts,
" Fourthly, and lastly. Reason itself demonstrates ' entireness* of
government to be a sweet privilege and benefit to a particular church !
i. In case a man be questioned, he saves a proportion both of time and
labour of U'avel in respect of what he must undergo, if he were to make
his answer at a Consistory furtiier off; 2. Proceedings against hiin, in
his own Society, shall be regulated, managed, and ordered, by his own
pastor, who is a father unto hira in the Lord ; and who, in all reason ,
and according to the couree of, almost, all constant experience, is raore
tender, affectionate and compassionate, towards him, than the pastors of
other flocks, and those that are ' strangers' to him. The Pharaoh that
' knew' Joseph, dealt well hy him, his kindred, and seed ; but, saith
the text, ' There arose another Pharoah, that knew not Joseph,' and he
' evil entreated our fathers, etc' " 3. He shall be tried and sentenced
by those who know not how soon it may be their own case to be tried
and sentenced by him again ; which, in reason, cannot but teach thera
moderation and equity in whatsoever they shall act or suggest against
him. Whereas, a Consistory of standing judges, whose ' fair necks'
have littie or no cause to fear any 'yoke' of being judged themselves,
are in far more danger, through a confident and constant use ofthe sceptre,
of having their hand hardened and their little finger soon made as heavy
as their loins. It is a good rule which A. S. himself prompteth us withal
in this case, ' Power seldom yields any good fruit, where it is too rank
and luxuriant.* '' 4. It is a great encouragement and confinnatioii of
face to a man that is accused and is called to answer for hiraself; especially
if he be anything tender foreheaded and bashful, as many of inferior
breed and education are ; to answer before those whose faces are familiar
to him, and with whose persons he is well acquainted : and the contrary,
is a kind of oppression to such a man. Such an advantage, or disad
vantage, as this, raay easily amount to as much as eitljer-a-raan's stand
ing or falling, in the cause. A Consistory of strange faces, especially
the persons being all of superior rank and quality to him, may be, to a
plain man, of as bad consequence as the seeing of Medusa's head was,
among the poets ; it may tum hira into a ' stone,' "^ and make him able
to say [but] little for himself. Whereas, if he be to make answer at home,
the knowledge and interest he hath of and in those persons before whora
he is to speak will be a sovereign antidote unto him against such fears
as otherwise, raight betray hira in his cause. 6. In this Governraent we
speak of, by the Congregation, private Christians have the opportunity
of seeing and hearing, from time to time, all the carnages, debates, and
judiciary proceedings in the church ; which will he not only matter of
much satisfaction, but also as a school of wisdom and experience unto
them daily. Whereas, if these transactions be negociated at a remote
Consistory, the private Christian loseth his portion and interest in thera.
6. Lastly, Conclusions, many times, are very offensive and hard to be
digested, for want of the knowledge of the premises that should allay
" Acts. vii. 18, 19.
^ " Nunquam satis Ada potentia, ubi nimia est." A. S. p. 10. " Ov. Met. iv. 781.

360 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES L
and sweeten them. Classic determinations and awards, — especially when
they rise high,— the reasons and grounds of them being, for the most
part, unknown to the generality of raen, are of hard construction with
them. Whereas, the issues and awards that are brought forth in a Con
gregation, tiie whole series and story of all proceedings, d capite ad
calcem, being known unto all, must needs be rauch raore satislactory
and of a far better resentment with men. — These Reasons raight have
been enlarged with much more strength and weight, and many others
likewise added to them ; but for the present, desirous we are that brevity
should have the casting voice.
" Who then, can lay anything to the charge of this Govemment ?
That can I ; quoth A. S. in effect : I have ' sixteen' reasons or objections
against it !" Yea, but A. S. your ' sixteen' reasons ; or at least the greater
part of them, as far as I can see; have all but one head: and if that be
struck off, all those reasons are but as so many dead corpses. You al
lege against the Apologists, that the ' remedy,' in their way of Govern
ment, for the- reducing of whole Congregations or churches in case they
miscarry, or be in-egular, 'is not sufficient, nor satisfactory.''' This you
prove by laying your pen upon paper until you had ' sixteen' reasons,
so called, in black and white. . .
"And for that defectiveness you charge upon the Congregational Go
vernraent, for the reduction of whole churches under errors, miscar-
liages, etc. ;¦" I answer, 1 . Suppose that course or raeans which the Apolo
gists insist upon, a 'withdrawing, . . until they repent,'"' be not, in the eye
of reason or huraan conjecture, a means ' sufficient'' for such a pur^
pose. . . The strength and power of saa-ed ordinances do not lie in their
natures, but in their relations or institutions : now, that a ' withdraw
ing' of ' Christian communion' from persons walking inordinately, is an
ordinance or means appointed by God, for the redeeming or reclaim
ing them is evident, 2 Thess. iii. 6th with the 14th verses. .. There
is the same reason of churches in this behalf, which there is of persons ;
churches being nothing elt^e but persons embodied.
" 2. Suppose there were no such ' sufficient' or satisfactory 'remedy,'
. . which yet there is, as hath in part already and will afterwards further
appear ; yet Lawyers have a saying, That ' a mischief is better than an
inconvenience.' A man had better run the hazard of a greater loss, than
expose himself to a daily wasting and consuming of his estate : A raan had
bJtter be wet through and through with a soaking shower once a year,
than be exposed, in his house, to ' continual droppings,'^ all the year
long. The delinquency of whole churches ; such 1 raean, as is matter
of scandal or offence to their neighbour churches ; is not an every day's
case, no raore in the way of Congregational than of Presbyterial Go
vernment. You acknowledged the rarity of it in your government ; and
we affirm it in ours. Now tiien, much better it is, to want a 'remedy'
against such an evil,; which, possibly, may not fall out within an
age, though it be greater when it doth fall, than it is to expose our
selves to 'continual droppings :' I mean, to those daily inconveniences
which we lately showed to be incident to the Classic Government.
" A. S. p. 38-40. b r/,. p. 38. ' lb. p. 37. i An. Nar n 17
= lb. p. ll?. ' Prov. xxvii. 15. ^ - ^'

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS, 361
" 3. They that implead the Congregational Way, for being defec
tive as touching the matter in hand, seem to suppose that God hath put
a sufficiency of power into the hands of men to ' remedy' all defects, er
rors, and miscaniages of men whatsoever. Else, Why should it be made
matter of so deep a charge and challenge against the Way of the Apolo
gists, that it affords not a ' sufficient' and ' satisfactory remedy'" either to
prevent or heal all possible miscarriages in all churches P I would wil
lingly know, in case your Church-transcendent ! your suprerae Session
of Presbyters, should nliscarry, and, in your Doctrinal determinations,
give us 'hay, stubble, and wood' instead of 'silver, gold, and precious
stones,''' — a misprison, you know, well near as incident to such Assem
blies ; yea, and to those that are more general and oecuraenical, than so
as obstinacy in error is, to Particular Congregations, — what 'remedy'
the poor saints and churches of God under you have, or can expect,
against such a mischief ^ Or, what ' remedy' you now have in the
way of your govemment, for the recovering of yourselves out of
such a snare, more than what the Congregational Way affordeth, for
the reclaiming of Particular Churches ? Nay, the truth is, your Go
vernment, in such a case, is at a greater loss in respect of any probable
or hopeful ' remedy' against such an evil, — which yet is an evil of a
most dangerous consequence, — than the other way of Govemraent is for
the reduction of Particular Churches ! That, hath the ' remedy' of God,
as hath been showed , though not the ' remedy' of raen ; and yet that ' re
medy' of God which it hath is appliable by raen, and those known who
they are ; namely, the Churches of Christ near adjoining. But, if your
great Ecclesiastical Body"^ be tainted and infected, though never so
dangerously, God must have ' mercy on you,' and that in a way some
what, at least, more than ordinary ; if ever you be healed ! For, that
' Directive power, in matters of religion,' — which, had you left it in
other men's hands, raight in this case, through the blessing of God,
have healed you, — being now only in your own, hath not only occa
sioned that evil disease that is upon you, but also leaves you helpless
aud cureless by other men. . .
" 4. Let us ponder a littie. How ' sufficient and satisfactory,' that ' re
medy' against the evil now in consideration is, which the Classic Polity,
under the protection of A. S.'s pen, so rauch glorieth in. . . What if
your 'combined Eldership''' h-ath neither footing nor foundation in the
Word of God P. . If Presbytery be defective this way, as there is ex
treme cause to fear it is, this defect cannot be recompensed or redeemed
by any other coraraendation whatsoever. . . If the Law of the State, be
the first and most considerable band or tie upon men to submit unto
the power of your 'corabined Eldership,'. . then you raust acknowledge
that the root and base of your Governraent is potestas secularis, Secular
Authority ; and then, how is it Ecclesiastical, or Spiritual ? A man may
as well 'bring a clean thing out of an unclean,' in Job's expression,' as
make a Spiritual extraction out of a Secular root ! It will rest on you
to prove. That the Civil State hath a power to fonn and fashion the Go
vernment of the Churches of Christ. . . Lastly, The ' authoritative power
* A. S. p. 38. •> 1 Cor. iii. 12. '^ Corpora raorbis raajora patent Sen.
1 A. S. p. 39. ' Job xiv. 4.

362 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
of your combined Eldership' being granted unto you, we do not see how
the inconveniences you find in the Congi-egational Way will be much
better solved in yours. . .
" When your ' corabined Eldership' proceeds against a particular
church araongst you, upon offence taken ; is not this ' Eldership' as
well Party as Judge P. . Upon such a supposition, men, invested with
authority and power, whether in Church or State, raay be their own
carvers, and serve themselves of the estates, liberties, and lives of those
that are under thera, how and when, and as often as they list. And
why do you not submit to the decisive judgraent of the King in all
controversies depending between you and him, if that be your doc
trine ?
" I shall be your debtor to tell rae plainly and distinctly. What 'power'
raore your Governraent 'giveth to a thousand churches over one, than
to a Tinker, or the Hangman, over a thousand ?.'." The glory and ex
cellency of churches do not stand in any ' power or authority' that one
hath over another, or many over one ; but in other far more rich and
holy, and honourable endowments, relations, and qualifications. It can
be no prejudice or disparagement, unto ten 'thousand' of them, to say,
they have no more ' authority' over one, than A. S.'s ' Tinker' or ' Hang
man' hath over them! Therefore, if A. S.'s admired piece of Church-
policy hath no greater commendation than to serve for preventing such
'inconveniences' as this, the world needs make no great lamentation
over it, though it were in the condition of Rachel's ' children,''' when she
wept for them, 'and would not be comforted.' "¦=
The subject of Toleration occupies the concluding section of the joint
" Reply" of these " Two of the Brethren." It is propounded, " Whether
the Apologists and raen of their judgment raay lawfully, and without
danger or prejudice to the State, be tolerated : And, Whether A. S.'s
reasons to the contrary, be of sufficient weight to persuade either to
the banishment, crushing, or suppressing of them in any kind."
After sorae stringent general remarks, appears this passage: "If
either God, reason, the peace or safety of the Kingdom, requires the
soiTows or sufferings of these men, I make uo question but they will
be willing to dispense with all considerations whatsoever that stand up
to plead their immunity; and will, with Isaac, patiently suffer themselves
to be bound, yea, and to be offered up in sacrifice also, if need be. Only
their humble request and suit is, that they may not be sacrificed upon
the service of the ignorance, vain sunnises, needless jealousies, bitter
suggestions, -whether of a few or of raany.""*
" One A. S., it seeras, is come forth with a band of one -and-twenty
•Reasons' to attack the liberty of these men, and to seize the freedom of
their consciences and comforts for the use of the Presbytery, though his
word be, ' For God and his Country !"<=
" If it be matter of discontent to one Party, that the other is not of
the same practice with him, you may confidently believe that the mis
carriage in this kind rests on the Presbyterian side ; the spirit thereof
inordinately lusting after Unity in Practice, namely. Whether either

¦ A. S. p. 39. » Matt ii. 18. c P. 73—83. <l p. S5.

<Ib.

CHAP. LIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 363
there be any unity in judgment or not : yea, or whether there be any
ground for it or not, on the Dissenting side. You may prophesy of
troubles and distractions likely to arise in families and other relations,
with soraewhat the less danger of miscarrying in your predictions, if
you animate or encourage those that are or shall be of your Party, to
make the fray !"" " We cannot but know that relations were encumbered
with such ' factions and divisions' as A. S. speaks of, even whilst the
mountain of Samaria'' stood ; I mean, when Episcopacy reigned, when
yet there was no ' toleration' of pluralities of Church Government ;
though of Church Livings there was. Nothing is raore frequent in
and about the City, than for members of the same family to address
themselves to several Ministers from time to time ; the husband to hear
in one place, the wife in another, the child in a third ; for their better
spiritual accommodations respectively, yea, and sometimes to commu
nicate with several Ministers ; without the least breach or touch of dis
contentment on any side.""=
" It can hardly be expected, especially in this Kingdom, where the
godly and understanding party have so long suffered, and that in ex
tremity, from a peremptory imposed State-Government, without any
relaxation or mitigation, and have lately tasted the unexpressible sweet
ness of ease, peace, and liberty of conscience ; that they should, without
extrerae discontent, be brought back into another house of bondage,
where the furnace of peremptory subjection is like to be heated every
whit as hot as in the other I""*
" We conceive that every difference in judgment doth not make a
schism in that Religion which is professed on both sides ; we shall
[should] then find abundanpe of the weed growing in the Presbyterian
field itself. I myself know differences not a few amongst that party ;
and sorae not of the lightest consequence. . . As yet, we have no Pres
byterian Church or Government amongst us ; and so, if the Toleration
be granted before such a Govemment be established, it is apparentiy
£$w jisXove out of the reach of such an imputation for ever. [ For] if it be
not a schism before, and without a Toleration, I do not apprehend what
influence or aspect a Toleration should have upon it [ Apologism ] , to
make it one."'
" If the question be so difficult above raeasure, to determine, ' what
opinions are to be tolerated, and what not ?' It raust needs be yet of
a far more difficult and weighty consideration to resolve what are fit to
be countenanced ; to be established ; and yet more, to be imposed ;
to be enforced upon the judgments and consciences of men ; and 'what
not !' Toleration being an act of a far higher importance than either
an Establishment, or an enforcement. . . 'Gnats' must not be swallowed
for any man's sake, more than ' camels.' " ^
" That ' the New Testament requireth no less union among Chris
tians, than the Old did araongst the Jews ;' we acknowledge the truth of
what you say, but the pertinency of it to your purpose we yet desire.
Though the ' New Testament' requires ' union' amongst Christians, and
that very ardently and pressingly, yet it doth not ' require' hira that is
"¦ P. 87. " Amos iv. 1. " P. 83. ¦• Ib. ° P. 89. ' P. 90, 91.

304 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS - [cHARLES I.
Stronger to cudgel hira that is weaker into the same ' opinion' with him !
If you be of a better growth and stature in knowledge than we, and
comprehend such truths as we do not yet understand, we are most wil
ling, as far and as fast as meat and nourishment will do it, to grow up
unto you ; only we would not be racked, or stretched, to the same sta
ture or proportion with you !""
" We know not by what authority or interest you undertake to secure
them [the Apologists], that they shall not be ' pressed to be actors in
anything against their consciences.' It raay be you are but of the
ordinary Presbyterian stature and pitch ; and so, your mercies, though
soraewhat severe, yet possibly may not be very cruel : but, saith the
Scripture, ' in those days there were Giants in the earth,' *> as well as
men of the comraon standard ; so we fear a party amongst you, of the
Hyper- Presbyterian spirits, whose Spring-tides may swell beyond your
Low-water marks." "=
" Good A. S., do you conceive the men would, under a Toleration,
live ' without communicating at the Lord's table ?' I know not what
communion you have with their intentions of spirits, more than I ; but
for the present, I am no man of your belief herein. Toleration or no
toleration, I believe they will ' communicate at the Lord's table,' and
that oftener than twice a year !" "*
" The logico-divinity of your [following] ' Reason,' consisteth in this
enthymeme, ' If wrfhave but one God, one Christ, and one Lord, one
Spirit, one Faith, one Baptism, whereby we enter into the Church, and
are one Body ; we ought to have one Coraraunion, whereby to be spi
ritually fed, and one Discipline to be ruled b}' :' and if so, then ought
not the Apologists to be tolerated ! . . Not, necessarily, that 'commu
nion' or that ' discipline' which are of Classic inspiration ; no more than
those which are either of Papal or Episcopal recommendation. . . Though
we ought to have ' one communion aud discipline,' yet ought we to be
led into this Unity by the hand of an Angel of light, not to be frighted
into it by an evil Angsl of fear and terror." "
"What, though men [in New England] of the same 'profession'
with thera [the Apologists] raiscanied for want of such light as should
have directed them in a better way ; raust this be a band of conscience
upon them to ' bow down' their backs without any more ado, and to
suffer Presbyterian greatness to 'go over' them, as the stones in 'the
street P' ^ Nay ; they have the more" reason and necessity, in regard of
such a miscaniage of their brethren, to ' sue for a Toleration" here ; be
cause, by that raiscarriage of theirs, they are awakened to expect and
fear yet far harder raeasure from you and your party, if they do not
bestir themselves, by some raeans or other, to prevent it !"s
" They desire a Toleration for themselves and their churches in the
Civil State; not that the errors which spring up in their churches
should be suffered to fret iike gangrenes," without being opposed by
them; or, be protected by the State."' o rr
• P. 92. b Gen. vi. 4. c p. 94. , „,
" P. 99. I Isai. li. 23. g p jog ^'
" Of^Gang^ir"''*^' '" ""' '''''''' '""''' '" ^'''*'"^' for ''"' "^ ^'' ^'""^' P"''

CHAP. LIII.} RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 365
" Every man that saith ' I am of Paul,' or ' I am of Apollos,' is not
to be taught by ' thorns' and ' briers,' — as Gideon Uiught the raen of
Succoth," — to speak better, by fining, imprisoning, unchurching, or
the like ; but by soundness of conviction, and wholesomeness of instruc
tion from the Word of God. The Germans have a saying, that etiam
in latrone puniendo potest peccari, a man may sin in punishing him
that most of all deserves it ! It is not enough for us to con-espond with
God in his ends, but we must keep as close to Him in his means
also." '•
"You tell us, that the Government so called, cannot but ' overthrow
all sorts of Ecclesiastical Govei-nment.' Is Saul also among the pro
phets ? ' H.CSC verba loquentis ab ore, Gaudens arripio, et stupefactus
Numine, adoro : I joy over these words, and reverence thera for what
I conceive to be of God in them. We know who prophesied when he
was not aware of it. Indeed, by the beauty and perfect consonancy of
this Govemraent with the Word of God, it raay very reasonably, — yea,
and upon higher tei-ras than of reason, — be thought that, in time, it
cannot 'but overthrow all sorts of Ecclesiastical Government,' and
stand up, itself, in their stead. Faxit Deus, et festinet. But that
which you add, plainly showeth that you had no mind to prophesy,
though God had, or might have, by you : for here you say that ' this
order, by necessary consequence, will breed all sorts of disorder !' No :
first ; it will not ' breed' the disorder of oppressing conscientious men
for conscience' sake : nor, secondly ; of discouraging men from search
ing the Scriptures more nan-owly : nor, thirdly ; of having recourse
unto the Word for the setting up of the Government of Christ's king
dom : nor, fourthly ; of making men walk sundry miles for what they
might have upon as good or better terms at home : besides a thousand
other ' disorders,' which the 'order' of jowr Independency will never
'breed' by any consequence at all, ' necessary' or unnecessary ; being of
a very sovereign importance to prevent them. . . The ' Indejsendent
churches,' as you call them, ' have no such custom' ^ as for ' one' to
give entertainment or admission to any person that hath been ' censured'
by ' another,' without the censure [having been] first relaxed by that
church which inflicted it, or without the consent of this church. This
is their reproach, not their practice." '
"As for his after-birth of ' Reasons,' since he professeth himself that
he omits them, ^ we shall comport with him herein, and 'omit' them
also. I hope he will think hiraself a debtor to us for this compliance.
. . His Horsemen, you see, have been overcome, and yielded them
selves : his Infantry knows the manner of the field, and will, no ques
tion, surrender without encounter : nor, is there anything for weight or
substance in this tail of ' Reasons,' but what hath been broken already
in the head." s

" Judges viii. 10. "' P. 107. "^ 1 Sam. x. 12. <> 1 Cor. xi. 16.
'P. in, ult. 'A.s. p. 65. sp. ult.

366 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.

CHAP. LIV.
ED-WARDS's ANTAPOLOGIA.
We have seen it stated directiy in one place," and perhaps indirectiy
in another," that an attack was prognosticated by the Apologists, from
the pen of him who proved himself the raost notonous heresy-hunter of
his age, and whose several treatises, one of which we have introduced
under the year 1641, are a farrago or "collection of such faults," as,
like Epiphanius before hira, procured for his works little more notoriety
than for being " full of inaccuracies and errors." "= To subserve the pur
poses of our undertaking, we shall proceed to avail ourselves of what
concems it in the prognosticated treatise. Aud, while reflecting on this,
and the other antagonist productions which the "Apologetical Narra
tion" gave rise to, we cannot but advert to St. James's exclamation,
" Behold, how great a matier a littie fire kindleth !" "¦ Such was, indeed,
the case, in relation to the bulky piece intituled "Antapologia: Or,
A Full Answer to the 'Apologetical Narration, etc' Wherein is han
dled many of the Controversies of these times.— Humbly also subraitted
to tbe Honourable Houses of Pariiaraent— By Thoraas Edwards, Mi
nister of the Gospel. — 1644." 4to. pp. 367.
It will be recollected, that after having recorded the titie of the
" Narration,** we gave also the Licenser*s precognition, authorising the
printing of that tract. Edwards's treatise has likewise a Licenser's
allowance ; but, though a divine of the same denomination with Herle,
Cranford so far differed frora hira as to dissent from the coraraendation
which Herle had bestowed so liberally, yet consistentiy, on the Nai'ra-
tors. As it furnishes another specimen of what was practised in those
times, when the press was under restrictions which happily for its future
freedora called forth, in this same year, Milton's "Areopagitica," we
give the terms of the " Impriraatur," as it stands facing the title-page :
"Having diligentiy perused this ' Antapologia,' I find it so full, and
just, and necessary, an exaraination and discovery of the 'Apologetical
Narration,' both in raatters of fact and of opinion, that because I dare
not — as too many — have 'the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord
of glory, with respect of persons,' ' I approve it to be imprinted ; and
coraraend it, Reader, to thy most serious consideration. — Ja. Cranford."
He had preriously, June 7th, 1644, set his hand to the single word
" Imprimatur," before the "Anatoray of Independency." And he will
be met with at least once more, in this capacity, in a subsequent
page. Edwards starts with the announcement, that he had drawn up this
present Answer to " undeceive" the tender-conscienced, scrupulous,
doubting Christian" in the "Apologists, the Apology, and their church-
way; and, to satisfy them in their scruples and doubts about Presby-
' See back, p. 246, >> Ib. p. 354.
' See Mosbeim's Eccles. Hist Cent iv. pt. 2. chap. ii. sect 9. Maclaine's Edit
^ Chap. iii. 5. « Jas. ii. I.

CHAP. LIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 36?
tery." It appears, however, in the same page of his Epistle to the
Reader, that there existed " many prejudices" both against his "person
and the book," which he sought to abate by comparing his own " suffer
ings, troubles, patience, and labours," with those of " the exile, patience,
etc." of the Apologists ; but he tells us, with modesty not very charac
teristic, that he was deterred, in part, lest he might " become a fool in
glorying!"" Besides other grounds calling for his Answer, he writes, "within
these few days, just before the Antapology was coming forth, a pam
phlet, intituled 'The Anatomist Anatomised,' was printed, i" rather to
prepossess the reader against the Antapology than to answer the 'Ana
tomy of Independency;'" against which pamphlet even Edwards's
spleen seeras unusually excited.
"As for a judiciary proof," he says, "of all matters of fact in my
Antapology, I not seeing those Letters writ; and most of ray Letters
being but copies ; and many of the facts being done beyond the seas ;
considering also, it is possible the relators may mistake in some things,
I cannot positively and jtidicially swear and make out such a kind of
proof I" And he expresses his apprehension that Simpson's " book," so
far as it concems the Antapology, " may be a block in the way of it."
That this " forthcoraing" Antapology is " full of bitterness, malice, re
proaches, and railings;" Edwards is sorely vexed at such prepossessions
having gone abroad ; thus qtuckly forgetting that he had himself just
said, " I conceive Mr. Simpson's guilt and consciousness caused fear ;
and fear that hastened him to thrust forth something in the way of the
Antapology, to blast the credit of it before it was corae forth : and the
truth of it is, he, of all the Apologists, hath been most faulty both in
Holland and England."
The "Apology," Edwards goes on to say, "contains matter of high
praise of themselves and their party, — a few inconsiderable persons,
comparatively ; — with many close and dangerouj insinuations against
all the Reformed Churches, which cannot be answered particularly with
out some recrimination and charge !" After this, and much more, the
following passage may be instanced as a curiosity in one of the works
of "Thoraas Edwards, Minister ofthe Gcspel:'' —
" In many passages of this Answer, I do, upon several occasions,
give the Apologists a just testimony of that worth for parts and piety
which is in them ; and speak to them, and of them, as Brethren : so
that let but all these things be laid together, considering also the rules
of Scripture in such cases, and that I intended a plain particular down
right answer ; and this Answer will then be accounted candid, moderate,
— my pen dipped in oil, and not in vinegar !"
And to add to the interest on behalf of the Apologists, " The truth
is," says Edwards, they " have been too much flattered, both in their
persons and church-way ; and they are undone for want of being dealt
with plainly and freely. A candlestick hath been too rauch held out to
them ; and I hope this Answer may do rauch good, even to abate their
swellings and confidence !" But our reader's interest and curiosity will
be still further excited on perusing the final sentence of this introdnc-
" 2 Cor. xii. 11. '' See back, p. 244.

308 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
tory portion of the Antapology : — " I conclude this Epistle, as Beza
doth his to Duditius, ' Farewell : The Lord keep thee and all thine
from all evil ; and especially frora noonday devils which walk ^boiit in
this place, and in these times;' that is, from the en-ors of Anabaptism,
Brownism, Antinomianism ; Toleration of Sects and Schisms, under
pretence of liberty of conscience !"
Having thus to do with one of the raost cavilling and verbose of
writers, we shall be compelled to set a more than ordinary restraint on
the inclination to illustrate the practices and modes of treatraent pecu
liar to this singular character ; who tells us that he had " taken up a
fixed resolution, never to give over writing till this Church be settled,
and these great Schisms amongst us healed." " Could we, for instance,
suppress such a passage, to begin with, as even the second page affords ?
" Into what remote aud far country were you banished ? And what
were the companions of your exile P Certainly the Reader . . will think,
' Alas, good men. Into what Patmos, Indies, pr remote wilderness, were
they banished and forced to fly !' and will never imagine that these men
were the exiled Ministers, and this their exile, who, in a tirae of com
mon danger and suffering in their own Land, went with their wives,
children, estates, friends, Knights, Gentiemen, and Citizens, over into
Holland ; where they lived in safety, plenty, pomp, and ease ; enjoying
their own ways and freedom ; and, when the coasts were cleared, came
over into England, were entertained and received with all respects and
applause, and are now ' Members of the Assembly of Divines !' "
"As for this • Apologetical Narration,' " says Edwards, " The learned
Licenser having lived remote, till of late, was strongly deceived to give
such a testimony to it." And then, as it were to counterbalance that
testimony, Edwards would raake the world his debtor, in these terms,
" My judgraent of it is this. That it is indeed cunningly and advan
tageously dravyn up for to take and deceive good people ; to gather,
increase, and confirm their party by it ; being full of specious and glo
rious pretences, and all plausible seeming compliance and correspon
dency with the churches they depart from. And, therefore, ray scope
in this Answer is the endeavouring to undeceive the people, and to wipe
off the paint ; and to show the snake under the gi-een grass, and the foul
hand under the white glove ! And, upon the thorough and full examin-
'ation of the book, I can bring in this just charge against it, that there is
not only fraud in relating part of the story and opinions, and not the
whole ; holding out the bright side of the cloud, but hiding the black;
but there are many manifest untruths in some of their relations, and
that even where God and men are called to witness : and I could iu
most passages of the Apology which are raatters of fact, write quite tiie
contrary to what they affirm. Besides that, sorae passages in the book
cross and interfere with others ; as also, there is a dealing in generals
and in the clouds, with many doubtful and double expressions, like
Apollo s oracles; there being few passages of moment either in matter
of fact, or opimon, but they are so framed that they may receive a
double construction, and that sense which according to grammar and
ordinary acceptation they carry, cannot be meant." i-
» Epist. sup. ap. fin. b p, 3 4^

CUAP. LIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDICNIS.

3()9

Having shown what is tlie gravamen of tiie charge which Edwards
brings against the Apologists ; he turns shortly to tiiemselves, and
accosts them iu these terms, " You make the ground and occasion of
setting forth this Apologetical Nan-ation now, to be, your ' ears of late
so filled with a-sudden and unexpected noise of confused exclamation'
interpretatively ' reflecting' on you." And, taking upon himsell to be
their interpreter, he affects to ask, " Shall I tell you what is judged to
have rather enforced you unto this work P" He then bestows upon
them his gi'atuitous inforraation : " Many of the ministers of the City,
not long before, drew up a Letter to the Asserably conceming some
Church giievances; and, in particular, that of gathering of chtirches,
and drawing away their people. Which Letter, as it was not directed
in particular against you, so it reflected, in the words and sense, upon
niany others rather than yourselves. . . Soon after, sorae Considerations
were put forth by the Asserably, to dissuade from gathering churches.
To which Considerations your hands were subscribed. — Upon what
reasons you complied in that, and whether you could not well avoid it
without greater prejudice to your cause, you know best!" — And now,
turning from them, he asks more indirectly, "Whether this ' Apologeti
cal Narration' was not fii-st hastened to follow upon those Considera
tions, to counterbalance that act of yours against further gathering of
churches, that your cause and way might receive no loss and prejudice,
and to satisfy your own party ;^many of them greatiy exclaiming
against you for your hands to these Considerations ; — and so, thinking
by this aftergame, to recover all P I leave the reader to judge ! Whe
ther also, you, knowing that the Assembly was upon the borders of the
main points in difference, and upon coraing to debate presbytery, oi'di-
nation, excommunication, you put not forth this book to taste and try
the , spirits of the Asserably and others beforehand ? Whether, also,
this was not intended to prepossess the people's minds to lay in preju
dice against what the Assembly inight determine : and, by discovering
yourselves so beforehand, and so publicly engaging yourselves, your
party might appear, and stand the more by you and with you, fpr a
Toleration ; the great design of the men of this w.ay, in these times P
Lastiy, Whether, as rauch as you durst, this Apology was not set out
just upon the coming in of our brethren of Scotland to our help, to
asperse the government and reformation of the Church of Scotiand;
and, to lessen the esteem of that kingdom and church, so much and so
deservedly valued by this kingdom ; but looked upon by all the men of
the new-church-way, as the great let of the Independent govern
ment ?" "
" That you could not stay a little longer," exclaims this querulous
opponent, " but in such a time, when we need so much assistance of
our brethren of Scotland, and the help of all other Refonned Churches,
in the face of the Parliament, Assembly, and the Kingdom, to put out
such a piece and to do such an act as this, is beyond all example !"
Anon he writes, " But, however, this is the first ' discovery' of your
selves, in this way, with all your hands subscribed ; yet we have had
a discovery of you for sorae years past, both in your practices of with-
• P. 5, 6.
It 2 B

370 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES 1.
drawing from our public asserablies, and in gathering and constituting
separated churches." "
" But let me ask you. Whose ' misapprehensions' do you under
stand you lay under, that you present this Apology to the Parliament,
and ' appeal' to thera P . . What Ministers have had the sun of their
favour shining upon them, raore than yourselves ? You have all been
made Members of the Assembly by them, called to preach before them
upon their public soleran occasions ; and sorae of you employed in ex
traordinary services ! . . M. S., your new great friend, sets the brand of
' malignancy' ^ on them who are against you." "^
From all this, and more preliminary matter, " before" he descends
to " answer," as he says, " all the particulars contained in this ' Narra
tion,'"'' Edwards advances with sufficient self-importance to where he
breaks forth in this strain, " How dare you affii-ra, that for your ' con
sciences' you were ' deprived at once of whatever was dear' to you ? . .'
What great deprivation 'at once' is this, of whatever is 'dear,' for men
to take their own times, and to go in summer-time with knights, ladies,
and gentlewomen, with all necessaries into Holland ; and there to take
choice of all the land where to reside ; and with wives and children, in
the raidst of friends and acquaintance, free from the fears and possibili
ties of vexations of the Spiritual courts and prisons, to enjoy all plenty
and freedora as you did ? There are many would have been glad, and
still would be, of such a deprivation 'at once,' as to be so exiled into
Holland, to be able to spend two or three hundred pounds, per annum,
there ! " *
With subtilty and effrontery almost peculiar to hiraself, he tells the
Apologists, " You had also some ' ends' and ' interests,' and ' -worldly
respects' to comply with in your going into Holland rather than New
England, which you first intended. And these may fitiy be tei-med
' State-ends' and ' political interests,' namely, that when some great
persons. Lords and others, should be forced, through the badness of the
times — as was expected and feared — to seek for shelter in Providence
and Hispaniola, you raight be there ready to remove vrith them, . .
where you hoped to set up new churches and subdue those countries,
and people which should come over, into your mould. Or, if otherwise,
things in England should come to have a great turn, — as they had by
this Parliament,— then, also, by being in Holland rather than New
England, you were nigh hand, and your estates more at command
quickly to return to England, . . hoping you might either subdue Eng
land into the way of your church-govemment, or else gain a great
party to you in the kingdom; which we see is unhappily fallen
out !"s
Knowing the man's disposition, the Apologists might not heed Ed
wards's pertinacity ; but he seemed determined that if they were inti
tuled to any portion of good report, they should not lose the recollection
of the evti report which his own party had contributed to raise and
" P. 7, 8.
" ;; ^I- S- '° A. S., p. S3 '¦ altered, in a second edition, to " A Reply of two of the
Brethren to A. S., &c. 1644. Chap. v. p. 85. See back. n. 311 'V in II
"P. 13. «Ap.Nar. p.3. f p. 26.*^ e P. 28.

CIIAP. LIV.J RELATING TO IN'DEI'ENDENJ'S. 371
disseminate. "Whatever you say," he tells them, "it seems that a
great part of what the good old Nonconformists writ, came not rauch
commended to you, because you follow it no better. As to that passage
about the ' Separation,' following the passage of the ' Nonconformists ;'. .
this is one of the best passages in your book ; as there are finir passages,
among so many bad, that are good and useful : one, of the Parliament ;
a second, of the Assembly of Divines ; the third, this of the Separatists;
the fourth, a description of many of the professors and people of this
kingdom. But it had been better," he now tells them, " you had made
so good use of this observation and inquiry in God's visibly witnessing
from heaven against the Separation ; in giving them up to fearful sins,
in inflicting fearful judgments, and leaving them to strange divisions ;
which yourselves allude to in this passage, and you know was in the
stories of Browne, Bolton, Barrowe, Smyth, Johnsons, etc., so as to have
kept further from their principles, and thereupon to have feared forsak
ing coraraunion with our churches, and setting up separated assemblies,
and agreeing so much with them in raost of the fundamental and essen
tial principles and practices, . . as only to refine and qualify Brownism,
and to spin it of a finer thread than the old Separatists did. But let
rae here put this dilemma to you ; seeing ' the Separatists' fatal mis
carriages and shipwrecks' did put you ' upon an inquiry' into the prin
ciples and causes of their divisions, . . if you did not discover them, why
do you insert these words here ; . . but if you did discover those prin
ciples of the Brownists, . . why do you pass thera over in silence ?" "
Again, thus he accosts them, " How can I believe this profession.
That ye 'would hold communion with the churches of England, as the
churches of Christ,' under the greatest 'defilements ;' whenas you have
iiever held communion '' with any of them in the time of their greatest
reformation and purity ? In this three years last, since your coming
over, wherein we have been so free from pollution in worship ; and
since, that in so many churches in London there hath been the total
laying aside of prescribed Forms of Prayer, and that great care to keep
away both ignorant and profane persons ; which of you Five have
received the Lord's supper in any of these 'true churches and body of
Christ ?' I never could learn that any of you Five, nor any of tiie
members of your churches, have communicated with us. I can tell you
of the adding to your church assemblies great numbers since, and of
your receiving the Lord's supper at night in private houses ; and how
some of you who have not churches here in London, go to separated
churches to partake in the Lord's supper ! . . I know no ' coramunion'
you 'did' hold, or do, with us now, though so reformed. And if you do,
and will, what means that wall of partition between us, your new-
constituted churches P As for the hearing of sermons soraetimes in our
churches, and preaching in our congregations ; I doubt whether you
' hold' tiiat a keeping ' communion' with our churches and ministers ;
but rather, preach as gifted men, and hear as gifted men ; and, how-
**"ei", — if Mr. Robinson, and some of your way, may be believed  they
" P. 33, 34.
*' The phrase of the Apologists is, " we both did, and would, hold a communion
&c." p. 6. '
¦• 2 B 2

372 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
hold 'hearing of the Word' no act of communion, nor no proper, nor
peculiar thing of the church." And that you are of the same judgment,
I have great reason, both from your principles and practice, to
think so." ''
Some pages forward, he writes, "Whatever 'right-hand fellowship'
and ' brotherly correspondency' you might hold with the Dutch divines,
sorae of the English ministers of the Reformed Churches there have
complained of your great strangeness and distance towards them ; and
instance hath been given me particularly, . . that when sorae of you have
come to Amsterdam, you never would go to Mr. Hei-ring's, a 'good
old Non-conformist,' but have gone to Mr. Canne's, the Separatist, and
to his church." And what restless activity Edwards used to gather any
thing to damage the reputation of these Apologists, appears where he
tells them, "I sent over into Holland soine questions about the truth
of some things related by you in this Apology." Part of the answer,
which he records here, is, that " For their going to the Brownists', and
conversing with Mr. Canne more than us, that is undeniable ; what you
may of this read in the Epistle to the Rejoinder in defence of Mr. Brad-
shaw, against Mr. Canne, is most true." So he proceeds, a little after,
" The ' granting' to two of your churches ' public places' to worship in,
with ' maintenance' for some of your ministers," will not, he remarks,
" free you from being looked upon as Sects by the churches and rainis
ters there. But I must tell you these privileges are from other grounds;
as, namely, one of your churches, consisting of raany persons of great
quality, and going at first to a privileged place ; the other church having
formerly been a church in the way of the Reformed Churches there,
and so had then the allowance of a ' public place.' The first sensible de
clining of that church to the new way, being by Mr. Peters, before he
went to New England. Now, Mr. Bridge coming lo that church, and
bringing with him and after hira, wealthy citizens and clothiers, by
which the magistrates at Rotterdam knowing well their advantage, no
wonder though they permitted that church their ' public place,' and
gave to their ministers 'a full and liberal maintenance,' yea, aud
'wine' for their communions, and yet should gain well by it!"'
Edwards deals so freely in questions and suppositions," he is so petu
lant, and dwells so mainly upon conjectural and hearsay grounds and
charges ; he so perpetually indulges in discussion quite intactible, and
is moreover, so very discursive, that many of his pages in succession
afford us uo point or fact on which to settie. His examination, for in
stance, of the Apologists' "three great principles," as he phrases it, with
a design " to discover to the Readers their weakness and defectiveness,""'
occupies thirty pages. " But," says he, " I intend a whole Tractate upon
that question of the Scriptures, How far they are a rule for all matters
of external government and order in the visible church P"' So that what
he writes in this, might have been referred to his own reconsideration ui
• "Proper, I say, and peculiar ; araongst which I do not simply reckon tbe Hear-
ngof the Word,., as being tiiat in which no communion spiritual passeth, &c."
See back, vol. i. p. 384. ^ P 50 1)
c P. 56-58. -P. 68. ' p! 73; and p. 77.

CHAP. LIV.J I RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 373
the intended work." Here, however, we find him venturing thus far,
" This foolish imitation of the Apostles in all things of external order,
hath been and is the great foundation of evils on all hands ; both in
many practices and points of popery, and amongst the anabaptists."''
The fitness of the leading epitliet in this passage could not have been
attempted to be supported but by an opponent determined to confute by
overstraining. In another place, he asserts, " You shall find that in the 'superstruc-
tories' of the government of the church, there are but few particulars
laid down in the pattem and example of the primitive churches. And
those primitive practices are not such a rule given by God in matters of
that nature as that all things then practised must be so in all after tiraes,
or that nothing afterwards might be practised but what is found there.
. . For that is comeliness and reverence in one country which is not in
another. So tiiat any observation of so few particular ' superstructories'
recorded in the primitive churches, — namely, of common, ordinary, per
petual order, with the different practices, in the several churches re
corded in the New Testament, and sometimes in the same church, in
many things of ti^e outward administration of external order, are sound
proofs to me there are not rules, nor ruled cases, for many ' superstruc
tories' in extemal govei-nraent."' We set against this paragraph, the
following extract from a modem writer, leaving at large the considera
tion on which side the argument is the safer. — " The sufficiency of the
Bible, as a rule of faith and practice, is to be considered exclusive, not
of other means of rational guidance, but of all otiier sources of authority
in matters of religious duty. It is not implied, that nothing but what
Scripture commands is lawful, but that nothing which Scripture has not
made to be duty, can, as respects the concerns of religion, be consti
tuted our duty by the authority of man. The Word of God is our only
rule, in the sense both of a law and a standard; a rule sufficient, as op
posed to all deficiency ; exclusive, as relates to the Divine authority
from which it emanates ; universal, as embracing all the principles of
human actions; and ultimate, as admitting of no appeal. For all reli
gious purposes, it is literally the only rule, because the Divine com
mand copstitutes the only reason as well as the only law of religious
actions ; and there can, therefore, be no scope for other rules, except
with regard to the mere outward circumstantials of religious duties, which
do not come within the obligations of any law.""'
The next place at which we stop is where Edwards reraarks, "As for
your calling huraan prudence ' the fatal error to Reformation,' I judge
that the want of it, in reformation, hath still proved ' fatal ;' as amongst
the Anabaptists, Brownists, and in New England also, till ' human pru
dence' eked out what was defective, in the way of their gathering at the
first; and till 'human prudence' punished by banishment and impri
sonment, — under the names of disturbers of the Civil peace, — many
members of their churches, for Familism, Anabaptism, etc. ; without
which courses, and others of the like kind, their churches and common-
" He published, in 1647, "The Particular Visibility of the Church."
>> P. 77. " P. 81.
'' "On Protestant Nonconformity; by Josiah Conder, 1818." Svo. vol. ii. p. 3l8,

374 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CIIARLES 1.
wsalth had been long ago mined." He reminds the Apologists of their
having called this Assembly of Divines the " way of God, wisely as
sumed by the ' prudence' of the State ; '" and he goes on to say, " I sup
pose you call it not the ' way of God' as holding there is a clear resolu
tion from Scripture, in any apostolical primitive pattern of the churches
erected by the aposties, of an 'Assembly' so chosen by the magistrates,
to draw up a government and direction in Worship for so many churches,,
— ^many of which churches have not so much as any one of their iiiem-
bers there, — but only a 'way of God' according to general rules of ' pi'u-.
dence,' and so, ' wisely assumed' by the Parliament ; and yet I hope
you and your party will not afterwards, if the 'Assembly' should deter
mine against Independency, style that 'the fatal error to Refonna
tion!' But, however, we gain thus much from your being 'Members
of the Assembly,' voting in it, and calling yourselves by that name —
namely, a 'clear' answer that 'human prudence' is not always a 'fatal
error to Reformation ;' and, that a man needs not always ' suspend' his
practice, though he have not 'a clear resolution' of example and di
rection from the primitive churches : witness, the acceptance of your
being chosen to the 'Assembly.' "'' We have inserted these remarks to
show with what smartness at least their author can occasionally play
upon the slips and inadvertencies of the objects of his attack. The
danger likely to result from 'human prudence' being applied inci
dentally, — for that is the Apologists' argument, — ' in matters Divine,'
is nevertheless nowise diminished by Edwards's special-pleading adroit
ness. A long space occurs now in which there is little else than disputative
matter about alleged dissensions among the Apologists themselves, and
between them and other parties, when abroad, together with several ap
plications of the argumentum ad hominem ; but all as void of inte
rest, at present, as of point. Edwards must have thought that he had
damaged the reputation of the Apologists by what he represents them to
have been concerned in when they were out of England ; and he used
his utraost skill to bring thera into further disrepute for what he repre
sents thein to be aiming at since their return. Thus he writes, " Hav
ing apologized for yourselves and way in your principles, opinions,
practices and caniage towards all sorts both before your exile and in
your exile, here you come to apologize for yourselves, and for what you
have done since your coming back into England, both before the 'As
sembly' and since the 'Assembly,' until the time of putting forth this
present 'Apologetical Narration.' But, Brethren, why do you, in the
beginning of this part of your Apology, give yourselves that name of
' God's poor Exiles ?' Was it not enough to have said, 'when it pleased
God to bring us back again' into our own Land ; but you raust call your
selves 'God's Exiles,' and 'poor Exiles?' I wonder you termed not
yourselves 'poor pilgrims !' But the reason why you narae yourselves
so here, and in this Apology take occasion so often to speak of exile and
banishment, may easily be guest at ; namely, to commend your persons
and way the more to the People ; and, for want of better, to take them

Ap. N'ar. p. f!8.

P. S3, 84.

CHAP. LIV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 375
with such popular arguraents as suffering a grievous exile ! Thus in
many other passages of your Apology, you bring in, and insert, many
such kind of phrases, to work with the People the more ; but do insi
nuate many things against the Presbyterial way,— as of 'engagements,^'
' public interest,' etc. . . You can in no sense be called 'poor Exiles,
for you were rich :^xiles, who, in Holland, enjoyed many conveniences
and such abundance as to he able, sorae of you, to spend two or three
hundred pounds, per annum, and to do otiier expensive acts which, for
the present, I forbear to narae.""
"As for those words, God's bringing you 'back again in these revo^
lutions of the times' into your own Land ; I know God perraitted it and
ordered it But I well know Satan hastened and furthered it, for the
diriding of the godly party here ; and for the obstructing the work of
Reformation, and hindering the settiing the government of the Church ;
that so, in the mean time, he might increase his kingdom and bring in
a flood of all errors and licentiousness upon us. And, Brethren, let me-
.speak sadly to you, — not of passion, but out of long and serious deli
beration,— it had been good for you, and for us, that you had continued
'exiles' still ; and that neither you Five, nor they of New England, had
heard of the revolution of our times, and God's visiting us in mercy, till
the Church and Government had been settied. I ara confident that
things had not then been at that pass now as they are."'' "As for your
finding 'the judgment' of raany of your godly, leamed brethren in the
ministry . . ' to differ' from yours 'in some things ;' that was no marvel!
I wonder you could expect otherwise, being but a few young men of
yesterday, and going a way by yourselves so different from all Reformed
Churches. But I must tell you, you found not only the judgment of
many godly ministers ' that desired a general reformation,' but the judg
ment of them all who were in public employment and of any great ac
count, 'to differ' from yours; not only in 'some* things, but even in
your whole church way : however, that since, by your presence and your
poUtic way of working, and the strong stream of popular applause run
ning that way, some few ministers, uncertain, heady, inconstant, wanton-
witted raen, are since come off to your way!""^ 'Whatever those "few"
ministers might once have thought of their quondam friend, possibly
they might now feel his lavish censure to be their greatest praise.
Edwards was, indeed, no niggard at abuse ; and though the Apolo
gists might not have feared his wrath, neither would they have coveted
his applause. "As for the ' calumnies' cast upon you of ' Schisras, In
dependency, and Brownism;'. . however you do, in words, wash your
hands of these imputations, and wipe your mouths confidently denying
them, yet all the water in the Thames will not wash you from all just
imputation of these. . . The old Separatists could not endure to be called
' Brownists,' or ' Barrowists;' so you will not endure the titles of ' Schism,
Separation, Independency,' but you call it the ' Congregational govern
ment,' and ' the church-way,' and 'an entire, fitil, complete power ;' but
by no means 'Independent government;' that will not be endured!", ."i
" This 'Independency' and ' Independent government,' was a name of
»P. 189— 191. "-P. 191. "^ p. 192. "T. nr, 193.

376 HISTORICAL nIEMGRIAL^S [cHAULES 1.
your own giving ; and sure, I .and others might lawfully call the child
by the name the fatiier and friends gave it P To speak nothing of the
name of ' Independent government' given to particular congregations,
in many books of the total Separatists, maintaining it formally in those
words ; it will be found in many printed books and manuscripts writteH
by many men of your way and coramunion, — naraely, of the 'middle
way' as you call it... Amongst others, you shall find it in . . a manu
script intituled 'A Treatise about a Church,' going under one of your
names, [which] speaks often of ' Independent power,' and 'Independ
ent govenimeiit' Besides, ' Independent government' hath been preached
for at Margaret's Church in Westminster, and the city of London, in
those words ; so that I w^onder how you dare make such a flourish.""
"However that you disclaim the title here, and in other pages, yet yon
acknowledge the thing abundantly in the book ; namely, ' a lull and
entire power, complete within yourselves, until you be challenged to
err grossly.'. .'' As for civil power, it is not the question in contro
versy, neither was it affixt unto you ; and for spiritual power, properly
called, you deny it all along, speaking against 'authoritative power''
often."" " Brownism hath not been fastened on you by any, that I know ; but,
on the contrary, you have been commonly contradistinguished from them,
being called ' Independents,' ' Serai-Separatists;'. . but yet for all that,
I cannot justly free yourselves frora the ' odious narae of Brownism' iu
most of the fundamental principles and practices of your churches ; no,
not with all your artifices and specious pretences. As the Brownists
growing up and out of the Anabaptists, did refine and qualify anabap
tism in raany things, in government, prophesying, etc. ; so have you re
fined and qualified Brownism frora the grossness and rigidness of it as
it was held by the first fathers and authors of it."' " May I guess at the
chief and fundamental point of all church govei-nraent and discipline,
wherein you declared your judgments by which yon would distinguish
yourselves from the Brownists ? Is it not, that you give the power and
authority to the Officers, and not to the People only ? I have heard
that of late you have declared yourselves thus ; and the late Epistie be
fore Mr. Cotton's book,f written by two of you, implies so ranch. . . Yet
this will not free you, for Mr. Johnson fell to this, and yet was guilty
of Brownism. "s "And as for the way of your expression, of ' Pi-esby-
terial government,' I cannot but except at it ; observing that, all along,
obliquely and as far as you may, you still asperse that. You can here
express ' Brownism' simply, without any additions to it; but you cannot
pass by ' Presbyterial government' without a lash at it, ' which is the
contention of these times !' As if you would insinuate the blame of all
the contentions and stir of these times to be Presbyterial govemment;
whereas the truth is 'the contention of these times' is Episcopal, and
your Independent government, which have caused and do continue all
the contention and stirs in church and commonwealth, they mutually
strengthening each other against Presbyterial government."'' What shall
" P. 201. I- Ap. Nar. p. 14. ' Th. p. 15, IS, 19. " P. 202, 203-
« P. 204. I " f he Keys of the Kingdcii, o.r Heaven." See back » '>5')
•• P. 20G. I' P. 2U7. oet uacK, p. -a..

CHAP. LIV.J RELAI'ING TO INDEPENDENTS. 377
henceforward be said, after all the raass of contumely which has been
heaped upon thera by the ungrateful children of that very Church of
England, which it is seen was willing for her sujiport, to cling to these
despised Independents ? We can easily perceive why the latter would
prefer to even uphold a tyranny they had known and endured, before
another which they ibresaw would endeavour to crush thera with a still
raore accumulated weight of intolerance ; and it is no less easily dis
cernible that it could not have been the Independents who wrought the
overthrow of Episcopacy ; this most bitter of the bitter among our ene
mies being himself a witness. Thus far, at least, our predecessors stand
cleared of what the ingrates so unjustly continue to ascribe to them ; for
we are able to say to our modern accusers, with effect, " Behold, ye
despisers, and wonder!""
Well, let us see what Edwards has to say in the character of a self-
constituted " witness" upon a point in which he solemnly affirms that
he should " sin against God and the truth," if he should not " speak the
truth, and the whole truth," with this qualification, however, "so far as
I know, and have been, from good hands, informed ;" — hearsay evidence
again, — but he proceeds, "All of you have not constantly forborne 'to
publish' your ' opinions, by preaching ;' but you have vented your prin
ciples and opinions by preaching sometimes more generally and co
vertly, — yet so as your followers miderstand you, — and sometimes
particularly and plainly. In a more general and covert way, you have
done it often, under preaching for ' purity of Ordinances ;' the ' stand
ing for the kingly office of Chiist ;' the ' being in a Church way ;' the
'perfoi-raing of all the ordinances in the due and right order,' etc.
Wherein you do for your way just as the Malignant Ministers preach
against the Parliaraent and for the Cavaliers, under generalities, by
preaching against ' rebellion' and ' fighting against iheking,' and 'rising
against him,' and ' for peace,' etc. ; which the Malignants understand
well enough, and flock to them upon it" '' "As for Mr. Nye, he having
lived a great part of his time since his return into England, in Noble
men's families, and in Yorkshire, and having preached little in the
parishes here in London, I cannot prove that he hath published his
' opinions,' by 'preaching' particularly for them. But, whether Mr. Nye
hath not acted the State-parasite, and played the politician, the more ;
and dealing in private underhand, and hand to hand with some men of
note for the church way, and against the govemment of the Church of
Scotland; and particularly at Hull, — as I have some gi-ound for what
I write, — so I appeal to his conscience, and entreat hira to rub up his
memory whom he hath conferred with about these points." "= With such
dark aud insidious imputations as Edwards indulges in, we are not
called upon to deal ; but wherein Nye might have been called upon to
plead or interpose for liberty of either kind, civil or religious, we vene
rate him as we do all his compatriots.
Again : "All of you have not forborne 'to print anything' of your
'own' for your opinions and ways; ..as is to be seen in Mr. Bur-
- -icts xiii. 41. i" P. 215. "= P. 217.

378 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cH.ARLES I.
roughe's Exposition," and in Mr. Simpson's sermons called Refonna-
tion*s Preservation,'' and in Mr. Bridge's serraon called Babylon s
Downfal.-^ But, supposing you had wholly forborne printing anything
of your ' own,' you might well have done it out of policy, and yet your
way not have suffered by it : so raany books and littie pamphlets hav
ing been printed and reprinted since this Parliaraent for the church-
way, as amounts to the number, I think, of almost one hundred ! And
I ask of you, Whether one or more of you have not had a hand in
perusing and examining some books of others, or in counselling and
consenting to the printing of them ? Especially some books from out
of New England, and particularly of Mr. Cotton's.""'
" If you have not 'acted' for yourselves and way, since your returns
into England ; and improved your time well too, raost who know you
are much deceived in you, and strangely mistaken. And suffer rae to
deal plainly with you ; 1 ain persuaded that, setting aside the Jesuits
'acting' for themselves and way, you Five have 'acted' for yourselves
and way, both by yourselves and by your instruments, both upon the
stage and behind the curtain, — considering circumstances, and laying
all things together, — more than any five men have done in so short a
tirae this sixty years. And if it be not so, whence have come all the
swarms and troops of Independents in rainistry, armies, city, country,
gentry; and araongst the common people of all sorts, raen, woraen,
servants, children ? Have not you Five had the greatest influence to
cause this ? Who [else] have wrought so raany ministers, gentieinen,
and people, to your way ? Can it be in reason thought all this is come
about without your 'acting' for yourselves and way P Is the people's
'golden calf of Independency and Democracy come out of itself, with
out Aaron's raaking it ?" '
" Have you not been, all along, from your first coming over into
England, to the writing of this present Apology, intent and watchful
upon everything in agitation, or about to pass in raatters of religion,
that might make, though but remotely, for Presbyterial govemment;
and raight, though but by a remote consequence, and at a distance,
touch upon or prejudice your church way ? As, for instance, about the
time of passing a Bill in the House of Commons, against Episcopacy,
and of consultation and debate what should be in the interim, till
another govemment could be settled; were not you zealous and 'ac
tive' against that advice and counsel, — of a certain number of grave
ministers in each county to be substituted for the time, — out of your
fear of having but a shadow of Presbyterian government, though but
pro tempore ? And how much you worked in that, with some of place,
and what the issue of that was, you may remeraber. So, upon thoughts
and consultations, since this 'War, of entering into a Covenant; and
sorae rainisters being advised with. Whether did not some of you stand
for a clause to be inserted in the Covenant for liberty to tender con-
" On Hosea, Lect i. p. 224, 225 ; vii. p. 173 ; v. p. 134, 141 j iii. p. 288 ; xiii. ;
and in many other places.
** On Isai. iv. 5, last clause ; and Prov, viii. 15, ]G.
' And that on Zcdi.t 18,21. <l P. 220. ' P. 221. (Exod. xxxii. 24.)

CHAP. LIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 379
sciences P And, for want of such a clause; that being opposed by some;
how long it was laid aside, and so forth, I desire you to reraeraber.
Again ; about the beginning of the Asserably, in the review and ex
amination of some of the Articles of Religion, and in the propounding
but some Orders lo have been agreed on about the way of managing
the disputes and debates in the Assembly ; how tender have you been
of anything tending but to Presbytery, and that might, though but in
directly, reflect upon any of your principles !' "
" And whereas Mr. Simpson was a minister of a church at Rotter
dam, which church is still there, hath not Mr. Simpson since his
return well 'acted' for hiraself and his way in getting such a rich and
numerous church, consisting of so many gentlemen and gentlewomen,
rich citizens, rich virgins, etc. P And hath not Mr. Goodwin ' acted'
for himself and way, and at the least, ' in the least attempted' to 'increase
a party,' when, besides those of his church at Arnheim that came over
from thence, there are others here iu London have gone to his church-
meetings ? And there are some, if not actually members, — the cere
mony, may be, being forborne, that it may be said he hath added none
to his church, — yet are competentes candidati, probationers, members
in Jieri, with their faces to Zion !" ''
"And out of zeal of 'acting' for yourselves and way, have not some
of you suggested, in private, to Pailiament-inen, the prejudice of their
Parliamentary power if they should admit of the government of the
Church of Scotland ; pleading also for a nectjssity of a toleration P
And, in particular, I ask Mr. Nye, if he remember no such discourses,
and that at Hull too ?" ' We see now the amount of the mysterious
accusation against Nye, recorded in a foregoing extract from Edwards."*
" Whether have not you, out of ' acting' for yourselves and way, had
many meetings and consultations both of writing Letters into New
England for their help and furtherance, and about what you should do,
and how to order matters since the Scots must be sent for ? And, since
the Assembly could not be hindered, how they must be managed and
carried for the best advantage of your cause and way ? And whether
was not this ' Apologetical Narration' one of the products of your
consultations P " '
These, and other queries of less apparent interest, Edwards pro
pounded with tiie design of concluding the whole in that where he puts
it to the Apologists, if they could imagine "that all had been forgotten"
which they had " done and preached P" ' Still he did not stop even here,
for he presently continues, " But s'apposing all you affirra of yourselves
had been true, cujus contrarium verum est, as is too evident by what
I have proved ! — that you had neither preached, printed, nor acted,
personally for yourselves and way, yet all this forbearance inight have
been not frora the grounds and reasons brought hy you, but Irom other
" P. 222. '' P. 222.
' P. 223. — A curious account of an " Agreement" among the London ministers
"for connnon ends," against tiie Hierarchy, is contained in this work of Edwards',
p. 239 — 243 ; and which Nye is there charged with having abduced from Mr.
Calamy's possession.
¦I Under p. 217. ' P. 224. ^ P. 224.

380 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
principles of wisdom and policy ;" which Edwards sums up thus, " not
to ' act' so much as your fellows, and not so openly as otherwise you
would; especially knowing whilst you were in the tiring-house unseen,
the scene was full, and the tragedy went on, there being no want of ac
tors on the open stage to carry on your church-way ; of whose preach
ings, and acting for themselves and way in gathering of churches, etc.,
and of books made by some of thera and printed by others of them, it
would fill a book to enumerate particulars." "
How much the -working of Edwards's party is betrayed in what is
gathered from his next two pages, these sentences alone will show :
" The ministers courted you by all ways of respect, and of high enter
tainment of you in loving speech, friendly countenance, farailiar convers
ing with you, giving you the right hand of fellowship, and in a brotherly
entreating you not to appear "for your ' way ;' that so our differences
inight not hinder the work of Reforraation : withal proraising you,
When they had obtained the Reformation desired they should be ready
to gratify you all they could, and to consider j'ou as Godly Brethren."
Doubtless, the Apologists had penetration enough to discem what
" could" and would be done for their gratification ! But Edwards says
further, " There hath been rauch tenderness expressed towards you, and
readiness of yielding to you all along ; the more to win you, to pre
vent an open breach, and to stop people's mouths. . . And I raay truly
speak it, many of our ministers have not carried themselves towards
one another with that love and respect as they have done to you." ''
Consciousness, perhaps, induced Edwards, at this stage of his pro
gress in this treatise, to take to himself what seems to an ordinary
reader to have a wider application. Here, then, he writes, " For the
' incitements to this State' not to allow you ' the peaceable practices' of
your consciences ; . . edged with calumnies and reproaches cast upon
your persons ' in print;' I suppose you mean that book written by me;'=
for as for any other book of that nature I remember none : besides, you
commend the other books "• written against your way and tenets." After
showing some degree of mortification that tiie Apologists by their
" silence" seem " to give consent" to what he had written against them ;
and claiming their thanks, forsooth, for having " chalked out a way"'
by which they might be " allowed" the " peaceable practice" of their con
sciences ; he writes, " As for my ' incitement to the State,' it was not
to persecution against you, for I laid down a clear medium ^ between
persecution and a toleration." And he adds here, " The Reformed
Churches abroad might raore safely allow you the liberty of your con
sciences there, than this State can;" for, he tells them, "in England,
you Independents will look for the like privileges that others enjoy; as,
to be mayors of towns, chosen burgesses and knights for Parliaraent,
etc Whereby you will have a mighty influence and advantage to
countenance and promote your way, and to raake parties everywhere;
" " As for instance, Mr. W. : p. : B. : K.: Dr. H. ; Mr. L. : G.- C - B - P • G -
\V. : W. S.: C. . E.: C : A. : L.: cum multis aliis." — P 2''5
K P. 226, 227. ¦ ' ¦
<: " Reasons against the Independent Government, &c." See barU n inn
¦i Ap. Nar. p. 15. « In p. 43— 45. ' P. 42. ^'•''' P- '""¦

CHAP. LIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 881
which must needs be of dangerous consequence to this State !"" We
disavow any such inference, unless by the " State," Edwards means
" Presbyterial government," and its preservation at the expense of the
sacrifice of other men's " consciences ;" which we think he raust have
meant, and so found it expedient to practise an old saw which he had
charged upon the Apologists, "like the lapwing, to cry furthest off the
nest,"'' That we are not wrong in our conjecture, we gather frora his
own words a few pages onward, where he writes, " We who have written
anything against your way, have not so much ' prepossessed the people's
minds' against your ' tenets,' as laboured to dispossess them. "We have
played the after game too much, you the fore game."' And again: "It
would grieve an ingenuous and conscientious raan" — mark, a " con
scientious man" — " to see wherever one comes, how many good people of
the kingdora are ' prepossessed' by being prejudiced against Presbyterial
govemment. That it will be worse than the Hierarchy, and more tyrannical
to the consciences aud liberties of the People : with such like. There was,
therefore, and is, rauch need to cast out these Devils, and to nnpossess the
people possessed !" His lamentations are not yet exhausted, for he goes
on, " such is the nature of your errors, that hitherto few who take hold
of them ever retuiTi;" and a pun is emitted with the last sigh, "like
' Goodwin' sands, that if a ship once stiike upon them, there is no fetch
ing her off!" *
These incorrigible Apologists had yet more vituperation to undergo,
though with an infusion of .something of another quality, " Whence,"
he asks now, " have come all the rents and divisions, to speak of, in the
godly Protestant party ; all the lets, stops, and delays, in the intended
Reformation ; but from you, and by occasion and means of you P The
authority of your naraes, holding these opinions, — having the reputa
tion of scholars, and of excellent preachers, — whereby you are cried up
of many and so much followed ; your interest and favour in too many
considerable persons, have drawn so much, [that] had it not been for
your sakes, these rents and divisions had never corae to this head !
There had not been that connivance ; nor such delays of settling govern
ment, etc. Most of the rest of your way were, in comparison, con
temptible both for name and gifts, and could not have done that
hurt" '
" Why were you not contented with the giving of the first ' blow,'
and the first occasion of the quan-el, both by your former preaching and
practising, but to add this ' second' great ' blow,' the writing of this
' Apologetical Narration ;' which, though it be not on your parts the
beginning of strife, yet it will prove as the breaking in of waters, and
as the kindling of a fire not likely to be put out in haste." ^
" The Asserably being upon the very borders of the points in dif
ference, . . this ' Apology' was made for want of patience to wait, and
out of that common design of ' acting* for yourselves and way, and to
lay in something beforehand with the Parliaraent and the People ; what
ever the Asserably raight chance to conclude : in a word, to play the
foregame, and to prepossess the rainds of men with a further high
" P. 228. >> P. 212. <: P. 233. " P. 234. ' P. 235. ' P. 236.

382 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
opinion of you and your way. But 1 believe God hath turned all to the
contrary, taking ' the wise in their own craftiness ;' " and this -apoJogy^
hath and will make more against you than any one thing you ever clicl .
" So soon as ever I read it over with deliberation I presentiy appre
hended it the beginning of your fall, in regard of your church way..
I believe this ' Apology,' considering all circumstances, was bom and
brought forth the most out of due time and order of any book put torth
this forty years." "^
" I cannot let pass, without some animadversions, the phrase used
by you, of your being Merabers of the Assembly. ; W^e have adven
tured ourselves :' a very significant and true expression. For I believe
you account this Asserably a gi-eat ' adventure' for your church way ;
and such a bottom as you would not have put it in, at least not so soon
if all the ways you could have devised under heaven would have hin
dered it. But it happened to you according to the proverb, ' Nothing
venture, nothing have ;' for, supposing there must be an Asserably, you
might perhaps, by being ' Merabers'-of it, do yourselves and way some
good; but by declining and refusing it, you had been certainly
lost!""* We are indebted to Edwards for his testimony conceming one me
morable circumstance in English history, from which it will be seen that
Independents had no share in promoting that measure. He tells us that
" The Parliament of England, upon great armies being raised against
them, needing helps, calls for the kingdom of Scotland to assist them.
Now, the Scots being for Presbyterial government, and against Inde
pendent ; and desirous of uniformity in government between the king
doms ; therefore, for gratifying the Scots, the Assembly is hke to be
swayed that way ! Is this ' the stream of public interest' raeant by you ?
Oh, how unworthy an insinuation is this ! And how prejudicial this will
be to the Reforraation in after times, I desire you to consider of in cool
blood ; and, what the enemies will say of it. The govemraent and
Reformation of this church was not free ; not according to the Word
of God ; but, what Scotiand would have, England's need of Scotland
made them at least swayed much to take up their government ! But
however this is insinuated, for the holding up the credit of your Cause
against the time the Assembly shall come to reject it as apocryphal, yet
I must tell you [that] you ' foresaw' that, which is no such ' stream of
public interest,' nor cause of disadvantage to you. For the Commis
sioners of the Church of Scotland were not sent hither to put their
government upon us ; but came as well to receive any light and help,
as to give ; and to come to us, in what should be found, upon debate,
more agreeable to the Word, as we to corae to them. And the Cove
nant of the kingdoms doth not tie us to the Reformation of the Church
of Scotland, but binds us to Reformation according to the Word of God
and the example of the best Reformed Churches ; and then requires
both of us and them a Uniformity ' according to the Word of God.'. .
Besides that, the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland, however
they be present in the Asserably to hear debates, and to give their rea-
- Job V. 13. I" P. 246. <^ p. 247, 248. <i p. 254

CHAP. LIV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 383
^ns, yet never gave their voices in any point that hath passed the
Asserably." *
" Brethren, there are many complaints, and that by your dear
friends, of retarding the work of Reformation by your means. You are
the renuyra to the ship under sails ; you are the spokes in the wheels of
the chariot of Reformation ! Parliaraent complains ; Asserably, city,
country, all coraplain of the work retarded, and all is resolved into you
Five principally. I could tell you many particular passages, but you
know what I raean. In a word, all the prelates and the papists can
not, nor do not so much hinder the work of Refonnation as you Five
Members of the Assembly. And the Lord, in mercy, work so, that by
occasion of you, and by means of your principles, and many persons of
your church way, there do not yet rise up another 'great mountain'
before Zerubbabel,'' to hinder the laying the ' headstone' of that build
ing the foundation whereof is laid," "^
" To speak truth, you were so much the People's darlings and
favourites, having such a power both with the People and with many in
Place, that not to oppose or ' reproach' your persons, but your opinions,
and -that collaterally and interpretatively, was enough to unsaint many
men as 'good' as yourselves, and to blast thera with many, for the pre
sent." "^ "Besides our 'reproaches during the time of your e.xile in
Holland, we have, since your retum from exile, even to this present
day, suffered many ' reproaches,' and lost all manner of ways — in narae,
estate, and friends — for nothing else but for appearing against the
Brovraists and Independents ; and how much, in the mean time, raost
of you have gained all manner of ways, is written with a sunbeam !" '
" Can any who know you, in what height you live, and what Grandees
of the times you are ; and how much you appear in public in the chief
places of resort, and have insinuated into so many great raen ; believe
that you would live contented with a subsistence, ' be it the poorest and
meauest ?* Let them believe you that will ! For my part, I am not
satisfied in the truth of it, but do suspect that if the Parliament should
make an offer to you to this purpose, [whether] you would refuse it." '
"There will be objected, a passage lately printed in a book of Mr.
Simpson's, that ' There have been as great defections both of ministers
and people unto errors under Presbyterial govemment as under any
other. As is clear in the Low Countries, where so raany rainisters and
people turned Anninians, Papists, Socinians.'. .s Though the churches
in the Low Countries are Presbyterial, yet withal there is a Toleration
of other churches and govemraent there ; which is one of the causes of
it, and hinders Presbyterial govemment ! A Toleration will spoil any
church and govemraent. If Presbyterial govei'nment be settled, and a
Toleration given in this Land, that will mar all. So that the Parlia
ment may be pleased to take notice by this, and observe the difference
between those churches which have no Tolerations, as Scotiand, Geneva,
and the Low Countries which grants a Toleration ; the one are pure in
doctrine, etc. ; the other, makes ' ministers and people' turn Arminians,
P. 259, 260. I" Zech. iv. 7. ' P. 269. " P. 273.
P. 2 74 f P 276. 5 " The Anatomist Anatomised," p. 10.

384 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES. I
Socinians, etc. ! There is another reason why it may so fall out in the
Low Countries; because Presbyterial government hath not its liee
course there in Synods, but it is much disturbed over [what] it is in
France, Geneva, Scotiand. Whereas by the Canons and Constitutions
in the Netheriands, there should be a National Synod once m three
years, tiiey have not, nor can procure one in twenty yeai-s and up
wards. And whereas Provincial Synods should be yeariy, they have
thera in sorae Provinces but once in five, and seven, years. Besides,
there are other disturbances in Presbyterial government, which hinder
the free course of it in Holland : many encroachments are made upon
the rights of their Church, due to them by virtue of their Discipline,
and therefore established. In a word, that Anabaptistical and Familis
tical spirit in many ; and the corrupt spirit and principles in others ;
with those principles of Toleration ; do rauch check and stop Presby
terial government from having its perfect work, and bringing forth its
full effects." "
To ward off what Edwards so deeply deplores and deprecates, near
" the close" of his "discourse" he writes, " I humbly beseech the Par
liament seriously to consider the depths of Satan in this design of a
Toleration : how this is now the last plot and design ; and by it would
undermine and frustrate the whole work of Reformation intended. Itis
his masterpiece for England; and for the effecting of it, lie comes and
moves, not in Prelates and Bishops, not in furious Anabaptists, etc., but
in holy men, excellent preachers, moderate and fair raen, not for a
Toleration of heresies and gross offences, but an ' allowance of a latitude
to sorae lesser differences witii peaceableness ;' this is candidus Ule
Diabolus, as Luther speaks ; and meridianu,s Diabolus, as Johannes
Gersonius and Beza express it ; ' coraing under the raerits of much
suffering and well deserving, clad in the white garments of innocence
and holiness.' '' In a word, could the Devil effect a Toleration, he would
think he had gained well by the Reformation, and made a good ex
change of the Hierarchy to have a Toleraticm for it !" "
In the practical application of his "discourse," Edwards says, "I
shall conclude this Antapology with turning myself to the Apologists.
— Brethren, I beseech and exhort you to search and ti-y your hearts
and ways, both in what raay be precedent to this 'Apology,' and with
what spirit and intentions you writ it ; that God should thus leave you
to yourselves to make such an 'Apology !' Let your consciences reflect
upon what is plainly laid down in this Answer, and do" not seek shifts
and subterfuges. Consider there is a special hand of God iu it; and
[that] it is not ordinary that both so many public and particular per
sons should appear in writing against a book, as have done against
yours: the Churches beyond the seas; the Coraraissioners of the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland ; with three distinct An
swers raade by particular persons ; besides, I hear another Answer is
coming forth. Certainly, the Lord left you, to humble you ; and that
you inight know what was in your hearts. Your gi-eat applause and
being cried up by the People ; your favour and power with many great
* 298. '' Luther, in Loc. Coram class, v. p. 24. "^ p. 303.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 385
persons ; your great estates and abundance ; your confidence of carry
ing anything, and saying anything ; your wisdom and great parts, were
too strong for you, and deceived you. Let my counsel be acceptable to
you : repent, repent of writing this 'Apology;' give glory to God, and
recant; and testify your repentance by dissolving your churches and
coming in to us !""

CHAP. LV.
PRYNNE AND BURTON, OPPONENTS.
It would seem to be barely credible, so few as they were ostensibly, that
the Apologetical party should thus have risen into the notoriety they
had already acquired. So soon does it appear truly, that by the obsta
cles they interposed, they were preventing their countrymen, all they
could, from escaping only out of one species of intolerable bondage into
another. That being so beset on either side, they were, however, ulti
mately driven to measures which cannot be fully vindicated, was more
the fault of their condition than of their intention ; which, carried out
faithfully, and unalloyed with the interference of civil authority, was
calculated to secure to all alike, that most equitable principle by which
all degrees of all classes can alone " stand fast" in the " liberty where
with Christ hath made us free."'' The peculiarity of the opposition they
had to endure may be judged of, in one instance, from " Twelve Con
siderable Serious Questions, Touching Church Governraent: Sadly
propounded, — out of a real Desire of Unity and Tranquillity in Church
and State, — to all Sober-rainded CJiristians, cordially affecting a speedy
Settied Reformation and Brotherly Christian Union in all our Churches
and Dominions, now miserably wasted with Civil unnatural Wars, and
deplorably lacerated with Ecclesiastical Dissensions. — By William
Prynne, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. — 1644.*' 4to. pp. 8.
That this production was designed to serve a party, more than to
serve Gospel "Trath, will appear from the extreme positions which it ad
vocates. Our own pui-pose in noticing Prynne's work, will be accom
plished in what we shall produce in connexion with "A Vindication of
Churches commonly called ' Independent :' Or a Brief Answer to two
Books; the one intituled ' Twelve Considerable Serious Questions,
Touching Church Government :' the other, ' Independency examined,
unmasked, refuted, etc. :' both, lately published by Williara Prynne,
of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. — By Henry Burton, a Brother of his, and late
Companion in Tribulation. — 1644." 4to. pp. 72.
After having recited from Prynne's title before the " Questions" the
description of those particularly addressed. Burton tells him, in an
Epistie, " Myself being one of these . . do, with the right-hand, take
your propositions as made to me among the rest, craving your leave to
return you a brotherly answer ; and brotherly in nothing more than by
» p. 305. '' Gal. M. I. ,
II. 2 0

386 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
a candid and christian dealing with you all along, and that also in a
matter of such high moment as concerns the ' kingdom' and glory of
Jesus Christ. The zeal whereof, is that alone which puts me upon this
task ; it being far beyond my thoughts that you and I, having been
fellow-sufferers, and spectacles to the world, upon that tragical stage of
antichristian tyranny, should ever come upon the theatre as antagonists,
one against the other ! . . And had not the book had your name in the
front, my stomack had not stooped so low as to take it up or down :
but because most raen are apt to take all upon trust whei e they find
Mr. Prynne's name engaged ; and the Cause 'being so precious as it hath,
by right, taken up my whole heart to become an advocate to plead the
excellency of it ; I could not, though the meanest of all, but for the love
of Christ constraining me, and by his grace assisting, undertake this
task : otherwise unwilling in hoe ulcere esse unguis, as the Roraan ora
tor said in another case. And this Answer was brought to the birth
soon after yours ; but it wanted a midwife, whereof you have plenty ;
and I have had many interruptions : nor ara I so quick of foot as you ;
but I may say as Jerome once, to young Augustine, ' Bos lassus fortius
figit pedem ;' and so, in the spirit of love, I come to your book."
Burton coraraences by saying, "You are for a 'speedy accomplish
ment' of a Refonnation ;" and so am I. And so our late Covenant taken,
binds every man to begin with hiraself, and those under hira ; and each
to prevent other in the work. But yet this is sooner said than done ;
for, ' shall a Nation be born at once P''' Shall a corrupt, profane, pollu
ted land, not yet washed frora her old superstitions ; not yet weaned frora
the Egyptian ' flesh pots ;''^ not yet wrought off frora the spirit of bon
dage ; become, all on a sudden, a reformed nation P But yet, ' optan
dum est ut fiat, conandum est ut fiat,' to use Augustine's words, of the
conversion of the Jews ; ' it were to be wished, and should be endea
voured:' but as Rome was not built in one day, nor 'the mystery of
iniquity' perfected in one day; so neither can Rome be so easily pulled
down in one day, nor can England become a Mount Sion in one day!
First, the old rubbish will require some time to be removed out of your
church-walls; but how much longer time, out of men's hearts where
they have [it hath] been so long, so fast, incorporated ! . . England is
generally ignorant of the mystery of Christ's Kingdora; the prelates
usurped all, suppressed altogether, this spiritual Kingdora : no rainisters
durst so rauch as mutter a word of it. Who durst say that men's con
sciences are subject to none but Christ P That Christ is the only Law
giver of his church P That the churches^of Christ ought not to be
burdened with any huraan ordinances : . .' that all rites and ceremonies
invented by raen, and imposed on raen, in God's service, are all a ' will-
worship,' condemned by the apostle P"* and the like. And yet we deny
not, that every raeraber in a church is to be subject to the officers
thereof holding out the Word, for conscience' sake. . .' A Reformation,
therefore, such as God requires, will necessarily require longer time yet,
that we raay not go blindfolded about it . .
" Had I been accounted worthy to be reckoned among those 'reverend
" Prynne, p. 2, '' Isai. Ixvi 8. c Exod xvi 3
•^ Col. ii. 23. ' Heb. xiii. 17.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. S87
friends,' — to have been made acquainted with such a purpose, — I should
have used all 'importunity' seasoned with strong reasons, to have dis
suaded you from those ' subitane apprehensions.' — And seeing I come
to know thera, though somewhat too late, . . though I know you to be
a very 'helluo librorum,' — of vast and indefatigable reading, — and to
have a stomach proportionable, of a. strong digestion ; yet give me leave
to tell you, as my loving and beloved friend and brother, that the
subject you here deal with, is not of so easy a digestion, as that 'sub
itane,' or sudden, 'apprehensions' thereof may be well said to be di
gested!'. ."
" Passing along, Brother, I find your Questions turned into your
own resolutions, so as, instead of debating them by ' sober-minded' men,
you forestall them, and tell us that these ' Independents,' as you style
them, ' are guilty of aiTogancy, schism, contumacy ; and liable to such
^ Prynne had opened his Questions thus : " Having neither leisure nor opportu
nity to debate the late unhappy differences sprung up amongst us touching Church-
government ; disputed at large by Mr. Herle, Dr. Stewart Mr. Rutherfurd, Mr. Ed
wards, Mr. Dury, Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, Mr. Simpson, and others; which much
retard the speedy accomplishment and establishment of that happy Reformation we
all earnestly pray for, and, at least pretend, cordially to desire, 1 have— at the im
portunity of some Reverend friends [1] — digested ray subitane apprehensions of these
distracting controversies into the ensuing Considerable Questions ; which, sadly pon
dered and solidly debated by sober-rainded, peaceably-disposed, men, of greater
ability and vacancy for such a work, than I enjoy, raay put a happy period to all
our dissensions about this subject ; and heartily unite our divided judgraents [and]
afi'ections, the better to secure ourselves against tbe common enemies, who prevail
most by our divisions." — Dury's tract intended, is probably, "An Epistolary Dis
course, wherein, amongst other particulars, these following Questions are briefly
resolved ; — 1. 'Whether or not, the State should tolerate the Independent Govern
ment ? 2. If they should tolerate it ; how far and with what limitations 1 3. If they
should not tolerate it; what course should be taken to bring them to a conformity
with tbe Presbyterials ?- — 'Written by Mr. John Dury to Mr. Thomas Goodwin, Mr.
Philip Nye, Mr. Sarauel Hartlib. Published by a Friend, for more comraon use.
— Julii 27, 1644. Imprimatur, James Cranford, 1644." 4to. pp. 41. This was
followed by " Some few Considerations Propounded as so many Scruples by Mr.
Henry Robinson, in a Letter to Mr. John Dury, upon bis Epistolary Discourse.
[London, Nov. 5, 1644. pp. 10.]" Being the first part of a pamphlet of forty-six
pages, 4to., but all printed in 1646. It is not in our plan to give the particulars of
the perhaps well-intended but certainly Utopian, pursuit of Dury, through a long
course of years and with much employment of the press, to endeavour a pacificatiou
and agreement of all the Protestant Churches throughout the World, and during
which pursuit he actually sustained in succession, in bis own person, the respective
ministries in Episcopalian, Presbyterian, and, according to Wood, Ath, Oxon, vol. ii.
4to. p. 420, Independent churches. We cannot but think, therefore, that ihougb he
temporarily staved off, as it were, tbe effects of the impressions produced hy Robin,
son's " Scruples," yet their pungency was never allayed. See a curious paragi-aph
respecting Dury, Scoticfe " Durie," in Baillie's Letters, No. 50 ; to Spang, April 19,
1644. One of his pieces is, "A Model of Church Governraent: Or, The Grounds
of the Spiritual Frame and Government of the House of God. Showing, What the
Holy Scriptures have therein delivered: Wbat the best Reformed Churches do
practise : What the Tender Consciences may rest in. For the better Satisfaction of
such as scruple at the Work of Reformation, declared and appointed by several Ordi
nances of Parliament. By John Dury, one of the Assembly of Divines ,- who hath
travelled heretofore in the work of Peace among the Churches. 1647." 4to. pp. 56.
On the first page of the Preface, he tells the Reader, " I think myself bound to declare
this. That I am under a Vow to prosecute upon all occasions, as long as I live, the
ways of evangelical reconciliation amongst Protestants." He seems to have died a
" Quaker." Wood, sup. p. 421, nole 10.
2 C 2

388 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
penalties as are due to these offences, in case they shall not submit to
such a Public Church-govemment, — rites, discipline, — as a Synod and
Parliament shall conceive most consonant to God's Word, etc' And
all along, your Queries are so ' digested' by you, as that they cast up a
very ill scent, if not rather a judicial sentence, against those chtirches
which, not honoris causa, you name ' Independents.'. . Thus much of
your proera, or preface. . .
" Let rae preraise this, as an oLTrjfia which I must deraand of you as
due to ray profession. That forasmuch as you are a leamed lawyer, and
able to speak much of laws, and customs of nations and churches ; and
rayself ara a professor of divinity, the rules and principles whereof are
all of them laid down in the Scriptures unto which, alone, all questions
about faith and religion are so reducible, and finally determinable,as whoso
denieth this, denieth the faith and is not to be disputed with, as a denier
of principles ; therefore I require of you as a christian brother, to join
issue with rae in this point, "That all your questions raay be resolved by
clear Scriptures, and reason evidently deduced from them ; and this,
with all brevity and perspicuity.
" Now to your first question ; the sum whereof is,
• Whether every several nation, republic, and national church, hath not, under
the Gospel," a liberty and latitude left them to choose and settle such an orderly
form of church-government, discipline, and ecclesiastical rites, as is most suitable
to tbeir particular Civil government, laws, manners, customs ; . . being not repug
nant to tbe Word of God? . . This being, as I conceive, a generally received truth
araong all Protestant churches.''. . And, whether sorae things in all church govern
ments, — discipline, cereraonies whatsoever, — are not and must not be left to hu
man prudence ; for which there is no direct precept nor pattern, in sacred writ 1
Which truth, is assented to by all parties, churches, whatsoever, in theory or prac
tice? . .'
" To your quotation [marginal note] of the Harraony, I will answer
one for all. 'We condemn not traditions of holydays, of the Lord's day,
of the nativity, of Easter, and the rest, for a politic end:'" here, you see,
they put the observation of the Lord's day among human ' traditions ;'
which, I suppose, you do not approve ! Again; they allow only such
observations [observances ?] as God, 'by the raoral law and the voice of
nature itself, commandeth.''' And, thirdly, ' That human rites be not
imposed;' 'That men's consciences be not burdened.'' And [nowj in a
word, to shape religion, in point of ' church-govemment, etc.,' to every
'nation, republic, etc.,' and so to 'human prudence,' as you say, what
is it but to shape a coat for the moon P Whereas the Scriptures hold
forth unto us but only one form of 'church government' and 'discipline,'
which ought not to be altered according to the diversity of human laws
and customs in all kingdoms and commonwealths, as you affirra. And
whereas you raake a proviso — 'always provided' — every thing 'be con
sonant, and no way repugnant, to the Word of God;' to what purpose is
this, when the very liberty you give of altering 'church-governraent'
' 1 Cor. xiv. 40 ; xi. 34.
l" Harraony of Confessions. Sect. 10, II, 26. [16, in Prynne :] ["The very sub
stance of the 34th Article of the Church of England." Ibid.'\
' Sect. 16, August Confessio 4. " Traditiones de feriis, &c."
'' Observationes brevissimae in totam Harmoniam. Sect. 19.
, " Ne conscientiae onerentur." App. sect 10.

CHAP. LV.] RELATTNG TO INDEPENDENTS. 389
and 'discipline' as may be 'suitable' to human laws and customs, is it
self ' repugnant' and no way ' consonant' to the Word of God ? as we
shall show, by-and-by. This is ' to transform the church into a hu
man polity;* ' these imaginations,' or fancies, 'have, in all ages from
the beginning of the world, hm-t the church, and will always hurt.'"
Thus the Harmony.''
" Whereas you seem to challenge us ' infallibly' to evidence by any
Gospel text, ''That Christ hath peremptorily prescribed one and the self
same form of ecclesiastical government, discipline, rites, to all nations,
churches, in all particulars, from which they raay, in no case, vary; un
der pain of raortal sin, schism, or being no true churches of Christ, with
whom good Christians may not safely coraraunicate :' first. What evi
dence, from Scripture, can you bring why it should not, necessarily,
be so ?
" You would seem to make this a ground why 'church-govemment,
etc.,' should be alterable, according to the several laws and customs of
several nations ; because, say you, ' Christ' enjoined the preaching of the
Gospel, 'to all nations and people whatsoever, who have their several es
tablished different foi-ras, etc' By this reason [ing], you might argue.
That therefore, the ' Gospel' itself raay be preached variously, according
to the variation of the cliraate !"^ And if not so, then, say I , neither is
the 'church-govemment, etc.,' to be varied according to the diversity of
nations, laws, customs, cliraates: for the church government and dis
cipline now, in the time of the Gospel, ' is a part of the Gospel ;'"* as
being the Gospel-government and discipline of the evangelical churches.
And, why should you think that Christ, now, ' under the Gospel,' or
New Testament, hath left a greater ' liberty' to men to alter that foi-m
of church-goverraent, etc., which, in the New Testament, is laid down,
than he did, in the Old Testament, under the Levitical law ? . . ' But
some will say, When the tribes of Israel were reduced under a kingly
govemment, as in David's time, the service of God was in greater state
and extemal pomp when the Temple was built than it was before in
the Tabernacle : whereby it may appear that there was a liberty left to
David to alter the form of worship so as was suitable to the regal state !
But I answer. Here was no liberty left to man to alter anything in the
worship of God, or in the church-govemment. . . ^ And you know, it
was never left to the kings of Judah to do the least thing in point of
reforraation, but only to see that the priests do all strictly, — not any
thing, as seeraed good to thera, but all, — according to the precise rule
of the law, 2 Chron. xxxi. Now, was the Lawgiver so strict under the
Old Testament, and is he grown raore reraiss under the New ? — In
Ezekiel's vision of the temple, or church in the tirae of the Gospel,
chap, xliii. 10, 1 1, we read of a ' pattern, form, fashion,' of every par-
' Vide Appendices locorura.
l" " See also, the close of Gualter's Homilies, in the Acts."
' " Not but that we grant a variety in the method and raanner in point of circum
stance, so [that] the substance be kept ; as repentance from dead works, and faith
towards our Saviour Jesus Christ : so [too] in church-government." Marg.
^ See this position remarked upon, in R. Hooker's Eccles. Polity. Bk. III.
«ec. 3, 10.
' Exod. xxv. 40 ; Heb. viii. 5. ' 1 Chron. xxviii. 19.

390 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES 1.
ticular thing.  Or, are men more wise and more faithful now ihati
David was, that Christ should trust every nation with such a ' liberty'
as this. To alter and diversify church-governraent, etc., so as raight be
most agi-eeable to this or that kingdom's, coinraonweal's, country's 'cus
tom,' commodity, conveniency ? As for your ' national church' here men
tioned, we shall take a just ' measure' of it when we come to your ninth
question. And whereas you quote, in the margin, 1 Cor. xiv. 40, and
xi. 34, on which you ground your ' liberty' to fonn your church-govern
raent, etc., suitably to each ' particular civil governraent :' alas, brother,
these very Scriptures our Prelates abused to raaintain their unlimited
liberty of setting up their rites and ceremonies as suitable to the civil
government ! Which absurdity, I have fully repelled in ray ' Reply to
Canterbury's Relation.'. . ° We should have a raad world of it, if civil
states, in several countries, should have liberty to frarae church-govern
raent, etc., as should" most suit with their particular conditions ! . . Thus
carae to be erected the hierarchical church-govemraent in all pomp and
points ' suitable' with the Roman monarchy : so dangerous is that
' liberty' which brings such bondage !
" Your second question is
'Whether, if any kingdora or nation shall, by a national council, synod, and par
liaraent upon serious debate, elect such a public churcb-governnient — rites, disci
pline — as they conceive to be raost consonant to God's Word : to tbe laws [and]
government under which they live, and [to the] manners of their people ; and
then settie thera by a general law ; all, particular churches, merabers of that
kingdom and nation, be not thereby actually obliged, in point of conscience and
Christianity,'' readily to subrait thereto, and noways to seek an exemption from it ;
under pain of being guilty of arrogancy, schism, contumacy, and liable to such
penalties as are due to these offences?'
" I answer ; that is, ' Whether the kingdom and nation of England,
etc. ?' The sum is, you would here make way for a political state-church-
govemraent, or a mixt church-governraent ; partly according to ' God's
Word,' and partly ' to the laws and govemraent under which we live,'
and partly to the ' manners of the people.' Humano capiti cervicem
jungere eqiiinara ! or, Populo ut placerent, etc. ! Truly, brother, your
very question is heretical ; you raust pardon the expression, which,
otherwise, would not come home to the full tmth. And your word
' elect' imports no less : . . as men ' conceive,' is of the sarae significa
tion with a'lpeaiQ . . a taking up a heresy upon human election : . . for
you say not, such a 'church-governraent' as is most consonant to ' God's
Word ;' but, such 'as they conceive' to be most consonant So [that]
you hang your ' church-governraent' upon men's conceit or opinion
of consonancy . . and not upon a real and essential consonancy. Just
like the Prelate of Canterbury who, in his ' Relation,' hangs the credit
of the Scripture upon the author and ' the opinion we have,' saith he,
' of his sufficiency ;' which I have noted in my Reply. But thus you
open a wide sluice to let in an ocean of inundation of all sorts of religion
into all parts of the world ! . . We need go no further, for the disfran
chising of this your ' liberty,' . . your own words are dtriarara, they
cannot cohere, in any true theological sense ; for, first, we ought not to
" 1640.
* 1 Cor. xiv. 32, G3 ; Rom. xiii. 1, 2 ; 1 Pet. ii. 13—15 ; 1 Cor. x. 32, 33.

CHAP. LV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 391
assume, or pretend a ' liberty' as left us of God, when we want our evi
dence, and are not able to produce our Magna Charta, the Scripture ;
and this, nor you, nor any raan, can do. Again ; nothing is more pre
sumptuous than to attempt to mingle heaven and earth together ; that
is, to mingle Christ's kingdom with the kingdoms of the world, or to
these, to frarae and fashion that ; which, what is it else but to set up a
Babylonish church-govemment P Did the aposties thus ? Did they
frame Christ's kingdom and church-govemment to the laws and customs
of the Roman empire P Or, did they vary their orders for church-
govemment, etc., according to the ' different manners and customs' of
those nations, countries, or provinces, vshere they planted their churches ?
Had they one order for the church of Corinth, and another for the
churches of Galatia, and a third for the churches of Asia, and the rest ?
No ! but, ' so ordain I in all churches,' saith the 'apostle ; " and ' con
ceming the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches
of Galatia, even so do ye :' '' so also, for making of ministers and other
church-officers ! "^
" Again : your ' church-govemment* must be conceived to be ' conso
nant to God*s Word ;' yet witii this restriction, or limitation, that it be
also ' consonant' to the ' laws and governraent under which' we ' live.'
You speak, indeed, like a pure lawyer and one that will stand for your
profession, were this the way to uphold it : but cannot your law and
our Gospel cotton [unite] together, unless the Gospel wear the law's
livery, like to your Sergeant's gown, raade up of two several colours ?
Or unless law and Gospel be woven together into a linsey-woolsey gar
ment ? . . Certainly, a State stands strongest while raost consonant to
God's Word and to the ' church-govemraent, etc.,' of Christ ; and not
when Christ's kingdom and government are raade ' suitable' to the laws
and customs of tiie State ! . . The kingly government of Christ ; in his
church, is not to be fashioned and moulded according to the laws and
customs of temporal and civil States ; but, contrarily, the laws of civil
states are to be reduced to the rule of God's Word. . . If another Refor
mation shall be set up, wherein the people's ' manners' shall be no
less looked upon than in the former, — as you here do more than seem
to plead for, — I can conjecture, if not certainly divine, what a Refor
mation. . your Church of England is like to have : for if you ask the
Prelatical party, consisting of multitudes of their priests and of their
ignorant and profane people, together with all the King's army, they
will all, with one voice and vote, roar it out at the Canon's raouth, We
will have the bishops' ' church-government and discipline' continued
without alteration ! If ye ask the ordinary Protestant professors at large,
they cry. No, no ; not that : but we will have such a church-govem
ment as, under which, we may enjoy no less liberty for our ' manners'
than we had under the prelates !
"But you refer us to the 'serious debate' of a 'national council,
synod, [andJ parliament :' but yet give us leave to put a vast difference
between all these and the Scripture, Christ's own voice ! . . If we can
find out the mind of Christ by his immediate voice, we dare not sus
pend our belief and practice of it until we have it at the second-hand
» I Cor. vii. 17. " 1 Cor. xvi. 1. "^ Acts i. 15, &c. ; xiv. 23.

392 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHAKLES 1,
from men : . . commended unto us to be such as men ' conceive' to be . ,
'consonant to God's Word.' Yet, forasmuch as we dare not 'pin our
souls upon men's sleeves, as not knowing whither they might possibly
carry them ;' " therefore we must examine all raen's determinations in
matters of religion by searching the Scriptures : . . for the Bereans are
commended as the ' more noble' in that they examined, diligently and
' daily' even the apostle's doctrine by the Scriptures ; '' and much raore
are we to ' try the spirits' "= of men that are not apostles, and so not
immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost with infallibility of truth, as
never any general council, after the apostles, hath been : so as you
know how miserably and shamefully general councils have erred. . .
And it cannot be unknown to you that even this Assembly of Divines
are of different judgments about ' church-governraent, etc.;' nor have
they, perhaps, had so much tirae, since their being under the pre
lacy, as to be thoroughly inforraed of the way of churches comraonly
called ' Independent,' but that raany of them may possibly gain much
more knowledge of it by spending some more time and study in it.
" You seem to lead them such a way, — should they follow you, — as
would necessarily bring them into an inevitable and inextricable enor
in case they should 'elect such a public church-govemraent, rites, etc,
as they conceive to be raost consonant to God's Word, to the laws,
government, under which we live, and manners of tbe people ;' for if
they look upon the ' manners of the people ;'. . some raen raight ' con
ceive' that 'such' a church-govemraent, etc., were 'most' suitable . . to
such ' manners' as cannot easily be brought to ' enter in at the strait
gate' and ' narrow way' that leads into Christ's kingdora. "* And what
' church-governraent, etc.,' soever coraes not full-home, in all things, to
the ' 'V\''ord of God,' is not that which is ' consonant' thereunto. . .
Worthy of our observation is that of the Lord to the prophet Jeremy,
XV. 19, 'If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thoushalt be as
my mouth : let them return unto thee ; but return not thou unto thera.'
Whereupon, the most leamed interpreter, — as the leamed Beza con
stantly styles hiin, — Calvin, among other excellent observations on this
place, thus concludeth, ' The sum is, that the Truth of God ought not
to be bended according to man's will, or conceit, because God is not
mutable ; so neither doth his Word adrait of any change.'' Now,
the fonn of church-govemment, etc., laid down in the New Tes
tament, is a doctrine of Christ, and no more alterable according to the
varieties of raen's ' customs' and 'manners' in all nations and ages, than
the Gos])el itself is, which the apostie would not have to be altered into
another Gospel : ' though another Gospel cannot be ; as neither another
kingdom of Christ, another church-govemment, another church-disci
pline, ought not to be, but that alone which we find in God's Word ;
which must not be reduced or conformed, — as a nose of wax, to which
the papists, as Hosius and Pighius do compare the Scripture, — to the
fashions of woridly govemments and popular manners, but these must
" Camden's Remains. _ i> Acts xvii. 11.
- 1 John iv. 1. ¦ ^ Matt vit 13, 14.
« Sumraa est, veritatem Dei non debere flecti ad hominem arbitrium, quia Deus
non mutatur, ita nec verbum ejus uUam varietatem admittit ' Gal. i. 8 9.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 393
be conformed to the Scripture. " Hence it may appear how rough your
conclusion of this question is, if to such a general law as you propose,
' all particular churches, members of this kingdom and nation,' should
not yield to be ' actually obliged in point of conscience and Christianity,'
and ' readily to submit thereunto, and noways to seek an exemption from
it ; under pain of being guilty of arrogancy, schism, etc' Good brother,
be not so legal ! What if that Resolution of an Asserably, and that
general Law for the confirraation of it, be such as the ' conscience' of
godly people cannot, without sin, subrait thereunto P Must they either
violate their consciences, or be undone by your unavoidable, intolerable,
' penalties,' as both to suffer in their good naraes for arrogant, contu
macious schismatics, yea, and in their consciences too, under the guilt of
these; and to be liable to I wot not what 'penalties' besides, and ' no
ways to seek an exeraption ?' Why, good brother, if we should go and
live under the Turkish government, and could not in ' conscience' tum
Turks in the religion there by law established, yet there is a way ' to
seek an exemption' frora it ; naraely, by becoming tributary to that
State, as many Christians do ! Good brother, let us not have any of
Draco's laws executed upon innocents. And reraember how, not long
ago, the prelates served us ; we could not have the benefit of law, of
appeal, no 'exemption' from blood-letting, and ear-cropping, and pil
lorying, etc., and shall we now tum worse persecutors of the saints,
than the prelates were P ' Non ignara mali miseris succurrere disco,'
said that heathen princess. *"
" But in the margin you put some places of Scripture to prove this !
. . The first is, ' The spirits ofthe prophets are subject to the prophets :'"=
and what of this ? ergo. The spirit of all the prophets in England must
be subject to the prophets in the Assembly ! . . The other places quoted
by you are no less misapplied : will they prove, trow you, blind obedi
ence ! . . Brother, make it clear unto us that an assembly of men, learned,
pious, — what you will, — living in ages succeeding the apostles, have or
ever had, infallibility of judgment so as to say, ' It pleased the Holy
Ghost and us' "* to raake these decrees : . . for when you can resolve us
of their conclusions no further than 'as they conceive to be consonant
to the Word of God,' alas. Sir, you leave us in a wood, or raaze ; . .
for you know what variety of conceits many men have : quot capita,
tot sententiae, . . In the conclave at Viterbium, after alraost three years'
agitation about the election of a new pope, — as many years as we have
been about to set up a Reformation, and the foundation not yet laid, —
each cardinal ambitiously aspiring to be the pope, one of them rose up
and said ' Domine, etc., let us uncover tiie roof of this chamber, seeing
the Holy Ghost cannot get in unto us through so raany tiles.'. .
" I corae now to your third and fourth questions : but, lest my answers
may prove too voluminous, and so fastidious, to every-day-news readers,
I shall, in the rest contract myself. And this I must do by trussing up
your questions within the lists pf a syllogism, respectively ; for, as I
noted before, all your questions are rather conclusive than interrogatory,
rather positive resolutions than unresolved questions. The sum, there-
" Rom. xii. 2. " " Dido :" Virg. Mn. I. 630.
' 1 Cor. xiv. 32. ^ Acts xv. 28.

394 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
fore, of your third and fourth questions — for this dependeth on that — is
reduced into- this syllogism : —
That, which bath ' sufficient' if not best warrant for it in the New Testament j the
examples of the primitive church, etc., most prevents heresies, schisms, injustice ;
is to be received as a true and undoubted church-governraent, and to be preferred
before that which hath no such express warrant in Scripture, no pattern for it, in
the priraitive, or best Reformed churches, etc. : But the Presbyterial form of church-
government, if rightly ordered, bath ' sufficient,' if not best, warrant for it in the
New Testament, etc. ; the Independent, not so ; Therefore, the forraer is to be pre
ferred and received before the latter, without any long debate 1
" Both your proposition [and assumption] are lame, and interfere
one against the other : ' sufficient, if not best wanant,' will not prove so
sufficient a warrant as if there be found a better ; and so your argu
raent [conclusion] by crossing . . itself, falleth to [thej ground.
Again ; your ' Presbyterial' government hath neither ' best' nor any
' sufficient wan-ant' as we judge, ' in the New Testament ;' no nor any
' warrant' at all in God's 'Word : but the true form of churcb-govem-
ment hath both ' sufficient' and, without comparison, 'best, warrant' in
the Scripture ; and . . let me tell you, that that which you call ' Inde
pendent' is the only true, original, and primitive 'presbyterial!' Which
presbytery, is proper and peculiar to every particular church of Christ:
and is not a presbytery collective of raany churches by way of juris
diction, one or raany over each, or of a ' national church' as you tenn
it ; for neither of these can you find either in the New Testaraeut or in
the Old. In the Old, we read of one church, to wit, that of the nation
of the Jews, but that whole ' church' " was one entire congi-egation ;
they had one church-officer over all ; it is called ' the tabernacle ofthe
congregation,' '' in the singular ; and they all *= asserabled three times in
the year at Jerusalem, in the Temple, where they offered sacrifice, and
not elsewhere : so as that church was a type of every particular church
of Christ under the New Testament, as being both one entire church
and absolute ; subject to no other form of government but only that of
the only lawgiver and mediator, Jesus Christ; and no pattern of any
such ' national church' as you would have. Every particular church
now, consisting of visible saints, is under Christ as the only head, "*
king, ' governor, ^ lawgiver, s of it; and so is subject to no other juris
diction than that of Christ, his Spirit, his Word. Were there no other
particular church in the world than one, as that of Abraham's family,
should it not be a complete church until there were other churches on
whose jurisdiction it should depend ? Though, for ordinary families,
they cannot have such a number as is requisite to make up a ministerial
body, and so are bound to unite to others for this end. "We hold cora
munion and consociation of churches for counsel in doubts, and corafort
in distress ; but we deny any such combination of churches as whereby
the true liberty of every particular church is taken away : and this
coramunion of churches doth no less, if not more, ' prevent' heresies,
schisms, injustice, than your ' Presbyterial !' Nor can you show reason
to the contrary ; and yet would you have our churches more perfect
than those of the apostles' own planting and gathering, i" as to be alto-
" Acts vii. 38. b Exod. xxix. 44. "- Deut. xvi. 16. "i Eph. i. 22.
' Psal. ii. 6. ' Matt ii. 6. K Jas. iv. 12. '' 1 Cor. xi. 1 9.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 395
gether exempt from 'heresies, etc.'. . All those particular churches which
the aposties planted, were all of absolute authority amongst theraselves
respectively, and, equal one to the other : you cannot show us one rule
or example to the contrary ; that in Acts xv. is a transcendent, and
stands alone, not to be paralleled ; and therefore very impertinently ob
jected by many, before you. . .
" For ' pattern' in the priraitive churches after the aposties, we are
not curious to seek it in the corrupt cunent of succeeding ages, when
we find it in the pure fountain. [Still] it appears, say the Centu-
rists, 'that the government of churches in the second hundredth
year, was almost popular; every church had equal power of
ordaining or casting out, if need were, those ministers they had ordain
ed :' " with other things, very material, in that whole Title. *" And for
' the best Reformed churches,' if in them we cannot find that ' pattern'
so fully followed as the Scripture holds forth . . we crave leave, without
prejudice, to take it, as we find it in the Word, without the least varia
tion : and you may know [that] in the beginning of Protestant Refor
mation, they could [not] so clearly see in the dawning as we may now
in the meridian, if we will but open our eyes. The Reforraed churches
have taken up, one or other of them, upon the raatter, the main things
we contend for. The Church of Holland receive none to the Table,
nor to vote as a raeraber, . . but such as first give satisfaction to the
Eldership, and then to the Congregation ; and, have a fonn of Covenant
propounded by them. "^ The French churches exercise excommuni-
" Cent I. Cap. vii., tit, De Consociatione Eccles.
'' As also, in tit, De Synodis Privatis.
c " Tbe predominant church in the Netherlands, prior to 1795, was that of the
Reformed. By every departure from the formulary, as well as for the correction
of those abuses to which the authority of the General Synod did not extend, tbe
secular arm might be called in. Tbe whole of this system fell to the ground in the
last mentioned year ; and the Established Church, then separated from the State,
no longer enjoys any civil privileges. The present constitution of this country se
cures to all forms of worship, equal favour and protection." W. Steven, M. A., in
his " Brief View of the Dutch Eccles. Establishraent," appended to " The Hist of
the Scottish Church, Rotterdara, 1833." p. 383. Speaking of their raodern practice,
this writer tells us, " In Holland, clergymen are familiarly, but as a term of respect
called ' Dominies.'. . They generally read their discourses ; and sometiraes, though
rarely, their prayers. . . Accorapanied by an elder, they regularly make a professional
visit to their members, from house to house, twice a year, immediately before the
season of communion. They are also particularly careful whom they admit to the
Lord's Table. Young people attend them for years together, for catechetical instruc
tion. As auxiliaries, independent of the ministers, there are also subordinate
licensed male and female teachers of religion, who keep private preparatory classes,
and receive a small gratuity from their pupils. . . The sacrament of the Supper is
administered once a quarter ; . . and in the course of the week immediately pre
ceding . . there is a preparation service, towards the conclusion of which, all the
intending communicants stand up and answer in the affirmative, in presence of
the congregation, a few questions put from the pulpit, comprehending a declaration,
That they believe, with all their heart, the doctrine which tbey have confessed ; that
tbey resolve, through Divine grace, to adhere to that doctrine, and to lead a chris
tian life ; and that they will submit to tbe superintendence and the discipline of the
church. .'. Members of other Protestant congregations in the Netherlands are ad
missible to communion with the Reformed Church, provided that their moral
character is unobjectionable." P. 392, 393.

396 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
cation in their particular congregations, though with liberty of
appeal. . .
" Lastly : for ' appeals' in case of injustice, you know, brother, that if
injustice be done in any civil matter, [and] redress may not be had by
the raediation of the church whereof the parties are raerabers, then the
Law is open there [in that case] to appeal [to] for justice: and if it
be about the church's censure for sorae miscarriage of a raeraber towards
the church or any raeraber thereof, [then] if the censure be unjust,
the party grieved may desire to have his cause heard by some other
churches who may, accordingly, deal with their sister church to require
a brotherly account of the whole business : . . and, if it be in raatter of
opinion, here the appeal lies principally, and in the first place, to the
Scripture as the suprerae judge ; if the thing be obscure and too hard
for that [any] church to resolve by the Scripture, then to call in the
help of other churches for their best information. In sum ; there is no
case can fall out, in any church, which hath not as many helps by a
free comraunion of churches wherein every church's peculiar liberties
and privileges are preserved as they ought to be, as any [helps] you
can name to be in your obligatory combination of churches whereby the
liberty of each church is, by common consent, sold over to others, by
which it [each church] ceaseth now to be a free church of Christ under
his only jurisdiction. . . So as, hereby, great mischiefs raay redound even
to the purest church when once things come to be carried by the vote
of a general or classical assembly of Divines swaying things besides the
rule, and stretching thera beyond their line ; and, therefore, famous was
that saying of Nazianzen's, ' That he never saw any good to come of
general councils :' " because, comraonly, camelionlike, they change their
hue with the nearest object, coraplying with the condition of the pre
sent tiraes and States : as, suppose, prelatical spirits should turn to be
your Presbyterians ; or, as when, — in case the Lord Christ shall resume
his kingdom over his churches in a civil state, — we should, perhaps,
see sorae of your Presbyterians as fast to turn Independents, were the
preferments suitable ! . . Brother, why should godly rainisters, indeed,
be yoked with such earth-worms and Mammonists '' as are in sorae pa
rishes, and as sorae of your Presbyterian combination would necessitate
us unto ? . .
" The fifth question is reduced thus :
That, whose grounds and reasons tend, inevitably, to endanger, overthrow, and
embroil, ecclesiastical or civil forms of government, ought not to be suffered : But
such is the Independent church-govemment ; it tends, inevitably, etc. . Therefore
it ought not to be suffered.
" I deny the assuraption. The grounds and reasons of tme church-
govemraent do not, in their own nature, tend to the endangering, etc."'. .
If they produce any such effect, it is only accidental ; and the raain
cause is in such ecclesiastical or civil bodies, when they show some anti
pathy, in their constitution, to Christ's kingdom. . .
* Ad. Procop. Ep. 42.
>> " He is one very raeanly gifted, now-a-days, that will be wooed and won to take
a Benefice under a hundred, or six-score, pounds." P. 21.
"^ Confess, of Augsburg, art. vii., in Harra. Confess, sect II.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 397
" The sixth question : the sum whereof is.
That which, from the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel downwards till
this present age, had no being in the world, can, doubtless, be no church-govern
ment of Christ's or his apostles': But such — you say — is the government of Indepen
dent churches : Therefore, not Christ's or the apostles' church-govemment
" I deny your assumption : and, for further answer thereto, I refer
you to my answer to your third and fourth questions. . . You can never
prove yom' classical or synodical jurisdiction of either a provincial
church, as you call it, or a general council over every particular church,
to have the least footing or being at all in the Scriptures. In the eccle
siastical histories for the first two hundred years we find, as was noted
above, sufficient ground for it [communion with sister churches], but
none for the combined, coercive Presbytery ; let that be shown. After
wards, indeed, as times grew worse, you find your ' patriarchal, metro -
political, prelatical, national, provincial, church-govemments ; general
and provincial councils, subordination and subjection of the lesser
churches to the greater :'. . And if ' the mystery of iniquity' began to
' work' " even in the aposties' own times ; which was the very hierarchy
itself in the affectation of primacy, as we see practised by Diotrephes,
who is noted to be o jiiXoTrpiaTerxav, a lover of primacy, or pre-eminence,
and that above the apostle John himself, with other like suitable prac
tices ! '' . . But suppose there were no examples to be found of it [ab
solute and free churches] in church-story, . . nevertheless you know,
brother, when a man's evidences of lands are lost, there be public records,
as the rolls of Chancery, where they may be found again ; and if there
they he found, will you not allow them, because the man cannot other
wise show thera P Now we have the Sacred Scriptures, where our evi
dences are safely recorded : suffice it then, that there we show them !
The contrary opinion doth raanifestly establish traditions unwritten, as
the papists do. And to give the reader some intimation, how the
churches of Christ came . . in short time after the apostles, to lose their
liberties, I note that passage in Ambrose [bishop of Milan] who lived
within the fourth century : upon 1 Tira. v. 17, ' The Jews' synagogue,
and afterwards the Christian church, had Elders, without whose counsel
nothing was done in the church : which, by what neglect it grew out
of use, I know not, unless it were, perhaps, the sloth or rather pride
of the Teachers ; whilst, alone, they would seem to be somebody.'. . "
This is the greater rarity and antiquity ; and much to be wondered at,
how it escaped the ' Expurgatory Index' by those that were the first
fathers of ' the mystery of iniquity,' that they did not quite expunge
this record also, that not a pin of the old patteiTi should remain. Now,
that the church there . . was a particular congregation answerable to the
synagogue . . cannot be denied : whereby all may clearly see in how
short a tirae the governraent of churches instituted by Christ and his
aposties came to be changed, from being free churches to become ser
vile, and subject to the usurpation of the greater ; the prelates and their
" 2 Thess. ii. 7. '' 3 John 9, 10.
" " Synagoga, et postea Ecclesia Seniores habuit quorum sine consilio nihil
agebatur in Ecclesia. Quod qua negligentia obsoleverit nescio, nisi Doctorum
desidia, aut magis superbia, dum soli volunt aliquid videri." Comraent in cap. v.
Epist. i. ad. Tim.

398 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
clergy now making up the church : . . Christ's kingdom, now being
turned into an oligarchy, or oligarchical tyranny. . .
" The seventh question is thus reduced ;
Those churches which do not conform their government to some one or other
public form of civil government dividing themselves into many parochial churches,
dioceses, provinces ; but do gather churches not out of infidels, but of men already
converted to and settied in the Christian faith, and do admit them into the church
by way of covenant ; no one example, or direct Scripture, reason, or authority, can
be produced to satisfy conscience of their lawfulness : But such are the Independent
churches; they do not conform as aforesaid: Therefore, conscience cannot be satis
fied of their lawfulness.
" The argument, or question, contains raany branches, scarcely re
ducible to one head ; but I have bundled thera into one cord as well as
I could. And, for answer, this question is coincident with all that went
before, and so is already, in that respect, answered. Your parrallel, be
twixt the civil association and ecclesiastic, is not grounded on the Scrip
ture ! . . The churches planted by the aposties, were called and gathered
out of the wide world where the Word of God came and took place
[effect] . . . But you object the gathering of churches ' not of infidels but
of men already converted to and settled in the christian faith ; of which
form of congregating churches,' you say you could never discern exam
ple, or any direct Scripture, 'to satisfy conscience.' We would gladly
say 'amen' to that assertion that the whole nation is Christian, estab
lished in the faith ; but if [the whole nation be] not, you dispute ex
falso supposito. May it please you then, brother, to take notice of the
' example' both of John Baptist" — and of Christ hiraself, '' and ofthe
apostles,' who all of thera did call and gather Christian churches out
of the Jews' church ! Which might suffice ' to satisfy' any man's ' con
science' in this point. . . But there is yet one thing more for which, you
say you can ' see no ground :' and that is a ' particular church covenant'
Why should the lawfulness of this be doubted, whether explicit or im
plicit P . . Who are fit to receive the seals of the covenant, but such as
profess to be in covenant P And, surely, if any shall refuse to make
this profession, of their being in covenant, as being ashamed thereof,
with what ' conscience' can the church admit them into fellowship ? . .
But it will be said. We have covenanted already in the national cove
nant. This is against things, upon supposition that we were convinced
of the evil of them ; but not about our own persons, as inquiring whether
we indeed are willing to give up ourselves to the Lord Jesus. This
[national covenant] was put in [force] by such outward authority that
many, for fear, took it; which a church-covenant, under the Gospel,
where the people are to be such as come willingly, will not bear. . .
" The eighth question, though soraewhat involved, and perplexed with
many branches, yet the scope being to prove a national church, and so
' a comraon Presbyterian, classical, government, to which, particular
congregations [and] persons ought to be subordinate ;' and thereby 'an
apparent subversion of the novel Independent invention;' these are your
words. The whole I reduce into form thus :
Where there be infaUible proofs of National-churches, there, of necessity, raust he
a common Presbyterian, classical, government, to which, particular congregations
" Matt. iii. 5, 7. "J John iv. 1. = Acts ii. 40.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 399
[and] persons ought to be subordinate, to the apparent subversion of the novel
Independent invention : But there be infallible proofs of National-churches ; as the
catholic church, the national church of the Jews, the synodal assembly of tbe
apostles," who made and sent binding degrees to tbe churches ; seconded with all
oecumenical, national, provincial councils, synods ; and tbe church-govemment ex
ercised throughout the world in all Christian realms or states, from their first recep
tion of the Gospel till this present: compared with Acts vii. 38; ii. 47 ; v. 11;
viii. 1, 3 ; xii. 5 ; xv. 22 ; xx. 28 ; Matt. xvi. 18 ; Eph. iii. 10, 21 ; v. 25, 27, 29, 32 ;
Col. i. 18, 24 ; 1 Tim. iii. 5, 15 : Therefore, there must be, of necessity, a common
Presbyterian, classical, government, to which, particular congregations [and] per
sons ought to be subordinate, to the apparent subversion of the novel Independent
invention. " Now, for answer to this large argument, briefly ; and first, to the
Proposition. . . Brother, you must give us leave to stand upon this as
for our lives. That we dare not admit of any churches as the true and
genuine churches of Christ which, also, are not of his own institution ;
that is, such as are not called and gathered by the voice of Christ, in
his Word ; and by that sceptre of his, swayed ; and by that alone law
of his, governed. . . You must first be able to found your national
church in the Scripture ; or assure yourself, if a man will build upon
it ' a comraon Presbyterian, classical, government,' and dwell there, he
will bring an old house upon his head ! But to corae to your particular
instances in the Assumption : . . the first is, the ' catholic church
throughout the world.' What is this, to a national church P.. The
second instance is, the national church of the Jews. . . Bring us any one
national, that is, one entire church, or congregation, as that of the Jews
was ; or that is of one faraily, as that was ; or that is a type of
Christ's spiritual kingdora, as that was ; or that is the universal
church of God visible on earth, as that was ; or that is governed by the
like laws that that was ; — when yourself do confess that the governraent
of your national churches is to be regulated by human laws, customs,
manners ; and not by God's Word alone : whereas that of the Jews
was wholly governed by God's own law, and not at all by the laws of
men, until it came to be corrupted. . . And you confess also, that the
government of your national churches is alterable : . . whereas . . the
Jews' was unalterable, till Christ himself did put a period to that econ
omy. In a word, your national churches are a mixed multitude, con
sisting, for the greatest part, of profane persons ; being as a confused
lump whereof there are nine parts of leaven to one of pure fiour, so as
the whole is miserably soured : . . but that of the Jews, in its natural
and external constitution, was all holy, ' a holy nation, a royal priest
hood ;' '' ' all the congregation holy, every one of thera.'. .' Your third
instance is the synodal asserably. Acts xv. . . And what of this ?
Therefore national churches, or general councils, or provincial, have
the like power ! . . Why, first of all; that assembly was not a national
church representative : secondly, neither was it a general or provincial
council : thirdly, . . it could not err, for the apostles had infallibility of
judgment, being guided by the Holy Ghost . . and the elders and bre
thren did assent to their determinations ! . . But you add, all this is
'seconded with all ojcumenical, national, provincial councils, etc.,
» .Act- XV. •> Exod. x! . 5, 6. ^ Num. xvi. 3.

400 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
throughout the world, in all ' Christian realms, etc.* Alas, brother, all
these put together are in no sort suitable to make a second to that
apostolical assembly ! . . And, whereas you make the upshot of this your
question to the ' apparent subversion of the novel Independent inven
tion;' we have proved it to be neither man's 'invention'. . nor 'novel;'..
nor yet 'Independent,' otherwise than that it depends not upon any
human authority or jurisdiction out of itself. . . The dependency of the
English church is known.
" The ninth question is thus reduced, in sum :
That ' liberty' which the apostles had and used in ordaining, supplying, instituting
new rites, orders, canons, etc., for the churches' peace and welfare, tbey transmitted
to posterity: But the apostles had and used such ' liberty,' etc. : Therefore, the
same ' liberty' have all churches in the world, in all ages succeeding the apostles',
in ordaining, supplying, etc.
" I answer to the Proposition, first. That the ' apostles' themselves
had no other 'liberty' to do anything about the calling, planting, order
ing, and regulating of churches, but what they had imraediately given
thera by Chiist and his Spirit : secondly, This ' liberty' so given them,
reached no further than to those things only which were given thera in
charge, and which they accordingly, as faithful stewards, did practise
concerning the churches : even as Christ hiraself, being the Son of God,
and set ' over his house,' was ' faithful' in all things ;" doing nothing but
what he had by special coraraission and command from the Father. . .
If, therefore, they who profess to succeed the apostles . . will challenge
the same 'liberty' which the apostles had, . . they must, first of all, show
us their immediate commission frora Christ : . . secondly, they raust all
show us that what they do, in church matters, under colour and pre
tence of apostolical ' liberty,' is none other but what they have by ex
press command from Christ, by his Spirit : and, thirdly; because they
are not able to show this, they raust use their ' liberty' no further than
the lists and limits of Scripture permit, which holds forth an exact and
perfect rule for all precisely to observe. . . What reason can any reason
able raan give, why Christ . . should be less careful over his church, in
the New Testament, [than about the Tabernacle, a type of Christ's
church under the Gospel ;] so as to leave it, at sixes and sevens, to the
' liberty' of all kingdoms and nations of the world to set up . . what go
vernraent, discipline, rites, ceremonies, canons, they pleased, upon what
pretence soever, as ' for the churches' peace and welfare V Hath not the
opening of this one sluice let in such an inundation of all manner of
human inventions, in this kind, as hath wellnigh drowned the whole
world in all raanner of superstition and error P . . If one church, for the
sraallness of it, have fewer officers, and another church, for the large
ness of it, more in number,— as the church in Jerusalera had need of
seven deacons, both for the raagnitude of the congregation and the
multitude of the poor therein. Acts vi. — ^yet this makes no variation in
the fonn of church government, as differing one from another, either
for substance or circumstance, saving only ' secundum magis et minus,'
as a littie man is a man as well as the tallest man. . .'We dare go no
" Heb. iii. 5, 6.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 401
further than the Scripture leads us; therefore, [you argue], we are a
company of infants ! Good brother, call in these extravagants. . .
" The tenth question is reduced thus :
Such as cannot produce any one 'solid reason' why they ought not, in point of
conscience, willingly to submit to a Presbyterial govemment — in case it shall be
established among us by the general consent of the Synod and Parliament, — as
most consonant to God's Word and the laws and government of our realm, ought to
be reputed to be in a high degree of obstinacy, singularity, arrogancy, self-ends,
and peremptory schism : But Independents cannot produce any one solid reason
why they ought not so to do : Therefore, Independents ought to be reputed to be
in a high degree of obstinacy, singularity, etc.
Now, truly, brother, a heavy charge you lay upon those poor creatures
you do so becall ' Independents ;' as first, of ' obstinacy :' if that be ' ob
stinacy' against raen's consciences, not to yield blind obedience to men's
commands in point of religion ! Secondly, of ' singularity:' if that be ' sin
gularity,' for a few to enter in at the strait gate, and to walk in the narrow
way: if that be ' singularity,' to do that which the multitude will not do ;
to come under the governraent of Christ's kingdom in the government of
our consciences, aud of his churches ; which is a principle you yourself,
in terms, cannot, dare not, deny ! Thirdly, of ' arrogancy :' if that be
' arrogancy,' for one church not to exalt itself over another, or for pas
tors not to lord it over their flocks ! Fourtiily, of ' self-ends :' if that
be self-seeking, which — if any other — is a self-denying, and a taking up
of our cross daily, as malefactors ready to be crucified ; as without
which resolution we cannot follow Christ : if that be self-seeking, to
strip ourselves of the preferments and favours of the world ; to be
exposed naked to the reproach of all ; to be accounted the outcasts of
the world, and the offscouring of all things, as at this day I And, lastly,
of ' peremptory schism:' if that be 'schism,' whereby we ought to sepa
rate ourselves frora all doctrines 'contrary' to what is delivered,
Rom. xvi. 17; and, so far as is possible, from all 'the rudiments of
the world;* from the ordinances of men, which are 'not after Christ,'"
that so we might adhere to him, and ' walk in him ;' '' being ' taught
by hira, as the truth is in Jesus !'"= But now, that these 'Indepen
dents' should undergo all these ra (TicXr)pa, 'hard speeches,'"^ and yet
not be able to show one ' solid reason' for it, surely then a fool's cap
and a bell were fittest for thera ! . . Now to your arguraent : first of all,
I raight deny the necessity of the consequence of your Proposition ;
for it is not necessary that every truth should cease to be truth, because
every one cannot show a ' solid reason' for it. . . The martyrs, some of
them, professed [that] they could not dispute for that Truth they held;
but, say they, ' we can die for it !'. . The apostie saith, 'What, if some
did not believe ? shall their unbelief raake the faith of God without
effect ?' ' But I flatly deny your Assumption, and affirm that your
' Independents' have, and do, and can, produce many 'solid' reasons
why they raay not, ought not, ' in point of conscience, willingly to
subrait to such a Presbyterial governraent' as you prescribe. . . One
'reason' is, 'consonant to God's Word' and 'conform to the laws of
this or any other realm,' cannot stand togetiier ; . . because Christ's
»Col. ii. 8. i" Ver. 6. <: Eph. iv. 21.
* Jude, 15. ' Rora. iii. 3,
II. 2d

402 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
kingdom is so transcendent, so absolute, distinct, ' Independent,* — if
you will, — as it is not obliged to conform and stoop to ' human laws,'
and ' people's manners,' as you put a necessity upon it : a second ' rea
son ;' because you require obedience to tiiat which men shall ' conceive'
consonant to God's 'Word, etc. ; touched before, and now again to put
you in mind : . . a third ' reason*. . is, because you require absolute
obedience to the general consent of Assembly and Parliament Now,
we dare not pin our fiiith upon generality of men's opinions ; the geiie-
i-ality of the votes of the Jews' State carried it away, to crucify their
King. If the whole w^orld raight vote this day, the generality would
be against Christ, as he is indeed the only anointed King, Priest, and
Prophet What ! if the generality vote araiss, while yet they may
'conceive' all to be right, because 'consonant' to what tiicy most
affect P No; though orthodox and godly, as was showed in the instance
of Paphnutius, in the council of Nice. A fourth ' reason ;' because we
acknowledge Christ alone to be Lord of our conscience : . . ' The ma
gistrate rules the body, not the mind :'. ." A fifth ' reason ;' because the
Holy Ghost, by the apostie, expressly condemns all human ordinances
in matters of faith and religion ; . . as Col. ii. 8 — 23. A sixth 'reason;'
because it is antichristian to deny Jesus to be the Christ ; that is, tiie
only King, Priest, and Prophet of his church. He is ' antichrist,' ''
that 'denieth' any of these three offices; but to deny Christ to be the
only King of his church, is to deny him in one of his incorainunicable
offices ; and they thus deny Jesus to be the Christ, that place man
with Christ in his throne ; that set ' human laws and customs of all
nations' cheek-by-jole with the word of God ! . . These may suffice, that
you may see there be sorae 'reasons' which your 'Independents' can
produce; and those so 'solid' as [that] the gates of hell shall not pre
vail against. But, say you, if we thus claim 'exemption' from such
binding decrees of men in the matters of Christ, and that 'in point of
conscience,' then may also ' papists, anabaptists, and all other sects,
claim the like exeraption, upon the like grounds.' Brother, for that,
I hope you will put a difference between orthodox churches and hete
rodox. But 1 say again, for any man's ' conscience,' be it never so
erroneous, as that of papists, yet certainly the 'conscience' of such,
simply considered in itself, nor you nor any raan in the world hath
anything to do further than to insti'uct and adraonish, and labour to
inform and rectify : enforce it you may not. . . Magistrates raay not
tolerate open popery and idolatry to be set up in the land ; but the
'conscience* of a papist they are no masters or judges of. If the civil
magistrate see any of God's commandments actually violated, ' he hear
eth not the sword for nought ;'"= evil actions he must punish: but he
hath no power over the 'conscience' of any. . so long as he makes no
open breach of God's commandments, or the just laws of the land. . .
In your twelfth question you confess so much ; reproving, — but how
justiy P — your ' Independents' for censuring the very 'hearts and spi
ritual estates' of others ; and alleging tiiat Scripture, Matt. vii. 1 . . .
Brother, let me put it to your' conscience :' Do you think it equal, that
, • Harra. Confess, sect. 11. ^ 1 John ii. 22, ' Rom. iii. 4.

CHAP. LV.J REL.ATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 403
either your conscience should be a i-ule of raine, or mine of yours ?
And if no one man's conscience may be the rule of another's, certainly
neither may all the men's consciences in the world be the judge of any
one man's. . .
" Concerning the eleventh question ;
It containeth nothing but grievous invectives against the way you call ' Indepen
dent' "you call it ' a seminary of schisms, and dangerous divisions in church [aud]
state :'
"So did Tertullus, the Jews' advocate against Paul, charge him.
Acts xxiv. 5. You pretend to ponder it 'in the balance of Scripture,
or right reason ; but you neither show us Scripture nor right reason, to
balance it in. You call it 'a floodgate to let in an inundation of here
sies, errors, sects, libertinism, and lawlessness; without raeans of sup
pressing them, when introduced.* For this, you bring Mr. Williams's
' Bloody Tenet' Now, suppose him, or his book, 'heretical;' will you
make the way of Christ so too P There was one Judas, a traitor; shall,
therefore, all the rest of the apostles, or [ofJ apostolical calling, be so
too ? You allege, also, 'anabaptistical, antinomian, heretical, atheistical
opinions,' as of 'the soiJ's mortality,* 'divorce at pleasure;* will you
therefore, father all these upon Christ's kingly government ? In Lu
ther's time, sundry 'heresies' sprung up; was Luther, therefore, either
the cause or occasion of thera P . . Never greater errors have beeu than
since the Gospel hath clearly shined forth. True it is, indeed, that these
divisions, and diversities of opinions, are, with bleeding hearts, to be
bewailed ; but shall ' the Gospel of the Kingdom' beai- the burden of all ?
This were as with the Christians in Rome, in Nero's time ; when any
judgment of God fell upon the city, he would still impute it to the
Christians, and punish them for it : but we are taught better. . . Let not
that Imperial edict be revived, 'That if any confessed themselves to be
Christians, they should be put to death:' so such as you call 'Inde
pendents' should for this very name suffer. . . Huraan power is as well
a 'means' to maintain 'heresies,' as to 'suppress' thera. . . Orthodox
Independent churches are as good 'means' as any other; togetiier with
the care and countenance of the magistrate, if it may be had, to defend
them, and enable them to send forth labourei-s ; without which, the Pres
bytery wUl be as ban-en — ^breast and womb — as any other.
" The twelfth question :
The sundry passages of this question, as 1 find tbem scattered along, I shall glean
them, and so bundle thera up for a Conclusion, at this time : for this question seems
to be a 'Lerna* ¦ of queries !
"Aud first ; You quarrel with the titie of ' Independents.' Tmly, bro
ther, none of all those whom you thus intitie, do at all glorj' in this
name, so as to give you thanks for your so often styling them thus, in
one poor sheet of paper ; seeing they cannot imagine you do it ' hono
ris gratia,* while everywhere you set it as a brand. Notwithstanding,
we are not so ashamed of it as utterly to disclaim it ; and that for two
reasons: first, for distinction' sake between us and that which you call
your 'Presbyterial government:' the second is, because this word, ' In
dependent,' is to signify that we hold all Particular Churches of Christ
-» Lerna malorum.
2d2

404 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
to be of equal authority, and none to have, or exercise, jurisdiction over
another; but that each Church is under Christ's government as the sole
Head, King, Lord, Lawgiver, thereof. But we would not, that you should
give us this as a nick-narae, or a narae of reproach, or a badge of scom ;
nor that you should call us so, as if we denied subjection to civil autho
rity in raatters of civil governraent ; nor yet, that you should raean
such an ' Independency,' as if we held not good correspondence with all
sister churches, by way of consociation, consultation, coramunion, cora
raunication ; mutual consolation, supportation ; and, in a word, in all
things, duties, offices, as wherein Christ's kingdom is held up, the gi-aces
of the churches exercised, and the liberties of each church preserved en
tire ; which is the glory of Christ : and, therefore, you mightily mistake
the matter, when you interpret ' Independenc3''as not 'needing both the
communion and assistance of other persons, nations, churches !' Then,
secondly, you question, 'Whether the National Covenant, doth not, in
sundry respects, strongly engage the nation against Independency P*
Truly, brother, not at all ; so long as all our Reformation is to be re
duced to and regulated by the Word of God : and that is a sure founda
tion whereon our ' Independency' dependeth. In which respect, the nation
is, by the Covenant, engaged /or ' Independency.' Thirdly; you query.
Whether, if Independency, — rightly taken still, as before, — 'stript
of all disguising pretences, be not Pharisaical, vain-glorious, self-
conceitedness.' Here, brother, you lash us vrith a whip of many cords,
but that our armour is proof. . . And that all this should come from a
friend, a brother, a sufferer ; from a corapanion and counsellor ; how
hard is it to be borne ! And, you tell us of 'disguising [disguised] pre
tences,' 'if stript;' and for this, you have provided an unmasking for
us. O brother, we have no such 'disguisings' as to fear your unmask-
ings ! We may, in this, boldly answer with the apostie ; 1 Thess. ii.
3 — 5. . . Si sat est accusasse, quis innocens erit P If a bare and malicious
accusation be enough to fasten a crime, who shall be innocent ? . . You
charge us with ' passing uncharitable censures upon men's hearts and
spiritual estates ; of which,' say you, ' God never made thera judges, and
forbids' us ' to judge, because He only knows raen's hearts.'. . What do
you see in the Independency, that you should thus judge them P. . Are
they ambitious of preferments, of glory of the world, of favour of great
ones, of praise of men, that do voluntarily forsake all and ' strip' them
selves of all to follow naked Christ P . ." We do, say you, 'deem' our
selves too ' transcendently holy, sanctified and religious above others,'
that we ' esteem thera altogether unworthy of, yea, wholly exclude them'
from our 'communion and church-society, as Publicans, heathen, or
profane persons, — though, perhaps, as good or better Christians, than'
ourselves, — 'unless they will submit to their church-covenants and go
vernment, refusing all true brotherly familiarity, society, with thera.'
So you. Now, brother Prynne, I confess I ara one of those whom you
call ' Independents ;' and did you ever observe any such supercilious
strangeness of carriage in me towards you and other of your and my
friends, no less zealous against Independents than yourself, as you charge
» " Nudum Christum, nudus sequere," — Hieron.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 405
US withal ? Have there not been many interchangeable invitations be
tween you and me, with loving acceptations, whereby we have enjoyed
mutual society in all friendly and brotherly entertainment, saving still
some quarrels about this way, but ever parting friends P . . And neither at
this day, since these your invectives came forth, — though they were no
small grief to me, and that even for your sake, — am I become a greater
stranger to you either in face or affection, than I was before. . . But,
however, brother, either be more moderate in censuring, or else censure
not at all without just cause ! But we ' exclude,' say you, ' [perchance] as
good, or better,' than ourseh'es, frora 'communion and church-society'
with us. Surely it may be so ; but, brother, we ' exclude' them not ;
they exclude themselves: and you give the reason, Because they will
not ' submit ! to the church's government' It doth not hence follow,
that we therefore ' deem' either ourselves ' so transcendently holy,' as
you say, or others 'altogether unworthy.'. . The truth is, — for we love
no disguising, as to need any unmasking, — we love not, in a time of
Reformation after a general tincture of superstition and will-worship,
blindly to go to work to admit of all comers, and to cast Christ's ' pearls'
and ' holy things' to such as we know not : or, if we be persuaded they
be truly godly, and yet are not persuaded of the warrantableness of this
way, how can they, with a good conscience, desire communion with us ;
and if not, how can the church receive them P. . Christ commends ' the
angel of the church of Ephesus,' for not bearing with those that are
wicked, and for trying those that said they were ' apostles,' and were
not, but were found ' liars :'" so, some raay corae that profess themselves
to be Christians, that is, to be godly, to be believers ; but we dare not
receive them without trial : if they refuse to be tried, we may the more
suspect them. . . Others may take a broader way, if they please ; we dare
not. . . How strict the Jews were, Ainsworth, in Gen. xii. 17, relates,
out of the Rabbins. And even Bellarmine himself, had such a clear ap
prehension of the general nature of Christ's church, . . that he useth these
words, ' The Church, especially and intentionally, gathereth only believ
ers; such as have true faith in their heart. And when any hypocrites
are mingled among such, as tmly believe not, it falleth out besides the
intention of the Church : for if it could know them, it would never admit
thera; or being casually admitted, it would forthwith exclude them.'. .''
And truly, brother, we desire to do this, that, if it be possible, no mis
believer, no profane liver, no hypocrite, be admitted a meraber of Christ's
body ; though a hypocrite, having his vizard on, raay sometimes creep
in unawares." . . We suspect the gold that will not abide the touch. A
Christian name, raay silver over the copper, such as the Scripture calls
' reprobate silver :*'' though we know each current coin hath its allow
ance of alloy ; and each believing saint, so many grains' allowance, but

Rev. ii. 2.
' Ecclesia praecipu6 et ex intention^, fideles tantum coUigit, qui veram fidem in
: habent. Cum autem admiscentur aliqui ficti, qui verd non credunt, id acci-

¦ Bev. ii. 2.
b 11
corde habent  » - .
dit praeter intentionera Ecclesiae. Si enim eos nosce posset, nunquam admitteret,
aut casu admissos, continue excluderet — De Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 10. See also. Dr.
Field, Of the Church ; bk. i. chap. 7."
' "S-Jch were called, of old, UapdauKroi. — Euseb.'' '' Jere. vi. 30.

406 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
all sincere, nothing counterfeit. As for church-covenants, we have suf
ficiently spoken before. The last charge you lay upon Independency
is ' uncharitableness ; carelessness and neglect of one another's welfare;'
and the like.
" Brother, for ' uncharitableness,' let our practices, the best proofs
of true charity, plead for us. We have raanifested our love and loyalty
to the State whereof we are natural and political members ; for the safety
thereof, we have poured out our estates to the very bottom : we dare
herein, compare with all others of our rank and means. Myself, a poor
man, am out for the State, between four and five hundred pounds ; and
I bless God I have done it with a cheerful heart . . And, besides their
means, none have raore prodigally adventured and spent their lives, for
the State, than your Independents have ; and for none hath the God of
batties " appeared more ! And but for the stirring up envy, — which needs
not, — I should put you in raind of Marston-raoor.'' In a word, brother,
we dare challenge all the world in point of fidelity to the State, and our
native country. Where be they that raore love, honour, our Senate, Sy
nod, Synedrion ? Who pray more frequentiy, raore fervently for them ?
. . And for true charitableness, where is it to be found if not in those
churches you call ' Independent P' But, you will say, this love is among
ourselves : and God grant it may ever be so ; yet it ends not here ; but
extends to all."^ And, brother, for a close, I challenge you to show rae
any parochial-congregation in England wherein there is, or can be, the
like love one to another ; the like care one for another ; the like spiritual
watchfulness one over another ; the like union and coramunion of mem
bers in one mystical body, in a syrapathy of affections in such a fra
ternity as is described. Psalm cxxxiii., a lively type of a true Church of
Christ. Till you show us the like in any of your parochial-assemblies,
consisting of your raixed multitude, good brother, restrain your spirit, so
mightily erabittered against us, lest in charging us with ' uncharitable
ness,' yourself alone be found to be uncharitable! And so I have done
with your first Twelve Questions."
In entering upon his Answer to Prynne's " Independency Exarained,
Unmasked, Refuted, by Twelve New particular Interrogatories: Detect
ing both the manifold Absurdities, Inconveniencies, that must necessa
rily attend it, to the great disturbance of the Church, [and] State ; the
diminution, subversion, of the lawful undoubted Power of the Christian
Magistrates, Parliaments, Synods ; and shaking the chief Pillars,
wherewith its Patrons would support it 1644." 4to. pp. 12:"* Burton
proceeds, with the sarae reluctance, to treat his fellow-sufferer as an
enemy. " My dear Brother ; to your twelve ' New Interrogatories,' I present
you with a new Answer: I call it new, because I shall cull such pas-
" 2 Chron. xxxii. 8. >> July 2nd, 1644.
t On this point, what says Richard Baxter ? " 1 saw a commendable care of serious
holiness and discipline in most of the Independent churches." Life and Times, 1696,
fo. lib. i. pt. ii. p. 140. Also, what says Philip Henry ? " In two things the Inde
pendents are to be commended ; they keep up discipline araong thera ; they love,
and correspond one with another." Life, Edit. 1825, Svo. chap. vi. p. 128.
'' lle-priuted, 1651. ito.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 407
sages as I find new, or not so much insisted on in your former twelve. . .
But, brother, I find not that in your book, which you pretend in your
title ; to wit, the unmasking of Independency. Nor can we expect it
of you ; for, in your Proem, you say that ' the Independents have not,
dogmatically and in direct terms, discovered the full truth of what they
assert* If not, what kind of visage will yoti discover when you have
taken off the mask P Surely, by your handling . . you mean to unmask
some hag's face ! . .
" In your Preface . . you say, we ' politicly conceal the principal
grounds and more deformed parts of our church-platfonn, for fear of
miscarrying.*. . Who told you so ?. . And what do you else but refute
upon bare conjectures, andabatarum more pugnando, as those at blind-
man*s buff P. .
" For your first question, ' Whether the Independent form of church-
governraent be anywhere to be found in the Old or New Testament P*. .
This is no new interrogatory, unless you put the greater difference be
tween ' questions' and ' interrogatories.'. . Why, brother, this House of
God, wherein Christ rules as King, stands upon so many principles as
so many main pillars, not to be shaken: as, 1. It is a spiritual house,
whose only builder and governor is Christ, and not man. 2. It is a
spiritual kingdora, whose only king is Christ, and not man. 3. Itis a
spiritual republic, whose only lawgiver is Christ, etc. 4. It is a spiri
tual corporation or body, whose only head is Christ, etc. 5. It is acom-
raunion of saints, governed by Christ's Spirit, not raan's. 6. Christ's
church is a congregation called and gathered out of the world by Christ's
Spirit and Word, and not by raan ! . . And out of these principles do issue
these conclusions : 1 . That no raan is the builder of this spiritual house.
2. That no man nor power, on earth, hath a kingly power over this
Kingdom. 3. That no earthly law-givers may give laws for the govern
ment of this republic. 4. That no man may claim or exercise a head
ship over this body. 5. That no man can or ought to undertake the
government of this communion of saints. Item, That none are of this
communion, but visible saints : ergo, A true visible church of Christ
cannot be defined, or confined, to a parochial raultitude. Item, That
the govemment of this coraraunion is not extrinsical, but intrin-
sical, by the Spirit of the Word, and by the Word of the Spirit.
6. That men may not appoint, limit, constitute, what congrega
tions of all sorts they please, to be churches of Christ; as nations,
and parishes. . .
"In your answer to your Antiquerist, " p. 6, you do, in part,
grant Christ to be King internally, in the soul; which you say 'may
pass for tolerable.' O brother, no more, but ' may pass for tolerable !'
You, that are so large-hearted to your friends, are you so strait-laced
to Christ P. . If man should set up a form of govemment, over the
church of Christ, to which all must conform ; then, of necessity,
should man be lord over the conscience : . . and then, what mischiefs
would follow ! . . Then, raust your words come to pass, 'Ifa moderated
or regulated Episcopacy, the same with Presbytery, should, by the Sy
nod's advice, be unanimously established in Parliament, as most conso-
* See on, p. 415, note e.

408 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
nant to the Scriptures, and most agi-eeable to the civil government, I
shall readily submit unto it without opposition ; and why not you, and
all others P' So you, p. 6. O, brother, I stand amazed ! . .
" Your second interrogatory is about the lawful power of civti ma
gistrates, in all matters of church-govemment; wherein you tax
' some Independents' for extraordinarily eclipsing the same. . . You
allege for this, a passage in the Answer of ' Two of the Brethren to
A.S.,'" for which one of them is lately questioned ; but I hope he will
clear himself. . . Those patriarchs and princes of Israel, before the Law,
and under the Law ; from Adam to Christ ; never had this power, or
prerogative, to make ecclesiastical laws or binding canons ; no, nor yet
Moses, nor 'kings of Judah, Israel,' and 'General asserablies, princes,
nobles, chief captains, and elders of the people,' as you muster thera up
together in your marginal note :'' a seeming goodly army, indeed ; but
so many shadows of men, for any such power they had, as you, with
your penful of ink, paint out unto us I . . And, therefore, your inference
upon such empty premises. That, ' therefore, under the Gospel, by hke
reason and equity,' it 'must needs belong to Christian princes, magis
trates, parliaments, to whom Christ hath delegated his kingly office,
etc' is of no consequence. . .
" To the third interrogatory : touching this, 1. We assume not the
power to gather churches, but being sent, or called, to preach 'the Word
of the kingdom,'"^ thereby people, thus called of God, corae to be
gathered into church-fellowship ; and so, by consent do choose their
own officers — 2. Such as are thus called to acknowledge Christ their
only King, were not begotten to this ' acknowledgment' by such minis
ters as you speak of, who deny, disclaim, and preach against Christ's
kingly goverament over men's consciences and churches. . . — 3. Such
ministers, when they set up Christ's government, may — being agreed
upon hy all sides — have those parishioners again that, for want of it,
at the first went from them. — 4. Our soleran vow and covenant obligeth
us not to anything that is prejudicial to the authority of God's AVord,
and the liberty of a good conscience ; considering how churches are
gathered out of all the world, not this place nor that, not this house
nor that, but out of ' every nation' ¦* such as fear God ; and out of every
' house' the sons of ' peace,' and out of every ' city' or town, all that
' receive' the Gospel, are called and gathered to Christ ! ' — 5. Concem
ing christian liberty in joining to several churches as, in the sarae
house, sorae to affect one, some another; you know what Christ saith,
Luke xii. 51 — 53 : and it is God that persuadeth Japheth to ' dwell
in the tents of Shera.'* And, brother, all that noise you make all
along, with extreme aggravations, as ' confusion, distraction, implacable
contestations, schisms, tumults, etc.'; ° what are they but the very out-
° See back, p. 361, " If tbe law of tbe State, &c." Prynne notes upon this pas
sage, in his margin, " I pray inform me. Why a whole Parliament and Asssembly
of godly Christians and Divines, wherein are many of your own chief Independent
ministers [and] members, should be more ' secular,' unclean, filthy, or unable to make
a spiritual extraction of Church-government than one of your Independent churches
or conventicles?" P. 3. •* P. 4,
' Matt. xiii. 19. "¦ Acts x. 35. « Luke x. 8. ' Gen. ix. 27. e P. 5.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 409
cries which the prelates ever used for the crying, and keeping np of
their hierarchy, built upon the same sandy foundation P This is well
noted in the Confession of Augsburg: ' These senate-like declamations,
though they be very plausible, and incense the minds of many against
us, yet they may be confuted by raost true and substantial arguraents :'
as, ' all the prophets and apostles were true lovers of the peace and
concord of nations and people, yet were they constrained, by the cora-
mandment of God, to war against the devil's kingdom, to preach hea
venly doctrine, to collect a church unto God ;' and the like : and ' the
true doctrine of God and his true worship, must needs be embraced and
received, and all errors that tend to the dishonour of God, raust be
abhon-ed and forsaken, though all the world should break and fall
down :' and much more there. " — 6. Though we are fully persuaded,
by God's Word and Spirit, that this our way is Christ's way, yet we
neither do nor dare judge others to be reprobates that walk not with us
in it, bnt we leave all judgment to God and heartily pray for them ;
we ourselves have been formerly ignorant of it, therefore we pity others. —
7. Where you object that under pretence of christian liberty, whole
houses, parishes, counties, may thus come to be divided into several
forms of churches ; as some for the presbyterial, some for the hierar
chical, and so cause schisms and ruins, or ' at least, unavoidably subvert
all ancient bounds of parishes, all settled maintenance for the ministry
by tithes, etc.*. . '' For difference of men's judgraents in points of reli
gion, how can it be avoided P . . It follows not that upon such differences,
should come ruin to a State. What serveth the raagistrate and the laws
of a Civil State for, but to keep the peace P . . Are parishes, originally,
any other but of human, politic, and civil constitution, and for civil
ends P can you say, that so many as inhabit in every parish respec
tively, shall be a church ? Should such churches and parishes, then,
necessarily be churches of God's calling and gathering ?. . And as for
' tithes ;' what tithes, I pray you, had the apostles i" Such as be faith
ful and painful ministers of Chiist, he will certainly provide for ; as
when he sent forth his disciples without ' purse,' or provision, he asked
them ' lacked ye any thing P' they said, ' nothing !' ' Surely, ' the
labourer is worthy of his hire.'"* For ministers' maintenance by tithes,
I refer 3^ou to the judgment of y(>ur leamed brother, Mr. Selden. And
as for your ' Independent' ministers, they plead no other raaintenance
than the New Testament holds forth ; yet not denying the raagistrate
and State a power to appoint maintenance for the preaching of the
Word, as is done in New England, to those that are not members of
churches: and where you charge them for having the faith of Christ in
'respect of persons,'' as if they admitted the rich rather than the poor;
brother, I hope it is not so with others ; I ara sure, not so vrith rae !
And, lastly, for your marginal young interrogatories ; f as
1 . ' Of how many members, each congregation ?' I am sure your
congregations admit neither augmentation nor diminution, but accord
ing to the capacity of every parish ! — 2. ' Within what precincts P'
« Harm, of Confess, sect xi. ^ P. 5. "^ Luke xxii. 35.
"• Luke X. 7. ' Jas. ii. 1. ' P. 4.

410 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Christ's churches are not limited either to place or number. — 3. ' What
stipends allowed ?' sufficient, more or less. — 4. ' When, and where,
churches should assemble ?' For ' when ;' at times convenient : for
' where ;' not necessarily in this or that place. — 5. ' Who shall prescribe
extraordinary tiraes of fasting, or thanksgiving, to them, upon just
occasions P' If the occasion be the church's peculiar interest, the church
agrees upon the same : but if it be public, conceming the politic-body
of the State whereof we are native merabers, in whose weal or woe we
sympathize ; either we keep days, of our own appointment, extraordi
nary, or if the civil state command and appoint a day, we refuse not to
observe it. — 6. ' Who shall rectify their church-covenants, discipline,
censures, govei-nment, if en-oneous or unjust P' Each church useth her
best raeans, left her of Christ, within herself. If need require, she useth
the help of sister-churches. If any other, — as the civil state, — be not
satisfied, she ' refuseth not' " to yield an account of her actions, being
required. — 7. ' Show us*, say you, ' a sufficient satisfactory coraraission,
frora God's Word, for all they do or desire, before they gather any
churches,* Brother Prynne, you say you will ' puinp out our thoughts;'
yea, it seeras you will exantlate, purap out, every drop that is in us !
But stay, brother, you are not yet a magistrate : and we hope you will
not take up again the oath. Ex Officio, to pump out all our secrets.
And though I have, for my part, dealt very freely with you as my bro
ther, all along ; yet give me leave to keep a reserve, donee ad Triarios
redierit res — until it corae to a dead lift, in case we shall be brought
before princes and rulers'' to give an account of what we 'do or desire.'
You put us upon too unreasonable a task to satisfy you in all that we
' do' or ' desire !' First make your particular exceptions and demands
for this or that ; and then we shall know the better how to shape you
an answer, as you see we have here done. What are all your books of
law-cases, all the volumes of the casuists, to the resolution, upon gene
ral grounds, of incident matters which could not be ruled till they hap
pened P And yet the govemment of states is one ; and the doctrine of
the Scripture, in all generally necessary points, clear. We ' desire' you
not, too, too much to grow upon us when you see we are so coming
and free !
" The fourth interrogatory ; This is much like the next before, for
that was about ' ministers' power to gather churches ;' this, concerning
' the people's power in uniting themselves in a church ; choosing their
minister ; erecting such a government as they conceive most suitable
to the Scripture. And so, all manner of heretics may set up churches ;
and all manner of heresies [and] sects be brought in.' "^ I answer as
before : a church is a city of God, which by her Charter becomes a
city, . . and by the same Charter chooseth her own officers, etc. . . Nor
may we cast away the privileges of Christians because others abuse them :
yea, whether we use our privileges, or not, errors and heresies will be ;
the apostles, and apostolic churches, could neither keep nor cast them
out, as is showed before. But where you say that if this liberty of set
ting up an Independent church-government he adraitted ; ' then, by
the self-sarae reason, they must have a like liberty to elect, erect, what
- Acts XXV. II. i" Matt A. 18. c p. 5.

CHAP. LV.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 411
civil fonn of governraent they please : to set up a new Independent
republic, kingdom, etc' " by the self-sarae reason ! Surely, by no ' rea
son' at all : show us a ' reason' hereof, and take all ! And you know
that 'republics, kingdoms,' are Independent, though not of churches'
electing, erecting. It is unsatisfiable injury, and extreme irrationality,
thus to argue ; for hath Christ given the same comraand to his people
as such who are not ' of this world,' nor their ' kingdom,' as he hath done
to them in spirituals, which he commands them to practise, whosoever
forbids P They set up no forra, but take what is prescribed ; which
God hath not done, in civil govemraent, but left it free. ^
" The fifth interrogatory : herein you make a comparison between
Presbyterial and Independent churches. . . We desire to enjoy ours,
without raaking comparison with yours. . . However you make us a
conventicle, consisting of inconsiderable, ignorant, raembers ; I believe
when you shall have anything to do with the raost conteraptible of such
conventicles as you esteem us, you vrill not altogether find us such as
you are pleased to term us ! . . Where you would have thera have the
same power in a parliament, and synod, that they have in a church, if
they be raembers ; ¦= it is answered. That all power is restrained to its
own .sphere and place, so that we may have a greater power in another
kind and yet not that ; as no parliaraent-man hath the power of a
master of a faraily, in the parliaraent, though he have a greater.
" The sixth : this interrogatory hath sundry branches : . . I desire
brevity, and not to answer all your repetitions and aggravations. . .
" The seventh inten'ogatory is about the ' disraissing of merabers :'
to become members of Presbyterial churches; or, of other Independent
churches. ^ I answer. If any will desert their congregation, who can
let [hinder] them ? . . If any shall repent and fall ' back ;' churches
are not raore free than Christ hiraself was. ' If any, for conveniency'
sake, or necessary occasion, desire to join with sorae other church, do
you think it unreasonable first to acquaint the Church with their desire ?
And, do you not allow of letters of recoraraendation when any is to
pass to other churches ? . . We desire to do all things in love. . . You
twit us again, for 'respecting the rich more than the poor.' If it be
true it is our fault, ^ and ought not so to be ; if not true, it is yours, and
that so often as you cast it in our dish.
" The eighth interrogatory : this, is to charge us for ' not admitting to
baptism anyinfants of such parents who are not members of ourchurches:'^
and, brother, you make this a raost heinous and intolerable thing!
Why, you know, if we would adrait of all, it would be no sraall benefit
to us ; especially when we are to deal with rich raen's children, such as
you say we have in such ' high estiraation P* Therefore, that we do it
not for rich men, you may think there is something in it ; that covetous
ness is not so predominant in us as to corrupt om- consciences : and,
therefore, let some charitable thought take place in you that we do it
rather of conscience than of covetousness. And what say you to this,
brother ; we preach Christ to the parents ; we preach him no less a
king than a priest and prophet : we preach him the only king of our
• p. 6. '1 Pet ii.; Rom. xiii. - P. 7. "" P. 7.
" John vi. 6?. ' 1 Cor. xi. 22. B p. 8.

412 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
conscience, and the only lawgiver and govemor of his churches ; we
exhort them to set up this king in their hearts ; we exhort them to
become, and profess to be, those saints of whom he is king, for he is
• King of saints ? '*. . What would you have us to do in this case, bap
tize the infants of such parents as will not, in this respect, profess nor
confess Christ to be their King P . . No infants have any titie to baptism
that are not within the covenant visibly, . . by virtue of their parents'
faith outwardly professed. . . If, therefore, the parents profess not, yea
refuse thus to be in visible covenant, can the children be said to be in
visible covenant, and so to have a right to baptism, the external seal of
the covenant P Brother, here is obex, a bar put ! If you say, ' the child
shall not bear the iniquity of the father ;" true : . . but now, under the
Gospel, those only are accounted Abraham's seed who profess the faith
of Abraham, which faith looked upon Christ ; and [which faith] em
braceth whole Christ in all his offices, and [they in whose hearts itis]
profess the same outwardly. '' So as the covenant is entailed only to
believers now, and so to tlieir children."^ If, then, the parents, by re
fusing Christ as their king, as the Jews did, ** do hereby cut themselves
off from the covenant, they do therewith cut off their children too : and
this, not to be recovered in the child, until either the parent be restored
or the child coming, in time, to believe and to profess the faith of Christ,
do hereby claim his right to the covenant and so to baptism, as being
a child of Abraham. . .' All societies require some promise of their mem
bers : if it be said, we are raerabers of the universal church, by faith
and repentance, we reply ; . . Christ will not have his people to be wan
dering sheep when they may have a fold, nor to be individua vaga,
when they may be reduced to order.
" The ninth inteiTogatory lays a charge upon Independents for ' re
fusing to admit to the Lord's supper such as are not notoriously scan
dalous nor grossly ignorant, but profess repentance, etc.;' which, you
say, 'is a very uncharitable, arrogant, yea, unchristian practice, contrary
to Christ's own exaraple in admitting Judas to the Lord's supper:' also,
to that of Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 28, you calling it, also, 'a transcendent
strain of tyrannical usurpation over souls, and consciences, and God's
ordinances ; worse than our raost doraineering lordly prelates, etc., yea,
lording over Christ hiraself, and more than ever the apostles did but
only by their extraordinary calling, etc.'' I answer in one word. . that
we look further than to a general profession and conversation ; namely,
to their faith in Christ, that it be sound and whole. . . And what have
they to do with the seals, that refuse by covenant to own Christ for
their king ? As for Judas, he received the sop, not the supper ; for after
the sop, he went out ' immediately,' saith John :S so as it appears, the
other evangelists relate some other passages by a varepov ¦Kporepov, as is
not unusual in Scripture story : and none of them saith that he received
the supper. And suppose he did, the church's censure had not yet
passed upon him : only John, by a secret sign, knew he was to be the
traitor: For that of the apostie, 1 Cor. xi. 28, that was a true church,
though now disordered ; and the apostie refers the redressing of their
" Rev. XV. 3. >> Rom. a. 9, 10. <: Acts ii. 39. "i Luke xix. 14.
" Rora. iv. II, 16. f P. 9. E John xiii. 30.

CHAP. LV.J KELATISG TO INDEPENDENTS. 413
abnses to diemselves I The case is otherwise here, so as all your accumu
lated calumniations fall to the ground. And concerning the apostles'
' extraoFdinary calling,' if we must expect the like calling we must not,
in the mean time, admit of any either to baptism or to the Lord's sup
per ; neither should there be any gathering of churches at all ; as some
from hence, do gather [logice]:.. and what lawful gathering, then,
have the Refonned churches ? For your marginal note of Closes, David,
Solomon, ' about settiing religion by God's own direction ;' herein you
come home to that I said before, alleged against your unlimited law.
But in that you now restrain, by their example, all ' church-govemraent,
to the civil magistrates ;' you must make it out by holding close to the
mle, that is, ' to settle religion by God's own direction,' as you here
confess ; and not ' to elect, erect,' a form of religion and church-
govemment, such as they sliall conceive ' suitable,' etc., as before you
told us : and ' Moses, David, Solomon,' were all types of Christ, who
put an end to all such. And while you there exclude the priests from
having anything to do in ' reforming or advising,' what will the Assem
bly say to you ? Bnt they may advise, you will say : but the priests
might do nothing but according to God's prescript law, no more than
'-Moses, David, Solomon.' And if the 'priests,' as yon say, 'had no
ruling votes,' theu, by this reckoning, what votes do you allow the As
sembly-men in their mixed committees with the members of Parliament,
or in the A.ssembly itself? Reconcile these, I pray you.
" The tenth interrogatory questions, or rather, as all the rest, con
cludes, that that text, ^latt. xviii. 1.5 — 17, is not meant of any ecclesi
astical censure, as of excommunication, but only of the ' civil court of
justice.' " Brother, if you did speak here as a dirine, and not merely as a
lawyer, you would not have . . so interpreted this place. What speak
I of divines ; the text itself is its owa clearest interpreter ; ver. 18 :
which is, without controversy, spoken of church-cens'jre, or of the
power of ' the Keys' in exercising chwcch-discipline ; as that. Matt.
xvi. 19, is spoken of doctrine, as the leamed Calvin well observeth : so
as this very context cleareth the former to be meant of church-censures,
as it was among the Jews. . . Good brother, I could wish that all this
zeal of yours, against Independents, might not arise from any jealousy,
as if church-censures should prejudicate or trench upon your pleadings
at the bar of dvil justice ! Far be it, that we shoitid have our motion
beyond our own sphere : content yourself with your own orb, and we
shall confine ourselves to ours, I dare warrant yovt Again ; to what
purpose do you urge this interpretation of this text against us ? Do not
all the Presbyterians expound it so ? And if this text, which is made
the great pillar of Presbyterian excommunication, be taken off, yon
leave no more to a classis than we [do] , scilicet, to consult and advise !
And with this foot, you have dashed all the milk you gave them.
" The eleventh interrt^atory : This is to persuade us that in that
As.sembly, or ' Evangelical Synod,' as you call it, 'Acts xv., the apos
tles voteid not as they were aposties, infallibly guided by the Holy
Ghost, but rather as they were in their ordinary capacity, as elders and
chief members of it' '' Whereupon, producing your six reasons for it,
• P. 10. " P. 10.

414 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
you peremptorily conclude, that 'this is an undeniable Scripture-
authority for the lawfulness, use, of parliaments, councils, synods,
under the Gospel, upon all like necessary occasions ; and for their
power to determine controversies of religion, to raake canons in things
necessary for the church's peace and concernraent, inaugre all evasions,
exceptions,' of Independents ' to elude it.'. . Why the aposties sate not
as apostles, but as ordinary elders, etc. ; we lay this ground for the
contrary, scil., That they sate as aposties ; because not [no] ordinary
elders, as elders, can say, ' It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to
us ;' but the apostles, as apostles, might say so ; because, in any doc
trinal point, they had the promise of ' the Spirit' to be led ' into all
truth,'" as upon whom the church was to be built.'' If they sate as
ordinary elders, then their decrees did no further bind than as they
might appear to agree with Scripture ; otherwise, elders as elders may
bind the conscience, let the decree be never so wicked ! . . Though the
apostles might have done it alone, yet they would not, but called toge
ther the elders and brethren, yea, and 'the whole church' at Jerusalem ;"=
hereby to give a precedent to all presbyters, or elders of churches, that
in cases of difference arising, they call ' the whole church' together for
assistance and counsel therein. In so doing, the apostles diminished
nothing of that judicial power and authority which Christ left with
them for deciding of controversies, being infallibly guided by the Holy
Ghost ; while they thought it not fit to do such things, in a comer,
which concerned 'the whole church.'. . But, good brother, for all your
punctual quotations of that Scripture, you do not, all this while, tell us
— which is the raain of all — that which we find in the 28th verse of
Acts XV. . . We challenge you to show us any ' parliament, council,
synod,' ever since the apostles, that could or can say thus, ' It seeraed
good to the Holy Ghost, and us,* — ' to determine controversies of reli
gion, to make and impose canons to bind all men, etc.*. . Never let any
man press upon us that Scripture, that synod, which hath no parallel
in the whole world ; and so is no precedent, pattei-n, for any ' council,
synod, parliaments ! . . Bellarraine, upon the sarae Scripture you
allege,"' — as also our late prelates have usually done, — would deduce the
sarae conclusion that you do for human authority in binding men's
consciences : to which, Chamierus thus answereth. That this conse
quence holds not ; ' because there is not the sarae authority of the
apostles and of other pastors of the church ; for, with those the Holy
Ghost was extraordinarily present, so as what they propounded did
simply proceed of God : but other pastors have no such extraordinary
assistance of the Spirit ; and, therefore, their decrees are not to be
paralleled with the apostles' decrees. Which is a special difference in
binding of the conscience, which hath itself for witness and God for the
only judge ; therefore, when it hath anything commanded of God, it
must needs stand bound.'' Where — inter csetera— is to be noted. That

" John xvi. 13. '' Eph. ii. 20. "= Acts xv. 4, 22. "• Acts xv.
' Panstratia: Catholicae j tora. iii. De libertate Christiana, lib. xv. cap. x. De
pohibitis Idolotbytis, sanguine, et suffocate. " Illis aderat extra ordinem Spiritus
Sanctus, {fee."

CHAP. LV.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 415
God is the 'only judge' and binder of the conscience ! the great ques
tion in controversy at this day. But you will here object, That,
although, — as before you say of priests, — a council, or synod, have not
this authority to make and impose binding decrees, yet a parliaraent
hath ! And you deduce it from this synod. Acts xv. Now, truly,
brother, by your favour, this doth no way hold proportion. That that
which you call a ' synod,' — as a pattern for binding decrees, — should
not qualify a synod of divines with the like power; and yet [you]
transmit it over to a 'parliament' for binding authority over the con
sciences of a whole nation ! Surely, that apostolic assembly, or
church-raeeting, was neither a parliaraent, nor diet, nor senate, nor any
such thing; that you should build any such power of 'parliaments'
upon it : . . therefore, good brother, be not so peremptory, but take in
your top-sail ; too high to bear up against so stiff a gale both of Scrip
ture and reason.
" But I come to your twelfth and last interrogatory : this is con
cerning the ' lawful coercive power of civil magistrates in suppressing
heresies, etc. ;* or, ' setters-up of new forms of ecclesiastical govemment,
etc.*" For answer hereunto : . . For a man's practices, of which alone
man can take cognizance, if they be against any of God's cominand-
ments of the first or second table, that appertains to the civil magis
trate to punish ; who is, for this cause, called ' custos utriusque tabulae.
The keeper of both tables :' and, therefore, the apostle saith, 'For rulers
are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be
afraid of the power ? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise
of the sarae : for he is the rainister of God to thee for good. But if
thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he heareth not the sword in
vain : for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon
him that doeth evil.' '' So as we see, here, what is the object of civil
power ; to wit, actions, good or bad : not bare opinions, not thoughts,
not conscience, but actions : and yourself exempts the preaching of the
Gospel and Truth of God, frora being restrained by the civil magis
trate. But now, brother, the time hath been, and somewhere is, and
will be, that ' the Truth' of God hath been withholden ' in unrighteous
ness ;' "= and, by the civil magistrate, punished with death ; being con
demned for heresy ! And you see, in these days, great diversities of
men's opinions and judgraents. . . You think ray way erroneous ; and
I may do as much for you : . . but so long as we differ only in opinion,
which of us shall be punished first ; or which of us is in the enor ?
you write books, I write against them ; yet, sub judice lis est, who shall
be judge, you or I P Surely, neither ! Among other things, you would
have the civil magistrate . . ' to suppress, restrain, imprison, confine,
banish, the setters-up of new forms of ecclesiastical government, with
out lawful authority.'. .^ But what, if I prove that which you call a
'new' foi-m, to be the old form ; and the ' lawful authority' of setting it
up to be of Christ P. . You may be a civil judge one day ; reraeraber
then, brother, that, if I come before you, you meddle not with ray con
science, nor with rae for it. . . So ends your book ; and so ray
answer !
¦P. 11. !< Rom. xiii. 3, 4. c 2 Thess. ii. 12. " P. 12.

416 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES. I.
" Now, brother, you have since published a third book ; " partiy in
answer to your first answerer,'' and partly touching Mr. John Good
win. I leave the parties interested to acquit themselves ; only your
stating the question, in the conclusion of the book, I could not omit :
' Whether a whole representative church and state hath not a great, or
greater, ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the whole realm and churches,
with all the members, than any one Independent minister or congi-e
gation challenge over their members P. .' If the 'jurisdiction' of the
churches you call 'Independent' be good, as having Christ for the
founder and owner of it, — as we have clearly proved, — then, certainly,
it will prove the gi-eater ; for magna est Veritas, et prevalebit : Christ's
kingdom shall stand up when all opposite, earthly, kingdoms, like
earthen vessels, shall, with His iron rod, be dashed in pieces. This
for the clause. Another passage, in the same book, is touching my
person ; where you say, ' that none of us three brethren-sufferers suf
fered for opposing bishops' legal authority ; or any ceremonies, by act
of parliament established.'. . I openly, for the space almost of a twelve
month, immediately before my troubles, preached . . every Lord's day
out of Col. ii. 8 — 23 ; so as when I was summoned into the High
Comraission Court, the articles read against me were not only for my
two sermons, Nov. 5th, but also for those other sermons against the
Ceremonies. . . And conceming ray opposing of Bishops theraselves ;
not only their extravagancies, for which I also was censured, and suf
fered ; you may remember one passage, in that book ' For God
and the King,' affixed to the Information, 'Were there a law in Eng
land, as once among the Locrians, that who should come to propound
a new law he should come with a rope about his neck ; I would be the
first, myself, to petition the parliament that the govemment of bishops
might be abolished, and another set up more agreeable to the Scrip
ture.'. .'' I confess, were I to make such a proposition now, I should as
much alter ray style as the condition of this present tirae differs from
that : I should mount much higher ! And do you not think, brother,
that this helped to put the hangman's knife — though not the 'halter' —
so close to the very roots of ray ears, that it opened the wider sluices
for the blood to streara out — with yours, ray dear fellow-sufferers, — to
fill the Whore's ' cup ?'. ."* Although the more cautelous and self-wise,
or discreet, any of us, but especially rayself, then was, to avoid the
' fear' of men ' or force of law, certainly now, brother, it abates so rauch
the more of the honour of that suffering : and the less honour, the more
shame. . . Let us now raake it up, by being zealous for our Christ in
""A full Reply to 'Certain Brief Observations and Anti-Queries on Master
Prynne's Twelve Questions about Church Government ;' Wherein the Frivolous-
ness. Falseness, and Gross Mistakes, of this Anonymous Answerer — ashamed of his
Name, — and his Weak Grounds for Independency, or Separation, are raodestiy
discovered, refelled. By Williara Prynne, of Lincoln's Inn, Esq. Lond. 1644."
4to. pp. 24. This " third book," spoken of by Burton, was replied to under the
title of "A Modest Answer to Mr. Prynne's ' Full Reply,' &c. 1645." 4to.
'' Supposed to be Henry Robinson, in p. 4, 6, &c. of Prynne's " Vindication of
Four Serious Questions of Grand Importance, concerning Excommunication, Ste.
1645." 4fo.
" See back, vol. L p. 555. '' Rev. xvii. 4. « Prov. xxix. 25.

CHAP. LVl.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 417
labouring to advance the throne of his Kingly govemment, in all our
souls, and over all the churches of the saints ; and, with those ' four-
and-twenty ejders,' cast ourselves and crowns before Him that sitteth
' on the throne,' " saying, ' Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory
and honour and power,' for evennore : Amen. And let this be our main
contention. Who shall most honour Christ, and raost love one an
other! Farewell."

CHAP. LVI.
APOLLONIJ.  BAILLIE.
Much of the matter which will immediately follow the particulars of
the piece about to be examined here, will be greatly increased in inte
rest by juxtaposition, notwithstanding the apparent discrepancy in dates.
At present we have to do with " A Consideration of Certain Contro
versies at this time agitated in the Kingdora of England, Concerning
the Govemraent of the Church of God. Written, at the Coraraand and
Appointment of the Walachrian Classis, by Guilielnius Apollonij,
Minister of the Word of God at Middleburgh. And sent from the
Walachrian Churches, to declare the sense and consent of their
Churches, to the Synod at London. Octob, 1 6, 1 644. StUo novo 
Translated out of Latin according to the printed copy.'' Lond. 1645."
16mo. pp. 151.
The Dedication, dated Nov. 1, 1644, is set out with the styles and
titles of three " Most excellent, most noble, magnificent, and most
illustrious Lords" of the United Provinces of the Netherlands ; and they
are told in the name of the chief author, that " The Pastors of the
Churches of the Walachrian Classis, being raoved with the deplorable
face and condition of the English Churches, would gladly contribute
sorae assistance for the quenching of that flarae of controversies risen
araongst thera, concerning the Discipline and Spiritual Govemraent of
the Kingdom of Christ; and afford not their prayers only, but their
counsel and assistance also, meet for composing these contentions,
whereby the billows of dissensions might be assuaged, and happy peace
restored to those troubled churches. By their authority, therefore, and
command, they have employed rae in this present work ; and out of
pure zeal and brotherly love to those churches, have lately enjoined
me to exhibit to the Asserably of Divines at London our Ecclesiastical
Government, proved by the Word of God, and confirmed by the gi-ounds
of holy Scripture and the consent of Reformed divines. Which work
being now finished, and, after a diligent examination by those Pastors,
approved, I offer to your most noble and raost excellent Lordships.". .
" Rev. iv. 10.
•• " Consideratio quarundam Controversiarum, ad Regimen Ecclesiae spectantium
quae in Angliae Regno hodie agitantur : ex mandalo et jussu Classis Walacbriana;
conscripta. Lond. 1644." ICmo. pp. 180.
II. 2 E

418 ¦ HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
This is followed by an Epistie " To the Synod at London," dated as on
the title-page.
" Reverend and Beloved Brethren in Christ, — ^We ha«e received by
your most courteous Letters, written, some months since, to the
Churches of Zealand, an express testimony not only of your entire
friendship, but also of your confidence and sincere affection towards us,
into whose bosom you were pleased to pour forth your fluctuating
minds. , . O that our eyes were resolved into fountains of waters, that
we might lament, day and night, the desolations of the people ! Our
mind trembles to hear the desperate counsels and wicked attempts of
those whose endeavour hath been to blot out from amongst you the
whole face of a Reformed Church, and totally to hinder all better coun
sels ; and have brought it thus to pass, that the band of the kingdom
being broken, all things are now involved in a cruel war ; all hope of
peace and agreement taken away, and the happiness of church and
kingdom overthrown. But, as God doth by his favour prosper right
counsels, so, for the raost part, he brings the wicked plots of raen upon
the heads of those who contrive them. . . We pray, therefore, that He
who knoweth what is conducing to the good of raankind, of his church,
of you, would vouchsafe to inspire such counsels into the hearts of
Princes which raay restore to you godliness, together with holy agree
ment and prosperity ; since we see we have nothing but prayers left for
the assuaging the floods of troubles amongst you. . . God hath sent a
fire into your lands, not to consume the golden and precious vessels of
the Lord, but to purify the sons of Levi, and to cleanse his house from
the dross and filth of false and adulterate worship, superstition, schisms,
en-ors and offences ; that there be offered, in all your borders, a pure
offering of spiritual worship according to God's institution. For how
great a thing are we to judge this, that these troubles of your churches
have produced this holy 'Covenant' between the three kingdoms,..
and engaged you all really, constantly, sincerely, and to your utmost
power, to labour and endeavour to defend and maintain the Reformed
religion of the Church of Scotland . . against the common eneraies : . .
as likewise to bring the churches of God in these three kingdoras to
the nearest conjunction and unifonnity in the Confession of Faith,
Form of Church-Govemraent, Directory for Divine Worship, and
Form of Catechism ; that all you, and your posterity after you, may as
brethren live in the true faith and rautual love, and that the Lord may
be pleased to dwell in the midst of you. . . We beseech you, therefore,
in the Name of God, that — denying all human affections, you deal
faithfully in this business — you do wholly cast forth of the House of
God not only the Bishops' tyranny, and superstitions already sup
pressed, but also heresies and schisras, and whatsoever is contrary to
sound doctrine and the power of godliness, as your oath asserteth. . .
Unless you do timely withstand the spreading gangrene of Separatists,
and the unlawful conventicles of schismatics, ferewell all sacred disci
pline of the church, due policy, and spiritual government ! We have
had experience, in the troubles of our churches, of the subtilty of those
who, being day and night intent on innovating, leave no stone un
moved ; go to and fro by sea, by land, to gain disciples and patrons

CHAP. LVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 419
of their cause ; and so, at last, hy force and fear, curb and oppress the
Cause of Truth and of God. The remedy comes too late, when evils
have gotten strength by long delays : the heavenly affairs of the church
go to rain, when, by woridly reasonings of huraan wisdora, they are
protiracted, abated, retarded ; settled and unsettled. . . You must there
fore speedily withstand their designs at first. , . Loi-d Jesus ! digest this
chtios of confusions ; let thy Spirit spread itself upon these waters of
evil fluctuating opinions. Thou, by thy Spirit, hast reconciled earth
and heaven ; by it Thou hast joined so many tongues, nations, and
several sorts of men, into one body of the church, which, by the same
Spirit, is knit fast to Thee her Head ; vouchsafe, therelbre, to renew
that Spirit in the hearts of our Brethren, that all these confusions and
calamities may cease amongst them, and may tend to the advantage of
godliness to thy chureh.
" Reverend Brethren, We are desirous to repay you our debts.
When our country was on a flame, by the intestine dissen.sions about
religion, by your help, counsel and assistance, were our wounds healed,
our griefs assuaged : when you, therefore, lie under the same disease,
we labour, in way of gratitude, to heal you : this is our end ; this is
that we aira at. . . We join, therefore, with these Letters, our judgment
concerning certain controversies now agitated in your kingdom : . . not
that we would call you to give an account at our tribunal ; far be it
from us ; for we acknowledge that there are amongst you, and those
Brethren who maintain the contrary part in these coniioversies, men
learned, godly, lovers of peace, who are abundantiy sufficient in judg
ing, explaining, and deciding all these conU-oversies ; but, in quenching
a common flame in a city, they, not without cause, run to help, even
uncalled, whose neighbour's house is on fire ! . . You have called upon
us, in your most courteous Letters, that we would be helpful to you, in
your shaken condition, by such remedies as by our common advice
should be thought meet ; and we have judged it at this time most suit
able to show to you who are in conflict, your diseases and their reme
dies ; to signify the practice and laws observed hy our churches in their
spiritual governraent and public worshiji of God, and to vindicate them
by the Word of God against the erroneous conceits of some. Of 'some,'
we say, for we are assured that the whole body of the church is not yet
infected with this ulcer. And therefore what we have gathered out of
the public writings daily published amongst you, we desire not to im
pute to any but those who defend, nourish, and maintain, those per
verse opinions, or receive them into their churches. If some of those
Brethren of the contrary opinion do in ought differ from them, we wish
they would declare so much by public writing, and express it by com
mon consent ; that the Reformed churches of Christ might be freed
from the just fear which their writings have caused thera to conceive.
For, not without cause do the godly conceive that those are hatching
sorae monster, that use shifts and dare not with open face clearly set
down and maintain their opinions. Therefore, by the name of Christ
and the love of the Spirit, we beseech those Brethren, that they would
clearly, sincerely, plainly, and distinctly, without the vizard of rhetorical
flourishes, declare and describe to us their Ecclesiastical Policy and
2e2

420 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.,
form of public worship j not here and there a piece, \)ut in the whole,
frame of it : aiid, that they would not vent doubtful expressions in
public, but, in due order, which tendeth to edification, raanifest it to
the Reforraed churches of Christ, if there be ought deficient^in their
Ecclesiastical governraent ; that with a peaceable, brotherly mind, and
in due manner, the Truth may be searched out, and held forth in public
to the eyes of all.". . " Subscribed, in the name of the Walachrian,
Churches, by us. Jacobus D'Herde, President of the Walachrian Clas
sis, pro tempore: lodocus Larenus, Assessor, pro temp.: Isaacus
Hoornbekius, Preacher at Middleburgh : Cornelius Beuckelarius,
Preacher at Vere : Melchior Burs, Minister of West Souburch."
The topics said to have been considered by these several oracles,
inquired of by an active knot of confederates, and professedly " moved".
at the "deplorable" grounds of the solicitation, concem — 'The qualifi-,
cations of Church Members : The absolute necessity of a Church Co
venant : The kinds of an instituted Visible Church : The depositories
of Ecclesiastical Power : The supremacy of the Ecclesiastical Ministry;
and the Exercise thereof, in three particulars : Classes and Synods, and,
their Authority : Set Forms of Prayer.
The sura of their judgraent, regarding the first head, or chapter, is,;
"We affinn, that to the extemal and visible church, the pastors are to,
admit those who profess the true religion and faith of Christ, lead their,
lives without scandal, or being fallen into scandals, do by repentance
wash them away .in foro ecclesiee — at the church's tribunal, — submit
themselves to discipline, publicly frequent all exercises of divine wor
ship, and desire church-communion with us ; although they do not
manifest such evident signs of regeneration which raay convince the
consciences of the church of their ti-ue faith in Chiist." * They state
honestly the diversity of practice araong themselves: "In our Refonned
churches of the Netherlands, members of churches are admitted by a
confession of the true faith and religion, a solemn protestation to sub
mit themselves to the discipline of the church, a testimony of an un
blamable and inoffensive life : as also Ames hiraself affirmeth, that
'men are duly admitted into the church by a confession of faith and
promise of obedience.' '' And, in some more numerous churches in the
Netherlands, it is the custom and practice, for the churches* greater
prudence in admitting raerabers, that those who desire admission into
church-communion before their solemn profession of faith, are, for
some weeks, several times privately exercised ; and instructed, if they
be not sufficiently exercised. And this instruction is by the ministers,
in the visitation of their several precincts ; and is also publicly offered
to all, when notice is given of celebrating the Lord's supper. The mi
nisters inquire, likewise, of the integiity of life and conversation of
those who expect coramunion with us : afterwards they use to undergo
an exaraination before the consistory in their consistorial raeeting, ov
before the delegates of the consistory ; which is perfonned by the mi
nister through all the points of catechisra : and, last of all, having been
thus tried, they do in public, before the body of the church, by a bare,
' P- 3. " Medulla, Lib. i. cap. xxxii. thes. 17.

HAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 421
affirmation, give answer to these general positions, 'Whether or not
they acknowledge the doctrine of our churches to be the orthodox faith
and the way of salvation P Whether or not they promise, by the gi-ace
of God, to persist till death in the profession of tiiis doctrine P Whe
ther or not they promise to live holily and as becometh this doctrine P
Whether or not they submit themselves to the discipline of the church ?'
In this manner are those who desire admission admitted to our church-
communion. This custom, though laudable, is not indeed contrary,
but yet is beside the order of our churches, and is not in use in all our
churches ; which therefore we do not urge as absolutely necessary, but
make use of it for the greater ecclesiastical prudence in so grave and
serious a matter. In the mean time we esteera that order established
in our ecclesiastical constitutions to be sufficient for the due admitting
of merabers into church-communion, according to the Word of
God." ^
Under the second chapter, they say, " Our churches of the Nether
lands, in admitting of pastors or church-meinbers, do not enter into
any such church-covenant ; which yet are true visible churches of
God." '' And afterward, " We hold that the sacraments are to be ad
ministered, not to those only who by a church- covenant have joined
themselves to some particular church, but to all the merabers of the
church-catholic who have duly prepared theraselves for the partaking of
thera. Thus our Belgic churches deny not the seal of baptisra to the
children of those parents who have not, by a confession of faith and
submission to ecclesiastical discipline, joined themselves to any par
ticular church ; according to the practice of the Jewish church,
Joshua V. 4, 6 : as neither do we deny the participation of the Lord's
supper to those who by reason of the necessity of their calling cannot
join theraselves to any particular church, but are forced to travel through
divers parochial churches." ¦=
The third chapter informs us, that " In our Belgic churches in some
greater towns, though there be more believers than can celebrate the
holy worahip of God and exercise other ordinances of Christ together
in one place, yet they are not divided into several churches, but do to
gether make one visible church, under the comraon presbytery and
government of divers pastors.** "• They say, "We reject that national
and provincial fonn of a church introduced by men, in which many
churches are united and subjected to a cathedral church, and depend
upon one visible pastor, who is pastor and lord of all other pastors and
inferior particular churches; wherein the inferior churches enjoy God's
holy ordinances and ecclesiastical power by derivation and commission
from the power and jurisdiction of that cathedral church, or that na
tional or provincial pastor and bishop. For these are the inventions
of Antichrist, which bring a tyranny into the church, and overthrow
the power granted by God to the churches and pastors. Yet such a
national and provincial church we acknowledge wherein many particular
churches are, by one visible rainistry and church-govemraent, joined
into one collective ecclesiastical body visible, for celebrating all those
"P. 11— 13. ''P. 19. "P. 23. ""P. 27.

42'2 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
ordinances of God which are necessary to the visible ministerial go
vernment of those churches, and rautual ecclesiastical fellowship in it.""
" We affinn that a corapany of presbyters met together with ecclesias
tical jurisdiction for transactnig church affairs, are a church ; to wit, a
ministerial or a governing and representative church, as they call it;
and therefore called in Scripture by the name ' church.' We confess
that such a company of presbyters are not a church-representative, jiro-
perly so called ; as if the elders were the delegates of the believers, who
in their name and their stead govern the church, and judge of church
affairs, so as that the company of believers govern and judge by those
elders as their instruinents and deputies, like as the king's deputy re
presents the king himself. For the multitude of believers in the
church hath not, by the Word of God, a power of ruling and judging
church affairs by a spiritual jnrisdiction ; and therefore cannot delegate
it to the elders and presbyters : but the pre.shyters do themselves im
mediately from Christ, the King of the church, receive power of ruling,
and ecclesiastical jurisdiction; 2 Cor. v. 20; 1 Cor. iv. 1. In this
sense, therefore, we do not acknowledge a representative church.
Neither do we acknowledge such a representative chnrch as, by com
raission from the multitude of believers, should have absolute power by
their laws and acts of jurisdiction to bind the raultitude, and subject
their faith and consciences so as, without trial, they should receive and
embrace whatsoever should be deterrained by this church : for this is
the papists' tyrannical antichristian representative church, in the pope
and his popish bishops ; which, by Reformed churches, is denied and
cast out. Bnt this representative church we acknowledge out of the
holy Scriptures, namely, a company of presbyters chosen by the mul
titude ofthe church, wliich, by authority and ecclesiastical jurisdiction
received from Clirist, is set over and takes care of the church, and rules
it by spiritual jurisdiction, and decrees made consonant to the Word of
God ; to whom the whole multitude of believers is bound to yield obe
dience in all things which, from the Word of God, and by the power of
Christ committed to thera, they decree.". .''
"We reject, therefore, these opposite opinions following : 1. That
there is no other church-visible described in Scripture, but a particular
or parochial church, which raight meet together in one place to cele
brate the holy worship of God. For there is such a visible church de
scribed in Scripture which hath those attributes given to it which agree
not to a particular church as such ; as that it is dispersed through
Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, — 1 Pet. i. 1, com
pared with chapter v. 1 , 2, — that ' all,' both Jews and Greeks, whether
bond or free, make up 'one body' thereof: 1 Cor. xii. 13. 2. That a
particular visible church is, by the Word of God, limited to such
bounds as that, of necessity, they may be ordinarily contained, and
ought to raeet in one place, for performing the worship of God with
mutual edification. — For we have showed that the constitution of such
a church as, by reason of their raultitude or some other cause, cannot
ordinarily raeet in one place, doth well agree with the word of God and
apostolical institution : for the essence and lawful constitution of a
» P. 28. b p, ^7_

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 423
church dependeth not on the outward circumstance of place, but on
a due profession of faith and bond of holy communion ; for, as Ames
saith, 'That same, in profession, doth constitute a church-visible,
which, in reality and its intemal nature, constituteth the church-
mystical, that is, faith.' " 3. That there is no visible instituted church,
but that which is met together for the performance of all the ecclesias
tical ordinances of Christ ; for preaching the Word of God, and adrai
nistration of the sacraments, and the exercise of all the offices and
spiritual gifts, in a constituted church. — But Christ speaketh of a
'church,' Matt, xviii. 17, raet together, not for the Word and sacra
ments, but only for the exercise of church-discipline. So, likewise, is
that meeting called a 'church' wherein the aposties did not, by way of
sei-mon, preach the Word, nor administer the sacraments, but only told
what God had done among the Gentiles, Acts xiv. 27 ; xv. 4 ; or chose
some to carry their decrees to others, xv. 22, which were acts of eccle
siastical jurisdiction. And, therefore, that raeeting which meeteth only
for the exercise of discipline and ecclesiastical jurisdiction, is also a
' church,' and so called in Scripture." ''
The fourth chapter enlarges upon the topic in which was laid the real
ground of contention, and of which the two following chapters are but
expository. " To all the members of the church belongeth power to
clwose their ministers : . . hut, by this election, the believers do not
confer or derive the power of the Keys on the ministers or pastors cho
sen ; but only design him on whom the power of that church-office is,
by Divine institution, to be conferred by ecclesiastical ordination. . .
The act of election, or nomination, is not an act of jurisdiction or ec
clesiastical authority ; but of the gift of discretion, whereby they prove
the spirits, and discem the voice of the shepherd, and choose him by
whose teaching they will be led.""^ " In this whole business, therefore,
of vocation, we grant to the people nomination ; which was, at first, [! ]
in the power of the presbyters and people in common."'' "It is clear by
apostolical examples and the practice of the ancients, that the ministers
were first to nominate, and the people to assent to that nomination duly
performed, or to consult in common about the person to be norainated;
or lastly, if they have any cause why they might justiy oppose that nomi
nation, freely to produce their judgment to the governors of the church."'
It is no part of ours, to reconcile these confiicting passages ; we merely
produce them. Again : "All this business of election doth not consti
tute any one a pastor; . . for the people's nomination and the whole
matter of election may be rightly peforraed, and yet it raay so come to
pass that he which is chosen by a people may never be their pastor : to
wit, if the person elected do justly refuse it; or the presbytery duly de
termine the person elected to be unfit for the ministry of this people. . .
Ordination therefore, contains in it the potestative mission whereby, ac
cording to Divine appointment, a pastor receiveth the ecclesiastical office.
Which mission, or sending, is so necessary that without it no man may
duly undertake an ecclesiastical office : Rom. x. 15."*^
» Medulla, Lib. i. cap. xxxii. thes. 7. ^ p 4i_43. <= P. 45, 46.
¦I P. 47. ' Ib. f P. 48, 49, 50.

424 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS " [CHARLES I.
The following passage seeras to accord only to the figure in rhetoric,
called * oxymoron,* — where contradictions meet. "The govemment of
the church or kingdom of Christ is free and voluntary, to which all the
children of the church do voluntarily submit themselves : but yet it is
a government, properly so called ; for there is in it authoritative juris
diction, and ecclesiastical coaction by spiritual punishments on the soul.
In reference to the former, — that this government is voluntary, — the
whole people by their free and voluntary consent and agreement, do con
cur to the election of the govemors of the church and the excommuni
cation of merabers. But in reference to the latter, — that the govemment
of the church is properly governraent, — the whole people doth not rule
or govern in the church ; but the church is divided into rulers and those
that are ruled : and therefore, only the guides and rulers of churches,
in ecclesiastical jurisdiction, are Christ's vice-gerents to rule, and in his
name, to command ; to judge, and by Christ's censures, to coiTect. The
power of ecclesiastical office hath, therefore, in the govemraent of the
church, over and above the people's consent, an authoritative and coac-
tive power of the discipline and rod of Christ, which belongeth not
to the people."" See, however, 2 Cor. ii. 6, opposed to 1 Cor. iv. 21,
and 2 Cor. xiii. 10.
"We deny not," say these Wallachrian guides, "but that extraordi
narily, in a perplexed and depraved estate of a whole visible church, the
raultitude, or faithful people, in a church, raay choose their pastors
and rulers ; and authoritatively put thera into the power, right, and pos
session of the rainistry ; and that, by reason of a cogent necessity which
admitteth no law, and to which all positive law giveth place."'' After this,
they say, "We in this cause do, from the holy Scriptures, thus judge, . .
That the multitude of believers in a church, by this nomination or de
signation of a person on whom it may according to Christ's institu
tion be duly conferred, doth effect thus much. That the ecclesiastical
office and the power thereof, by the donation of Christ, may be ap
plied to this or that man ; but doth not derive this power on that per
son."" We come now to the completion of the hypothesis, without which the
previous reasoning cannot stand, and raust therefore, be sustained even
before the face of raanifest inconsistency. " ' You,' saith the apostle, ' and
ray spirit, being gathered together in the Narae of the Lord Jesus Christ,
with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, let such a man be deli\'ered to
Satan:' 1 Cor. v. 4, 5; and this rebuke, or church-censure, was done
viro roiv TrXeiovii)j','hy [the'\ raany,'ashe writes, 2Cor.ii. 6. Surely,that
by these ' raany' the apostle understandeth not the whole raultitude, is
easily manifested : if all were present at the deliberating, every one even
of the meanest capacity maj' see there was no reason why Paul should
not have written vno tS>v TravrSiv, 'of all;' for this had been very suitable to
commend that cause which the apostie was urging. For from the''mul-
titude of those who had by ecclesiastical discipline corrected the inces
tuous person, he endeavours to prevail with the Corinthians, that they
would now afford pardon to him upon his repentance. And further, let
»P. 5L T. 57. "^P. 61.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 425
it be remembered that these TrXtiovtg, these ' many,' are described, in the
former place, to be avvu')(^gvr£Q vpdv Bvyafiti ra Kvplov rip&v Irjirov
XpjoToii' 'gathered together with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,'
1 Cor. V. 4. For since we know that this ' power' is by Christ coraraitted to
the rainistry of the church, and lies in the administration of the spiritual
keys, we may easily guess that by the terra ' many' is to be understood
the company of pastors and elders to whom the care of ecclesia.stical dis
cipHne is committed."" This rotten theory is propped up with the aid of
Bollinger and Hyperius upon the text; by the first indeed raore confi
dently than by the second.
The fifth and sixth chapters contain concessions materially affecting
the restrictive policies which these worthy referees strive to defend. " We
grant . . that private Christians in an extraordinary case, in a church to
be erected, or that is decayed and i-uined, may soraetiraes publicly preach
the Word of God for the planting a church, when there are not such as
by God's ordinary call, have received from God power to preach the
'Word: for the positive ritual law of God gives place to the raoral law
bf God when necessity requires it."'' So also, "in a case extraordinary,
when a national church is corrupted and depraved, the due power of
classes and synods overturned and destroyed ; and when the polity of
the church is so utteriy ruined as that there is no raore any face of it to
be seen, nowhere any to be found that labour in sound doctrine, no
marks of a risible church discernible by the eyes of men ; in such a
case, the ordination of pastors is in the power of the particular church,
who have received from God, right to ordain, in this necessity, by their
own eldershiji. And therefore, where there is no such eldership, they
first go about the constitution of it, and then being thus constituted, they
perform their ordinations by it For that is sure which Melancthon doth
oft inculcate ; ' When the ordinary bishops,' saith he, ' become enemies
to the church, or refuse to afford ordination, tiie churches retain their
own right ; for wherever there is a church, there is power of dispensing
the gospel : so that of necessity the church must retain a right of their
own, to call, elect, and ordain rainisters; and this right is a gift granted
to the church, which no human authority can take from it'' That this
power should be wholly abrogated, and brought to nothing for want of
pastors, is not to be thought ; but coraraon sense teacheth that it is bet
ter, in such a case, to enlarge it, than that the church should be desti
tute of the large fruits of the gospel's preaching : for that the church should
be then deprived of this power when the exercise of it is raost chiefly re
quired, is absurd.""'
The seventh and last chapter admits the convenience of Set Forms
of Prayer, and grounds their lawfulness on the common-place arguments,
that " we raay, in a prescript form, sing psalms, and Offer thanksgivings
to God with due reverence, faith, spiritual affection and zeal :" that
" that is a just and lawful fonn of prayers in which are observed the
essentials and necessary requisites to all prayers :" that " our Lord and
Saviour Christ hath prescribed us a form of prayer ; . . an express fonn
of baptising ;" that Jewish forms, " in the celebration of the passover,
» P. Si. •> P. 77.
' Argum. et Respons. Pt vii. De potest Episc. Arg. 2. '' P. 107.

426 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Christ by his practice did approve to be retained ;" that " so likewise,
our Saviour hath, by his exaraple, prescribed a fonn of words for the
Lord's supper. Matt xxvi:" aud, lastly, "in almost all Reformed
churches ecclesiastical liturgies and fonns of prayers are approved as
useful and conducing to the edification of the church." " " Nowhere
hath God commanded that a Christian should separate himself from that
worship which is perforraed by a prescript fonn : . . and we think it un
charitable, to conderan all those godly churches as guilty of superstition
and will- worship, which, from the times of the apostles and the primitive
churches downward, even to this day, have celebrated the public worship
of God in prescript and set-forms. And therefore we blame the precise
singularity of those raen who banish all set forras from the worship of
God, and separate themselves from all the Protestant churches into
private and separate congregations of their own, because of the fonns
used by the Protestants in the worship of God.'"' Here, in these their
last words, the Walachrian censors, could go no further in their com
raission than to say " we think it uncharitable," and, "we blarae the
precise singularity ;" phrases but littie satisfactory, we iraagine, to those
who solicited their judgment of the Separatists ; who are, after all, un
fairly represented, to separate themselves raerely "because of the fonns
used by the Protestants !" and how unfairly, they have themselves
shown, in a paragraph which we reserved to follow at this place, the
raore effectively to prove, by another instance, their inconsistency, and
to raitigate even their qualified censure of those whom they were ap
pointed in particular to conderan.
Thus then they wrote, seven pages backward, " We reject such
forras of prayer, of adrainistration of sacraments, etc., which for the
matter of them are vicious. For we may not, in prayers and other
parts of the public worship of God, propound anything unlawful, imper
tinent, and unfitting; which savoureth of superstition, idolatry or heresy,
or carnal profaneness and porap of the world ; and which introduceth.
a communion with the unfruitful works of darkness. And for this
cause we reject the ceremonies and fonns of public worship introduced
in the Church of England in these last coiTupt times, by the hier
archical Bishops; as which, being superstitious and idolatrous, did deface
the church and worship of God, and obscure the brightness and beauty
of a glorious Reformation : and a church which takes up superstitious
and idolatrous ceremonies, partakes in superstition and idolatry. — We
reject also, those forms of prayers and public worship which, by a
tyrannical and violent command, are iraposed on the consciences of
men as absolutely necessary, and as essential parts of God's worship.
Though, for the matter of them, they be legitimately disposed ; yet for the
form of them and the raanner of their introducing, they become illegiti
mate instruinents of cruelty, and pretences for perverse wickedness,
and occasions of violent tyranny against the worthiest and best sons of
the Church. For there are not, by Christ or the aposties — whose in
stitutions are not defective in the absolutely necessary parts of God's
worship — any forras prescribed as siraply and absolutely necessary,
wherein they have drawn up an exact and immutable rule for all Chris-
> P. 146—150. 1) p. 151.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 427
tians in churches, in matter, and form, and method, to which all faith
ful worshippers of God to the world's end are to be precisely bound !""
At this place, the further produce of Baillie's pen '' will continue the
exposure of the underhand practices'^ to which he and his party resorted,
and present other matter contributory to the history of the period to
which they relate.
" The other day some of the Dutch church^ came to the assembly-
door, and delivered a Letter to us, from the Classes of Walachren. It
was publicly read, and taken with a great deal of respect. It came
wonderful opportunely, and will do a great deal of good. The long
and sharp censure of the Apologetic Narration was very well received
by all, but the parties, who yet were altogether silent and durst not
oppose one word. A committee was presently appointed for translating
it into English, and transmitting it to be read to both houses of parlia
ment, both in Latin and English. What there it may work, you shall
hear in time. It spoke so near to the mind and words of the Scots,
that some said it savoured of them ; but when some such rauttering
was brought to the face of the Assembly ; all did deny they knew any
author of such a speech : so, no man avowing it, the Scots let such a
calumny [!] pass, without any apology. I believe they wished, and
thought it just, that all the Reformed churches should do all which the
divines of Walachren have, in the defence of the cause of God and all
the Reformed churches, against common and very dangerous adversaries.
But I heard thera say, in private, that they had no coirespondence at
all with any foreign churches ; it might be, that sorae of them had
soraetimes Letters from the minister ofthe Scots* Staple at Campvere,
but that none of them had sent hira either the Apologetical Nanation,
or so much as our answer to it; that they had never motioned any cen
sure of that book by the foreign divines. However, in the good provi
dence of God, that Letter came. It is expected the synod of Zealand
will not only avow what their brethren have written, but will give their
brotherly advice to this synod, anent [concerning] all the things in
hand ; which, I assure you, will be very well taken, and do much good :
especially if, with their serious dissuasive from Independency and cor
dial exhortation to erect presbyteries and synods, they join their coun
sels for abolishing the relics of Romish superstition, in their festival
days and liturgy, etc.; and, above all, to beware of any toleration of sects,
" P. 144. — In 1648 appeared, — printed at London, 16rao. pp. 170, but "Dabam
Ipsuici in Nova Anglia, Dec. 22, 1645 ;" with a preface in Latin by " Johannes.
Cotton," and an address to the Reader, also in Latin, dated " Lond. Feb. 16, 1647-
[8]," signed " Tho. Goodwin ; Phil. Nye ; Sidr. Sirapson." — a masterly production
under the title of " Responsio ad totam Quaestionum Syllogen 4 Clarissimo Viro,
Doraino Guilielrao ApoUonio, Ecclesiae Middleburgensis Pasture, propositam. Ad
componendas Controversias quasdam circa Politiam Ecclesiasticam in Anglia nunc
temporis agitatas spectantem. Per Johannera Nortonura,JVIinistrum Ecclesias quae est
Ipsuici in Nova Anglia. — Ezek.xliii.il." This is said to be the first American
book written in Latin. Fuller, Church Hist bk. xi. p. 213, says of it " Of all the
authors I have perused concerning the opinions of those ' Dissenting Brethren,*
none to me was more informative than Mr. John Norton, one of no less learning
than raodesty." '' See back, p. 258.
"-- See back, p. 256. ^ In Austin Friars, London.

42S HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLtS I.
wherein you are an evil and dangerous example. If you assist us at
this time, God may make us helpfiti to you another day. Farewell,
March 10th, [1643-4]."" It raust be reraerabered that this very
Letter is addressed " To Mr. William Spang," Baillie's cousin, and the
minister ofthe above said " Scots' Staple at Campvere," in Walachria,
or Walcheren ; the duplicity which was being canied on between
them, is a humiliating lesson of human nature ; we shall see more
of it.In his next Letter, dated April 2nd, Baillie tells Spang, " I showed
in my last,'' how we were brought, in our Assembly, to the chief ques
tion. That many particular congregations were under the government of
one presbytery. The Independents pressed they inight first be heard
in the negative. Here they spent to us Inany of twenty long sessions.
Goodvrin took most of the speech upon him ; yet they divided their ar
guments among them, and gave the managing of them by turns to Bridge,
Burroughes, Nye, Sirapson, and Caryl. Truly, if the cause were good,
the men have plenty of learning, wit, eloquence, and, above all, boldness
and stiffiiess, to make it out ; but when they had wearied theraselves, and
over-wearied us all, we found the most they had to say against the Pres
bytery was but curious idle niceties ; yea, that all they could bring was
noways concluding. Every one of their arguraents, when it [each] had
been pressed to the full, in one whole session, and soraetiraes in two or
three, were voiced, and found to be light unanimously, by all but them
selves. By this means, their credit did much fall in the city, who un
derstood daily all we did, and found these raen had got rauch raore than
fair play, a more free liberty than any innovators ever in any assembly,
to reason their cause to the bottom ; but further in the country [where
were they] who knew not the manner of our proceedings, their emissa
ries filled the ears of the people — That the Asserably did cry down the
truth with votes, and [that it] was but an anti-christian meeting which
would erect a Presbytery worse than Bishops !
" For to remedy these evils and to satisfy the minds of all, we thought
meet to essay how far we could draw them in a private friendly way of
accommodation ; but Satan, the father of discord, had wellnear crushed
that motion in the very beginning. After our first meeting with some
three of the Assembly, Marshall, Palmer, Viiies ; and three of them,
Goodwin, Bun-oughes, Bridge, with ray lord Wharton, Sir Harry Vane,
and the Solicitor, in our house, and very fair appearances of pretty agree
ment, Mr. Nye was like to spoil all our play. When it came to his turn,
in the Assembly, to oppugn the Presbytery, he had from Malt, xviii.
drawn, in a crooked unformal way which he never could get in a syllo
gism, The inconsistence of a Presbytery with a Civil State. In this, he
was cried down as impertinent. The day following, when he saw the
Asserably full of the prime nobles and chief merabers of both Houses,
he did fall on that argument again, and very boldly offered to demon
strate that our way of drawing a whole kingdora under one national as
sembly is formidable, yea, thrice over pernicious to civil states and king
doms. All cried hira down, and some would have had him expelled the
• Letter 44. P. 435. >> " To Scotiand." See back, p. 258.

CHAP. LVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 429
Assembly as seditious. Mr. Henderson showed, he spoke against the
govei'nment of ours and all the Reformed churches, as Lucian and the
pagans wont to stir up princes and states against the christian religion.
We were all highly offended with hira. The Assembly voted him to have
spoken against the order : this is the highest of their censures. Mait
land was absent ; but enraged when he heard of it. We had many con
sultations what to do: at last, we were resolved to pursue it no further,
only we would not meet with him except he acknowledged his fault.
The Independents were resolute not to meet without him, and he reso
lute to recall nothing of the substance of that he had said : at last, we
were entreated by our fiiends, to shuffle it over the best way might be,
and go on in our business. God, that brings good out of evil, made that
miscaniage of Nye, a mean to do hiin some good ; for, ever since, we
find him in all things the most accommodating man in the corapany.
" This and sundry occurrences have made the sails of that party fall
lower. My lord Say's credit and reputation is none at all, which wont
to be all in all. Sir Hairy Vane, whatever be his judgraent, yet less
or more does not own thera, and gives them no encouragement. No man
I know in either ofthe Houses, of any note, is for thera. Sundry offi
cers and soldiers in the ai-my are fallen from their way to antinomianism
and anabaptism, which burdens thera with envy. Not any one in the As
serably, when they have heen heard to the full, in any one thing, is
persuaded by thera ; but all profess themselves to be more averse from
their ways than before. The Brethren of New England incline more to
synods and presbyteries ; driven thereto by the manifold late heresies,
schisms, and factions, broken out among them ; alsp the raany pens
that have fallen, more sharply than we, on their Apologetic Narra
tion. "These and divers other accidents haye cooled somewhat of these
raen's fervour ; above all, the Letter frora Holland has given them a
great wound. Our good friend in Zealand gave to his neighbour so
good information of all he heard from us here, that so soon as the classes
of Walachren did meet to consult about the Letter which this Synod
sent to thera, as to all the Refonned churches, they were very bent pre
sently to write an answer, in the which they fell flat and expressly upon
the Independents and their Apologetic Narration, showing how far their
way was contrary to the Word of God, to the Reformed churches, and to
all sound reason[!] This was read openly in the face of the Assembly,
and in the ears of the Independents, who durst not mule against it. It
was appointed to be translated into English, and sent to be read in both
Houses of Parliament, which was done accordingly. This has rauch
vexed the minds of these raen ; and yet, we expect frora the synod of
Zealand now sitting, more water to be put in their wine. It seems they
are justly crossed by God ; for beside all the en-or and great evil which
is in their Way, they have been the only raen who have kept this poor
Church in an anarchy so long a time; who have preferred the advance
ment of their private new fancies to the Kingdora of Christ; who have
lost many thousand souls through the long confusion occasioned by
their wilfulness only; and the settling of the land, which their Way
hitherto has kept loose and open, to the evident hazard of its ruin.

430 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Their ways, private and public, have taken away, from the most of be
holders, tlie opinion which was of their more than ordinary piety and
ingenuity : that now is gone. All this contributes to the peace of this
Church. " While we came to prove the affirmative of our tenet anent [con
cerning] the Presbytery, they jangled many daj's with us ; but at last
it was carried, and sundry scriptures were voiced also for that proposi
tion, to our gi-eat joy. In the debate, they let fall so much of their
mind, that it was hoped they might come up, if not fullj' to our grounds,
yet to most of our practical conclusions. For this end, the Asserably
appointed a committee of four of them and four of the Assembly to
meet with us four, to see how far we could agree. We were glad that
what we were doing in private should be thus authorised. We have
met some three or four times already, and have agreed on five or six
propositions, hoping, by God's grace, to agree in more. They yield,
that a Presbytery, even as we take it, is an ordinance of God, which
hath power and authority from Christ to call the ministers and elders,
or any in then- bounds, before them ; to account for any offence in life
or doctrine ; to try and examine the cause ; to admonish and rebuke,
and if they be obstinate, to declare them as ethnics and publicans, and
give thera over to the punishment of the magistrates ; also, doctrinally
to declare the raind of God in all questions of religion, with such
authority as obliges to receive their just sentences : that they will be
members of such fixed Presbyteries; keep the raeeting; preach as it
coraes to their turn, join in the discipline after doctrine. Thus far
we have gone on without prejudice to the proceeding of the Asserably.
" When we were going to the rest of the propositions concerning the
Presbytery, ray Lord Manchester wrote to us from Cambridge what
he had done in the University, how he had ejected, for gross scandals,
the heads of five colleges : . . also, because of the multitude of scanda
lous ministers he behoved to remove, he renewed to the Asserably his
former motion anent [concerning] the expediting of Ordination. This
has cast us on that head. . . The last four sessions were spent upon an
unexpected debate : good Mr. Calamy and sorae of our best friends
fearing the Separatists* objections anent [concerning] the Ministry of
England, as if they had no calling; for this reason, araong other.s,
' that they were ordained without the People's election, yea, without
any flock ; for the Fellows of their colleges are ordained ministers
sine titulo, long before they are presented to any people ;* when we
came therefore to the proposition, ' That no man should be ordained a
minister without a designation to a certain church,' they stiffly main
tained their own practice : yet we earned it this afternoon. . .
" Our paper anent [concerning] the Sacraments, we gave in. We
agreed, so far as we went, except in a ' table :' here all of them oppose
us, and we them. They will not, and say the people will never, yield to
alter their practice. They are content of [with] silting, albeit not as
of a rite [ritual] institute ; but to crome out of their pews to a Table,
they deny the necessity of it : we affii-ra it necessary, and will stand to
it. The Independents' way of celebrating seems to be very irreverent
They have the communion every Sabbath, without any preparation be-

CHAP. LVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 431
fore or thanksgiving after : little examination of the people : their very
prayers and doctrine before the Sacrament, use not to be directed to the
use of the Sacraraent. They have, after the blessing, a short discourse,
and two short graces over the elements, which are distributed and par
ticipated in silence, without exhortation, reading, or singing ; and all is
ended with a psalm, without prayer. Mr. Nye told us his private
judgment that, in preaching, he thinks the minister should be covered
and the people dis-covered ; but in the Sacrament, the minister should
be dis-covered, as a servant, and the guests all covered. . . We expect
good from the synod of Zealand: we wish they may consider the giving
of Excoraraunication to every congregation." "
In a Letter placed in order next after the above, addressed " To Mr.
David Dickson and Mr. Robert Ramsay only," Baillie tells them,
" My public Letter '' has the best of the outside of our affairs. This to
you, who can bear it, and raake your own good use of it, shall have the
worst of the inside. . . The public affairs, both of church and state, be
side the daily weight of their care, give to us all sundry heavy and per
plexed nights, for fear of their miscarriage. . . The great Lord arise
and help us, for everywhere the enemy is rauch stronger than we ex
pected. Their wickedness is in nothing relented ; their sennons and
pamphlets breathe nothing but the old ways of error, superstition,
episcopacy, absolute monarchy, to which, in no case, resistance by any
may be made ; in none of them any appearance of remorse of anything
past. . . The ways of the Parliament are endless and confused, full of
jealousy and other faults. The unhappy Independents keep all the
matters of the church so loose, that there is no appearance of any short
settiing. The preface of my Sermon has put some edge on the Assem
bly for a quicker despatch ; but the nature itself of their way is so wo
fully longsome, that it is almost impossible to be shortened. The
nuraber and evil huraour of the antinomians and anabaptists do increase.
In a word, things here are in a hard condition. . . The matter of our
present debates in our Assembly, is the people's interest in their mi
nister to be ordained. We hope to give light to these scabrous ques
tions. . . After the vviiting hereof, this Sunday, March 24th, we are all
afflicted with sad news from Newark. . . I hope to-day, or to-morrow,
we shall present, — as on Monday it was appointed, — in the Assembly,
our model of a presbyterial ordination presently to be put in practice.
After a thick darkness God will send light." '
The Letter, No. 48, has this remark in it, " We have great wrest
ling with the Independents, yet we hope all shall conclude well, for
daily we gain ground." "*
No. 49, dated April 12th, is addressed to Spang, and begins thus ;
" Being infonned that sundry of your post-letters were broken up by
the way, I wrote to you under another narae ; but finding that all raine
are come safe to your hand, I need not, I think, use any more that
disguise. . . All our company think themselves obliged to you. . . The
unhappy and unaraendable prolixity of this people in all their affairs,
except God work extraordinarily, is like to undo them. They can put
» Letter 45. P. 436—440 ; 447. ^ No. 43.
•= Let 46. P. 447—450. <" P. 454.

432 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
nothing to any point, either of church or state. We are vexed and
overwearied with their ways. . . I cannot tell you what to say of the
Asserably. We are alraost desperate to see anything concluded for a
long tirae. Their way is wofully tedious. Nothing, in any assembly
that ever was in the world, except Trent, like to them in prolixity.
Particulars you shall have with the next. This day was read the an
swers of the divines of Hesse-Cassel. We were very dissatisfied with
their Letter : it was but a poor short epistie, all spent upon lamenting
their own raiseries, and, in the littie they spoke to our point, giving us
unseasonable and very unsavoury counsel not to meddle with the
Bishops. We marvelled the less at this, reading the subscription only
of cathedral-men ; a superintendent, sorae archdeacons and deacons of
a cathedral. You know Mr. Peters better than to raarvel at anything
he writes ; all here take hira for a very imprudent and temerarious
raan. I fear upon sorae of his passages this day, that his malapert
rashness prove very dangerous to this church and state. For to under
stand the fruits of Independency, read this pamphlet. . . You know
I wrote to you the great harm of that clause of your Walachren Letter,
of the entire power of government in the hands of congregational pres
byteries, except in cases of alteration and difficulty, etc. Not only the
Independents make use of it publicly against us, but some of our prime
men, Mr. Marshall by narae, upon it, and Voetius, who frora Pariier
has the same, dissents from us ; giving excommunication, and, which
is. more, ordination, to our sessions in all ordinary cases. If you can
get this helped in the Zealand Letter, it shall be well ; for one of our
divines, in face of the Assembly, — Seaman hy name, — has been forced
to decline with all reverence your authority, saying that Voetius was
but one man, and the classes of Walachren but one class ; that the acts
of your general assembly, and Hannony of Confessions, give the power
of excommunication and ordination in ordinary cases to your classes,
and not to your parochial consistories.""
Seven days after the above, Baillie wrote again to his " Reverend
and Dear Cousin :" here he communicates, " That any of the Assembly
have written for Mr. Durie [Dury] is more than I know. . . His Letter
to the Synod I heard read with no great regard ; for it savoured of
somewhat. If he be pleased to come over to Oxford, he raay resolve to be
taken while he lives by us all here for a malignant ; and if he should come
to us with the least tincture of episcopacy, or liturgic learning [lean
ing P], he would not be welcome to any I know. As you love the man,
persuade him to stay at this time where he is.''. . Our Asserably at last
has perfected Ordination, both in the doctrinal and directory parts. . .
The Independents are resolved yet to give in tiieir reasons against us,
and tiiat will be the beginning of an open schism. Likely, after that,
we will be forced to deal with them as open enemies. They have been
here most unhappy instruments, the principal, if not the sole, causes
why the pariiament were so long in calling an Asserably; and when it
was called, why nothing in a whole year could be gotten concluded.
In the mean time they, over all tiie land, are raaking up a faction to
^ P. 454—456. !> See back, p. 387, note.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 433
their own way ; for the most part whereof is fallen off to Anabaptism
and Antinomianism : sundry also worse, if worse needs be ; the mor
tality of the soul, the guide of angels and devils ; and cast off all
sacraments ; and many blasphemous things. All these are from New
England, where divers are in irons for their blasphemies, conderaned
to perpetual slavery, and well near by a few votes it went for the
life. They proclaira their fears of the rigours of Presbytery. Pos
sibly they are conscious of their unsufferable tenets, and certainly they
know their own rigour against the Presbyterians. In all New Eng
land, no liberty of living for a Presbyterian. Whoever there, were
they angels for life and doctrine, will essay to set up a different way
from them, shall be sure of present banishment."*
Six days later. Spang is thus addressed, " We are all very sensible
of your prudent diligence ; by all means go on with your divines for
their answer. I wish these whom you have engaged in Zealand were
put on to engage vrith themselves the divines of the other provinces,
especially the Presbytery of Leyden, also Rivet and Voetius. There is
gi-eat need, for this is a very . . fickle people. Write what they please
against bishops and ceremonies obiter, for our confirmation ; for these
.are now out of the hearts of all here almost : but above all, and in
earnest, let thera exhort to be watchful against anarchical schisras, and
th^ heresies of Antinomians and Anabaptists. These three corae
together cordially against all the Reforraed Churches, and increase so
much in number and boldness, as easily they would caiTy all here to a
lamentable confusion, if the fear of our armies did not keep thera in
order ; and as it is, many fear they shall do much, if God prevent it
not. We have given in to the Parliaraent our conclusions anent [con
cerning] Ordinations ; whereupon, I think we have spent above forty
long sessions. To prevent a present rupture with the Independents,
we were content not to give in our propositions of Presbyteries and
CongTegations, that we raight not necessitate them to give in their re-
monstremce against our conclusions, which they are peremptor [ily]
to do when we come on that raatter. We judged it also convenient to
delay till we had gone through the whole matters of the Presbyteries
and Synods ; to send thera up rather in their full strength than by
pieces : also we suffered ourselves to be persuaded to eschew that rupture
at this time, when it were advantageous for their bruckle [brittle] state.
The Independents having so raanaged their affairs, that of the officers
and soldiers in Manchester's array, certainly also with the General's
[Essex], and, ^ I hear, in Waller's likewise, raore than the two parts
are for them, and these of the far most resolute and confident men for
the Parliament-party. Judge ye if we had not need of our friends' help.
" I wish we had Letters by some of your friends' raeans from
Switzerland and Geneva ; and however the French divines dare not
keep public correspondence, and I hear the chief of thera are like some
of yours, so much courtiers, that they will not help us in the half they
dare and inight, policy and prudence so far keep down their charily
and zeal ; yet I think sorae of the ministers of Paris, and their pro
fessors, if they were dealt with by some of your friends, might, in
» Let 50. Vol. ii. p. 1, 3, 4
2 F

434 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
private Letters, either to some here, or sorae with you, write so much
of their raind in this public cause of church-govemraent, as raight
contribute to the encouragement of this fainting and weak-hearted
peojile. In any Letters that corae here, I wish they may be sparing
of the point of the Magistrate ; also in the enlarging of the power of
particular congregations.""
To Mr. David Dickson he writes, April 29th, "In this long
anarchy, the sectaries and heretics increase marvellously ; yet we are
hopeful, if God might help us, to have our presbyteries erected, as we
expect shortly to have them, and get the chief bf the Independents to
join with us in our practical conclusions, as we are labouring much
for it, and are not yet out of hope, we trust, to win about' all the rest
of these wild and enorraous [en-oneous] people. However, for the
time, the confusions about religion are very great and reraediless."''
May 3rd, in another Letter to Spang, his " cousin *' tells him,
" For that Letter of your Synod, a better turn could not have been
done to us. It was read with very good acceptance, and a coraraittee
is appointed not only to translate and transrait it to the Houses, as the
former,"^ but to think of an answer ; which, according to their woeful
way, cannot be expected for some months. Doubtless the point of the
Magistrate will hinder the printing of it here, but we wish it were
printed there, and sent over ; with the former Walachren's. No man
here can get the copy of either. . . What I -wrote, of engaging your
other provinces, professors, and other churches, you will do what you
may herein. . . "'When we have any truce with the Independents anent
[concerning] our Presbytery, we fall in new wars with others. For
our sessions [in the Assembly], a great party in the Synod, for fear
of ruling-elders, and in opposition to Independency, will have no
ecclesiastic court at all, but one presbytery for all the congregations
within its bounds. I cannot tell you our daily perplexities.'
On the 9tb, Baillie tells Mr. Robert Ramsay, " For our Assembly-
matters, we are daily perplexed ; not only we make no progress, and
are far from the sight of any appearance of an end, but also raatters
oft in hazard of miscarriage. 'The Independents, so far as we can
see, are pereraptory for a schism ; and their party is very sti'ong and
growing, especially in the army. The leading men in the Assembly
are much at this time divided about the questions in hand, of the
power of congregations and synods. Some of them would give
nothing to Congregations, denying peremptorily all exaraple, precept,
or reason, for a Congregational Eldership ; others, and many raore,
are wilful to give to Congregational Eldership all and entire power of
ordination, excommunication, and all. Had not God sent Mr.
Henderson, Mr. Rutherfurd, and Mr. Gillespie among them, I see
not that ever they could agree on any settled govemment."'
After this, comes what is headed "Memorandum to Mr. Buchanan;"
whence is discerned more of the tactics by which the Assembly and
the Parliament were attempted to be deluded. " I conceive it very
« Let 51. Apr. 25. p. 4, 5. ' Let 52. p. 7. " See back, p. 427.
"i Here Boillie noticos " a wicked piece, which one of the Independents wrote
ag.iinst D. Stuart [Dr. A. Steuart], at 6d."
"Let. 54. p. 9, 10. ' Let 55. p. II.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 435
expedient that you write to some of the ministers of Paris, Geneva,
and Bern, the true estate of our affairs, how that a mighty faction is
arisen to prefer liberty of conscience for all sects, at least a freedom for
Morellius's popular government of the church ; that tha Scots and
most of the Synod and Parliament are for the establishing the govern
ment by synods and classes. It would encourage them much if the
divines of Geneva and Switzerland would, in their answers to the
Synod's Letter, as the divines of Zealand have done in their Letter,
and the divines of Hesse also, exhort the Synod ut some length, and
in earnest, to beware of that pernicious liberty of all sects, in particular
those who are enemies to the discipline of all the Reformed. There is
a golden occasion in hand, if improved, to get England conformed,
in worship and governraent, to the rest of the Reformed. If nothing
dare be written in public, by the French, see if they will write their
miud, for our encouragement, to any private friend, here or in Holland.
You would [should] write for the same purpose to Moulin in Sedan,
and Spanheim in Leyden. It were good, if they write, that their Letters
were conceived in the greatest names they could procure: the [Faculty
of] Theology of Bern would [should] get a Letter from- the Switzer
land church ; those of Geneva frora their whole ecclesiastic classes ;
Moulin from the University of Sedan, and Spanheim from the Univer
sity of Leyden. It were not ill that in all their Letters, they con
gratulated the abolition of Episcopacy and Popish cereraonies, and
exhorted to set up quickly the Government of Christ [!] — that so long
an anarchy as has been here, is the mother of heresies and schisms; —
and many more evils.""
* Let. 56, not dated, p. 13. The truckling subserviency of one of tbe Foreign
Divines, Monsieur de Moulin, Professor of Divinity in the University of Sedan, in
France ; is, fortunately for the evil-entreated, appended to Vicar's " Schismatic
Sifted, 1646," p. 40 ; but to whom it is addressed is not recorded. Spang should
seem to be the honoured individual who is addressed, and it is clear that Baillie
was at Rotterdara in April 1645; see Steven's Hist, of the Scottish Church there,
p. 15 ; but whether he had had a personal interview with Moulin is not mentioned.
" Sir, — A certain friend of mine, an honest religious man, hath given rae notice
that certain persons do find fault with the Order and Discipline established in our
Church ; in which, the consistory are subject to the colloquies, and tbe colloquies
to the provincial synod, and the provincial to the national synod. And their de
sire is to have every particular consistory, or congregation, of one and the same
absolute authority, independent frora any superior authority. . . Upon which, my
said friend earnestly desired to have my opinion or judgment on the raatter; which,
being of such a nature and iraportance, 1 could not any way decline or deny his
request, which 1 have here set down, and is as followeth : . I say, that those which
propound this opinion ought in no raanner or wise to be hearkened unto ; for if
in case this their opinion were followed, there could nothing else ensue but tbe
certain ruin of the Church, and an extreme confusion." Ten "reasons" to sup
port this judgraent are then added, as, that, 1. two rainisters of one parish or con
gregation fall into factions; there must needs be help of a superior authority: 2.
a minister leads an ungodly life; who shall depose him? 3. if any one of the con
gregation be unjustly suspended from the holy comraunion, unto whora shall he
direct himself to be readmitted ? 4. if heresies happen in any church, what
remedy is there but by a synod ? 5. if appeals be taken away frora synods, tbey
need no more to meet, for they have nothing to do : 6. " there are many sraall
parishes in the country where the consistory is composed of one minister — of none
of the greatest capacity, — and of four or five countrymen or clowns who are elders
of that church : and shall to such a church be given such an absolute independent
2r2

436 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
The next letter is to Spang, without a date, but should be May
10th:— " The letter of your classes of Zealand, I fear it shall here be drained,
as well as that of Walachren ; because the Independents, on the occa
sion of the clause of the Magistrate, work by their too raany friends,
on the Parliaraent to suppress it. You would do well to cause
print it there, and send over a number of copies. . . Little D. Homes
[is] the author of the ' Cool Conference;'^ 'M. S. against A. S. is
John Goodwin of Coleraan-street.'' He naraes you expressly, and
professes to censure the Letter of Zealand. He is a bitter enemy to
Presbytery, and is openly for a full liberty of conscience to all sects,
even Turks, Jews, Papists, and all to be raore openly tolerate than with
you. This way is very pleasant to raany here. We are rauch obliged
to that excellent divine ApoUonius. "= We trust he will, with all dili
gence, go on in his avowed intention : there is nothing wherein he cart
do better service to God and the Reformed Churches. To understand
them better, I send you herewith other two pieces. That faction
increases mightily in number, hopes, and pride. But if it please God
to give us good news from York, we will tell thera raore of our raind [!]
Our opinion of their piety and ingenuity is much diminished by that
we see and hear daily from the best of them. It is marvelled that the
rest of your provinces and professors will not follow the gracious and
charitable example of Zealand. Shall they see both the church and
state of all these three kingdoms perish, and stand aloof without the
least assistance by the stretch of their pen, when they ai'e called to it
by our lamentable Letters, and the gracious example of their com-
pasionate brethren ? . . Mr. Forbes, in Delft,"* has sent us over in writ,
authority ? And if their minister happen to die, will you believe those clowns,
sitting to judge of the capacity of a new rainister, to give hira the iraposition of
hands, or to order in this case whatever may be needful ?" 7. if it be necessary to
keep a fast through all the churches in the kingdom, who shall ordain this fast ?
8. if it be necessary to remonstrate to the king's majesty, who shall depute the
party that shall present the petition of the churches of the whole kingdom ? 9. if
it be found needful to alter anything in the discipline of the church in .general,
can this be done by particular consistories being independent and not subject to
any general ordinance 1 10. neither of two contending churches can be judge in
their own cause ; of necessity there must be relief by a superior authority. These
" reasons " having been stated, Moulin continues by saying, " I will not believe,
though 1 confess there is cause of jealousy, that those that desire this Indepen
dency have any intelligence with the eneray ; and that thereby tbey seek, under
pretence of Reformation, to bring us into a confusion, or at least to expose us to
the laughter of our enemies : though, I say, 1 fear this, by many symptoras
thereof, 1 rather will, in charity, believe they err through want of experience and
knowledge of what is profitable for the Church of God. The end of every good
Christian and coramonwealth's-man is to glorify God in maintaining his true
religion, to serve the king in the preservation of his royal person and dignity,
and to procure the common good in maintaining justice, and liberty of tbe sub
ject and kingdora. All these, though three branches, arise and spring frora one
root and have tbe same essence and being: but it is impossible that any raan
should truly affect the king or coramonwealtb, that is slight and negligent in
religion ; nor can any man fully discharge his duty to God, that is not careful of
king and commonwealth." • See back, p. 251. note b. ^ See back, p. 341.
<•¦ Read here, and elsewhere, Apollonij, sounded Apollonii.
¦¦ Patrick Forbes, M.A., see Steven's Hist., p. 297.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 437
a very pretty piece against the Apologetic. . . On Friday, after a week's
debate, we canied, albeit hardly. That no single Congregation had the
power of Ordination. To-morrow we begin to debate if they have
any right of Excommunication. We gave in, long ago, a paper to
the great committee, wherein we asserted a congregational elder
ship, for goveming the private affairs of the congregation, from the
18th of Matthew. Mr. David Calderwood, in his Letter to us, has
censured us giievously for so doing ; showing us that our books of
disciphne admit of no presbytery or eldership but one ; that we put
ourselves in hazard to be forced to give Excommunication, and so
entire govemment, to congregations, which is a great step to Indepen
dency. Mr. Henderson acknowledges this ; and we are in a peck of
troubles with it."*
In a " Postscript to Mr. Spang's Letter, May 1 7th," Baillie writes,
— " While I had written thus far, your's of the 3rd of May coraes to
my hand. . . Apollonius's Letter and questions [queries] I had gotten
before, by another secret means. I fear these men shall either not
wiite, or delay too long, or write obscurely ; for, as I conceive, they
are not at a point in their own mind, as yet, what to stand at [!]
Araong theraselves are sundry differences which tirae will bring out.
They profess to differ from these of England ; but who knows wherein "?
The main seeras to be in liberty of conscience ; for both seera to avow
the divine right of synods for consulting, albeit the destroying of
presbyteries-classical : for a presbytery to them is our session, and
our'presbytery is their synod. Take herewith another of their apolo
gies : it is old, nameless, and, as yet, I have not read it ; only they in
New England are more strict and rigid than we, or any church, to
suppress, by the power of the raagistrate, all who are not of their way,
to banishment ordinarily, and presently even to death lately, or perpetual
slavery : for one Jortin, some-time a famous citizen here for piety,
haring taught a nuraber in New England to cast off the Word and
Sacraraent, and deny angels and devils, and teach a gross kind of union
vrith Christ in this life, by force of arras was brought to New Boston,
and there, with ten of the chief of his followers, by the civil court was
decemed [adjudged] perpetual slaves ; but the votes of many were for
their execution. They lie in irons, though gentiemen ; and out of
their prison write to the Admiral here, to deal witii the Parliament for
their deliverance.
" The Independents here, finding they have not the magistrate so
obsequious as in New England, turn their pens, as you will see in
M.S., to take frora the raagistrate all power of taking any coercive
order with the vilest heretics. Not only they praise your raagistrate
— who, for policy, gives some secret tolerance to divers religions,
wherein, as I conceive, your divines preach against them as great
sinners — but avow that, by God's command, the magistrate is dis
charged to put the least discourtesy on any man, Jew, Turk, Papist,
Socinian, or whatever, for his religion ! I wish ApoUonius considered
this well. The five he writes to will not say this; but M.S. is of as
great authority here as any of them. Your course of engaging the
» Let 57, p. 11—16.

43y HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
other Provinces is very good. I send this enclosed to a friend here,'
who is well acquainted in Paris, Bern, Leyden, Sedan, and Geneva,
who accordingly has written to all the.se five places for their assistance
in the coraraon cause. My correspondence with you is so secret as
may be [I] Sorae of thera suspect somewhat of you ; but know little :
however, they raust be content that all the Reformed whom they
openly avow to oppugn, should declare what sense they have of their
wounds and danger from them. I long for Morellius and Sadael ;''
also if by Mr. Paget, or any of your friends at Amsterdam, you could
find any of the writs [writings] of Browne, the first sectary, for
however I have used all possible diligence yet cannot I find any of
that man's writs here : they would, I conceive, be very useful to me.
" This day was the best that I have seen since I came to England.
General Essex, when he went out, sent to the Assembly, to entreat
that a day of fasting might be kept for him. We appoint, this day,
four of our number to preach and pray at Christ's church; also,
taking the occasion, we thought it meet to be humbled in the Assembly,
so we spent from nine to five very graciously. After Dr. Twisse had
begun with a brief prayer, Mr. Marshall prayed large two hours, most
divinely, confessing the sins of the members of the Assembly in a won
derful, pathetic, and prudent way : after, Mr. Arrowsmith preached an
hour, then a psalm ; thereafter, Mr. Vines prayed near two hours, and
Mr. Palmer preached an hour, and Mr. Seaman prayed near two hours,
then a psalm ; after, Mr. Henderson brought thera to a sweet confer
ence of the heat confessed in the Asserably, and other seen faults, to
be remedied, and the conveniency to preach against all sects, especially
Anabaptists and Antinomians. Dr. Twisse closed with a short prayer
and blessing. God was so evidently in all this exercise, that we expect
certainly a blessing both in our raatter of the Assembly and whole
kingdom. . . Our affairs here, blessed be God, are in an excellent
posture everywhere, when we settle, your estates [of the United Pro
vinces] cannot hope to get any thanks. We might have perished, and
they looked on us without any help. God will not be inocked."" It
will be observed that no Independent took part in the longsorae service
of this day ; and it would appear, from Henderson's part, that they
must have been altogether absent. Notwithstanding the " excellent
posture" of the "affairs" of the Presbyterians on the 17th of May,
on the 19th Baillie tells his reverend and dear brother, Mr. Robert
Blair, "We are advertized that rauch more than the most part of iny
Lord Manchester's array are seduced to Independency [!] and very
many of them have added either anabaptism or antinomianism, or both.
. . We all conceive that our silly simple lads are in great danger to be
infected by their company ; and if that pest enter our array, we fear it
may spread.''''
On the 3Ist he writes to Spang, "As for the Synod's acceptance of
your Zealand Letter, I assure yon, after it was read, Mr. Calandrin
was called in, and it was solemnly declared to hira, by the Prolocutor,
Low thankfully the Assembly took it, and how much they were obliged
" In Let 56, to Buchanan : see back, p. 434. •> Tbeir books
' Let. 59, p. 17—19. <1 Let 60, p. 19.

CHAP. LVLJ relating TO INDEPENDENTS. 439
for it. As for returning an answer, they have no power to write one
line to any soul, but as the Parliaraent directs j neither may they
importune the Parliaraent for warrants to keep foreign correspondence [ 1]
With what art and diligence that general one [wairant] to all the
churches was gotten, I know. You know this is no proper Asserably,
but a meeting called by the Parliament to advise them in what things
they are asked; so their not answering comes on no neglect, I know
very well. By all means encourage ApoUonius, and whomsoever else
you can, to assist in this common cause. If this season be missed, it
will be hardly recovered. The Independents have no considerable
power, either in the Assembly or Parliament, or the General [Essex's J
or Waller's army ; but in the city and country, and Manchester's army,
their strength is great and growing ; yet, by the help of God and our
friends, if once we had the Assembly at our end, and peace, we would
get them quieted [ ! ]
" Since our Friday fast, we have made good speed in the Assembly.
Our church-sessions, to which Independents gave all, and their oppo
sites nothing at all, we have got settled with unanimity in the Scots'
fashion. Our great debate of the power of Excommunication, we have
laid aside, and taken in at last the Directory. Already we have past the
draught of all the prayers, reading of Scripture, and singing of psalms,
on the Sabbath-day, nemine contradicente. . . Always I can say
little, till once we pass the Directory, of the Lord's Supper. In the
coraraittee we found they were very stickling ; the Independents, and
all, love so well sundry of their English guises [cereraonies] which we
must have away. . . Manchester has above twelve thousand very welt
appointed men. . . Will neither Rivet nor Voetius follow the example
of brave. ApoUonius ? Do your best in this. If men will forsake
theraselves and us, we will be the more obliged to God."*
June 7th, is the date of a " Public Letter," in which we read, " Our
progress in the Assembly, albeit slow, yet, blessed be God, is sensible
daily. . . Our toil is exceeding great ; every day from eight in the
morning till near one, and oft in the afternoon from three to half-
past six, we are in exercise ; only the Saturday free, and that for our
Sunday's preaching, when, single times, any of us does vaik [be
vacant]. . . Of a truth, to our power we put spurs to their slow sides.
We hope all, ere it be long, shall go according to our heart's desire.
The Independents, our great retarders, it is like, shall not vaunt them
selves in the end of their oppositions. The most of their party are
fallen off to anabaptism, antinomianism, and socinianism ; the rest
are divided among themselves. One, Mr. Williams, has drawn a great
number after him to a singular independency, denying any trae church
in the world ; and will have every man to serve God by himself alone,
without any church at all. This man has made a great and bitter
schism lately among the Independents.'' We hope, if once we had
peace, by God's help, with the spirit of meekness mixed with a littie
justice [!] to get the most of these erroneous spirits^ reduced. The
ministers of London, near sixscore, have their weekly meetings: they
are all Presbyterians, except Burton, said to be a Brownist, John
" Let 61. p. 20—22. " See on, p. 444.

440 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS, [CHARLES I.
Goodwin, to be a Socinian[!] and one scrupling psedobaptism. S"™^
of the Independents are lecturers, but none settled ministers. . . No
man here to speak a word either for bishops or liturgy, or any cerenaony.
We are thinking of a new work over sea, if this church were settled. *
To Spang, June 9th, he says, " I have got Browne" at last. Forbes
is on [in] the press. Hold ApoUonius on. The Independents have
set up a number of private congregations in the city. They are
exceeding busy. We will have much to do with them. Edwards's
piece [Antapologia] we expect the next week at furthest. Strange
that your divines of Holland will learn nothing from England : do
they sit still while we are a-dying I The calamity may shortly come
over to them,'="
Then coraes " My Public Letter," not dated ; here the Scots are
told, " This day before noon we got sundry propositions of our Direc
tory for the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper passed ; but in the after
noon we could not move one inch. The unhappy Independents would
mangle that sacrament. No catechising nor preparation before, no
thanksgiving after, no sacramental doctrine, or chapters in the day of
celebration, no coming up to any table, but a carrying of the eleraents
to all in their seats athwart the church ; yet all this, with God's help;
we have carried over their bellies to our practice. But exhortations
at tables yet we stick at They would have no words spoken at all.
Nye would be at covering the head at the receiving. We must dispute
every inch of our ground."''
Following, in order, is a letter headed " For Mr. Robert Rarasay.
The end of June." " We see," says Baillie, " very little zeal or mind
in the Parliaraent for the House of God. We are, on occasion, telling
thera that this neglect is a great cause of the continuance of the war;
but for no purpose. The most of the people who are counted religious
are ninning to ways of error and schisra of many divers kinds. . .
Very many of the Asserably are departed for want of means. The
allowance gi-anted by the Parliament is not paid. What we gave in
concerning Ordination, yet lies still ; and, by the underhanded dealing
of the Independents, is like to come out from the House so mangled,
that, if we get it not helped, it will much offend us both for the raatter
and the preparative, it being the first paper [which J came from us to
the House. Very many things that corae to be handled in the Asserably
are new to us all, and obscure. We have to do with very many scrupu
lous and thraward [backward] wits."^
Again to Spang he wiites, " Cousin, — Your last, June 1st, and your
former, wherein was a part of Rivet's letters, I received the other
week. . . What Mr. Buchanan, at my desire, wrote to Paris, pro
duced a letter from Mons. Drelincourt, with the advice of the whole
consistory there, which had been printed, had I not stayed it by this
paper : we have sent it to have it rectified according to my motion.
What Moulin wrote from Sedan is more to the purpose and our mind,'
though we expected least frora that man. Spanheim, I see by his
answer, is not disposed to write at this tirae, except the University
woitid lay it upon him. Certainly, Mr. Rivet is very ill-informed.
' Let. 62. p. 24. ¦• See back p. 438. = Let. 63. p. 26. '' Let 64, p. 27.
-- Let 65. p. 28. ' See back, p. 435.

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDEIMTS. 44l
As I ara an honest man, I never heard man, privately or publicly,
speak either of his person or any of his writs, but with honour ; if he,
or any there, will give ear to all that is written frora London at this
time, they will wrong themselves. That of burning his or any
divine's book over sea, is a malignant calumny. We cannot but regret
that both your statesraen and divines should see and hear us sweating
to the blood under these biu-dens, which concern all the Reforraed alike,
while they will obstinately sit still as neutral. . . ApoUonius would do
well to go on in his writing. . . For the over-swaying power of the
Independents you speak of, 1 know it to be a false fable ; only this is
true, that they and other sects, joined with the strange backwardness
of the raost of these here, to do, in time, what they must, and are
willing also oft to do, may be very dangerous ; and calls for all the help
that can be obtained from our neighbours. We are vexed to the
heart very often with these unkent [unknown] and unexpected ways
of some or other here. . . Not long ago, while I am visiting my good
friend Mr. Rous, I find the savour from him of that which then I
suspected, and now have found, a dangerous design. After very great
labour, we gave in, as our first fruits, a paper for Ordination to both
Houses. Oft had they called for it before it came. When it had
lien in their hands neglected for many weeks, at last it was committed
to a few of the Commons to make a report to the House about it. We
hear surmises, that this coraraittee had altered much of our paper ; but
I finding by Mr. Rous, the chief of that coraraittee, that the alterations
were both more and greater than we suspected, and that the coraraittee
had closed their report, and were ready to make it to the House, without
any further meeting ; I persuaded him it would be convenient, before
the report was made, . . to confer privately with some of us anent [con
ceming] these alterations. Upon this he obtained an order of the
House for the committee to call for any of the Assembly they pleased. . .
At meeting we found they had passed by all the whole doctrinal part
of Ordination, and all our scriptural grounds for it ; that they had
chosen only the extraordinary way of ordination ; and, in that very
part, had scraped out whatever might displease the Independents, or
patrons, or Selden and others, who will have no discipline at all in any
church, y^re divino, but settled only upon the free-will and pleasure
of the Parliament. Mr. Henderson and the rest reasoned against the
dangerousness and disgrace of this their way, so clearly, that sundry of
the gentlemen repented of their alterations ; yet the raost took all to
advisement. We, in private, resolved we would by all raeans stick to
our paper; else, this being the first, if we yielded to these most preju
dicial alterations which the Independents and civilians underhand had
wrought, the Assembly's reputation was clean overthrown, and Erastus's
way would triumph. 'What will be the end of this debate, God knows. . .
"This day, we were vexed also in the Assembly. AVe thought
we had passed, with consent, Sitting at the Table ; but, behold ! Mr.
Nye, Mr. Goodwin, and Bridge, cast all in the hows [difficulties] ;
denying to us the necessity of any table, hut pressing the communi
cating of all in their seats, without coming up to a table. Messrs.
Henderson, Rutherford, and Gillespie, all three disputed exceeding

442 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
well for it with arguraents unanswerable ; yet not one of the English
did join with us, only Mr. Assessor Burgess, who then was in the chair,
beginning to speak somewhat for us, but a little too vehemently, was
so raet with by the Independents, that a sharaeful and long clamour
ended their debate. This has grieved us, that we fear the end of our
work ; always [nevertheless] we expect it shall be better." *
In another letter, to the same, July Sth, it is stated, " As for the
Assembly, these three weeks, Mr. Nye, and his good friend Mr. Herle,
has [have] kept us on one point of our Directory alone, the recom
mending of the coinraunicants coming up to the table to communicate. . .
The classes of Amsterdam have written kind letters to our assembly,
and recommended conformity with Scotland [!] Hold on, ApoUonius.
I wish Voetius engaged." ''
Also to the same, July 12th, " I wish again and again that ApoUonius
and Voetius were raoved to write. They must not expect that this
Assembly, or any member of it, will desire them to do so : it is far
above their power ; and if they essayed it, they would soon be taken
up by the Parliament Yet we are doing what we can to get leave to
answer, with great respect, all your letters, both of Walachren, Zealand,
and Amsterdam. . . Conceming Thomas Cunningham, I wish, by all
means, you and he would keep entire correspondence ; otherwise, I
foresee it cannot fail to fall out to both your great displeasures. He is
taken here, and at home, for a very honest man, and one who is diligent
. . for the comraon cause. You will not believe what scarcity there is of
raen whom we dare trust with such a matter. . . It is ray eamest advice
to you to keep fast with that man. . ."^ In our Assembly we go on as we
may. The Independents, and others, kept us long three weeks upon
one point alone, the coraraunicating at a table. By this we came to
debate the divers coining up of companies successively to a table ; the
consecrating of the bread and wine severally ; the giving of the bread
to all the congregation, and then the wine to all, and so twice coraing
up to the table ; . . the mutual distribution, the table exhortations, and
a world of such questions, which, to the raost of thera, were new and
strange things. After we were over-toiled with debate, we were forced
to leave all these things, and take us to general expressions, which, by
a benign exposition, would infer our church-practices, which the most
proraised to follow, so much the raore as we did not necessitate them
by the Assembly's express determination. We have ended the matter
of the Lord's supper, and these last three days have been upon the
subject of baptisra. We have canied, with rauch greater ease than
we expected, the publicness of baptism. The abuse was great over all
this land ; in the greatest parish of London, scarce one child in a
year was brought to the church for baptisra. Also we have carried
the parent's presenting of his child, and not the raidwives, as was their
universal custom. In our last debate with the committee of Comraons,
for our paper of Ordination, we were in the midst, over head and ears,
of that greatest of our question.?. The power of the Parliament in
» Let 66, P. 29—31. " Let. 67, P. 33, 34.
"= His narae occurs in a register, Nov. 12tb, 1645, cited in Steven's History of
the Scottish Church, Rotterdam, p. 16; where he styles hiraself "Conservator."

CHAP. LVI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 443
our ecclesiastic affairs. It is like this question shall be hotter here
than anywhere else : but we raind to hold off, for yet it is very un
seasonable. As yet we are come to no issue what to do with that paper. . .
If ApoUonius, or any other, write at all, it were good it were done
quickly ; for the chief use, either of their authority or arguments, will
be shortly at that nick of tirae, when the Independents give up their
reasons against us to the Parliament. The chief point we wish were
proven is — The real authority, power, and jurisdiction of Synods and
Classical Presbyteries over any the members, or the whole of a particular
congregation : also. The right of ordinary professors to the sacraments,
though they can give no certain or satisfactory signs of real regenera
tion. These two are the raain heads ; also I wish the power of
Presbyteries-classical to ordain and excoraraunicate, were cleared.
Many, besides the Independents, by Voetius's writs, are brought to
give the rights of both these actions to the Congregational Presbytery,
rauch against our mind and practice. The churches of Jemsalem,
Corinth, and the rest of the apostolic churches mentioned in the New
Testament, which- can be proven to have practised either ordination or
excoraraunication, appear to us to have been classical, consisting of
more congregations than one, and of greater nurabers, when they did
exercise either of these acts, than could raeet in one place. Also it is
a great question, about the power of jurisdiction in a congregation.
We are not against the people's power of election of their oflScers, or
at least free consent thereto ; but, besides, they^ press all process and
acts of censures to be done, if not in the name and authority, as the
Brownists and those of New England, yet, necessarily in the presence,
and with the consent, not only of the I'resbytery-Congregational, but
also of the whole people, even every coramunicant-male. If in these
we were agreed, I think the dilficulty would be small in any other
matter."'' To the Rev. Robert Blair, July 16th. " Blessed be God for ever
more, that has looked down upon us all in that glorious 2nd of July."
We were both grieved and angry that your Independents there should
have sent up Major Harrison to trumpet, over all the city, their own
praises ; to our prejudice, making all believe that Cromwell alone,
with his unspeakably valorous regiments, had done all that service ;
that the raost of us fled ; and who staid, fought so and so, as it raight
be. We were much vexed with these reports. . . till Lindsay's letters
carae at last, and Captain Stewart, with his colours. Then we sent
abroad our printed relations, and could lift up our face. But, within
three days, Mr. Ash's relation was also printed, who gives us raany
good words, but gives rauch raore to Crorawell than we are informed
is his due. Let good Mr. Ash know what is the use that generally
here is made of his relations ; much, I know, beside his intention ;
even this, in plain terms, the Independents have done so brave service ;
yea, they are so strong and considerable a party, that they must not
only be tolerated, but in nothing grieved, and noways to be provoked.
It seems very necessary, that since none of you of purpose and ordi-
^ Namely, " many besides the Independents." ^ Let 68, p. 34 — 38.
= " Prince Rupert's routing " at Marston-moor.

444 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
narily send up relations, and Mr. Ash sends to the press constant
intelligence of your actions, which for the man's known integrity are
every word believed, your proceedings have a great influence here, both
of church and state ; I say, it seems needful, that all Mr. Ash's
letters which are sent hither to the press, should be first seen, and
pondered by some of you there [ ! ] These are ray own private motions,
which I propone [propound] to you alone, to be made use of as you
think fit""
July 23rd, he writes to the Rev. David Dickson, "You have, in my
Public Letter and papers, the outside of our affairs ; but the inside of
the thoughts of raany here is this : our difiiculties, in all our affairs,
both of church and state, are great and many, as they have ever been
from the beginning till this day ; yet the Lord has carried us through
hitherto. If His good hand continued not with us, we see no possi
bility of any tolerable issue. Our progress in the Assembly is small ;
there is so rauch matter yet before us, as we cannot win through for a
long time after our common pace. Our Independents continue and
increase in their obstinacy. Much is added to their pride and hope
by their semce at the battie of York ;'' albeit, much of their valour is
grounded on very false lies, prejudicial to God the Author, and to us
the true instmments of that day's honour. The politic part [party]
in the Parliament is the stronger, who are resolute to conclude nothing
in the matters of religion that may grieve the Sectaries, whom they
count necessary for the time. Our array is much diminished in num
ber and reputation. . . This is an iiTesolute, divided, and dangerously-
humoured people. We long rauch to see thera settled, and our nation
honestly rid of them. . . The Sectaries of divers sorts. Anabaptists
chiefly, increase here. Very many are for a total liberty of all religions,
and write very plausible treatises for that end. Sundry of the Inde
pendents are stepped out of the church, and follow my good acquaint
ance, Mr. Roger Williams, who says there is no church, no sacraments,
no pastors, no church-ofiicers or ordinance in the world, nor has been
since a few years after the apostles.""^
" For Glasgow. August 7th," is the superscription of the letter
which contains as follows : " At our sitting down this day, a great
many of our brethren did complain of the great increase and insolency
in divers places of the antinomian and anabaptistical conventicles.
A committee was appointed for a remedy of this evil, to be represented
quickly to the Parliaraent Mr. Edwards has -wiitten a splendid con
futation of all the Independents' Apology. All the rainisters of London,
at least more than a hundred of them, have agi-eed to erect a weekly
lecture for him in Christ's Church, in the heart of the city,'' where he
may handle these questions and nothing else, before all that will come
to hear. We hope God will provide reraeids [remedies] for that
evil of Independency, the mother and true fountain of the church's
distractions here.""
" August 10th," heads another letter to Spang, here he is infonned
that, "The first day after our vacance [vacation] a number of com-
" Let 71, p. 40. " On Marston-moor. c Let 73, p. 42, 43 : see back, p. 439.
" Newgate Street «Let 74 p. 46.

CHAP. LVI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 445
plaints were given in against the anabaptists' and antinomians' large
increase, and intolerable insolencies. Notwithstanding of Mr. Nye's and
others' opposition, it was carried, that the Assembly should remonstrate
it to the Parliaraent. Both Houses took our complaint well, have sent
for the chief of the seditious sectaries, and promise a quick renieid
[remedy] to that great and dangerous evil. A kind letter from the
Synod of HoUand to us was read. We have ended our Directory for
baptisra. Thomas Goodwin one day was exceedingly confounded.
He had undertaken a public lecture against the anabaptists : it was
said, under pretence of refuting them, he betrayed our cause to thera.
That of the Corinthians, our chief ground for baptism of infants,
' Your children are holy,'* he exponed of a real holiness, and preached
down our ordinary and necessary distinction of real and federal holiness !
Being posed hereupon, he could no ways clear himself, and no raan
took his part. God permits these gi-acious raen to be many ways
unhappy instruments. As yet, their pride continues; but we are
hopeful the Parliament will not own their way so much as to tolerate
it, if once they found themselves raasters. For the tirae, they are
loth to cast them off, and to put their party into despair, lest they
desert thera. The men are exceeding active in their own way. They
strive to advance Crorawell for their head. They ascribe to hira the
victory of York ; but raost unjustly. . . The sectaries books press most
in a universal liberty for all religions. If ApoUonius, Voetius, or any
other, intend to assist us, let them not delay. Try what answer the
Independents have given to ApoUonius. In my judgraent they neither
'vrill nor can declare themselves in the half of his interrogatories."''
In his " Public Letter, August 18th," BaiUie writes, "We have gone
through, in the Assembly, the whole Directory for Baptism, except sorae
little things referred to a committee ; also the whole Directory for
solemn Thanksgiving, with a good unanimity. . . On Tuesday last, there
was a solemn fast for general Essex's anny. Mr. Palraer and Mr. Hill
preached that day to the Assembly two of the raost Scottish and free
sermons that ever I heard anywhere. The way here of all preachers,
even the best, has been to speak before the Parliaraent with so profound
a reverence, as truly took all edge frora their exhortations, and raade
all applications toothless and adultorious [adulatory]. That style is
much changed of late : however, these two good raen laid well about
them, and charged public and parliamentary sins strictly on the backs
of the guilty ; amongst the rest, their neglect to settle religion ac
cording to the Covenant, and to set up ordination, which lay so long in
their hands. This was a means to raake the House of Commons send
us down that long-delayed paper of Ordination. On Tuesday, it was
twice publicly read, so much altered from our paper, that all of us
did much mislike it. To encourage the Assembly to reject it, we did
add in the end of our paper an express disavowing of it ; and at the
comraittee's desire, we set down our reasons, in writ, against the
House's alterations ; which did so encourage the Asserably that, this
day, unaniraously they sent a committee to the House to crave leave to
consider their alterations : for without their express order, they have
' 1 Cor. vii. 14. ^ Let 75, p. 48.

44G HLSTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
not SO much power as to debate a question. This leave is granted :
we are confident of reason, seconded by raore plain and stout dealing
than hitherto has been used, to raake them take up their unreasonable
alterations of our first paper : also we have the grand committee to
meet on Monday, to find out ways of expedience ; and we have got it
to be the work of the Assembly itself, to do no other thing till they
have found out ways of accelerating ; so, by God's help, we expect a
far quicker progress than hitherto. . . The King's declaration to foreign
raembers, avows His resolution to stand by the Hierarchy and Liturgy. . .
In our Asembly, we cannot but quickly come to our greatest questions
and our hottest debates.""
In another " Public Letter, August 28th," he writes, " Our Assembly,
these days bygone, has been busy on the House of Commons, their
alterations of our paper of Ordination ; at last they have agreed to
send back our desires for changing the most of these alterations,
according to the papers which we gave in to the Assembly, and both
Houses. Concerning these alterations, we expect, without further ado,
the Houses will pass om- desires ; so that presently all the youths in
England, who for many years have waited for a pure ordination, shall
be admitted to churches : and when all these, and what raore Scotland
can afford of good youths for the ministry here, are provided, it is
thought sorae thousands of churches must vaik [be vacant] for want
of men. Our next work is to give our advice what to do for suppress
ing of anabaptists, antinomians, and other sectaries. . . This will be a
hard work [!] yet so rauch as concems us, will be quickly despatched,
I hope in one session. It is appointed thereafter, that we return to the
government, and to hold to it till we conclude the erection of sessions,
presbyteries, and .synods. The most of the Directory is passed, and
the rest is given to proper hands to prepare the models for the Assembly.
All the world are sensible of our necessitated delays, and cry for
expedition."'* Now again, to Spang, September 13th, " Church divisions everj'-
where increase. The sectaries wax bolder daily ; yet we are hopeful
all shall quickly go better. It is time, I hope, for God to work, our
extremity of danger is so great. If ApoUonius stand on ceremonies,
and wait for the authority of his classis, or stay till he clog his book
with other treatises, . . his purpose will come out of season here, and
will be for little purpose. . . This day, Cromwell has obtained an order
of the House of Commons, to refer to the committee of both kingdoms,
the accommodation or toleration of the Independents ; a high and
unexpected order ; yet, by God's help, we will make use of it con
trary to the design of the procurers. . . The unkindness of all tiie
Reformed churches to us, at these times, is great : it is England's
raerit, but may be tiie great sin of those who have no charity, nor so
much zeal as prudence ! ""
» Let 77, p. 51— 54. i* Let 78, p. 54. "^ Let 7'J, p. 57.

CHAP. LVII.] RELATING TO INDEPEN DENTS. 447
CHAP. LVIL
GRAND COMMITTEE OF ACCOMMODATION.  BAILLIE.
On September 13th, 1644, the Committee of Lords and Commons
appointed to treat with the Scots commissioners, and the Committee of
the Assembly, were ordered by the House of Comraons to take into
consideration " The differences of the opinions of the members of the
Assembly in point of ' Church Government,' and to endeavour a union,
if it be possible." And in case " union" be impracticable, they were
further ordered to endeavour " The finding out some way how far
tender consciences " may be home with, " according to the Word, and
as raay stand with the public peace." This "honourable committee,"
comraonly called " The Grand Committee of Accoraraodation," nomi
nated, September 20th, a sub-committee of six — four Presbyterians,
Mai-shall, Herle, Vines, and Temple ; with two Independents, Goodwin
and Nye — " To bring in what might be matter for this Grand Com
mittee to consider of." These styled themselves " The Sub-Committee
of Agreements," Vines being their chairman. They presented, October
11 th, "the propositions they had prepared," but not " perfected," when
they were remitted tUl Tuesday, the 15th ; on which day the Grand
Committee voted to take the propositions "into consideration," but
" that debate was not entered upon, because it was the eamest desire of
sowe" — That the rale should first be made complete, by the Asserably
and the Houses :" and the House of Commons put " a cessation
herein, until their further pleasure.''
In their paper of " Propositions,'' the sub-committee " do agree as
followeth " on points of Govemment: " 1. That a Particular Congre
gation, having such officers as the Word of God holds out both for
preaching and goveming, is a church that hath power in all ecclesi
astical afilairs which do only concem itself.'' The two next prescribe
that so many, " 2. Three, or two at the least," of those officers, " may
agree '' in every act of govemment ; the " two " to be " preaching or
goveming officers :" but " some of the committee hold " that a
" preaching presb^-ter " should " concur in the sentence of excommu
nication, and suspension :"' 3. these officers have " power " in those
things which are voted, " by the Assembly, to be due unto them,"
together with suspension and excommunication ; " some of the com
mittee," the Presbyterians " meaning that the major part " of the
officers have power to do those acts, " the congregation not opposing ;"
if othervrise, those merabers ofthe committee " hold fit that the officers
do suspend the act in question :'' " others," the Independents, or Dis
senting Brethren, " saying," that the major part of the officers have
the power "if the major part of the Brethren," or.church-mem-
' Neal says, vol. iii. chap, vi., " The Presbyterians insisted that the new forra of
govemment should first pass into a law as a standard, before tbe exceptions of the
Independents be considered."

448 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
bers, " so consent urito it, by their votes; so as tbe negative lies in the
major part, either of the officers or brethren." For Ordination, " we
all hold " that where there are two preaching presbyters at least, such
presbytery raay ordain their own elders : but "sorae," the Independents,
do further say, that where there are two " ruling elders " at least, they
have power of ordaining elders for that congregation ; and, " in case
there be no elders — as at the first, in ecclesia constituenda — then the
choice of elders by the people, with approbation by the neighbouring
rainisters with fasting and prayer, may suffice."
The fourth proposition affirms that the Elders of the Congregation
" shall adrise with the Classis," in all cases of excoraraunication,
" before " they proceed to it; and, the Classis hath power to hear and
" determine," yet so as that the " power" of the congregation be not
concluded thereby, in matter of "excommunication :" but "some,"
the Independents, say, that in " whatsoever case " they, the elders,
find difficulty, they " shall first advise " with sorae corapany or classis
of neighbour-rainisters, as stated beneath the eighth proposition.
For the "associating of churches," let there be [fifthly] a certain
nuraber of ministers in each county to "determine the causes and
differences in every congregation" within its bounds; and certain
"select church-governors assistant unto them:" the first choice, or
appointraent, to be the Parliament's ; and vacancies thenceforward to be
supplied by tlwse so constituted. 6. Such among them as are " com
plained of,, or are parties in [the] question," are excepted from
debating and voting. 7. Counties to be divided into deaneries, or
divisions ; and they who raay with conveniency raore frequently meet,
shall have power to hear and determine " within the several congrega
tions of that precinct" 8. National Assemblies of "ministers and
others " to be appointed by Parliaraent.
" To the 5lh, 6th, 7th, and Sth, the whole committee doth assent ;
only some of them," the Independents, " do desire " that in effect this
explanation be inserted," or added, " That the elders and brethren of
each congregation, in case they find anything too hard for themselves,
or have any controversy araong theraselves, raay have liberty to advise
with any of those select elders and others in the Province, jointly, or
apart, or with the elders of any other churches ; for the determining
and composing the controversy, or resolving of that difficulty : and in
case they cannot be satisfied, then to have recourse also to the advice
and help of that Classis unto which they appertain."
The ninth proposition prescribes that the members of particular
congregations are to reside " within certain bounds and precincts of a
parish :" to this the Independents desired may be added, " liberty to
dwell in another parish, if the consent of the minister of that other
parish be procured ;" and that for " villages," the liraits be extended lo
some parish adjoining.
The Presbyterians add, " We having weighed our brethren's princi
ples, do find no probability of accommodation for them ordinarily to
enjoy congregations, unless when it shall happen in a parish that the
minister cannot administer the sacraments to all in the parish whom,
possibly, the neighbour-ministers, or the classis, raay judge fit to be

CHAP. LVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 449
admitted [to enjoy congregations] ; such persons shall have power to
procure to themselves the sacraments, either by the help of a neighbour
minister, or some other provision be raade by a proportionable allow
ance out of the tithes of the parish, according to the wisdom of the
State." And the Brethren, or Independents, subjoin, " Or otherwise,
if in a paiish it happen that there be a considerable nuraber of such as
cannot partake in the ordinances with the minister and people there,
they shall have liberty to dispose of themselves as a distinct church,
and to choose a minister or rainisters at their own charge. . . If such a
liberty shall seem, in the wisdom of this Honourable Committee to be
[so] prejudicial to the peace of the Church as not to be permitted, we
hurably desire [that] the Doctrinal principles wherein we differ, about
church-govemment, may be taken into serious consideration ; and some
other way of Accommodation in Practice thought upon, as shall seem
fit to this Honourable Committee."
Concerning "Classis and Synods,'' the Presbj-terians append, "let
them pray, expound, resolve difficult cases of conscience, and preach :
they may dogmatically declare what the will of Christ is, in such
cases as are before them ; and this judgment of theirs ought to be
received with reverence and obligation, as from an ordinance of Christ."
The Independents, that is, " some of the Brethren, though assenting,
yet are bold to add hereunto. That the judgraent of any other; of those
elders, in the province or elsewhere, advised with ; they do in like
manner look at as the ordinance of Christ, and to have the like obliga
tion in them."
" If," say the Presbyterians, "the doctrine or practice of any parti
cular congregation be erroneous, hurtful, or destructive to holiness, or
the peace of that or other congregations ; they are bound to give
account thereof to the classis or synod." The lnde])endents added to
tills, " That the ground of this obligation, to give account ' to the classis
or synod,' is their being ofl'ended, or their churches scandalized there
at." The classis or synod, say the Presbyterians again, "may
examine, admonish, and, in case of obstinancy, declare against, that
congregation, or any particular member in it ;" the Independents affix
this limitation, " That no such examination, admonition, in any classis
or assembly, be extended to any particular person in that church ; but
unto the church itself, for not putting forth the power that Christ hath
given them for reforming him." The classis or synod, it seems to
have been mutually assented to, " may judge touching any person who
deserves excoraraunication ; and may charge the several congregational
presbyteries, whom it concerns, to do it."
" We conceive," the Presbyterians say further, " that in case the
particular eldership refuse to do their duty, the classis may and
ought not only to withdraw comraunion frora them, but also, when need
is, exercise the sentence of excommunication themselves." Instead of
that proposition, the Independents, or " some of the Brethren, do insert
this : In case the aforesaid particular churches and elderships offending
shall refuse to submit to this course, that then the Classis or Synod are
to acquaint their congregations respectively, and so withdraw from
thera ; denyirg church-communion and fellowship with them. '
II. 2 c

450 HISTORICAL JIEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
The Presbytariaiisinoposcd tiial " In case of Appeal, if it appear to
the Classis that the sentence was unjust, they may judge that the ])ar-
ticular presbytery ought tb reverse it : and in case they obstinately
refuse to do it, the Classis raay reverse it." The Independents "only
say. That they are to proceed as in the former Article."
Lastiy : It was set down, that " The Classis or Synod have power
to ordain ministers for such congregations as have not a sufficient
presbytery in them ; and let all congTegations associated, first advise
with the classis, and take their assistance before they ordain a rainister."
To this is added, " Some of the Brethren do refer theraselves for this,
to the last clause in the third proposition delivered in.''*
The above transactions precede a " Public Letter" of Baillie's, dated
September I6th: "We have made little progress these fourteen days.
We spent a number of sessions on some propositions of advice lo the
Parliament, for suppressing antinomians, anabaptists, and those who
]3reach a liberty for all religions. Even in these, our good Indepen
dents found us great difficulty, and when we had carried our advices
against their mind, they offered to give in contrary reasons to the Par
liament. AVe spent two or three days on the matter of a remonstrance
to the Parliament, of the sins which provoked God to give us this late
stroke; and bere we had the raost free and sti-ange Parliament that ever
I heard [debate] about the evident sins of the Assembly, the sins of the
Parliament, . . of the Army, . . of the people. When we were in full
hope of a large fruit of so honest and faithful a censure, Thoraas Good
win and his brethren, as their custora is to oppose all things that are
good, carried it so, that aU was dung in the howes [cast into difficulties]
and that matter clean laid by. We are again on the Government We
have passed two or three propositions, that the church raay be governed
by three sorts of assemblies, congregational, classical, and synodical.
We begin with synods, and hope to raake quicker despatch than before,
by God's help. We have sundry means of haste in agitation with our
private friends. One of our especial helps must be the prayers of the
godly there. This rage of the devil, both here and there, is a good
sign to us of a glorious work in hand, which he so violentiy oppo
seth."'' Baillie's next Letter is "For Mr. David Dickson, September 16th."
— " How affairs go here you may see in ray Public Letters and printed
papers : but beside all these you may know raore. . . Our greatest fear
is, that the forces we have to oppose the king are full of jealousies and
malice one against another. The most of the officers in the General
[Essex] and Waller's array have open and known quarrels. Man
chester's is more pitifully divided. It is like to divide us all inconti
nent. Manchester himself, a sweet meek raan, permitted his
Lieutenant-general, Cromwell, to guide all the array at his pleasure.
The man is a very wise and active head, universaUy well beloved as
" " In case there be no elders, — as at the first, &c.," ul sup. — All these Propo
sitions, &c. are gathered flora " Papers given in to the Honourable Coraraittee of
Lords and Commons and Assembly of Divines with the Commissioners of Scotland,
for Accommodation: 1644. by a Sub-Committee of Divines of the Asserably
and Dissenting Brethren. Printed, I64S." 4to., pp. 9. ""Xet 80. p. 58.

CHAP. LVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 451
religious and stout ; being a known Independent, the most of ihe
soldiers who loved new ways put themselves under his command. Our
countryman Crawford was made Major-general of that anny : this man,
proring very stout and successful, got a great head with Manchester,
and with all the army that were not for sects. The other party finding
their designs man-ed by him, set themselves by all means to have him
out of the way, that he being removed they might frame the wholo
army to their devotion, and draw Manchester himself to them by per
suasion, or else to weary hiin out of his charge, that CromweU might
be General. This has been the Independents' gi-eat plot by this
army, to counterbalance us, and overawe the Asserably and Parliament
both to their ends. At this nick of time . . they give in a challenge
against Crawford; they require a committee of war to remove hira. . .
Manchester, CromweU, and Crawford, corae up themselves. Our
labour to reconcile thera was vain. CromweU was peremptory :
. . if Crawford were not cashiered, his colonels would lay down their
commissions : . . all of us find Crawford . . in nothing considerably
guilty, only persecuted to make way to their designs on that army, and
by it on the Parliaraent and kingdom. . . What the end of this may be,
God knows. While Cromwell is here, the House of Comraons
without the least advertiseraent to any of us or of the Assembly, passes
an order that the Grand Coramittee of both Houses, Assembly, and
us, shall consider of the means to unite us and the Independents-; or,
if that be found impossible, to see how they may be tolerated. This
has much affected us [!] These men have retarded the Assembly these
long twelvemonths. This is the fruit of their dis-service, to obtain
really an act of Parliament for their Toleration before we have got
anything for Presbytery either in Assembly or Parliament. Our
greatest friends. Sir Henry Vane and the Solicitor, are the main pro-
curei-s of all this ; and that without any regard to us who have saved
their nation, and brought these two persons to the height of the power
now they enjoy, and use to our prejudice [!] . . The great shot of
Cromwell and Vane is to have a liberty of all religions without any
exception. . . We must raake the best of an ill game we can. Marshall
raistakes us altogether : he is for a middle way of his own, and draws
a faction in the Synod to give ordination and excoraraunication to
Congregations, albeit dependentiy, in case of mal-adrainistration. God
help us ! If God be pleased to settle Scotland, and give us Newcastle,
all will go well. We raust see for new fiiends at last, when our old
ones without any the least cause have deserted and have half betrayed
us. These things to you alone [ ! ] ""
Then follows a " Public Letter," October. — " We were here for some
days under a cloud : . . Sir Henry Vane, our raost entire friend, joining
with a new faction to procure liberty for all sects, . . did much afllict
us for a fortnight . . 'Thanks to God, things are in much better posture
than lately. . . In the Assembly, thanks to God, we have throughed
not only our presbyteries, but also our synods provincial and national,
and the subordination of all the four meetings, parochial, clas.sical, jiro-
vincial, and national. We are now to dispute upon the power of all
» Let. 81. p. 60—62.
2g 2

452 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I
the four. We have strange tugging with the Independents. . . The
Confession of Faith is refeiyed to a Committee, to be put in several the
best hands that are here. By the help of God, procured by your
prayers, our adversaries' designs raay contribute to the happy closure
of these longsome and wonderfully-troublesome affairs."*
To Spang, October 2.5th: " The Independent party lying always
at the watch . . began lustily to play their garae. Their first essay was
on Manchester's army; there they had cast their strength, under
Cromwell. All sectaries who pleased to be soldiers, for a long time
casting themselves frora all the other, an-ive under his command in one
body. . . We had another bout with them about Shippon : they made
the city crave him to be loader of their new levy of five thousand foot,
and to be joined to Manchester. This was by Shippon's foot and
Cromwell's horse to have made theraselves masters of the field : this we
also got crossed. But their gi-eatest plot, wherewith yet we are wrest
ling, is an order ofthe House of Comraons, contrived by Mr. Solicitor
and Mr. Marshall, which they got stolen through.'' . . This order
presently gave us the alarm : we saw it was for a toleration of the Inde
pendents by act of Parliament, before tiie presbytery, or any common
rule, were established. Our most trusty friend the Solicitor had
throughed it the House before we heard of it. Mr. Marshall had
evidently, in the prosecution of it, slighted us. Sir Henry Vane,
whom we trusted most, had given us many signs of his alteration ;
twice at our table jiiolixly, earnestly, and passionately had reasoned for
a full liberty of couscienc-e to all religions without any exceptions ; had
publicly, in the House, opposed the clause in the ordination [sic] that
required ministers to subscribe the Covenant, and that which did
intiraate their being over their flocks in the Lord ; had raoved the
mustering of our army, as being far less than we were paid for ; had
been offended with the Solicitor for putting in the ordinance the differ
ences about church-govemment; and not onl}' about free grace, intru
ding liberty to the antinomians and to all sects, he, without the least
occasion on our side, did openly oppose us. Always God has helped
us against him and thera egregiously to this day. In the first meet
ing of the grand committee, Mr. Marshall, the chainnan, by canny
[prudent] convoyance got a sub-committee nominated according to his
miud, to draw the differences ; Goodwin and Nye, other four, with him
self, who joined with the Independents in giving to the Congregations
power of excoraraunication and ordination. Vines, Herle, Reynolds,
Temple, Seaman, and Palraer, of our raind, were named, but seeing us
excluded by Marshall's cunning, would not join. The next two or
three raeetings were spent on the sub-committee's draught of the differ
ences. We found the Independents clear for the whole people, every
cominunicant-inale, to have decisive voice in all ecclesiastic causes, in
admission, deposition, excommunication of ministers, in determining
of schisms and heresies : that no congregation did depend on anv supe
rior synod : . . but, which is worst of all, they avow they cannot com
municate as members with any congregation in England, though reformed
to the uttermost pitch of purity which the Assembly or Parliament are
. Let, 82. p. 62—63. b gee back, p. 447.

CHA:^. LVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 453
like to require, because even the English, as all the rest of the Refonn
ed, will consist but of professors of the Truth, in whose life there is no
scandal; but they require to a Member, beside a fair ji-ofession and
want of scandal, such signs of gi-ace as persuade the whole congrega
tion of their true regeneration. We were glad to have thera declare
this much under their hands; for hitherto it has been their great care
to avoid any such declaration ; but now they are more bold, ajiprehend-
ing their party to be much more considerable, and our nation [ Scotland]
much less considerable than before. The change of Providence did
nothing daunt our courage ; yet we were rauch in prayer and longing-
expectation that God would raise us from our lowness, near to con
tempt, and compesce [defeat] their groundless insolency. At our first
meeting, my Lords Say and Wharton, Vane and the Solicitor, pressed
veheraently to debate the propositions ofthe sub-committee. . . Here it
was where God helped us beside our expectation. Mr. Rous, Mr.
Taite, and Mr. Prideaux, among the ablest ofthe House of Comraons,
opposed them to their face. My Lord Chancellor, . . Warriston, . .
Maitland, Mr. Henderson, Mr. GUlespie, and all, raade their designs
to appear so clearly that, at once, many did dislike thera ; yet Henry
Vane went on violently. We refused to consider their propositions
except on two express caveats ; one, that no report should be made of
any conclusion of the [grand] committee till first it came to the
Asserably, and from them, after examination, should be transmitted to
the House of Coraraons: another, that first the common rule of govem
ment should be resolved, before any forbearance of these who di.ffered
therefrom should be resolved upon. The first, after many hours' sharp
debate, we obtained : the second, we are to debate to-raorrow ; and if
we obtain it not, we have a brave paper ready, penned by Mr. Hender
son, to be given in to the House and Asserably, which will paint out
the Independents and their adherents so clearly, that I am hopeful that
the bottom of their plots shaU be dung [cast] out. .Apollonius's book will
not be delivered to the Asserably till it come off the press. We are
extremely obliged to him, and as rauch disobliged to his opposites.
The Letter of the synod of Utrecht was read the other day in the
Assembly, but had not one word either of Episcopacy or Independency.
We would have expected other things from Voetius ; but the Indepen
dents' diligence, far and near, is great ; yet I believe God wUI not bless
their ways. Rivet, in all our controversies, resolves to be raute and
silent also; yet Moulin has written very honestly his mind; but
Diodati and the Parisians are not as we expected [!] The Switzers,
and lately the rest of the divines of Geneva, have given us satisfaction.
We hope shortly, when God has put our enemies under our feet, these
our reverend brethren who have been last in appearing for us, shall be
most ample in their encouragements ! We are loth to censure any
man, only in so great conflicts we would have expected from brethren
in a common cause, greater as.sistance than we have got from any over
sea, excepting worthy and noble ApoUonius [!]''"
Under Noveraber 1st, Spang is inforraed that " Our committee at
Newcastle wrote up to the Houses to haste the settiing of the church.
> Let. 83. p. 6C— 68, 70.

454 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
Tills motion was well received by all but Say, Vane, and some few
Independents. To comfort thera, some six or eight of the chief lords
cimie this day in message from the House of Peers with that Letter,
entreated the Assembly to haste : also, in that Letter, the Comraons
voted, over the Independents' bellies, the dissolving of that dangerous
[grand] committee which these five weeks has vexed us. The preface
of our Directory, casting out at doors the Liturgy, and all the ceremo
nies in eumulo, is this day passed. It cost us divers days' debate,
and these sharp enough, with our best friends. Apollonius's book is
not yet off the press, and so I have not seen it ; only the preface I read,
which I like exceedingly well. One thing I must recomraend to your
serious care : we are inforraed from thence very credibly, that the
agents of the Independents have so far prevailed over Voetius as to
raake him publish his approbation of ' The Keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven,'" as consonant to truth, and the discipline of Holland. If he
should be so evil advised as to do anytiiing of this kind at this time, he
will wTong himself and us, and all the Refonned churches, exceedingly,
and do what in hira lies to raar the most great and gracious work here,
which, by God's help, after so great opposition, we are can-3nng to a
happy conclusion. You would [should] write to him, and all you can
join with you, to obtest him he do not any such work, so unworthy of
himself ! We could never have suspected any such things, if a very
good hand had not confidently assured us of it."''
The " Public Letter," Noveraber 2 1 st, assures those interested, thus :
" Our church affairs go on now apace, blessed be God. Our Letters
frora N ewcastle moved the Houses to call once, twice, thrice, to the
Assembly for expedition. The}' sent up our propositions conceming
Presbyteries. 'Phe Independents gave in the Reasons of their dissent
therelrom. These are in the hands of a committee. The answer is
like to be full and satisfactory to the world, and possibly to the parties
themselves. In a few days all we have done about Government will
be sent up to the Houses, against which the Independents will have
nothing considerable to say more than is in their papers against Pres
byteries. But that which most comforts us is the Directory. All
that we have done in it is this day sent up, with a full unanimity of
all. Many a wearisome debate has it cost us : but we hope the sweet
fruit will overbalance the very great toil we had in it. The last passage
was sensibly from God. After, with huge deal of ado, we passed the
parts that concerned prayers, reading of Scripture, jireaching, both the
sacraments, ordination, and sanctification of the sabbath, there were
many references to the Preface ; one, to tum the Directory to a straight
Liturgy ; another, to make it so loose and free that it should serve for
littie use : but God helped us to get both these rocks eschewed.
Alw.-iys [However] here-yesterday, [tiie day before yesterday], when
we were at the very end of it, the Independents brought us so doubt
ful a disputation, that we were in very great fear all should be cast in
the hows [difficulties,] and that their op])ositioii to the whole Directory
should be as great as to the Government, yet God, in his mercy, guided
it so that yesterday we got thorn and all others, so satisfied that,
« See back, p. 259. b Let. 84, p. 71.

CHAP. LVIL] REL.Vl'ING TO INDEPENDENTS. 455
nemine contradicente, it was ordered all together to be traiismilted lo
the Houses, and Goodwin to be one of the carriers; whicli vvas this day
done, to all our great joy, and hope that this will be a good ground of
agrecance betwixt us and them, either soon or syne [sooner or later].
What remains of the Directory, anent [concerning] raanying and
burial, will soon be despatched. The Catechism is drawn up, and, I
think, shall not take up much tirae. I iear the Conlession of Faith
may stick longer. However, we will, by God's help, have so much
work done in a month, that it seems necessary to have a General
Asserably in Scotland shortly, that some of us may bring there what
here has been so long in doing, lobe revised, and, I hope, without great
difficulty to be passed. If it please the Lord to perfect this work it
wijl be the sweetest and most happy business that ever in this isle was
enterprised."' In another, " December 1st," Baillie infonns his countrymen that
" After two days of tough debate and great appearance of in-econcil-
able differences, thanks to God, we have got the Independents satisfied,
and a unanimous consent of all tiie Asserably, that Marriage shall be
celebrated only by the minister, and that in the church, after our fashion.
There are whisperings of good a])pearance that the Independents will
be gotten contented to take up their ' Reasons ' and subrait themselves
to the Assembly. If this be, it were better than a new victory over
the king's army [ ! ] Who knows what reward the Loi-d may give us
for our great patience and love to these, however very good, yet very
dangerous and unhaiipy, men, who have been the great and mighty
instruments to keep all things here loose both in church and state, these
two years bygone, for the increasing of their party to so great a strength,
that they might by fear and threats obtain their desires. But these
four months bygone, since we set our face against thera openly, their
plots are so broken, and their strength decayed, that I hope God will
make thera more pliable to reason than otherwise they were inclined. . .
Mattei-s here stand thus : the House of Commons have passed without
any variation, to 'count of, all the Directory we sent them ; and, I
hope, to-raorrow will send it to the Lords to raake an Ordinance upon
it. In the Assembly we have stuck longer than we expected on Mar
riage : but I hope to-raorrow we shall end it ; and before this day week
we shall pass the two remanent parts of the Directory, fasting and
burial, or visitation of the sick ; also that we shall, one of the days of
this week, send up the rest of our votes of Government, except we fall
in debate of some passages of our too large ' Answer ' to the Indepen
dents' ' Reasons ' against Presbyteries. . .
" Lieutenant-general Cromwell has publicly, in the House of Com-
aiions, accused my lord of Manchester of the neglect of fighting at
Newbury. . . The fault is unjustiy laid on Manchester : it was com
mon to all the general officers then prosent, and to Crorawell hiraself
as much as to any other. Always [However,] Manchester has cleared
himself abundantly in the House of Lords, and there has recriminated
CromweU as one who has a\'owed his desire to abolish the nobility of
England ; who has spoken contumeliously of the Scots' intention of
turning into England to estaWi.sh tl-c'r ihmch-governinent, in which
" Let 85, p. 73.

456 HISTORICAL MEMOllIALS [cHARLES I
CromweU said he would draw his sword against them ; also, against the
Assembly of Divines; and has threatened to make an army ol Secta,nes
to extort by force, both from King and Pariiament, what conditions
they thought meet. This fire was long under the embers ; now it is
broken out, we trust, in a good time. It is like, for the interest of our
nation, we raust crave reason of that darling of the Sectaries; and in
obtaining of his removal from the army, which himself by his own
rashness has procured, to break the power of that potent faction. This
is our present difficult exercise. We had need of your prayers."*
To Spang, December 6th : " This week after many sbai-p debates
we have agreed, and sent up to the Houses, our Directory for raaniage
and days of thanksgiving ; also we have, with much difficulty, passed a
proposition for abolishing their ceremonies at burial : but our difference
about funeral sermons seems irieconcileable, as it has been here and
everywhere preached. It is nothing but an abuse of preaching, to
Serve the humours only of rich people for a reward. . . It is here a
good part of the ministers' livelihood ; therefore they will not quit it
After three days' debate, we cannot find yet a way of agreeance. If this
were passed, there is no more in our Directory, but fasting and
holidays, wherein we apprehend no difference. Upon these, with our
votes of Government already passed, and our answers to the Indepen
dents' ' Reasons,' the next week, I think, will be spent. The Letter of
your Classis before Apollonius's book was read the other day, and a
printed copy of his book given to every member of the Assembly. It
was not only very well taken, but also, which is singular and so far as
I remember absque exemplo, it was ordered, nemine contradicente,
to write a Letter of thanks to ApoUonius. Surely he has done a piece
of good service to God and his churches here. 1 have not yet had
leisure to read it all [!] but I approve what I have read.
" This raatter of Crorawell, has been a high and raighty plot of the
Independent party to have gotten an array for theraselves under Crom
well, with the ruin and shaineiully unjust crushing of Manchester's
person, of dissolving the union of the nations, of abolishing the House
of Lords, of dividing the House of Comraons, of filling the city and
most of the Coranions with intestine wars, of setting up themselves
upon the ruins of all : but God, who has drawn us out of many desperate
dangers, is like to turn this dangerous mischief on the heads of the
contrivers. I hope it shall break the far more supposed than real
strength of that party, and unite us raore strongly; but we are yet
wrestling with thera."''
A " Public Letter," Deceraber 26th, states as follows : " The thing
¦which now is spoken of here, is the sudden and unexpected work of
yesterday : the House of Commons in one hour has ended all the
quarrels which were betwixt Manchester and Crorawell ; all the oblo
quies against the General ; the grumblings against the proceedings of
raany in their House : they have taken all Office flora all the merabers
of both Houses I This done on a sudden, in one session, with great
unanimily, is still raore and more admired by sorae as a most wise,
necessary, and heroic action ; by the other, as the most rash, hazardous^
Let 86, p. 74—70. b Let 87, p. 76, 77.

CHAP. LVII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 457
and unjust action as ever Parliament did. Much may be said on both
hands, but as yet it seems a dreara, and the bottom of it is not under
stood. We pray God it may have a good success.
" We daily now make good progress in the Assembly. We have
sent up our Directory for marriage and thanksgiving ; we have also got
through burial. We have some little tilings to say of fasting and
visiting of the sick ; and so our long-looked-for Directory will be closed.
It is exceedingly liked by all who see it. Every piece of it passes
the Houses as fast as we send it. Our ' Answers ' to the Independents'
' Reasons' are now ready, and I hope this week may be sent up to the
House. We have also put together all our votes of Government, and
will send thera up to-raorrow to both Houses. The Independents
have entered their dissent only to three propositions : ' That in Ephesus,
was a classical presbytery : That there is a subordination in assemblies :
That a single congregation has not all and sole power of ordination.'
Their ' Reasons ' against these three propositions we expect to-morrow.
Against the end of next week we hope our comraittees will have answers
ready to all they will say ; and after all is sent up to the House, by
God's help we expect shortiy an erection of presbyteries and synods
here ; for there apjiears a good forwardness to expede all things of that
kind, in both Houses, since the taking of Newcastle. If the Directory
and Govemraent v.ere once out of our hands, as a few days will put
them, then we will fall on our gi-eat question of Excommunication, the
Catechism, and Confession. There is here matter to hold us long
enough if the wrangling humour which long predominated in many
here, did continue ; but thanks to God, that is rauch abated, and all
incline towards a conclusion. We have drawn up a Directory for
church-censures and excommunication ; wherein we keep the practice
of our church, but decline speculative questions. This we hope will
please all who are not Independents ; yea, I think even they needed not
differ with us here : but it yet appears they will to separation, and are
not so careful to accoraraodate as conscience would command peaceable
men to be. However, we hope to get the debates of these things we
raost feared either eschewed or shortened. We have near also agi-eed
in private, on a draught of Catechism ; whereupon, when it comes in
public, we exjiect little debate. I think we must either pass the Con
fession to another season, or, if God will help us, the heads of it being
distribute araong so many able hands, it may in a short time be so
drawn up as the debates of it may cost littie time. . . I trust this shall
be the last which I shall write from this ; for Mr. Gillespie and I being
appointed to attend theGeneral Assembly, purpose, if God will, shortly
to take joumey. We hope, this day, to close in the Assembly the
remainder of our Directory, and to send it up to-monow to the Houses;
so the next week we expect an Ordinance of Parliament for the whole
Directory. We have transraitted our ' Answers ' to the Independents'
' Reasons ' against our Presbytery. They are well taken, and now
upon the press.''"
The next day Baillie wrote thus, to Spang, under the signature of
"Jamesone :" "We have ended, this day, the Directory in the Asseni-
« Let 88, p. 78—80.

458 ¦ HISTORICAL MEMORIALS .[CHARLES I.
blv. The Houses are through the raost of it already. Before we go,
they will pass all. What remains of the Governraent, concerning the
hard questions of Excoraraunication, Mr. Henderson has drawn it up
by way of a practical directory, so calmly, that we trust to get it all
past the Assembly next week, without much debate. The raen whom
most we feared profess their satisfaction with that draught It is cer
tainly true of what you wrote, of the impossibility ever to have gotten
England reformed by human means as things here stood, without their
brethren's help. The learnedest and most considerable part of them
were fully Episcopal : of these who joined with the Parliament, the
greatest and .most countenanced part were rauch Episcopal. The
Independents had brought the people to such a confusion that was
insuperable by all the wit and strength which was here ; but God has
so guided it, that all has contributed for the main work. The wickedness
of the Popish and Prelatical faction still continuing and increasing ;
the horrible extravagancies of the Sectaries ; the unreasonable obstinacy
of the Independents ; the strange confusions of this long anarchy ; and,
most of all, God's good hand on us here iu the Assembly, and on our
armies in the fields, has contribute to dispose this land to a very fair
reformation above all their hopes.""
By what is called a " Memorandum to Mr. Buchanan,"'' some
insight has been obtained of what preceded the two- next Letters found
in numerical succession, and, like the " Memorandum," without dates.
The first of these is headed " For Mr. Buchanan, at Paris," and it is
another proof of the difficitity which the intriguers met with to obtain
satisfaction in the prosecution of their "canny" devices. " Monsigneur,
— At my first sight of your papers, if I mistake not the sense, I reraark
sundry passages which I conceive would ranch prejudice our cause [!]
if the writ went abroad without sorae alterations. . . The Divine right
of the whole Congregation to give voice and suffrage in raatters of
governraent, is avowed. This is one of the gi-eatest grounds of tiie
independents. What the Word of God grants to the People we may
not deny them, and no posterior canon of the cliurch can take from
them. Of all that here is said against the Independents there is very
littie to tiie point ; for they will grant it all, and deny they maintain
any such independency as here is impugned. They avow a dependency,
and that by Divine command, on all the neighbour-churches ; only
deny a superiority of jurisdiction of any church or synod over another
church. In my judgraent, these and such-like grounds, give rauch
raore advantage to the Prelatical aud Independent party against us
than we can get of all the rest of the writ against thein. . . I have con
ferred with Mr. Henderson. We are both in opinion that you, in your
way, the best you can, would [should] essay to get your friends so
inforraed that they, in forenamed points, would write according to the
mind of our church [!] or if this cannot be obtained, with all thank
fulness to themselves for their hearty affection to our cause, you will
so guide it that they may be silent [!] till they see what it may be
the will of God to do with these poor distressed churches."''
The second, " To Mr. Buchanan," tells tiiis " Monsieur" that the
= Let 89, p. 81, 82. " See back, p. 431, Let 5 5. ¦= Let 90, p. 83, 84.

CUAP. LVII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 459
Independents "profess to regard nothing at all what all the Reformed,
or all the world, say, if their sayings be not backed with convincing
Scriptures or reason. All human testimonies they declaim against as
a Popish argument So far as yet we perceive, they will sej.iarate from
all the Reformed, and will essay, by all they can either do or suffer,
to have their new way advanced. "The sooner all the Reformed declare
against them, it will be the better.'"
At this place in the volume is preserved " My Assembly-Speech,'
without a date, but delivered January 23rd, 1644-5, when Baillie had
returned with Gillespie professedly to communicate what progress they
and their fellow-commissioners had raade in the general church and
state affairs for which they had been deputed : chiefly " for the furthering
and advancement in that uniformity in Divine worship and church-
government which both nations have sworn in their Solemn League
and Covenant.'""
" Let. 91, p. 85. — As part of the proceedings of this year, the following article
is taken frora the Acts of tbe National Synod of the Reforraed Churches of France
assembled, by permission of tbe King, at Charenton, December 26tb, etc. " Upon
what bas been reported by some Deputies frora the Maritime Provinces, That
many coming from foreign countries, and who call themselves ' Independents,' —
because tbey teach that each particular church ought to be governed by its own
laws, without any dependence on persons and matters ecclesiastical, and without
-obligation to recognise tbe authority of Conferences [Colloques], and Synods for
its government and conduct, — fixing their abode in this kingdom, and who might
hereafter cause great inconveniences if there were not, in good time, care taken :
'J'he Asserably, — fearing that the contagion of this venom increasing insensibly,
will spread confusion and disorder among us ; and judging the said sect of the
Independents not only prejudicial to the Church of God, in.somucb that it endea
vours to introduce confusion, opening the door to all sorts of singularities and
extravagancies, and removing all means of providing the remedy for it; but so
very dangerous to the State that, if it should have room, it could not but produce
as raany religions as there are parishes, or particular congregations ; — enjoins to
every Province, and especially the Maritirae, to take care that the evil do not take
bold in churches of this kingdom, in order that peace and uniforraity as weli in
religion as in discipline should be inviolably preserved, and that nothing be intro
duced among us which can alter in any way the service due to God and to the King.
— ^Garrissoles, Moderator: Basnage, Assistant : Blondel and Le Coq, Secretaries."
'' No. 92, p. 85. — In the course of tiiis speech, BaiUie tells the "Right Honour
able, Right Reverend Fathers and Brethren," . . " The success which God, according
to your prayers, bath been pleased to grant to our labour, you will better see than
we can repeat, in tbe papers which we have brought. . . We can add nothing to
that which from these Letters you will hear read: only, with your Reverences'
permission and favour, we are bold to profess that God has done great things for
poor Scotland. . . When the Bishops of England had put upon the neck of our
church and nation the yoke first of their Episcopacy, then of their Ceremonies ;
the whole mass of a Service-book, and with it the body of Popery ; . . to have bad
Bishops, Cereraonies, Book, and State-slavery reformed, we would lately have
esteemed it a mercy above all our praises. But now, beholding tbe progress of
tbe Lord, bow He bas led us by the band, and marched before us to the homes
and holds of our injurious oppressors ; how there he has made bare his holy arm,
and brought the wheel of bis vengeance upon the whole race and order of Prelates
in England, and has plucked up the root and all the branches of Episcopacy in all
the King's dominions; that an Asserably and Parliaraent in England unanimously,
but which is their word 'abolished,' not only these Ceremonies which troubled us
but the whole Service-book as *a very idul,' so sjieak tbey also, and a vessel full
of much mischief; that in place of Episcopacy, a Scots Presbytery should be con
cluded in an English Assembly, and ordained in an English Parliament, as it is

460 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS ^CHARLES I.
CHAP. LVIII.
THE REASONS OF THE INDEPENDENTS; OR, THE GRAND DEBATE.
In page 457, it was seen that the Presbyterians had transmitted
certain papers to the press. We know not whether they a]ipeared
publicly, before the date upon this titie, " The Reasons presented by
the Dissenting Brethren, against certain Propositions concerning
Presbyterial Government: and the Proofs of them, voted by the As
sembly of Divines sitting, by Authorit3' of Parliament, at Westminster.
Together with the Answer of the Assembly of Divines, to those Rea
sons of Dissent 1648. 4to.'' pp. 211 [221]. That title-page was
cancelled, in the year 1 652, and the following substituted ; all else
being the same : " The Grand Debate concerning Presbytery and
Independency, by the Assembly of Divines convened at AVestminster,
by Authority of Parliaraent: Containing, First, The Assembly's Pro
positions, with the Proof of thera frora Scripture, concerning the Pres
byterial Government : Secondly, The Dissenting Brethren's Reasons
against the said Propositions : Thirdly, The Answer of the Assembly
to those Reasons of Dissent. — Exarained and Perused by Jer. Whita-
ker ; Tho. Goodwin. By Order of Parliament."
The whole of the contents relating to the Independents is before the
reader, who is unavoidably referred to the original volume for the
" Answers " of the Presbyterians, aiTogating as above, to be " The
Assembly of Divines " exclusive of their " Dissenting Brethren."
The value of the " Reasons" may be estimated by the labour bestowed
with the design of subverting thera, and by their being part and parcel
of the bases on which the princijiles of Scriptural Independency are
established ; lime, and further scrutiny, having tested their general cor
rectness. The " Answers " could they be given, would show a vast
complication of hypotheses, with occasional instances of acuteness, and
others of soreness ; the latter more particularly when the argument
already ordained in tbe House of Commons ; that the practice of the Church of
Scotland, set down in a most wholesome, pious, and prudent Directory, should
come in ihe place of a Liturgy in all the three dominions; — such stories, lately
told, would have been counted fancies, dreams, mere impossibilities : yet this day
we tell them as truths, and deeds done, for the great honour of our God, and we
are persuaded, the joy of many a godly soul ! If any will not believe our report,
let them trust their own eyes ; for behold bere the warrant of our words, written
and subscribed by the bands of tbe Clerks of the Parliaraent of England, and tbe
Scribes of the Assembly there! We will not descend into any particulars; . .only
it is our earnest desire that the raercies whereof we are speaking, raay be matter
of thankfulness to all ; a door of hope to fainting and feeble minds, who are oft
miscarried with fear what yet may be the event ; a certain ground of clear despair
to all the enemies of Zion, that they raay give over their vain labour, and cease to
oppose the work of God whether by their becrel obstructions or open hostility,
knowing that it will be bard for tbem to kick against the pricks, and that there is
neither wisdora nor strength against tbe Lord. . . We all hope that the chariot of
the Lord will not here stand, nor be ariCbted within the compass of this isle."

CHAP. LVIIl] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 461
exhibits a ])arallel between routed Prelacy and aspiring Presbytery.
The struggle, in the Assembly, was most vigorous upon the point
now presented.
" The Third Proposition, concerning Presbyterial Government as it was
voted in the Assiimbly, and sent up to both Houses of Parliament
" The Scripture doth hold forth. That many particular congregations may be
under one presbyterial government :
y This proposition is proved by instances ;
/' I. Instance, Of tbe chnrch of Jerusalem ; which consisted of more con
gregations than one, and all those congregations were under one presbyterial go
vernraent. — This appeareth thus, i. The church of Jerusalera consisted of more
congregations than one, as is manifest, 1. By the multitude of Believers, — men
tioned in divers texts collated, — both before tbe dispersion of the believers there
by means of tbe persecution mentioned in tbe Acts of tbe .Apostles, ch. viii. in tbe
beginning thereof; witness .Acts i. 1 1 ; ii. 41, 46, 47 ; iv. 4; v. 14 ; and vi. 1, 7 :
and also, n/tcr the dispersion;. Acts ix. 31 ; xii. 24 ; and xxi. 20. — 2. By the raany
apostles and otber preachers, in the church of Jerusalem. If there were but one
congregation there, then each apostle preached but seldom ; which will not consist
with Acts vi. 2. — 3. The diversity of languages amongst the believers mentioned
both in tbe 2nd and 6th chapters of the Acts, doth argue raore congregations than one
in that church, ii. All those congregations were under one presbyterial govern
ment: because, I. Tbey were one church ; Acts viii. 1, and ii. 47, compared with
V. 1 1, xii. 5, and xv. 4. — 2. The elders of that church, are mentioned Acts xi. 30 ;
XV. 4, 6, 22; xxi. 17, 18. — 3. Tbe apostles did the ordinary acts of presbyters,
as presbyters, in that church; which proveth a presbyterial church before the dis
persion ; Acts vi. — 4. The several congregations in Jerusalem being one church,
tbe elders of that church are mentioned as meeting together for acts of govern
ment. Acts xi. 30 ; XV. 4, 6, 22 ; xxi. 17, 18, and so forwards : which proves that
these several congregations were under one presbyterial government. And, whe
ther these congregations were fixed, or not fixed, in regard of officers or merabers ;
it is all one, as to tbe trutii of tbe Proposition. Nor doth there appear any mate
rial diiference betwixt the several congregations in Jerusalera and the many con
gregations now, in the ordinary condition of tbe church, as to tbe points of fixed
ness in regard of officers or members. Therefore, The Scripture doth hold forth.
That many congregations may be under one presbyterial govemment.
" II. Instance: Of the church of Ephesus. For, i. That there were more
congregations than one, in the church of Ephesus; appears by Acts xx. 31, where
is mention of Paul's continuance at Ephesus, in preaching for ' tbe space of three
years' : and Acts xix. 18 — 20, where tbe especial effect of ' tbe Word' is men
tioned; and verses 18 and 17, where is a distinction of 'Jews and Greeks': and
and 1 Cor. xvi. 8, 9, where is a reason of Paul's stay at Ephesus ' until Pentecost';
and verse 19, where is mention of a particular chnrch 'in the bouse' of Aquila
and Priscilla then at Ephesus, as appeareth Acts xviii. 19, 24, 26. All which laid
together do prove, That tbe multitude of believers did make more congregations
than one, in tbe church of Ephesus. — ii. That there were many elders over these
many congregations as one flock ; appeareth Acts xx. 17, 25, 28, 30, 36. — iii. That
those many congregations were one church ; and that they weie under one presby
terial government; appeareth Rev. ii. 1 — 6, joined with Acts xx. 17, 28.""
" REASONS, AGAINST ' The Third Proposition, concerning Pres
byterial Government,' and the Principles thereof.
" ' If many congregations,' having all elders already affixed respect
ively unto thera, 'maybe under one presbyterial govemraent :'
then, all those elders raust sustain a special relation of elders
to all the people of those congregations, as one church, and to
every one as a member thereof. But, for a company of such
' Introduc.

462 HISTORICAL memorials [rilARLES I.
elders already affixed, etc., to sustain such a relation ; carries
with it so great and manifold incongruities and inconsistencies,
with what the Scripture speaks of elders, in their relation to a
chuich committed to them, and likewise with the Principles of
the Reformed Churches themselves, as cannot be admitted.
And, therefore, such a government raay not be.
" The First Proposition : That according to the Scriptures, — Such
a presbyterial government, necessarily draws such a special relation ;
is evinced by parts thus: i. They must have the relation of elders to
all and every one of the members: for, church and elders, are relative.
And the Argument, for the presbyterial government, is taken by the
Presbyterial Divines from this. That many congregations, in Scripture,
are made one chnrch ; and the elders thereof, elders of that chtirch.
ii. That relation they have, must be a more special relation ; as is
evident from the practice and princi])les of this Govemment : for, when
the congregations in Shires are divided into several presbyteries, or
deaneries, the elders — though neighbours — of a bordering presbytery
intermeddle not with the congregations under another jiresbytery, and
yet neighbour-elders ! It is, therefore, a special relation, puts the
difference, that those of these ]n-esbyteries do judge the congregations
under them ; as having a special relation to thera, such as not to other
congregations. "The Minor Pkoposition : For the proof of which, we present
these Incongruities, as follow :
" First, This breeds many incongi-uous disproportions to the order,
set by Christ, about the officei-s of the church : i. To extend a pastor's
power of ordinarily ruling, beyond the extent of his ordinary teaching;
is against the order which Christ hath set, — and all extent of power,
raust as well have an institution of Christ, as the power or office itself;
the difference of evangelists and oi-dinary pastors, lay in extent of
power i—but the extent of a pastor's ordinary ruling power is but to
that flock, as his whole flock, which he is able to feed. The first pro
position [here] is confirmed, first by Scripture ; secondly, by Reason.
" 1. By Scripture : Acts xx. 28 ; whence, first, we see the special
limitation of their extensive power and relation ; to a ' flock,' and ' all'
in that flock, is by ' the Holy Ghost ' and not by man ; and, therefore,
is not to be extended by raan, further than the Holy Ghost hath
appointed. Secondly, The extent of that relation ; to tiiat ' flock,' and
the whole flock they 'feed,' and to feed 'all' that 'flock' alike; and,
if they be preaching elders, then to feed by preaching ; and, therefore,
are 'overseers' to them to feed them, and this because they feed them.
Thirdly, He [Paul] speaks to preaching elders especially, that feed by
doctrine : for he propounds his own example unto them, verses 20, 27.
And Peter seconds Paul in this, 1 Pet. v. 2 : ' the flock ' h vfxiv, —
' araong you,' is that flock any of them had relation to, as his ' flock '
respectively : Peter here writing unto the churches in several nations,
ch. i. 1 ; whereas in Acts xx. 28, the charge is to the particular elders
of Ephesus, to that whole 'flock :' therefore, that note, of respective-
iiess, is here put tv hfilv—' among you;' that is, that'' flock' which,

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 463
respectively, belongs to you ; as Col. i. 7, ' who is for you a faithful
minister,' that is — your proper pastor. So the ' flock ' Iv v/xiv, is
your several proper flocks that belong to you. And hereby it appears,
that their ' oversight ' is not extendible beyond their feeding. Thus
also, Heb. xiii. 7, which he speaks of preaching elders ; and of ruling
elders, ver. 17. And whether these places note out two sorts of officers
or but one sort, and so but several acts of the same office ; however, if
but one, yet still ihe ordinary ' rule ' over thera was not further ex
tendible than their ordinary preaching : if two sorts of officers, — they
being officers together iu the same church, — if the pastor's power of
ruling extends no further than his preaching, then the raere ruling
elder's power — or his that is assistant to him — must extend no further
than the pastor's also : this is the natural obligation to obedience, and
so is the measure to set the bounds of the extent of ordinary church-
power. It is one arguraent used against Episcopal power, that they are
enforced to obey hira that speaks not the Word to them, nor watches
over their souls; and this holds as well, against these Presbyterial
officers, when a man, to be excommunicated, comes before such, if he
says — I am not bound to obey you in such an authoritative way ; nor
do I owe a subjection, as to a power of censure in you; for many, yea
most of you, never spake the Word unto rae, nor did ' watch ' ovcr
iny soul : nay, perhaps the raan can say, he never saw their faces afore.
And it avails not to say. That they may, occasionally, preach : for,
take two places more ; the 1 Thess. v. 12, speaking of respect to their
officers, these two, ' labour ' and ' are over you,' are commensurable,
that is — Who make it their calling, to have a care of you ; which the
raany pastors and elders, in a common presbytery, cannot : and,
' labour ' iu what .i" 1 Tim. v. 17, expounds it. That ' labour in the
word and doctrine.' And expound, this latter known place, whether of
teaching-elders only, or ruling and teaching both, — as the Reformed
Churches do, — however, it affords this to us. That the extent of ruling,
in either the one or the other, is but as large as teaching : and if it be
meant of teaching-elders only, that [who] both 'rule' and 'labour
in the word and doctrine ;' yet if they be limited in labouring ' in the
word ' — as they are, being fixed pastors to their own congregations, —
then, 'in ruling: and if it be meant of ruling-elders, as distinct from
them [the teaching], yet their ruling is but of the sarae extent that
the others,' labouring ' in the word,' is ; and that is, extended but to
one congregation !
" 2. Reason is for this : for in a pastor's office in which preaching
and ruling are joined, yet his power of ruling flows in hira from, and
is, the adjunct of his power to preach : and, to b&sure, it is not ex
tendible further : and, however, yet there is the sarae proportion of
either ; and then, by just reason, the extent of the church which is the
subject of his ordinary ruling, cannot be extended larger than what is
the ordinary subject of his preaching : and so, these relations are of
equal limits. Ifa father hath the power of governing, as a father,
then it is extendible only to those he is a father to. And, that a pas
tor hath his ordinary ruling-power annexed to his ordinary power of
preaching; is proved by these reasons: first, If not upon this ground,

464 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
then u])on some other : not by any special faculty and office over and
above tiiis — of preaching ; for then he should be ordained a ruling-
elder over and above his being first a preaching-elder, as a new faculty
given him ; or, by being made a ruler first, and then this, of preaching,
superadded, as the bishops first made deacons, then presbyters. But,
secondly. All the keys are given him at once ; the keys of ruling with
the keys of knowledge : the power of the staff" intrinsically follows his
being a pastor or shepherd. And though the one is a power of mere
order, namely, that of preaching ; and that of his ruling, be a power
of jurisdiction — to be exercised with others, and not alone — ^yet still
his receiving power to join with others in those acts of rule of juris
diction, is from this his power of order ; and the ordinary extent of
his authority therein, is extendible no further than his ordinary call to
preach. Yea, thirdly. The extent of the power of the apostles them
selves, in ruling in all the churches, vvas founded upon and extendible
with their commission to preach in all churches ; and their very call
and obligation being, not to preach in a set, fixed relation, as ordinary
pastors' calling is, but to all churches in all nations, hence, their power
of ruling was answerable. It was their very call, to be universal pas
tors ; and, therefore, to be universal rulers : yea, and in reference to
those that are ' without,' their authority of ruling was narrower, in the
extent of it, than of their preaching. The apostles inight preach to [the]
heathen, and their call was so to do, to convert thein ; but they had
not power to 'rule' all men: 1 Cor. v. 12. But in this way of
Presbyterial Government, though they also may, occasionally preach
where they may not ' rule,' yet the proportion of their ordinary ruling
is extended beyond the proportion of their ordinary preaching ; which
it was not, in the apostles theraselves !
" ii. It breeds an incongruous disproportion between the offices of
ruling and preachiug elders, compared among themselves ; for this
government, makes this extent of the ruling-elders' office and relation,
to be larger than that of their teachers' or pastors' : for the pastor, quA
pastor, is limited to his particular congregation he is fixed to, for the
ordinary performance of his office ; as the deacons also are ; but the
ruling-elder's office, qud ruling-elder, is extended over all these con
gregations in this presbytery. The ruling-elder performs his office in
the highest perfection of it ; as, to admonish, excommunicate, in all
these churches ; but the pastors are limited, in the highest work of
their callings, — preaching being more excellent than ruling, yea, than
baptizing is, — unto one congregation : that, in 1 Tira. v. 17, — inter
pret it as you will ! — justifies this.
"iii. It perverts the order and distinction of teaching-elders and
raere ruling-elders — as the Reformed Churches caU them ; — or church-
governors,, as the Assembly; that, whereas Christ hath made some,
te.iching-elders ; and some, ruling-elders ; and these distinct iu this,
That the preaching-elder's office is to preach and rule ; the ruling-elder's
office only to rule ; this frame of Presbyterial Governraent makes one
person not only to do both these works — which, in a Particular Con
gregation, every pastor doth; — but, formally, to bear both these
offices in respect of a double relation he doth sustain, namely, of a

CHAP. LVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 465
pastor,-^to be a preaching-elder to the congregation where he is fixed,
and a mere ruling-elder to the rest of the congregations of the Clas
sical church. For it is demanded, when a pastor in a particular con
gregation is in this common presbytery. What sort of officer he is, to
that presbyterial church ? An elder he is ; because he doth the work
of an elder : a teaching-elder, to that church, he is not ; for to that
whole church he labours not ' in the word and doctrine :' therefore, a
mere ruling-elder he must be, and so the same man bears two sorts of
offices ; and, by this means, there are two sorts of mere ruling-elders.
Whereas in a Particular Congregation, a pastor though he rules, yet
he ruleth as a pastor to that congregation ! And this disorder and
confusion are further set out in that, by this means, the same officer
hath a full relation to one church, and but half a relation to another;
and causeth him to perform the whole of his office to one church — the
particular church he hath relation to, — and but the half thereof to the
other. " iv. It makes an incongnious disproportion betiveen the extent of
the relation of those two offices, of elders and deacons, unto a church.
If the Scriptures had intended many churches making one church ;
and the elders of those raany churches, to have been elders in common
to those churches as one church ; then, in like raanner, the deacons of
all those churches should make up a common deaconry, and be deacons
in common unto all those churches, in an ordinary way, as the other
are elders. But this is contrary to the practice of the Refonned Churches,
though subject to the presbyterial govemment; in which, the deacons
have the ordinary relation of deacons in no respect extended further
than to a particular congregation : nor do they exercise acts of that
office, in an ordinary way, to other congregations, nor otherwise to
neighbour congregations than to any other ; much less is there a com
mon deaconship of them all. And why should not the latter be erected
over all those churches as one church, as well as a coraraon eldership ?
Especially if in matters of this nature, par ratio should carry it;
every church, qud church, being a body, hath a relation to all its offi
cers, as organical raerabers thereof: so Rom. xii. 4. And the apostle
writing to Philippi, a church in a city, writes to the 'bishops' — the
elders — and the ' deacons,' as both alike officers of that church : Phil.
i. 1. And Acts vi., the deacons of the church of Jerusalem — if there
were many congregations, as our Brethren suppose, — were chosen by
the whole ' multitude ' when gathered together by ' the twelve ;' and,
therefore, were deacons of the whole church, as well as the elders, elders
thereof ! Now, if the deacon's office should thus be extended to all
the congregations, as the elder's is ; then, why should not each church
be bound to bring contributions to the deacons of each church, to be
distributed in common ? And so, our purses should be subject to the
deacons in comraon, as far as our persons to the elders in common ;
and they raight challenge the same power, in their office, over the one,
that the elders do over the other : and then also, each congregation
were, in an ordinary and standing obligation, bound to relieve all the
poor in those churches, as well as those in their own parishes, not only
by the common law of charity, but by virtue of special relation of their
II. 2 H

466 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
being one church ; which relation, in all these things, doth beget the
like obligation that it doth in governraent ; and so, all things of this
nature should be alike common to all and each, and there should be a
common treasury for this one great diaconate church, as we may, in a
parallel allusion to that other narae of presbyterial, call it.
" A seco-i\dhe?iA, Of Incongruities, and Inconsistencies which wUl
follow upon it; are [is] in the rautual duties required, and that do,
necessarily, follow upon this standing relation for a constant govern
ment of these elders to all this people of these churches, and of the
people to these elders.
" 1. From the people, to all these elders. According unto what the
Scripture speaks of as due to standing elders, they owe at least ' honour'
and ' esteem' [1 Thess. v. 13.]; yea, maintenance to all their elders,
whether those that ordinarily 'rule' them, or preach to thera, and they
owe it for both : 1 Tira. v. 17, 18. Which 'honour ' is expre.ssed by
the analogy of that law, ver. 18. And this is certainly due to elders, for
all that is the work of elders ; whether performed apart, or together by
way of jurisdiction in a presbytery : and it cannot be denied but that
their constant ruling, as in the presbytery, is one great part of the work
of elders, and so must be here intended, for which an especial 'honour'
is due. And as they are to 'feed' all and every one in ' the flock' —
as Acts XX. 28. — so maintenance and honour, are due fi:oin all people
to all and every one of these elders ; as well to those that ' rule,' as
those that ' labour in the word and doctrine.' And, in reason, if ' the
elders that rule well ' — and perforra the lesser acts of ruling — in their
particular congregations and the presbyteries thereof, are to have this
' honour ' in their relations ; then all those ' elders that rule well ' in
the common presbytery — and perform the greatest acts of ruling — are
to have the like from all that classical-church ; the emphasis being
put upon ruling ' well.' And, in those acts done by them, the excel
lency of ruling consisteth ; and the precept is not to ' honour ' presby
teries in some abstract notion, but ' elders ': because the particular
persons of the elders are to be the object of it ; and those most, who
excel most in that ' rule,' — that rule ' well ' or best ! But when there
are raany congregations that have their proper fixed pastors and elders,
whom they raaintain for performing one part of the elder's work, — for
they perform but one part of it, — how shall they perform this due
[duty] to all the rest, for that other part of it ? And it is due from
every person as he is able ; or he [the fixed pastor] cannot perfonn his
duty. How burdensome, how confused, would this be ? And then,
how to proportion this ; suppose it should not be maintenance, but
'honour' and 'esteem,' this people will not be able to judge: not
only for that they cannot be present at their work, and so cannot judge
of it, but because either it raust be proportioned to thera as constant
preaching-elders or as ruling; not as to preaching-elders, for they
' labour ' not to thera as such, — the ground upon which it is required
is, that they ' tread out' their ' com,' 1 Tim. v. 18. — and to 'honour'
and ' esteein ' them as ruling-elders only, were to honour preaching-
elders below the rank and degree of their office.
•' So, 2dly ; It brings the like Incongruities upon the perfoi-mance

CHAP. LVIILJ RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 467
of those duties of elders, which the New Testament indifferently re
quires of all those that it acknowledgeth to be elders unto a people ;
and, therefore, no such constant relation of elders to so many churches,
maybe! As first, praying with the 'sick,' Jas. v. 14. What! are
these elders of a presbyterial church bound hereto P This duty lies
in common upon ' elders ' of churches ; and how shall we distinguish,
when the Scripture doth not ? Secondly ; visiting ' from house to
house,' as Paul, in his exaraple, instructs 'the elders' of Ephesus,
Acts XX. 20. Thirdly ; watching over men's ' souls, as they that must
give account,' Heb. xiii. 17. To ' watch ' is not to stay till causes are
brought by appeals, or so, from the congregations ; but, personally,
to observe and oversee thera, as 'souls' coraraitted to thera which they
must give an ' account ' for. Fourthly ; of preaching — if preaching-
elders — 'in season, and out of season,' 2 Tira. iv. 2. The Bishops !
they said, the ' flock ' was theirs, and the whole care committed to
them : and to solve the Incongruity of not being able to preach, them
selves, to thera, they professed a derivative delegated power to inferior
pastors whom they called their ' curates.' This was plain dealing.
But these Elders ! make all the whole flock theirs; and this, from
tiiose Scriptures that speak of ' elders ' and ' flock '; and themselves
not ' curates,' and so personally obliged, according to the rules in
Scripture ; and yet cannot perfonn it : which is a worse Incongruity !
If it be said. That they may part these duties among them: Ubi
Scriptura non distinguit, nec nos debemus distinguere. Now, all those
duties, that are spoken of elders to the flocks, they are without dis
tinction as in respect of the object to whora they are extended. Paul
saith to those of Ephesus, ' feed the flock :' Peter the like, to those he
writes to ; the ' flock,' tv iipuv respectively, to ' feed ' and take ' the
oversight ' of thera : the author to the Hebrews, to ' watch ' over their
' souls ;' and, to the Thessalonians, he describes them to be those that
are ' over ' them, and ' labour,' and ' adraonish ' thera. When those
injunctions are thus laid upon all, how shall the consciences of Elders!
be able to part and distinguish their discharge of them ; and to say.
Though I am an elder in comraon, to all in these congregations, yet I
am bound but to govern thera in greater matters, and to admonish
thera as with others when publiclj' met in a Consistory, and ara bound
to no other acts of eldership ; and yet to this particular congregation,
I am obliged to private admonition, rule, watchfulness, etc. ! Where
hath the Scripture set these ' bounds,' or thus parted thera ? And,
therefore, certainly all these places hold fortii singly, only the ' elders '
and their duties of a particular church fixed thereto, as knowing no
other. It was necessary, Christ should have set the bounds and given
the distinction ; and not indifferently lay all these upon all. And either,
in these places, the duties of elders in a common presbytery are con
tained, and that under the notion of elders to those ; or they are not
to be found in the New Testament. -4nd all these, raay be brought,
in several arguraents alone by themselves, against the main Proposi
tion ; though here, they corae in only as branches of the rainor.
" Lastly : This is Inconsistent with the ordinary way of the Call of
elders, held forth in the Word, and the principles of the Reformed
2B2

468 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
Churches. There are two parts of this Call : first, choice ; secondly,
ordination. " First, for Choice : Chamier, in the narae of aU the Refonned
Churches, allows the People this. The approbation of their elders :
and so in Scotiand. And if the aposties theraselves allowed them the
choice of the deacons that had the charge of the church-treasury, and
took care of their bodies ; then, much more of their elders that have
to do with their consciences ! Look ! whatever the right of the Peo
ple is, in the choice of them that should preach to them ; there is as
rauch reason they should have the exercise of it in the choice of those
elders that, in a common presbytery, do rule over them, for they per
form one part of the elder's duty, namely, ruling ; as the preaching-
elders do the other : and, therefore, by the equity of the sarae law that
speaks of elders indefinitely, if they choose any elders as elders to
them, they are to choose these also ; there being no distinction put of
choosing preaching-elders only, but elders indefinitely. And further,
the gi-eatest and highest acts of power over them, are committed, in an
ordinary way, unto thera ; as of excoraraunication, of all punishraents the
most formidable : there is put as much, if not more than every raan's
life, that is a raeraber of that classical-church, into their hands, The
enjoyment of all ordinances for ever : and so, the power of deposing
their rainisters already fixed to them, and of refusing to ordain them
they shall approve : and, therefore, in Antiquity, of all other, the per
sons of the bishops who had the power of all those, were chosen by
all the People,, and by panegyrical meetings [general assemblies].
And [in the second place] it is strengthened by this further parallel :
A minister's Call hath two parts ; first, ordination, which belongs to
the elders ; secondly, choice, in which the people have some interest.
These elders as elders in common, and these congregations as one
church, be relatives ; and so, that interest which a church, qud church,
hath, is com mensurable to the interest of these elders, qud elders : if,
therefore, in ordaining, all the elders in a common presbytery do join
to ordain an officer ; then, all the people, qud church, must join in
choosing or approving him : neither can their common right of choos
ing, be swallowed up by the interest of their elders ordaining him.
And if it be said. They all choose, by virtue of the general law of com
bination ; as the Shires, Parliament-men : the constitution of the State
makes the one ; if the like be found in Scripture, it will be sufficient;
but if not, but that this interest must be common to the people of the
classical-church, it is asked. When a fixed pastor is to be chosen to a
particular charge, what office he shall be chosen to, by the people of the
other congregations ? Not to a pastor's office ; he is not to be such to
them ; if to be a ritiing-elder only, then, besides that he hath two offices
— as afore — so now he must have two choices and two ordinations !
We choose him for our pastor, says the particular church he belongs
to ; and we, say the other, to ruling. And besides, in his ordination,
the people have an interest of presence, and joining in the fasting and
prayer at his ordination : and this, therefore, must be performed either
in a panegyrical raeeting, of all, — which cannot be, — or in all the
several churches, which will multiply the ordination of them !

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 469
" The Major Proposition confirmed: In regard that the main
argumentation of such as contend for a Presbyterial Governraent — as,
in their writings and otherways, appears, — is, Frora the mention of
'the elders' of such and such a ' church ;' as Jerusalem, etc.; having
many congregations ; — as they suppose : the consequence of the major,
was taken so much for granted as, on all sides, agreed on ; as it was
less insisted upon the first day [of debate, in the Assembly]: but being
denied, and answered thus, ' That they bear not the relation of elders,
but of a presbytery, hecause quod convenit toti qua toti, non convenit
cuilibet parti : and that elders, yet in sensu composito non diviso ; as
a colonel is a colonel to a particular regiment, but in a council of war
not so to all regiments : a head of a particular tribe, is a head to his
own tribe divisively, but not so to all the tribes ; and the like.'
" i. For that logical axiom : It is true, quod convenit toti, etc. : and
so here, that which doth competere toti, to the whole, of these elders,
belongs not to every part : for take them all, as raet together, they are
a presbytery ; and, accordingly, each elder, is not a presbytery to all
these congregations ; nor doth the arguraent suppose it, but only, that
if they be a common presbytery to all these congregations, that they
then bear the relation of elders : as, take a heap of stones ; it is true
each stone is not a heap of stones, but each stone is a stone in that
heap : so, this company of elders, must be supposed both a presbytery
and also elders to this whole people and every member of them ! Which
is further proved thus : 1 . "The Scriptures would have the people look
at thera, and ' honour ' them, as elders in all acts of ruling as well as
in preaching ; and especially wherein the most and chief of ruling lies,
and wherein the excellency of their ruling is seen : they rule most and
best, when met in this comraon presbytery; upon that relation, we-are
bound to ' honour ' thera, as performing this mle ; and under that rela
tion they must be said to perform it: I Tim. v. 17. And besides,
otherwise we destroy the relation of elders, qua elders, in the highest
acts of goveming which are exercised only in a presbytery. 2. The
New Testament doth, indifferently and promiscuously, use the word
' presbytery ' and the word ' elders ' of the same persons, in relation
to the same people ; and, therefore, to whora these elders are supposed
to be a presbytery, they must bear the relation of elders. Matt. xxi. 23,
[xxvii. I.] those that are called 'elders ofthe people,' are called, Luke
xxii. 66, Trpeaj^vrepiov rov Xaov, 'the presbytery of the people;' so,
as if they related as a ' presbytery ' to the people, to the same people
they related as 'elders.'
" ii. For that distinction, of their being elders only in a commu
nity, to all those congregations as one church ; in sensu aggregato,
but not in sensu diviso, to every person thereof; as was instanced in
' burgesses, etc' ' First : This church, as it is totum aggregatura, is
but an abstract notion ; but the rule and governraent of the elders, in
a presbytery, falls upon persons in particular and every meraber of
that church : if, therefore, they be elders, in the presbytery, to that
church, it must be that they are elders to every person therein. Again:
It must be reraerabered where we are, naraely, upon what ' the Scrip
tures hold forth ; ' so the proposition runneth. And if there had been

470 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
those differing relations of elders which, from those similitudes in
commonwealths, armies, and the universities, are given, it were neces
sary the Scripture should have held it forth by like differing names
and respects, or by differing charges ; whereby it might appear, that
this relation obligeth them to this duty, and this other relation to that;
which being not done, is therefore, to us, a fiction. That it was
necessary, appears from the instances themselves, : as in that of the
' tribes,' there were general elders of all the tribes; and there were —
and, perhaps, some of them the same men — that were ' heads ' and
' elders ' of the particular tribes : but as this was a differing relation
and respect in the same, or divers, persons; so they had naraes and
titles of difference and distinction ; for the ' heads '-general, as we
may call thera, were called 'elders ofthe people;' the particular
elders of particular tribes, were called, by the way of distinction from
thera [the forraer], ' elders ' of such ' cities,' ' families,' etc. and there
were as distinct laws given, in such cases : the elders of the several
tribes did such and such particulars in their tribes respectively; and
the general elders, had reserved cases, of ' blasphemy,' etc., set down
by the Law. So, iu that instance of the heads of colleges and heads
of the university, there is as a differing so a distinguishing character :
the names are changed ; the particular bodies are called colleges ; the'
general body, the university ; and their several special relations to
their colleges, is [are] expressed by the titie of ' raasters ' of such and
such colleges ; and the others, by the title of ' heads ' to the univer
sity. Yea, and accordingly, there are differing statutes : the local
statutes, for each college apart, or for colleges as coUeges ; and the
duties of raasters, in their special relations ; and there are statutes for
the- university, and their duties as heads thereof : and this distinction
and difference was necessary, if there were this differing relation.
But for the case in hand ; if we come to the New Testaraeut, to find
out these several jurisdictions and relations of elders ; therein, we still
read, but simply and singly, ' elders,' and 'churches' as relatives;
no such note of distinction ! And also, speaking of the duties of
elders to the people, and people to elders, it speaks similarly and
univocally : so as, whoever will take upon thera to be elders, all those
duties fall upon them ; let them distinguish, how they can ! And to
confirm this, the instances in the Minor serve. And, where the
Scripture doth not distinguish, we are not to distinguish. And if the
elders of a particular congregation are elders to that church, both in
sensu diviso — and every member thereof, — and also in sensu com
posito — in their presbyteries, unto the whole, — then, those general
elders raust bear the lilse relation to that classical-church and every
raeraber of it : else, the difference is so vast, and the consequent dif
ference of duties, thereupon depending, such, as it was necessary a
distinction should have been made in Scripture, that each might know
their duties.
' If all the records, laws, and ruled cases, of this kingdom, should,
in setting down the ordinary govemment thereof, have raade mention
only and singly of ' burgesses ' as the rulers, and of ' corporations '
as the correlate to them ; and used no other distinguishing word.

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 471
and there were undeniably ' burgesses ' of every incorporate town
continued frora antiquity ; if any would, afterwards, pretend that this
word ' corporation ' was intended, by our ancestors, to iraport an
'association' or comrannity of many of these corporations into one
shire ; and that, by ' burgesses ' of those coi-porations, were meant a
' community ' of all those burgesses in one body, for government, and
so pretend the same names, without distinction, and say they were also
meant : yea, and further ; if the laws and charters concerning such
burgesses, in each corporation, — the duties given them in charge, by
the laws, in their relations to their coi-porations, — did run without
any distinction of what the burgesses, in the supposed gi-eater coi-po-
ration, should do in that relation and coraraunity, from which the same
burgesses, in their lesser corporations, in a more proper relation do :
yea, and if the duties set down in those laws, mutually between
corporations, and those burgesses should argue an inconsistency with
the government of burgesses over many corporations in coraraon, — as
the Minor here, shows it to be in our case, — but all naturally fall in
with that of burgesses over single corporations : in this case, to say that
therefore this kingdom did hold forth, there raight not be — that is,
according to the laws thereof — such a government of the burgesses of
corporations over raany corporations ; were not this a right way of
arguing, to overthrow such a pretence ? And if, in answer to such
arguments, it should be said. That both these might be consistent : for
that in foreign states and kingdoms and societies there are burgesses of
particular corporations, and there are burgesses in an assembly of
parliament — so called, by way of distinction — met in comraon for the
ordinary government of all those corporations in common ; and,
therefore, the like may be here, in this ! The reply were easy, That
whatever such distinction there is in other states, yet the question is of
such burgesses as the laws of this state hold forth — the question is, of
such burgesses as this kingdom hath set up — where there is no dis
tinction of burgesses of corporations and burgesses in parliament
mentioned ; but, on the contrary, only one single uniform style and
title in the laws, namely, burgesses of tbe corporation, and duties suited
thereunto. Now, parallel to this case, are our arguments, and the
answers given thereto.
Lastly ; If they be elders only in sensu aggregato, yet so far as they
are acknowledged thus, elders, so far will raany of the Incongruities in
the Minor follow thera and fall upon them, as that still they are
but — merely ruling-elders; and, that there be deacons — ^iu sensu
aggregato ! " *
" Reasons against, and Exceptions to the First Proof of the
First Assertion : namely,
" ' That the church of Jerusalem consisteth of more congregations
than one ; from ' the multitude of believers.' "
" First, Reasons : To show there were not more than could meet
in one place. The Holy Ghost, hath from first to last, as on purpose,
showed this ; as if his scope had been aforehand, to prevent and to
preclude all reasonings to the contrary :
• P. 1—12.

472 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
"i. In the beginnings of that church, their meetings are set out to
us by two adjuncts : first. That they raet ofxoBvfiaBov, ' with one accord '
in the same duty of prayer: Acts i. 14. And secondly, ettI to avrb,
'together', in one and the same corapany: ver. 15: which therefore
is there, and usually translated, ' in one place.' And that here, by
these words the intent of the Holy Ghost is to show their raeeting in
one and the sarae assembly, is evident : for, whereas in verse 15, it is
said ' Peter stood up in the midst ' of them — as therefore, being present
together in one company, — He adds, ' the number of them that were
ivX TO avTo, that is, ' present together in company, were a hundred
and twenty.'
" ii. Then, chap. ii. 1, another meeting of theirs for worship, at
Pentecost, is continued to be expressed in the sarae phrases, a second
tirae ; ' They were all with one accord, in one place.'
" iii. Then, when [were added] ' about three thousand,' yet still,
ver. 42, some of their meetings then, for sorae acts of worship, are
recorded to have been as before, 'with one accord' ; as joining unani
mously in the same duty : And instead of that foi-mer expression,
iiri TO avTo, used of the forraer raeetings, there is the mention of the
place itself where they met set down, to supply it, and so to interpret
it ; and shows, it was still in one assembly : ver. 46 ; They continued
daily 'with one accord ' in the 'temple': as mentioning the very
place where they had their raost frequent raeetings which were for
hearing; as being there, altogether, 'in one asserably ', and not as
coraing thither only for Jewish worship ; for it is said of these as of
the former raeetings raentioned, which were proper to themselves, that
' they continued with one accord.' And though they held these
meetings in this place for preaching, that the Jews might be present
to hear, etc., yet that hindered not but it was a church-meeting to
them, wherein they continued ' with one accord : ' which expression
is still used of all their Christian meetings, throughout this story :
Actsi. 14; iv. 24; v. 12; xv. 26.
"iv. When there was a further addition to these, chap. v. 14, —
whether to ' five thousand or not, is spoken to afterwards, — yet in that
chapter, he raaking [raakes] a description of their state in almost all
the very same particulars by which he had done it before, chap. ii.
43 — 47, — as by the parallel comparing of these two pasisages of the
story will appear ; — He lastly, speaking of a meeting of theirs — which
is the point in hand, — as carefully puts in as in the former verse, 14,
' and they were all, with one accord, in Solomon's porch ; ' the same
words he had used chap. ii. 46 : their union, and joining together,
' with one accord ' being carefully indigitated ; and the place naraed,
instead of 'tin. to aWb, as was observed before. And, that the ' all '
that met, -were not the apostles only, appears not only by the fore-
mentioned parallel of this with chap. ii. 46, where their being with
' one accord ' in the ' teraple,' is spoken of ' all ' the raultitude, and
so here ; but secondly, that ' all ' the apostles should be met ' with one
accord' in any duty, and not the People who are said ' to continue '
in the apostles' doctrine, and prayers, and opoBvixaSov, or ' with one
accord ', still, in the story of this church, referring to communion in

CHAP. LVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 473
some holy duty — as chap. i. 14, and chap. iv. 24, — is most unlikely !
And ' Solomon's porch ' was a place large enough to hold them, and
fitted for preaching and to hear ; which in John x. 23, is called ' the
temple ; ' and so is the place intended in Acts ii. 46, — they met ' in
the temple,' that is ' in the porch of Solomon.' It was ' the outer
court,' as Josephus, lib. xx. cap. 8. : it was the place where Christ
used to walk and preach, and the aposties also ; Acts iii. 11.
" V. When again, upon mention of this multiplication of disciples,
the deacons are to be chosen, the apostles 'called the multitude,' chap.
vi. 2, and not persons selected, hut all; for verse 5, they are called
' the whole multitude ; ' and they are spoken to as together, for ' the
saying pleased the whole ; ' and the ' whole ' chose ' seven men ' out
from among thera, and set them ' before the apostles,' ver. 6, as being
in one place together; and they 'prayed' — in which, ' the multitude'
had an interest to join with them — and ' laid, on thera, hands.' And
this meeting was, certainly, a church-meeting ; and yet still in some
' one place : ' and, therefore, though it might not fall out that, always,
they should not have met together in one, yet they both did and could.
" vi. After the great dispersion, mentioned Acts viii. 1 , then as they
[that tanied there] raight more conveniently meet in one place and
assembly ; so, that they did so, it is carefully recorded ; that so the
Holy Ghost might hold forth this from the first irato the last mention
of this church, Acts xv. ; xxi. 22 ; the ' multitude must needs come
together.' And to interpret bfw^vnalov, ' with one accord ' which the
Holy Ghost cames through all, to be intended of the joining of the
same persons in the same act of worship — for which they still did
meet — is genuine : for it imports that which is the spirit and life of
public worship ; which, of all other actions done by a ' raultitude ' is
to have the nearest union of spirits, as that wherein the coramunion of
saints, in worship, consists. And then, naming the place where they
met also ; it must needs import oneness of assembly, which also holds
forth, in this exaraple, this duty. That as saints, when raet in worship,
should join with ' one accord ; ' so [those] liring in a place together,
should, as far as possibly may, join themselves to one Assembly : and
this carries with it such an appearance, as is not in the other sense.
And, that the Holy Ghost should, in the ' same story of the same
church,' set forth the unity of their first meetings as in one and the
same individual assembly, by this expression of being ' in one, ' and
' with one accord,' Acts ii. 1 ; and in the next mention, not far off,
carry along one of the same expressions, naraely, ' with one accord,'
and together therewith shall narae the place of their meeting ; and yet
in the latter, intend not one, but meetings in several companies, in
that place : — this we hurably subrait to better judgments !
" Secondly, Exceptions :
" i. For the mention of ' five thousand,' Acts iv. 4. This cannot
be erinced from that place, that the ' five thousand' were a new number
added to the ' three thousand.' The words are these, ' Howbeit many
of them which heard the word believed ; and the nuraber of the raen
was [kyEvrt^r] became'] about five thousand : ' but that this nuraber
of ' five thousand ' should refer to them that ' believed,' is not certain ;

474 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
seeing both the Greek will bear it, and favour it as well to be meant of
the number that heard, as of the men that believed ; and of the two,
that former is the more probable, that He [the Holy Ghost] should
say ' of the raen ' that heard, they were five thousand ; and that ' of
them ' that heard, raany believed : this sounds well, and is no way
forced. But flve thousand ' men ' to be converted at once, is that
which was never afore nor since ! — And the great conversion that
our Divines have instanced in, is the ' three thousand,' chap. ii. 41,
and not this ' five thousand.' — Aud if the scope of the Holy Ghost
therein, Why the number of the men that ' heard ' should be here
reckoned to be ' five thousand ' ? be asked after ; it was to show what
had occasioned the persecution which He had spoken of in the verse
before : naraely this, That such a multitude of ' the people ' should be
'taught 'and 'preached to;' this fretted the Pharisees [Sadducees]
that ' came upon ' Peter and John. And with this agrees the second
verse, that they were ' grieved, they taught the people : ' the effect
whereof is, that ' raany of thera which heard believed,' notwithstanding
this persecution ; but how raany of these, is not certain. And Beza
and Calvin and raany others of our Protestant writers judge this num
ber, not to be of this new accession of converts, but the total number,
including the former. — Beza, in 1 Cor. i. 13 ; Steph., Budseus, Eustath.
— And the avSpSv, although translated ' men,' is, when put alone, as
there, all one with dv^pwTTtjiv, females as well as males, which especially
may be so taken because it is spoken of such a promiscuous auditory.
And if any should affirm it meant of raales only, and them now con
verted, it would make a greater rairacle than any other recorded ;
especially when ' the people,' ver. 21, are said to be converted, that
did alike run to see the miracle.
" ii. It raay be supposed that all, that are mentioned to be converted,
remained not constant merabers of that church abiding at Jerusalem
until the dispersion ; and so, though the Holy Ghost's scope may be
to show the increase of converts to the faith, yet not of such as con
tinued all that while at Jerusalem : and our reasons for that, are these :
i. Those ' three thousand ' who were converted chap. ii. 41, were not
settled dwellers at Jerusalem, but ' strangers,' commorants of the ten
tribes which were dispersed in all those countries raentioned in verse 9,
etc., who carae up to the feast of Pentecost ; — as the raanner of the
Jews was : Acts xxi. 20, 27, 28. Jews that lived in ' Asia ' carae to
the feast of Pentecost; as Paul also did, compared with Acts xx. 16.
And the word which is translated ' dwellers ' [dwelling] at Jerusalem,
chap. ii. 5, is interpreted by an erainent critic ' sojourners ' at Jeru
salem during this feast,— although the word signifies both; and to that
end he — Mede, Diatribe — quotes the Septuagint in 1 Kings xvii. 20,
where Elijah cries unto the Lord, saying, ' O Lord my God, hast thou
also brought evil upon the widow — pe^ ^q tyw Karomio — with whom
I sojourn ?' and that which confirms it is, that they are said to be
'dwellers,' or inhabitants 'of [in] Mesopotamia and Judea,' etc..
Acts ii. 9. They could not fixedly belong, as dwellers, to both : they
were, therefore, rather ' sojourners ' in Jerusalera now, at the feast,
though fixed dwellers in all those [other] places. For if they were

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 475
fixed 'dwellers ' in Jerusalem, to what end, whilst they were at Jerusalem
should the evangelist tell us they were sojourners ' in Mesopotamia ? '
And they must needs rather be ' dwellers ' there, because they are said
to understand every one 'his own language.' And that which strength
ens this is, that, in the Greek, there is this difference in tiie words in
verses 6 and 9, in that they are said KaroiKtiv iv 'ItpovaaXiijx ' in
Jerusalem ; ' as for the present, there ; yea, and as to come dn-6
TravTOQ i'ivovs ' frora out of every nation : ' but in verse 9 he changeth
it, and says KaroiKovvrEQ rriv MetroiroTapiav as ' inhabiters of Mesopo
tamia,' and those other countries where their fixed possessions were.
And therefore, verse 14, he calls them ' raen, Jews, and dwellers at
Jerusalem ; ' as .two sorts : and verse 22, ' men of Israel,' the style
given those of the ten tribes scattered ; raen ' devout,' as verse 5, who
carae up at those soleran times, having wives and children, and their
families, at horae, to whom they used after a tirae to return. Now,
although these were ' added ' and raade members of that church, and
are said to continue ' in the apostles' doctrine,' verses 4 1 , 42 ; yet
that will not, necessarily, imply that they ' continued ' all the time till
the dispersion, at Jerusalera ; but, whilst they were there, they were
irpocncaprepovvTec, that is, they cleaved to the apostles. But to think
of many of them coraing as ' strangers,' should not go down to their
wives and children which nature taught them to provide for, and religion
taught them to take care of their souls ; or to fetch them up to them ;
[cannot be.] So as [consequently,] this inight weU be a fluid church,
ebbing and fiowing, as touching the residence of its members : yea,
[that] some of these were of 'Judea', verse 9, and so of the country
round about ; and of them, might be churches erected in their proper
dwellings ; is rationably supposable. For in that ' persecution,' Acts
viii. 1, it is said that Paul persecuted disciples in other places than at
Jerusalem, * which thing I also did at Jerusalem,' says he, chap. xxvi.
10; and in other places, at Damascus, verses 11, 12. And also it is
confii-med by this, that upon the ceasing of Paul's persecution, it is
said, chap. ix. 31, 'Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea
and Galilee ; ' and are said to be ' at rest,' in distinction from the
'persecution ' raised, chap. viii. 1.
" iii. They, in those countries and times, had often great assemblies,
consisting of many thousand hearers at once that did and could hear :
Luke xii. 1, Christ preached to ' myriads;' and Acts xiii. 44, 'almost'
a ' whole city ' carae ' to hear the Word of God ' by Paul. And at
Charenton, how raany thousands may and do hear, is well known; and
so in many places of England. And Moses sometimes spake in the
ears of all the people [Deut xxxii. 44, 45.] ; and so Ezra x. 9, 10.
And it is known by experience that as in hot countries they may see
as far again, through the pureness of the air, so they may hear at a far
greater distance than in our colder climate.
" iv. This being the first Church, and whereof all the apostles were
the officers ; those therefore, that dwelt there would, certainly, abide
together as one church, without parting or dividing, even till they came
to the utmost proportion that the constitution of a church was capable
of; and so maximum quod sic : and continue together in one, for the

476 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
more united strength and glory of holding forth the name of Christ;
in one body, united for the honour of religion, and coraraunicating in
ordinances together.
" V. They had, during all this tirae of their multitudes untU the
persecution of Paul arose, the greatest freedom and liberty, even to the
uttermost; for 'the people' magnified them, Acts v. 13; they had
'favour -with all the people,' ii. 47; insomuch that although the
rulers fell upon two of thera, John and Peter, yet they were enforced
to 'let thera go, .. because ofthe people,' iv. 21. Besides that, it
was no new thing amongst the Jews for sects to have great multitudes
to follow and cleave to them, and to preach in any place — as in Spain
and Italy — and to baptize openly, as John and Christ did [John iii.
23, 26]."»
" Reasons and Answers to the Appendix added to the former
Proof: Naraely,
" ' That the dispersion raentioned in Acts viii. 1 , doth not simply
prove such a scattering as that there might not remain more
Congregations than one in that Church: Acts ix. 31 ; xii. 24;
xxi. 20.' "
" Thus haring showed the ' multitudes ' not arising to that number
but that they raight meet in one : now, after the dispersion, much
less ! And to that end let the greatness of the persecution be considered
to deraonstrate the greatness of this dispersion. It is called not a
persecution only, but ' a great persecution,' Acts xiii. 1 ; both ex
tensively and intensively. For the extent of it ; to all sorts of persons ;
' entering into every house,' verse 3 : and for the height of it ; it being
to iraprisonraent, even unto ' death,' xxii. 4 ; xxvi. 10. It is also
called a making ' havoc of the church,' viii. 3. The object of this
' persecution ' was not preachers only, but Christians of all sorts indif
ferently ; for it is said indefinitely, to be upon 'the church,' verses 1, 3.
It is called an 'entering into every house, haling men and women,'
verse 3 : and chap, xxvi., Paul, speaking of this very 'persecution,'
says, verse 10, that he imprisoned ' raany of the saints ;' not preachers
only ; and verse 9, his aim was promiscuously against ' the Name ' of
Jesus, and so any that professed his ' Name.' Unto this end, corapare
the varying expression used, by the Holy Ghost, when speaking of
this persecution and of another raentioned chap. xii. 1 : there it is said,
Herod stretched forth his hands to vex ' certain of the church ' ; but
here chap. viii. it is ' against the church in Jerusalem ;' men and
women, ' in every house.' And ' all, except the apostles,' — the word
irXriv, ' except,' there, is to show that none of the apostles ' were
scattered ', though the generality of others were. If gifted men fied
away, then others also ; except we suppose the people more courageous
to stay by it, than the teachers ! And whereas it is said that these
that were dispersed, ' went about, preaching the Word,' verse 4 : first,
it argueth not that preachers only or chiefly were dispersed ; for, as
Calvin saith. It coraes in, to show what was the ' fruit ' of the disper
sion : and we may well suppose women and whole families to have
been ' scattered abroad', who yet preached not. And, secondly, it
«P. 13—18.

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 477
was ordinary, in those times, for raen that were not by office, ministers,
occasionally to teach the Word in private ways of converse, yea and
otherwise. And that is not called teaching, only, which is by way of
serraon to a multitude ; for verse 35 of this eighth chapter, Philip, in
private, taught the Eunuch ; as Aquila and Priscilla taught Apollos,
chap, xviii. 26. And they are not called EvayyeXia-Tal as having an
office ; but ivayyeXi^ofxevoi, as referring to an act, the work they did :
and the word seeras to sound as if they raade it their work. It may
well be attributed to the zeal of those days, to gain proselytes ; and
not to an office, comraitted to them : they went not forth by mission,
but 'persecution.' And here, the 'many congregations' are brought but
to an — it raight be ; and the grand ' [third] Proposition ' itself, is but
an it ' may be ' : and how can it ' may be ' be proved by an ' it might
be ?' Especially in such things as need have a strong foundation^^for
matters upon which so great alterations are like to be made !
" But it is said. That it appears there were multitudes of believers
there after that time, 'by Acts ix. 31 ; xii. 24 ; xxi. 20.' First, for
Acts ix. 31 ; e.nXri%vovTo, signifies not, ordinarily, a great number
made up, but an increase, — Matt. xxi. 11; 1 Pet. i. 2, ' grace . . be
multiplied;' itis the same word, — not in number but in measure.
Again, they are the churches of ' Judea, Galilee, and Samaria : ' but
what is all this, to prove that there were so many in ' the church of
Jerusalem ' as could not meet in ' one ' [place] ? For Acts xxi. 20 ;
TTOfrae pvpiddtg, ' how raany thousands,' doth not argue it : for first,
it was the feast of Pentecost. When Paul came now up to Jerusalem,
in Acts XX. 16, it is said of this joumey, that he ' hasted, if possible
to be at Jerusalem upon the day of Pentecost,' when the Jews out of
all quarters carae to Jerusalem ; and the great concourse that then
would be there at the feast, raoved him to be there at that time. And
by the journal of Paul thither, from his first setting out from Philippi,
chap. XX. 6, which was when the Passover was ended, — eight weeks
before this ensuing feast of Pentecost ; — and also by computing the
days of his travelling, which the Holy Ghost hath recorded verses
[14 — ] 16; chap. xxi. 3, it appears he came, in a few weeks into Tyre
— ^but forty miles off from Jerusalem — time enough to come to the
feast ; and no wonder if, at the feast, he found ' thousands ' of the
Jews ! And this is confirraed by verse 27 ; for the Jews which laid
hold on hira ' in the temple ' were, as it is said, Jews ' of Asia', not of
Judea. Secondly, the word /jvpiac being put without any other word
of number, signifies no more than a great multitude, as pvpiov TrXri^ot; ;
or a greatness, as ev pvpia Trivia, as Plato hath it ; and being put
indefinitely, is all one [as] to say ' thousands ' or ' many :' as the
Latins also use a definite for an indefinite, as, Sexcenta possum proferre
decreta, as TuUy speaks."
["Answers] to the Second Proof of the First Head.
" ' By the many apostles and other preachers in this church of
Jemsalem : for if there were but one congregation there, then
each apostle preached but seldom ; which will not stand with
Acts vi. 2.' "
" First : For the aposties. They took all opportunities to fill their

478 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
hands with work ; preaching ' daily in the temple, and in every house : '
Acts v. 42 ; ii. 46. Paul also ' taught ' in Ephesus, as ' publicly ' in
the congregation, so ' from house to house : ' chap. xx. 20. Also,
when any, in the places abroad, in Judea or elsewhere, were converted
— and many churches were then erected in Judea, — the apostles went
abroad, as chap. viii. shows; and besides, how were the twelve employed
when for ' forty days,' they went in ' an upper roora ' and had but ' a
hundred and twenty ' for their flock ? Acts i.
" Secondly: For the raany Teachers. In those times there were many
gifted men that were not officers, who occasionally instructed others, as
Aquilla did Apollos. Yea, those gifts were so plentiful that in that
one church of Corinth, almost all of them had doctrines, prophesying,
speaking with tongues, and yet these were not officers : 1 Cor. xiv. 23.
So as, if congregations should be multiplied according- to the number of
such gifted men, then there would have been almost as many teachers as
members of congregations ! And the pouring out of the Holy Ghost,
which was more ordinary then, did not make every raan a teacher
by office, for then all those in ' Samaria' should have been raade
teachers : Acts viii. And that not any of these were in office, seeras
evident by this. That when the ' deacons ' were chosen, chap, vi., there
is no raention raade of elders in their ordination ; in which, if any
elders had been, they had had an interest. — We read chap xv., when
there were elders, though apostles were also then in that church, both
are mentioned together. — And it appears the apostles had managed all
the affairs of that church until then : those ' deacons ' being the first
choice of any sort of officers ; the work of administration of all sorts
having lain on the apostles' hands.
["Answers] to the Third Proof of the First Head.
" 'The diversity of languages amongst the believers. Acts ii. 8 — 11,
and chap, vi , doth argue more congregations than one, in the
church of Jerusalem.' "
" First : It is true there were, in that 2nd of Acts, ' out of all
nations ' that heard the apostles speak in the several languages of the
countries they were born in ; but yet these were all either Jews or
proselytes — EvXa/SeTe, worshippers, as verse 5 — who came up to worship,
and some parts of the worship were audible ; and though born in other
countries, — the Jews being dispersed, — yet all were generally leamed,
and understood the Hebrew tongue, the language of their own nation,
even as to this day the Jews and their children do : which seeins
evident from the story of the Acts. Paul came up with divers Grecians
to the feast of Pentecost, xx. 4, unto which the Jews out of all quarters
came ; being all at a solemn meeting ' in the temple,' xxi. 27, the
Jews ' out of Asia,' strangers, ' stirred up all the people ' against him;
and when he made a speech to them, and they ' heard he spake in the
Hebrew tongue ', xxii. 2, they iept ' silence ' and heard hiin patiently.
And further, those mentioned chap, ii, did understand, all of them,
Peter's serraon ; and though others spake, besides Peter, to them in
their own language 'the wonderful things of God,' verse 11, yet that
was but a preparatory ' sign' to them, as 1 Cor. xiv. 22, making way
for their conversion ; Acts ii, 11 — 13. But the means of their con-

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 479
version was Peter's sermon after ; and it was he, also, that gave direction
to thera 'all ' what to do to be saved, and therefore it must be spoken
in some one common tongue they ' all ' understood. And those gifts
of languages given to the apostles were not out of a necessity to
instruct these new converts only, but to fit thera when they should go
abroad into all the world, and to be ' a sign' to the Jews at present, to
convince them.
" Secondly : For the Grecian Widows, Acts vi. 1 . The Hellenists that
lived amongst the Jews, raight well be supposed to understand Hebrew;
and that these had not several [separate] congregations frora the rest,
appears by this. That ' the whole multitude ' together raet and 'chose '
the deacons : it was a joint act. And if of differing languages wherein
the one understood not the other ; occasioning such a distinction of
' congregations,' as the Proof would hold forth ; how could they ' all '
have agreed, in one meeting, on the same raan [men] ? But the
Argument as well holds against the Presbyterial association of those
congregations into one church — people and elders — unto which, and in
the communion and exercise whereof, such correspondencies and inter
courses are needful, as tbey require one common language !"
[" Answer] to the Second Branch of this Argument.
" 'That all these congregations were under one presbyterial govern
ment.' "First Proof: Because ' They were one church.' Though it be
' one,' yet they not being more than could meet in one [place], the
argument concludes not.
" Second Proof : ' The elders of that church are mentioned.' There
is no mention of any ' elders ' in this church until after the aforesaid
dispersion, Acts viii. ; and so the weight of this argument will depend
upon the proof of this. That after the dispersion, there were raany
congregations : which the Reverend Assembly doth not so positively
affirm. The proof of their being such a ' presbytery ' as the Proposi
tion intends, doth depend upon this. Their being called — elders to that
church : we nowhere read them called a Presbytery, and that, there
fore, they are elders ; but, they are therefore a IPresbytery, as is here
argued, because they are — elders to that church ! Now, if they be
elders, in coraraon, because a presbytery, — as was said in our first
arguraent, — then, they are not to be argued a presbytery only ; because
they are elders in common : for, then, the argument runs in circulo.
And the chief and first reason of their being elders — for no other is men
tioned — is, accordingly, held forth in their being elders to that church,
in common ; whereas according to Presbyterial principles, there is a
primary relation of elders, qua elders, to their particular fixed con
gregations." " Reasons against the Third Proof of the Second Branch ; namely,
" ' That the apostles did the ordinary acts of presbyters, as presby
ters in the church of Jerusalem, doth prove a presbyterial government
in that church, before the dispersion.'
" The proof of the whole, depends upon this proposition ; for though
before the dispersion, there had been many congregations, yet not
under elders, but apostles. Now it is granted, that the substance of

480 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
ministerial acts was one and the same in aposties and evangelists who
were extraordinary, and in other ordinary, ministers. But, first:
though, for the act of rainisterial power, it was the sarae in the aposties
and thera ; yet in the extent of power, — which is the point in question,
— therein, the aposties' jurisdiction over many congregations, is not
the pattern of presbyterial elders over many. For the apo.sties' power
was universal, over all churches ; and upon that was founded their
power over those congregations supposed raany ! And Episcopacy
may as well argue and infer. That because in Crete — by apostolical
warrant — one raan, Titus, did ' ordain elders,' etc. ; that therefore, there
raay be one raan, a Bishop, that hath power to ordain, etc., in and over
several churches. And this arguraent will be stronger from the in
stance of an evangelist, for Episcopal power; than this, of apostolical
governraent, for the Presbyterial, by how much it is the raore inferior
office : but that of the apostles' is raore iraraediate and transcendent ;
and so the power of an evangelist, is nearer to an ordinary succession.
And it will as well follow, that any one presbyter alone might govem
many congregations, because one of these aposties might; as. that,
because the apostles did govern these jointly, that therefore many
presbyters over several [separate] congregations may.
" Secondly : Each of these apostles, as he had, by virtue of his
apostolical comraission, the power of thera all ; so he had relation of
rainistry unto all these supposed congregations — unto every person
thereof — for the performance of all sorts of duties ; of preaching to
thera, adraonishing thera, etc. But thus in the Presbyterial Govem
ment over many congregations fixed and their pastors and elders fixed
to thera, the several elders are denied to have the relation of elders to
each congregation, but make up only an eldership, in coraraon, as
united over all these. But the apostles here have the relation to both :
and therefore, if this apostolical frarae be raade a pattern ; then it fol
lows, that all the elders of these congregations were directly and im
raediately elders to each congregation and every meraber of thera, and
not only of a comraon presbytery ; for so the apostles were !
" If it be alleged. That those acts of government perforraed by them
in that church were, for the substance of them, ordinary acts, such as
presbyters perfonn ; and that therefore, answerably, their persons them
selves are, in thera, to be considered as elders, because that the apostles
were not only apostles but elders also, — as 2 John 1 ; J Peter v. 1 , —
and therefore might and did act as elders in ordinary acts of church-
government, and are, therefore, therein to be looked at as a just pattern
to us, and to have ruled these congregations of Jerusalem as a college
or body of elders united : condescending so to act, as common presby
ters taking the consent of the church — as Acts vi ; — as likewise they
did in every church where they carae ; joining with the eldership
thereof, as elders and not as apostles ; and therefore, that they inight
give a pattern and exaraple of an ordinary presbytery ; especiaUy see
ing that what they thus did, they did as a united body to many con
gregations considered as one church : —
" It is answered to the First : That although the aposties are called
elders, yet they are so virtually, not forraally, and but because apostie-

CHAP. LVIILJ RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 481
ship contains all offices in it : so as, they are elders but upon this
ground that they are apostles. And therefore John, in that very epistle
where he styles himself an ' elder,' he yet writes canonical Scripture
as an apostle ; and takes on him to threaten Diotrephes, as an apostle,
to remember him, 3rd Ep. 9, 10, which, as a formal elder, he could
not have done. And surely, those officers which Christ distinguisheth,
' He gave some, apostles ; . . some, pastors and teachers,' Eph. iv. 11;
the same person is not formally both, though virtually he may be. All
that they did, in that church of Jerusalera, they are said to act as
aposties : their preaching is called ' the apostles' doctrine,' Acts ii. 42 ;
tlieir bringing their monies to thera as to the officers of that church, is
to them not as elders but as ajiostles, they laid it down ' at the apostles'
feet,' chap. iv. 37 ; yea, in that act of ordaining the seven deacons, it
is said they set them ' afore the apostles,' and ' they laid on their
hands,' vi. 6. And it is very hard to distinguish and say, that the raen
were apostles, but the power they acted by was as elders, when the
name of ' an apostle ' imports the office. Yea, in that very act of
government about deacons, they raust needs act as apostles ; for they
do not simply ordain the men, but do, anew by virtue of apostolical
authority, institute the office of deacons by declaring Christ's mind ;
which none but apostles could immediately and at first have done : so
as, the same persons in this same act instanced in, must act partly as
aposties and partiy as elders ; and by what infallible rule, shall we
distinguish ?
" To the Second, namely. That they acted here, as it were, in a joint
body, or in collegio, over those raany congregations : it is answered.
That an association of elders, in an eldership over many, is not argued
fi'om hence. For first ; they had all singly, the same power which
they exercised jointly; and that they should exercise it jointly here,
to that end. To give a pattern for eldership, — is not easy to prove.
They exercised it together because it fell out that they were together,
and it was fit none of them should be excluded ; but it depended not
upon this union of all in a body, as acts of elders in a prtsbytery do.
As parliamentary power is not the result of parliaraent raen, but as
assembled in parliament ; yea, and the authority of jurisdiction thence
ariseth : not so here ; one apostle might have done that which all here
did. Yea, may it not be said that because two apostles, Paul and
Barnabas, ' ordained elders in every church,' Acts xiv. 23, as joined
in the same act, and so acting not as apostles but jointly, that there
fore two elders, associated, may do the like ? Secondly ; it is hard to
suppose that these aposties when all together, should act with an
inferior power to what they put forth in a like case alone. If Peter had
been himself alone in a church new-planted, then and there he must
be supposed to act as an apostle ; because he alone governed : and
shall these apostles, when they are all in one, and join all together in
one act, be yet supposed to fall lower in their power, under the fonnal
exercise of it ? "Thirdly ; if they had acted as elders in a coUege,
they might raiscarry as elders do ; and so the minor part of tiiein have
been subject to excommunication of [b^-] the gi-euter. And what
power was there, on earth, to have excommunicated an apostle, who
II. 2 1

482 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
held his office immediately from Christ ; and who, whUst he was in
that office, had power over all churches ?
" To the Third, namely. That they, in their proceedings, did
join with others : as in this choice of the deacons they did join
with the multitude ; as also, when they came to any other churches,
they used to do. Neither doth that argue that they acted not as
aposties, but as elders : for, first ; they joined in acts with others, and
joined others with theraselves, wherein they yet acted as aposties : thus
in writing Scripture, they joined others with them, as Paul joined Sil-
vanus and Timotheus, in his epistles to the Thessalonians ; and not
merely in the salutations, for the expressions run in their names also
in [throughout] those epistles. And Acts xv., the apostles, elders,
yea, and brethren, joined in a Letter to the churches ; but these, as
apostles — therefore so called, in distinction from the elders, — and the
rest according to their several interests : as the ' brethren ' did all
according to their interests, so the 'elders' and the 'apostles' in theirs.
So, in ordaining Timothy, the 'presbytery' laid on hands, yet they
as a presbytery, and Paul as an apostle, I Tim. iv. 14 ; 2 Tim. i. 6 ;
for, else, a presbytery had not had power to ordain an evangelist. Yet,
secondly ; the apostles did, wherever they came, leave the elders and
people to the exercise of that right which belonged to them, although
they joined with thera : neither did therein, lie their apostolical au
thority to do all, alone ; for then they seldom or never acted as apostles,
in churches. Paul alone, excommunicated not that Corinthian, and
yet as an apostle wrote to have it done by them — for it was canonical
Scripture ; — and therefore, although that this church of Jerusalem
should choose their deacons, is a just example of the privilege of a
church — for, if the apostles when they were present, allowed this
interest to churches, then elders should much more ! — ^yet, what the
apostles did by an apostolical power, in these congregations, cannot be
drawn into example for officers, in that thing wherein their power-
apostolical lay ; which was, to exercise acts of jurisdiction in several
churches. " Neither, Fourthly, will that help it, That they exercised this govern
ment in these congregations — supposed many — as considered to be one
church. For if they acted not as ' elders,' then the correlate to it,
namely, ' church,' could not be considered as Presbyterial !"
"Reasons against the Fourth and last Proof of the Second Branch;
namely,
" ' That the elders did meet together, for acts of government. Acts
xi. 30; XV. 4,6, 22; xxi. 17, 18.'
" First : The argument from Acts xi. 30, lies thus, There were
elders in Judea, that received alms — verses 29, 30, compared; — there
fore, the elders of Jerusalera did meet together of [for] acts of govem
ment. In this arguraent as the persons are mistaken, so the act : for
the elders of Jerusalem are not mentioned, but of ' Judea,' as by com
paring the verses 29, 30, it appears. And by this, it might be as well
argued, That the elders in Judea met for presbyterial government; as
that the elders of Jerusalem [did] ; seeing their alms were carried to
the elders of Judea, as it is there said. The receiving alms, which is

CHAP. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 483
the only act that is mentioned, was not an act of government ; for
deacons may meet to receive alms, and yet raeet not for acts of govern
ment. For that second place mentioned, chap. xxi. 18, where it is
said, Paul came to James, 'and all the elders were present;' although
we read that all the elders ' were present,' yet that they met for acts of
presbyterial government, appears not. The occasion of the raeeting
was Paul's entertainment, whom sorae of the 'brethren ' had received
at his first coraing, verse 17 ; and now ' the elders ' meet to receive
him also : a christian duty of love and respect, due to so gi-eat and
famous an apostie. And Paul went not as cited [thither], but to visit
and salute them, as verse 19. Secondly, the acts that passed, were
none of them presbyterial : for Paul gave them a historical relation of
' what things God had wrought by his ministry ;' the matter of which
relation, was intended to provoke them, as brethren and fellow-labourers,
to glorify God, as, verse 20, it is said they did ; and not to give them
an account, as to a consistory that met for government. Such nan-a-
tions, the aposties raade even to whole churches ; as Paul and Barna
bas, at Antioch, ' when they had gathered the — whole — church together,'
chap. xiv. 27, — which ' church ' was of no raore than to raeet in one
assembly — ' they rehearsed,' in like manner as here, 'all that God had
done by [with] them ;' and how he had opened a ' door of faith to the
Gentiles.' Neither will the advice they gave to Paul, to prevent the
scandal and offence the people would take at him, argue authority,
rauch less govemment : neither was there any act of government put
forth over their own churches, if supposed many !"*
" Reasons against the alleging Acts xv. for the meeting of the
elders of Jerusalem — For Presbyterial acts of Govemment.
" i. If it were ' a raeeting of elders, for acts of governraent ;' then
it was a presbyterial raeeting for acts of govemment : but that it was
no such meeting appears, because there was nothing done in it that
ma}' seem to have any bond in it but such as bound the churches of
Antioch, Syria, Cilicia, as much as Jerusalem; but this cannot be by
any presbyterial meeting, for acts of govemment ; for such meetings
have only authoritative power over their own church.
" ii. 'The scope and end of this meeting was [were], to give satis
faction to the offended brethren of Antioch, and dogmatically to declare
their judgments in a difficult case of conscience ; not to put forth any
act of judicial power upon any, as appears in the raatter of their debate
and the issue of all : of which, raore fiiUy afterward. And if it be
said, that Peter reproved some of their own members present ; such as
had taught the necessity of the cereraonial law, 'Why tempt ye God,
etc.,' Acts XV. 10, this was not delivered as an act of govemment,
formally, by any vote of the presbytery, but in the way of discourse.
" But it was affirmed to be sufficient to confii-m the Proposition, if
it be 'a synodical meeting.'- Presbyterial and Synodical, both, it can
not be : for synods, they are — or ought to be — extraordinary and
occasional ; presbyteries, are standing and ordinary. Synods are raade
up of coraraissioners sent from presbyteries; and presbyteries are raade
up of the elders of particular congregations. The members of synods,
" P. 18—27.
2 i2

484 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
are elders of such churches which are— according to the principles of
presbyterial government— coraplete churches, having fuU power ot
jurisdiction for all acts of governraent within theraselves ; but the
raerabers of presbyteries, are elders of such congregations which are
neither complete churches, nor have, within themselves, fuU and com
plete power— and these cannot be one. The elders of the presbytery
at Jerusalem — when this, once became a synod, by the addition of the
elders of other churches, — ceased to be any longer a presbytery to that
church, and must [have] becorae, with them, a new body to all the
churches these other elders did come from. And then to argue these
acts done by these — because the elders of Jerusalem were present, and
members of this synod, — were presbyterial acts of the elders of Jeru
salem ; is all one as to go about to argue from the acts of goverament
put forth by a Parliaraent at Westminster to the power of the burgesses
and common-council of the city of Westminster, because there the
Parliaraent sits, and the burgesses of that city are parts and members
of that Pariiaraent : or, as if all the kingdora were governed by county-
courts, and out of those county-courts knights and burgesses should be
chosen to make up a Parliament when the Parliaraent is met ; there
can be no arguraent drawn from the power of a Parliament, to prove
the power of a county-court ; or from the power of a county-court, to
prove the power of a Parliament Thus, Synods are made out of
Presbyteries; therefore we cannot argue from the power of Presbyteries
to the power of Synods ! But, secondly, we deny it to have been such
an ordinary, forraal synod. "I'he jurisdiction of synods, is fiiunded
upon this necessary reqiusite thereunto. That there be coraraissioners,
from all those churches, representing them, present, or called [sura
raoned] to be so : and the power of the jurisdiction cannot reach nor
extend further than to such churches as have sent coraraissioners there
unto. The weight, then, of this synodical power, depends on the
proof of this, That all those churches sent commissioners to this as
sembly : which if either it be not proved or the contrary thereunto
found true, the authority of those ' decrees,' as from those elders here,
will prove not to have been ' acts of governraent ' further than the
apostles' authority also joined in it was stamped upon it. To affirm,
that commissioners from them all were present, because the decrees did
bind them ; is to beg what is denied, when another, just, reason may
be given of their binding, if any such authority were in them. And
our Reasons to the contrary, are these :
" First : We find a deep silence about it. For we read but only of
two churches between whom it was transacted ; they of Antioch, send
ing to Jerusalera and their elders there, — xiv. 27, 28, corapared with.
XV. 2 — 4, — and the messengers which were sent from this assembly
going only to Antioch, verses 30, 3 1 , as those who were chiefly troubled ;
only the benefit, redounded to all they wrote to. Yea, although Paul
carae [had come] through Phenice and Samaria, verse 3, yet we read
not a word of any of the churches of those parts, their sending of any
commissioners unto this synod, as, had it been intended such, certainly
they would. And there was this special reason, why those of this
church [of Jerusalem] were thus electively sent unto; because they

CH.\P. LVIII.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 485
were the mother church from whom the Word of God came, and from
whom those men that ' troubled ' them had gone forth, and had pre
tended to teach what they had received from them ; and besides, they
were in an especial manner, versed in this question, it being about the
observation of their law ; and there also, some of the apostles were
present, — ^how many, we know not; for dispersed they had been, long
before ; — and if any member of others, out of those other parts of
Judea, had come up hither, it would have been said as chap. xi. 29, 30,
' the elders' of Judea, not only of Jerusalem ; yea, it is not so much
as said, they that were sent from Antioch were ' the elders' of that
church, but that they sent ' Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of
them,' XV. 2.
" And, secondly : The contrary seems clear ; namely. That those
' letters ' and ' decrees ' were written and sent only from the elders of
'Jerusalem,' and not fi-om all those churches. For first; the 'decrees'
are everywhere attributed to the elders in 'Jerusalem :' so chap. xvi. 4,
' the decrees . . of the apostles and elders in Jemsalem,' Trpia^vripbiv
tSiv iv 'lepovaaXiifx. Now the usual style of the New Testament is,
by way of distinction of churches, to say the church ' in ' such a place ;
the elders ' in ' such a place ; as the church of — ev — Antioch, xiii. 1 ,
and the church at — ev — Corinth, 1 Cor. i. 2 ; and by the like reason,
the elders ' in ' such a place, do signify the proper elders of the church
' in' that place or city whilst but one ; and, therefore, if by the elders
'in' Jerusalem, had been meant [that] in this place only the elders
met, from all quarters at Jerusalera, as the place of that asserably, there
had been a great ambiguity ; seeing, the more usual and proper import
of that expression is to note out the fixed, standing elders of a place,
and the church in a place ! Again, secondly ; in Acts xv. 4, Paul
and Barnabas are said to be ' received of the church, and apostles and
elders,' namely, of ' Jerusalem,' as in particular relation to it. Yea,
thirdly ; the standing elders of that place assumed to themselves to
have written the decrees; 'As touching the Gentiles . . we have written
and concluded,' xxi. 25. F'ourthly ; and, accordingly, the conclusion
[resolution] of their letter is made the special act of that church and
the elders thereof, ' It pleased the apostles and elders, with the whole
church,' chap. xv. 22, — that is, as verse 4, of Jerusalem — 'to send
chosen men ;' and the letter runs thus, ' The apostles and elders and
brethren :' verse 23. Fifthly ; the matter of the letter argues it; 'For
asmuch as . . certain that went out from ms have troubled you with
words ; . . to whom we gave no such commandment,' verse 24 : how
could this be said by a synod of the elders of those churches which
were themselves ' ti'oubled ' by them ? It is manifest therefore, they
came out from this church, of Jerusalem, who wrote this ; and they
pretended ' the apostles' doctrine,' which is called a coraraandment,
because the apostles taught no other than what Christ ¦ coraraanded,'
as Matt, xxviii. 20. And to say, the denomination was frora the more
eminent part, namely, the elders of that church ; had been derogatory
to the synod, if it had been such a raeeting. And, sixthly ; if the
elders of all those churches had been present, there had been less need
for ' the apostles and elders ' of Jerusalera to have sent ' chosen men

486 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
to carry the letters, and withal to show the grounds of those their
judgraents by word of raouth ; xv. 23, 27, 31, This needed not, if
their own elders had been present, and so had been to have returned :
and if they were sent as messengers from the synod, then to all the
churches as well as to Antioch ; and why do they then go no further
than unto Antioch ? verse 33. Yea, and although Paul and Bamabas
'delivered' those results to all the cities, yet as it should seem acci
dentally, and not principally, intended ; they go not on purpose chiefly
to deliver those decrees, but, chap. xv. 36, it was Paul's motion, upon
other grounds, to go [andJ visit the churches ' in every city' where
they had ' preached ;' and so, but occasionally delivered these ' decrees;'
xvi. 4 : so as, they came to them not as ' sent ' in a mandatory way as
to churches subject to that synod by a synodical law — as such canons
are used to be sent, — but as the judgment only of this church ; and
the apostles ' delivered them,' for their edification.
" And, in the third place : If there were any further authority, or
jurisdiction, in their 'decrees,' it was from the apostles who were pre
sent and concuiTed in it, and who had power over all the churches;
And accordingly, though the elders in the whole church were present
and joined with the apostles, quantum in se, to consent and approve
their decrees with that several respective kind of judgment proper unto
them, yet all the authority put forth over these churches was that
transcendent authority of the apostles ; which is not now left in all the
elders of the world joined together : and that [accordingly] therefore,
these ' decrees ' made and the decision of these questions here, were by
apostolical authority ! And to that end, they subjoined that apostolical
seal, ' It seeraed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us.' And although
the ordinary 'elders,' yea and 'the whole church,' joined in this, yet
but according to their raeasure, analogy and proportion of their faith;
— even as in writing some epistles, Timothy and Silvanus joined with
Paul, but yet Paul only wrote apostolically, and the authority in thera
is looked at as his ; — or else because, perhaps, they having the Holy
Ghost fallen on them through ' the apostles' doctrine ' then delivered, —
which was then usual, — persuading their hearts unaniraously — though
afore, dissenting — to ' accord,' as verse 26 ; in that respect, they inight
speak this in such a sense that no asserably of raen, wanting apostolical
presence and instruction, raay now speak. And, although it raay be
objected, that, then, this letter and these decrees should be formal
Scripture, and so bind us still ; it is answered, that they are Scrip-^
ture, and written for our learning ; and, if the case were the same upon
which they obliged thera then, naraely, raatter of offence, that then,
they would bind us now ; but the things being enjoined but as
iirdvayKEQ, things of a superadded casual necessity, and not absolute ;
in case of offence only, and not simply for the things themselves ;
therefore, now, the necessity being ceased, the obligation ceaseth : yet
so as the equity of the rule and ground these were commanded upon,
to ' abstain ' from things that offend our brethren, doth hold, in like
cases, to the end of the world.
" And [fourthly,] last of all ; There is no act of such authority and
governraent put forth in it, which the Proposition intendeth : which

CHAP. LVIII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 487
will appear if we either consider the occasion and rise of it, or the
issue and result of it
" [First,] It was not a set stated meeting, by common agreement of
the churches; but Antioch sends to Jerusalem unknown to them.
There are no summonses sent to send up delinquents, nor can we find
these disturbers are sent to Jerusalem to be censured by those ecclesias
tical punishments in which government doth properly lie and consist.
The subject raatter sent to them, for their decision, was raerely matter
of doctrine, ' about this question,' xv. 2, and about this word, namely,
whether the ceremonial ' law,' verse 5, was to be observed ? Concern
ing which, they wrote their judgments dogmatically; which they were
called to do, being thus sent unto. Neither doth it argue, that it was
more than to determine this question doctrinally, they came up for ;
because that Paul and Barnabas could have decided that before, —
being themselves aposties, — and that, therefore, their coming up was
for discipline against delinquents : for, as the case stood, they listened
not to Paul and Barnabas as apostles, but pretended the judgment
of the other apostles. For indeed Paul and Barnabas did declare
their judgments — the ^ao-ie, or contention, verse 2, being attributed
unto thera as contending against the false teachers, for the truth, — and
so as even the church of Antioch rested not in their decision : other
wise, Paul and Barnabas might have, as apostles, censured those de
linquents, without coming to Jerusalera ; as well as, by apostolic au
thority, have decided the question ; for apostolic power extended to
discipline as well as doctrine. If it be said. That even doctrinally to
deliver the truth, when it is done by a company of elders, hath au
thority or power in it ; as when Christ said, ' Go, and teach ; all
power is given me,' Matt, xxviii. 20, 19 : it is granted, an authority
exercised in doctrine, and so to be in synods ; but yet not jurisdiction,
which the Proposition intends ; which is, when doctrines are delivered,
sub poena, under the penalty of that ecclesiastical punishment of ex
coraraunication, if not received. One minister, alone, hath a dogma
tical authority, as a rainister, to rebuke, exhort; and yet acts of juris
diction are not his alone, but of others conjoined with hira.
" Neither, secondly, do the titles given to these results of theirs,
argue a jurisdiction, in that they are called to. Soy para and to. KeKpifiiva,
Acts xvi. 4. For although the word loypa is used for an Iraperial
decree, Luke ii. I, yet but rarely ; and raore commonly, as Stephanus
and Budaeus observe, for doctrine and opinion in matters raoral or
speculative, as ' Platonis dogma,' etc. ; and thence is translated to
import ' the judgments of divines given in matters theological,' although
delivered with certainty. And so, the using of this word, iraplieth the
subject to have been doctrinal only, and so delivered. And further, the
subject matter of this decision being about rules and ceremonies and
the non-observation of thera, the [term] Soyjxa is elegantly and, per
haps, on purpose given to these apostolical canons, by way of opposi
tion and contradiction, to those that taught and observed such rules,
who are said SoyfianicLv in so doing, Col. ii. 20 ; being led away by
the false Boyaara, or heterodox theses, of false teachers that enjoined
them. And for that other word, KEKpi/itVa, translated ' ordained,' i

488 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I
plainly notes out but this, that these doctrinal theses were the joint,
declared, and avowed judgment and conclusions of these — and so,
answereth to those other words in their letters, ' It seemed good unto
us, being . . with one accord,' etc. Acts xv. 25, — aposties and elders
thus met, with ' one accord ' agreeing therein, and particularly and
unaniraously so judging; and therefore when James gives his judg
ment, he useth the same word icpivio, verse 19, ' this is my judgment,'
which being voted and agreed upon by the rest they are called KtKpipiva.
Neither doth this argue any act of authority, that the things here
declared to be observed are indifferent, for some of them come under a
moral consideration, and aU come under the case of offence.
" Neither [thirdly], doth the language they commend these [letters]
to thera in, sound of that jurisdiction, or governraent, intended in the
Proposition. For although they seem to speak as guided infallibly in
their resolution, — ' It seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us,' —
yet their expressions are canied so as to avoid jurisdiction. Those
-words, 'to lay no other [irXiovl burden," if any, must import this
jurisdiction; but these words, as Ludovicus de Dieu hath well observed
are, as they may be, taken passively, therein agreeing with the Syriac
translation, ' It seemeth good, . . that no other burden be laid on you :'
that whereas these teachers of the circumcision had gone about, by
their doctrine, to bind ' the law of Moses ' upon men's consciences,
and to put on them a burden too heavy for them ' to bear,' as Peter
speaks, verse 10, and had taught this to be the command of Christ and
his aposties, and the judgraent of the church of Jerusalem ; they dis
claim this, and profess they would have no such burden put upon them,
and [that] they gave these teachers 'no such commandment,' that is,
never delivered or uttered any such doctrine to be commanded ! And
if it be taken actively, yet the declaring it to be the command of
Christ, is the imposition here intended : for the same words are used
of the teachers who yet had not assumed, by virtue of an ecclesiastical
authority, to impose these things ; but, by way of doctrine : chap, xvj
10 and 5. And it is well known that, in Scripture phrase, to teach, and
to declare, though by way of doctrine ; and to press men's consciences
with things as the commands of God ; is said to be a binding and
imposing a burden on them. So of the Pharisees, — and these were
^of the sect of the Pharisees' of whom and to whom that was spoken,
verse 6, — it is said. Matt, xxiii. 4, that ' they bind heavy burdens^and
grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders ;' which is
spoken but of a doctrinal declaring and pressing men's consciences
with the rigour of the Law : and this is so well known to be the lan
guage of the Jews, that it need not be insisted on. Neither doth it
follow, that if they may lay these burdens, by way of doctrine, they
may censure for the neglect of them : for every minister, in his sermon,
imposeth those burdens while they urge and declare these duties to
men, and yet have not power ecclesiastically to censure them. For
though, it being a comraand of Christ, they could not but hold it forth
as such, and so urge it ; yet not by way of jurisdiction, but with these
soft words, ' Which if you observe, you do well !' Lastly ; although
these false teachers had subverted their faith, verse 24, and against their

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 489
own light had vouched then- doctrine to be the doctrine of the apostles
— which deserved the highest censure, being a sin so scandalous, — yet
they, verse 23, proceeded not to censure them, by way of admonition
or excommunication — which are acts of govemment, — but only to
declare their sin and error, and give their judgment of it !"*

CHAP. LIX.
THE REASONS ; OR, THE GRAND DEBATE ; CONTINUED.
" Reasons against the last two assertions of the Assembly ; con
cerning the instance of the Church of Jerusalem.
" Assertion i. ' Whether these Congregations be fixed, or not
fixed, in regard of officers or members ; it is all one, as to
the tmth of the Proposition.'
"Our reply. — Whereas in the clo.se of the proofs from the Church
of Jemsalem, for many congregations to be under one presbyterial
government, it is asserted, ' Whether these congregations be fixed or
not fixed, it is all one as to the h'uth of the Proposition :' this reason
is offered against it :
" There is this difference : Every congregation, having elders fixed
to it, is a Church ; for the relation of elders and church is mutual.
Acts xiv. 2.3 : ' They 'ordained elders in every church.' The relation,
of elders to a church, is a special distinct relation to that congregation
of which they are elders, so as, they are not related to other congrega
tions. And these congregations are ecclesiae primae, churches formed
up, though uncomplete, as being, according to our Brethren's opinion,
members of a more general presbyterial church ; but if congregations
have no ' fixed officers,' they are not churches, according to their
principles. Now, it makes a great difference, as to the truth of the
Proposition, whether many churches may be under the government of
one, or whether many congregations — which, to them, are no churches
— may be under the government of one !' Whatsoever our Brethren
show of divers congregations to be under the govemment of a church-
presby terial, yet they nowhere show any one pattem or example, in
Scripture, wherein many churches were under the power of one ; nay,
nor where any one church was under the power of another !
" Assertion ii. ' That there appears no material difference betwixt
the several congregations in Jerusalem and the many congrega
tions now, in the ordinary condition of the church, as to the
point of fixedness in regard of officers and members.'
" Our reply. — And lastly : If there were many congregations in
Jerusalem having their officers fixed to thera, and not in coraraon ;
then.'duiing the time before the dispersion, the apostles raust be those
officers that were thus fixedly disposed of to their several congregations;
• P. 28—34

490 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
some over one, others over another, as ordinary elders now are. Now,
suppose this number of ' believers ' to have been as many thousands as
is argued ; as ten or twelve thousand souls, and these to be dirided
into as many congi-egations as might be divided to twelve aposties,
seventii}- to watch over : or, suppose the several congi-egations made
up of two thousand — which is an allotment small enough to be set
apart for the pains of two apostles : hereupon tiiis great incongraity
dotii follow, "These apostles are brought to tiie state aud condition, and
work of parish ininistei-s ! To whom yet, it was committed, and
inseparably annexed to their office, yea and constituted it [tiieir office],
as aposties to have the cai-e of 'all' churches [2 Cor. xi. 28.] ; aud if
wheu the churches were multiplied and dispereed into several countiies,
they were to have 'the care' of them, then, much more, when they
were in oue city. Some of the writers against Episcopacy- — when those
that wTite for it, allege the instance of James abiding at Jerusalem as
the bishop of that church, — have judged it a debasing of the apostolical
powei-s to lirait it to one diocesan church ! But this position, doth
debase all tiie aposties at once, much more ; it makes them not bishops
to many churches, but ordinary elders, in that one or two of them,
perhaps, are over one smgle church. Yea, and which is yet more
incredible, if these churches and their govemment were like to those
under tiie Presbytery, and ' no material difference ' between them and
oui-s, these apostles were, in their parishes, not only suboidinate, in
their governraent, to tiie common presbytery of all'the aposties, but
limited to lesser acts of government : for so the lesser elderehips in
the churches under the Presbyterial govemment are coulined only to
examine and admonish, and prepare for the greater presbytery, and
therein not enabled to oidaiu elders over the congregation, or excom
municate a member I Peter aud John joined together were, by this
principle, not enabled to it ! And yet, if we do not suppose such a
limited governraent iu those several congregations, here can be no
pattern for the Presbyterial government as it is practised. Or if,
otherwise, we should suppose tiiem ' fi.xed ' officers, for teaching only,
to one of those congregations, and to have no government at all over
it, but to bring all to the common presbytery of aposties : that, is a
greater incongruity than tiie fonner. For this, casts tiiem below tiie
condition of our paiish Elders, for unto them tiie greater Presbytery
doth allow some measure and pai-t of the government ; but such a
supposition would allow aposties none, in their sevei-al congi-egations!"*
" Other RE.vsoys against the Main Pi-oposition :
" ' The Scripture holds forth. That raany congregations may be
under one Presbyterial Government'
" By Particular Congregations, either, firet, an assembly of Clms-
tiaus meeting for w-orship only, as to hear, pray, etc.; or, secondly, an
assembly so funiished with officers as, fit for discipline, having a "pres
bytery, is meant. In tiie latter sense, which is tiiat the proofs are
brought to confirm, and that that is practised where this Government
is set up, the Proposition is equivalent to such an assertion as this
Many presbyteries may be under presbyterial government; as tiius,
• P. 35, 36.

CHAP. LIX.] RELA-nNG TO INDEPENDENTS. 491
parochial presbyteries may be under one classical ; many classical under
one provincial, etc.; which is the same as to affirm, that one presbytery
may be over another : as the Bishops affirm. That one presbyter may
be over another ! This is evident, if yon assert [that] a presbyterial
goverament may be over a congregation that is composed of a pres
bytery and people: for it cannot be said lo be over a congregation, if
it be over the people, only ; that is, not over their presbytery also ;
for then the presbytery will be independent, and the people under two
presbyteries co-ordinate and not subordinate ; which stands not with
common reasoiL
" This then, being the Assertion, it is thus argued against: A pres
bytery over a presbytery, or power over power, necessarily implieth
two sorts of presbyteries or ecclesiastical jurisdictions specially distinct,
or at least more than numerically. A greater or lesser, varies not the
kind, in a physical, or theological, consideration ; but in a political, it
doth. He tlwt hath a greater power than I have, that is, a power over
vay power ; a power to order, direct, or correct, the power I have ;. -this
man's power and mine differ as two sorts or kinds of power. And
although this superior presbytery be made up of presbyters sent as
commissioners from the congregational or parochial presbyteries ; yet
this hinders not at all, but that they may be thus distinct : for some
cities and towns corporate, their officers are sent up and sit as members
of Parliament, yet this Honourable House hath a power distinct and
superior to that which is in London or York. Though the superior
presbytery be made up of presbyters from several congregations, yet it
is made up of presbyteries ; it hath the persons materially considered,
but not that power formally considered : for as while the Parliament
sits and certain burgesses from borough towns sit as members in it,
these to-wns notwithstanding still retain all the power those corporations
were ever invested with ; so particular congregations whilst some of
their elders sit in the classical presbytery, have elderships, or a pres
bytery, still. Now, that it is very probable the Scriptures hold not
forth two sorts of Presbyteries, thus specifically distinct, may be thus
argued :
" First: W'here the Scripture holds forth distinct sorts in any kind,
there will be found either distinct and proper names and tities, or at
least some adjunct or difference added to that which is common or
general. In the apostles' times, there were presbyters over presbyters ;
apostles were superior to prophets ; and prophets a distinct order from
teachers ; therefore, in 1 Cor. xii. 28, ' God hath set some in the
church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that
miracles, then gifts of healing,' etc. They have not only particular
names and titles, but special notes of distinction added, irpSrov
airo'ToXove, otvrepov 7rpo(j>riTag' as in Gen. i. 16, where no distinction
of names is given, the sun, moon, and stars of heaven, are all called
lights, yet there are terms of difference added ; they are called, first,
'great lights,' and then, 'the greater light to rule the day, and the
lesser light to rule the night.' Throughout the New Testament, we
find this word TrpeafivTipiov but in three places [Luke xxii. 66 ; Acts
xxii. 5 ; I Tim. iv. 14], whereof there is but one that holdeth out the

492 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
Government in hand ; and in that place, you have the naked word
only, without the addition of any such expression — greater, lesser,
superior, inferior, — or any kind of adjunct that can possibly put a
thought in us of raore presbyteries than one ! Notvyithstanding so
useful are peculiar distinct names, where there are distinct sorts or
kinds of administration, as it is not omitted by any church in their
ordinances for government: in Scotland, the lowest is tei-med a 'con
sistory ;' the next, a 'classis ' or presbytery ; the third, a 'provincial
synod;' the fourth, a 'general assembly:' the French, in these terms,
'consistories,' and 'colloquies,' and 'synods:' so in the Episcopal
Republic, there was the like variety.
" Secondly : As the Scriptures hold forth nothing, in any title or
name, to distinguish ; no more can we thence discover any sorts of
govemraent, different in nature. For trial of this, let it be supposed
there is a parochial or consistorian presbytery, for one sort, [and that]
there is another sort we call classical : what Scripture gives light, by
any kind of reasoning, to warrant the setting up one of those above, or
over the other ? Do you read anywhere, God hath set in his church,
first presbyteries, secondarily classes, then consistories ? Or is there
anything in the Word, directing a different composition, or constitu
tion, in these ? First ; for the materiale : the persons that these
presbyteries are made up of, are the sarae. The consistory hath gifted
men set apart to the office of the ministry ; those that are in a clas
sical presbytery, are no otherwise qualified ; nor, indeed, doth the
Scripture require anything but a presbyteration to qualify men for
any sort, if there were sorts of presbytery. That there is a greater
number of presbyters, in the one than in the other; this alters not the
state, in respect of the matter : for if the number be corapetent, that
is, [if] so many as 'two or three' may 'agree' — Matt, xviii. — it
sufficeth. The Honourable House of Commons is, to all Parliamen
tary purposes, as rauch a House when but two or three above forty,
as when four hundred. Nor doth this always fall out, that all classical
presbyteries have a greater number than some parochial. Scriptures
have determined neither how few will constitute a classical presbytery,
nor how many may be in a parochial : practice, many times, makes
them equal. Secondly ; now for the formate : the uniting of this
matter into a consessus or cactus. Presbyters becorae united into a
presbytery in the classical, by having pastoral charges in such a divi
sion ; whosoever cometh so to be disposed of, he is no sooner pastor to
such a parish, but he is, eo nomine, raember of such a classis : the
presbyters of a parochial presbytery, are as nearly united, and more ;
they are united in the choice and call of the same congregation they
govem, and united in the whole work of the ministry over the same
people ; so that they are not only fellow-govemors but fellow-labourers
iu the same rineyard. There is, therefore, no just ground for such a
distinction of difference between presbytery and presbytery, in respect
either of the matter or the form.
" Thirdly : Nor do we find anything, in the Scriptures, making
them, as from different employments, or functions, to differ. First;
we [you] pretend, and so it is in the Proposition, the one is superior,

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 493
the other inferior : but how can you say the Scriptures have made this
difference, when there is not a word spoken this way in any place ?
Presbyterian writers themselves,' in sorae expressions seem to take
away utterly such difference as this. In one place, you shall read.
The classis can do nothing renitente ecclesia, but it is null and invalid !
thus, ' The assertion for Discipline,' and [which] avouches Zepperus,
Zanchy, and others, as of this opinion. The congregation, though
but minima ecclesiola, yet may reform, that is, suspend, excommuni
cate, etc. Renitentibus correspondentiis : so, Voetius, in his Theses,
et Desperata causa Papains: Lib. ii. cap. 12. Surely, according to
what these reverend divines have expressed, it is hard to be said which
of these presbyteries hath the gi'eater or superior power ! Secondly ;
the employment or work of a presbytery, is to ordain, excommunicate,
.suspend, admit members, appoint times for worship, and the like.
The classical presbytery reserve ordination and excommunication to
theraselves; but the other [acts] are left to [the] parochial presbytery:
thus, sorae Presbyterians divide the work; others, possibly otherwise.
But how can we [you] affirm any such designment, from the Scrip
tures, if you have not two sorts, either in name or nature, to be found
there ? And none of these acts, or administrations, but may be done
by that one [sort] the Scripture mentioneth ; which, doubtless, they
may [do], seeing ordination seemeth to be specified in the text : if the
greater, then doubtless the lesser. The pastor, in one place, is said to
' exhort," in another, to ' comfort,' in another, to ' visit the sick ;" this
will not wan-ant distinct sorts of pastors : for there being but one sort
spoken of in Scriptures, we must intei-pret all these several administra
tions to belong to that one.
" It was not found an easy work, in this Assembly, to find two
sorts of elders, teaching and ruling, notwithstanding all the Scripture
hath said of these ; and in some places, so plain as if on purpose to
distinguish them ! If it be so hard a matter, by Scripture light, to
hold forth two sorts of presbytei-.s ; it must needs be more difficult, to
find out two sorts of presbyteries ; especially, seeing — as it is generally
granted, and this by the Presbyterians themselves, — that for above
fifty years after Christ, and in the aposties" times, there was but one
kind of presbytery !
" It hath been the wisdora of States, to keep and preserve the bounds
and limits of their judicatures evident and distinct, and as free from
controversy as may [might] be. If laws and ordinances about matters
of meum and tuum, and such inferior claims, should not be so evident;
the authority of these courts, will be in a readiness to relieve wrongs
and injuries through such mistakings: but controversies, and clashings,
about these high and public interests, are no other, in the issue, than
the diriding of a kingdom within itself.
" Is man wiser in his generation, than Jesus Christ ? He is our
' Law-giver ; ' the ' Government ' is laid ' upon his shoulder : ' He is
the ''Wonderful,' [the] 'Counsellor,' the 'Prince of Peace;' and
therefore, surely, though other matters of practice and duty should
have obscurity in the rule, yet it is raost probable [that] He hath
ordered authority and jurisdiction, with the officers and offices for the

494 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
managing of it, so evidentiy as not to put us to search in a dark
corner for directions. We cannot be said to be clear in our rule, when
we are thus enforced out of one word, and but once used ' to raise so
many thrones,' or forms, of govemment ; especially it being foreseen
by Christ, that such is the nature of man as nothing occasions raore
bitter contention than that lusting which is in us, to have authority
and jurisdiction over others !
Tho. Goodwin, William Bridge,
Philip Nye, William Greenhill,
Jer. Burroughes, William Carter."*
Sidrach Simpson,
"Reasons against, . . the Proofs from, the Instance of the Church
of Ephesus ; alleged by the Reverend Asserably to prove.
That ' the Scripture holds forth. That many congregations
may be under one presbyterial government.'
" To these Proofs,'' the answer is. First : As for such of them which
are brought to prove the number of believers in Ephesus ; the conse
quence is denied, because that notwithstanding what is said of the
apostle being ' three years ' at Ephesus, Acts xx. 31, and a great and
effectual door was opened, 1 Cor. xvi. 9, and 'so raightily grew the
Word of God and prevailed/ Acts xix. 20, it follows not that the
converts in ' Ephesus ' were so raany as could not meet in one place.
For, first, suppose it granted, there were two or three thousand — though
there is no sufficient ground to say there were near so raany, — yet they
all raight meet in one place ; and yet this were enough to show that
there was ' a large door and effectual opened ' to the apostle, and a
corafortable fruit of his so long stay and preaching there. Secondly,
because this efficacy of the Word preached by Paul, hath reference
not only to Ephesus, but also to ' all Asia,' chap. xix. 26 ; and where
he saith, chap. xx. 31, the words are not to be restrained to his being
at Ephesus, but to be understood of his being in Asia, as appears by
verse 18.
" Secondly : As for ' the price ' of the ' books ' of the converts,
Acts xix. 19 ; the answer is. That when there was no printing, a few
raen's 'books ', yea a few books of so • curious ' and gainful ' arts ',
might well be worth that money. For that ' fifty thousand pieces of
silver,' Calvin, upon the place, computes to be but nine thousand
pounds French ; which is six hundred and seventy-five pounds sterling,
or thereabouts, at eighteen-pence the frank. Beza reckons it less,
namely, eight thousand seven hundred pounds French. And our own
countryraan, Brerewood, in his first chapter, de Nummis, intei-preting
this very place, accounts every apyvpiov at seven-pence ob. [sic] ;
according to which rate the sum amounts to about one thousand four
hundred and six pounds sterling. [.']; Sorae one raan's study, now, of
coraraon books, though not manuscripts as they were, is worth as rauch :
and how this can argue such a multitude of believers, or several con
gi-egations, as could not meet in one place, we cannot see.
"Thirdly: As for the 'church 'in Aquila's 'house,' 1 Cor. xvi.
» P 37—40. b See back p. 461.

CH.'VP. HX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 495
19, which is supposed, by the Reverend Assembly, to be a congregation
distinct from the Ephesians, and therefore ' raore congregations than
one ' raaking that one Ephesine church so much spoken of in the
New Testament : the Answer is, first, The church in his ' house ' is
not necessarily to be understood of a congregation, such as the Propo
sition intends ; but of a family-church, as raost of our divines say.
Secondly, suppose it were such ; it doth not appear that the * church '
in Aquila's house was at Ephesus, but in 'Asia.' We read that
Aquila and PriscUla travelled with Paul to Ephesus, and were left
there ; not that their 'church ' was there, for themselves might travel
where their ' church ' travelled not with them. Thirdly, grant they
were such a church, and at Ephesus ; yet the answer is. They were
strangers that were driven from Rome by Claudius, Acts xviii. 2,
compared with Rora. xri. 3 — 5, where also we read of a ' chm-ch ' in
their 'house'; and therefore [they] kept themselves a distinct 'church'
from the Ephesians, as the English do in the Netherlands and the
Dutch in England, who choose rather to join with their own country-
people whose dwellings are more remote, than with those of another
nation nearer to them. And if the difference of their language may
argue different congi-egations, and that they could not join in one, —
as is alleged ; — it will argue as strongly that this church, and the other
congi'egation of Ephesus, could not be under one presbyterial govem
ment ! and ordinary officers had not, ordinarily, the gift of several
tongues, 1 Cor. xii. 8 — 10.
" Fourthly : As for ' Jews and Greeks ' being mentioned ; it makes
nothing for the number, nor yet that for difference of language there
must needs be more congregations than one ; for the Jews that lived
among the Gentiles, understood their language ; else they would make
so many independent congregations !
" The contrary to this first Proposition, namely, 'That the multitude
of believers were more than could raeet in one place ; ' is proved thus :
It is apparent that the number of believers there when Paul carae first
to Ephesus was but 'about twelve,' Acts xix. 7 ; and when the number
was increased, yet then the church of Ephesus is called one ' flock,'
in relation to those ' elders ' which were at Ephesus, — xx. 17, 28; —
which were willed by Paul ' to feed' that flock by doctrine, as he had
done ; by which it is evident, they might and did meet in one : for
elders are pastors only for one congregation.
" It was said, That the feeding of this ' flock,' is to be understood
partitive, namely, some one congregation ; some, another ; and so,
amongst them, the 'flock' was fed. But if it be understood partitivt,
with reference to their feeding, it must be also with reference to their
overseeing ; because it is so expressed in the text : for no reason can
be given why these words ' feed the flock [the church of God '], should
be understood partitive, and not these other words, ' take heed . . to
the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath raade you overseers.' And
if their overseeing and ruling be to be xmdeKtood partitivi, then how
doth this place argue a presbyterial government over many congrega
tions ? And if it be said, the raany congregations were not fixed
ones, then that distinction, of feeding partitive, falleth to the ground.

496 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
"Whereas it is replied, ' That the sarae place as used I Pet. v. 2,
must be understood partitive, because those believers and elders to
whom the apostie Peter writes were ' scattered through Pontus, Galatia,
Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,' chap. i. 1 , which could not meet in
one congregation :' it is answered, first. That in this place of Peter
there are no such words whereby the relation of the whole flock is
equally carried to all those elders, as there are in that speech of the
apostle [Paul] to the elders of Ephesus, Acts xx. 28, ' take heed to
the whole flock, over which — whole flock — the Holy Ghost hath made
you overseers.' Secondly, in this, 1 Pet. v. 1, 2, there are words
which plainly point at such a distribution, namely, ev vpiv, ' among
you ' applied both to the elders and to the flock : ' the elders . . iv vpiv,
— among you — I exhort . . to feed the flock . . tv vplv" that is, each
elders, feed your flocks respectively wherever they are 'among you,' in
each country : therefore, though it be understood partitive in Peter,
yet it follows not it should be so understood Acts xx. 28.
" And if it be said further, ' That although ruling and teaching be
applied to the same ' flock,' the elders need not be both alike understood
partitivi to perfoi-m their office ; because elders when they rule-, do it
in consessu, and all join in every act ; but when they teach, they do
it severally, each by himself; therefore, where ruling and teaching are
applied to elders as over one flock, as they are Acts Xx., they raay
well he supposed to do the one partitive, the other not :' the answer
is, It is true, where elders rule they do it in collegio whether over raore
or fewer, and when they teach they do it severally; but stiU, both
ruling and teaching are to be within the same corapass in resjiect of
thera who are ruled and taught : for when elders rule over a congrega
tion in collegia, yet each of these elders oversees and rules ' the whole
flock ' as truly as he can be said, by teaching, to feed that whole flock.
" As for the second and third Propositions, That there were raany
elders over that people as one flock and one church : and. That they
did govern this one flock : the former Propositiou not being proved ;
they make nothing to the proof of that conclusion. That the Scripture
holds forth. That raany congregations raay be under one presbyterial
government"* Subscribed, as before, p. 494.
" Propositions of the Assembly, concerning Synods :
" ' 1. The Scripture doth hold out another sort of assemblie.s for the government
of the church, besides classical and congregational, which we - call Synodical,
Acts XV.
'"11. Synodical assemblies may, lawfully, be of several sorts j as provincial,
national, and oecumenical.
" ' HI. It is lawful, and agreeable to the 'Word of God, that there be a subordi
nation of congregational, classical, provincial, and national assemblies ; that so
appeals may be made from tbe inferior to the superior, respectively. Proved from
Matt, xviii., which holding forth the subordination of an olFending Brother, to a
particular church ; it doth also, by a parity of reason, bold forth the subordination
of a congregation, to superior assemblies.
" ' And it is agreeable to the light of nature. That he who is wronged and de
prived of his right by one power, should have recourse to another power which
» P. 81—85.

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 497
may restore unto him his right again, and rescind the sentence by which he was
wronged : else there would be no powerful remedy provided, to remove wrong and
to preserve right'
" To the latter Proposition, about the Subordination of Synods, the
Dissenting Brethren entered their dissent after the debate, and [gave
in] their Reasons in writing, as followeth.
" Arguments of the Dissenting Brethren, against ' The Subor
dination of Synods,' etc.
" Although we judge ' Synods ' to be of great use for the finding
out and declaring of truth in difficult cases, and encourageraent to
walk in the truth ; for the healing [of] offences ; and to give advice
unto the magistrate, in matters of religion : and, although we give
great honour and conscientious respect unto their detenninations : yet
seeing the Proposition holds forth, not only an occasional but a stand
ing use of them, and that in ' subordination ' of one unto another, as
juridical, ecclesiastical courts, and this in all cases ; we humbly pre
sent these Reasons against it:
" First Argument : All such ' subordinations ' of courts having greater
and lesser degrees of power, to which, in their order, causes are to be
brought, must have the greatest and most express wanant and design
ment for them in the Word. Whence it is argued thus. Those courts
that raust have the raost express warrant and designment for them
in the Word, and have not ; their power is to be suspected, and not
erected in the church of God : but these, ought to have so ; and have
not: therefore, etc.
"The first part of the Minor, is thus proved : There ought to be
the greatest and most express warrant, and that for two things belonging
to them. First, for their subordination and nuraber ; secondly, for
their bounds and limits of power. And because this principle is made
use of, both in the point in hand and other of like nature, naraely. To
a.rgae d pari ratione, — from like and parallel reason, — the argument
to establish this Proposition shall proceed, accordingly, from the
strength of ' like reason ' in other cases and instances. That there ought
to be a warrant and designment for them, in the Word.
" i. From ' like reason,' in the case of ' subordination ' of Officers in
the church, one over another ; there was a special Institution, and it
is required, or we own them not : and that for intensive power, and
extensive power ; and therefore, for the ' subordination' of such Courts
also ! The rule of proportion holds : for, a government of and by
several subordinations — whether of one ch-arch-officer or person over
another and of him over others, or of a many in the like degree of
subordination, — are but several fonns of government of which there is
the 'like reason' in common: as if suloordination in a monarchical
way, wherein still but some one person is superior to another, down
wards ; or in an aristocratical way throughout ; in this they corae all
to one, That if there be to be an Institution, or warrant, for the one,
there is to be for the other : whether God or men be to be the institu-
tors of them. Now, in the govemment of the church, for the subordi
nation of Officers there was an express Institution ; or raen ought not
to have assuraed it : ' God hath set ' in his • church, first apostles,
II. 2 k

4"i>8 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CIIARLES I.
secondarily prophets' and evangelists — who were of a parallel order,-—
' thirdly teachers,' I Cor. xii. 28 ; and the difference of power in
apostles and evangelists, is by ' subordination :' but Christ, hath not
set the like subordination of Courts !
" ii. It is proved from what the [those of] Presbyterial principles,
themselves, reject. An Institution is required by them, in the case of
subordination of bishops, archbishops, popes, in their arguing against
them and their power : yea and by the Episcopal writers themselves
who, when it is objected. That if there may be a bi'shop, and an arch-
iH.shop over him ; why not a patriarch over archbishops, and a pope over
all? They deny this, and reject a patriarch, or pope, although with
renouncing of infallibility, as not warranted by the 'Word : they say, a
higher and more universal ' subordination ' alters the case. And the
usual exception against this subordination of church-governors is.
That, in Scripture, we read neither of the name of an archbishop nor
t-he thing; and therefore, not of a ' subordination ' of them. The
like raay be said of these : where read we of councils provincial, national ;
names or things ? Yea, and in this way of arguing — in this respect —
the disadvantage is on this side rather ; for we are sure that once there
was in the church such a 'subordination' in church officers; evangelists
over pastors, apostles over evangelists — only they were extraordinary,
and so no patterns; — ^but of such a subordination of comicils, in an
ari-stocratical way, there is nothing to be found.
" iii. It is argued frora ' like ' and just ' reason ' in other societies,
and bodies politic. In all kingdoras and commonwealths well-ordered
and j3onstituted, there is and ought to be a set and express order, by
the laws, both of the number and bounds of courts of judicatory, frora
whom and to whora appeals are made, and in what cases, etc. And
that this 'subordination' should be set forth and fixed by the law, is
as necessary as the laws or rules by which raen in a kingdora are to be
governed. The wisdom of the law doth judge it not enough to appoint
several sorts of officers — as to say, counsellors, sergeants, judges, — but
designeth also and appointeth several courts with their power and
bounds ; the designment of which, especially of standing courts —
being made up of these, — is a matter of much more moment than the
other : yea, and still the greater and higher such courts and asserablies
are having amplitude of power over others, the more express evidence
and warrant for their power there is and ought to be ; as for Parlia
mentary power, and the privileges thereof. And this is evident, as
frora the examples of all kingdoms, so from what the Scripture speaks
of the constitution of thera. Each part of the ' subordination' of
such power in all governraent, both is and also was called a 'creation
of men ' in things human, whether it be in a monarchical or aristocratical
way ; ' submit yourselves to every human creation ' — af^pwirlvri Ktiaei'
1 Pet ii. 13. And he speaks there, evidentiy of— and therefore thus
styieth — the ' subordination ' ol powers in a commonwealth, whether
officers or courts ; for it follows, ' whether unto the king, as supreme ;
or unto governors, as those that are sent by hiin, etc. ;' and so here,
'subordination' of ])ower under him. Now, parallel spiritual -and
ecclesiastical government with this : as in the rearing a human fabric

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 499
and contignation of power, there must be an 'ordinance' or 'creation'
from man, when God hath left the framing of it unto him — as in this
case, he hath — so this 'subordination' being in Divine power, there
must be a Divine Institution of it, besides that of the distinction of
the officers themselves.
" iv. It is argued from 'like reason' with Christ's institution. Matt.
xviii. If in a particular church, Christ hath prescribed the several
subordinations of proceedings, and set forth the degrees, bounds, and
order of them; then, ranch more it is required in these, by how much
a larger extent of power is comraitted to them. The first rule, in
Matt, xviii., is, ' If thy brother offend thee, tell him thyself;' then
secondly, ' Take two or three, and if he hear not thera,' thirdly, ' Tell
the church:' verses 15 — 17. If there were a thousand brethren in a
congregation, a raan were not bound nor were it orderly, in an ordi
nary and set way, to ' take,' as the church shall please, first two or
three, and then ten, and then twenty, and still the like proportion of
a greater number, ere he corae to the church itself ; but Christ hath
set the order, and his wisdom saw it meet thus to design and limit the
proceedings in a particular church. And it had been much raore
necessary to have appointed the like, about these general and greater
asserablies; because every one of these courts — intended — has the
power of a sentence and judgment, whereas those 'two or three' pro
ceed but in a way of admonitions in order to a superior court. Shall
Christ take care for Congregations, — which are esteeraed the meanest,
— and not for these ? of which, if Christ should not have set the
bounds of power and subordination thereof, none would know what
belongs to thera ; who is in fault, if offences be not corrected ; nor
would any know whom first to appeal unto. ' I will appeal unto the
national asserably first,' says one, ' and am not bound to the classical
or provincial !' Another woitid say, ' I will appeal to a general council,
which can best judge, and will be sure to make an end of it!' Why
should any be hindered for going per saltum, if Christ have not set
forth and obliged us to these 'subordinations' in their order ?
"v. In the church of the Jews, the ' subordinations' that were, were
set forth and detennined by Institution, or example ; how many courts
there should be, and where to rest : there were the ' courts' of the
cities and the towns ; and then, their ' sanhedrim,' to which the case
was to be carried, if it were too hard for then- particular courts ; and
no other courts between, appointed, Deut. xvii. In the New Testa
ment, we have for reraoring scandals a Congregational standing court
and government — or be it a classical standing presbytery over many
congi-egations, as our Brethren say ; — and we have an example also,
of going out from a particular standing church — whether the one or
the other — electively, to another church, or churches, when divisions
are therein, which Acts xv. holds forth ; but still for such standing
' subordinations' and courts as these, out of the church, nothing at all !
If there had been any national sanhedrim, a set and constant judica
tory, then Christ would have appointed it, as he had done before ; but
he hath not, no e.xainple, no Institution, holds it forth I Which is
the second part of the Minor Proposition : thus proved,
2k2

500 HISTORICAL. MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
"i. The New Testament is sUent in it. And if it be said, 'I'hat
all nations were not then converted when the aposties wrote : it is
answered. That God, in the Old Testament, took care to set the order
aforehand, when they had no cities nor were settied in the land. And,
accordingly, if the aposties had not lived to see that which might
occasion such an institution, or precept, yetthey would some way have
left order for tirae to corae.
" ii. But though the apostles lived to see many faraous particular
churches erected in a province as well as in cities ; in a nation, as in
Judea, in Asia, in Crete, there were many cities and churches in each.
And although all the people in these countries were not Christian, nor
raembers of churches, yet there was matter for the uioiilding and casting
thera into these ' subordinations ' as well as now in France, where not
the third part are Protestants, or in the Low Countries where not the
tenth part of the inhabitants are members of their churches ; and sure
if these superstructions had been so absolutely necessary, in the govern
raent of the churches, it had been as necessary to have appointed thera :
they set up and appointed all needful reraedies for ordering the churches
after them, when they should be gone. And it is more strange that,
in the case of the spreading of enors, they should not write to churches
as gathered into ' synods ! ' And, as having the standing power to pre
vent and suppress them — if such ordinary standing asserablies, arraed
with coercive power, had been then in that existence, as now, — that
upon no occasion this should be done, when yet they had occasions !
Take the 'seven churches in Asia,' Ephesus, Thyatira, Smyrna, with the
rest of the churches therein — a Province — and though therein we find
many great disorders, and some in doctrine — the raore proper work of
these standing ' synods ' — yet we see that Christ writes only to each
of those churches apart, and reproves each for their disorder in each ;
whereas had they been one church in such a standing association for
government, and had had ordinary provincial and national assemblies
extant, as now, the reproof would have been especially directed there
unto : as if errors and disorders were in the classical churches — as
those all are pretended to be — of Scotland, the chief rebuke would now
more justly fall upon the national and provincial assemblies, as their
constitution is.
" iii. Yea, the Holy Ghost would have at least vouchsafed to these
or sorae other churches — that were, in like manner, in a nation, or
province, as Galatia, etc. — in respect of such a combination, the name
of a church ; who must, according to the principles of this govern
ment, have had so much of the power of a church : but no where are
the churches in a province called a church, but churches, in the plural.
And if the lesser churches, then these; yea, rather, these having most
of the power, should therefore have had raost of the narae ! Yea, and
by how ranch the church-power thereof, should have been most inde
pendent—as a nation is — and so come most eminentiy within that
rule, ' Tell the church ;' from which words these pretend their power,
and yet cannot show so much titie thereto as to have the name ' church'
given them ; let a rational account be given of this.
" Second Argument : If there be such a ' subordination ' of synods

CHAP. LIX ] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 501
in the church of Christ ; then, there is no independency but in an
oecumenical council : which, first, would bring in a foreign ecclesiastical
power over each state and kingdom : and, secondly ; therefore of all
other, should have its designation and existence in the Word ; and is
raore needful than the other two sorts of synods mentioned ; for if
any should be extant, then that which is reuiediura efficacissimum.
It is said, there is wanting remedium efficax, if their 'subordinations'
be not ; but according to these principles, there is wanting that which
is the raost efficacious 'remedy ' if a General Council be not extant
in the world ; for if there be not a resting in a classical presbytery,
but prorincial also must be and appealed to, neither are they reckoned
efficacious enough but there must be national also — upon this supposi
tion, that the greater assembly hath more of the promise and assistance
of Christ than the lesser, — then, of all others, a General Council must
be supposed in a transcendent manner above all the rest to have the
promise of assistance made to it ; and so to be the most eminently
efficacious, if not the only ' remedy ' on earth, yea, and only to be rested
in, being that which only is the ultimate ! Some of the Papists, they
gave this to such a General Council, That it cannot en-: but according
to these principles of Presbyterial divines, though it raight err, yet it
is supposable to be transcendently raore infallible than all the other
under it, and God raore with it than with all the rest ; and, therefore,
God, in his Word, would have given especially, order for this above all
other. And the same God that suits his providences to his institutions,
would not have failed in what is the most sovereign ' remedy ' of all
other, that it raight have been existent in all ages ; as we see his proraise
was, to the Jews, to keep their land when the males thrice a year went
up to the General Asserably at Jerusalem ; but three hundred years
the churches wanted them, and could not enjoy them ; and they were
judged, therefore, not necessary to the government of the church; which
yet, according to these principles, must have been the most necessary
of all the rest !
" Yea, and further also ; thirdly, there must be an injurious inde
pendency set up in a national synod : for when a man hath appealed
from one court to another and comes to this national, that is the ultimate
existent, and upon the sentence thereof coraes next to be banished
out of a nation, to have his estate forfeited to the ruin of himself and
posterity, then it is that he most of all needs the relief of a higher
' reraedy ' more efficacious than all these he hath gone through, if such
a one may be: yet then, he is left remediless and, he [is] according
unto these principles, left more unsatisfied than ever ; because, thinks
he, There is, by God's appointment, a Court that hath raore of God
and of Christ in it than all these, to judge of the truth and right; and
lo ! it is not ; and can never be expected ! Let it be withal, considered
that when God appointed a ' subordination ' of standing courts, he
withal designed-out which should be the supreme, and raade it the
ultimate ; and the supremacy and independency of it in a set and
standing way, was his Institution, as much as the appointment of the
court itself. So that, he was to be put to death that obeyed not the
sentence ol it; and all appeals were thereby cut off. Therefore, if a

£02 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
national church doth take upon it to be an independent church, upon
the sentence thereof to have the extremest punishraent executed — but
that of death — that, in a nation, raen are capable of; it had need, for
the quieting of aU men's spirits that must submit to il, not only show
a warrant from God for it to be an ecclesiastical judicatory, but also to
be the supreme court, as the sanhedrim was, that appeals should be
made to.
"Third Argument : To that end, let it be exarained, 'What set rules
there are or raay be supposed to be, of these ' subordinations,' and
their bounds ; and the ultimate independency in a national church.
Which should be fetched frora some standing considerations which the
Word wanants : God never having constituted a church, but he gave
the bounds thereof. All vaiiatiou of church-power is from God : the
alteration of the govemment of his people, the Jews, from family go
vernment, — which had been, under the law of nature, — to national, in
Moses' time, was by express appointraent. And as Hiraself made and
constituted it a national church, so there was an ecclesiastical govern
raent framed by Himself suited thereunto. And in the New Testa
ment, there is ' a reed ' to ' raeasure the temple,' Rev. xi. I ; a rule,
to set out the limits of church-power, as well as under the Old : and
therefore the Argument is framed thus :
" That church power which cannot show a constant Divine rule for
its variation and subordination, and ultimate independency, is not of
God, and so raay not be. But this variation of church power into
these subordinations, cannot show any such steady and constant rule
for these things. Therefore, etc.
" The Major is evident, from what hath been said: the Minor is raade
good, hy a removal of all particulars that raay be supposed to be the
square of fraraing these ' subordinations,' etc.
" i. Not that rule, That the greater nuraber or company of churches
should rule the less ; and, that the whole should rule the part : for
then, i. There would be as raany several ' subordinations ' as there can
be supposed variations of greater numbers : and that will arise to more
than these three only. Every new gi-eater company, would constitute
a new ' synod.' 2. Where is the promise of God, That he will be more
with the greatest part of them that profess Christianity rather than with
a few, so far as to constitute a new power and govemment ? 3. Yea,
the greater number of churches professing religion are more con-upted;
the purer churches are fewer ! It had been ill for ' PhUadelphia ' and
the angel and elders thereof, if those ' seven churches in Asia ' had
been cast into such a 'subordinate ' association for government, to be
exercised by the angels and elders of all the other six churches, with
the rest, in Asia. And the like may be said, of the purer refoi-med
churches in Germany ; if the greater number of those, that yet were
true churches, should have ruled the lesser ; then, the Lutherans and
Calvinists being bound to this government, the Lutherans, being also
true churches and the raore in number, would, by virtue of this law,
have soon corrupted the purer. And, what reason can be pretended —
according to this rule, and the principles of this government, — to leave,
¦any trtie churches out of an association ? 4. Suppose there should

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 503
be as many elders and churches raore jiurely reformed, in one province
or shire than in the rest of a whole nation besides, — as instance raight
be given, in some of the Refonned churches, that there are, — why
should not God be thought to be as much with them as with the
National AssembW^ ? And if all are to give themselves up to this
law ; how will the gi-eater which is the worse, either con-upt the purer
or oppress them? 5. If qud greater; then, the decrees of [the]
greater, namely. General Councils, in fonner ages, should bind us raore
than national, or provincial, now ; for they should have had more of
church in them by this rule, and so more of Christ : and then, all
General Councils that set up Popes, and Bishops, and all other super
stitions, are still binding I If it be said. We chose them not : yet still
that is not the ground which raakes their decrees less divine, or
obliging, to us ; but it lieth in the authority of God's ordinance. That
they were the greater and more general councils. And however, still,
if this be the rule. That the greater number of churches rule the less :
then, take the measure of this gi-eatness and nuraber of churches, from
time, stretching the line over all ages past ; as well as from the more
number of churches in such or such a place, or nations, in the present
times ; and so look, what General CouncUs for most ages of the wcnld
did establish, should, by virtue of this law, oblige the present tiraes,
and have more force upon us than the universal church in this present
age, much raore than of any National Assembly ; if either be simply
considered under a raere ecclesiastical obligation— that is, qud greater;
and more of church ! Tirae varielh not the case so, but that all their acts
having been acts of the church universal, in all ages, should compara
tively stand more in force. The acts of any [of] the last General
Councils will stand in force until a General Council of like extent repeal
those acts ; as the statutes of Parliament of our ancestors do, if not
repealed by like and equal authority.
"ii. It is not the notion or consideration of their being churches iu
such or such a nation, or province, that can be the rule of raaking this
obligation, or setting of these bounds. It raust be considered, the
question is of a mere ecclesiastic obligation by virtue of church-princi
ples, such as should have been a just rule and measure to the primitive
churches — ere princes turned christian, — to have reared the like ' sub
ordinations.' Now then, the limits, from hence, must either rise from
being, first, one church in a kingdom under the same civil govern
ment ; or, secondly, one church in a nation : that is, either frora a
national respect or political. First, in general from neither ; for this
instance, Acts xv., of the council there, its rise, or the bounds of its
authority, was founded upon neither : for if either natural or political
respects should have obliged them, they should have sent to Syria and
Cilicia, and not to Jerusalem, who were both under a differing govern
ment-civil, and of another nation! But more particularly; first, not
qud church in one kingdom ; for that is per accidens to a church that
it gi-ows up to a kingdom, or that the whole nation is converted to
Christianity. And therefore, a set rule for all times cannot be fetched
from hence : this, could not be the certain ' measure ' of the indepen
dency of church-power, in the apostles' times. Secondly, this makes

504 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
the bounds of ecclesiastical independency and jurisdiction uncertain ;
varying as the bounds of kingdoms do vary. When the Roman empire
had all kingdoms under it, all the churches must then have been
obliged to have had General, standing, CouncUs, suited to the extent
of the empire, to have been the next unto the provincial ; such as the
national are now to the provincial : or else, before the empire turned
christian, there were, by this rule, even as many independencies as
churches. And then, again, when this empire was broken into ten
kingdoms, yea and many more, there arose, instead of the former,
many new independent boundaries of church-power ; — of which only,
the question is ; and not of that power which a church doth corae to
have, and, siraply and alone, holds of the magistrates ; which will be
merely civil. — And then, as kingdoms vary by conquests ; the like
alteration, the bounds of church-power must receive. Among the
Jews it did not ; for when the church was broken into two kingdoms,
by God's appointment, yet the church-state, by God's Institution
varied not, but was still one church. All these things are, therefore,
mere accidentals to church-power ; and, how can they be the founda
tion of the bounds of it ?
"iii. Lastly; If this independency, ariseth from the magistrates;
then, there is no need of such 'subordinations." Which is proved by
experience, in Refonned Churches abroad; who are well enough
governed without these 'subordinations." Geneva hath no appeals,
yet is governed by one classical church ; and why may not all other
churches be governed as well without them, if the magistrate oversees
them, and keeps each to their duties ? The churches in the Low
Countries want national synods, and yet are peaceably governed : yea,
some for a long time are without provincial ; and say, if they can they
will never have more ; and yet are peaceably and quietiy governed ! It
is as the civil magistrate will, [to] terminate the independency, and
himself overlook it [the church]. Or, secondly; if these bounds
be fetched for national respects : then, first, in Germany, Cal
vinists must be subject to the greater number of Lutherans ; and, in
this kingdom, all ministers must raake up this association ; and the
greater number will be the worse, and malign and oppose the good.
If because the Calvinists profess a further Reformation, they are dis-
obKged from associating with the Lutherans ; then, those in any nation,
that profess a further reformation than others, are free, by the sarae law
also. Surely, uniformity of principles, is a more intimate bond
of such association, than any such outward, extrinsical, respects !
Secondly, if qud nation, or principality ; then Wales must be inde
pendent. Thirdly, if qud nation ; then, if nation be taken for a
people of the same tongue and kindred, then all the christian Jews, in
the primitive times, when 'scattered" into a [any] nation, were bound
to have raade one church, distinct from all the churches they cohabited
with : if nation, be taken for a proper dwelling in the same natural
bounds; then, the sarae Jews, being 'dispersed' into several countries
and nations, raust have raade one church with the several nations where
they lived ; whereas Peter, in his epistles.and James in his; and Paul,
to the Hebrews ; write unto the Jews apart, as churches in all nations !

CHAP. LIX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS 505
" Fourth Argument : That govemment which, necessarily, produceth
representations of spiritual power out of other representations, with a
derived power therefrom ; there is no wan-ant for. But these ' sub
ordinations ' of synods, provincial, national, oecumenical, for the
govemment of the ''church, do so.
" The Major, shall be spoken to after the Minor Proposition is both
cleared and proved ; which is done by putting two things together.
"Minor: First That if there be an authoritative 'subordination'
of all churches in the provinces, to a national assembly, and so of many
nations to an oecumenical, binding unto subjection ; that then, all in
the provinces, must be interested in that national ; and all in the nation
in that oecumenical ; so as, it may be said, that they are all involved
and included, and, so, obliged : as it is in Parliaraentary-power, wherein
the Shires are involved. Secondly : That this interest hi this ' sub
ordination ' cannot arise, but either hy immediate choice of those elders
which shall represent each church and congregation immediately, —
which is the case of our Parliament raen, chosen imraediately, by those
they represent ;— or else, that the provincial elders, sent by the congre
gations, shall choose out of themselves, some few that shall represent
the provinces ; and so likewise, the national assemblies shall choose out
some few, which shall rejiresent the whole nation in a General Council,
Now, the first of these is not, nor can be, in the choice of a national
assembly: congi-egations meet not for any such immediate choice; but
the elders of them all choose out of themselves : so as, the obligation
of all the churches to be subject to a national assembly — arising out of
those other 'subordinations,' — is not hecause they are a greater number
of elders or divines, — for, in a provincial synod, there may be assem
bled as many as in the national, — but it ariseth flora hence. That some,
out of all, do represent the rest. And if they did not raeet and vote as
representers of the whole, then when a national assembly sits, in a
great city, all other, neighliour rainisters, might come and vote with
them, and out-vote them who are the representers ofthe whole.
" Major : Now, That such a representation, having a derived spiri
tual power from other representations, is not, in matters spiritual,
warrantable : — besides all arguments against delegated power in raatters
spiritual; all ministers being, imraediately, Christi vicarii; and that all
such representations grow weaker, as reflections use to do; elders
represent the churches in classical and jirovincial asserablies, as being,
iraraediately, chosen by them, but the elders in national assemblies are
the representations of elders in provinces, and so are a shadow of that
first shadow, whereas yet, they have the most power ; even all that can
be supposed to belong to the whole substance. — Besides such considera
tions, it is argued thus :
" i. If these few, out of nations, in a General Council should bind
all those nations in matters spiritual ; and a few, out of prorinces, the
nation ; they must be supposed to have the Promise and an assistance
answerable : but where is either the promise, or, can gifts in a few,
be supposed to produce such an obligation ? It is true, 'when two or
three are gathered together,' His promise is, to be ' in the midst of
them,' Malt, xviii, 20; and so suppose, with more when more are met;

506 HISTORICAL ME.MOI!IALS [CHAIILES I.
but that His promise should be, to be with a few, out of a nation, as
witii the whole nation ; and those, not chosen, immediately, by the
nation, and but the representors of them ; cannot be expected. It is
gi-anted, that each so met hath the gifts and assistance of an elder, and
so, the whole, as of so raany elders met — as we, in this Assembly met
together, are to be looked upon, and the judgments thereof accordingly
reverenced ; — but that as they are elders representative of hundreds of
other elders who, theraselves, are representers of churches. That any such
addition, should arise to thera by virtue of this duplicated representa
tion, over and above what is iu their single gifts and office ; let either
a warrant be produced, or a promise ! Two things are allowed them,
but a third denied them ; first, it is granted they may have assistance
to judge as elders, which is their office : secondly, assistance to judge
according to their personal abilities, being thus called to give their
advice : but, thirdly, such a superadded assistance, as holds proportion
to that spiritual bulk and body which they represent, is denied them.
For suppose that always it lalls out, that the best and choicest of a
nation are chosen ; yet still not to hold proportion to the whole nation :
there must be raore than an ordinary promise for it ; and, therefore,
had need be express and evident ! When the Jesuits say, that the
Pope may err as persona privata, but not as Pontifex, when he is in
his chair representing the whole church ; Davenant confutes thera thus,
'Officium dat authoritatem judicandi, sed privatse personae conditiones
dant modum et facultatem :' De Judice et Normi Fidei ; Pref. That it
is otherwise in commonwealths, is because they being human creations
[1 Pet. ii. 13, ut sup. Arg. I. iii.], the represented can set up a power
which shall represent thera; but this 'power' we speak of is super
natural, and must be from God, and His Institution. The sanhedrim
of Jerusalem, had a special assistance above all courts else, and there
fore God appointed causes to be brought to it; which special assistance
is intimated twice in the institution of it, by this, that they should ' go
up to the place which God shall choose,' and ' do according to the
sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall choose, shall
show;' Deut xvii. 8, 10. An emphasis is put upon that blessing
which, by God's choice and election, did accompany 'that place' which
God had chosen to put his Name [there], and promised to be in an
eminent manner present in, and to accept their sacrifices there offered
— which was a representative worship, of that nation, — and not else
where. Now, as it was the representative worship of the nation, so
these governors were the representative govemors of that nation ; and
both sanctified in 'that place,' — as the gift was by 'the altar' [Exod.
xxix. 37], — as that which God had chosen. If the like Institution
were found with the intimation of such a blessing — fi-om a peculiar
choice of God — of National Assemblies, all ought to [be] subject to
thera, in matters spiritual !
" ii. If there be such representations as these, in one, or few, persons,
of raany churches ; they have each for that tirae, whilst in such an
asserably, archiepiscopal and episcopal power : and their case is paral
lel — parallel then, as for that time and occasion and as met in a ' synod,'
— with that of so raany bishops met in a council ; whose episcopal

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 507
power as then and therein met lies in this. That they are so many
churches-representative! Especially this would fall out, if these
'synods' should still consist of the same men ; or if some few should
be always chosen to them. And why may these not be standing per
sons, that ai-e more skilful in such affairs, through exercise ; as well as
standing assemblies themselves ? And then, as touching matters of
jurisdiction, in such an assembly they are, for the present, the same
with so raany bishops met in a Convocation !
" iii. If these representations, having the power of all tiie churches
in the nation, were warrantable, they must be a Church : now, besides
that they are nowhere so called ; and, if they were called so, then they
are a 'body' to Christ, for so every church is, [1 Cor. x. 17] ; and,
where is Christ said to have a representative body of his 'body' ? They
are a company of elders personally gathered ; but a representative
church, they are not, nor can be : and yet must be, or they have not
the power of all the churches, in a nation, in them ; nor, otherwise, do
their acts oblige them to subjection."*
" Reasons against the allegation of Acts xv., for the Subordination
of Synods, provincial, national, oecumenical.
" Besides what hath been said, against this example alleged to prove
presbyterial acts of govei-nnient by the elders of the church of Jerusa
lem, in the Reasons forraerly presented ; proving, first. That this one
e-xaraple, cannot serve to prove both the presbyterial government and
synodical ; but that if the Reverend Asserably will lean to the one, the
other raust be quitted : and, secondly. That that Assembly, was not a
formal synod ; but only a reference by the particular church of Antioch,
of their differences among themselves, unto this particular church of
Jerusalera and [to] no other : it raay be, moreover, observed, That the
exaraple of it, is here further extended to prove all sorts of ' synods '
and 'subordinations' thereof, 'provincial, national, and oecumenical ;'
and so it must suit all these so great varieties; whereas, it is not fit for
any one of them !
"But if it had been a 'synod;' yet, first, neither provincial nor
national ; for Antioch consults not with the churches of her own nation,
but seeks to Jerusalem, a church of Judea, of another nation and
another province. Neither, secondly, is it the instance of a standing
synod — which the word ' subordination,' in the Proposition, doth neces
sarily infer, or else the links of those chains will not hang together, —
but elective ; for they sent out of election and choice to thera, and to
thera but about this one question at this tirae, without any obhgation
to refer aU other matters to them in an ordinary way. Nor, thirdly,
was there a multiplication of synods ; but only one, in whose judgment
those of Antioch rested. Fourthly ; rauch less is it the instance of
rearing up of a ' subordination' and contignation of synods, superior and
inferior, which is a further thing. For though, when offences are not
healed, and one reference to other churches is not sufficient to cure
them, there should be a seeking to others ; yet the example, obligeth
the churches that are in difference, not to take and choose the churches
•P. 114—128.

508 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES L
of that province, either as of that province or as the gi-eater number to
whom, both those among whora the controversy is and these to whom
it was afore referred, must be subordiuately subject ; much less doth it
hold forth, that the churches of that province, may, judiciaUy, challenge
a right of authority to decide it, and oblige them sub poena to their
detennination ; and then, the churches of that whole nation, challenge
the like over all ! But still it runs in this way only. That those who
shall be judged meetest, and ablest, and faithfuUest, to detennine and
Compose it, by those who are to refer it, shall have the hearing of it
" The argument of the Reverend Asserably was drawn from ' like
reason' — ['a parity of reason'] — ; and let there be 'like' reason,
and it is granted. And though [they would say] the instance, is not
the pattern of a formal ' sjniod,' yet it holds forth this rule of equity.
That when offences arise araong churches references ought to be made
from out of theraselves to churches abroad, to heal thera. But the
question is, to what churches, those references are to be made, and
how ? Let the ' Uke reason,' held forth in the example, be kept unto,
and decide it! Say we, still. To those churches, the churches offended,
or divided, shall choose as fittest and ablest to deterraine it This is
clear in the example, Antioch was not bound to refer it to the church
of Jerusalem as greater, or as a neighbour church, or of the same pro
vince ; but as best able to judge of the differences ! And this way,
agrees with the law of nature ; and of arbitration so usual araongst
men, which God hath there set up as an ordinance, and pattem of pro
ceeding in such case. But this 'subordination of synods,' the Propo
sition intends, holds so differing a course from this, as, first, instead of
elective ' synods,' and occasional ; it sets up standing and set, to be
the judge of the churches under them, for ever ; secondly, not in one
case, as Antioch to Jerusalem; but in all cases, whatever shall fall out:
thirdly, not in a way of niititijilication, or diversification, as need shall
be ; but of ' subordination ' and settled snjieriority : and the grounds
of this, to be, because the gi-eater must rule the less ; and, that they
are neighbour churches in the sarae provuice, or nation. And this.
Acts XV. is so far from countenancing bya par ratio, that in all things
it is unlike : and so, there is a differing constitution and rale of these
• sjmods ' thus subordinate, and what the ' reason ' drawn frora Acts xv.
will warrant : and therefore, doth raake a differing forraal ' reason ' in
the goverament.
" And human prudence, added, will not rectify it; when the 'reason'
of the institution is so rauch varied from. For instance : If the fun
damental law, for remedy of wrongs and deciding controversies in any
kingdom, were, by arbitration elective, to take them to be their judges
whom the parties in difference judge aptest every way for the present
controversy, and that the precedents and ruled cases hold forth no raore;
and if the governraent of another kingdom were. That the greater
should rule and detennine the causes of the less ; and, according to
the proportion thereof, to have subordinate standing courts erected to
which, by appeal from one to the other, all causes should be brought :
Whether were not these two, such differing frames of governraent ; so
as that he that would mould the first to the second, might not be chal-

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 509
lenged to set up a new govemment differing from the fundamental law
of that kingdom ? And, whether the first, is not a liberty to be stood
upon, against the second, if it were vouchsafed to any kingdom ? — and
that is die case here ! — is humbly submitted. And the bounds of such
assemblies elective, need no set or standing rule ; hecause they arise
from emergent occasions, in cases of controversy and offence : and the
extent of thera, and so the condition and nature of the things them
selves, do hold forth their own rise ; like as the bounds of particular
congregations, to be of such as live so as convenientiy to meet in one
place, ariseth from the nature of the thing itself and the necessary
requisites thereunto."*
" Reasons against the argument drawn from the analogy of Matt,
xviii. " The strength of the argument runs. That because there should be
this 'remedy,' that therefore there is such a reraedy. It is granted,
there is a remedy : which is, a going forth to other churches; which
Acts XV. holds forth. But, that ' excommunication,' — which is the
remedy held forth. Matt xviii., — of the offending church or churches,
should be the 'remedy,' is not there held forth, as hath been shown.
There is remedy of co-ordination, such as between two nations, and as
between ^are* as churches are; proceeding in a way suitable to their
condition : but not this, of ' subordination,' that the greater number
of churches should become standing courts, and have power to excora
raunicate the lesser ; but, that all churches have a power to declare the
offence, and withdraw coramunion from those churches. And in
reason, how is it possible for a national church to excommuni
cate all the churches of a province ? and how ineffectual would that
be ! Or, for a General Council to excoramunicate a nation ? And if
they cannot use this ' remedy,' to what end is this ' subordination of
synods ' having this authority, pleaded for ?
" i. And whereas it is said. That there must be the sarae reraedy,
that is, in a congregation, for an offending brother ; or else, where the
disease is strongest, the remedy is weakest. It is answered, first, that
where the disease is strongest, there this which is called the strongest
remedy cannot be applied ; or with an apparent inefficaciousness. For,
when the churches in a province err, or a national church ; here the
disease is strongest, and yet it would be in vain to interdict thera cora
munion araong theraselves, or ' deliver' them ' unto Satan ;' 1 Cor.
V. 5. Yea, when it coraes to the highest, naraely, a National As
sembly, wherein — if erring — the disease is greatest aud strongest, there
is not only no ' remedy,' but the highest and greatest power to do hurt
upon all under them ! as when the generality of the clergy were Arians.
And if they err, the error is worse than of a Pope's erring, or a
Bishop's ; he is but one, and may be deposed. And in the greater
bodies of the clergy, the greater part are and have been still the worse
and more corrupt ; as is apparent in this kingdom at present ; in
which, by virtue of the Presbyterial principles, all ministers must be
taken in : and if you wiU put them out, where will others be had in
^V. 128—130

510 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES L
their room ? Convert liien, we cannot ; and if not converted, ministers
of all others are the worst, and greatest opposites to religion. And if
a National Assembly be chosen by these, the greater number are
like to be of the worst ; and such as may alter aU that you now have
done !
" And if it be said. That this wUl hold against great politic bodies
as well, who may undo the commonwealth : the answer is. That the
common and equal interest of all, and the common principles of pre
serving the rights and liberties of a state, and seeking the common
good ; is natural unto the generality of raen : but the truths of the
Gospel, and purity of religion and the power thereof; are contrary to
the principles of all natural men. And in all ages, the raost of the
clergy have been aptest to corrupt the one and oppose the other. And
in those ages, when such Councils began to be standing and in most
credit, after the first three hundred years ; then was it that the mj's-
tery of popery did work most powerfully, and those superstitions and
coiTupt opinions grew up which made way for 'that man of sin,'
2 Thes. ii. 3, and that body of popish doctrine that hath overspread the
world. And if there should be no danger of cornqiting the Truth, yet
the churches, though Reformed, coming all out of popery and not
being fully enlightened in all things, and the first notice of anything
further in matters of theology usually falling into the hearts and spirits
but of a few, we should have no further Truth taught, but ojipresscd,
till a whole nation is [becomes] enlightened in it.
" ii. The efficacy of all remedies doth depend, first, upon Christ's
blessing on them ; which, depends upon his Institution of thein : and
par ratio, for 'like reason,' will never set up an ordinance, unless
Christ hath himself appointed it; and in the exaraple. Acts xv.,
there is not this way of proceeding held forth. Secondly, it lies in
suitableness to the condition of those that are to be dealt with. Now,
when many churches deal with an erring church ; the churches in a
province, with many erring churches ; or of a nation, with a province ;
they must be in reason dealt with suitably to the condition of churches
and of a multitude. And surely, a brotherly way of admonition, etc.
[2 Thess. iii. 15] ; withdrawing communion, [verse 14] ; is mora
suitable unto such. As in the civil government, if a province rebels,
or a great raultitude of subjects ; should the state presently hang up
all in that province ? although, unto particular persons rebelling, this
is efficacious to suppress rebeUion. Thirdly, Christ hath suited his
remedies to all times, and unto all conditions ; and, how national and
provincial assemblies could be, during the first three hundred years,
when yet churches were well governed, is submitted !
" iii. And, lastly; If the analogy of this 18th of Matthew be argued ;
then, first, let the analogy be kept : and then, when a church hath
offended other churches, they are not to bring thera to a set court of
judicature at first; for Christ's rule is otherwise, in dealing with an
offended brother ; electively, to take two or three other churches, to
admonish them, — which is raore suited to that way foreraentioned.
Acts XV. jVs for the pi-oceedings against a brother, in a congregation ;

CHAP. LIX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ' 511
there is not a set appointed number, of two or three standing persons
to be the admonishers of all .persons offending ere it comes to the
church ; nor have they power to excommunicate. And thus, by this
proportion, instead of these set and standing provincial assemblies to
whom causes are next brought, and these armed with power of excora
raunication ; there should only be two or three or more neighbour
churches to admonish the offending church ; and not a standing court
to bring it unto. And then, secondly, let it be shown where a standing
' synod 'of elders is called The Church ! And how, then, can.the'analogy
hold, when it holds not in the narae; ' Tell the Church ?' The 'like
reason' holds not, unless these Particular Congi-egations have the
power of excoraraunication ; for otherwise, if these greater assemblies'
power be argued from the analogy of the lesser, and the same remedy
excommunication, and the Particular Congregations have not that
allowed them ; then, by the principles of this analogy, it is nowhere to
be found: but as the Congregational Churches have power only to
admonish and suspend from sacraments, so the greater assemblies
should have no more also. And though the Church Universal is
called a Church, and 'one body' to Christ; yet as materially con
sidered, and not as a politic body, in respect to governraent ; which
was never yet asserted by this Assembly."" Subscribed, as before, p. 494.
" Reasons against the Proposition touching Ordination : namely,
"' It is very requisite. That no single congregation that can con
veniently associate, do assurae to itself all and sole power in Ordina
tion.' " We offer these Reasons : i. Where there is a sufficient presbytery,
' all and sole power in Ordination ' raay be assumed, though associa-'
tion may be had : but there raay be a sufficient presbytery in a par
ticular congi-egation.
" The Major hath two parts; first. That a sufficient presbytery may
' assume all and sole power in ordination :' secondly. That it raay do
so, though it may ' associate." The former is proved, 1 Tim. iv. 14,
' By the laying on of the hands of the presbytery," as is voted by
the Assembly ; which is the only Scripture brought for Ordination by
•ordinary elders. The second part, appears, 1, Because association doth
neither add to nor diminish the power of a presbytery : it is by way
of accumulation, not privation ; as is acknowledged by the Reforraed
Churches. 2, If Eissociation be so necessarily required, where it may
be had; then, neither a classical, provincial, nor national presbytery,
can ' assume all and sole power in ordination,' if there be any other
classical, provincial, or national presbytery, with whom they may asso
ciate : and that there is, or may be, always some, is necessarily to be
sujiposed in these times of the Gospel ; if any association, ought
to be.
" The Minor, That there may be a sufficient presbytery, in a par
ticular congregation ; is proved, 1 , By tiie Second Proposition touching
» P. 130—133.

512 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Church Govemment, sent up to the Honourable Houses of Parlia
ment, namely, ' A presbytery consists of ministers of the Word, and
such other public officers as are agreeable to, and warranted by the
Word of God, to be church-govemors to join vrith the ministers in the
government of the church :' all which, may be, in a particular con
gregation. 2, Wherein consists. The sufficiency of a presbytery ?
The nuraber of how raany elders, is not set or bounded by Institution :
suppose two or three ; and if raore be requisite, in a particular con
gregation there may be four or five : and a presbytery over many con
gregations, is acknowledged to be sufficient though it consist of no
more. If they have this power as a sufficient presbytery, why not the
other also ? Have they their power only as having relation to many
congregations ? Is that, the essential requisite to their sufficiency ?
Here are elders and as many elders, having relation to a church ; and
the argument used by the Reverend Assembly, to prove a presbytery
over many congi-egations, is. That elders are raentioned in relation to
one church !
" ii. That which two apostles, being joined together, raight do in a
particular congi-egation ; that, ordinary elders may do in a particular
congregation : but Paul and Barnabas ordained elders in particular
congregations, though they might associate. Therefore, etc.
" The consequence appears thus, If the argument brought by the
Rev. Assembly do hold, naraely. That when the apostles met together
for ordination ; or for ordering the affairs of the church of Jemsalem ;
they met ' as ordinary elders ;' — which they have voted : — then, surely,
when Paul and Bamabas met to ordain elders in particular congrega
tions, it is to be averred they met for that act ' as ordinary elders.'
" The Minor hath two parts, first, Paul and Bamabas ordained
elders in particular congregations : secondly. That they inight asso
ciate. First ; That these were particular congregations, wherein they
ordained elders, appears. Because it is not supposable that the cities,
much less the regions round about, where the apostles preached and
erected churches — as appears by Acts xiii. 49, compared with xiv. 6,
21 — 23, — were grown to many congregations before the apostles ap
pointed elders to them : for the apostles, who were to preach in all
places, would not stay so long in one place ; and it was their course
when they were there, Uavbi, as at Derbe, xiv. 21, to set elders to them.
Again ; this was the first ordination of elders to those places ; and
therefore, raust needs be to particular congregations ; for the classis, is
made up of the elders of raany congregations. Lastly ; they ordained
elders Kar eKKXijaiav and avrole, verse 23 ; and at their ordaining, they
fasted and prayed, comraending thera to the grace of God : which fast
ing and praying, being — according to the principles of us both — to
be in particular congregations; it followeth, that the 'churches' to
which those elders were appointed, were particular congregations.
"Forthe second [part]. That they might associate: it appears.
Because there were churches in the regions round about, and yet the
aposties mention not, association, which they would have done if that
had been the way ; for when they did things with ordinary elders, it

CHAP. LX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 513
is thus recorded, 'The apostles and elders :' but tiiey commend tbem'
to the grace of God, as Paul did the church of Ephesus, Acts xx. 32;
as leaving sufficient means to perpetuate succession, and to ordain
other elders if any should die, as also to build them up to eternal
life."" Subscribed, as before, p. 494.

CHAP. LX.
laud's EXECUTION.  BURTOn's " GRAND IMPOSTOR."
It is recorded in our pages, that the " two-handed engine " was raade
to perform its office on the first victim'' of a Triumvirate, whose
extreme fate, as it does at this distance of time, so may ever con
tinue to excite the best feelings of huraanity. The second, is de
scribed, by no hostile hand, in terms not inapplicable to any one of
the three : " Mark'd out by dangerous parts, he meets the shock."'=
Conceming this one of whom we are now treating, we know not
over which to lament the more, his injudicious friends or his unrelent
ing enemies, — they who dignify him under the style of " Saint
* P. 190 — 192. — We cannot withhold the extraordinary proem to the "Answer"
of the Presbyterians on this Proposition, which had been introduced into the
Assembly the first in order, but was the last disposed of : " Among all the Propo
sitions which tbe Assembly presented to the Honourable Houses of Parliament
concerning Ordination, our Brethren have singled out this one, to which they enter
their Dissent; as if this alone were opposite to their opinions touching this matter.
'Which, whether it be so, or that there was not some other reason of tbeir insisting
on this rather than on any of tbe rest, themselves best know-. We remember
that in a Proposition not altogether unlike to this, some others of the Assembly
differed somewhat in the debate from the major part : and we have observed our.
jjBretbren ready enough to take notice and make use of any such difference —
although sometimes but in point of method ; as, whether of two propositions, this
or that should be first debated ; — and to talk of a Third Party in the Assembly.
We observe likewise, that the arguments here brought against this Proposition, are
not properly arguments of their own [!], nor pressed by themselves in the Assem
bly, nor such as are most suitable to their own opinions ; [!] but arguments used
by others in that debate. And whether that difference were not some reason why
our Brethren chose rather to insist upon this Proposition in their Dissent than on
some other, themselves are best able to determine. We expected from our Brethren
—in a search for Truth, not a contest for Victory — arguments to prove ' That every
single congregation,' &c. . . We must observe also of these borrowed arguments [!]
brought by our Brethren against this Proposition, that neither of them concludes
against the Proposition in debate." P. 185 [19.')]. The proceedings of the Eras.
tians, as tbe " Third Party " in tbe Assembly, are stated and remarked upon by
Neal, in the 6th chapter of the third volume of his History of the Puritans.
" See back, p. 137.
'" The Vanity of Human Wishes," by Sam. Johnson, LL.D. And see bii
opinion of Laud, in tbe Lives of Cheynel and Blake.
II. " 2 L

514 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I-
WiUiara," or they who, not contented with depressing him to the lowest
deep, would find a lower still ! Accordingly it has been applied to
Laud what was said of another, " He entered like a fox, he reigned
like a lion, and he died like a dog."* On the contrary, neither did
one blush to write of hira,
'" A death so full of merits, of such price,
To God and man so sweet a sacrifice.
As, by good Church-law, may his Name prefer
To a fixt Rubric in the Calendar.
And let this silence tbe Pure-sects' complaint —
If they make martyrs, we may make a Saint !
Rest thou, then, happy in the sweets of bliss,
Th' elysian — the Christian's — paradise, —
Exempt from worldly cares, secure from fears.
And let us have thy prayers [1] as thou our tears."**
" Truly," says another, of the sarae external coramunion, "that must
be an extraordinary Protestant Church in which Father Laud is ac
counted a martyr, and Father Heylyn a confessor !""=
"On the tenth of January [1644-6],'' writes W.Sanderson, "comes
to the scaffold WiUiam Laud, D.D. etc. . . He was threatened for his
life in March 1619[-20], the prologue to other libels and scandals,
year by year, to ann. 1640; though the Scots' Remonstrance of their
invasion heretofore, resolved then to ruin him. . . It had been put to
the question in the Parliament, to ship him over for New England,
there to expose him to the scorn of great professors.'' . . The fourth of
January they passed their Ordinance of Parliament by both houses,'
to be drawn, hanged, and quartered, on Friday the tenth of January ;
the first raan that ever suffered death by order of Pai-liaraent ! On
Tuesday before, he petitions the Lords to have his chaplain. Dr. Sterne,
that worthy divine, ' admitted, to administer with him ;' to alter the
* " Hist, of the Church and State of Scotland, by Andrew Stevenson, 1753,"
Svo. vol. i. p. 115.
' An elegy on tbe Death ofthe Most Rev. Father in God, William, Lord Arch
bishop of Canterbury. Jan. 10, 1644-5. See his Life by Heylyn, p. 546. " His
death the more remarkable in falling on St William's day." Ibid. p. 543.
<= " The Christian Observer, Mar. 1837," p. 176.
'' Laud says, in his Diary, p. 66 — " Troubles, etc. 1695 "— " March 24 [1642-3],*
Friday. One Mr. Foord told me, — he is a Suffolk man, — that there was a plot to
send me and Bishop Wren as delinquents to New England, within fourteen days.
And that Mr. Wells, a minister that came thence, offered wagers of it The meet
ing was at Mr. Barks, a merchant's bouse in Friday-street, being this Foord's son-
in-law. I never saw Mr. Foord before. — April 25, Tuesday. It was moved in
tbe House of Commons to send me to New England : but it was rejected. The
plot was laid by Peters, Wells, and others." Thus would tbe wheel of fortune of
" the malicious Laud," — so called by Archdeacon Blackburne, in " The Confes
sional," 1747, Pref. p. xxv., — and of the transatlantic or New England divines,
have turned tbe contrary way to Laud's own project in 1638, which was " to send
a Bishop over to them, for their better government ; and back him with some
forces to compel, if he were not otherwise able to persuade, obedience !" Heylyn
p 369.
<= " Whereof in the house of peers there were not above twelve .-" Clarendon,
Hist. Rebel, bk. viii. There were, however, twenty peers present : see the Lords'
Journals, Jan. 4tb. Vol. vii. p. 124, 125.

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 515
manner of his execution, and 'to be beheaded.' To which their Lcrd-
ships willingly consented, and commended it to the Commons, hut
they would not. Only, iu care of his soul, they would adjoin Mr.
Marshall as more sufficient than the Doctor, and the Archbishop
refused him. The Lords were very angry to be thus denied, and had
much-ado to get their consent of beheading.""
There are indeed who profess to be of the sarae comraunion with
this self-deluded victim, among those who lay claim likewise to "apos
tolical succession," but whose ingenuous avowal proclaims their con
viction that rank and learning are not, in all cases, accoinpanied by
" meekness of wisdom :"'' these at least are not the Heylyns of their
age ; they say, nevertheless, " We abhor the injustice and tyranny of
those who condemned Laud to death ; but this must not blind us to
his many and great offences. There can be no question but that he
wi-shed to subject the nation to civil and spiritual despotism ; and, so
little is forgiveness of injuries a natural virtue, that we cannot wonder
that the victims of his severity — for he was the most influential and
active member of the Star Chamber, and High Comraission Court, —
sought and found revenge ; and that the nation, alarmed for the public
liberties, made common cause with thein.""^ So far as " revenge" was
sought for, we shrink not frora avowing on our part, that the accusation
can be but too well supported, and demands from us this declaration of
our unfeigned abhon-ence in whomsoever it is found ; and fidelity
requires us to say especiaUy, that there is too much colour for charging
the sin in its degree upon the production now to be noticed, but for
which the provocation was the suprerae folly of those who counte
nanced and strove to uphold, beyond what truth and justice required,
unquestionably no common, but a great public delinquent. With
these remarks we proceed to exhibit "'I'he Grand Impostor Unmasked:
Or, a Detection of the notorious Hypocrisy and desperate Impiety of
the late Archbishop, so styled, of Canterbury ; cunningly couched in
that written Copy which he read on the Scaffold at his Execution,
Jan. 10, 1644f-5,] alias, called by the Publisher, his ' Funeral
Sermon.' — By Henry Burton. — Rom. ii. 6, 6. Psal. 1. 21, 22. —
'When the Fox preacheth, let the Geese beware !' — Published accord
ing to Order." No imprint of date. 4to. pp. 20.
The Preface begins thus, " Reader — The old saying is, ' Of the
dead, speak nothing but well ;' so shall I speak nothing but truth of
this man's falsehood both while he lived and when he died. And let
me deprecate thee the least suspicion of malice in me towards the man
or his meraory ; the which I was so far and free frora in his life-time
that, a littie before his death, myself with two other godly reverend
brethren went to his lodging in the Tower to tender our christian duty
of charity to him for counsel and comfort, if it would be accepted, in
• " Complete Hist of Charles T. 1658," /o/. p. 780, 781.— Izaak Walton relates in
bis Life of Bishop Sanderson, edit Zoucb, 1796, 4to. p. 455, that " Many citizens
fearing time and cool thoughts might procure his [Laud's] pardon, became so
maliciously impudent as to shut up their shops, professing not to open them till
justice was executed. This malice and madness is scarce credible, but I saw it."
b Jas. iii. 13. " " The Christian Observer, June, 1837," p. 381.J
II. " 2 I. 2

516 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
that his condition. But, by his secretary, he returning court-thanks,
said some had been with him that day, and now he was otherwise em
ployed in his private business : whereupon, we returned.* And, that
morning, Mr. Lieutenant of the Tower having been with him, and
taking his leave with these words, ' I pray God open your eyes ;' he
returned him thanks, saying, ' And I pray God open your eyes; and I
hope there is no hami in that :' by which, he would cunningly
insinuate that Master Lieutenant's eyes were blinded rather than
his. But more of this legerdemain anon. And for this task, I was
first earnestiy importuned, by two reverend godly ministers, to under
take it; which I took as a call from God. Now, for his 'Funeral
Sennon,' how it could be truly said to be preacht when he read it ver
batim ; as also, how he could properly be said to pray what he read in
his paper — for without his book, he could neither preach nor pray — I
leave to thy right judgment. Finally ; that such a poisonful piece as
this, should be so licentiously published in print before some antidote
were prepared either to correct its malignancy or to corroborate the
simple-hearted people, apt to drink in such a sugared potion from the
mouth of such a bold dying man, though a traitor ; if understanding
men do not wonder, I shall confess rayself the only fool to marvel : but
I hope this antidote will not come altogether too late to recover such
as whose weaker stomachs have not been able to overcome the poison.
— Farewell."
The tract itself opens with Laud's words. " 'Good people — You
will pardon my old memory, and upon so sad occasions as 1 ara come
to this place, to make use of my papers; I dare not trust rayself other
wise."'' " However the 'good people' may 'pardon' his 'old memory' for
reading instead of preaching; yet how the righteous God should pardon
a " That servant of the Lord, with two more who, in a dear affection to his
departing soul, went to visit bim, could not be admitted. Dr. Heywood, Dr. Martin,
and Dr. Sterne, were the men with whom be craved leave to advise ; for tJiey would
absolve bim after tbeir manner and like to like 1 . . I was an ear-witness how
effectually the dying man's Sermon, as we call it wrought upon the bearers who
counted themselves discreet men. But sure 1 am, in such a concourse of people
the greatest number aie not so discreet I And for their sakes, as I have set down
his doings, so shall 1 his sayings, that the reader, with me may ponder them toge
ther. ..I know some looked upon him as the saddest object that ever they beheld:
and truly I think myself was one. And some looked upon him as a bumble peni
tent, for no otber reason but because he said so; and so tbey were infinitely
mistaken !" p. 8, 1 1, of "The Life and Death of William Laud, late Archbishop
of Canterbury ; beheaded on Tower-hill, Friday the 10th of Jan., 1644[-5i.
I. Here is a brief Narrative of bis Doings all his life long, faithfully given out
first, that his Sayings at his death may not be a snare to the perdition of souls.
IL His Doings and Sayings being compared and weighed together, his Sayings
are found infinitely too light; yet of weight sufficient to press any man to make
il threefold Use from all, of infinite concernment to his eternal soul. By E. W.,
who was acquainted with his proceedings at Oxford; was an eye and ear witness
of his Doings and Sayings in his Courts here at London and other places under
bis Dominion. — Rev. ix. 20, 21, 'Yet repented not,* &c. Prov. xxviii. 15. — 1645."
4to. pp. 42.
l" Heylyn says the speech was "spoken ;'¦ and he bns dropped the next words
after the compellation, " Good people." But Hurlon followed " The Archbishop
of Canterbury's Speech: Or, Uis Funeral Sennon, preacht hy Himself on the

CHAP. LX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 517
such an ' old memory ' as could not reraeraber one of all those gross
sins wherein he had lived, so as to confess them, and to crave pardon of
God for them, I cannot see. . . Yea, when Mr. Weld, Mrs. Jones, and
others, carae to hira in the Tower, to demand of him recompense for
all the wrongs he had done them in their persons, credits, and estates,
he coitid never be brought to acknowledge the least; saying, he
reraerabered no such thing : thus laying all the burden upon his ' old
memory,' living and dying. . .
"He calls the scaffold 'an uncomfortable' place to 'preach' in:
but sure... the martyrs did not so, who, coraing to the stake cheerfully,
saluted it with a kiss. And could not his ' old raemory ' have reraera
bered that pillory-suffering, not much above seven j'ears' standing,
which his conscience at least inight have suggested unto him how a
certain quondam preacher standing in the pillory, pleasantiy said, ' I
never preacht in such a pulpit before ;' saying also to the people, and
that with a repetition for then- reraerabrance, 'Little do you know what
fruit God is able to produce out of this dry tree :' raaking the pillory,
all the while, his triumphal chariot,* while that Canterburian Prelate
together with Con the Pope's nuncio, and other compeers, was a
triumphant spectator out of the Star Chamber.'' He little dreamed
then, that such a pillory could in the space of seven years, grow to
such a bulk as whereof to hew out and erect a scaffold on the Tower-hill,
where himself should lose his head for others' ears ! . .
"Well, he takes his text: Heb. xii. 1,2. 'Let us run,' etc.
Miserable man ! never was a holy text so unhallowed ; so miserably
abused, so corruptly glossed upon, so shamefully perverted ; as this
text. . . Surely, this man, in his 'race,' had often an eye unto 'Jesus !'
that is, to the name 'Jesus,' whereof he was a very devout adorer;
and so zealous that he suspended rae once, for preaching against the
superstitious bowing at the naming of that Name. . . By this tirae,
himself knows sufficiently, with what eye he looked ' unto Jesus ' as
whom he finds a just judge; and punisher of that faith of his, which
vvas none other but that of Babylon, as the reader may see at large in
ray Reply'= to his 'Relation of a Conference.' That he is now come
to the end of his 'race,' though 'long,' we bless God.
"But here, he finds the Cross 'a death of shame :' . . the 'cross'
which he so honoured and adored in his life ; witness, the goodly
Scaffold on Tower-hill, on Friday the 10th of Jan. 1644[-5], upon Heb. xii. I, 2.
Also, the Prayers which he made at the same time and place before bis Execution.
All faithfully written by John Hinde whom the Archbishop beseeched that he
would not let any wrong be done him by any phrase in false Copies. — Licensed
and Entered according to Order. — 1644[-5]." 4to. pp. 19.
> See back, vot i. p. 567. ' Ibid, p. 566.
<! P. 166 — 170, 173, of "A Reply to 'A Relation of the Conference' between
William Laud and Mr. Fisher the Jesuit By a Witness of Jesus Christ. Im
printed anno 1640." 4to. pp. 405. — " The emulation that under the old Law, was
in the King towards the Priest, is now so come about in the Gospel, that all the
danger is to be feared from the Priest to the King. Whilst the priest's office in
the Law, was set out with an exterior lustre of pomp and glory, kings were ambi
tious to be priests ; now priests, — not perceiving the heavenly brightness and
inward splendour of their more glorious Evangelic ministry, — with as great ambi
tion, affect to be kings ; as in all their courses, is easy to be observed. . . Have not

618 HISTORICAL ME.MORIALS [CHARLES I.
ci'ucifix over his altar at Larabeth, Whitehall, and elsewhere,
which he was not wont to pass by unsaluted ! ' But the sharae raust
be despised, or there is no coming to the right hand of God:' how !
must that shame be 'despised,' which the righteous hand of God
brought hira unto ? . . Why did he petition the Lords, that he might not
die the more sharaeful death of the halter, but rather of the hatchet, as
more suitable for one who had sat so long and oft at those late
' honourable boards,' as also in the present parliament ? . . But . . he
adds, ' God forbid, I should despise the shame for Him :' what ! a
' shame ' suffered for Christ ? , . Christ is said to despise the shame, by
a voluntary undergoing it in our steads ; but this raan despiseth the
shame, by a desperate contempt in suffering it perforce, against his
wUl !
" He tells us, his 'feet are now upon the brink of the Red sea; an
argument,' he hopes, that God was bringing him 'to the land of pro-
raise.' .. No good 'argument' for hiin, to hope to pass that way to
Canaan, . . for causing so ranch blood to be shed, and raore especially
of that poor soul who was hanged, drawn, and quartered," about the
business of Lambeth-house ! . .
" He compares himself with Aaron, as before with Christ ; but he
must reraember he is no longer the Canterburian ' high priest.' But,
who be those ' Egyptians' that drove this Aaron into the Red sea, and
must be 'drowned in the same waters?' O, full of subtlety; what!
the Parliament ? . .
" And here, he compares himself with those three children in the
' furnace,' whence God delivered them, and so can he him. Miserable
prelate : is he now upon the scaffold for such a cause as those were in
the ' furnace ' ? Why, those were there for ' not ' obeying the King's
comraandraent to bow to his new ' golden god ; ''' but was this bishop
now on the scaffold for any such disobedience : nay, was it not for his
too much officiousness and obedience ? . . ' They would not worship
the King's golden image ; nor will I,' saith he, ' the imaginations
which the People are setting up : nor will I forsake the temple and the
truth of God, to follow the bleating of Jeroboam's calves in Dan and
in Bethel. '<= By 'people ' here, he must needs mean the Parliament;
. . and so, by ' Jeroboam's calves,' whereby he means a revolting from
Judah and from true religion ; and, that the Religion now to be set up
is, in comparison of that under the Prelacy, no better than Jeroboam's
calves worshipped in Bethel and Dan ; and the prelatical goverament,
as the teraple of Jerusalem and the truth of God ! Thus he holds to
his old principles, which he sucked in with his mother's railk and was
nourished up in [at] Oxford, and which grew up with hira in Court
to a full stature. But stay ; shall he ' run ' away witii it thus in a dark
mist: leaving the ' people' to grope at noon-day, as in the Egyptian
some of their devoted scholars begun, I need not say to nibble, but openly to
argue, against tbe King's supremacy? Is not tbe Chief of them accused out of liis
own Book, and his late Canons, to affect a certain unquestionable Patriarchate
independent and unsubordinate to tbe crown »" Milton : " Of Reformation in
England," 1641. Prose Works, edit. 1833. imp. 4lo. p. IG.
, ¦ May 21st, 1640. See back, p. 49. b Dan. iii. 18. M Kings xii

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 519
darkness ? . . Will he interest and engage Christ in all his idolatrous
crucifixes, crosses, altars, superstitious worship, ceremonies, and relics of
Rome, set up everywhere in his idol temples and chapels, calling all
this his ' temple ' and [the] ' truth of God ? '. . And doth this devout
votary to iraages, ' humbly thank ' Christ, that his ' resolution ' lay,
not to lie down till he laid down his head upon the block ; not to part
with his Antichristian Hierarchy, the grand enemy of Christ's king
dom ; and [a] grievous tyranny over the souls and bodies of Christ's
saints, whose redemption cost him his dearest blood ? . .
" He bestows his episcopal blessing upon the ' people,' for the opening
of 'their eyes ' to see ' the right way:' himself being so blind as not to
¦see any other ' right way ' out of his own way ! . . But he acknowledgeth
himself, 'in all humility, a most grievous sinner many ways, by thought,
word, and deed ; and therefore I doubt not,' saith he, ' but that God hath
mercy in store for rae a poor penitent, as well as for other sinners : '
but, wherein ; what sin ; what thought ; what word ; what deed ! did
he confess those thoughts whereby he resolved and endeavoured to
reconcile Rome and England together, which he expressed in his
' Relation of a Conference' with the Jesuit ? Did he confess the sinful
words of that reconciling book ? that there, he cunningly incites the
king against godly rainisters ? that there, he 'blames and bewails, with
a bleeding heart, the separation between Protestants and Papists, both
for the causing and continuing of it ? '* that he hath there, in many
passages, abused and vilified the Scriptures all along his book ? thai
he hath fathered his gi-oss lies upon God the Father, upon Christ, upon
the Holy Ghost ? '' And infinite other bold and wicked expressions
there. And for his deeds; did he ever confess elsewhere, or on the
scaffold, all his prelatical pranks and practices in oppressing, suppress
ing, supplanting, the 'truth of God,' both in pulpit and press; silen
cing, suspending, fining, confining, outing, godly painful preachere,
with wives, children, and other Christians ? Did he ever confess his
being the chief cause of cropping of ears, pillorying, iraprisoning,
whipping, branding, banishing those against whora no crime could be
laid by any law ? Or, did he, to show the ft-uth of conversion, come
forth to offer restitution to all that he had wronged, oppressed, and
spoiled of their goods and livelihoods ? No such thing ; here is
nothing but a general confession of, I know not what, 'grievous sins ! ' . .
Augustine saith, ' The sin is not pardoned, where the wrong is not
satisfied for.' . .
" What have we to do with his self-deceiving ' heart,' known only
to God ? We look upon his actions ; we judge of the tree by the
fruits. He finds not in his false ' heart ' any true cause of ' death :'
but we find it in his hands. . . But however, he chaigeth nothing upon
his ' judges :' that is well ; for never had traitor fairer play ; and they
proceeded secundum allegata et probata. . . And though, in a legal
course, an 'innocent' may be condemned, yet more nocents are;
which he was to have looked better to. But, for all this, he thanks
Christ, he is 'quiet within, as ever.' . .
"Among others, his 'predecessors,' as he calls them, he brings iii
•Reply, p. 19, 252, 225. ''/6i(i. p. 205, 202, 275, 211.

520 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
' St John Baptist,' as he styles hira, whose head was ' danced off by a
lewd woman :' and surely, if he had been as faithful as John Baptist
was in reproving Herod and his lewd woman, he might, perhaps, have
been prevented of losing his [own] head for treason ; and might have
proved a 'Saint' WUliam for it ! . .
" But it ' comforts' hira, that his ' charge looks soraewhat like that
of St. Paul, Acts xxv. 8, being accused for law and religion ; and,
that of Stephen, Acts vi. 13, 14 :' a poor comfort when well considered,
and the account cast up. . . This Prelate could not say, he persecuted
the saints ' ignorantiy.' . . "
" Here he, as impertinently as before, hales in another place of
Scripture, and that raost grossly ! ' The Romans will corae, if we
let this man alone.''' Surely, he hath pretty well played his part to
bring the Romans in ! . . so as, no marvel it is if, by the industry of
this man, . . the Pope never had such a harvest in England, [since the
Reformation.] . . So that Popery is that grand ' sect,' the grandam of
all divisions ; especially of this great one between King and Kingdom.
. .But his aim was against godly people, whom, separating from his
own hierarchy, he brands with ' sects and divisions I ' . . And as for that
place, 2 Cor. vi. 8, . . his ' honour,' is dishonour; his ' good report,'
evil ; and this ' deceiver,' is truly so, living and dying.
" Next, he tells us what a good ' Protestant ' the King is : . . what
good counsel he hath given him, both his practices and his Epistie
dedicatory, before his ' Relation,' besides his ' conscience,' can tell.
" He complains of the City, for that ' fashion' in gathering of
' hands," and going to the Parliament to ' clamour for justice ; ' as being
a disparagement to that great and just court: away to 'endanger'
the 'innocent,' and 'pluck' innocent blood upon 'their own' and city's
' heads ! ' . . As if any such ' clamour ' should extort from them any act
of injustice, as thereby to condemn the innocent ! ' . . Certainly, in
calling for 'justice,' not only of God, but of man who sits in God's
throne for that end, is the People's duty who ought to obey God,
rather than a Prelate who is so unreasonably partial in his own cause. . .
Psalm ix. 12, and Heb. x. 31, he miserably applies. . . Had not botii
Pai-liament and People bestirred themselves . . he had been too nimble
for us all : but God, I say, was pleased to use the industry of his
people to find out this fox's holes ! But besides all this. Oh the im-
pudency of this wretched man in commending to ' this city ' the con
sideration of that prophecy, Jer. xxri. 15:.. they are the words of
the prophet Jeremiah to the princes of Judah and Jerusalem. . .
Whether he spake [the words, the place only being quoted] on the
scaffold I know not, for I was not there. . . Could this man possibly
believe that any in this City should be so simple as to believe hira ?..
" Here this porcupine strikes hiraself through with his own quUls :
he coraplains for ' the poor Church of England,'— and that is his
hierarchy, . . [that at] 'every cleft' of this self-dirided kingdom 'pro
faneness and irreligion ' have crept in. Now, truly, himself was the
prune wood-cleaver that drave in the first 'wedges.-^ . . But stay, what
"1 Tim. i. 13. i. John xi. 48.
bod;." ' Lifr:;He:i;n",;!'53r' '" ^'"-^ -'"^ -^"^^^ "^""^ -'^ »^ '*^ -

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ' 521
means this ' profaneness and iiTeligion ?' . . He shall be his own inter
preter. In his ' Relation,' he tells the King, ' Though I cannot pro
phesy, yet I fear that atheism and irreligion gather strength, while the
truth is thus weakened by an unworthy way of contending.'* And, ' The
extemal worship of God, in his church, is the great witness to the
world that our hearts stand right in the service of G od : Take this
away, or bring it into contempt, and what light is there left to shine
before men, that they may see our devotion, and glorify our Father
which is in heaven ?''' The result is, as the Replier cleareth, that the
neglect or contempt of his 'external' worship, is that which bringeth
in ' profaneness and irreligion ;' that is, ' not to set the face in a right
posture towards the east, in our devotion ; not to bow to an altar ; not
to kneel at the sacrament ; not to use a fair white surplice and black
hood in administration ; not to baptize with the sign of the cross ; not
to say second service, etc."^ All this, shows that our hearts stand not
right ill the service of God ; that without these, no ' light is left to
shine before men, that they raay see our devotion, and glorify our
Faiher which is in heaven ! ' Oh ! notorious hypocrisy ; oh ! egregious
impiety, thus to abuse Scripture, and all true religion. Prosper's
speech, here alleged by him, hits hiin[self] full home: 'Men that
introduce profaneness ' — which is done by a false religion and devotion,
of raan's devising,—' are cloaked with a narae of imaginary religion.'''
And what is imagery in worship, but an ' imaginary religion ?' . .
" He makes a solemn protestation of his religion to be ' Protestant;'
but with this limitation, in reference to the Church of England only;
not to other Protestant churches ; for no Protestant churches are Epis
copal but this. . . He disclaims the bringing in of Popery into this
land : now, what should be the meaning of this raystery, considering
all his endeavours and practices have tended and contended to reduce
this his church to as near a conformity with Rome as possibly raay be ?
For, excepting the differences in doctrine, take the whole hierarchy —
government, discipline, officers, services, ceremonies, vestments, and
all other implements; — we find the Church of England to be one and
the same with that of Rome, as the Prelate affirmeth.' How, then, is
it true that he is no setter up or bringer in of Popery, as he
protesteth ? Surely, two ways : first, because he found some old relics
of Rome in the King's chapels^ and some cathedrals, as an altar,
images, adorations, organ-service, copes, and the like.s Therefore, he
makes a shift by piecing it out with some forced interpretations of the
Queen's ' Injunctions," [Elizabeth's], and with improvement of the
Service-book, and other viis et modis, to bring in a general Conformity
to those patterns ; and that, under a specious colour of ' Uniformity :'
a very Laud -able thing in a kingdom; especially .He^rw ad exemplum,
that all should be of the King's reUgion, or the religion of his chapel.
. . And thus all being raised up to one Confonnity, it came to pass
that both Jesuits, on the one side, boasted that the Church of England
» Ep. Ded. ' Relation, p. 18, 19.
° Burton's "Reply to A Relation, Sec." p. 37, 38.
<> ' Religionis imaginariae.' De Vitae Contemptu, lib. ii. cap. iv.
« " See my Reply, p. 63—69." ' Amos vii. 13. e Relation, Ep. Ded. p. 16.

522 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
was turned Roraan, and sorae bold Ministers began to tell tales in the
pulpit, and at last to write and publish books of it, though to their
cost. This is the golden leaf wherewith the Prelate hath gilded over
his protestation for current ; for which he flies and lays hold on the
horns of the altar in the King's chapel ; his most sacred sanctuary !
His other [way], is a word of equivocation, which is 'Popery:' he
distinguisheth Popery into proper, and improper or less proper.
Popery, taken properly, is that whereof the Pope is sole head and
master; and this is that Popery which he here protesteth he never
intended or endeavoured to set up in the Church of England ; to wit,
the universal headship of the Pope, which the logicians call proprium
quarto modo, that is, such as is proper to the Pope, and only to the
Pope, and always to the Pope, as laughing is said to be proper to man,
alone, and at all times ! The Prelate then, would not have such a
Popery set up, in the propriety of it, as should exalt the Pope over
the See of Canterbury to overtop the ' Metropolitan of all England !'
What then ? he would have no other Popery set up, in England, than
that only which is less proper, or improperly called Popery ; or rather,
a thing that is Popery, but raust not be called Popery : and that is,
that the Pope shall be head or Bishop of the Church of Rome, and
the Archbishop of Canterbury shall be an indej^endent Primate and
' Metropolitan of all England ;' and the Pope to have nothing to do
here, but himself alone to be Dominus factotum ! Only with this
reserve. That this Primate becomes Pope, when time serves. And it
seems, he takes it as a deed of gift from the Pope which he gave to
the Prelate's predecessor, Anselm, to whom the Pope gave this titie,
styling him ' Patriarcba alterius orbis,' the Patriarch, or Pope, of the
other world, meaning England; of which the Roman poet writ of
old, ' Gt penitus toto divisos orbe Britannos.'
And thus, it seems, it descended upon the successors of Canterbury, by
an hereditary right, from the Pope : and, therefore, not without cause
doth the Prelate make mention hereof, in his ' Relation,'* telling us
that a Patriarch is above a Primate, so expert was he in the learning
of ecclesiastical heraldry for titles and degrees.'' And thus, we come
to understand what he means by making profession of the ' Protestant '
religion of the Church of England ; namely, that this religion is not
Popery, properly taken, but only improperly ; as hath been said : so as
herein, we may give credit to his words in some sense; both for himself
and his friends whom he so highly magnifies for ' good Protestants of
the Church of England.' This is that 'true Protestant religion' which
they so rauch protest, by hook or crook, to maintain.
"Touching his 'Treason,' in subverting the laws and perverting ot
religion ; it matters not, for all his protestations, that he never intended,
but ever 'abhorred' it ! For all things were clearly and fully proved
in Court against him. . . For his contempt of Parliaments; this was also
proved against him; and he here, in part, confesseth if^ And, in
« P. 171. ^ See Burton's" Reply," p. 263, 264.
Of some Parliaments." Life, by Heylyn, p. 534  How he treated Parlia-

c <

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 523
the close, he forgives ' all the world :' he cries thief first, calling all
his persecutors his 'bitter enemies;' he forgives them, he saith, but he
gives them a cruel dash, calling them ' bitter enemies ' who did but in
a legal way and just cause prosecute him as a grand eneray both to
religion and to the republic: therefore, what kind of forgiveness this is,
God knows, when it so ends in a most bitter calumniation ! . . He asks
forgiveness of every raan, ' whether he hath offended him or not :' why ?
what need of forgiveness, where no offence, given or taken.'' But, saith
he, 'if he do but conceive that I have!' . . What say you to that speech
of his in his ' Relation,' to the King, 'God forbid, I should ever offer
to persuade a persecution in any kind, or practise it in the least !' It
is but a conceit, then, that the Prelate of Canterbury should be either
a 'persecutor or a persuader' thereunto! A conceit, that he should
persuade that the tenible censure in the Star Chamber, against those
his three 'bitter' men, as he calls them, should be executed to the
uttermost, although he left thera to the King's 'justice !'* A conceit,
that he should use the least means to promerit the Judges a little before
the Censure; though he raade a great feast at Larabeth ! A conceit,
that he should be an instruraent of persecution to whom poor peti
tioners to the King, about the Book of Sports, were referred for raercy;
while none could be had, or hoped for ! And thus he concludes,
'Lord, do thou forgive rae, and I beg forgiveness of hira :' of whom ?
of one, 'whether I have offended him or not, if he do but conceive that
I have !' what juggling is here ! no spark of ingenuity or truth in all
this, nor all along. Well, hut what then? so, saith he, 'I heartily
desire you to join with me in prayer.'
" He should have remembered that saying of Christ, Matt v.
23—26. Now the Prelate here brings his 'gift' to the 'altar;' he
hath a prayer in his hand, instead of his heart, to 'offer :' but he should
remember that not one 'brother' but many, have great and grievous
things 'against' him. Therefore, before he read his prayer, he should
have rubbed up his 'old' rusty 'memory' and called for those who had
many things 'against' him, and have made his peace with them. He
should have called for all those preachers whom he had wickedly and
prelatically suspended, silenced, deprived, thrust out of their means,
with their wives and children exposed to beggary and misery ! Among
many others, Mr. Rudd, of Abingdon; Mr. [Nathaniel] Bernard;
Mr. Forbes; Mr. [Sarauel] Ward; etc. He should have called for
ments is thus acknowledged; how be was repaid by one, himself shall be the wit
ness ; for in chap. 21 of bis Troubles and Trials, p. 217, be tells posterity, "My
hopes under God, were upon tbe Lords, yet, when my trial did come on, it did
somewhat trouble me to see so few Lords in that great House; for at the greatest
presence that was any day of my hearing, there were not above fourteen, and
usually not above eleven or twelve. Of these, one third part at least each day
took or had occasion to be gone before tbe charge of the day was half given. I
never had, any one day, the same Lords all present at my defence in tbe afternoon,
that were at my charge in the morning. Some leading Lords were scarce present
at my charge four days of all my long trial, nor three at my defence ; and what is
most no one Lord was present at my whole trial, but tbe Right Honourable the
Lord Gray of Waik, the Speaker, without whose presence it could not be a
House 1" • See back, vol. i. p. 588, note'

524 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
all those godly preachers and Christians whom his bloody cruelty
caused to flee into the deserts of America, as Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker,
Mr. Davenport, Mr. Peters, with raany thousands raore. He should
have called for all those congregations whose souls he famished by
taking away their godly teachers, 'the blood' of whose 'souls' were
found to be upon his 'skirts ' and under his wings !* He should have
called for all those whom he had, most cruelly and against all justice,
caused to be imprisoned, pilloried, ear-cropped, branded, whipped,
fined ; confined to perpetual close imprisonment, and that in perpetual
banishraent from their native country, from society of wives, children,
friends, acquaintance, common light and air ; and what not ? as Mr.
William Prynne, Dr. Bastwick, Henry Burton, Dr. Leighton, Mr.
John Lilburne, Nathaniel Wickins ; all which with many more,
endured intolerable, inhuman, and raost barbarous usage in their prisons
and persons. These ; these, should he have called for to have raade
his peace with them, by at least acknowledging his extreme wronging
of them as having been the prime instruraental cause thereof; though
otherwise, he could nei-er raake them restitution for their ears nor satis
faction for their losses. . . He should have put it past 'if and 'and,'
whether he had 'offended' any, or not, as if any did 'but conceive' so !
. . He persists . . acknowledging not the least offence to man, in all his
life, of which to repent ; hoping thereby after his death to raerit this
inscription upon his torab,
Here lies the most innocent Archbishop of Canterbury.
" But now, can he not be content to die in his own sins, but he
must 'heartily desire' the people 'to join' with hira in his most
hypocritical, dead, larae, blind prayer, that he brought with hira in his
hand. . . There are some passages in it so gross and palpable as [that]
any one that hath the least spark of God's Spirit, may disco'/er plainly
to be monstrous false : as, first, that he hath a heart ready to die ' for
God's honour ;''' and yet he will not confess any oue particular wicked
ness, that he might, with Achan, 'give glory to God.''' Secondly ;
' for the King's happiness :' when, if either he counselled the King to
all these courses so destructive both to hiraself and kingdom ; or if he,
by obeying the King's command in being an active instrument of all
those cruel oppressions, perpetrated by hiin upon the innocent Sub
jects ; and exorbitant, illegal, riolent, tyrannical invasions upon the
just laws of the kingdom and natural liberties of the Subject; be thus,
by the laws of the kingdom and a due proceeding therein, brought to
this just penal death; surely, this can littie raake for the King's 'happi
ness :' unless the cutting off of snch lirabs as these, and so of this
active instrument of wickedness in particular, raay be a means to pro
cure the King's ' happiness,' in case such heads so cut off prove not
the heads of the Roman hydra, which, upon the cutting off of one head,
puts forth two, until the whole Lerna-lake shall be qiute drained and
" Jer. ii. 34.
'' " Give me now . . a heart ready," etc. See Heylyn, sup, p. 535.
' Josh. vii. 19, 20.

CHAP. LX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 525
dried up : otherwise he, whose whole life hath but a little advanced the
King's 'happiness,' can give but little hope of raising it by such a
death, the just reward of a traitor. Thirdly ; for ' this church's pre-
.servation:' by which, he always understands his hierarchy, or 'the
Protestant religion of the Church of England,' as before : there cannot
be a more sure omen of the utter ruin of that, as whose Piiraate is so
cut off by the hatchet of justice in the hangman's hand.
"Again : he boldly tells God that his ' zeal ' to these three, 'is all
the sin which ' he knows ' is yet known ' of him ' in this particular of
treason :' did his ' zeal,' then, so far transport him as to wade so deep
through so raany acts of treason to the State as to play the traitor for
the ' honour' of God ? Surely, God will not be honoured with any
such service. And as for his ' zeal ' to the King's ' happiness," no
marvel if it were so fiery as to [raake hira] become an incendiary to
the State ; and all, for the ' preservation ' of this his Church, which
could not be preserved but with the extreme hazard, if not utter ruin,
of three kingdoms ! So as such a ' preservation " purchased at so dear
a rate, could be as little for the King's ' honour ' as for his 'happiness,'
when three kingdoms should rather welter in their own blood than the
Prelatical-kingdom should not wallow iu all its pomp and pleasure.
And indeed, the 'zeal' hereof, in all ages, hath been that which hath
set the kingdoms of the earth in such horrible combustions as at length
it hath grown to be a proverb of the Prelates' own making, 'No bishop,
no king ;' and so, No bishopric or bishopdom, no kingdom !
" He prays also, that ' there raay be a stop of that issue of blood
in this more than miserable kingdom :' here it may be questioned,
what he means by this ' issue of blood ?' If he mean the stopping of
the course of justice in cutting off such traitors as himself; this, is to
pray that this ' more than miserable ' kingdom may be raade raore than
raost raiserable. If he mean the stopping of the now issue of blood
that is, and hath been, shed by this intestine and unnatural war ;
whereby the ' Beast's ' power seeks to destroy the ' Lamb's ' kingdora,
with his 'called, and chosen, and faithful' people;* this, should ex
treraely aggravate and make the sin of this Prelate out of measure
sinful, as who hath been one prime instrument and bloody agent to
procure all this bloodshed.
" But that which followeth, surpasseth all transcendency of the malice
and wickedness of hell itself: ' I shall desire,' saith he, 'that I may
pray for the people too, as well as for myself: O Lord, I beseech thee
give grace of repentance to all people that have a thirst for blood ; but
if they wUl not repent, then scatter their devices,' etc. : here, first, he
makes it plain that what he prayed before was for himself and his party,
and that the 'issue of blood' on his part might be stopped, as before.
Secondly ; the main of his prayer is to lay the guUt of all the blood,
that hath been shed in this war, upon the Parliament and people ;
especially this City, that stand for their rights, as a ' people ' that
' thirst for blood ;' whereof if they ' repent not' that then 'their devices '
may be scattered, as being contrary to God's ' glory, the ti-uth and
sincerity of religion,' to wit, of Popery, as before showed ; to ' the
establishment of the King and his posterity after him in their just
» llev. xvii. 11.

526 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
rights and privileges,' to wit, in an arbitary and tyrannical govemment,
whereby the tyrannical Prelacy, ' the truth and sincerity ' of the Popish
' religion,' may be supported and maintained : for which very cause all
this bloody war hath been raised and continued in Ireland and England,
wherein so many hundred thousands of innocent people and loyal
Subjects have been most barbarously murdered ; and for no other cause
but that they bare the name of Protestants; only not such Protestants
as could be hoped to profess the ' true Protestant religion of the pre
sent Church of England ;' the ' truth and sincerity ' of which ' religion,'
is Popery improperly so called, as before is showed.
" But he adds, 'for, the honour and conservation of Parliaments in
their ancient and just power :' note here ; never a prayer, in particu
lar, for this present Parliament ; but for ' parliaments ' in general, and
that also with a limitation, ' in their ancient and just power !' And
what is that ? naraely, so far as stai.-deth with the ' King's prerogative;'
according to that new clause lately foisted into the King's oath at his
coronation by the legerdemain of this juggler — ' to govem his People
according to the laws, and maintain their rights and liberties,' but with
this proviso, ' so far as stands with the King's prerogative !' — which
legerdemain was one of those charges proved against the Prelate in the
Honourable House of Peers: so as in these words 'ancient and just
jDower,' do lurk a great deal of serpentine deceit ; that all this 'ancient
and just power' comes to 'just' nothing, further than with reference
unto and dependence upon the ' King's prerogative !' Such are the sly
equivocations and mental reservations of this subtle serpent all aloug
in this his pretended Prayer, wherein he thus desperately dallieth with
God and raen.
" Then, ' for, the preservation of this poor Church in her truth,
peace, and patrimony :' this ' poor church ;' to wit, the late and yet
proud Prelacy. Her ' truth,' such as is regulated by her Canons with
an ' et csetera :'' her ' peace,' for which she hath caused troubles and
wars in these kingdoms : her ' patrimony," a part of ' Peter's jiatri-
» " Mr. Le Bas [in his Life of Laud, 1836, 16mo.] has told us that ' the insane
and wicked outcry' against the ' et caetera' oath ' was purely the dictate of malig
nity and faction 1' Could this excellent churchman find no softer words to cha
racterize tbe conduct and motives of Bishop Sanderson, who was one of those who
'cried out' against its iniquity ? But Mr. Le Bas is too good an advocate to think
of qualifying his expressions, when lightness of reason is to be compensated with
weight of words. Tbe Dedication of Laud's Speech upon the Sentence of Bast
wick, Prynne, and Burton, [See back, vol. i. p. 576], is one of the most undignified
effusions which ever came from a Christian prelate." The Christian Examiner,
and Church of Ireland Magazine, Feb. 1837: quoted in "Tbe Christian Ob
server," sup. p. 381. In this latter publication, Le Bas' production is described as
" in truth, a decidedly party-spirited and historically unjust work." P. 383. One
of those who took a part in tbe alleged " insane cry " has left his record that
" the tyrant of Canterbury provided a sorrowful cup for the saints. He drove his
flock, and called his goats together : themselves constituted ungodly Oaths and
sinful Canons to confirm tbeir designs ; and their silken doctors labour to establish
them, whose readiness and diligence was as if they soared on eagles' wings to
perfect the same ; whilst good and godly men wept and bewailed the calamities
we then groaned under." Page [5] of " Canterbury's Pilgrimage: In tbe Testi
mony of an accused Conscience, for the blood of Mr. Burton, Mr. Prynne, and
Dr. Bastwick. And tbe just, deserved Sufferings he lies under : Showing the

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 527
mony ' for the support of her ' truth, and peace ;' that which this
Prelate, in his ' Relation of a Conference,' took all that pains about,
fiir the ' blessed meeting of Ti'uth and Peace,' as he calls it, in recon
ciling Rome and England together ; as he professeth throughout his
book, and in the very last page and words thereof. He adds, ' and,
the settlement of this distracted and distressed people,' etc. : whatsoever
he prays here, is with reference to the ' truth, peace, and patrimony,'
of his 'poor Church ;' and therefore, it is added with a copulative,
* and, the settlement,' etc.
"And hereunto, he adds another 'and:' 'and, when all this is done,'
that then ' they raay be thankful, with religious, dutiful obedience to
Thee and thy coramandments :' here, they raust take notice that there
is no such blessing, for which to be thankful, as the upholding of the
Prelate's Protestant religion ; ' when this is done, then fill their hearts
with thankfulness.' But, how can 'dutiful obedience to God's com
mandments' and to Prelatical canonical commandments, stand together ?
For, what raore contrary ? . .
" He closes all with a ' Lord, receive my soul to raercy ;' adding,
'Our Father, etc' Now, what hath an impenitent, hard-hearted hy
pocrite, to do with ' mercy ?' . . The ' Reply to the Relation,' hath
set him forth in his colours long before ; prophesying of his cursed
end, which we see now fulfilled ; as also, of the terrible judgraents
and calaraities that should fall upon his Prelatical Clergy of England,
Glory of Reformation above Prelatical Tyranny. Wherein is laid open the Reality
of the Scottish Nation with the Kingdom of England. — Printed ibr H. Walker,
1641." 4to. pp. [6].
Allusion being made also in the text above, to these Canons of 1640 ; in addition
to Clarendon's implied condemnation of tbem, or rather of their legality, which
we have given in this volume, p. 50, we are here able to show how Laud himself,
under his own hand, quailed at tbe consequence of his and bis fellows' temerity: —
" Tomy much honoured Friend, Mr. John Seldon, These, Sal. in Christo. Worthy
Sir, I understand that the business about tbe late Canons will be handled again in
your House to-morrow. I shall never ask any unworthy thing of you, but give
me leave to say as follows : If we have erred in any point of legality unknown
to us, we shall be heartily sorry for it and hope that error shall not be made a
crime. We hear that Ship-money is laid aside as a thing that will die of itself,
and I am glad that it will have so quiet a death. May not these unfortunate
Canons be suffered to die as quietly without blemishing the Church, which hath so
many enemies both at home and abroad? If this may be, I here promise you, I
will presently humbly beseech his Majesty for a licence to review the Canons, and
abrogate tbem ; assuring myself that all my brethren will join with me to preserve
tbe public peace, rather than any act of ours shall be thought a public grievance.
And upon my credit with you I should have moved for this licence at the very first
meeting of this Parliament, but that both myself and others did fear tbe House of
Commons would take offence at it— as they did at tbe last,— and said we did it on
purpose to prevent tbem. I understand you mean to speak of this business in the
Hou=ie to-morrow, and that hath made me write these lines to you, to let you know
our meaning and desires. And I shall take it for a great kindness to me, and a
great service to the Churcji, if by your means tbe House will be satisfied with this,
wb ch is bere offered of abrogating the Canons. To God's blessed protection, I
leave you, and rest your loving poor friend, W. Cant.— Lambeth, Nov. 29, 1640.
—I mean to move the King this day for a licence, as is within mentioned. From
the orl-'inal, amongst tbe papers of Mr. Seldon, now in the hands of Nicholas
Harding, Esq., Clerk of tbe Honourable House of Commons :" Gen. Die. Hist
and Critical, 1738 ; fo. vol. vi., art. Laud, p. 646.

528 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
together with his ' Protestant reUgion,' alias Popery, though but 'im
properly' so called !*
" He coraplains for want of ' room to die ; ' which he needed not,
for he had too much of Rome, that brought him to die. ' I beseech
you,' saith he, 'let rae have an end of this misery : ' for all this haste,
he should have laid a better and surer foundation to buUd his hope
upon for freedom from a future ' misery ' . . than yet we have seen in
him. Nor could he find a word in Scripture to satisfy Sir John
Clotworthy's question, for any assurance that he had of a better life :
and just was this with God, the righteous Judge, that as he was a great
deceiver, and vilifier of the Scripture, as ' The light which is in Scrip
ture itself, is not bright enough ; it cannot bear sufficient witness to
itself:' that, 'the belief of Scripture to be the Word of God, depend
eth primarily upon the authority and tradition of the present church : '
that ' it is a candle which hath no light till it be lighted ; which is first
by the tradition of the present Church ' : '' that, notwithstanding these
and many more most gross derogations from the self-sufficiency,
authority, and light of Scriptures to demonstrate itself to be the Word
of God ; he saith, ' he hath given to the Scripture enough, and raore
than enough,' etc. Just, I say, was it with God, that this wretched
Prelate, for so vilifying, yea, annihilating the sufficiency of Scripture
light, should be left altogether without so much light as to light him
to so ranch as one place of Scripture that might minister unto him
some solid comfort at the hour of his death ! . . Thus he dies one that
was over-true to his old principles, as in his life so at his death ; and
thus he is as good as his word in his ' Relation,' where he tells the King
thus, ' In the publishing hereof, I have obeyed your Majesty, dis
charging my duty to ray power to the Church of England, given
account of the hope that is in me, and so testified to the world that
faith in which I have lived, and, by God's blessing and favor, purpose
to die.' . .'^
" I shall conclude with a passage or two in ray ' Reply,' wiitten in
my banishment at Guernsej'', above four years ago, in answer to the
Prelate's ' Relation,' towards the end : ' Bethink yourself how sudden
the time may be that you ' must go and give account,' as you say, ' to
God and Christ,' of the talent comraitted to your 'charge ' which you
cannot so easily answer before that Judge as you could do in the Star
Chamber. And remember what you said to the Jesuit, ' Our reckoning
will be heavier if we thus mislead on either side, than theirs that follow
us. But I see I must look to rayself, for you are secure ! '** And are
npt you full out as ' secure,' as the Jesuit P But in that, you pray,
that God for Christ's sake would be merciful to you : but, is that
enough to wipe off all old scores, to say, ' God be merciful to me ? '
when the whole course of a man's life hath been a very enmity and
rebellion against Christ: when he lieth, spends and squandereth the
talent of his strength and wit, learning, means, and friends, to the dis
honour of God, in oppressing Christ's Word; persecuting his servants
and members, profaning and polluting the service of God with super
stitious inventions of men, and will- worship; forcing raen's consciences
"¦ Reply, p 74, 405, 86, 87. >> Relation, p. 80, 83—85 ¦ see Reply
« Ep. Ded. p. 12. 1 Relation, p. 116.

CHAP. LX.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 529
to Conformity ; using all cruelty, even to blood, and the like ; will
' Lord have mercy upon rae,' without any more ado, serve the tum to
salve all again .'' But where is your hearty repentance for all your
scarlet and Episcopal sins ? your High- Coraraission sins? your Star
Chamber sins ? your Council-table sins ? nay, is not your foul conscience
still seared and stupified ? is not your heart still hardened ? O stupid
conscience ! O desperate soul ! O shameless hypocrite ! O blas
phemous wretch ! Dost thou thank God, to raake hira the author of
all thy impiety, iniquity, cruelty, craft, hypocrisy, and dissimulation,
of thy faithless and fiilse heart, in thy plotting to bring thy false trutii
and thy turbulent peace with the * whore of Babylon' — that notorious
enemy of Christ and of his true spouse, his church — to a raeeting, a
blessed meeting ; yea, to a cursed meeting ? This is that peace and
truth which you contend for ; for the procuring and meeting whereof, all
truth shall be con'upted, and peace perturbed, not only in the church
hut in civil states and kingdoms, when, for the maintenance of your
b'uth and peace, princes shall be set against their people, and people
forced to stand for their liberties against Prelatical usurpation and
tyrannical invasion.'*
" But I conclude : if such was his deplored [sic] condition then,
as to lie naked to such language, how is the measure thereof now filled
up in an obstinate out-facing and maintaining all his wickedness per
petrated since that till now; and that, before the high bar of the king
dom, the very tribunal of God ; and, at last, upon the very scaffold
pouring out his blood in a most obdurate, desperate, and final impeni
tency ? O that this might be an example to all that tread in his
steps ! . . This is that Canterburian Arch-prelate, in his life-time heir-
apparent to the Popedom; subtle, false, treacherous, cruel, carrying
two faces under one hood ; Satan's second child, whoever is the first ;
as hard to speak truth, as to do good, or to repent of any evil, as his
father the devil ; an inveterate adversary to Christ and all true Chris
tians ; an undei-miner of the Civil State ; a traitor to his country ;
wilfully damning his own soul to save the credit of his cursed cause ;
sealing with his blood the King's part, with Rome's, to be righteous,
and the Parliament's odious, that so he might be as unlike to Sampson
as possible, to do as much, if not more, mischief to his native country
at his death as he had done in his life ; and, therefore, worthy to have
died the ancient death of persecutors, or traitors to their country, which
the ancient Roraans used — to be sewed up in a cuUeus, or leather sack,
and cast into the water, and there to perish as unworthy to touch either
earth or water, or air, as nature's outcast."
So much for Burton. Now, for his opposites; and first for the
truculent Anthony a Wood, who, in allusion to both Houses of Par
liament, writes that " the cheated multitude were taught to misconceive "
this, "the King's and the Church's martyr;" and adds, "yet im
partial posterity will know how to value him, when they hear [that] the
rebels sentenced hira on the same day they voted down the Liturgy of
the Church of England."'' Next, for England's pensioned Laureate,
whose sackbut resounds with some additional flourishes, the preludium
• Reply, p. 402. t" Athense Oxon. vol. iii. col. 144.
2 M

530 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
of the Oxford piper. " A baser triumph," so writes Southey, " never
was obtained by faction, nor was any triumph ever more basely cele
brated. Even after this murder had been committed with all the
mockery of law, his memory was assailed in libels of blacker virulence,
if that be possible, tiian those by which the deluded populace had
been instigated to cry out for his blood ; and to this day those who
have inherited the opinions of the Puritans, repeat with unabashed
effi-ontery the imputations against him, as if they had succeeded to
their implacable terajjer, and their hardihood of slander also. . . The
martyrdom of Cranraer is not more inexpiably disgraceful to the
Papists, than that of Laud to the Puritan persecutors."*
Doubtless " there was good and bad in the Puritans, and there
was good and bad in Laud ; "'' and surely Laud's goodness none can
dispute, since he was " addressed at Oxford, under the appellations of
' Holy Father,' and 'Your Holiness ! " "" Shall a portion of his badness
be agieed to, if recorded here in his own words spoken in the Tower ?
" I have endeavoured to repair an old house ; but it fell to ruin about
my ears ! "'' " Thus Laud fell, and the Church fell with him," writes
his Cyprianic encomiast.^ The difficulty of estimating the character
of Laud," says a modern Prelate, " consists in our being unable to
deterraine the standard by which his conduct is to be measured. If
we regard hira as a christian bishop, the picture will be in many
respects sadly deficient ; to look upon him merely as a statesman, is
to degrade the sacred office with which he was invested ; to view hira
only as a man, is to divest him of all that is worth examining, and to
pass sentence concerning those particulars on which God only is the
Judge. . . None but a Churchman could write a life of Laud, and few
Churchmen are sufficiently free from the same feelings as prevailed in
his day, to forra the estimate fairly.''^
We are now prepared to proceed, by introducing another specimen
of the animadversions which were made upon Laud's general conduct
while living, and his deportment previously to raaking his exit. But we
shall first record the judgment of another Episcopalian concerning this
Primate : " As he possessed such a natural temper, it was a raisfortune
to him to be placed in the high rank of a metropolitan and prime
minister. On account of his high principles in church and state, he
was no friend to the constitution of his country, and so he raade raany
to be his implacable enemies. Though his Grace was a learned raan,
» " The Book of the Church. By Robert Southey, Esq. L.L.D. Poet Laureate,
&c. Edit 4. 1837." Svo. chap. xvii. p. 500, 501.
»> Christian Observer: June, 1837. p. 383. ¦= Ihid. March, 1837. p. 176.
*" Echard's Hist, of England, vol. 1. p. 483, note a. ' Heylyn, p. 539, and in
his title-page.
f "A Sketch of the History of the Church of England to the Revolution, 1688.
By Thomas Vowler Short D.D. 1838. Edit 2." Svo. Sect 582, p. 417. This Dr.
bas since become bishop of Sodor and Man. It is of some moment lo us, that he
" asserted " in the Preface to his first edition, that " The Bonk of the Church " is
" not free from such views of the subject as can never contribute to the discovery
of truth." This " vague imputation " having given occasion of remonstrance, in
tbe fourth edition of " The Book," Dr. Short apologises in this edition of his
" Sketch," for expressions which "ought never to have been printed : " but whe-
llicr this be a retractation in full, let those say who can !

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. .531
,yet he was more a man of business than of letters!"* To whom the
initials of the writer of the following piece belong, does not appear,
nor has his religious denomination been discovered ; so that his testi
mony, besides being contemporaneous is also corroborative of Burton's.
The title stands thus, " Jehoiadah's Justice against Mattan, Baal's
Priest : Or, The Covenanters' Justice against Idolaters, A Sermon
preacht upon occasion of a Speech uttered upon Tower-hill. Wherein
you may find his likeness to Mattan rather than to Christ : His place
in John xi. 48, charged upon Hiraself: The weakness of the choice of
his Text: How great cause we have to give Thanks. By J. H.,
Minister ofthe Gospel. — Judges v. 31. — 1645.'' 4to. pp. 16.
This " minister," Presbyterian, as we suppose, takes his text from
2 Chron. xxiii. 16, 17 ; and in applying it, he asks, " How should we
increase our joy by considering what, in times past, he did" — meaning
this representative of the original Mattan, — " which he shall never
do ? He shall never more play the ' Beast ' against the ' Larab,' nor
set up superstition above worship ; nor open a door to thrust out holi
ness and let in profaneness ; nor accuse strictness as hypocrisy, and
cry up liberty for religion ! He shall no more give liberty to profane
the Sabbath ; nor set up maypoles as his pillars, to proclaim all strict
observing of the Sabbath to be Jewish ; or rear them up as spears and
weapons of war, against the holiness of that day ! He shall no more
set up candlesticks, and put down catechising; nor deify singing
[cathedral] service, and suppress lectures ; nor tolerate plays, and sup
press christian liberty in private coraraunion for fasting, to increase
faith and renew repentance ; nor countenance men in profaneness, and
convent men as offenders to his tribunal, for sanctifying their families
in conceiving prayer ! He shall no more watch opportunities against
the Watchmen and faithful Pastors of the land, that were the Lord's
husbandmen to turn many to righteousness : he shall no raore reraove
them from their congregations by suspensions, extensions, forcing to
banishraent ; by iraprisonraent, by famishment, by death ; nor raake
their lives grievous by threats and scorns ! He shall no more seduce
the kings of the earth, nor delude great ones, nor overawe the judges
to cause wrong judgraent to proceed ; nor tenify the counsellor that he
dares not plead for his client; nor slay the fatherless in judgraent, nor
condemn the guiltless ! He shall no more exalt the proud ; be a terror
to the just, a vexation to the thirsty soul, in taking away the bread of
life from congregations that faint for the word of consolation to build
thera up in faith ! He shall no more sow sedition, set kingdoms on
fire, raise war against the peaceable, despise dominions, nor study to
subvert judicatures ! In a word, he shall no raore, in any wise, lord
it over God's heritage ; not ' sit upon the mount of the congregation, in
the sides of the north,"'' for the Lord hath swept hira away ' with the
besom of destruction !''= Now, what is our duty, but to rejoice in tiie
God of our salvation ?
" Would one imagine there could live so much impudence so near a
• Rev. John Jones, in bis " Life and Times, &c. of Bishop Hall." 1826. Svo.
p. 326.
I- Isai. xiv. 13. ¦¦ Ver. 23.
2 M 2

532 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES J.
sudden death, as for a raan — so erainent an eneray of all righteousness
in his life, an oppressor in a high nature ; a persecutor of rich and
poor that set their faces towards Sion, — I say, for hira, — in an open
place, on the scaffold of death, before such a confluence of people of
this city, that have had such open testimony of his pride and cruelly,
— to justify himself by the example of our Lord Jesus ? For where
fore else were those words chosen, Heb. xii. 1, 2, and this gloss, that
' he despised the shame for Jesus ?' ' Durst any but a spirit past holy
fear and humility, compare himself with Christ in that particular of
his sufferings ; his beheading, with Christ's crucifying ; and his igno
miny, with Christ's undeserved ' shame ?' Weigh but the imparity of
the parallel, when you have considered one not well-shapen passage,
' Christ despised the sharae for rae; and God knows, I despise the
shame for Christ :' if the speech be comparative, as, he for ray example,
so I by his example, and no raore ; then he died a Socinian, not a
Protestant. But how unlike are the sufferers ! Christ, 'forthe joy
that was set before hira,' was going to his Father ; but this man, for
giief that he could live no longer to vex Christ in his members, was
going to the tribunal of Him whom he had pierced ! In Christ's
mouth there was no guile ; under this raan's lips were nothing else but
deceit and strife. Christ endured the cross in obedience to his Father's
will, and as our Surety ; but this man despised the cross, as a fool
goeth laughing to the stocks. Christ despised the shame, as being no
way conscious of desert ; but this man, endureth the shame, as the just
wages of his ambition and pride. Christ entered into his glory, and
laid down his reproach ; laut this man, laid down his honour at one
blow, and liveth under perpetual ignominy ; Christ prayed for thera
that cried him down to be crucified ; but this raan, hath branded a
faraous city with sedition, for praying for justice on the kingdom's
disturbers. Christ endured the contradiction of sinners ; but this man,
sought to set dissension between two Houses, in clearing his judges,
and condemning them that accused him unto them. Finally : Christ
died as a ' Lamb ;' but this man, as a fox, whom Christ ' the Lord of
glory' hath taken away, never to destroy His vines anymore!"*
Deterred by no unmanly fear, and encouraged by no prospect of
human applause, we have not withheld what we have recorded as said
and done by and against one who had daiingly assumed the prerogative
to raould and fashion the faith of all the souls in three kingdoms ; and
by thus prostrating their wills, would have succeeded in his purpose
of bringing their bodies into subjection.
" This fierce Inquisitor had chief
Dominion over men's belief
And manners."''
» P. 12, 13. — There appeared also, " A full and satisfactory Answer to tbe
Archbishop of Canterbury's Speech, or Funeral Sermon preached by Himself, on
Tower-hill, on Friday tbe 10th of January, 1644-5, upon Heb. xii. 1, 2: At
which time, he was there and then beheaded. Wherein is a full and plenary
Discourse to satisfy all those who have been startled with his Subtle and Jesuitical
Fallacies and Evasions in the said Speech. And other Passages and Observations
of great consequence to satisfy the Expectation of the Kingdom therein  I-ai. xiv.
IC— 1645." 4to. pp. 23.
b Butler's Hudibras. Pt i. C. iii. applied there, to a " Lay-elder."

CHAP. LX.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 533
He missed his aim ; as he righteously ought to do, when such was his
end, and oppression his raeans ! Laud was vanquished, and so dire was
the necessity which he had caused, that a vigour beyond the customary
rules of criminal justice sent hira also to render a faithful account at the
unimpeachable tribunal of Him who "maketh inquisition for blood."*
He shall have the full benefit, and our readers the fair opportunity
it will afford them, derivable frora his written Prayer : subjected as we
have seen, for that reason, to animadversions more free than what might
be regarded otherwise strictiy proper, had it been an out-burst of the
heart and conscience at the raost awful crisis of huraan responsibility.
We append, purposely, that it raight not prevent a calm judgraent,
what stands better as an epilogue here, than as a prologue in its original
place. " O Eternal God and merciful Father, look down upon rae in
raercy, in the riches and fulness of all thy mercies look down upon
me ; but not till Thou hast nailed my sins to the cross of Christ, not
till thou hast bathed ine in the blood of Christ, not till I have hid
myself in the wounds of Christ, that so the punishment due unto ray
sins may pass over me. And since Thou art pleased to try me to the
utmost, I humbly beseech Thee, give rae now, in this great instant,
fitil patience, proportionable comfort, and a heart ready to die for Thine
honour, the King's happiness, and this Church's preservation. And
my zeal to this — far from aiTogancy be it spoken ! —is all the sin —
human frailty excepted, and all the incidents thereunto, — which is yet
known to me in this particular, for which I now corae to suffer ; I say,
in this particular of "Treason ; but otherwise, ray sins are raany and
great : Lord, pardon thera all ; and those especially — whatever they
are — which have drawn down this present judgment upon rae. And
when thou hast given rae strength to bear it, do with rae as seeins best
in thine own eyes : and carry me through death, that I raay look upon-
it in what visage soever it shall appear to rae. Araen.
"And, that there may be a stop of this issue of blood in this more
than miserable kingdom, — I shall desire that I may pray for the people
too, as well as for myself, — O Lord, I beseech Thee, give giace of
repentance to all blood- thiisty people : but if they will not repent, O
Lord, confound all their devices, defeat and frustrate all their designs
and endeavours upon them, which are or shall be contrary to the glory
of thy great Name ; the truth and sincerity of religion ; the establish
ment of the King and his posterity after him in their just rights and
privUeges ; the honour and conservation of Parliaments in their just
power ; the preservation of this poor Church in her truth, peace, and
patrimony ; iind the settieraent of this distracted and distressed People
under their ancient laws, and in their native liberty. And when thou
hast done all this in mere mercy to thera, O Lord, fill their hearts with
thankfulness, and with religious, dutiful obedience to Thee and thy
commandments all their days. Amen, Lord Jesus, Araen : and receive
my soul into thy bosora. Amen. — Our Father which art in heaven,
etc."" The epilogue &lladed to, is the production of the "Laureate" in
a Psab ix. 12. 1> Heylyn, p. 535.

534 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
these tenns: "He had prepared a prayer for tiie occasion, and never
was tiiere a more solemn and irapressive fonn of words ; it is alike
remarkable forthe state of raind in which it was composed and uttered;
the deep and passionate devotion which it breathes, and the last finn
fervent avowal of that religious loyalty, for which he was at that_ instant
about to die a martyr. To abridge it even of a word would be injurious,
for if any human coraposition raay be called sacred, this surely deserves
to be so qualified."* But with all his admiration, this eulogist has
not favoured his readers with the addendum given in Heylyn;''
delivered, it should seera extemporally , and so, worth no raore than a
passing notice. Having, says Heylyn, given the executioner " a sign
when the blow should corae, he kneeled," and prayed; <'Lord, I ara
coming as fast [as] I can ; I know I raust pass through the shadow of
death before I can come to see Thee : but it is but umbra mortis, a
mere shadow of death, a littie darkness upon nature ; but Thou, by thy
raerits and passion, hast broke through the jaws of death. The Lord
receive ray soul, and have raercy upon rae, and bless this kingdom with
peace and plenty, and with brotherly love and charity, that there may
not be this effusion of christian blood araongst thera ; for Jesus Christ,
his sake, if it be thy will." When the signal was given, the executioner
" very dexterously did his office."
Of all this procedure, strange to say, there is not a word, reflecting
upon the deed as an atrocity, dropped from the pen of the curaber-
soraely learned " John Hacket, late Lord Bishop of Litchfield and
Coventry." But because it is of the utmost importance that the true
light of history should be pennitted to show Laud in every incon
testable shade of character, and because no one is able to reflect it better
than his contemporaries and his compeers, we bonow a portion of this
writer's " Memorials offered to the Great Deservings of John Williams,
D.D., who sometime held the Places of Lord Keeper of the Great
Seal of England, Lord Bishop of Lincoln, and Lord Archbishop of
York ;"= and who died March 25th, 1660.
" Of all raen, Bishop Laud was the party whose enraity was raost
tedious, and raost spiteful against his gi-eat benefactor, Lincoln ! He
battered hira with old and new contrivances, fifteen years : his very
dreams were not without them, as they are enrolled in his memorials
drawn out with his own hand. I will touch that fault, that great fault,
with a gentle hand, because of that good that was in him; because, in
other things, I believe for ray part, he was better than he was cora-
iiionly thought ; [and] because his death did extinguish a great deal
of envy. I raeet with hira in his worst action that ever he did, and
cannot shun it. . . But his part is in every act and scene of a tragical
jiersecution of fifteen years : Hoc etiara ipsi culpabunt raali.'^ Perhaps
it began from an emulation to keep hira back who was only like to be
Bishop Laud's competitor for the gi-eatest place of our Church. Had
it gone no further, it might be censured moderately, for a common
temptation. No wonder if the seal and the sword-fish never swim
a " The Book of tbe Church," sup. p. 498. •> P. 537.
e Folio, 1693 ; but finished being written Feb. 1657-8, pt. ii. p. 229.
'' Plaut. in Bacchid.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 535
quietly in the same channel ! . . Spalato says,* that John, Bishop of
Constantinople, that assumed to himself the titie of ' Universal Bishop'
or ' Patriarch,' was a good man, given greatly to alms and fasting, but
too much addicted to advance the title of his See; which made a
plausible Prelate seera to be Antichrist, to Gregory the Great." ''
What need we more ? Here is the bellum episcopate intestinum, if
not internecinum, exposed ; and now, which is the greater " Saint,"
Laud, or Hildebrand the seventh Gregory P"^
It is remarked with considerable acumen, that, " Physiognomy does
not play us false in offering this raan's face as an index of his character.
Vandyke pourti-ayed his features, and in the portrait which yet survives,
the diminutive eyes, contracted forehead, pointed nose, and compressed
tout- ensemble, warn us to expect that littleness and cunning, that
acuteness and meanness, which were his mental chai-acteristics I"**

CHAP. LXI.
TEACT, BY D. P. P.  ANOTHER, BY W. L. ; OF GREAT HISTORICAL
IMPORTANCE.  A THIRD, BY JOHN PRICE.  BAILLIE.
We begin this chapter with " An Antidote against the Contagious
Air of Independency. Showing, I. Six sufficient Grounds why they
ought to revoke their Schismatical Principles : II. Six Parallels be
twixt theirs and the Jesuitical Practices. By D. P. P. — Feb. 13,
1644 [-5.] Imprimatur, Ja. Cranford." 4to. pp. 24.
This anonymous Puritan coraraences by bewailing " the sudden
change that is befallen to this kingdom in so short a time ;"^ but, he
tells us, " that which doth raost of all increase the wrath of God
against us is that some of our Clergymen that should, like Moses,^
stand in the gap to appease the Lord's anger, are they that inflame the
same by the contentions and schisms they foment, in the church of
God, about the establishing of a new way of Church-government which
they have brought frora HoUand or America, — where they were con
strained to fly by the over-rigorous courses of the Prelacy, — having
been infected with this contagious air by sojourning, in these parts,
among sectaries ; so that thinking, by flight, to avoid a rock, they have
cast themselves upon a quicksand that may, if God in his raercy pre
vent it not, conduce their souls to greater danger than their bodies were
during the persecution of [by] the Archbishop Laud."^ "They,
» M. A. De Dominis, Abp. of Spalato; De Reip. Eccles. lib. iv. cap. vii. par. 13.
•> Pt ii. p. 65, 66.
"= The coincidence between tbe two, is peculiarly striking in a number of par
ticulars described by Dr. Southey himself, in his " Book of the Church," passim.
¦' G. W. Johnson, in his Memoir of Selden, p. 311. — Lawson, by prefixing to
his Life of Laud an engraving from Vandyke, has thus enabled his readers to>
judge of the disagreement between the fidelity of tbe painter and that of the
biographer. e p. 3. f Exod. xxxii. 11—13. '' P. 5.

536 HISTORICAL .MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
having been infected with this contagious air of Independency, oppose,
as much as in them lieth, the Presbyterial Government, . . and endea
vour to bring in this new revealed way, . . and, by a kind of mercenary
way, [have] robbed divers of their brethren of the ministry of some of
the fattest sheep of their flocks." [!]*
i. " Their new way must needs, by all ingenuous spirits, be acknow
ledged, in this tirae of war and civil discord, inconvenient to be pressed
or required ; . . for none vvUl deny that one body with an absolute head,
will raore easily be kept in unity and concord than many thousand
bodies that have, every one of thera, a head that is absolute, and hath
neither reference nor dependency with any other authority but of its
own body. . . We should establish 9,324, that would, like so many
caterpillars, devour the substance, or every green thing,'' of the land ;
and suck more blood, of the common people, in one 3'ear, than the
Star Chamber, the High Comraission, the Arches, or all the Bishops'
Courts, could do in six, although their hunger was insatiable.'^
ii. " This new way is altogether incompatible, and the greatest
antagonist that can be, to the royal, to the parliamental, and their
subordinate authority. But because this point hath been so clearly
proved by Master Prynne, I will pass it over. . . ¦'
iii. " For men to gather secret congregations, and rend in pieces —
as sorae Independents do — the mystical body of Christ, — I say, some,
for they do not all separate theraselves frora the church, nor fall into
that sin of offence. Matt, xviii. 6, — under colour that their con
sciences are so tender that they cannot receive the coraraunion in a
mixt congregation without offence ; . . in this case, their consciences
are offended without cause, . . because it is irapossible for thera to
obtain, — should they separate every raonth, and change their private
congregations, — one so pure as to be free from all hypocrites, profane,
or ill-prepared receivers : for of four men that entered into the ark, by
the commandment of God, one of thera was an atheist and wicked
hypocrite ;^ and araongst our blessed Redeemer's twelve apostles,
Judas, 'the son of perdition,'' was one. ..^ Now, if they conceive
that the sin of an impenitent receiver is transferred to thera if they
receive the Communion with him, they are . . as ranch polluted by the
corapany of hypocrites as by the corapany of known sinners ; but it
is certain that the guilt of an impenitent receiver is not transfened
upon the-well prepared receiver, for if it were, God's proraises were in
vain. . . "^ Notwithstanding, whatsoever I have said or shall say con
cerning this point, it is not to excuse the carelessness of the pastors or
elders that adrait notorious sinners to so blessed a sacraraent ; . . but it
is to show that such are to blarae that do separate theraselves from their
parish congregations because some few known sinners are admitted to
the sacraraent of the Lord's supper by the carelessness of the pastors,
churchwardens, or elders of their parish ; and especially now the
Honourable Houses have taken order that this abuse should be re
dressed. . . As it is impossible for us to handle pitch without our hands
be stained and besmeared with it, even so it is irapossible to converse
« P. 6. •> Exod. X. 5. <= P. 7, 8. 1 P. 8. e Gen. vii. 7, with ix. 22.
f John xvii. 12. S Matt xxvl. 20, 25. h Ezek. xviii. 19, 20.

CHAP. LXI. J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 537
witii the wicked without we be, in time, accessory to sorae one or other
of their wicked actions : and the like, to converse familiarly, or to go
constantly to hear the Independents' sermons, without one be tainted
with the contagious air of their Positions !
iv. " This new way, and the separation of Independents from their
parish churches, is an encourageraent to all Separatists, Brownists,
Anabaptists, Antinomians, Socinians, and Libertines, that are in and
about the city ; for they shelter themselves under their name, and
when they are taken in their conventicles by some of the public officers
and enforced to answer for themselves, they affirm to be ' Independents,"
to cover their heresies ; it being an ordinary thing araong the wicked,
to disguise theraselves under the name of such that are reputed to be
more sincere than themselves. For although the Independents gather
congregations, and separate theraselves frora their parish congregations
as the Sectaries do, yet they are, for the greater part, sound in doctrine,
and dissent frora us only in discipline ; but the Sectaries are erroneous
both in doctrine and discipline : . . and, ' surely if it were unlawful,"
say they, ' such leamed and religious men as they are would not be
example of offence and of evil to others !' And, by this means, are a
stumbling-block to them and the cause that the wicked are hardened in
the ways of error and impiety.
V. " This revealed Discipline is inferior to the Presbyterial Govern
ment in this point, That the effect of the issue is uncertain : whereas
the Presbyterial, is approved by the happy success it hath had, for
many years, in Switzerland, France, Holland, and Scotland. But
this, is a raere novelty that may be corapared to the projects of some
young mathematician drawn upon paper, that promise ranch, but when
they are to be put in practice are, ordinarily, of no use at all ; or like
to some of our engineer raodels that seem to proraise, in a small fonn,
divers rare effects, . . there is not one among a hundred, when they are
set up, that proves to be successful, because sorae spring, wheel, or
counterpoise, is either too weak, too small, or too light, to endure the
violent raotion of it; . . even so it would fall out with this new revealed
way, if our supreme magistrates were so credulous as to try the opera
tion of it, — the which, the Lord prevent ! — for although it inight be
effectual in some sraall congregations in Holland, or some small
boroughs in America, yet it would certainly be destructive to this
populous kingdom ; and would prove, like Plato's Coraraonweal, beauti
ful in conceits and iraaginations, but altogether unuseful. . .
vi. " If this new way should take place, and every pastor with his
elders to be absolute over their congregation, we should, as the French
proverb saith, ' fall frora a quotidian to a burning fever,' and from one
hierarchy of prelates raise 9,324 of Independents — as I said before; —
for there are so many parishes in this kingdora, and they cannot,
conveniently, be reduced in a lesser number of congi-egations. Now,
what unity can be expected araong so many lawless raen, whose actions
and doctrine are not to be controlled by any civil or ecclesiastical
authority ? . . But if this new way should take place, what impiety
would not be committed, or what heresies would not he invented, to
please the palate of their auditors for to increase the number of their

538 HISTORICAL ME.MORIALS [cHARLES 1.
congregations and the revenue of their contributions ; or, out of am
bition to be reputed more precise and singular than their brethren, or
neighbour pastors, upon which would ensue unheard-of divisions, con
tentious, aud confusions, as it fell out in the time of Micah when ' there
was no king in Israel ?'. . * There never were two such insulting
prelates in the Chisitian world as cardinal Wolsey, and William Laud
archbishop of Canterbury ; and yet the first was but a butcher's son,
and the second a poor cloth-worker's son. The first, durst presume
to name hiraself before [he had naraed] his king; and the second, to
control his prince, re-form the royal oath, and insult over the supreme
court of this kingdom : even so, if this new way should take place,
we should have raany thousand petty tyrants domineering over their
congregations, . . and as raany religions as pastors. . . But the Presby
terian Discipline is a raediiim way between hierarchy and a deraocra
tical goverament : . . the kingdom being divided into twelve classes,
and every classis having six reverend divines appointed to call, twice a
year, all the pastors that shall be under their jurisdiction, before thera,
and to examine and determine of all cases as well for doctrine, discip
line, and misdemeanour in life and conversation ; and these twelve
classes to be called, once a year, to a national synod for to judge of the
appeals and of the greater affairs of the church. This medium way,
I say, is able to suppress all schisms, and to keep the clergy in that
purity of doctrine and discipline as is beseeming the true rainisters of
God. " These reasons, then, should, in my opinion, induce the Indepen
dents to reunite themselves with the church of God [!] . .to endeavour
to convince the Sectaries of their en-ors, by the sword of the Spirit ;
but if they will, desperately, remain obstinate, then to lend their help
ing hand to their brethren of the ministry to remove thera from hence;
that they may not draw, any longer, the judgments of God upon this
nation, as they have done for conniving at thera [the Sectaries] ; which
kind of halting between two ophiions is raost odious to God, for it is
impossible to serve God and Mammon ! And, in so doing, they will
vindicate themselves of these six imputations following, which are daily
cast upon them ; which, otherwise, will confirm this opinion in the
comraon people, That there is seldom any smoke without fire.
1. " That they are as like Roman Jesuits in their principles, raethod,
insinuations, equivocations, and fallacies, as two parallel lines are like
one another.
2. "As the Jesuits will not charge themselves with any parish-
cures, but desire rather to instruct scholars in the liberal arts, preach
funeral sermons all the Lent long; even so, our Independents shun all
parish-cures, and endeavour to obtain as raany legative lectures as they
can, for to avoid the extraordinary pains that parish-cures require ; and
in lieu of scholars, they gather to themselves as many disciples as they
can, and of them they frame private congregations of which they re
quire a covenant for to contribute to the necessities of their pastors,
and an oath or promise to follow hira wheresoever he is enforced to
flee, whether it be in Holland or in Araerica : and so, by tiiese lec
tures, that are the most certain rents to men and punctuaUy paid of
* Jud. xvii. 6.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 5-39
any, and the contributions of their private congregations, their yearly
revenue doth excel the yearly coming-in of the best parish-cures !
3. " The Independents entice and allure to their side the raost acute
spirits, and insinuate themselves cunningly with the richest and most
eminent persons where they live ; and allure the best and richest
famUies to their private congregations, whereby they increase their
revenue, and obtain the best legative lectures about the city ; and had
they the use of the auricular confession, — as well as the Jesuits, — that
they raight use their insinuative faculty to dying men and women,
they would undoubtedly excel the Jesuits in riches and domains.
4. " Wherever the Jesuits set footing . . even so, wherever the
Independents are admitted, they impoverish all their brethren of the
ministry ; for they draw from them, after a mercenary way, the fattest
and best wooUed sheep they have in their flock, to increase the contribu
tions of their private congregations : raoreover, they are generally hated
of their neighbours for their vain ostentation and avarice ; for although
they would be accounted to be hurable, yet they will not give way to
the best, and will have their own opinion to be reputed as a law, and
their arguments — although they are soraetiraes weak and ridiculous — :
to be infallible ; and for their avarice, it is apparent, for their revenue
exceeds the best parish-cures.
5. " The Jesuits, wherever they corae . . even so, the Independents
wherever they corae, they foment discord in church and common
wealth: for proof of it, we need no other than our own experience,
for since they are corae frora Holland and America they have increased
our divisions, and retarded, by the one moiety of the time, the esta
blishing of the ' Directory ' of the discipline of the church and of the
true reformation. And their separation, and their gathering of private
congregations, have encouraged the Sectaries in their eiToneous ways ;
that for one Anabaptist or Antinomian that was among us when tliey
came over, there are now ten.
6. " As the .Jesuits have an extraordinary opinion of themselves ;
even so, have the Independents a certain immoveable self-conceitedness
of their own sufficiency and sanctity. . . Is it not an unheard-of obsti
nacy, that six of them should oppose and control the judgment and
opinion of threescore and ten as leamed and religious ministers as
themselves ? . . Men begin to take notice of their carriage. . . If they
continue in their wilfulness and obstinacy, God, notwithstanding their
traversing endeavours, will bring this great work of Reformation to a
blessed period in his due time, and they shaU see il but as the prophet
Elisha said, 2 Kings vii. 2, ' Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but
shalt not eat thereof." . ."'
The following piece originated on the occasion of what is called
"The New-Model" of the Anny. It was now that the Independents
were allowed to becorae soldiers, and how they signalized theraselves
history araply attests. A late author describes them as " perhaps the
most remarkable men who had ever, in any nation, taken up arras for
liberty."* a Forster. Life of Cromwell. 1838. 12rao. Vol. i. p. 205.

540 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
" The Independents' Military Entertainment : Or, Certain Reasons
and Arguments why Independents ought not only to be admitted into
the Army raised for Defence of Church and State, but also both by
Law of God, Nature, and Nations, are required to put their Hands to
the Plough of the Kingdom. Together with the Answering of such
Grand Objections as tend to the Contrary. By W. L." — Licensed,
Entered, and Printed, according to Order. — 1645." 4to. pp. 7.
The opening paragraph of this important tract, is its own best
interpreter. " Since it hath pleased God," writes this Presbyterian, —
for he could be no other, — " to put into the heart of, and to enable our
ever-honoured Parliament to new-form and constitute the Arraies raised
for the defence of theraselves and kingdom, by which means con
sequently many Malignant and disaffected instruments formerly
eraployed, are outed, . . and therefore labour, raight and raain, to beget
such a disaffection between them, to wit the Presbyterian and Indepen
dent party, as if the entertainraent of both in the Array were incon
sistent with the well-being and success of it: Now, seeing that both of
them have ever been engaged in the work since the beginning, and that
party so much pointed at no whit behind any other in faithfulness or
courage, I thought good to declare to the puMic [that] that Indepen
dent party so rauch stumbled at, are not only very precious instruraents
to promote the present miUtary affairs, but are no way to be discoun
tenanced or their assistance and brotherly help declined, for these
reasons ensuing.
"I. That our divisions are the enemies' hopes :.. and they daily
endeavour to disunite us. . . 2. Those our friends whose absence we
would so willingly waive are . . raen professing the sarae religion with
us . . only differing in aud about circumstance, not the substance, of
God's worship; not any fundamental points of religion. 3. If Papists,
Malignants, and desperate Delinquents, are the common adversaries of
the kingdom, these raen of all other are most likely to be real in their
undertakings against them, whose principles are so utter contrary to
them ; they being, fonnerly, the objects of our Prelate's persecution for
that they knew them utter enemies to prelacy, popery, and profane
ness. 4. They have, through God's assistance, behaved theraselves, iu
the Field and in the face of the enemy, very gallantly, as the common
enemy himself confesseth ; and certainly if it be a received tenet, among
commanders, to entertain fighting men, although otherwise dissolute
and profane, certainly these men that are conscientious . . should not
only be admitted but required and desired to assist the State, if for
nothing else yet because they will fight. 5. It hath been too, too
apparent, that divers professing themselves Protestants at large,— as
our adversaries themselves do, — have proved very perfidious; who,
having taken up arms for their own ends, have made use of their best
opportunities to attain them by betraying their trust: and although we
have had too raany experiraents of this kind, yet I never heard of any
usually called 'Independent,' since the war began, that proved perfi
dious. 6. Consider our enemies are accounted old soldiers and poli
ticians, and they tell us it is lawful for the King to call to his assistance
* Query? William Lenthall.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 541
Papists out of all countries ; . . and shall we be so void of reason [as]
to decline the help of our faithful friends of whose courage and zeal we
have had sufficient testimony ? . . 7. It is displeasing to God when
men of one and the same religion — whose judgments differ in point of
ceremony, not substance, — are disunited in affection and so either
decline or deny each other assistance : and indeed, we can expect littie
peace in the kingdora so long as we have wars and fightings in our
spirits one against another. . . 8. . . They, as well as others, are bound
in conscience to'help against the coraraon adversaries ; and shall we tie
their hands behind them ? . . 9. They are not ti-uly called ' Indepen
dent' otherwise than to distinguish them from the Episcopal[ians] and
Presbyterians ; for no true church is independent : neither know we
any such, in New England or elsewhere, that wholly decline the brotherly
advice and assistance of the neighbouring churches in points of diffi
culty, either in doctrine or discipline. 10. What occasion of slighting
have they given ? Have they not been active and zealous to promote
the affairs of the kingdom both with their persons and purses ? Or, do
¦we emulate and envy thera for that they are more zealous than our
selves ? . . II. Methinks above all men our brethren the Scots should
be so far from disaffecting thera, that they should join heart and hand
with them ; for these men were especially those that, in the day of their
n-ouble, stuck closest to them, although, at that time, not baptized into
the name of ' Independents :' Prelates were not acquainted with any
such title. 12. . . In some sense, I may truly say we are all ' Inde
pendents,' the kingdom over; for ever since Episcopacy was conderaned
and made shorter by the head, no other discipline being settled in the
Church, wherein lies the gi-eat difference ? Every raan doth that that
is right in his own eyes; and how long it may he thus, who knows ?
13. If we would have them cashiered the Anny, why not also cast out
ofthe kingdom? . . He that is not thought fit to assist us, raust con
sequently be thought as unfit to live amongst us ; especially such men
as hate neutralizing. . . If they be found fit to live in the kingdom, and
men approved godly, by those best able to judge ; why shall we con
demn them for unprofitable and unuseful menibers ? And although
doubtless there are some — nay, too, too many, — that think if Inde
pendency be tolerated in the kingdora it will be like Moses' [Aaron's]
'rod,' and therefore would gladly have it cast out of the Idngdora ;
truly I say this should satisfy, that it was Moses' [Aaron's] 'rod' that
devoured the rest;* and the rest were but the effects of 'enchantments:'''
and if we shaU cast out Independents for their conscience' sake, by the
same ground we raay banish all religion! 14. They are men known
to be lovers of religion and law, all of them : . . they have both lives
and estates to save or lose as -well as others. 15. We have more need
to encourage thera to join with us than decline their help ; many of
them already having laid down their arms, in reference to the Covenant;
and many never would take up arras to fight for any cause or upon any
terms at all, holding it unlawful. These then, that are willing, resolved,
and men sufficiently known for their fidelity and courage, should rather
be encouraged then anyway discountenanced. 16. Consider who they
0 Exod. vii. 12. " Ver. 11.

542 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
are that are principal opposers of Independents, and would so gladly
have them outed the Array ; certainly none that are trulj' godly, what
soever they pretend : for it is not that they are Independent, but that
they are godly, they are envied : it is the power of Godliness, airaed at !
And he that is now an enemy to Independents, were there not one of
thera left in the Amiy, would be as arch an adversary to Presbyterians
so far as the power of Godliness is held forth in their ccmversation.
This I am confident of, if raen will swear and swill, drink and drab,
as those that would have sway in the Armies have too long done and
would still, — which can neither stand with the power of Godliness nor
common honesty, — let them be Independent, Presbyterial, Prelatical,
or Popish, all is one, birds of a feather would flock together ! Not that
I condemn all, now by course dismissed their coraraands and eraploy-
ments, for I knew many choice, worthy, gallant gentieinen outed by
raeans of the 'New Model;' I only point at the profane atheistical
party, for whose sakes the array hath been new formed ; and who are
the only enemies of Independents, and the power of Godliness, in
whomsoever it is.
" Q. — But these Independents vrill not take the Covenant! What
should they do amongst us ? why shall we trust them ?
" A. — Many, nay most of thera, have or will take it; only some few
decline it, in point of conscience, questioning the lawfulness of pressing
it upon thera with all its circurastances ; yet men resolved, without any
such tie, having a principle within thera leading thera to be true to
their trust, and no whit the more backward in their assistance. . .
" Q. — But they are principal causes of divisions in the Army, by
preaching and teaching they know not what They must be all preach
ers forsooth ! . .
" A. — For that general charge, of being causers of divisions, it is no
raore than what formerly, even from the beginning to this day, hath
been laid upon the back of religion. • . I presurae, not one of forty do
take upon them public administrations; and why should we condemn
all the rest for those ? . . I hope we reverence the godly learned of
them ; and so though some fe'w forget themselves in this, raaking an
idol of ignorance, as too raany of us do of learning, yet take heed of
condemning the rest that are both wise and godly. . . The Scriptures
are of that latitude that a lamb may wade and yet an elephant swira in
their ocean ; so shall men do much good in their places, and may by
their prayers, tears, and Christian duty, wrestle with God as usefully
and profitably as fight with an eneray for the peace and welfare of
church and commonweal : thus shall we build with one hand and fight
with the other. Let us therefore bless God for such commanders and
soldiers, and not envy them for their zeal. . . And whoever thou art
that art an enemy to the Independents' entertainment in the Army,
be silent till all profane ones are cashiered : . . he that hath the least
spark of true grace in his heart will not envy the power of Godliness
in any man's conversation whatsoever."
We pass on to " Independency Accused, by nine several Arguments;
Written by a Godly Leamed Minister to a Member of Mr. John
Goodwin's Congregation: And Acquitted, by several Replies to the

CUAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 543
said Arguments, by a Member of the same Church. In both which,
sweetness of Spirit and soundness of Arguraents have been endeavoured.
— Gal. vi. 1. — Published according to Order. 1645." 4to. pp. 34.
Frora Gangrene Edwards we learn that this paraphlet was put fortli
by " one John Price, an Exchange-man, Cretensis' beloved disciple
and one of his prophets."* The initials "J. P."'' are, besides appearing
in two other places, subjoined to tiie dedication " To the Reverend,
my dear and loving Pastor, Mr. John Goodwin, Pastor of the Church
in Coleraan-street." Therein, we learn no more of the "ingenious
Antagonist," than that he was a man of " piety and parts," with whom
this opponent represents hiraself " unworthy to be named in compe
tition." The " Reader " is informed that " The raind of the Lord, and
Truth of Christ," was their " mutual design ; " and, " I have not,"
adds J. P. " altered one word of his Letter ; only whereas he writ it
entire, I have presented thee with each argument and immediate
replies, with a different character [type] between the one and the other,
for thy more distinct apprehension of both." We can but give a
modicum of either.
" My dear Friend. — You are not ignorant how respectful and reverent I have
carried myself towards the Congregational Way, almost ever since you knew me;
and [how] daily [I] am both praying and reading that I may be fully persuaded,
in my own heart whether that or the other 'Way called Presbyterian be tbe Way
of God I For this end, I have given myself to the perusal of Mr. Goodwin's
' Theomachia ' and his justification of it against Mr. Prynne, and so far as my
judgment reaches, he gets the better of him ; but yet some doubts I have, to which
I cannot pick answers out of both his books. . . Both God and men will expect from
me that I be able to render a Scriptural reason of my faith and conscience ; and
therefore I request you, earnestly, to improve your interest in some friend — you
know I have no acquaintance with any Divine of that way — to communicate their
light to me in the following particulars. . .
" Dear Sir, — . . Upon the first reading thereof, I desired to engage
myself into your christian acquaintance, and to retum an answer, being
desired hereunto, . . unto your Letter. . .
Arg. i. " ' Let it be granted, that the churches in the apostles' time were Con
gregational — for all national profession in the world was either Jewish or heathen
ish, — ^yet if they were to be precedent of the form of church-ordering and
government forever under the Gospel, how could all the churches the apostles had
constituted up and down tbe world, yea, and all particular Christians, be so corrupted
as to suffer the government and worship of God to be taken from them so easily as
that none, that I can hear of, are found upon record to have stood up for Christ and
the Truth ; but national-church government was brought in, and we cannot learn
that there was any scu£Be or contestation against it ? I do not think there can be
named one truth of God that Antichrist or any other heretic, fought against but
it is possible with a little search or study to name those persons that disputed or
writ or suffered in the defence of it I . . 'Where is tbe scribe ? Is there no disputer,
no martyr, to be found 2 What not one . . that after-ages could speak of. . for
willingly suffering shame, spoiling of goods, banishment death, rather than Christ
should be pulled down in his worship, and a national, false, church-government
set up in tbe room of it?.. Where was the valour of their 'faith;' Heb. xi.
33, 34 ? . .
Reply. " This argument irapleadeth Presbytery as well ; . . for where
read we of sufferers for Presbytery ? . . You grant the churches consti-
' Gangrffina. Pt iii. p. ISO.
1> Tbey are found in the preceding " Antidote," p. 7 : was J. P. s tract the first
written, but the last printed ?

544 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
tuted by the aposties Congregational : now, if we .show this practice of
theirs was intended as a pattem for us, and so taken by the raost
Priraitive churches, we hope your demand will be satisfied, though we
could not distinctly show you why none appeared in the defence of it ;
of which, anon. . . The Holy Ghost hath, to some purpose surely, so
punctually noted the manner of gathering and governing the churches
planted by the aposties ; and what can this purpose be, but our imita
tion in things lawful and possible ? . . We may not do what they did
not when they inight, and the nature of things seeraed to require it ;
as the subjecting particular churches to a combination of elders which
should have ordinary authority over the several congregations ; which
they raight have done, as well as to keep up the government in one city,
which they did. . . And so affirmatively, what they did, for substance,
we must. . . The churches in the first and second hundred years after
Christ did take the aposties' practice for their pattern. . . This voluntary
and occasional office of love became a custom, namely, for the lesser
and obscurer churches to do nothing without the greater ; and for the
greater, to exercise inspection and some kind of jurisdiction towards
the lesser by way of charge and office ; till in the third century it was,
by the council of Nice, established by a canon for a church-faw;. . . If
it be said, these consisted of many congregations, and so were Presby
terial ; I answer, it cannot be found they were so ; nor disproved, that
they were one congregation ; because we read so often both in Scrip
tural and ecclesiastical story, that they had one eldership, not several
over thera, and that they all raet upon one great occasion together, as
upon the choice or deposition of rainisters, excoraraunication of raera
bers, etc. ; and if they did raeet in several places, j'et having one
eldership over thera, and not several elderships for the several compa
nies ; and not being tied, any of thera, to corae to any one place more
than another; it doth no more argue they were many congregations,
or hinder them being one — though inconvenient to be governed by
reason of its vastness, — than it doth in Holland, where the case is so,
or than in some great parishes in and about London ; where, though
they meet in one place, yet cannot meet all together by reason of the
multitude. . . It is far different from that government that makes raany
towns and cities one church, and draws thera to subjection to one cora
raon Presbytery, and that in ordinary ; against which, raany reasons
- might be given, though the other were admitted. . .
" Greater truths than this of government have been stolen from the
Church, without any great reluctancy, as far as appears ; as the
reading of the Scriptures by the people, transubstantiation, . . adoration
of the host, the mass itself, taking the cup from the people, etc...
without rauch opposition, till long after.
" The monuments of antiquity in this kind are very defective ; first,
by the notable carelessness of writers in those tiraes. ' It is a singular
giief to me,' saith Ludovicus,* ' when I call to mind how diligently the
actions of Alexander, Scipio, . . Socrates, . . and other captains and
philosophers, have been noted, that there is no peril of their perishing;
but the douigs of the apostles — except such as are set down in sacred
Scripture, — martyrs, and saints, of our religion, yea and of the Church
* Apud lllyricum, in Refutat Erin. p. 15.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 545
itself whether gi-owing up or at full age, are covered in deep silence.
For these things which are written, excepting a few only, are coiTupted
with feigned inventions, etc. : ' thus he, a raan by profession a papist.
Secondly ; because of the prevalency of the Romish faction, whereby
all raonuraents almost, that seemed to oppose the intended usurpatoin,
as the ancient government of the churches especiaUy did, were either
suppressed or some way violated ; as amongst many others. Dr.
[Thomas] Jaraes hath discovered at large, in his book intituled ' The
CoiTuption of the Fathers,' etc. [1612. 4to.]
" . . If there were any that resisted those that invaded that liberty,
those are the examples of suffering, or at least contesting, for this
government ; but the Bishops were the first that usurped the power of
many churches, in ordinary : £uid these were often resisted by word,
writing, and fact ; as appears not only by Aerius, who was counted a
heretic for his labour, but also by Jerome, who saith that ' Bishops were
brought in to prevent heresies and schisras, but that the churches were
anciently governed by the joint counsel of the elders.' Now this was
either by the elders of the same church, or, if with others, it was a
conjunction by way of chiistian-fellowship and society ; not by juris
diction, authority, and necessity — as we saw before. I add, that the
sufferings of so many in opposition to papal government even in ancient
times ; is an argument, in a negative sense, that there hath been suffer
ings for church-governraent, because they would not submit to a lalse
government. . .
Arg. iii. " ' Why do not our Congregational divines v/rite to the brethren of
New England, and convince them of tbeir error, who give, as some say, the civil
magistrate a power to question doctrines [and] censure errors ? Sure we are, some
have been imprisoned, some banished, that pleaded religion and mere conscience,
and were no otherwise disturbers of the civil peace than the Congregational-Way
is Hke to be here.'. .
Reply. "This is an argument, or rather an insinuation, to the
accusing of our brethren, than to the finding out of truth. But. . in
relation to our brethren's practice in New England; I answer you in
this case as the father of the blind man answered the Pharisees, . .
John ix. 21, 'He is of age ; ask him :' . . they stand or fall to their
own Master. I suppose it is easier to affirm than to prove that any
were imprisoned or banished merely for their consciences. We have
a common proverb that ' Untruths lose nothing by distance of place ;'
and by often reporting, some affirm it hath been so as you say ; others
deny the sarae. For ray part, because I have more reason to believe the
one than the other — because the magistrates themselves deny any per
secution merely for a man's private conscience, in the case of Mrs.
Hutchinson, ' The rise and end of Antinomianism in New England,'
p. 46 of the first edition,* — I had rather look unto these things that do
concern us at home, than to go so far to accuse our brethren abroad.
" I humbly suppose it is out of your certain knowledge, that the
Congregational divines have not at all written unto their brethren of
New England about this business ; and have not received satisfaction
herein, I suppose likewise ! I have as much reason, if not raore, to
affirm that they have, as you, that they have not. But suppose they
a By Thomas Welde, 1644. 4to.
II. 2n

546 HISTORICAL .MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
have not written, this wiU prove but the remissness of their duty at
tiie most, and will not facilitate and ease the business in the least.
Doubtiess, the Presbyterian party [practise], in other parts of the
world, not all things according to the raind of God, even in the judg
ments of tiie Brethren-Presbyterians of this nation ; and if so, may
not the same thing be retorted upon them, which you do here upon
these ?
"As for those jealousies which you say are in 'some' about the
Congregational Brethren's ' simplicity and sincerity of spirit,' in 'pre
ferring God's will, and the naked Truth, above any ends of their own !'
as God's royal prerogative in searching all hearts, should stifle such
misprisions and quit all such unworthy surmisings, till better proof
appear ; so any man's reason, not mastered with prejudice and discon
tent, should fully discharge all such vain, unworthy, and uncharitable
iraaginations conceming their brethren : for, except raen's ' ends '
and airas should be sorrow, trouble, reproach, and contempt ; perplexity
and misery ; penury and want ; what other ' ends ' can they have ? . .
Surely, the men of their jealousies are not usually steered up and down
from one place to another, by the golden lure of a hundred or two or
three hundred a year, as many of their censorious judges are ! But
it is worthy our observation, the saints of our Most High God, many
times, are chiefly charged for those things whereof they are least guilty,
and where they are most innocent, and therefore most able to bear the
sarae." Here we take up, in continuation, Baillie's Letters at the period
when he had returned from his visit to his native country, and delivei-ed
himself of his "Assembly Speech"* there; an interval of nearly four
months.'' The first, is addressed to his " Cousin" Spang, now stj'led
" Reverend and Dear Brother," and dated London, April 25th, 1645,
but subscribed " Jamesone." " It pleased God to give us a very pros
perous joumey. . . God brought us both'= to Edinburgh safe, . . on the
a See back, p. 459.
•i Oneof his colleagues had on March 4th, 1644-5. written from London to Lady
Kenmure, " There is nothing here but divisions in tbe Church and Assembly ;
for besides Brownists and Independents, who, of all that differ from us, come
nearest to walkers with God, there are many other sects : . . all against the govern
ment by Presbyteries. Luther observed when he studied to reform, that two-and-
fhirty sects arose ; of all which, . . except those called Seekers, who were not then
arisen, he said, ' God should crush them, and that tbey should rise again :' both
which, we see accomplished." Rutherfurd's Letters, Edit 3, 1675, 16mo. Pt iii.
Let 52, p. 76. — And in a Letter to Lady Boyd, placed next after the above with
out the date of the year, but written from London, May 25th, he says, " It
pleaseth God that sometimes enemies hinder the building of tbe Lord's house ;
but now friends, even gracious men, so I conceive of them, do not a little hinder
the work. Thomas Goodwin, Jeremiah Burroughes, and some others, four or five,
who are for the Independent Way, stand in our way, and are mighty opposites to
Presbyterial governraent .. Multitudes of Anabaptists, Antinomians, Familists,
Separatists, are here ; the best of the people are [of] the Independents' way. . .
The House of Peers are rotten men, and bate our Commissioners and our Cause
both ; the life that is, is in the House of Commons, and many of them also have
their religion to choose." Ibid. p. 77, 78. We take occasion to add, that Ruther
furd wrote to John Stuart '« 1637, " If I saw a call for New England, I would
follow it." Ibid. Pt i. Let 51, p. 119. » '
"= Himself and Gillespie.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 547
Wednesday at night, the first day of the Assembly. I wanted not
my fears of opposition in the Assembly to sundry things we had
brought down. I would gladly have had tirae to have informed pri
vately our friends of all things, before we had brought thera in public.
As for the changes in our [Scottish] church, I had laboured with my
colleagues to have eschewed thera all. . . The Belief in Baptisra, was
never said in England, and they would not undergo that yoke. When
they urged, we could not deny but the saying [the Belief] by many
was a fruitless and raere formality, and to others a needless weight ;
and that the saying the Comraandraents was no less unnecessary. We
got the Assembly to equivalent Interrogatories, rauch against the mind
of the Independents ; and we were assured to have the Creed a part of
the Catechisra. All, both they and we, would gladly have been at the
keeping still of Readers ; for we foresaw the burden which the removal
would bring on the Minister's back : but, after all our study, we could
find no warrant for such an officer in the church ; and to bring in a
raan to be the congregation's raouth to God, and God's mouth to the
congregation, without a clear wanant of the Word, we saw the intolera
ble consequences of such a maxira. For Bowing in the Pulpit, . . it
was . . so unanimously disused, that we were not able to raake thera
alter. . .About the conclusion of the Psalm ["Glory be to the Father,
etc. — As it was in the beginning, etc.] we had no debate with them ;
witiiout scruple. Independents and all sang it, so far as I know, where
it was printed at the end of two or three Psalms : but in the new
translation of the Psalms, resolving to keep punctually to the original
text, . . we and they were content to omit that ; whereupon we saw both
the Popish and Prelatical party did so much dote as to put it to the
end of the most of their Lessons, and all their Psalms. . .
" On Thursday we were brought to the Asserably. I spake what
you have in the enclosed. Mr. Gillespie spoke thereafter rauch to the
same purpose. Because of the longing desire of all to know what we
brought, and to deliver the rainds of sorae frora their fears lest we had
other things than we at first would bring forth, all was presently read. . .
All was heard with great applause, and contentment of all. . . The
brethren from whom we expected raost fashry [trouble] were easily
satisfied : . . only Mr. And. R. was oft exceeding impertinent with his
ostentation of antiquity, and Mr. D. Calderwood was oft fashions
[troublesome] with his very rude and humorous opposition : yet we
got them all at the last contented. . . There was no remedy, both of
us were ordained with diligence to go back: so all that concerned ray
self in private and public went according to ray raind. But for all
this, my wine was incontinent mixed with much worrawood from sun
dry sinistrous accidents both in England and Scotiand. The Inde
pendents, with Mr. Marshall's help, were very near to have carried by
canny conveyance of some propositions in the matter of Church-
censure, a fair and legal Toleration of their way ; but their legerde
main being perceived was got crushed, to their small credit, and to
the breakneck of that Accommodation betwixt us and them which
was far advanced, but now by their schismatic practices, is raade des
perate. . .
2x2

548 HISTORICAL! MEMORI.'^LS [CHARLES I
" The English look on us already much more cheerfully than of
late. . . Their new-modelled army consists for the most of raw, unex
perienced, pressed soldiere. Few of the officers are thought capable
of their places ; many of thera are sectaries, or their confident friends :
if they do great service, many will be deceived. Some have great
fears not only of their designs to strengthen the party of the Sectaries, . .
but also of componing with the King, to the prejudice of us and all
our friends here. . . We have great toil here in the Church-business.
We are on the point of setting up Presbyteries and Synods in London ;
but all the ports of HeU- are opened upon us. . . The most of the
House of Commons are downright Erastians : they are like to create
us rauch raore woe than all the sectaries of England."*
In " A Public Letter, London, April 25th," BaiUie writes, " The
Asserably hath now, I may say, ended the whole body of the Church-
governraent, and that according to the doctrine and practice of tlie
•Church of Scotiand, in everything material. . . The Independents,
these six weeks, have not much troubled the Assembly ; for after we
had been a long time troubled with their opposition to all things, it
was found raeet to put them to declare their mind positively what they
would be at. This they have shifted to this day, as, it was thought, not
fully agi-eeing araong themselves ; but now being put peremptorily to
it, they could not get it declined. Since, they have been about that
task and we expect daily when they shall present to us their platfonn
ef church-governraent The Asserably purposes [!] not to take it into
public debate, but to give it to some committee, that they may frame
an answer to it, if so it be found convenient. The Houses have past
our votes of Govei-nment, purposing quickly to erect the Ecclesiastical
Courts, of Sessions, Presbyteries, and Synods ; and thereafter to pass
so much of our Government as they think necessary. We will [shall]
have much to do with thera to make sundry of our votes pass ; for
most of their lawyers are strong Erastians, and would have all the
church-government depend absolutely on the Parliament : for this end
they have passed a vote in the House of Commons, for appeals from
sessions to presbyteries, from these to synods, frora these to national
assemblies, and from these to the Parliament. We raind to be silent
for some time on this, lest we raar the erection of the ecclesiastic
courts ; but when we find it seasonable, we raind to raake much ado
before it go so. We are hopeful to raake them declare, they raean no
other thing by their appeals . . than a complaint of an injurious pro
ceeding ; which we never denied. . . None need to talk of any fickleness
or ingratitude of the English toward us, of any advanceraent of the
Independent party ; for no man here doubts but if once our army were
in such a condition as easily, if we were diligent, might be, all these
clouds would evanish, and we would [.should] regain this people's
hearts, and do with all Sectaries, and all things else, what we would. . .
Our fears here who know how things go [politically], are great; yet
we dare not think that God will desert his people "and cause. Too
much glory hath been spent on us these seven last years to be so easily
lost"" * Let. 93, vol, ii. p. 88—91, 95, 96. b Let 94, p. 96—98, 100.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 549
May 4th, he writes to Robert Rarasay, " If the Lord will be pleased
to uphold our army, I believe we shall close all church-affairs shortly
according to our raind, and easily call in the wantonness of the Secta
ries ; but the Lord save us from the rage of the roaring Malignants,
and their crafty counsels, of which we are ranch afraid. . . Every day
this raonth we have been expecting their [the Independents'] positive
tenets, but as yet we have heard nothing of thera ; only in their ser
mons, in the city, they are deviating more and more towards old and
new eiTors, especially liberty of conscience. Their ways are daily
more and more disliked. . . We have these fourteen days been upon our
advice to a sub-committee of the House of Comraons, anent [con
ceming] the execution of our votes of Government : for it is the work
of that sub-committee to draw two Ordinances; the one, for the practice
of the Directory : . . for preachers, or writers, or publishers against it,
were they Dukes and Peers, their third fault is the loss of all their
goods, and perjietual imprisonnient. The other Ordinance is for the
erection of Ecclesiastical Courts over the whole kingdora. . . The City-
ministers have sent them their unanimous advice, — for of a hundred
and twenty-one city-ministers, there are not three Independents [!] —
for planting, just after our Scottish fashion, an eldership, etc. . . Herein
the gi-eatness of this nation forces thera to diff'er from us, with our
good liking : their Provincial assemblies cannot consist of all the
ministers, but of so many delegated . . for in sundry of their Provinces
will be above six hundred churches, which would make at least twelve
hundred members in a provincial synod ; etc. . . Our next work will
be the Confession and Catechism. . . If by any means we would
[should] get these our regiraents . . to sixteen thousand marching raen,
by the blessing of God, in a short time we raight ruin both the MaUg-
nant party and the Sectaries. The only strength of both these is the
weakness of our anny. . . If it please God to assist us but a little to be
at this time serviceable, not so much to defend this people in their
^present danger, as to fight for Scotland in the raidst of their land, at
their charge, . . we raay be assured of satisfaction for any wrong in
word or deed that any of our friends pretend to have received, . . beside
all the contentraent we can desire of thera in any matter either of
church or state.'*
The Letter next in order is addressed to Spang, but is not dated.
It is said therein, "The condition of our church-affairs is good. . .
The Erastian party in the Parliament is stronger than the Indepen
dent, and is like to work us much woe. Selden is their head. If
L'Empereur would beat down that man's arrogance, as he very well
can, to show, out of the Rabbins, tiiat the Jewish state was diverse
frora their church, and that they held the censure of excoraraunication
among thera, and a double Sanhedrim, one civil, another ecclesiastic,
. . it would lay Selden's vanity.''"
June 10th, to "David Dickson" was sent a paper of instructions
containing, araong others, that, " You would [should] remonstrate,
that the Independents' treating with Oxford is under trial, and that it
» Let 93, p. 101,-105. •• Let. 96, p. 105, 107. — Constantine L'Empereur,
was Professor of Hebrew at Leyden.^

550 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS LCHAULES I.
is suspected it flows from their practice with the Queen by Han-y Pen-y,
of which we have been oft advertised. — ^You would [should] remon
strate, that this is the party whose principles and known constant car
riage is to settle the State without any King at all ; and so they are for
the ruin of the whole royal family. — Beside, their dealing is utterly
disliked by the body of the English, and the whole Scots. The
Queen's entertainraent of them will make her the raore irreconcileable
with the rest of both nations. — You would [should] assure the Queen's
dealing with that party is to put the King in his old posture, to be
guided by Digby and the Spanish faction ; to have dependence on the
Papists and Sectaries, who have need of liberty to be in a perpetual
jealousy with the rest of his subjects ; etc."*
In the way of interrogation, Baillie wrote to " Mr. Cranford, Jnne
17th," thus, in part ; " How will you put on the Ordinance for
Govei-nraent, that else will linger ? How will you provide Burton's
and Goodwin's church ? And if there be any raore Independents,
good they were reraoved by the Parliament before the Presbytery were
erected. — What encouragement so hastened Bastwick Edwards to print
Bun-oughes" Sermons, and his own tractates ? also in the other books
against Libertines ? — How this plot, of capitulating with Oxford, may
be found out ?"''
To '¦ My Lord Lauderdale, June 17th," which was a busy day in
BaUUe's correspondence, he wrote, "I have been much fashed
[troubled] in ray own mind upon this occasion: an intercepted Letter
of ray lord Digby 's bore, expressly, the offer of propo.sitions to the
King. As ray custora was, I raade a visit to Mr. Cranford ; in the
end, we fell to speak of that Letter in a free and friendly way. I was
not well gone from him till, in the Exchange, he falls out very rashly
and unprudently to comment upon that Letter, and to say little less
than [that] some members of both Houses were banqueting with the
King ! Some of the Independents overhearing it, presently coraplain
of it to the Coraraittee of both Kingdoras. Han-y 'Vane and the
Solicitor exaggerate the raatter and report it to the House of Commons.
They sent for poor Mr. Cranford and examined him at their bar for
some hours, and refen-ed him after to a committee of Lords and Com
mons to free himself. He gives me up, as informer of much of his
» Let 97, p. 108. — In a subsequent paper. No. 103, "Concerning Lord Savile's
business," it is said " The privy way of treating was mightily confirmed by some
Letters of intelligence written from France . . which did contain tbe same articles,
of giving content to the King concerning the militia, and delaying the church-
business and all other matters, till his coming to London ; and that it was moved
to the Queen to deal for this effect with his Majesty, upon these considerations :
That tbe Scots had no power here, and were averse from peace ; that their opposites
had all power in tbe Houses, in the City, in the army, and in tbe navy : That
Presbyterial Government would be more powerful, permanent, and prejudicial to
Monarchy and to tbe recovery of regal power in church-matters ; but Independency
being weak in itself and so near into disorder and confusion, would call quickly
for a remedy, and open a way for the King to return to his own power ; and that
tbe one side was, in their principles, for liberty of conscience and therefore would
be compliant with the Catholics of his Majesty's party in tbe three kingdoms ; but
the Presbyterians were more rigid, and would oppose toleration of divers religions
in bis Majesty's dominions." p. 127.
b Let 98, p. 109.

CHAP. LXI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 551
discourse, in a paper under his hand ; which the coraraittee gave to our
Coraraissioners, not requiring any answer. Yet, in duty, I thought it
meet lo give this enclosed answer to our Coraraissioners. . . It was the
will of Cromwell in his Letter of his victory, to desire the House not
to discourage those who had ventured then- lives for them, and to come
out expressly with their rauch-desired liberty of conscience. You will
see the Letter in print by order, as I think, of the Houses."*
The date ofthe foregoing, is placed upon a Letter " For Glasgow."
It is now stated that " Our progress in tbe Asserably is but small. We
fell in a labyrinth of a Catalogue of Sins for which people must be
kept from the Sacrament, and ministers be deposed. When we had
spent man}' days upon this, we found it was necessary to have . . a
general clause whereby the presbyteries and synods behoved to be
intrasted with raany raore cases than possibly could be enuraerated [ ! ]
. . This accident [the battie of Naseby] is like to change much the
face of affairs here. We hope the back of the Malignant party is bro
ken. Some feai- the insolencv of others, to whom alone [!] the Lord
lias given tiie victory of that day."""
On this same day, also. Spang is informed that "It is exceeding
false that there has ever been the least appearance of discord betwixt
our Commissioners and the Parliament, neither I hope ever shall be.
What use the Independent party may make of this very gi-eat and entire
rictory, wherewith God has been pleased to bless these counsels which
they took against the mind of most here, and by appearance against
all reason, we cannot yet say. However, our danger was very great,
and God now has made us secure frora the Malignant party. . . I do
not love Mr. Dane's raotion : if it be his raind to draw from the Pro
fessors a declaration for our behoof, I think he would have proposed far
other measures. I pray j'ou see he do us no evil. Advertise Dr.
Stewart to keep his colleagues silent, if they be not willing to declare
flatiy against sdl the branches of Independency [!] as AjjoUonius and
Spanheim have done, and for the rooting out of all kinds of Episcopacy,
according to our Covenant : why else should they n-ouble us with their
untimeous declarations, who have trouble enough already in our great
and dangerous wrestlings with the coraraon enemy ?""^
" Jttiy 1st," is the date of a " Public Letter," in which Baillie says,
" Order for the Directory. . at last is past the House of Commons ;
very near as severe an Ordinance as that against the neglect of the
Serrice-book. . . What retardment we may have from this gi-eat victory
[of Naseby] obtained most by tbe Independent party ; and wbat
[from] that model of Govemraent, whereupon Thomas Goodwin and
his brethren these three months have been sitting so close that they
very rarely, and he never at all has yet, appeared, we do not know ;
only we expect a very sharp assault, how soon we know not, for a
toleration to we wot not what. This we know, that we had never more
need of yom- prayers for wisdom and grace to get the dangerous and
eril designs of very crafty and dUigent men overthrown, and turned on
the head of the contrivers."''
a Let 99, p. no. 111. b Let 100, p. 116, 117.
" Let 102, p. lis. Le-. 105, p. 133, 131.

552 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
Under the same date," To ray Lord Lauderdale," he wrote, "If you
be a good Scotsman, remonstrate what necessity there is to make our
army here strong : . . for the time it is like to have littie ado ; for the
Independents and Crorawell are like to put a qiuck end to all here
without any other help."*
Another " Public Letter," July Sth, states that " However our oppo
sition is mighty, yet daily, blessed be God, we get ground. All the
ministers in London now, without exception, are for our Presbytery.
Thomas Goodwin and Burton, tiiat were against it, are put, by the
Parliament, frora their places. Some other few preachers are but lec
turers. The Independents j'et present not their model : we suspect
their domestic divisions, or their perplexity, whether to take in or hold
out from amongst theraselves the rest of the sectaries. . . Let it be your
care that Lauderdale be sent back to us with all expedition. No living
raan fitter to do service for Scotland against the plotting Independent
party, which, for the time, has a great hand in the state."''
" To the Earl of Eglintoun," July Sth, he communicates, "Yesterday
we sent up to both Houses the whole body of the Church-govemment ;
so it is once out of the Assembly's hands. Blessed be God, all the
ministers of London are for us. Burton and Goodwin, the only two that
were Independents, are, by the Parliament, reraoved from their places.
Seven or eight preachers that are against our way are only lecturers in
the City, but not rainisters. We hope shortly to get the Independents
put to it, to declare themselves either to be for the rest of the Sectaries,
or against them. If they declare against them, they will be but a
small inconsiderable company ; if for them, all honest men will cry
out upon thera for separating from all the Reforraed Churches to join
with Anabaptists and Libertines. "<^
July 15th, superscribed " For my Lord Lauderdale," tells his
lordship, "As yet our [Scottish] army here has done nothing: if its
credit be not relieved with some successfiil action quickly, the clamours
of this people will arjse against it. Cromwell's extraordinary success
makes that party here triumph. I wrote to you of Lord Digby 's
intercepted Letter. . . A strange providence put in our hands three writs
of Savile's hand which evidence his trafficking with Oxford by ray Lord
Say and the Independent party's advice.. . The matter is so clear, that
il it had been rightiy timed, . . by all appearance it had removed that
jiarty, which long has obstructed the Reformation both of church and
kingdom : but their present favour with the City and all on their
double victory, and our neafeance is so great that all that can be
brought against them will not prejudice thera. And indeed it seems
they have altered a principle, that as, before [the retaking of] Leicester
[June 17th] their trafficking was to bring back the King on very danger
ous terms, so now, after their great success, it is to cast hira clean away.
Whatever raiseries raay follow, yet this conclusion would for once put
all power in their friends' hands; but the God of justice and truth will
not permit them to tura States at their pleasure I"""
Now follow, three " Public Letters ; " the only one dated, is the first,
» Let 106. p. 136. !• Let 107. p. 138, 139. » Let 109. p. 142.
¦1 Let. Ill p. 145—147.

CHAP. LXI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 553
" August 10th ;'' and it records that " The constant practice here, on
the least appearance of any public danger, is to flee both to public and
jirivate fasting. Truly the godly here are a praying people, and the
Parliament is very ready to further this disposition.. . Whatever the
raatter raay be, . . ray heart does not smite me for the wrong I know
our nation has done, in lifting up arms against the Malignant party ; . .
for daily more and more it appears to the world that the design of the
misled Court was and is, by all raeans out of hell, to fasten the yoke
of tyranny on the necks both of our bodies and souls, for our times
and the days of our posterity ; and therefore what we have done, we
were absolutely necessitated to it"*
The second of these Public Letters contains the information that
" Since April we have not ranch been troubled with the Independents;
for since that tirae they have been about the model of their way, and
have not much rainded the Assembly; and what they have done yet,
all is a secret. Many think they cannot agi-ee among themselves :
but if we should be quit of them, we have no scant [scarcity] of Sec
taries to the common cause. Paul Best, the antitrinitarian ; . . Mr.
Archer's blasphemous book called ' The Author of the very Sinfulness
cf Sin;' . . Mr. Colman's sermon to the House of Commons, the first
fast day, exhorting thera to keep all the Church-govemment in their
own hand, and to give Churchmen none of it ; took up some days. . .
The most part of the House of Comraons, especially the lawyers,
whereof there are many and divers of them very able men, are either
half or whole Erastians, believing no church-govei-nment to be of
Divine right, but all to be a human constitution, depending on the
will of the magistrate ! About this matter we have had, &t divers
times, rauch bickering with thera : now it is come to a shock. . . The
Synod . . after divers fair papers at last framed a most zealous, clear,
and peremptory one, wherein they hold out plainly the Church's
divine right to keep off from the Sacrament all who were scandalous ;
and if they cannot obtain the free exercise of that power which Christ
hath given them, they will lay down their charges, and rather choose
all afflictions than to sin by profaning the holy table. The House is
highly inflamed with this Petition, and seems resolute to refuse it.
The Assembly is as peremptory to have it granted. . . Affairs in Europe,
these many ages, were not in a greater and raore dangerous situation
than at this hour. Our thoughts are that the Lord is shaking the
foundations of kingdoras and states, to make way for the great propa
gation of the Gospel, which the godly here and elsewhere are expecting
shortly, according to the Lord's promise."''
The third " Public Letter" here, announces that "We have been pre
paring our papers, for the satisfaction of the House, of our Divine right
to keep scandalous persons frora the holy table, and of our necessity
to stand to a general rule for scandals, a particular enumeration being
in itself irapossible. . . Blessed be God, we gain ground on the minds
of sundry of the Parliament"'^
" To Mr. William Spang, Aug. 16th," occupies the next place in
succession. In this, he is requested to see what he can do with Vossius
* Let 112. p. 147, 148. b Let 113. 149— 151. ¦: Let 114. p. 152.

554 HISTORICAL ME-MORIALS [CHAKLES I.
to get hira to answer Erastius' book ; though Baillie expresses his
"wish" that Vossius "had never meddled with the Independents" [!]'
The next Letter finds and leaves Mr. Cranford "prisoner in the
Tower of London."*, And after that, another to Spang, dated Sep
teraber 5th: "Send rae the rest of Forbes. I like the book very
well, and the man much the better for the book's sake. I marvel I
can find nothing in its index against the Millenaries. . . I cannot dream
why he should have omitted an eiTor so faraous in antiquity, and so
troublesome among us ; for the raost of the chief divines here, not
only Independents, but others, such as Twisse, jMarshall, Palmer,
and raany more, are express Chiliasts. . . AU here is in the balance.
In the Assembly, we are going on languidly with the Confession of
Faith and Catechism. The minds of the dirines are much enfeebled
by the House, their delay to grant the Petition, — a power to seclude
from the table all scand^ous persons, as well as some. Mr. Prynne
and the Erastian lawyers are now our remora. The Independents
and sects are quiet, enjoying peaceably all their desires, and increasing
daily their party. They speak no raore of bringing their model in
the Assembly, We are afraid that this shameful and monstrous delay
of building the Lord's house, and their [the Houses] ingratitude and
unkindness to us in our deep sufferings for them, will provoke God
against them [!] which we often eamestly deprecate ; for their misery
will be ours, and their welfare will profit all the Reformed Churches.
I believe in time they will do all we desire. . . INIr. Cranford, on his
first motion to the House, was let free. . . If our Scots affairs had not
put such thuigs out of our heads, we inight have put Savile and others
hard to it The recruiting of the House, procured by the cunning
and diligence of that party, what it will produce we are yet in doubt.
Some think it will bring raany favourers of Sectaries and Malignants
into the House ; sorae think othei-wise."o
October 14th, gives date to this "Public" Letter: "Great wrestiing
have we for the erecting of our Presbyter^t It raust be a Dirine
thing to which so much resistance is raade by men of all sorts [ ! ] yet,
by God's help, we wUl very speedily see it set up, in spite of the
devil. We have great difficulties on all hands ; yet if the Lord con
tinue to blink in raercy upon Scotland, they will dirainish. [Public]
affairs here, go, by God's blessing, so prosperously, that there is no
more fear of the Malignant partj'. . . We were in a long ex-pectation
of a model from the Independents ; but yesterday, after seven months'
waiting, they have scorned us. The Asserably having put them to
it to raake a report of their dUigence, they gave us iu a sheet or two of
injurious reasons, why they would not give us any reasons of their
tenets. We have appointed a committee to answer that libel [Gloss.
'indictment']. We think they agree not among themselves, and that
there are many things araong thera which they are loth to profess,
which, by God's help, ere long I raind to do ibr them in their own
words. But our greatest trouble, for the tirae, is frora the Erastians
in the House of Commons. They are at last content to erect Presby
teries and Synods in all the land, and have given out their Orders for
= Let 115. p. 154. b L^t. 116. See back, p. 550. <= Let 117. p, 156, 158.

CHAP. LXI.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 555
that end ; yet they give to the Ecclesiastic Courts so littie power, that
the Asserably finding their Petitions not granted, are in great doubt
whether to set up anything till, by some powerful Petition of many
thousand hands, they obtain some more of their just desires. The
only raean to obtain this and all else we desire, is [to bring up] our
recruited [Scots] array about Newark : the inlacks [wants] of that
array, is the earthly fountain of all our difficulties here."*
About the sarae day, and in the sarae month, Baillie writes to Mr.
George Young, " Rev. and Dear Brother, . . Our hearts here are oft
much weighted and wounded hy raany hands. Our wrestlings with
devils and raen are gi-eat. However, the body of this people be as
good as any people, yet they that rule all are rauch opposite to our
desires. Some very few, guide all now at their pleasure, only through
the default of our army [I] For this long time they have not trusted
us ; but have had their secret fear of our colluding with the King. . .
The faction that here prevails, minding liberty of conscience, and find
ing it impossible to gain us to oversee that so great a fault, have made
that their work, — to be quit of us ! They have occasioned raany
provocations, to vex us, and make us vex others. I cannot write the
half of their proud and unjust dealings. The miscarriage of our army
they exaggerate. We say, by their withdrawing all the proraised pay
the seven last months, not giving one month's pay, [they] have forced
us to take by violence for our subsistence, and disabled us to do any
service, of purpose to make us odious ; that their own array, which
they have put in the hand only of Sectaries, or their confident friends,
they have furnished with men and money every fortnight, and were
sure in all enterprises to have it ever the stronger ; so that it was an
easy matter for them to do all their services and be cried up. The
Assembly is rauch discouraged : they find their advice altogether
slighted ; a kind of  Presbytery set up; sects daily springing over
all the land, without any care at all to restrain them ; a clear aim in
the prevailing party to have a liberty universal ; an utter dislike of our
nation for opposing their designs ; and driving it so high, that ways
are studied, if no better may be, to break the union of the nations, and
have us, for the carriage [practices] of our army, declared, the first
breakers, to thera, and dealt with as such ! . . We cry to God, who
knows the honesty of our hearts, and the dishonesty of theirs ; the
canse of our engagement and our huge suffering ; their great
ingratitude to us, and our great patience to them [!] It is gone
already very high. We fear that they raake Digby seera to deal with
us, while they in truth know how to get the King from us to thera
selves on their own terras ; and, if we be not wUling to corapone in
what terras both for religion and state they please, to cast us off; and
for the recompence of all our labours, to turn on our poor, broken,
distressed country, the armies of both. The best way we know to
prevent this, is to haste up our army, well recruited and disciplined,
to Newark, having cashiered all who are the known instruments of
debauchery, or can be proven to have kept correspondence with the
enemy. This, in spite of the Independent plots, would help all : for
- Let 118, p. 159—161.

556 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
the body of the Pariiaraent, city, and country, are for the Presbytery,
and love us, and hate the Sectories ; but are all outwitted and over
powered by a few, whom tlie service and activeness of our amiy would
undo. ..But of these things, much more than I purposed; only I
thought good to let you know the inside of our affairs. . . These things
to vou only, and Mr. David [Dickson], and to whom you think ex
pedient. .. Mr. Samuel [Rutherfurd] and Mr. George [GiUespie] are
busy with the press, and I wiU [shall] be so for one five or six weeks
thereafter."* Spang is infoi-med, October 1 7th, " To clear our reputation, we
have printed some of our late papers to satisfy tiie ignorance of tiie
people : in answer to our last paper, the House of Commons have
passed sundry very strange and unkind votes, wherewith tiie Lords
have yet refused to concur. . . Jamesone."''
Another Letter to Spang, seven days later, acquaints him that,
" Unliappily, Amyraut's Questions are brought in our Assembly.
Many more love these fancies here than 1 expected. It falls out iU,
that Spanheira's book is so long acoraing out, while Amyraut's treatise
goes in the Assembly from hand to hand ; yet I hope this shall go
right. The City and Asserably are on a better way than before, to
raake the Parliament for raore liberty to suspend from the table scan
dalous persons, thau they would willingly gi-aiit. . . My piece against
the Independents is on the press.''"
Noveraber 6th, of this 3'ear, 1645, the " Coraraittee for Accorarao
dation," first appointed Sept. 13th, 1644, was revived by Order of both
Houses ; the Lords' committee consisting of the Earls of Northumber
land and Manchester, with Viscount Say and Seale, Lord Wharton,
and Lord Howard. The Assembly's Committee were at this time,
MarshaU, Burgess, White, Hoj'le, 'Temple, Smith, Palmer, Seaman,
Herle, Goodwin, Nye, Bridge, Hill, Reynolds, AiTowsmith, Young,
Vines, Tuckney, Newcomen, Simpson, Burroughes, Dury. Those
Committees, with the Scots Commissioners, met on Monday, the
14th, ill the Jerusalem chamber, and re-appointed those " who had
formerly been a sub-committee for that purpose," to " consider and
prepare raatter" for debate at another raeeting on the 24th. That dav,
the chainnan of the sub-committee, ^'ines, reported. That they had
not prepared, as they were instructed, " because the Dissenting Bre
thren," the Independents, " did waive the first part of the Order,''
touching Accommodation ;'' and that those Bi-ethren' were left by the
rest, to present their thoughts to this Committee ; " not as the result
of the sub-committee, but as their own." The Independents accord
ingly gave in as follows : " The nature of the business puts us upon
the second part of the Ordinance of Parliaraent, ' The endeavouriug
to find out sorae way how far tender consciences, etc., may be borne
with.' . . Which," said they, "we humbly present to the consideration
of this Coramittee." Whereupon it was resolved, That Masters Good
win, Nye, Simpson, Bridge, and Burroughes, bring in " upon Thurs-
a Let 119, p. 161—164. ' Let 120, p. 165.
c Let 121, p. 163,167. — for Amyraut, see Biog. Universelle. 1811. Svo.
Tome 2, p. 81, 82. d See back, p. 417.

CHAP. LXI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 557
day seven-night, wherein they desire to be borne with in point of
Church Governraent"*
A "Public" Letter of Baillie's, Noveraber 25th, reports that " In
the Asserably', we are going on with the Confession of Faith. We
had long and tough debates about the decrees'of Election ; yet thanks
to God all is gone right according to our raind. That which has
taken up much of the Assembly's time and mind, these six or seven
weeks, is their manifold Petitions to the Parliament for a fulf liberty to
keep from the holy table all scandalous persons. The Parliament calls
this an arbitrary power, and requires the Assembly to raake an express
enumeration of all the sins for which they intend to censure. After
many retums, we gave them in an enumeration of many particulars, but
withal [it] craves a general clause to be added. . . The iiiinisters refuse
to accept of presbyteries without this power. . . We are now hot on the
Committee for Accoraraodation. I tell my mind freely of it in ray
preface to my ' Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time,' which is now
abroad. . . The Independents, in their last meeting of our Grand Com
mittee of Accoraraodation, have expressed their desires for Toleration,
not only to themselves but to other sects [ ! ] The Parliament has no
great inclination to satisfy either. What raay corae of this, we know
not ; only it were our heart's desire that our array at Newark were
recruited [I]"""
He tells Spang, Noveraber 29th ; " I have sent you seven of my
' Dissuasives.' . . I expect a shower of Independents about ray ears,
but I ara not [a] feared : I have a reserve of raore stories, and I think
they will have more to do shortly, for their elusory denial to the As
sembly of their model they caused print [to be printed] under the
name of a ' Remonstrance,' to which the Assembly has made a large
and sharp ' Answer,'' which lays them more even ; also, their rejecting
of all accoraraodation, and pleading for a Toleration not only of their
separate churches but for the other sects, gives great offence, and will
draw out bitter writs quickly against thera. . . Will you entreat Dr.
Forbes to press his friend Vossius to print that he told rae he had ready
against the Anabaptists, the greatest and raost prevalent sect here : in
tumultuous ways they provoke our chief rainisters to public disputa
tions for Paedobaptism."''
The next, is also to Spang, but without date. " The first imjireis-
sion of my ' Dissuasive ' is away already. It is going again to the
press. I get thanks for it from many. I wish you raight put Forbes
to go on with his history, especiaUy of the Anabaptists, Libertines, and
such as presently vex us. . . These [the Anabaptists] and the Sectaries
also most increase amongst us. Tombes, a rainister of London, has
printed a large book for thera, wherein he dares us all. . . Sorae six
or seven weeks ago, the humour of the faction who guides here, towards
a From p. 12  15, of " The Papers and Answers of the Dissenting' Brethren
and [tbe rest of] tbe Committee of the Assembly of Divines : given in to the
Honourable Committee of Lords and Commons and Assembly of Divines with
the Scotch Commissioners, for Accommodation ; at the Revising of that Cora
mittee: 1645. Printed, 1648." 4to. pp. 123.
b Let 122, p. 168, 169. <= 1645. 4to. pp. 24. ^ Let 123, p. 169, 170.

558 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
US seeraed not to he friendly. . . We were content to have the Com
mittee for Accommodation renewed for our opposition to their designs:
in this, was the raain fountain of their evil talent against us : . . we
would, for peace's cause, dispense with thera in very many things, but
they are peremptory, they will not hear nor speak of any accommoda
tion, but they will, by all means, have their separate churches. They
plead for a Toleration to other sects as well as to themselves; and with
much ado could we get thera to propone [propound] what they de
sired to themselves. At last they gave us a paper : . . in our answer,
we flatly denied such a vast liberty, and backed it with reasons, and
withal are begun to show what indulgence we could, for peace' sake,
grant. Here Mr. Marshall, our chairman, has been their raost diligent
agent to draw too many of us to grant them much more than my heart
can yield to, and which to ray power I oppose. As yet, we are not
corae to express our i-a.sh bounty, and some things have intervened
from God that I hope will stay the precipitancy of some whom I ex
pected should have been more opposite to all toleration of separate
congregations than, when it coraes to a chock, [brunt] I found thera :
1 . "Thoraas Goodwin, the last meeting, declared publicly that he cannot
refuse to be raerabers — nor censure, when raembers — any for Ana
baptism, Lutheraiiism, or any enors which are not fundamental, and
raaintained against knowledge, according to the principle in the Apolo
getic. This ingenuous and raost tiraeous albeit merely accidental pro
fession, has rauch allayed the favour of sorae to their Toleration. 2.
Some good friend has inforraed [of] the City-ministers that they, in
their meeting at Sion College, have resolved unanimously to petition
the Assembly against all such tolerations. 3. The other day Say and
Wharton moved in the House of Lords, to adjourn — that is, really to
dissolve — the Assembly. 4. The Independents are stickling too openly
to have the Common Council of London modelled to their mind. 5.
Instead of their long-expected model, they presented a libel of invec
tives as reasons why they would present no model to the Assembly :
this, underhand, they caused print ; and when the Assembly had drawn
up a sober and true answer, and got an order from the House of
Lords to print it, they raake their friends in the House of Coramons
as yet to keep it in. All these are alai-ras to raake us, if we be
not demented [distracted] as many the best men here are, to be the
more wary of their toleration."*
An undated " Public Letter" contains these remarks, that " God
has helped us to get the body of the ministry of all the land to be
cordially for us, and the City is now striking in ; which we hope shall
can-y it, and get up a straighter Govemraent, and also exclude tolera
tion of sects more than many men here do desire ! We have had
many bickerings with the Independents in the Grand Coraraittee about
an indulgence for their separate congregations. . . For this point, both
they and we contend tanquara pro aris et focis. Had it been God's
will to have made our array here this last year successful, we should
have had few debates for any of our desires; but the calaraities of our
country [Scotiand] and weakness of our army, raake the sects and
their friends bold, and very insolent"''
a Let 121, p. 170—172. b L^t, 125, p. 174,175.

CHAP. LXI.J RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 559
To Spang, undated : " Matters are near some crisis. I pray God
it may be happy. I count the King's partj' utterly undone. . . London
is not willing to quit what both pailiaraents [Scotch and English]
granted to them before, and therefore did offer petition upon petition
to have their own militia, as in the propositions agreed to by both
kingdoms was settled. The Lords were willing to let it go so : the
Coramons, foreseeing that such a power in the hands of London,
though under the Parliament, yet makes them masters of the Parlia
ment ; also gives them power over the city of Westminster and all the
suburbs, which they had not before ; so demur upon the matter, and.
are content to hear the contrary petitions of Westminster and the
subm-bs, which may draw the business of the propositions to so great
a length as the)' please. In the mean time, the King's extremity
makes him very impatient of such delays. The City is much grieved
that what before was without a question gi-anted to them, should
now be taken away This controvei-sy raakes them the more willing
to look into the ways of the Sectaries. . . The City is in so good a
temper these two months as we cottid wish. . . The Sectarian party
would gladly be at a breach with us ; but the affection which France
and the City declares towards us, does a little bridle them."*
In a " Public Letter, Deceraber 2nd," these incidentals appear,
" Our army [of Scots] is come to Newark. . . The Independents here
plead for a Toleration both for theraselves and other sects. My ' Dis
suasive ' is corae in tirae to do serrice here. We hope God will
assist us to remonstrate the wickedness of such a Toleration. . . An
' Accommodation,' in just terms, we were well content with ; but the
Independents always scorned it. Yet ere long I think they will beg
it when it wUl not be granted."''
Then follows a Letter headed " For Mr. Roberts," but without a
date : " Reverend and Beloved Brother, . . Yesterday the Assembly's
Petition was frowned upon in both Houses ; notwithstanding, we pur
pose, God willing, on "Thursday to give in a reraonstance of a more
full and high strain. . . I heard yesterday, that Mr. Lilbura has a
Petition for the Sectaries, subscribed with the hands of a great raany
thousands. . . If your city will countenance ]\Ir. Peter's sei-mon on
the day appointed, they do but go on as they have begun. Send back
this letter with the bearer ; for we had need to beware what papers be
in any of your studies, since, the other day, it was eamestly pressed
in the House that Mr. Jenkins', Mr. Cranford's, and, as I think, Mr.
Fisher's studies should be presentiy sealed up, and searched. These
be but the beginnings of evUs."'^
* Let 126. p. 176 — 178. "> Let. 127. p. 178, 179. ' Let 138. p. 179, 180.

560 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS , [CHARLES I.

CHAP. LXIL
cotton's "way of THE CHUKCHES."  " ANIMADVERSIONS " UPON
cotton's " keys" AND "WAY."  HIS DEFENCE.
For another contribution necessary to the obtaining of a full and
correct insight into the opinions and practices of our ancestors, we
resort to " "rhe Way of the Churches of Christ in New England : Or,
The Way of Churches walking in Brotherly Equality, or Co-ordination,
without Subection of one Church to another : Measured and exa
mined by the Golden Reed of the Sanctuary. Containing a full
Declaration of the Church- Way in all particulars. By Mr. J. Cotton,
Teacher of the Church at Boston in New England. — Published
according to Order. Lond. 1645." 4to. pp. 116.
The Epistle to the Reader, " satisfying," — say they who superin
tended the passing this treatise through the press, — " his desire of a
fuller declaration of the Church-Way," commences with remarking
that " Although our Brethren of a different judgraent from that Way,
have not, all this while, held forth unto us what Discipline they intend;
nor yet have pointed us to any Platform settled in adjacent kingdoms ;
but rather have lured off our eye with intimations that they intend
some variation ; yet how many [times], how long [time], have [they]
even dulled our ears with expostulations for a ' fuller declaration ' of
ourselves, whose hands they know are rauch bound up, and our single
selves in an incapacity to be representative of others ! The unwilling
ness of Licensers to license our tracts ; and the earnest endeavours of
sorae to move complaints against two or three of our most moderate
books, that with hard travail got a convoy of licences to cut through
the presses, are not dumb witnesses how rauch our way is baned, and
our hands tied short. . .
" With much ado, we have presented you with a fuller ' declaration '
of all our Way, according to the Scriptures, in this learned yet modest
treatise. . . If all things in this treatise as now printed, do not answer
punctually word for word to the first written copy, let the reverend
author, and the candid reader, pardon us. . . Lest any should iraagine
that every thing in the ' Keys ' doth not fit all the wards in this treatise
to a hair, we will here insert Mr. Cotton's own words . . coming . .
while this Epistle lay under the Press, naraely, ' If you think the
draft of Church-Discipline" wliich was sent over in your ship, varielh
frora that of 'The Power of the Keys '•' sent over the year after; you
may have some occasion so to conceive, from some difference of ex
pression in logical terms, but not a jot in any doctrine of divinity, or
church-practice . . To Mr. R. M.' Divers objections, fonnerly, laid
against the printing of tiiis book, to the saddening of the author ; some
whereof are now answered by the late season of printing it ; others
by the necessity of them that conscientiously and candidly cry out for
» See back, p. 155. b gee back, p. 259.

CHAP. LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 561
information ; othei-s, by the foreprinting of the ' Keys ' to open the full
mind and whole sphere of the author's judgraent in this ; others, by
that putting forth in print of an answer to this book, before this was
midwifed by the Press into the world 5 all reason therefore, now it can
speak, that it should answer for itself.".. Signed, N. H. — I. H.*
We shall not handle this profound treatise with any regard to
method, since to do it ample justice would occupy far more space than
can be allotted for it in these pages. The chapters consist of 1. " The
order ofgathering dispersed Christians into a Church." 2. " Touching
Church-officei-s, with their election and ordination." 3. " Of the
addition of Members to the Church." 4. " Concerning our Order
and Forms in administration of God's Public Worship," 5. "Touch
ing the dispensation of the Censures of the Church," 6. " Seven
ways of Communion of Churches." And, 7, " Of the way of Re
formation in the Congregations in England."
Conceming the vexata qusestio which has caused so much strife
among disputants on church-order and discipline. Cotton writes, at
this time, in this soraewhat ambiguous strain : " Neither do we acknow
ledge 'Ruling Elders,' 1 Tim. v. 17, in the church, to be lay-elders
properly; for to say nothing of the distinction between the clergy and
laity, which is of a later edition than apostolic times, the ruling elders
being ordained to die office by the election of the people and imposition
of hands — as well as the preaching elders, — they are no raore laymen,
or private christians, than the teaehei-s or pastoi-s are lay-rainisters : and
though the pastor and teacher be either of thera church-rulers, yet the
ruler is here distinguished from tbem, as a distinct member attending
to his action of rale as his proper function."'' " The issue of all," he
adds, after further remarks, "is, that when men of learning and judg
ment have wearied their wits and strength to shoulder out ' Ruling
Elders ' from this text, yet sueh is the evidence and wisdom of the
Holy Ghost, in the Word, that it may well appear ' the weakness of
God is stronger than men,' and ' the foolishness of God wiser than
men.'" The words cannot but approve two sorts of Elders, and both
' worthy of double honour,' both they that ' rule well,' though they
labour not in preaching, and ' especially ' they that do labour in preach
ing; but this interpretation will by no means satisfy some of a
contrary judgment."<i " We utterly deny them to be ' laymen,' as
the word is commonly meant in this controversy ; but church-officers,
set apart to their office by the election of the people and b)' iraposition
of hands ; but if they were mere laymen — which they are not, — ^yet
you see it is no 'strange' or 'unheard of matter, that churches should
be bountiful to the maintenance of sundry sorts of church-rulers who
are merely laymen, as their adversaries misconceive these to be. . . But
the world will love its own, be there never so many idle drones or
stately ' rulers ' of man's own devising, the Church raust supply them
not only with maintenance, but with magnificence ; but let the Lord
appoint ' ruling elders,' according to the simplicity of the Gospel, to
assist his ministers in the work of government, that they might attend
a Nathaniel Homes subscribed the Epistle prefixed to " The Way of Congre
gational Churches Cleared. I64S."
b p 14. .. 1 Cor. i. 25. ^ P- 24.
ir. 2o

562 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS . [CHARLES I.
the raore to 'labour in the Word,' if they shall expect from the Church
any ' maintenance ' for their work's sake, oh I that seemeth a ' strange "
matter, and ' unheard of* fi'om all antiquity, till this present age."''
To au objection, in part, that in 1 Tim. iv. 14, the presbytery gave
imposition of hands to ordain ministers ; but lay-elders had no right
to impose hands to that purpose, therefore laymen were none of this
" presbytery ; " it is answered, " When it is said. No man can give
what he hath not received ; — the light of nature, the law of Moses, the
Gospel of Christ, do all of thera make a ready answer for us. The
law of nature tells us it is not necessary that they that give should
always, fonnally, have beforehand received that power which they give:
it is enough if they have received it virtually. For instance, a multi
tude of free people may elect and ordain a king over thera ; and yet
none of thera had, beforehand, received kingly power : it is enough,
they have a virtual power to set up and to submit unto any lawful
form of government which they see good for themselves in the land.
The people of Israel, to wit, sorae in the narae of the rest, for all could
not at once, — ' impose their hands upon the Levites,'" and yet were not
Levites themselves, nor had received imposition of hands themselves,
and yet raay nevertheless impose hands upon others. In the Gospel
of Christ, the power of ' the keys ' is given to the church — to Peter, not
as an apostle nor as an elder, but as a professed believer, in the narae of
believers, and upon-occasion of the profession of his faith ;'' whereupon
the binding and loosing — which is the power of the keys — is attributed
to the whole 'church' Matt, xviii. 17, 18. If then, the power of the
keys, which is the whole body of church-power, be given to the body of
the church, though it be not in their power to exercise their pastoral
preaching of the Word and administering of the sacraraents, yet it is
in their power to elect such whom God hath furnished with gifts araong
them, unto such offices as raay dispense all the holy things of God to
them; and, by imposition of hands, to dedicate them to God and to
the public service of his church. Now, if the whole church have this
power to impose hands upon their officers in their first ordination, how
can it seem a 'strange' and ' unheai-d-of ' thing, or on absurd matter,
that Ruling Elders should together with the Pastors and Teachers — all
of them making up the ' presbytery ' of the church — impose hands,
in the Narae of the Lord, and of the church, upon the ordained ?"'
" It is weU known," Cotton says, "to aU such as are studious of
antiquity, that it was counted a rare and insolent matter for an Elder
to preach in the presence of a Bishop ! Which was the cause why
the good old Bishop Valerius was hardly spoken of, for suffering
Augustine a Presbyter — though a learned Presbyter — to preach
before him ; which, is said, never any African Bishop had allowed,
before hira. Now, whence shoitid such an offence as was taken against
Valerius arise, but from translating the silence of Ruling Elders from
preaching in tiie presence of Pastors and Teachers, unto those Pres
byters also who were called often to preach the Word freely and dili
gentiy, as well as the Bishops theraselves? But when, through
* " Bishop Bilson." b p 25, 26. ¦= Num. viii 10
d Matt xvi. 16 — 19. » P. 26.-

CHAP. LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 563
corruption of tiraes. Bishops claimed to themselves the principal
pastoral cure of souls, then it was taken for an offensive matter that
Teaching Elders should preach before them; as before, it was unwonted
for Ruling Elders to preach before the Teaching, ordinarily."*
He raeets an objection of " some learned and prudent men," thus,
" It is not credible that the office of ruling elders should be of divine
or apostolical institution, and no footsteps left of it . . for these many
hundred years" ; by inferring, that in "churchwardens and vestry-men"
are "sorae footsteps and remnants, and as it were rudera, of that holy
and ancient ordinance, so much as is escaped out of the ruins of anti
christian apostacy. . . What other thing soundeth the very narae of
' church- wardens ' — guardiani ecclesite, but church-guardians or church-
rulers ? and, what is the company of ' vestrymen,' but a kind of a consis
tory ?"'' Of his own " knowledge," he states, " there be some peculiar,
privUeged, churches in England, exempted from the jurisdiction of the
bishop and his officers, whei'e the church-wardens and ministers either
by themselves, or with the consent of the congregation, do transact all
that government which in other churches the bishop and his officers do
invade and usurp ; as to admonish offenders, to enjoin acknowledgment
of scandalous offences, and to debar from the sacraraents, etc. And
by this means, they repress idleness, drunkenness, swcM-ing, sabbath-
breaking, and the like disorders, with better success than other
towns can do who have the help of mayor and justices." So that, "it
may not obscurely appear, that anciently they did enjoy it — spiritual
power — amongst themselves, before one church began to lord it over
another.""^ "Deacons," we are told, "all men acknowledge]" to have continued
throughout all ages, " though not without sundry mixtures of corrup
tions in the practice, . . which is impertinent to our purpose to prosecute
who only intend to declare and clear our own practice and proceedings.
Deacons therefore we reserve in our churches, but without distinction of
pre-eminence of sorae of them above others; much less over the ministers
and elders. Neither do we employ them about the ministry of the
Word, nor about the government of the church. . . We do not appoint
them to go up and down to collect the benevolences of abler brethren,
but as the apostles received the oblations of the brethren, 'brought,
and laid down ' at their feet. Acts iv. 34, 35, and thereby made ' dis
tribution' as the ¦xpeia, ^use,' of the church required : . . they receive
the oblations of the brethren every Lord's-day, brought unto thera and-
laid down before them, or else brought unto them on the week-day ; and
distribute the same^as the use and 'need' of the church doth require."^
"Widows," I Tim. v. 9, 10, "we look at them as fit assistants to
the deacons in ministering to the sick poor brethren in sundry needful
services which are not so fit for raen : . . only we find it soraewhat rare
to find a woraan of so great an age . . fit to undertake such a service. "¦=
" When . . churches are destitute of any of these officers, the ' brethren
. . look out from amongst themselves' such persons. . . Elders, accord
ing to 1 Tim. in. 2 — 7 ; Tit i. 6 — 9 : Deacons, according to Acts
vi. 3; 1 Tira. iii. 8 — 12 : for the church hath not absolute power to
" P. 33. •' P. 33, 34. ••¦ P. 35. " P. 38. « P. 39.
2 o2

564 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
choose whom they list, but ministerial power only to choose whom
Christ hath chosen. . . If the church can find out none such in their
own bod}'^, they send to any other church for a fit supply ; and each
church looketh at it as their duty to be mutually helpful . . in yielding
what supply they may without too much prejudice to themselves,
according to Sol. Song, viii. 8, 9. Such being recommended, . . they
take some time of trial of them ; . . to fulfil the command of the apostle,
1 Tira. V. 22. . . When . . the church doth find every man's spirit
araong them desirous of the fellowship of the raan and his gifts ; then
they agree . . upon a certain day wherein . . to elect hira to office. . . Of
this, they give notice to all the near adjoining churches, . . entreating
their presence, and brotherly counsel and assistance. . . They give
notice also thereof unto the govei-nor, and such other ofthe magistrates
as are near to thera ; that the person to be chosen, meeting with no just
exception from any, may find the gi-eater encouragement and accept
ance from all.
"When the day is come, it is kept as a day of huraUiation, with
fasting, praying, and preaching the Word, according to the pattern,
Acts xiv. 23; xiii. 1 — 3. Towards the end of the day, one of the
elders of the church, if they have any, if not, one of the graver brethren
of the church appointed by theraselves to order the work of the day,
standeth up and inquireth of the church, ' If now, after this soleran
seeking of God for his counsel and direction in this weighty work, they
still continue in their purpose to elect ' such a one, for their own pastor,
or teacher, or i-uling-elder, whom before they agreed upon. Then,
having taken their silence for a consent to their purpose, he proceedeth
to inquire in toall the approbation of the rest of the assembly, . . and
that stand by ; because an elder is to be a man of ' good report of them
that are without," 1 Tim. iii. 7 ; how rauch raore, well approved of the
churches of Christ ! He demandeth therefore, of the churches first,
and then of the rest, ' Whether any of them have known of any evil
in the man presented before them, either in judgment or practice,
which might give them just cause to forbear his election ?' If all keep
silence — as usually they do, for if any have just exception against the
raan, he is wont to acquaint some or other of the church with it before
the day, — he turneth ^liraself to the church again. Now, seeing all is
clear, . . he desireth all the brethren of that church to declare their
election .. with one accord, by lifting up their hands: which being
done, he desireth to know of the party chosen. Whether he doth accept
of that calling ? . . He having expressed his acceptance, upon such
grounds as wherein he hath chiefly seen the hand of God leading hira
thereunto ; the Elder doth then adraonish the church what duties tho
Lord requireth of thera all in his Word towards him whora they have
thus chosen ; and afterwards, advertiseth hira, what duties the Lord
requireth of hira in that place towards the church. And having taken
the acknowledgments of thera both of their rautual duty ; . . he then
with the Presbytery of that church, if they have any; if not, two or
three others of the gravest Christians amongst the brethren of that
church, being deputed by the body; do, in the Name of the Lord Jesus,
ordain hira unto that office with imposition of hands, calling upon the

CHAP. LXn.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENI'S. 565
Lord . . to accept and own hiin therein ; to enlarge his heart and spirit
according toall the duties thereof; to breathe in all his administrations,
and to guide and bless all his going out and coming in before them.
And so, turning his .speech upon the person on whom their hands are
imposed, he, as the mouth of the Presbytery, expresseth their ordina
tion of him to that office in the Narae of the Lord Jesus, etc. After
this, the elders of their churches present, observing the presence of
God both in the duties of that day performed, etc. one of them, in the
name of all the rest, doth give unto him 'the right hand of fellowship'"
in the sight of all the assembly ; testifying their brotherly acceptance
of him, etc. ; and doth exhort him in the Lord, to fulfil the ministry
which he hath received of the Lord : and so, after public praise given
to God by him, in the name of the church, he dissolveth the assembly
with a blessing."''
For "our calling" of Deacons, "we hold it not necessary," Cotton
remarks, "to ordain them with like solemnity . . as of Elders;'' because
no precedent appears in Acts vi. But men " fitly qualified," and having
been "proved,""^ the elders upon sonie Lord's-day, or other public holy
meeting, "appoint them over that 'business,''' with prayer and imposi
tion of hands."'
The wan-ants for the people's, or church's, sh-are in those proceed
ings are deduced from Acts i. 16, 23, 26 ; xiv. 23 ; vi. 3, 5 : Matt.
xvi. 19 ; xviii. 18.^
Then follow sections concerning " The church the subject of eccle
siastical power. — Diocesan bishops, not an ecclesiastical power : —
nor by Divine institution. — Presbyters of other churches may help by
counsel, not by authority.''^
" The first and lowest nuraber of a church . . is not expressly limited
in the Word; only it is not so low as some have conceived. . . But
the church must needs be a greater nuraber than 'two or three,' seeing
these two or three. Matt, xviii. 20, are to refer the person and the cause
to a greater body than themselves. For though there might be a
domestical church in Adam and Eve at the beginning, yet such a
church which Christ hath instituted in the New Testament consisteth
of a greater number. The very officers of a church completely fur
nished, are no less than four — a pastor, a teacher, an elder, a deacon, —
and therefore the body . . had need to be of a greater number. . . And
though the essence of a church raay consist without the integrily of all
her members, — as a man that wanteth some of his members may have
the essence of a man, — yet under seven a church can lutrdly consist of
so raany raerabers as do perform any part of a church-body. To such
a body, how many raerabers may be added, is not limited expressly in
the Word, only . . that they be no raore than that all may meet in one
congregation; . . Cor. xiv. 23 : but if all cannot hear, all cannot be
edified ; ver. 26. Besides . . 1 Cor. xi. 33. . . When the hive is too
full, bees swarm into a new hive; so should . . Christians issue forth
into more churches.
" They that desire to be added and joined to such a body, . . make
a Gal. it 9. b P. 39—42, <= 1 Tim. iii. 10. ¦* Acts vi. 3, 6.
« p. 42. ' P. 42, 43. B p. 43—52.

566 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
known their desires to tiie Elders ; . . who take trial of their knowledge
in the principles of religion, and of their experience in the ways of
grace, and of their godly conversation amongst men, that if . , found
ignorant, etc.. such raay not be presently presented to the church. . .
But when . . approved of the Elders, they are propounded by one of
the ruling-elders to the church : . . if no exception be heard oi; they
are called forth before the church . . and each one maketh confession of
his sins, and profession of his faith. . . Now, before or after such his
profession, etc., those of the brethren of the church who are of his
acquaintance do give sorae good testimony, if need be, of his life and
conversation ; either according to their own knowledge of him, or
according to the credible reports, or letters, which they have received :
which done, the ruling-elder, or one of the preaching-eiders, pro-
poundeth it to the church, Whether from all that they have heard and
seen, they find any just exception ? . . If so, it is cleared and removed
before any further proceedings: if no just exception appear, the ruling-
elder then raoveth the church to express their acceptance . . by lifting
up their hands. Which done, and the like course taken with two or
three more as the time will permit, the elder propoundeth to thera the
heads of the covenant which the Lord hath made with his church.
What promises of grace He hath made to them ; as also. What duties
of faith and obedience He doth require of them — as, to take the Lord
Jesus for their only Priest and atonement ; their only Prophet and
Guide ; their only King and Lawgiver ; and to walk in professed sub
jection unto all His Holy ordinances ; as also, to walk in brotherly
love with the brethren of this church, unto rautual edification and suc
cour, according to the rule of the Gospel. — And the new received
members acknowledging this, to be their duty ; and professing their
consent unto it, in the Name of Christ; the elder doth further acquaint
thera with what duties of holy watchfulness over them, they may ex
pect from the church : and so shutteth up his work with sorae short
prayer unto the Lord, etc."'
" Now," inquires Cotton,, " What offence is there in all this ? . .
First ; That we require gracious qualifications : . . whereas the visible
church is said to consist of all sorts ; . . a garner containing chaff and
wheat; . . a field, wherein wheat and tares grow up together. Secondly;
That we receive such into the church by a covenant. Thirdly ; That
we coraraunicate too rauch power unto the people. . . For the first ;
though we wiUingly adrait all comers, to the hearing of the Word
with us — as the Corinthians adraitted ' infidels,''' — yet we receive none
as members into the church but such as — according to the judgment
of charitable Christians — may be concei^•ed to be received of God into
fellowship with Christ, the Head of the Church. Our reasons be first.
From the near relation between Christ Jesus and the church : . . the
visible church, is ' the body of Christ Jesus -.'^ . . the ' habitation of
God by the Spirit :'''..' the temple,' etc. :' ' espoused' to Christ as
' a chaste virgin.'* The raembers of the vissible church, are said to
be the ' sons and daughters,' ect. ;* ' followers of God, as dear chil-
" P. 53— 55. b 1 Cor. xiv. 23, 24. « 1 Cor. xii. 27. d Eph. ii. 22.
« 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. f 2 Cor. xi. 2. « 2 Cor. vi. 18.

CHAP LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 567
dren :'*..' saints, by calling ;' and ' faithful brethren.''' . . Secondly ; . .
' such as should be saved ;''' and how then shall we ' add to the church,'
such as God addeth not ? . . Doth not the apostle Paul, upon this
gi-ound, direct the Roraans to ' receive ' a weak believer, because the
Lord ' hath received him ?''' Thirdly ; The Lord Jesus maketh the
profession of the faith of his Name, etc. to be the ' rock ' on which
his visible church is built :* . . now, if such a profession be the rock
and foundation of a visible church, then we shall [should] build a
church without a foundation if we receive such members . . as do not
hold forth such a profession ! . . And doth not the Lord expostulate
with such a 'guest' as comes., even unto His table, ' not having a
wedding garment'? and doth not expostulation intiraate a taxation also
of thera by whose connivance he came in, where He saith, ' How
caraest thou in hither ?'' And doth not Christ . . irapute it to the
sleepiness, that is, to the reraissness and negligence, of his ' servants,'
that ' tares ' were sown in his field ' amongst the wheat ?'^ Fourthly;
Such as have only ' a form of godliness ' and deny ' the power of it,'
we are forbidden to join with, and commanded to 'turn' from thera.*"
Fifthly ; Can any man judge such persons fit materials for the con
stituting and edifying of a church, who are more fit for the ruin, etc.,
of the church ? . . We pass by the types of the Old Testament, which
yet are not witiiout their due weight. . . Well then ! if all the members
. . ought to be ' saints,' by calling ; and ' faithful brethren ;' it cannot
be thought an unseasonable curiosity, etc., to take a due trial of men
by a confession of sins, as John Baptist did ; ' and by a profession of
their faith, as Philip did;'' before they receive tbem ? . . Nevertheless,
in this trial, we do not exact erainent measure either of knowledge or
holiness ; but do willingly stretch out our hands to receive the ' weak '
in faith, . . for we had rather ninety-nine hypocrites should perish
through presumption, than one hurable soul belonging to Christ should
sink under discouragement or despair." '
The further strictures, of the covenant, and the people's power,"
must give place to raatter relating to practical procedure.
" The church being gathered, and furnished with able helps, officers
and brethren, they proceed to the administration of all the public
ordinances in public asserablies, especiaUy on every Lord's-day :
wherein our principal care and desire is to adrainister and partake in
all, and no more than all, the ordinances of Christ himself; and in all
those, so far as the Lord hath lent us light, in their native purity and
simplicity, without any dressing or painting of human inventions." . .
First then ; when we come together in the church, according to the
apostle's direction we make ' prayers, and intercessions, and thanks
givings ' for ourselves and ' for all men ;'" not in any prescribed fonn
of prayer or studied liturgy, but in such a manner as ' the Spirit ' of
grace and prayer — who teacheth all the people of God [for] what and
a Eph. V. I. •• 1 Cor. i. 2 ; Col. i. 2. o Acts ii. 47.
d Rom. xiv. 3. ' Matt xvi. 16 — 19 t Matt xxii. 12.
e Matt. xiii. 25, 38. •> 2 Tim. iii. 5. ' Matt iii. 6.
k Acts. viii. 37. 1 P. 56—58. ¦" P. 59—64.
n P. 65. " 1 Tim. ii. 1.

568 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES 1.
how to pray* — ' helpeth our infirmities,' we having respect therein to
the necessities of the people, the state of the tiraes, and the work of
Christ in our hands. After prayer, either the pastor or teacher readeth
a chapter in the Bible and expoundeth it, giving ' the sense,' to cause
' the people to understand the reading.''' And in sundry churches, the
other — whether pastor or teacher — who expoundeth not, he preacheth
the Word ; and in the afternoon, the other who preached in the morn
ing doth usually, if there be time, read and preach, and he that ex
pounded in the morning, preacheth after him. Before sermon, and
many times after, we sing a psalm ; and because the fonner translation
of the Psalms doth in many things vary from the original, and raany
times paraphraseth rather than translateth, besides divers other defects
which we cover in silence, we have endeavoured a new translation of
the Psalms into English metre, as near the original as we could express
it in our English tongue, so far as for the present the Lord hath been
pleased to help us, and those Psalms we sing both in our public
churches, and in private.""
" The seals of the covenant — to wit, the sacraments of baptism and
the Lord's supper — are administered either by the pastor or by the
teacher : and though with some godly-learned divines, it be a question,
whether the teacher may dispense the seals, yet the question doth
rather concem School-doctors than the teachers of a particular church ;
but we who have only the teachers of particular churches, do believe
that they to whora the preaching or dispensing of the Gospel, or cove
nant of grace, unto the church is committed, to thera is committed
also the dispensing ofthe seals of the covenant : but to the teacher as
well as the pastor, is comraitted the dispensing of the Gospel, the
covenant of grace, unto the church ; and therefore, to hira, as well as
to the other, is coraraitted the dispensing of the seals of the covenant
Both the sacraments we dispense according to the first institution.
Baptisra, to disciples and, who are included in thera, their seed ; the
Lord's supper to such as neither want knowledge nor grace to examine
and judge themselves before the Lord. Such as lie under any offence,
publicly known, do first reraove the offence before they present thera
selves to tiie Lord's table, according to Matt. v. 23, 24. The mera
bers of any church, if any be present, who bring Letters-testimonial
with them to our churches, we admit thera to the Lord's-table with us;
and their children also — if occasionally in their travel, they be bom
with us — upon like recommendation, we admit to baptisra. The
prayers we use at the administration of the seals, are not any set
forms prescribed to us, but conceived by the rainister according to the
present occasion and the nature of the duty in hand. Ceremonies we
use none, but are careful to adrainister all things according to the
priraitive institutions. The father presenteth his own child to baptisra
as being baptized by the right of his covenant ; and not of the cove
nant unto Godfathers and Godmothers — for there is no such covenant
of God unto them and their Godsons — and therefore we have no use
of them ; but omit them, in baptism, as the apostie cast out love-feasts
from the Lord's-supper ; being both of them alike superadditions to
» Rom viii. 26, 27. b ^eh. viii. 8. c p. 66, 67.

CHAP. LXIL] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 569
the Lord's institutions; 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24 [33,34]. The Lord's-
supper we administer for the time, once a month at least ; and for the
gesture, to the people sitting, according as Christ administered it to
his disciples,* who also made a symbolical use of it, to teach the church
their majority over their ministers in sorae cases, and their judicial
authority as co[as]sessoi-s with hira at the last judgment ; '' which
maketh us look at kneeling at the Lord's-supper not only as an adora
tion devised by man, but also as a violation by raan of the institution
of Christ ; diminishing part of the counsel of God, and of the honour
and comfort of the church held forth in it. In time of solemnization
of the supper, the minister having taken, blessed, and broken the bread,
and commanded all the people to take and eat it as the ' body ' of
Christ ' broken ' for them,'' he taketh it hiraself, and giveth it to all
that sit at table vrith him ; and from the table it is reached by the dea
cons to the people sitting in the next seats about them ; the minister
sitting in his place at the table. After they have all partaken in [sic]
the bread, he taketh the cup in Uke manner and giveth 'thanks' anew
— ^blesseth it — according to the example of Christ in the Evangelist
who describes the institution : all of them, in such a way as setteth
forth the elements not ' blessed ' together, but either of them apart ;**
for what reason, the Lord himself best knoweth. And we cannot be
ignorant that a received solemn blessing expressly performed by him
self, doth apparently call upon the whole assembly to look again for a
supematural and special blessing in the sarae element also as well as
in the former ; for which the Lord will be again sought to do it for us.
After the celeliration of the supper, a psalm of thanksgiving is sung ;*
and the church dismissed with a blessing.'''
" In the afternoon, after public prayer offered up to God either by
the pastor or teacher, and the Word read and expounded by them who
preached in the morning, if there be time, and preached by the other;
and the sacraraent of baptism administered, if any of the church do
offer their children thereunto ; the deacons — who sit in a seat under
the elders, yet in sundry churches lifted up higher than the other pews
— do call upon the people. That as God hath prospered them, and
made their hearts willing, there is now time left for contribution. Pre
sently, the people from the highest to the lowest in sundry churches,
do arise ; the first pew first, the next next, and so the rest in order, and
present before the Lord their holy offerings. For in the Old Testament,
at their solemn feasts, none was to 'appear before the Lord empty ;'g
and the Lord's-day, is only unto Christians the ordinary 'solemn feast'
of the Lord : in the New Testament, the Christians laid down their
oblations 'at the apostles' feet;'' into whose place for that service dea
cons were substituted.' And to that purpose the apostle gave 'order
unto the churches ' that ' upon the first day of the week, every one
should lay by him into the treasury,' as the word signifieth, for ' the
supply of the saints, as God hath prospered them [him].''' . . After the
a Matt xxvi. 20. '' Luke xxii. 27—30. " 1 Cor. xi. 24.
<1 Matt. xxvi. 27 ; Mark xiv. 23 ; Luke xxii. 17 [20]. « Matt xxvi. 30.
f p. 67—69. 8 Deut xvi. 16. '' Acts iv. 35.
> Acts vi. 3. ''1 Cor. xvi. 1, 2.

570 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
contribution ended, the time left is taken up in sundry churches in the
public trial and admission of such as are to be received members into
the church, in such manner as hath been before declared: and so, after
a psalm of praise to God, with thanksgiving, and prayer to God for a
blessing upon all the ordinances administered that day, and a blessing
pronounced upon the people, the assembly is dismissed."*
" Besides the celebration of the Lord's-day every week, we some
times upon extraordinary occasions either of notable judgraents do set
apart a day of humUiation, or upon special mercies we set apart a day
of thanksgiving : the grounds whereof we conceive are generally
known and appUed amongst Christians. Moreover, every week, in
raost of our churches Lectures are kept on sorae or other of the week
days ; so that such whose hearts God maketh willing, and his hand
doth not detain by bodily infirmity, or necessary employments, . . may
have opportunity to hear the Word alraost every day of the week in
one church or other not far distant from them.'''
Eighteen pages of disquisition are next occupied on the topics,
" Prescribed Times of Prayer unlawful. — Who, adraitted to Baptism
and the Lord's-supper. — Whose Children have right to Baptism."
Passing over all which, the subject of "Church Censures, how Dis
pensed," ensues.
" We proceed not to Censure but in case of known offence ; and
such offence, as cannot be healed without censure. . . If the offence be
private between brother and brother, the brother offended is to follow
the rule of Christ,"^ that is first to 'go and tell him his fault,' or as the
word signifies ' convince ' him of his fault, and to admonish him of it
privately ; so that the plaister may be broader than the sore. Private
adraonition is most suitable to a private fault, and expresseth both the
wisdom and love of the brother ; who in so doing, both healeth and
covereth the offence at once. If the offender take the adraonition in
good part — as taking part with the admonition against his own sin —
the brother hath won and 'gained' him both to God and himself; to
God, by repentance ; to himself, by this experiment of his brotherly
love. But if the offender hear not his brother, but takes part with his
sin against the admonition, he then taketh one or two more with hira ;
such as in wisdora he thiuketh to be raost fit to prevail with him ; that
so by ' the raouth of two or three ' his ' word ' of admonition ' may be
established ;' or if the offender hear thein not, his word of accusation
' to the church ' may be established. And they coraing to the offender
. . first call upon the Name of Christ, to be present with them in this
duty ; according to his proraise, where he hath said he will be present
with any 'two or three' that are met together in his 'Name," to ask
[counsel] of Hiin — for it is upon this occasion, and this chiefly, upon
which the promise is made.'' — . . If they can prevail with him to
acknowledge his offence and to be humbled for it, the soul of the offender
is healed; thanks are given to God, and mutual love [is] renewed and
increased araongst theraselves. But if the offender deny the [alleged]
fact, and there is none to prove it but the brother that brought them
[the brethren], they can proceed no further, because the testimony of
* P. 69, 70. b p. 70. -¦ Matt xviii. 15—17. J Verses 19, 20.

CHAP. LXIL] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 571
one against one will not stand in judgment* If he acknowledge the
fact, but do not acknowledge the sinfulness of it, but stand stiffly to
justify it, then the brother first offended telleth the church of it, to wit,
in God's way : he telleth the elders, who are the raouth of the church,
that by thera it may be presented before the church and the cause heard
and exarained and judged by thera. Then one of the elders either by
hiraself or caUing forth the brother offended, declareth the offence, . . and
what course he took . . to heal his brother : . . then, how he took a
brother or two more, . . but neither so could he or they prevaU with
him ; which they being present do openly testify, before the Lord and
his church : and so by ' the mouth of two or three,' the word of his
accusation is ' established ' before the church. The church being thus
informed . . the elders do labour in public with the offender : . . it is free
also for any of the brethren — leave and liberty being first desired and
obtained of the elders — to help forward the conviction by any words
'of wisdom''' and zeal which God shall put into their mouths; wherein
if the convictions and persuasions . . prevail, . . the offender is gained,
the sin is subdued, others [are] discouraged from the like offence, and
the church is satisfied. But if . . the offender stand out in defence of
his sin, . . the church then entereth into consideration, . . Whether it
be gross and heinous; such as . . 1 Cor. v. 1 1 . . or. Whether it be such
as through some mist of ignorance or strength of passion, he doth not
clearly discem the sinfulness of it. If it be of the former sort, they
proceed then to excommunication : . . if it be of the latter sort, the
church proceedeth not forthwith to excommunication . . but after once
or twice adraonition : for in this case it is . . as with a 'heretic.''^ . .
When therefore, an 'admonition ' is judged seasonable, one of the elders
with the consent of the whole church, doth re-collect the offence and
all the arguments of weight, . . and . . that invalidity and shallowness
of all his answers and evasions ; and thereupon, doth solemnly in the
Name of the Lord, admonish and charge hira to see the danger of such
a sin, and [the] disterajier of his soul in [the] maintaining of it. . .
Whilst the brother is thus cast, and lieth under the censure of ' admo
nition '..he doth abstain from the Lord's-table, according to the
direction of our Saviour;"* or as the priests in the Law did;^ or, as
Haggai, ii. 12, 13. . . If . . by the grace of Christ, he come to hiraself
and . . desire to reconcile himself to the Lord and his brethren, he then
. . is called forth, in the face of the church, to make public confession
of his sin and to judge himself for it : . . they bless God for his blessing
upon his ordinance, and readily receive him into wonted favour. . . But
if, on the contrary, the spirit of the brother . . stand out against all
means . . of his reformation ; the church having waited a convenient
time, . . they giving their consent, as before for his admission so now
for his expulsion, . . he [one of the elders] pronounceth hira cut off
frora the communion of the church, and delivereth him unto Satan,
etc.f'g "Whilst the offender lieth under the censure of excoraraunication,
. . yet we do not debar him frora entrance into the asserably . . in time
* Deut xix. 15. h 1 Cor. xii. 8. <= Tit iii. 10. d Matt v. 23, 24.
' Levit xxii. 3, 4. f Matt, xviii. 17 ; ICor. v. 415. B P. 89—92.

.572 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I.
of preaching the Word, or prayer, or such other worship of God as is not
peculiar to the church; for this liberty we do not forbid to heathen and
Indians : and persons excoraraunicate are but as [the] heathen in respect
of worship ; although worse than [the] heathen, even as publicans, in
respect of farailiar private coraraunion; for though we raight 'eat' with
a heathen,* yet with a publican the Jews would not ' eat,''' no more
may we with excommunicate persons.''- But we do not read that any
heathen was forbidden to hear the Word in the synagogues, though tiiey
were not permitted to enter into the temple, which was to them of a
sacramental nature ;'' nor might they enter as members, ' into the con
gregation.'" But suppose [the] heathen were forbidden to hear the Word
even in the synagogues, yet seeing that wall of partition between Jews
and heathen is now broken down as in other respects so in this, it is
not now unlawful for an infidel or heathen to come into the assembly
of the church.''. . Moreover, this further compassion and succour we
afford an excoramunicate, . . we have not cast him out also of our
hearts nor of our prayers, nor out of our care to recover such a lost
sheep into Christ's fold again ; and therefore, still though we forbear all
familiar fellowship with him and .countenance towards him, . . yet we
'account him not as an enemy,' but still take opportunity to 'admonish
hira as a brother.'^ And if we find, by the blessing of God and
Christ upon the censure, or by the rebukes of 'many ' ministered unto
him, that the soul of the excommunicate person be humbled,'' the elders
. . call him forth before the church, where he giving glory to God, and
confessing his sin and the justice of God against him, and holding forth
a repenting frame of spirit to the satisfaction of the church, they do
with common consent forgive hira and comfort him, and confirm their
love to hiin by receiving him again into comraunion . . as before."'
" When we say we do this or that with 'coramon consent,' our
meaning is, we do not cany on matters either by the over-ruling power
of the Presbytery or by the consent of the major part of the church ;
but by the general and joint consent of all the members ofthe church,
. . bfio%ijaSbv, 'with one accord,''' as becometh the church of God.' . .
If it do appear that dissent, whether of one or raore brethren, do arise
frora such darkness and intricacy of the raatter in hand as that the
officers and members of the church do find themselves either unable to
clear the raatter fully, or at least unfit in regard of some prejudice
which raay be conceived against thera, . . in such a case, when the
matter is weighty and the doubt great on both sides, then with comraon
consent we call in for light from other churches, and entreat thera to
send over to us such of their elders or brethren as raay be fit to judge
in such a cause."™
" The reasons that prevail with us to take this course seem, to us, to
have evident ground from Scripture ; and therefore raay excuse us from
following the pattern of such churches as rather consult with human
» 1 Cor. X. 27. b Matt ix. II. c i Cor. v. 11.
d Acts xxi. 28, 29. " Deut xxxiii. 3—8. f I Cor. xiv. 23—25.
r 2 Thess. iii. 14, 15. b 2 Cor. ii. 6. i P. 93, 94.
¦' Acts ii. 46. Acts iv. 32 ; 1 Cor. i. 10 ; Phil. ii. 2, 3.
° P. 94—96.

CHAP. LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 573
wisdom than Divine institution in this case : [that we allow to the
people so rauch power] . Our first reason is taken from the royal
rule of love and wisdora . . Matt, xviii. 17... Now we caunot find
throughout the New Testament that ever the word ' church ' is taken
otherwise than for the society and congregation of the faithful ; unless
it be once, where it is taken for a civil assembly.* But never, for one
bishop, or counsellor, or archdeacon ; for neither doth the Scripture
acknowledge any of those offices in the church at all, . . taking a 'bishop '
as now they stand, nor can the ' church ' which is a word of multitude
hold forth a bishop or his commissary, who is but one person. . . The
bishop coraeth in his own narae, and the commissary in the bishop's
name; but neither of them in the church's name ; nor with instructions
frora the church, but rather with destructions, or at least with dis
turbances to the church. Neither is the word ' church ' taken throughout
the New Testament for an assembly of presbyters : the Consistory, is
a word unheard of there! Nor are any complaints directed thither,
unless it be to prepare thera for the hearing and judgraent of the
church ; as ' all the elders ' are said to be assembled in the house of
James, to prepare and instruct Paul for the caniage of his raatter
before the church.'' Nor are any censures of the church coraraitted
to presbyters alone, to be adrainistered by thera ; though they be to
be administered hy thera in the presence and with the consent of the
church: and therefore, when ' the angels ' of the churches in Asia are
blamed for neglect of proceeding against offenders — whether Balaam,
or Jezebel, or the Nicolaitanes, — the charge is given not to the angels
of the churches only, but ' to the churches ' also themselves.'^ And
though the word 'congregation ' which is all one with church, be some
times put in the Old Testament for 'elders ' or 'judges ' of the con
gi-egation, yet it is far raore frequently put for the elders and body of
tbe people met together. . . When it is put for the elders and judges, ..
as Num. xxxv. 12, 24, 25, it is never understood of thera sitting in
a consistorj' by theraselves apart from the people, but in the presence
of the public assembly of the people ; who also had liberty, in such
cases,** to rescue an innocent [person] from unjust punishraent. . .
When a whole raultitude is associated in a body, any ofience may be
orderly and ordinarily told unto thera by a complainant ; especially in
case any officer amongst tbem shall call hira forth to tell his complaint:
as ' the Levite' orderly told his complaint to the whole multitude of the
congregation of Israel assembled at Mizpeh." . . The proraise raade to
' two or three,' Matt, xviii. 20, respecteth not the judges of the cause
when it is brought to the church, but to the ' two or three ' bretiiren
who dealt in the cause before it came to the church : as, in like sort,
the promise of binding in heaven what the church bindeth on earth,
verses 18, 19, pertaineth to the ratifying of the censure of the whole
' church ' mentioned in the verse before. A second reason why we
allow such power . . is taken from the practice of the church of
Corinth . . 1 Cor. v. 4, 5 ; . . where Paul saying, in the verse foregoing,
that he had 'judged already,' .. doth not argue that., he took the
» Acts xix. 41. b Acts xxi. 18. " Rev. ii. 17, 29.
d 1 Sam. xiv. 45. « Jud. xx. 3—7.

574 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [CHARLES I
power of judging the cause ; . . and [that] the pubUcation and declaration
of it only [were] in the church ; but that he had seen already evident
cause to judge the party worthy to be cast out; but directed them to
do it . . There is no word in the text that attributeth any power to the
presbytery apart, or singularly above the rest. But as the reproof is
directed to them all for not mourning, etc. verses 1, 2; so is the com
raandment directed to them all when they ' are gathered together,'
ver. 4. In like sort, in the end of the chapter, he exhorteth them alL
again ; ' put away from among yourselves that wicked person;' and
that by a judicial power — to wit, as under Christ — ' do not ye judge
them that are within; ' ver. 12, 13. And lest this judgment should
be restrained to the presbyters only, he raagnifieth the judgraents of
' the saints ; ' taking occasion, from hence, to stretch their judicature,
in some cases even to civil matters also : ' know ye not that the saints
shall judge the world ?' yea, the 'angels ?' chap. vi. 2, 3. And there
upon he encourageth them to betrust the deciding of any civil cause
depending ' between brethren,' to the judicature of the meanest brother
in the church, ver. 4, rather than to fly suddenly unto civil magistrates,
especially amongst the heathen ! "*
" ' But' [asks our objector] ' if the power of judicature be comraitted
to the whole church together with the presbytery, then aU the multitude
shall be made governors, and who then shall be governed ? ' The
multitude of brethren are governed by the elders so long as they rule
aright, to wit, while they hold forth the Word and ' voice ' of Christ,
which 'the sheep ' of Christ are wont to 'hear.''' But in case the
officers do err and comrait offence, they shall be governed by the whole
body of the brethren ; though otherwise the brethren are bound to
' obey ' and subrait to them, in the Lord.'' ' A deraocratical govern
raent inight do well in Athens, a city of pregnant wits, but will soon
degenerate to an anarchy araongst rude comraon people ! ' It is un
worthy the spirit of so godly-learned a man as maketh this objection,
to prefer, 'Athens' before Jerusalem ; 'jiregnant wits,' before sanctified
hearts ! . . The elders having received, in special raanner, the power of
' the keys,' they have the power to open and shut the doors of speech
and silence ; in which respect the government of the church is not
raerely deraocratical, but, as the ' best ' governraents be, of a mixed
temper: in respect of Christ whose 'voice' only must be heard and
his rule kept, it is a monarchy,; in respect of the people's power
in choosing officers, and joint power with the officers in admitting
members [and] in censuring offenders, it is a democracy ; in respect
of the officers' instruction and reproof of the people in the public
ministry, and in ordering of all things in the assembly, it is an aristo
cracy ! What is found good in any civil government, is iu church-
government ; and what is found evil is, by the wisdom of Christ, safely
avoided and prevented. . . In case of offence c;i\en by any elder, or by
the whole eldership together, the church hath authority to require
satisfaction of thera,'' and [or] . . to proceed to censure, according to
the quality of the offence." . . In case of the apostacy of the church,
" P. 96—99. b John x. 3, 4. c Heb. xiii. 17. ^ Acts xi. 2—18.
« " Plebs . . potestatem etiam habet sacerdotes indignos recusandi et abdicandi."
Cyprian, Lib. i. Ep. iv.

CHAP. LXIL] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 575
or of Other notorious scandal committed by them, and their obstinacy
therein; the elders have power to denounce the judgment of God
against the church, and to withdraw themselves from it : as upon the
idolatry of the Israelites, Exod. xxx. 7 ; and Paul with Barnabas,
rejected the Jews, Acts .riii. 45, 46."*
" The coraraunion of saints, is accounted an article of the Creed,
and coramunion of churches, is hut a branch thereof. Seven ways
there be wherein we exercise holy comraunion one with another : . . first,
by participation ; secondly, of recommendation ; tiiirdly, of consulta
tion ; fourthly, of congregation ; fifthly, of contribution; sixthly, of
admonition ; seventhly, of propagation, or multiplication of churches.
. . [That] by way of congregation, or gathering together raany churches,
or the messengers of many churches [, is] to examine and discuss either
some coiTupt opinions or suspicious practices which, being scattered
and found in many churches at once, cannot well be healed in any
one alone. In which case, the elders of the churches desirous to
maintain verity, and unity of judgment in matters of doctrine, and
integrity of life, throughout all the churches, do both acquaint our
magistrates being ' nursing fathers ' to the church, with the necessary
occasions and ends of a general and a solemn asserably, and do also
soUcit the churches to send some fit persons at such a time to such a
church where the assembly [may] be most seasonably held, to consider
and discem of the raatter in question and agitation. . . It is free for any
man present, and all raay be present if they vrill, as well the messengers
of the churches as others, after leave orderly craved or obtained, to
propound their doubts without offence ; whence disputation doth arise- —
as in Acts xv. 7 — till all parties be either satisfied or convinced, and
so the matters in controversy are cleared... So far as they are all come,
they judge and inind one t'hing : if any be otherwise minded who in
siraplicity of heart seeketh the truth, and in meekness of wisdom and
love holdeth forth the sarae, we hope God will in time reveal the sarae
unto him. In the mean time, all agreeing in this one [thing], not to
' condemn ' nor to ' despise ' one another in differences of weakness ;
according to the apostle's rule, Rom. xiv. 2 — 4.". .''
" Thus have we given unto all our holy Brethren throughout the
churches of our Lord Jesus, a just and true account of all our proceed
ings in church-affairs, so far as concerneth our way and order araongst
ourselves. . . If the way we walk in be found, upon serious and raature
consideration, to be agreeable to the rules of the Gospel, as we verily
believe it is ; let all the upright in heart be entreated, in the Name of
the Lord Jesus, not to judge or speak evil of tiie ways of Christ,
before his people ; but rather seek how to address theraselves and to
call on others, to walk in the straight steps of the Lord Jesus in the
kingdora of his grace, till we shall all corae to raeet Hira in the kingdom
of his glory ! "'^
" We take not upon us, as 'aXXorpiofTrtincoTrot, to prescribe unto our
Brethren in England — men of their churches, and eminent lights in
the world, — what course to take in pursuing and perfecting the great
work of Reforraation in England. . . Only being absent in body but
ap. 99— 102. b P. 103, 100, 107. <: P. 110.

576 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
present in spirit, we crave leave to bear witness to them and with thein,
that if the Lord be pleased to prosper his work amongst them, it is
possible to reduce the estate ofthe Congregations in England to such a
reformation as is suitable to the pattern revealed in the Gospel, according
to the way of primitive simplicity described above. Four things we
observe in the estate of the churches in England which make way for
reformation amongst them. First ; the efficient instruments of their
first plantation; which were either aposties or apostolical raen, .whether
Philip, or Joseph of Ariraathea, or Simon Zelotes ; as any of our
countrymen may read in Mr. Fox's book of Acts and Monuments, in
the beginning of it, next after the story of the two persecutions, out
of Gildas, TertuUian, Origen, Beda, Nicephorus. 'Which being so,
we cannot but conceive the churches in England were rightly gathered,
and planted according to the rule of the Go.spel : and all the corrup
tions found in thein since, have sprung from popish apostacy in suc
ceeding ages, and frora want of thorough and perfect purging out of
that leaven in the late times of Reformation in the days of our fathers.
So that all the work now, is not to make them churches, which were
none before, but to reduce and restore them to their primitive institution.
' Secondly ; the public service book acknowledgeth that ' In the primi
tive church, there was a godly discipline ; ' that 'notorous' sinners 'were
put to open penance, and punished in this world' that both 'their souls
inight be saved in the day of the Lord and [that] others, admonished
by their example, might be the more afraid to offend.' Which ' godly
discipline ' is a thing, saith the book, ' rauch to be desired [wished]
that it raight ' be restored again.'* It is therefore acknowledged by the
very state of the churches of England, that the present estate of church-
discipline is not perfect, but defective, and swerving from ' the primitive'
godly discipline ! Thirdly; in the public Rubric before the Catechisra
[Order of Confirraation], it is ordered that when ' children ' come to
' years of discretion,' and have leamed what others ' promised for thein
in baptism,' they should then 'themselves, with their own mouth and
with their own consent, openly before the church, ratify and confinn
the same; and also promise that, by the grace of God, they will ever
more endeavour themselves, faithfully to observe and keep such things
as by their own mouth and confession they have assented to.' Which
course, the book, in a few words after, acknowledgeth to be agreeable
with the usage of the church of times past. That children coraing to
perfect age, having been instructed in the christian religion, should openly
profess their own faith, and promise to be obedient to the will of God !
Which direction, if it were as duly observed as it is e.xpressly ordered,
doth plainly hold forth that ' the Church of England,' as they call it,
doth not acknowledge any to be confirmed merabers of the Church,^
and so unfit to partake of the Lord's supper, — till they have expi'Cssly
confessed their faith openly before the Church, and proraised obedience
to the wiU of God. Which if it be seriously done, and not prefunc-
torily, is soraewhat of like nature with our receiving of members
into the church and joining them by covenant! Fourthly; in the
' Exhortation,' before the [celebration of the holy communion], the
minister is directed to denounce unto the people. That ' if any of thera
* "A Commination, etc." in init.

CHAP. LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. ^77
be a blasphemer of God, a hinderer or slanderer of his Word, an
adulterer, or be in malice or envy, or in any other grievous crime,'
they should bewail their sins, and ' not corae to that holy table, lest
aftey the taking of that [holy] sacrament, the devil enter into them,
as he entered into Judas, etc' Which plainly argueth, they would
allow no scandalous person to partake in the Coramunion of the Lord's
table ! All these things presupposed, really performed, and seriously
attended to, raight open a door to sundry passages of a raore full and
perfect Refbrmation "*
Now therefore we are arrived at a plan of Reforraation which pur
ports to be Cotton's, but which should seem to be the result of pro
found deliberation among several, perhaps raany, heads and hands ;
attesting their competency to devise what was most suitable to be
practised under the existing order of affairs, and ultimately to terminate
in that " primitive simplicity " which best accords with " the pattern
revealed in the Gospel."'' With this design, fifteen propositions are
tendered, and which shut up that " full declaration of the Church-
Way in all particulars," announced on the titie-page. The two plat
forms of Reformation of the State- Churches, that by the Presbyterians
and this by the Congregationalists, will, both hej-e and elsewhere, be
fully placed before the reader ; whose attention is therefore called to
" Certain Propositions, tending to the Reformation of the Churches in"
England." " Prop. i. Where godly ministers be already planted in any Con
gregations, let thera — with due encourageraent from the State — call the
people to solemn humiliation before the Lord for their own sins, and those
of their fathers they have imitated. So did Ezra and Nehemiah, with
the Lerites and priests ; and upon the like occasions." For though
the Parliament and the whole kingdom have protested and covenanted
reformation for the time to corae, yet they have cause also to be hum
bled, and that thoroughly, for the past.
" Prop. ii. Let such of the people as are of good knowledge in the
ways of God, and of approved conversation, take up that course which
the Service-Book — as hath been said — giveth a hint of : — ^i-enew their
covenant formerly raade in baptisra ; professing their faith and repen
tance ; and proraising reformation of life, not only in their private
conversation but also in their public communion in the church of God ;
yielding professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ in the fellowship
of His holy ordinances.
" Prop. ui. Let no rainister that loves the Lord Jesus better than
his own belly, stand* upon his advocation [advowson] from his patron
but rather expect his vocation from his people.
"Prop. iv. For this end, let every patron restore his 'jus patronatusj
to the church. Or if it seem too hard a thing for them to part so freely
with their freehold — though they ought freely to give unto Christ,
who have received freely frora Him, — the Parliament may be pleased
to give them a competent part of the revenues of the ' benefice,' as
they call it, and annex it to their own private inheritance ; reserving
so much to the use of the Church, as may strengthen their hands in a
a P. Ill— 113. b See back, p. 576. «; Neh. ix. 1— 4 ; = Ezra x. 1, 2, 9, 10.
II. '"~ 2 P

578 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS [cHARLES I.
sufficient raaintenance of tlieir ministry : for though ' things dedicated
to sacred use cannot be alienated, or diverted to private use, without
sacrilege,' yet tiiat holdeth in such things as are so dedicated4o sacred
use as that ' the Lord accepteth [them] as sacred to Himself, But
God nowhere in the New Testament hath 'expressed His acceptance or
allowance of lands dedicated to the rainistry [alone], but only to the
service of the whole church ; and, then, for the Church's service they ,
may be disposed of, by their consent : as soraetiraes tBe kings antf
princes of Israel gave away the treasures of the Temple to save them
selves from captivity.*
" Prop. V. The people having called or chosen their rainister — one
or more — unto office in a day of humiliation, let them, in the presence
of the rainisters of other churches, depute sorae of the gravest and
gddly raerabers of the church to lay their hands upon him, with prayer
over him in the Narae of the Lord setting him apart to that office.
The ' whole congregation ' are said to anoint Zadok to the office of a
high priest, as well as Solomon to be king,'' which is a sacred rite as
[is] imposition of hands ; and this, the whole body of them could not
do but by deputing some erainent persons araongst thera to the per
formance thereof. But after they be furnished with elders — a presby
tery of their own, — let imposition of hands be given by them, accord-
*ing*to 1 Tim. iv. 14, to such as for the future shall be ordained.
" Prop. vi. For the making up of a presbytery, instead of a 'parson'
and ' vicar' — wherewith sorae congregations are endowed, — let them
choose ' pastors and teachers ;" and ruling-elders, instead of those who
crept into their roora namely, the churchwardens and sidesmen. But
let them choose and ordain them in a day of humiliation, according to
Acts xiv. 23, and not for a year only, but during life : and let the
presbyteries of all neighbour-churches take all opportunities to make
use one of another for brotherly consultation, but not for jurisdiction
and authority one over another. And instead of collectors or overseers
for the poor, who crept into the room of deacons, let deacons be chosen
as hath been showed above," but not as members of the presbytery !
" Prop. vii. For set forms of prayer, or prescript liturgies, let them
not be enjoined unto the ministers of the churches; but let the minis
ters as well give up themselves wholly unto prayer as to the ministry
of the Word.*
" Prop. viii. Baptism may be ordei'ly administered to the children
of such parents as have professed their faith and repentance before the
church, as above •," or, where either of the parents have raade such
profession. Or it raay be considered also, whethei' the children raay
not be baptized where either the grandfather or grandmother have made
such profession, and are still living to undertake for the Christian edu
cation of the child : for it may be conceived where there is a stipulation
of the ' covenant' on God's part and a restipulation on raan's part, there
may be an obligation of the 'covenant' on both parts.' Or if these
fail, what hindereth but that, if the parents will resign their infant to
be educated in the house of any godly member of the church, the chUd
* 2 Kings xviii. 15, 16. b i chron. xxix. 20—22. c See back, p. 563.
" Acts vi 4. . " See back, p. 567. f Gen. xvii. 7.

CHAP. LXn.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 579
may be lawfully baptized in the right of its household governor, accord
ing to the proportion of the LaWj Gen. xvii. 12, 13 ?
" Prop. ix. Let the Lord's-supper be adrainistered only to such as
have so professed their faith ami repentance publicly, and are received
and approved raembers of the church ; endued with sufficient "knowledge
to ' examine' themselves and to ' discern the Lord's body:'* free from
scandal, and of good conversation.
« " Prop. X. Let officers in the church be redressed and removed, not
by presentments to officers of other churches, but according to the order
of the Gospel described above.^
" Prop. xi. Where the ministers of the congregation are ignorant
or scandalous, raeet it is that they were removed and better chosen in
their roora by the people ; according to the counsel and direction of
the godly ministers and brethren of neighbour-churches : Hos. iv. 6.
" Prop. xii. Where the people in a congregation are generally igno
rant and profane, it were necessary godly preachers were sent forth
with countenance from the King and State, to preach unto them till
they were brought on to knowledge, and to some measure of gracious
reformation. Thus Jehoshaphat sent forth priests and Levites ' to teach
in the cities of Judah,' and certain princes and pobles with them, to
countenance the good work in their hands.*^
" Prop. xiii. TiU the people be in sorae sort duly prepared, and
grown up to some measure of knowledge and grace, it were neither
meet to receive them to a renewing of their covenant formerly -raade at
their baptism, or [nor] to the seals of it But after they have been
wi'ought upon by the rainistry of the Word to ' lament after the Lord,'
as the Israelites did when ' the ark ' had been long absent from them ;''
then, let them proceed as other godly Christians were directed to do.
Prop, ii, iii, etc. for renewing of their covenant, for choice of their
ministers and officers, and for communication in all the liberties of the
church of God.
" Prop. xiv. For the help of the Universities ; of the whole kingdom,
and of all the churches in it; it were necessary that some experienced,*
godly learned, nobles and rainisters, were deputed to visit and reforra
the Universities : that subscriptions to ceremonies and prescript litur
gies were removed : that degrees in divinity were not abused unto
qualifications for pluralities and non-residency ; nor allowed in the
ministers of churches, to put a difference between brethren of the same
calling, whence Christ hath removed it — Matt, xxiii. 8 — 10. The
Kadriyrjral there mentioned, is not to be translated ' masters,' for it is
a title coramon to all ministers; but 'doctors.' And the academical
title of 'doctor' is fitter for masters of colleges and readers in the
schools, than for church officers. Here also, special care would be
taken for setting up such preachers in both the Universities as whose
spirit and gift and ministry raight be exemplary patterns to young
students. " Prop. XV. For the effectual and orderly expedition and transac
tion of all tiiese things, it were requisite that as king Jehoshaphat did,
so the King and State should depute some choice persons to do the
* 1 Cor. xi. 28, 29. h See back, p. 570. c 2 Chron. xvii. 7 — 9. d 1 Sam. vii. 2.

580 HISTORICAL MEMORIALS- [CHARLESI.
same, to wit, to go throughout aU the kingdom to see the people
retumed, and all the churches restored to a true state and course of
Refolfmation.* " All which things are humbly presented by us not as if we would
undertake to give'counsel to them that are wiser than ourselves, much
less injunctions ; but as subjects who desire to- approve our faithful
serrice to the Lord, and our King and country, hold them forth as true
consectaries from the rules of the Gospel which should rule us all.""
How much in "earnest" the preceding and sirailar productions were
endeavoured to be counteracted, is instanced in the speedy appearance
of " Vindicise Claviura : Or, A Vindication of the Keys of the Kingdom
of Heaven into the Hands of the Right Owners. Being some Ani
raadversions upon a Tract of Mr. J. C. called ' The Keys of the King
dom of Heaven ;' as also upon another Tract of his called ' The Way
ofthe Churches of New England:' Manifesting, 1. The Weakness of
his Proofs; 2. The Contradictions to himself and others; 3. The
Middle- Way— so caUed— of Independents, to be the Extreme or By-
Way of the Brownists. By an Earnest Wellwisher of the Truth.
Lond. 1645."^ 4to. pp. 90. Bearing Ja. Cranford's " Imprimatur,
July 4th, 1645."
The " Reader" is'told in five pages, "that the Brethren do not agree
among themselves," and that Cotton differs occasionally from himself
"and yet" his "prefacers," N. H. and I. H., "seem to approve it:"
frora all which, this Vindicator affirms that "this disagreement amongst
themselves is prejudicious to their Cause and Way, to those that are
judicious !" Then foUow fourteen pages of " Aniraadversions upon the
Brethren's Epistie to the Reader," and here too disagreement is' held
forth as the main proof of weakness, till at length the Vindicator pro
claims that " the Brethren epistolers now begin to applaud themselves
as jumping in judgraent with their author, though so far remote as
New England;" but even this will not satisfy, for he adds, " but raen
agree in error soraetiraes, that never knew one another !" And strange
„as it may seem, "after all tiiis agi-eeraent of the Brethren with this
absent author — to a wonder, if not to a miracle, as they would have us
think ; though we believe they were not strangers to the plot of this
author either before or since his going over ; — they enter their dissent
against sorae opinions and passages of this author in the platforra by
him described." Whether or not, this Vindicator has intituled hiraself
to be classed among "those that are judicious ?" is a query of no diffi
cult solution.
The reader may rest assured that the general argument sustains no
real loss by not having before hira here a fuller insight into the Vindi
cator's dialectics. What can be expected from one who writes thus
discourteously ? "I pray. Sir, teU us next tirae you write over, how
many churches have you multiplied amongst the Indians in New
England ? Not one, that I ever heard of. You have divided churches,
indeed, from Old England ; but propagated none. And our ' Brethren'
at horae, how raany churches have they divided and distracted since
their return, but have multiplied none ! If some new Teachers should
• 2 Chron. xix. 4. bp. 113_„?«.

CHAP. LXn.] RELATING. TO INDEPENDENTS. 581
arise in New England^and gathflr — or rather steal — some members out
of every of your congregations, would you call this 'multiplication of
churches;' or rather division ?'* But we shall content ourselves with
a notice of this said Vindicator's own "contradictions," as treated of by
Cotton himself in his "Way of Congregational Churches Cleared,"
which piece will be made use of further in a subsequent chapter.
"The author of the book intituled, 'Vindicise Claviura,' thought good
to conceal his own narae, though in matters of accusation, whereof the
book is full. It was 'the raanner of the Romans' — and that Roman
manner was but just and equal — to have the accuser show hiraself ' face
to face.''' And indeed the equity and equality of brotherly love would
have required him either to have declared his own name or to
have concealed mine as well as his own. . . But since the author of
'Vindiciee' is pleased to conceal his narae, I therefore think it not
amiss, for brerity's sake and to prevent a long periphrasis . . only to
take leave to call him Vindex, or, in English, sometimes the Assertor,
sometimes the Avenger ; which both the title and purport of his book
do hold him forth to be, as acting the part of both.
" The scope of his book, so far as concerneth me, is chiefly to show
forth my 'weaknesses' and 'contradictions,' as his title manifesteth.
But if Christ may have any glory by that, I shall willingly acknowledge
— without his accusation, and rauch more without his conviction — that
I ara raade up of ' weaknesses and contradictions !' . . Nevertheless all
this, will not argue that which the Avenger saith he hath heard, that I
have 'often altered' my 'judgment' since I went to New England;
nor, that ' the author of the Keys does directly contradict the author of
the Way, which is himself!' I have not had liberty to peruse 'The
Way' [1645,] since it was published ; but I see by the first words of
it that the publishers had not the copy which was taken hence from
me, but an imperfect transcript : but I do believe what the publishers
do report, that setting aside ' some difference in logical terras,' there is no
material difference between the 'Keys' and the 'Way' either in 'doc
trine of divinity or in church-practice.' Yes, saith the Avenger, 'I
find he doth ' in these ' as flatiy contradict hiraself as ever any raan did'.
[I will] instance [but] in one place; . . in the Keys, p. 4, he saith.
The Keys were delivered to Peter as an apostle, as an elder, and as a
believer ! The sense of the words — of Christ to Peter — will be raost
full if all the several considerations be taken jointly together. But in
the Way, p. 27, he saith. The power of the Keys is given to the
church ; to Peter, not as an apostie, not as an elder, but as a perfect
believer ! Is not this a flat contradiction ?'"=
" Answer the first. The words are not mine but the Assertor's, which
he i-eporteth rae to say in The Keys, ' the keys were delivered to Peter
as an apostie,' etc. I would be loth to be found to speak so illogically
as to say, ' Socrates hath a power of motion given to him as a living
creatlire, as a man, as a philosopher.' It is a trivial rudiraent in
schools. Whatsoever is attiibuted to any as such, is given to all such
universally, and to such reciprocally and only. If the keys were de
livered to'Peter as an apostie, then to all the aposties, and only to the
a p. 44. b Acts xxv. 16. " To the Read: p. [iii, iv.]

582 HISTORICAL memorials" [CHARLES I.
aposties. My words, expressed by me, are plain enough and, I thanJc
God, not destitute of reason : ' It hath proved a busy question. How
Peter is to be considered in receiving this power of the keys, whether
as an apostle, or as an elder — for an elder also he was, — or as a beUever
professing his faith before the Lord Jesus and his fellow-brethren.' I
added indeed, 'the^sense of the words of Christ to Peter, To thee will
I give the keys of the kingdom of heaven ;* will be raost full if all
the several considerations be taken jointiy together.' Wherein as I ex
pound ray own raeaning in the words foUovring in that treatise of The
Keys, so the publishers of The Keys do fitly express the sarae in their
Epistie: 'The disposal,' say they, 'of this power may lie in a due
allotment into divers hands according to their several concernments,
rather than in an entire and sole trust comraitted to any one raan, or
any sort or rank of men, or officers.' What saith the Avenger to this ?
' Herein,' saith he, ' perhaps we might agree with them ;' but then,
' not with the author, who places all the power in one sort of men
alone ; that is, thebrethren, without officers :''' but the Assertor taketh
too rauch liberty to affirra, I say that in that place which in the same
passage I do expressly deny : my words are express, ' They,' that is
the brethren, may not ' administer sacraraents in defect of all officers,
because by the appointraent of Christ that pertaineth only to such as
are called by office to preach the Gospel, Matt xxviii. 19, 20.'° But,
saith the Avenger, ' in The Way, p. 27, he saith. The power of the
keys is given to the church ; to Peter, not as an apostle, etc. Is not
this, a flat contradiction ?' No verily, the solution is very easy and
obvious, even to the Avenger himself if he would but have cast his eye
upon the very next words in The Keys, whence this evavTi6(j>aveg is
fetched : the words run thus, ' The sense of the words will be most
full if all the several considerations be taken jointly together. Take
Peter, considered not only as an apostle but withal an elder also and a
believer too, professing his faith ; all raay well stand together. For
there is a different power given to all these, to an apostle, to an elder,
to a believer; and Peter was all these, and received all the power which
was given by Christ to any of these, or to all of these together. . . So
that Augustine did not mistake when he said, Peter received the keys
in the name of the church.' I cannot conceive what should move the
Avenger so confidently to charge 'a flat contradiction' in these two
passages, . . unless it were partly through misreport of my words in the
one place, whereof before ; partiy through misapprehension what the
force in logic is of a quatenus tale, for he that knoweth that, he is not
ignorant that if Peter had received the power of the keys quatenus
apostolus, or quatenus presbyter, as an apostle or as an elder ; then,
only apostles or only elders had received all church-power ; which all
judicious divines and, I doubt not, himself amongst them, will utterly
deny. But he that saith Peter received the power of the keys as
standing in the room of all sorts of officers and members of the church,
and so in the name of the whole church, he affirmeth that Peter re
ceived all church-power, which is found in all profest believers whether
» Acts xvi. 19. b Xhe Way, p. 45. Vind. Clav. : Animadversions, etc. p. [ii.]
¦: Tbe Way, p. 44.

CHAP. LXII.] RELATING TO INDEPENDENTS. 583
Oncers or private brethren; and of officers, whether ordinary as elders,
or extraordinary as apostles and evangelists. And is there any passage
in The Keys which crosseth or ' contradlcteth ' this ? . . *
" Answer the second. . . If there seera to be any difference in the
expression of the one treatise or of the other about this point, it is in
the first subject of the power of the keys — which is a logical notion ;
but the point is the sarae both in doctrine of divinity and in church-
practice. As for the imputation of inconstancy, which the Avenger
is pleased to put upon me — ' he hath heard that I have often altered
my judgment since I went to New England" — I should thank him if
he would tell rae either wherein I have altered my judgment or from
whom he so heard. . . John Baptist was surraised by some, to be 'a
reed shaken with the wind,'* but it was a windy fancy !
" And for a third answer : It were no just matter of calumny if, in
some latter tractate, I should retract, or express raore commodiously
what I wrote in a former, less safely."''
In a similar manner Cotton prosecutes this part of his object, and
shows the inadvertency, if not wilfulness, of this op"ponent in particular.
It is due frora any who study the controversy, not to overlook or neg
lect the expositions which a writer of Cotton's deserved reputation
found expedient to enter into for his own justification and the manifes
tation of trath. a Matt xi. 7. t" Part 2, p. 1—4.

END OE VOL. Ilj

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