A80640:399
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.
As for the testimony of mine, which he quoteth from some ⟨p. 88⟩[…] ⟨p. 89⟩[…] ⟨p. 90⟩words in the vials, wherein the sins of the people were reproved, let him not improve them further then they will bear. Such reproofs do not always argue sins of our Church members: or if they did, yet not, that those sins are openly known: or if openly known, yet not, that they were tolerated. And yet all these must concur, or else the vices found amongst professors, will not argue the viciousness either of their doctrine or worship, or Church Government.
As for the testimony of mine, which hee quoteth from some ⟨p. 88⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 89⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 90⟩words in the vialls, wherein the sinnes of the people were reproved, let him not improve them further then they will bear. Such reproofs doe not alwayes argue sinnes of our Church members: or if they did, yet not, that those sinnes are openly known: or if openly known, yet not, that they were tolerated. And yet all these must concurre, or else the vices found amongst professors, will not argue the viciousnesse either of their doctrine or worship, or Church Government.
Luther complaineth, in Postil. super Evangel. Dom. adventus, Sunt nunc homines magis vindictae cupidi, magis avari, magis ab omni misericordiâ remoti, magis immodesty, & indisciplinati, multoque deteriores, quam fuerunt sub papatu. And Chrysostom, (in opere imperfect. in Matth. Hom. 49.) speaketh of Christians as becoming like the Heretics, or Pagans, or worse.