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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! ver. 4. When the apostle directeth them, upon the repentance of an offender, to forgive him, he speaketh to the brethren, as well as to their elders, to forgive him: 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 congregation, 1 Cor. xiv. 23... Christ hath something 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 writeth 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 great 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 particular church within itself; who, being well supplied with a faithful and expert Presbytery of their own, do walk in their integrity, according to the truth and peace of the Gospel. Let Synods have their just authority in all churches, how pure soever, in determining such diaráže 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 particular 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 them in their lawful course, unless they see them, through ignorance or weakness, to abuse their liberty and authority in the Gospel! All the liberties of churches were purchased to them by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus; and therefore neither

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may the churches give them away, nor many churches take them cut of the hands of one... The Lord Jesus having given equal power to all the apostles, 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. It is the like case, in some measure, 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 may 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 time, 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 Congregation, whereof Mr. Henry Jacob was an instrument of gathering it, and the Pastor' worthy of double honour;' Mr. John Lathroppe, succeeding him, now Pastor in New England: and, the beloved Congregation, through God's mercies, sees her Teachers waiting when God shall give more Liberty, and Pastors according to his own heart; praying 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." c

"C

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 "of the kingdom," d

a It might be called forth when Mr. H. Jessey, who succeeded Mr. Lathrop, in 1637, "held several debates. . concerning pædobaptism."-Life of Jessey, 1671, p. 83.-In 1645 Jessey was dipped, "though his own congregation at that time was most of them for Infant baptism."

b

[Cant. vi 8.]

с

[Eph. v. 25.]

d Luke xviii. 16.

through the "Father's good pleasure; "a 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" baptized" in the cloud and in the sea." e

66

d

с

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," f or unto Christ, by the Spirit," not all that are baptized by water." No one is "fully" baptized without pouring, 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 him out like water besprinkling all his raiment... As by their faith" who brought him to Christ, the "man sick of the palsy" was healed; so the faith of the parents induceth 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 at all.".. "Sweating water and blood," then was Christ "buried" by baptism! Being under the wrath of the Father, all his waves were over him: then were the elect buried with him, having communion with him in his death: when Mary came "aforehand" to anoint his body it being manifest to 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 resurrection. . . Christ died for sin, and rose again "for our justification;" so believers die to 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 [made] them capable of eating the passover. Then, say such as be called 'Anabaptists,' 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 meant; so, the children of the Church are not capable of the Supper before they can " examine" themselves: wherefore 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!"

Luke xii. 32. d Psal. lxxx. 8, &c. Psal. xxii. 14.

b Isai. lii. 15; Ezek. xxxvi. 25.

e 1 Cor. x. 2.

h Isai. Ixiii. 3.

Rev. i. 5.
f Gal. iii. 27.
i Matt. ix. 2.

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:' Agreed 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 Inconformity, and now published, in a time of need, for the good of God's Church, and the better 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.

With what consistency this production appeared under the name of its publisher, will be perceived from these particulars; "Having published a book against the Brownists,' which Dr. Stillingfleet quoted to prove that preaching, when prohibited by the established laws, was contrary to the doctrine of all the old nonconformists; 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 many years at a chapel in Lancashire; and after he was silenced, he preached in private as he had opportunity, and the times would bear.' "" a We turn from this to the Publisher himself.

"Christian Reader; this ensuing treatise.. was compiled, so as now thou hast it without any addition or alteration, many years since, by sundry reverend and godly ministers of this kingdom, who, in their times, stood out and suffered in the cause of inconformity to the ceremonies, 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 men were by name, is neither now necessary to be published, nor in respect of them all certainly known... It is now presented to 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 of the tyranny and corruptions of the Bishops. Secondly, It seemeth now more needful than formerly, through the late lamentable increase of opinions and practices of Separation; and the dangerous rents already made and likely to be made thereby, a Baxter's second part of "The Nonconformists' Plea for Peace," 1680.4to. p. 193. Quoted in Brook's Lives of the Puritans, vol. ii. p. 470.

even to the utter ruin of this Church, if, by the mercy of our God and the wisdom of our King and Parliament, soine timely and effectual remedy be not provided. Thirdly, Hereby, good reader, thou mayest 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 further light, as if some new created star had now appeared to the world never seen before!-are, indeed, no other for substance but the old errors and dotages of Barrowe 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 pleasing and plausible... Fourthly, Hereby, also, thou mayest perceive and take up the true judgment of the true ancient and present Nonconformists of this kingdom in these points:.. whereof, by the help of God, thou mayest make these and the like uses: 1. Thou mayest clear them, in thy thoughts, from the misrepresentations and imputations both of the Episcopal and Schismatical parties; both of which, would make the world believe that the Nonconformists have laid the foundation of Brownism, by their principles of Inconformity; and that if this be lawful the other must needs be necessary... 2. Thou mayest 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 from 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 to dislike all Set Forms of Prayer, especially in our Liturgy, as unlawful; to question their own standing in the ministry as antichristian; and to abstain from our worship, especially our sacraments, as idolatrous; with other like unreasonable opinions and practices! As if it were not possible for men 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 Subscription unto, or practice or approbation of, all the corruptions in the same. An error in some sort, formerly, excusable; when 'oppression' and persecution made even wise men themselves 'mad ;'a and sometimes 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 horns 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 mayest be somewhat stayed from hasty adhering or inclining to their courses of Separation not only by the treatise itself but also by the consideration of the treatisers... We are sometimes almost deafened with the praises of some of the Separators' eminent learning,

Eccles. vii. 7.

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