A80640:319
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.
Whereto the Reply is ready, 1. Mr. Baylie is mistaken, if he think the answer to the 32. questions was penned by me. Those questions were sent by some Ministers in Lancashire or Cheshire to one of their Country-men, (a reverend Brother, and fellow-Elder amongst us) Mr. Madder: who to satisfy their desires returned them that answer, which (it seemeth) hath since been printed. Which I speak not, because I wave the answer, for when he wrote it, he wrote advisedly, and as his whole answer is solid, and judicious; so is his answer, to the question put to him, pertinent and full: but to Mr. Bailies Assertion, it cometh nothing near it. But Mr. Baylie should have done well, to have taken his full answer to that question.
Whereto the Reply is ready, 1. Mr. Baylie is mistaken, if hee think the answer to the 32. questions was penned by me. Those questions were sent by some Ministers in Lancashire or Cheshire to one of their Country-men, (a reverend Brother, and fellow-Elder amongst us) Mr. Mader: who to satisfie their desires returned them that answer, which (it seemeth) hath since been printed. Which I speak not, because I wave the answer, for when he wrote it, he wrote advisedly, and as his whole ans•er is solid, and judicious; so is his answer, to the question put to him, pertinent and full: but to Mr. Baylies Assertion, it cometh nothing neer it. But Mr. Baylie should have done well, to have taken his full answer to that question.
The New-English Plantations are scattered above two hundred Miles in length upon the Sea Coasts: & of what they did in those remote Plantations, he could not then give present account. But (saith Mr. Madder) in the Churches within the Bay, where most of us are best acquainted, we may truly say, that for the heads of Families those that are admitted, are far more in number then the other, besides whom there are sundry children and servants, that are admitted also. And for the reasons (saith he) why many are not yet received to Church-Communion, they be sundry: "1. Sundry are new come over, and so are not yet known. 2. Sundry when they come to be known are found scandalous. 3. Some godly persons forbear to join with us for a time, till they may try, which Church and Ministry they can best close withal. 4. Those that are known to be godly (I may add, though but in judgment of charity) they are all admitted to some Church or other, presently upon their own desire, unless they have given some offence, which also is removed upon their giving due satisfaction.