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from thence also (in time) Arbitrary Government in the Commonwealth may not come hither.

Now if any man ask how 'tis evident there is such a Plot laid down in that Book? I answer, (to be very briefe) I shall give the Reader this light into this designe. In his Epistle before the book which he dedicates to the Honourable Commissioners for Forraign Plantations, he makes five Requests to them, the fourth of which is, That they will take into consideration, how destructive it will be to their Plantations, and proceedings there, (which saith he are growing into a Nation) to answer to complaints here. See and observe (Reader) how he seeks to stop all Appeals from all their unjust Sentences, whatsoever they may be contrary to the Lawes of England. Secondly, he would make their Honours to be the Instruments to stop the Currant of the greatest Liberty of English subjects there; he would engage the Parliament in it; and what a desperate businesse this would prove, every wise man may easily see: For being begun at this Plantation, by the same rule others might seek it should extend to all other Plantations, and then why not to Ireland? and why shall not example, custome, and fair pretences bring it into Wales and Cornwal, so over England? And by the way (Reader) mark his great boasting that they are growing into a Nation; high conceits of a Nation breeds high thoughts of themselves, which makes them usually term themselves a State, cal the people there Subjects, unitne four Governments together without any authority from the King and Parliament, and then term themselves the United Colonies, are publikely prayed for by that title; not giving forth their Warrants in his Majesties name, no not in. time of his most peaceable government, neither taking the Oath of Allegiance before they take upon them their Government, nor ever giving it to any of his Majesties subjects, &c. Now (Reader) observe their policie, they take the advantage of promoting this designe, by beginning to write against Gorton, a man whom they know is notorious for heresie, that so behind him they may creep and get a shot at a better game, may beget a good opinion in the Honorable Commissioners by writing against such a evill man; as also that they may wash away the opinion that good men heretofore have had of them, that they are Separatists and Schismaticks, Mr. Winslow their Agent insinuates severall things of the good agreement & communion that the Independents in New-England hold with Presbyterians and the Reformed Churches, of which he had discoursed with

some

some godly Presbyterians since his comming over into England, and saith he was earnestly requested by some of the Presbyterian party to publish to the world as much, pag. 97. and thereupon tells a long story of the Church of New-Plymouth belonging to Mr. Robinson of Leyden, holding communion with French and Dutch churches, yea tendring it to the Scots; as also (pag. 93.) how the rest of the Churches in New-England do suffer Presbyterians, and have offered all liberty and priviledges to Presbyterians, p. 99. 100. But for answer, I say there is a great deal of fallacie in this discourse, and the contrary is too well known and daily practised among the Independents both there and here, not admitting the most godly men into communion among them, not to the acts wherein they hold communion stands properly; keeping Communion with them in Word and Prayer, which they admit to their Indians too. And let them instance, if they can, among many hundreds, yea some thousands of Independents that have come from NewEngland and Holland, that have come to the Lords supper in our Churches, or done any act among us, in which they hold Church-communion properly stands? 2. Rather then Mr. Winslow will fail of his purpose, he will make the world believe that the Reformed Churches are as much Separatists as themselves are, by describing them with the same description that the Separatists describe themselves, p. 96. That they are a People distinct from the World, and gathered into a holy Communion (he should have said Covenant, which is his sense) and not National churches, and that the sixth person is not of the Church (meaning amongst them) which falshood of his he boldly affirms, thinking that many will believe because he saith it, but the contrary is well known to those that know them; for in Holland they refuse not to baptize any of their Countrymens children who bring them to be baptized, else would their unbaptized be seen amongst them as well as they are to be seen in New-England; besides tis well known the Church of Scotland holds themselves a National church, and hath a National Assembly, and so the Church of Holland and France hold themselves National churches against the Independents. 3. As to the great love he insinuates they of New-England bear to Presbyterian churches, by the example of profering certain Scots a Plantation amongst them, where they should share with them in their lands, and enjoy their liberty of Presbyterial government, p. 100. I answer, that passage is strange, and I can hardly believe it, that they who denied so many godly Ministers

Ministers well known to them, Mr. Ball, Mr. Rathband, &c. English men, the liberty of enjoying Presbyteriall government, should grant it to strangers of the Scotish nation. Now that they denied them, is apparent; besides Mr. Rathband and other Ministers testimonies (now with God) and Mr. Ash of the Assembly and others testifying so much, themselves in Print, in the book intituled Church-government and Church-covenant discussed, in ans. to the 31 quest. p. 83, 84. confesse it, and give reason of their denial. But if it be true there were any such promise to the Scots (which I much question) I am confident they had some design of their own in it, some worldly end or other; as namely, That in those dangerous times, when it was likely that the times in England would soon be so bad that they could not be supplied of necessaries from England, they might then be supplied from Scotland with clothes, leather, & other commodities; which Plot a very dull States-man might easily have contrived. 4. As for that he says, that Mr. Noyce, Mr. Parker, and Mr. Hubard, have their liberties in NewEngland, who yet are Presbyterian; I answer, the Church of the two first was founded the Church way of the Independent manner, which is not anew constituted, though they in their judgments are somewhat different, and still they hold many Independent principles, as may be seen by Mr. Noyse's Book lately printed, though some Presbyterian principles. 5. For Mr. Hubard, dares Mr. Winslow says that Mr. Hubard was not punished neither directly nor indirectly, for baptizing some children whose parents were not members of their Churches, and that his sharp fines & disgracefull being bound to the good behaviour, had no influence from the baptism of those children? 6. Can any man think that the despitefull passages vented in Pulpits against the Church of England there, by some of their chief Elders, calling England Egypt & Babylon, and saying, that out of their Church-waies we cannot go to Heaven, denying the Seales of the Covenant to some, because they would not confesse that there was no way of God lawful to govern the Church by, but the Independent way; and for no other cause as it is ready to be proved, when ever Mr. VVinslow or any other Independents will desire a meeting, in London, before indifferent Judges; and much more then I will here relate) is a sign of love to the Presbyterian brethren, and of keeping communion with them. 7. Concerning the offer that Mr. VVinslow saith was made not long before he came away, by the Court, to certain discontented persons demanding liberty for

Presbyterial

Presbyterial government, that it was freely & openly tendred to them; this is strange news to us here, for we hear not one word of that offer from those Petitioners, although here are letters from some of them dated since M. VVinslows comming from thence, that relates that Dr. Child & others of them remained still in prison, save that D. Child hath the liberty to be confined to M. Leders house upon security of 800.1. bond being given for his abiding there. For a conclusion of this Postscript, I shall desire the Reader by all that hath been said, to observe how Independents are all of a peece, for subtilitie, desines, fallacies, both in New-England and in Old.

NARRATIVE

Of a New and Unusual

AMERICAN

Imprisonment

Of Two

PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS:

And Prosecution of

Mr. Francis Makemie

One of them, for Preaching one SERMON at the City of NEW-YORK.

By a Learner of Law, and Lover of Liberty.

Printed for the Publisher. 1707.

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