A80640:172
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
Treatise 1 › Chapter 3 › Section 12: Of Cottons pretended Montanism.
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.
But in perusing the sequel of this Discourse, I find a passage, which maketh me suspect, what Tenet of Montanism it is which he aimeth at, in Page 61. speaking of the vileness of the errors of the members of our Churches; They did (saith he) avow openly, The personal inhabitation of the Spirit in all the godly; his immediate Revelations without the Word; and these as infallible as the Scripture it self. And this (saith he) is the vilest Montanism.
But in perusing the se•uel of this Discourse, I finde a passage, which maketh me suspect, what Tenent of Montanism it is which he aimeth at, in Page 61. speaking of the vilenesse of the errors of the members of our Churches; They did (saith he) avow openly, The personall inhabitation of the Spirit in all the godly; his immediate Revelations without the Word; and these as infallible as the Scripture it self. And this (saith he) is the vilest Montanism.
These two latter Tenets, immediate Revelations without the Word, and them as infallible as the Scripture it self, I willingly confess they are vile Montanism; though I would not say (as he doth) the vilest. For the vilest is, to hold Montanus himself to be the Holy-Ghost, or to have received the Holy-Ghost in a more full measure then the Apostles themselves.
These two latter Tenents, immediate Revelations without the Word, and them as infallible as the Scripture it self, I willingly confesse they are vile Montanism; though I would not say (as he doth) the vilest. For the vilest is, to hold Montanus himself to be the Holy-Ghost, or to have received the Holy-Ghost in a more full measure then the Apostles themselves.
But for the first of these Tenets, touching the Personal Inhabitation of the Holy-Ghost in the godly, it may further be considered before it be condemned. Personal Inhabitation may be taken in a double sense: For, 1 It may hold forth no more but this, the indwelling not only of the Gifts of the Holy-Ghost, but of his Person also in the Regenerate. Or 2. it may hold forth further, the indwelling of the Person of the Holy-Ghost in the Regenerate, so far forth as to make us one Person with himself, or to communicate with us some Personal propriety of his own.