A80640:108
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the…
The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A dissuasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.The way of Congregational churches cleared in two treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baylie, in his book, called, A disswasive from the errors of the time. In the latter, from some contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium : and from, some mis-constructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book intituled The due right of presbyteries. / By Mr. John Cotton, sometime preacher at Boston in Lincoln-shire, and now teacher of the Church at Boston, in New-England.
London: printed by Matthew Simmons for John Bellamie, 1648
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.
First, that in England I fell off but from some of the Ceremonies. For (by the grace of Christ) I forbore all the Ceremonies alike at once, many years before I left England. The first grounds which prevailed with me to forbear one Ceremony, would not allow me to practise any. The grounds I well remember were two: 1 The significancy and efficacy put upon them in the Preface to the Book of Common-prayer: That they were neither dumb nor dark, but apt to stir up the dull mind of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable ⟨p. 19⟩table and special signification, whereby he may be edified, or words to the like purpose.
First, that in England I fell off but from some of the Ceremonies. For (by the grace of Christ) I forbore all the Ceremonies alike at once, many years before I left England. The first grounds which prevailed with me to forbear one Ceremony, would not allow me to practise any. The grounds I well remember were two: 1 The significancy and efficacy put upon them in the Preface to the Book of Common-prayer: That they were neither dumb nor dark, but apt to stir up the dull minde of man to the remembrance of his duty to God, by some notable ⟨p. 19⟩table and speciall signification, whereby he may bee edified, or words to the like purpose.
The second was the limitation of Church-power, (even of the highest Apostolical Commission) to the observation of the Commandments of Christ, Matth. 28.20. which made it appear to me utterly unlawful, for any Church-power to enjoin the observation of indifferent Ceremonies which Christ had not commanded. And all the Ceremonies were alike destitute of the commandment of Christ, though they had been indifferent otherwise, which indeed others have justly pleaded they were not.
The second was the limitation of Church-power, (even of the highest Apostolicall Commission) to the observation of the Commandements of Christ,