A34501:4
A Copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly
A Copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly by Thomas Goodwin, Jerem. Burroughs, William Greenhill, William Bridge, Philip Nigh, Sidrach Simson, and William Carter declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring into the assembly their model of church-government.A Copy of a remonstrance lately delivered in to the assembly by Thomas Goodwin, Ierem. Burroughs, William Greenhill, William Bridge, Philip Nie, Sidrach Simson, and William Carter declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring into the assembly their modell of church-government.
London : s.n., 1645
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To the READER.
The Copy of this ensuing Remonstrance (for so I title it, as deeming it no other) lately delivered in to the Assembly by the Dissenting Brethren, falling under my view (by a divine providence) I endeavoured a transcript thereof, aiming at no other end but the reserving it by me for my private and particular satisfaction. Since which time upon occasional converses with divers of the Presbyterian party, I have been an often ear-witness of many untrue and unjust aspersions which reflected upon the Reverend Authors, as if the Independents (so they are pleased to call them) could not, or durst not (according to the demand of the Assembly) produce a Model and bring in thither, such a Frame of Church-government with the Reasons and grounds thereof as they contend for; or rather, that they had in their conceptions some Chima•ra, or some Utopian Frame, which in the issue would prove either abortive or ridiculous; and that therefore being privy to the weakness of their own principles, they have res••ted only, instead of a perfect Body, an airy, and (to use some of their own words) a railing accusation against the Reverend Assembly, intending nothing less then the product of a Completed Frame, and nothing more than the cheating of the people, whom they know do expect such an accomplished platform. These and the like undue bespatterings, •asht from the mouths of some whom I dare not but call Brethren, and that upon those who for their personal endowments they themselves acknowledge to be both pious and learned; and frequently hinted into the minds and thoughts of the godly and well-affected of either part ⟨p. 3⟩(who at present by reason thereof are at a loss both in their judgements and expectations) coming within my hearing and observation; I found (weighing the rational considerations exhibited in this Remonstrance for their refusal to deliver in to the Assembly their Model of Church-government, as was imposed on them) an irresistible dictate from my conscience, to convert the Manuscript into a printed Copy.