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Subsections
Leave church without permission
Local church membership: not necessary for sacraments
Independent Churches: No Right of Greater Excommunication
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Order of Contents
Contra Independency
. Articles 30+
. Books 35+
. Quotes 2
. Latin 1
Theological Points
. Presumptive Regeneration
. Ordination
. Lay-Preaching & Administering the Sacraments
. Good & Necessary Consequence
Separatists’ Works 8+
Independents’ Works
. 1600’s 55+
. 1700’s 2
. 1800’s 18+
. 1900’s 4+
History 17+
Bios 2
Confessions & Books of Discipline 8+
Biblios 3
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Articles & Short Books
1600’s
Bernard, Richard – 32 Questions (1639) in Richard Mather, Church-Government & Church-Covenant Discussed, in an Answer of the Elders of the Several Churches in New-England to Two & Thirty Questions Sent Over to Them by Diverse Ministers in England, to Declare their Judgments Therein… (London, 1643), pp. 1-6
In this volume is given Bernard’s 32 Questions, then answers to them by the New England congregationalists, and then a larger treatise by Richard Mather discussing the subjects more largely. It does not appear that Bernard ever published a reply to the congregationalists’ answers (at least that is on the internet).
“Meanwhile [near the same time as the letter from the Old England ministers was received, see below], New England churches received another similar inquiry from Richard Bernard of Batcombe, who proposed ‘Thirty-Two Questions.’
In reply, Richard Mather provided an answer under the title Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed (1643). Compared with the “Nine Propositions,” [of the Old England ministers] Bernard’s “Thirty-Two Questions” are more sophisticated, which are designed to find both the theological and the biblical foundation of the Congregational practices.” – Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, p. 57
Ball, John – Ch. 12, ‘The Community of the Faithful, much less Two or Three Separated from the World & Gathered Together into the Name of Christ by a Covenant, are not the Proper & Immediate Subject of Power Ecclesiastical’ in A Friendly Trial of the Grounds Tending to Separation... (1640), pp. 231-82
Ball (1585–1640) was an English divine, known for his treatise on the Covenant of Grace. He also wrote heavily against Separatism and Independency. This larger work of Ball’s was answered by Thomas Shepard (below).
Richard Baxter said: ‘Till Mr. Ball wrote for the Liturgy and against [John] Canne and [John] Allen, etc., and Mr. Burton published his “Protestation Protested,” I never thought what presbytery or independency were, nor ever spake with a man that seemed to know it. And that was in 1641, when the war was brewing’.
Edwards, Thomas – Reasons Against the Independent Government of Particular Congregations, as also Against the Toleration of such Churches to be Erected in this Kingdom, Together with an Answer to such Reasons as are Commonly Alleged for such a Toleration EEBO (1641) 57 pp.
Gillespie, George – An Assertion of the Government of the Church of Scotland (Edinburgh: Bryson, 1641)
** Pt. 2, Concerning the Assemblies of the Church of Scotland, & the Authority Thereof, pp. 108-212
A Postscript in Answer to a Treatise very Lately Published which is entitled, ‘The Presbyerial Government Examined’, separately paginated, pp. 1-40
This postscript is in direct response to a congregationalist. Part 2 above is largely a response to congregationalist claims as well.
Herle, Charles – The Independency on Scriptures of the Independency of Churches: wherein the Question of Independency of Church-Government is Temperately, First, Stated; Secondly, Argued: Thirdly, Cleared from the Objections: & Fourthly, Appealed in, to the Judgments of such as Stand for it Ref (1643) 44 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 60-61
“It seems to be obvious that the pamphlet war between the Presbyterians in England and New England Congregationalists reached the new levels of intensity in the mid-1640s, particularly, during the period of the Assembly. In 1643, the collections of the early debates between the Old English Presbyterians and the New England were published in London.
In the same year, Charles Herle, a Presbyterian who became a prolocutor of the Assembly in 1646, sparked a new round of controversy. Rutherford, in the following year, joined in Herle’s crusade against Congregationalism with his famous work, The Due Right of Prebyteries (1644). In reply to Herle, [Richard] Mather and William Tompson published, ‘A Modest & Brotherly Answer To Mr. Charles Herle’ (1644). Also, refuting both Herle and Rutherford, Mather wrote another work, ‘A Reply to Mr. Rutherford’ (1647).”
Steuart, Adam
Some Observations & Annotations upon the Apologetical Narration [of the Westminster Independents]… (London, 1643) 71 pp. ToC
This was the first response to the publicly published Apologetical Narration of the 5 Independents at the Westminster Assembly.
Further answers of Steuart to replies to these pieces are below under books.
An Answer to a Libel entitled, ‘A Cool Conference between the Cleared Reformation & the Apologetical Narration’… wherein are clearly refuted whatever he brings against the Reformation cleared… (London, 1644) 62 pp.
Rathband, William – A Brief Narration of Some Church Courses Held in Opinion & Practice in the Churches Lately Erected in New England: Collected out of Sundry of their Own Printed Papers… Together with some… of their Correspondence with the like Tenets & Practices of the Separatists’ Churches… (London, 1644) 55 pp. no ToC
Table of Contents
Preface to the Reader
1. Concerning a Platform of Church Government & Discipline in General 1
2. Of the True Visible Church of Christ in General, & the Bounds Thereof 3
3. Of the Matter of a True Visible Church, What is Required Thereunto, & How the Same May be Known 5
4. Of the Form of the True Visible Church 12
5. Of the Manner of Their First Erecting of a Visible Church 20
6. Of Church Power, or the Power of the Keys, the First Subject in Whom it Resides, & of the Exercise of it in General 23
7. Of Church Membership & Admission of More Members into the Church Thus Constituted & Erected 29
8. Of their Dismissing of Members from One Church to Another, Ortherwise 31
9. Of Church-Communion in General, wherein it Consists, to whom it does Belong, of Corruption in it, & Separation from it 33
10. Of the Communion of Churches one with Another, & of Separation from Corrupt Churches 37
11. Of Excommunication & Re-Acception into Church-Fellowship Again upon Repentance 39
12. Of Church Officers, their Office, Manner of Calling, their Power, Maintenance & the Dis-Officing or Deposing of Them Again 39
13. Of those whom They Call Prophets, & of Prophesying, or Private Men’s Preaching 46
14. Of the Independency of One Church upon Another, & the Combination of Several Churches Together, in Classes, Synods, etc. 47
15. Of the Civil Magistrate 49
Postscript 50
Forbes, Alexander – An Anatomy of Independency, or, a Brief Commentary & Moderate Discourse upon the Apologetical Narration of Mr. Thomas Goodwin & Mr Philip Nye, etc. by Argument Laying Naked the Dangers of their Positions & from Experience, Discovering their Spirits & Ways (London, 1644) 52 pp.
This was replied to by Sidrach Simpson below, one of the Dissenting Brethren.
D.P.P. – An Antidote Against the Contagious Air of Independency, Showing: I. Six Sufficient Grounds why They Ought to Revoke their Schismatical Principles. II. Six Parallels betwixt theirs & the Jesuitical Practices (London, 1644) 24 pp. on 1 Cor. 1:12-13
Prynne, William
Prynne was an Erastian and semi-Presbyterian. John Goodwin was a latitudinarian Arminian.
‘The Judgment of the Church of France concerning Episcopacy & Independency, Extracted out of Letters written to Master Buchanan by Some French Ministers’ in Adam Steuart, Zerubbabel to Sanballat & Tobiah: or the First Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren… (London, 1645), pp. 25-35
* Hudson, Samuel – The Essence & Unity of the Church catholic Visible: and the Priority thereof in Regard of Particular Churches Discussed (London, 1645) 52 pp. no ToC
Hudson’s vindications of this piece to replies made to it are below under books.
Westminster Assembly – The Answer of the Assembly of Divines by Authority of Parliament Now Sitting at Westminster Unto the Reasons Given in to this Assembly by the Dissenting Brethren of their Not Bringing in a Model of Their Way Buy (1645) 24 pp.
John Goodwin was a latitudinarian Arminian.
Vicars, John
The Picture of Independency Lively (Yet Lovingly) Delineated (1645) 16 pp.
This was responded to by Nedham below.
Bernard, John – The Independent’s Catechism, or Some Observations Gathered out of Doctor Bastwick, his Religious & Learned Treatise entitled, ‘Independency Not God’s Ordinance’, for the Use of All Poor Ignorant, Wavering & Seduced Independents (1645) 29 pp.
Bastwick’s large book against Independency is below, of which this short work is intended to be a summary selection from.
Derham, Robert – A Brief Discourse Proving Independency in Church-Government Destructive to the Positive Laws of this Kingdom & Inconsistent Therewith (1646) 11 pp.
Cook, John – What the Independents Would Have, or a Character, Declaring Some of their Tenets & their Desires to Disabuse those who Speak Ill of that they Know Not (1647) 16 pp. Westminster divine
The Last Will & Testament of Sir James Independent, Who lies now dangerously sick of a disease, called by some the resolution of the Parliament and city to oppose their mutinous army; by others, the impossibility of Independency. With his confession, admonition & legacies left to his dear children in and about the City of London, with his death, burial & epitaph ToC (1647) 6 pp.
Daniel Cawdrey – The Inconsistency of the Independent Way with Scripture & Itself, Manifested in a Threefold Discourse: 1. Vindiciae Vindiciarum, with Mr. [John] Cotton. 2. A Review of Mr. [Thomas] Hooker’s ‘Survey of Church-Discipline’, the First Part. 3. A Diatribe with the Same Mr. Hooker concerning Baptism of Infants of Non-Confederate Parents, ch. 2 of his Third Part Buy (1651) 20 pp. This volume appears to be incomplete.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 62-3:
“While both [Richard] Mather and [John] Cotton made a formal document of the Cambridge Platform, Thomas Hooker was asked to write a more detailed, thoroughly researched and comprehensive treatise in defense of the Congregational Way.
In July 1, 1645, a year before the Cambridge Synod was convened, there was a meeting of “the elders of the churches through all the United Colonies” in Cambridge, where they agreed to send Hooker’s original manuscript of Survey along with other books including John Davenport’s answer to Paget, ‘The Power of Congregational Churches’.
When their works were lost in the sea, both Hooker and Davenport rewrote them, which were sent over to London and published in 1648 and 1651 respectively. Samuel Stone considers Hooker’s Survey as the most complete defense of the Congregational Way which is free from errors: “I can affirm I know no man more free from errors in his judgement, than was he [Hooker].” Accordingly, Stone audaciously declares,
“If any to this Platform [Hooker’s Survey] can reply with better reason, let this volume die: But better argument if none can give, than Thomas Hooker’s Policy shall live.”
Such a bold statement, however, would elicit a severe criticism from [Daniel] Cawdrey and [Samuel] Rutherford. In 1651, Cawdrey published a treatise, ‘The Inconsistency of the Independent Way with the Scriptures and Itself’, where he attacked Cotton’s ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648) and the part I and chapter II of the third part of Hooker’s Survey. Unlike Cawdrey, who deals with only some parts of Hooker’s Survey, Rutherford, in his ‘Survey of the Survey’ (1658) attempted a point by point refutation of Hooker’s doctrine of the church as revealed in the all four parts of his Survey…”
** Fergusson, James – ‘The Doctrine of Independency Tried & Found Not to be of God’ (1652) 68 pp being Section 4 of A Brief Refutation of the Errors of Toleration, Erastianism, Independency & Separation, Delivered in Sermons on 1 Jn. 4:1, pp. 123-190
Fergusson was a Scottish covenanter and Resolutioner.
** London Ministers – Pt. 2, ch. 10, ‘That the Community of the Faithful, or the Body of the People, are Not the Immediate Receptacle or Subject of the Power of Church Government’ in The Divine Right of Church Government (1646/1654)
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1800’s
Cunningham, William – ‘Congregationalism, or Independency’ (1863) 11 pp. in Historical Theology, vol. 2, p. 545 ff.
Bannerman, James – The Church of Christ (1869)
vol. 1, pt. 3, div. 2, subdiv. 3, ch. 3, ‘The Independent Theory of the Ministry’, pp. 452-466
** vol. 2, pt. 4, ch. 5, ‘The Independent System of Church Polity as Opposed to the Presbyterian’, pp. 296-332
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Books
1600’s
Ashe, Simeon, John Ball, etc. – A Letter of Many Ministers in Old England Requesting the Judgement of their Reverend Brethren in New England concerning Nine Positions written… 1637: together with their Answer thereunto Returned, anno 1639: & the Reply made unto the said Answer & Sent Over unto Them, anno 1640 (1637; London, 1643) 90 pp.
First in this volume is the Letter of many ministers of old England (1637, 2 pp.) to the ministers who had gone over to New England and had become congregationalist. Then follows the brief reply of the congregationalists, deferring to give their answers in a fuller exposition. The follows a brief reply (4 pp.) by the old England ministers.
The bulk of the volume then follows, collating the interchanges of the parties. The 8 positions (the 9th for some reason is not included) are those that the old, orthodox, England ministers attributed to the congregationalists. The answers and considerations are those of the congregationalists clarifying and expounding their distinctive views. The replies are those of John Ball on behalf of the old England puritans.
The replies of John Ball are the same as the volume below under his name, A Trial of the New Church Way… That volume, though, does not have the previous letters in it that this one does.
Ball, John – A Trial of the New-Church Way in New-England & in Old… Sent Over to the New England Ministers, 1637, as a Reply to an Answer of Theirs in Justification of the Said Positions… IA (1640 & 1643 / 1644) 90 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 54-57:
“It is obvious that the Puritans, who obtained the charter of the Massachusetts Bay Company from Charles I and came to New England in 1630, were not Separatists. They, though being non-conformists, considered themselves as loyal members of the Church of England. Secession or separation from the national church, for them, was a sin of schism. Nevertheless, in less than seven years, Puritans in the mother country began to hear that their brethren in New England actually followed the ways of the Separatists.
Accordingly, in 1637, a formal and written communication was made, in which Puritans in England put forward “Nine Propositions,” to which their “Reverend and beloved Brethren” in the New World replied in 1639. This early debate was compiled by Simeon Ash and William Rathband and, four years later, published with John Ball’s ‘Reply’, under the title ‘A Letter of Many Ministers in Old England’…
The main purpose of these propositions was to find whether or not the New England brethren actually adopted the methods of the Separatists which they once denounced before they left England…
Many ministers in Old England… were surprised at the rumor about their brethren’s sudden turn to Separatism. Particularly, they were frightened when they received a report that the above nine propositions were practiced by New Englander ‘as the only Church way, wherein the Lord is to be worshipped.’
Of course, this report seemed to be exaggerated. Thus, John Cotton, representing “the Elders of the Churches in New England,” provided an answer to this letter in which he assured them that New England Congregational churches had nothing to do with “the ways of rigid separation.”…
Cotton’s above answer was sent to England in 1639 and Ball’s comments and reply were finished by 1640. For some reason, however, their works were not published until 1643.”
Paget, John – A Defence of Church-Government Exercised in Presbyterial, Classical & Synodal Assemblies, according to the Practice of the Reformed Churches: touching, 1. the Power of a Particular Eldership Against those that Plead for a Mere Popular Government, Specially Mr. Ainsworth in his ‘Animadversion to Mr Clyfton…’ 2. the Authority of Classes & Synods, Against the Patrons of Independency, Answering in this Point Mr. [John] Davenport, his ‘Apologetical Reply…’ & Mr. Canne, his ‘Churches’ Plea’ (1641) 290 pp. ToC
Paget (d. 1638) was the pastor of the Reformed English Church in Amsterdam. This work was responded to by John Davenport (below).
Edwards, Thomas
Antapologia, or a Full Answer to the Apologetical Narration of Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Nye, Mr. Sympson, Mr. Burroughs, Mr. Bridge… Wherein is handled Many of the Controversies of these Times… (London, 1644) 307 pp.
The Casting Down of the Last & Strongest Hold of Satan. Or a Treatise Against Toleration & Pretended Liberty of Conscience: wherein by Scripture, Sound Reason, Fathers, Schoolmen, Casuists, Protestant Divines of All Nations… yea, by Diverse Principles, Testimonies & Proceedings of Sectaries Themselves, as Donatists, Anabaptists, Brownists, Independents… (London, 1647) 218 pp. ToC
** The First & Second Part of Gangræna, or a Catalogue & Discovery of Many of the Errors, Heresies, Blasphemies & Pernicious Practices of the Sectaries of this Time, Vented & Acted in England in these Four Last Years… (London, 1646) ToC 1, 2 Catalogue 1, 2 Corollaries
This was responded to by Burroughs and Nedham below.
The Third Part of Gangræna. Or a New & Higher Discovery of the Errors, Heresies, Blasphemies & Insolent Proceedings of the Sectaries of These Times… (London, 1646) ToC Catalogue 1, 2 Corollaries 1, 2
Rutherford, Samuel
** A Peaceable and Temperate Plea for Paul’s Presbytery in Scotland… the grounds of Separation and the Independency of Particular Congregations… are Examined and Tried EEBO (1642) 350 pp. ToC
This was responded to by John Cotton in his ‘Of the Holiness of Church Members’ (1650) below.
The Due Right of Presbyteries, or a Peaceable Plea for the Government of the Church of Scotland… (London, 1644) ToC
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 61:
“Rutherford, in the following year, joined in [Charles] Herle’s crusade against Congregationalism with his famous work, ‘The Due Right of Prebyteries’ (1644). In reply to Herle, [Richard] Mather and William Tompson published, ‘A Modest & Brotherly Answer To Mr. Charles Herle’ (1644). Also, refuting both Herle and Rutherford, Mather wrote another work, ‘A Reply to Mr. Rutherford’ (1647).
It should be remembered that Rutherford’s The Due Right of Prebyteries (1644) itself was his critical review of both Mather’s ‘Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed’ (1643) and [John] Cotton’s ‘The Way Of The Churches Of Christ In New-England’, whose manuscript was widely circulated in England even a few years before its publication in 1645.
By 1644, Rutherford was already involved in another round of debate, which was set off by John Cotton. Particularly, Cotton’s ‘The Keys Of The Kingdom Of Heaven’ (1644) was so influential in England that John Owen, a Presbyterian, became convinced that Cotton was right and, finally, supported the Congregational form of church government.¹
¹ See John Owen’s Preface in A Defence of Mr. John Cotton from the Imputation of Self-Contradiction Charged on Him by Mr. Daniel Cawdrey (Oxford: H. Hall for T. Robinson, 1658)…”
A Survey of the Survey of that Sum of Church-Discipline Penned by Mr. Thomas Hooker… wherein the Way of the Churches of New England is Now Re-Examined (London, 1658) ToC
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 62-3
“While both [Richard] Mather and [John] Cotton made a formal document of the Cambridge Platform, Thomas Hooker was asked to write a more detailed, thoroughly researched and comprehensive treatise in defense of the Congregational Way.
In July 1, 1645, a year before the Cambridge Synod was convened, there was a meeting of “the elders of the churches through all the United Colonies” in Cambridge, where they agreed to send Hooker’s original manuscript of Survey along with other books including John Davenport’s answer to Paget, ‘The Power of Congregational Churches’.
When their works were lost in the sea, both Hooker and Davenport rewrote them, which were sent over to London and published in 1648 and 1651 respectively. Samuel Stone considers Hooker’s Survey as the most complete defense of the Congregational Way which is free from errors: “I can affirm I know no man more free from errors in his judgement, than was he [Hooker].” Accordingly, Stone audaciously declares,
“If any to this Platform [Hooker’s Survey] can reply with better reason, let this volume die: But better argument if none can give, than Thomas Hooker’s Policy shall live.”
Such a bold statement, however, would elicit a severe criticism from [Daniel] Cawdrey and [Samuel] Rutherford. In 1651, Cawdrey published a treatise, ‘The Inconsistency of the Independent Way with the Scriptures and Itself’, where he attacked Cotton’s ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648) and the part I and chapter II of the third part of Hooker’s Survey. Unlike Cawdrey, who deals with only some parts of Hooker’s Survey, Rutherford, in his ‘Survey of the Survey’ (1658) attempted a point by point refutation of Hooker’s doctrine of the church as revealed in the all four parts of his Survey…
It seems to be true that by the time Rutherford’s ‘A Survey of the Survey’ was published in 1658, the climax of the Congregational-Presbyterian debate of the 1640’s was over. Only some echoes of the debates of the previous decade lingered into the 1650’s through the works of Cawdrey, Rutherford, and Samuel Hudson on the one hand, and [Samuel] Stone, [John] Owen, John Allen and Thomas Shepard on the other.”
Steuart, Adam
Zerubbabel to Sanballat & Tobiah: or the First Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren… Whereunto is Added the Judgment of the Reformed Churches of France, Switzerland, Geneva, etc. concerning Independents, who Condemn them with an Unanimous Consent (London, 1645) 312 pp. ToC
The Second Part of the Duply to M.S., alias Two Brethren: Wherein are Maintained the King’s, Parliaments’ & All Civil Magistrates’ Authority about the Church, Subordination of Ecclesiastical Judicatories, Refuted the Independency of Particular Congregations, Licentiousness of Wicked Conscience & Toleration of All Sorts of Most Detestable Schisms, Heresies & Religions, as Idolatry, Paganism, Turkism, Judaism, Arianism, Brownism, Anabaptism, etc. which M.S. Maintain in their Book, with a Brief Epitome & Refutation of All the Whole Independent-Government… (1644) 180 pp. ToC
This was replied to by John Goodwin below.
Westminster Assembly
** The Westminster Assembly’s Grand Debate Buy (1645) 422 pp. ed. Chris Coldwell
The Reasons Presented by the Dissenting Brethren Against Certain Propositions Concerning Presbyterial Government, & the Proofs of Them Voted by the Assembly of Divines, Sitting by Authority of Parliament at Westminster, Together with the Answer of the Assembly of Divines to those Reasons of Dissent Buy (1648) 400 pp.
** Apollonius, Willem – A Consideration of Certain Controversies at this Time Agitated in the Kingdom of England, Concerning the Government of the Church of God (1645) 145 pp. ToC
This significant work responds to the Dissenting Brethren’s Apologetical Narration. This work of Apollonius was responded to by John Norton below.
Cawdrey, Daniel
Vindiciæ Clavium: or, A Vindication of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, into the Hands of the Right Owners. Being some Animadversions upon a Tract of Mr. John Cotton’s Called, ‘The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven’. As also upon Another Tract of his Called, ‘The Way of the Churches of New England’. Manifesting: 1. The Weakness of his Proofs. 2. The Contradictions to Himself & Others. 3. The Middle-Way (so called) of Independents, to be the Extreme, or Byway of the Brownists Pre Buy (1645) 90 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, p. 61
“…Cotton’s ‘The Way Of The Churches Of Christ In New-England’, whose manuscript was widely circulated in England even a few years before its publication in 1645…. Particularly, Cotton’s ‘The Keys Of The Kingdom Of Heaven’ (1644) was so influential in England that John Owen, a Presbyterian, became convinced that Cotton was right and, finally, supported the Congregational form of church government.
Meanwhile, refuting Cotton’s works, both Robert Baillie and Daniel Cawdrey wrote ‘A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time’ (1645) and ‘Vindicae Clavium, or a Vindication of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, into the Hands of the Right Owners’ (1645) respectively. Three years later, Cotton’s reply to Baillie and Cawdrey was published under the title, ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648).”
Independency, a Great Schism, Proved Against Dr. Owen his Apology in his Tract of Schism as also an Appendix to the Former Discourse, showing the Inconstancy of the Dr. & the Inconsistency of his Former & Present Opinions Buy (London, 1657) 248 pp. No ToC
Independency Further Proved to be a Schism, or, A Survey of Dr. Owen’s Review of his Tract of Schism with a Vindication of the Author from his Unjust Clamors & False Aspersions (London, 1658) 158 pp.
** Baillie, Robert & Daniel Cawdrey – A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time, wherein the Tenets of the Principal Sects, Especially of the Independents, are Drawn Together in One Map (1645) 270 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, p. 61
“…Cotton’s ‘The Way Of The Churches Of Christ In New-England’, whose manuscript was widely circulated in England even a few years before its publication in 1645. By 1644, Rutherford was already involved in another round of debate, which was set off by John Cotton.
Particularly, Cotton’s ‘The Keys Of The Kingdom Of Heaven’ (1644) was so influential in England that John Owen, a Presbyterian, became convinced that Cotton was right and, finally, supported the Congregational form of church government.
Meanwhile, refuting Cotton’s works, both Robert Baillie and Daniel Cawdrey wrote ‘A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time’ (1645) and ‘Vindicae Clavium, or a Vindication of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, into the Hands of the Right Owners’ (1645) respectively. Three years later, Cotton’s reply to Baillie and Cawdrey was published under the title, ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648).”
Bastwick, John – The Utter Routing of the Whole Army of All the Independents & Sectaries, with the total overthrow of their Hierarchy, that New Babel, more Groundless than that of the Prelates, or, Independency Not God’s Ordinance, in which all the frontires of the Presbytery… are defended against the Three Commanders of the Sectaries, Hanserd Knollys, J.S. and Henry Burton… and the Field of Truth still kept, that the Presbyterial Government Dependent is God’s Ordinance and not the Presbyterian Government Independent, unto which is annexed an Appendix in way of Answer to Henry Burton… and the Postscript Vindicated Oxf (1645/6) 800 pp. The Appendix, which may also have been called the ‘Postscript’, see here. Here is another reference to the Postscript.
Burton was an Independent puritan; his works are below. Knollys (c.1599-1691) was a baptist. This work of Bastwick was responded to by John Sadler below.
Baillie, Robert – Anabaptism, the True Fountain of Independency, Brownism, Antinomianism, Familism & the Most of the Other Errors (which for the Time do Trouble the Church of England) Unsealed (1647) 179 pp. ToC
Walker, Clement
The History of Independency [Part 1], with the Rise, Growth & Practices of that Powerful & Restless Faction (1648) 72 pp.
Relations & Observations Historical & Politic upon the Parliament, begun 1640, divided into 2 Books: 1. The Mystery of the Two Juntoes [political groups], Presbyterian & Independent, 2. The History of Independency, etc. together with an Appendix Touching the Proceedings of the Independent Faction in Scotland (1648) 545 pp. Includes Part 3, The High Court of Justice… as well.
The last parts of this History of Independency (below) were written in 1660 & 1661.
Hudson, Samuel
* A Vindication of the Essence & Unity of the Church-Catholic Visible, & the Priority Thereof in Regard of Particular Churches, in Answer to the Objections made Against it Mr. John Ellis, Junior & Mr. [Thomas] Hooker in his Survey of Church Discipline (London, 1650) 265 pp. ToC Dedicated to the Westminster Assembly
This was responded to by Samuel Stone (below).
An Addition or Postscript to The Vindication… in Answer to the Objections made Against it both by Mr. [Samuel] Stone & Some Others (London, 1658) 52 pp. no ToC
Firmin (1614–1697) was initially ordained as a deacon in New England at the first congregationalist church, of John Cotton. He was also a physician. In returning to England he became ordained as a minister by Stephen Marshall and others after being appointed to an Anglican vicarage. Firmin was a royalist and for the parochial system. He (possibly after 1654?) was persuaded of Richard Baxter’s synthesis of low-episcopacy and congregationalism. He was ejected in 1662.
** Wood, James – A Little Stone Pretended to be Out of the Mountain [Dan. 2:35], Tried (1654) 412 pp. ToC
Wood (c.1609-1664) was a Scottish covenanter, Resolutioner and an esteemed, professorial colleague of Rutherford. Wood, according to the later Free Church of Scotland professor, James Walker, was ‘among our ablest men’ and wrote ‘perhaps the best Scottish discussion of Church authority’ in his treatise against Independency. This work was written against the English Independent Nicholas Lockyer (1611-1685).
“…A work by Professor Wood of St. Andrews in answer to Lockyer, who was the first to introduce the Independent theory into Scotland…: – James Bannerman, Church of Christ 2.450
Walker, Clement
For the first 3 Parts of this History of Independency, see above under Walker.
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1700’s
Willison, John – A Defence of National Churches: & Particularly of the National Constitution of the Church of Scotland & the Conduct of our Reforming Ancestors Against the Cavils of Independents. With a Confutation of Independency & Several New Opinions vented in some late Pamphlets, entitled, ‘A narrative of the rise and progress, etc.’, ‘An explication of a proposition, etc.’, ‘A letter from a lover of Zion, etc.’ Ref (Edinburgh: James M’Euen, 1729)
Willison (1680-1750) was a reformed Church of Scotland minister. For a bit of what this book contains, including arguments against presumptive regeneration, see ed. Forrester & Murray, Studies in the History of Worship in Scotland (1996), pp. 76-7.
‘A narrative of the rise and progress of the controversy about the national covenants’ and ‘A letter from a lover of Zion’ were by John Glas (1695–1773). ‘An explication of that proposition contain’d in Mr. Glass’s answers to the Synod’s queries’ was published anonymously.
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1800’s
** Brown of Gartmore, John – Vindication of the Presbyterian Form of Church Government as Professed in the Standards of the Church of Scotland in reply to Innes, Ewing, Ballentine, Glass, etc. among the modern, and of Goodwin, Lockier, Cotton, etc. among the Ancient Independents (1805) 400 pp.
“This is a very acute, vigorous, and thorough discussion of the points at issue between Presbyterians and Independents.” – James Bannerman, Church of Christ 2.450
A Clergyman – The Presbyter, the Prelate & the People, or Presbytery, Prelacy & Independency as Practically Developed in England (1848) 350 pp.
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Quotes
Order of
French Reformed
London Presbyterians
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1600’s
Reformed Churches of France
National Synod at Charenton, 1644
As quoted in Adam Steuart, Zerubbabel to Sanballat & Tobiah: or the First Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren… (London, 1645), ‘An Extract of the Acts of the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France’, p. 9
“Upon what has been reported by the commissioners of the maritime provinces, that diverse coming from foreign countries, and who go under the name of Independents, because they teach that every particular congregation ought to be governed by its own particular laws, without any depending of any in ecclesiastical matters, and without any obligation to acknowledge the authority of colloquies, or classes and synods, for its government and conduct, settling their abode in this kingdom, and hereafter they might cause here amongst us many great inconveniences, if in due time there were not order taken, the Assembly fearing least the contagion of this poison gaining ground insensibly, should throw trouble and disorder amongst us; and judging the said sect of Independents to be not only prejudicial to the Church of God, insofar that it endeavors to bring in confusion, opening a gate to all kind of singularities and extravagancies, and taking away all means of any remedy to the evil, but also most dangerous to the State, where (if it had place) there might as many religions set up, as there be parishes or particular congregations, does enjoin to all the provinces, and particularly to the maritimes, to take heed that the evil take no foot in the churches of this Kingdom, to the end that peace and uniformity as well in religion as in discipline, may be inviolably preserved, and that nothing be brought in amongst us which may alter in any kind the service due unto their Majesties.”
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London Provincial Assembly
A Vindication of the Presbyterial-Government & the Ministry… (London, 1650), pp. 24-28
“7. It is not a government that does rob and spoil particular congregations of their just power and privileges, but helps and strengthens them. For it is not (as the prelatical was) extrinsical to the several congregations (which had no vote in the government, nor consent to it, but were sufferers only of it and under it).
Neither does it assume to itself the sole power of ordination and jurisdiction (as the prelatical likewise did, and in this was lordly and tyrannical over all particular congregations in each diocess). But it is intrinsical to the congregation, consisting of the pastors and elders of every congregation, governing one another by their own officers: For we hold (which few of our adversaries will understand or consider) that all congregations are equal: No one congregation over another; that all ministers are equal: No one Minister, by divine right, over another.
That which concerns all, must be managed by all.
We hold no mother-Church, on which all other Churches should depend. But our government, so far as it is distinct from the congregational, consists of diverse sister-churches, combined by mutual concernment, and governing one another in matters of mutual concernment, by the common agreement of pastors and elders, according to that golden rule, Quod omnes tangit, ab omnibus tractari debet [That which concerns all, by all ought to be treated]. In the presbyterial government every congregation has a voice by the pastors and elders thereof, and so is governed by a power intrinsical to itself, which cannot in its own nature be tyrannical. Though there is no power in the world so just but by abuse may prove tyrannical.
To illustrate this by a simile: The presbyterial government is like the government of the city by the common-council, wherein there are common-council-men sent from every ward to judge and determine of matters that concern the good of the whole city, which certainly in its own nature cannot be prejudical to the several wards, but very helpful and commodious; whereas the prelatical-government was just as if the city should be governed by a high-commission chosen of foreiners; and the Independent-government is just as if every ward should undertake to govern itself, divided from one another, and not at all to be under the power and authority of the common-council.
Add besides this, the presbyterial-government does give unto people of particular congregations all that is by Christ left them. For:
1. We allow unto every congregation a particular eldership, where it may be had.
2. We impose upon no congregation a minister against whom they can give a rational dissent.
3. We allow the congregational eldership to judge in all matters which concern that particular church; and to keep from the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper all those whom they find to be ignorant or scandalous.
4. In the great censure of excommunication we say that it ought not to be executed against the consent of that particular congregation to which the party to be excommunicated belongs. And in all other matters of importance, the presbyterian-government has great respect to that congregation which is particularly concerned therein. And therefore it is so far from robbing, that it is a great pillar to uphold and support congregational government; as for example:
1. When a particular congregation is destitute of a minister, then the neighbor-ministers of the classis [presbytery] help [by] what in them lies to make up that defect, by sending supply in the mean time, and afterwards by joining in the ordination of another.
2. When there is an insufficient eldership, then the classical presbytery contributes light and strength.
3. When an eldership proves heretical, then the classical presbytery helps to convince them of their heresies, which the people are not able ordinarily to do, and thereby to preserve the congregation from spiritual contagion.
4. When any member is wronged by the eldership, the classis, or synod contributes aid and relief, as will appear further in the next particular.
8. The presbyterial-government is so far from being tyrannical, as that it is the greatest remedy against Church-tyranny, because it is as a city of refuge for all those that are oppressed in their particular congregations, to fly unto. For under the congregational-government, when a brother is (as he conceives) wronged by the major part of the Church of which he is a member, he is forever locked up and has no authoritative way to relieve himself. (Indeed, he has moral ways, by advice and counsel, which are altogether insufficient). But the presbyterian-government is a Zoar, and an ark for the wronged party to fly unto from the particular congregation to a classical, provincial or national assembly.
Give us leave to show you the difference by this example: Suppose in the civil government every corporation should plead a power independent from a parliament, and challenge to be unaccountable, would not this make as many parliaments as corporations? And if any member should be wronged by the major part of the corporation to which he belongs, were he not left without remedy? And if these corporations should cry down the parliament’s power over them as tyrannical, would it not be said that this is therefore only done that they themselves might become petty tyrants? So is it here.
The congregational government is a spiritual corporation independent from all other ecclesiastical assemblies in point of church-power. As the Pope claims a power over all Church assemblies, so this claims an exemption from the power of all Church assemblies, and cries down all classical, provincial or national assemblies with power as tyrannical; but is not this, that in the meantime it may become absolute and as it were a petty tyranny?
There are in the congregational government these six great defects besides many others which we could name:
1. There is (as has been said) no authoritative way to relieve a brother oppressed by the major part of his congregation, which granted would make the government of Christ in the New Testament to be inferior to the Jewish government, in which they had the liberty of appeals. And also to be against the light of right reason in making the same men to be parties and judges in their own cause (as has been formerly showed).
2. There is no authoritative way to heal the major part of a congregation when it falls into fundamental errors, which is a great disparagement to the government of Jesus Christ, and reflects deeply upon the wisdom and care of the great King of his Church. For it makes Christ to provide a more efficacious remedy to cure an erring member (to wit, by the great ordinance of excommunication) than an erring church.
3. There is no authoritative way to keep out pluralities of religions. For if the whole power of Church-government be in the congregation-independently, then let a congregation set up what religion they think fit, there is no authoritative Church-remedy left to hinder them.
4. There is no authoritative way for unity and uniformity in Church-administrations, which does inevitably lay stumbling blocks before weak Christians and holds them in suspense, not knowing to what congregation to join, because they see such different ways of administration of ordinances.
5. There is no relief when a congregation is destitute of a minister, in point of ordination, but the succeeding minister is left to be examined and ordained by the people of the congregation that chose him. And so also when a congregation becomes heretical, and in other such cases.
6. If any of their ministers preach out of their own congregation, he preaches only as a gifted brother; neither can he (as we conceive) according to their own principles, administer the sacraments out of his own congregation, or perform any other act of office. Although we believe some of them do so, contrary to their own principles herein.”
.
Latin
Book
Hoornbeeck, Johannes – An Epistle on Independency [to John Duraeus], with a Newly Published Confession of the Independents, or Congregationalists, in England, to which has been Added a Dissertation with Notes on Episcopacy Reduced to the Form of a Governing Synod, by Jacob Usserius… (Utrecht, 1661) 443 & 107 pp. ToC the Dissertation
.
.
Theological Points
.
Presumptive Regeneration
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Ordination
Gillespie, George
A Treatise of Miscellany Questions n.d.
ch. 2, ‘Of the Election of Pastors with the Congregation’s Consent’ 10 pp. pp. 4-14
ch. 3, ‘Whether Ordination be Essential to the Calling of a Minister?’ 9 pp. pp. 14-23
ch. 4, ‘Objections Against the Necessity of Ordination Answered’ 4 pp. pp. 23-27
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Lay-Preaching & Administering the Sacraments
Gillespie, George, A Treatise of Miscellany Questions n.d.
Lay-Preaching
Gillespie argues against the Independents who claimed that their practice of unordained lay-preaching was warranted from the ‘prophets’ and ‘prophesying’ of the New Testament, which they took to include gifted, non-ordained lay-persons.
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Lay-Administration of the Sacraments
ch. 6, ‘Whether any other but a Minister, Lawfully Called & Ordained, may Administer the Sacraments, Baptism & the Lord’s Supper?’ n.d. 3 pp. in A Treatise of Miscellany Questions, pp. 36-38
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Good & Necessary Consequence
Gillespie, George – ch. 20, ‘That Necessary Consequences form the Written Word of God do Sufficiently and Strongly Prove the Consequent or Conclusion; if theoretical, to be a certain Divine truth which ought to be believed; and, if practical, to be a necessary duty which we are obliged unto jure divino?’ in A Treatise of Miscellany Questions
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Works of Separatists
1500’s
Browne, Robert
** A Treatise of Reformation without Tarrying for Any (1582; Congregational Historical Society, 1903) 15 pp. Includes a list of Browne’s works at the front
Browne was the leader and figurehead of the Brownists. He was a separatist (contrary to the teachings of the English, puritan leader Thomas Cartwright). While his extreme separatism was not necessarily completely reflective of later congregationalism, yet his independency was foundational to the historical development of Independency and Congregationalism. This was his main, foundational work, and it gives a critique of puritanism.
A Booke which sheweth the life and manners of all true Christians and howe unlike they are unto Turkes and Papists and Heathen folke (Middleburg, 1582)
“Fundamental for separatism.” – Bibliography of British History
A ‘New Years Gift’, a Letter to his Uncle 21 pp. ToC Regards numerous ecclesiological and separatist points
A true and short declaration, both of the gathering… together of certain persons and also of the lamentable breach… which fell amongst them ([1584?]) Reprinted in The Congregationalist (London, 1888)
Autobiographical.
Ainsworth, Henry
A true confession of the faith and humble acknowledgment of the alegeance which we hir maiesties subjects, falsely called Brownists doe hould… ([Amsterdam] 1596)
This was responded to by John Paget above.
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1600’s
Robinson, John
A Justification of Separation from the Church of England, Against Mr. Richard Bernard, his Invective Entitled ‘The Separatist’s Schism’ being vol. 2 of his Works
Bernard’s ‘The Separatist’s Schism’ does not appear to be online.
A Just & Necessary Apology of Certain Christians… Commonly Called Brownists or Barrowists in Works, vol. 3
Two Letters on Christian Fellowship, one by William Ames, the other by John Robinson (1611) in Works, vol. 3
“Dr. Ames in his letters strenuously contends against Mr. Robinson’s supposed uncharitableness in not holding ‘private communion’ with ‘members of the true visible church’ who belonged to the ‘Assemblies’, or the English Church…” – Notice, p. 84
Of Religious Communion, Public & Private in Works, vol. 3
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Bibliography
ed. Read, Conyers – D. Separatism, (a) Sources in Bibliography of British History: Tudor Period, 1485-1603 2nd ed. (Oxford: Clarendon, Press, 1959), ‘Ecclesiastical History’, pp. 206-8
Includes mainly works of early English separatists, with some responses against them.
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Works of Independents & Congregationalists
1600’s
** – Signifies some of the more important works
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Hooker, Thomas – John Paget’s XX Questions (Propositions) & Thomas Hooker’s Answer (1633)
Cotton, John – pt. 4, ‘Questions & Answers upon Church Government’ in Treatise I. Of Faith. II. Twelve Fundamental Articles of Christian Religion. III. A Doctrinal Conclusion. IV. Questions and Answers upon Church-Government (1634), pp. 18-26
See the Answers of the New England Congregationalists in the work of John Ball above.
Ames, William – ch. 37, ‘Of Ecclesiastical Discipline’ in The Marrow of Sacred Divinity Drawn out of the Holy Scriptures, and the Interpreters thereof, and brought into Method (1639; 1642)
Canne, John
Congregational Discipline (1640)
Canne (d. 1667?) was ‘the leader of the English Brownists in Amsterdam’ according to John Ball.
Syon’s Prerogative Royal, or a Treatise Tending to Prove that Every Particular Congregation hath from Christ Absolute and Entire Power to Exercise in and of Herself Every Ordinance of God and is an Independent Body… (1640)
This may have been written by Henry Ainsworth. This was responded to by Paget above.
Mather, Richard
Church-Government and Church-Covenant Discussed, in an Answer of the Elders of the Several Churches in New-England to Two and Thirty Questions, Sent over to them by Divers Ministers in England, to Declare their Judgments Therein (1639 / 1643) This includes An Apology of the Churches in New-England for Church-Covenant…
Rutherford responded to this work in his Due Right of Presbyteries (above).
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 57-59
“Meanwhile [near the same time that the letter from the Old England ministers was received, see Ball above], New England churches received another similar inquiry from Richard Bernard of Batcombe, who proposed “Thirty-Two Questions.”
In reply, Richard Mather provided an answer under the title ‘Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed’ (1643). Compared with the “Nine Propositions,” [of the Old England ministers] Bernard’s “Thirty-Two Questions” are more sophisticated, which are designed to find both the theological and the biblical foundation of the Congregational practices…
In inquiring these questions, Bernard seemed to be already aware of the fact that the nature of Congregational form of church government is closely related to the idea of church covenant. Indeed, Mather’s view of a visible church—as the titles of his two books indicate—seems to be based on his key concept of church covenant:
“Now that a company becomes a Church, by joining in Covenant”; “And the form [of a visible church], a gathering together of these visible Christians a combining and uniting of them into one body, by the bond of an holy Covenant.”
Mather’s concept of church covenant, however, would lead to a fundamental problem as posed by Bernard’s first and second questions: Given the essential necessity of church covenant as the foundation of a true visible church, he asks,
“But what shall be said of the congregations in England, if Churches must be combined by Covenant? Doth not this doctrine blot out all those Congregations out of the Catalogue of Churches?”
In reply, Mather argues that many churches in England and other places can be called true churches because the substance or “the essence of visible Churches” may be preserved by an implicit church covenant, which is indirectly evidenced by profession of faith, worship, baptismal vows, and other voluntary agreements and consents among church members.
In sum, the early controversy between Old and New England [1630-1643] seemed to be significant in two aspects. On the one hand, both “Nine Propositions” and “Thirty-Two Questions” contributed to setting the agenda for the further development of the discussion about the church government until the Rutherford-Hooker debate. Particularly, the early tendency to identify New England Congregationalists with the Separatists—as shown in A Letter of Many Ministers in Old England— have continued to have an influence on the way Rutherford and other critics understood Hooker and the New England Way.
On the other hand, some participants in this early debate began to focus on the church covenant as a key ecclesiological doctrine for New England Congregationalism. Accordingly, the major part of later dispute between Rutherford and Hooker would revolve around the doctrine of church covenant: the latter would defend it as theological/biblical foundation of the Congregational church while the former simply denies it.”
Burton, Henry – The Protestation Protested, or, A Short Remonstrance Showing what is principally required of all those that have or do take the last Parliamentary Protestation (1641)
Richard Baxter said: ‘Till Mr. [John] Ball wrote for the Liturgy and against [John] Canne and [John] Allen, etc., and Mr. Burton published his ‘Protestation Protested’, I never thought what presbytery or independency were, nor ever spake with a man that seemed to know it. And that was in 1641, when the war was brewing’.
Cotton, John
A Copy of a Letter of Mr. Cotton of Boston, in New England, Sent in Answer of Certain Objections made Against their Discipline and Orders there, directed to a Friend, with the Questions Propounded to such as are Admitted to the Church-Fellowship, and the Covenant Itself PDF (1641)
The True Constitution of a Particular, Visible Church (1642) 15 pp.
Mather, Richard & William Tompson – A Modest and Brotherly Answer to Mr. Charles Herle, his Book Against the Independency of Churches (1644) 60 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 60-61
“It seems to be obvious that the pamphlet war between the Presbyterians in England and New England Congregationalists reached the new levels of intensity in the mid-1640s, particularly, during the period of the Assembly. In 1643, the collections of the early debates between the Old English Presbyterians and the New England were published in London.
In the same year, Charles Herle, a Presbyterian who became a prolocutor of the Assembly in 1646, sparked a new round of controversy. Rutherford, in the following year, joined in [Charles] Herle’s crusade against Congregationalism with his famous work, ‘The Due Right of Prebyteries’ (1644). In reply to Herle, [Richard] Mather and William Tompson published, ‘A Modest & Brotherly Answer To Mr. Charles Herle’ (1644)…”
Dury, John – An Epistolary Discourse Wherein (amongst other particulars) these following questions are briefly resolved. 1. Whether or not the State Should Tolerate the Independent Government? 2. If they should tolerate it, how far, and with what Limitations? 3. If they should tolerate it, what course should be taken to bring them to a conformity with the Presbyterials? Written by Mr. John Dury. To Mr. Thomas Goodwin, Mr. Philip Nye, Mr. Samuel Hartlib (1644) 41 pp. ToC
Dury’s position is not entirely known. He was not necessarily an Independent, but it is likely he was arguing for a civil toleration of Independency to some extent, as he tried to reconcile parties together throughout his life.
Parker, Thomas – The True Copy of a Letter written by Mr. Thomas Parker, a learned and godly minister in New-England, unto a member of the Assembly of Divines now at Westminster, Declaring his Judgment Touching the Government Practiced in the Churches of New-England (1643 / 1644) 4 pp.
Parker (1595–1677) was an English nonconforming clergyman and a founder of Newbury, Massachusetts. This letter was remarked upon by Goodwin below.
Goodwin, John
M. S. to A[dam] S[teuart] with a plea for Liberty of Conscience in a Church Way against the cavils of A. S. and observations on his considerations and annotations upon the Apologetical Narration, humbly submitted to the judgments of all rational and moderate men in the world, with some modest and innocent touches on the letter from Zealand and Mr. Parker’s from New-England (London: 1644) 110 pp. ToC
This Goodwin was an Arminian, latitudinarian Anglican. Steuart’s work is above. Parker’s letter is above and the Apologetical Narration by the Dissenting Brethren before Parliament is below.
A Short Answer to A.S. alias Adam Stewart’s Second Part of his Overgrown Duply to the Two Brethren. Together with Certain Difficult Questions Easily answered; all which A. Stewart is desired to consider of, without replying, unless it be to purpose. A. Steuart in his second part of his duply to the two brethren, p. 166: The civil magistrate cannot be orthodox and tolerate a new sect (he means Independency, and may as well say Presbytery) unless he tolerate us to believe that he is either corrupted by moneys or some other way so to do (1644) 36 pp. ToC
Simpson, one of the Dissenting Brethren, responds to William Forbes’ work of 1644 (above).
Burton, Henry
A Vindicaton of Churches Commonly called Independent, or, A Brief Answer to Two Books, the one entitled, ‘Twelve Considerable, Serious Questions Touching Church-Government’, the other, ‘Independency Examined, Unmasked, Refuted, etc., both lately published by William Prynne (London: Overton, 1644) 72 pp. ToC
Prynne was an Erastian; his works are above.
Vindiciæ Veritatis: Truth Vindicated Against Calumny, in a Brief Answer to Dr. [John] Bastwick’s two late books, entitled ‘Independency not God’s Ordinance’, with the second part styled ‘The Postscript’, etc. (London: Gyles, 1645) 34 pp. ToC
Bastwick’s works are above.
The Dissenting Brethren before Parliament & the Westminster Assembly
** The Westminster Assembly’s Grand Debate ed. Chris Coldwell Buy (Naphtali Press) 422 pp.
** Apologetical Narration (1643 / 1644) 20 pp. Wiki
The Reasons of the Dissenting Brethren against the Third Proposition, concerning Presbyterial Government, Humbly Presented Buy (London: Smith, 1645) ToC
The Dissenting Brethren were the five leading Independents at the assembly that vigorously opposed presbyterian church government: Thomas Goodwin, Philip Nye, Sidrach Simpson, Jeremiah Burroughs and William Bridge.
A Copy of a Remonstrance Lately Delivered in to the Assembly by Thomas Goodwin. Jeremiah Burroughs, William Greenhill, William Bridge, Philip Nye, Sidrach Simson and William Carter, Declaring the grounds and reasons of their declining to bring in to the Assembly their model of church-government Buy (London: 1645) 8 pp.
Sadler, John – Flagellum Flagelli: or Doctor Bastwick’s Quarters Beaten up in two or three Pomeridian Exercises, by way of animadversion upon his first book, entitled, ‘Independency not God’s Ordinance’ (1645)
Bastwick’s work is above.
John Goodwin was a latitudinarian Arminian.
Knollys (1599?-1691) was a baptist.
Cotton, John
** The Way of the Churches of Christ in New England in Brotherly Equality and Independency, or Coordination without Subjection of One Church to Another (London, 1645) 125 pp.
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, p. 61
“It should be remembered that Rutherford’s ‘The Due Right of Prebyteries’ (1644) itself was his critical review of both Mather’s ‘Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed’ (1643) and Cotton’s ‘The Way Of The Churches Of Christ In New-England’, whose manuscript was widely circulated in England even a few years before its publication in 1645.”
** The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven & Power Thereof, According to the Word of God, Tending to Reconcile Some Present Differences about Discipline (1644) 115 pp. ToC
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 61
“By 1644, Rutherford was already involved in another round of debate, which was set off by John Cotton. Particularly, Cotton’s ‘The Keys Of The Kingdom Of Heaven’ (1644) was so influential in England that John Owen, a Presbyterian, became convinced that Cotton was right and, finally, supported the Congregational form of church government.¹
¹ See John Owen’s Preface in A Defence of Mr. John Cotton from the Imputation of Self-Contradiction Charged on Him by Mr. Daniel Cawdrey (Oxford: H. Hall for T. Robinson, 1658)…”
Meanwhile, refuting Cotton’s works, both Robert Baillie and Daniel Cawdrey wrote ‘A Dissuasive from the Errours of the Time’ (1645) and ‘Vindicae Clavium, or a Vindication of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, into the Hands of the Right Owners’ (1645) respectively. Three years later, Cotton’s reply to Baillie and Cawdrey was published under the title, ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648).”
The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared in Two Treatises. In the former, from the historical aspersions of Mr. Robert Baillie, in his book, called, ‘A Dissuasive from the Errors of the Time’. In the latter, from some Contradictions of Vindicæ Clavium and from, some misconstructions of learned Mr. Rutherford in his book entitled ‘The Due Right of Presbyteries’ (London: Simmons: 1648) 148 pp. ToC
Burroughs, Jeremiah – A Vindication of Mr. Burroughs against Mr. [Thomas] Edwards’ Foul Aspersions, in his Spreading Gangræna, and his Angry Anti-Apologia. Concluding with a Brief Declaration what the Independents Would Have (1646) 32 pp.
Edwards’ work is above.
Nedham, Marchamont – Independency No Schism, or an Answer to a Scandalous book, entitled, ‘The Schismatic Sifted’, written by Mr. John Vicars, Which may serve also for a reply to Master [Thomas] Edwards’s Gangræna. Wherein is discovered the vanity of those unjust slanders cast upon the dissenting brethren, whom they call Independents. With some hints added about gospel-government (1646) ToC
Vicar and Edwards’ works are above.
Noyes, James – The Temple Measured or A Brief Survey of the Temple Mystical, which is the Instituted Church of Christ (1646 / 1647) 95 pp. ToC
Bartlet, William – Ichnographia. Or A Model of the Primitive Congregational Way: wherein satisfaction is offered, by unfolding (according to the Scriptures) what the right order of the Gospel, and way of the saints in the visible worshipping of God is, in the days of the New Testament… Together with the main points in controversy, touching the right visible church-state Christ hath instituted under the Gospel, with the extent of church-officers, and power of particular visible churches, and continuance of divine ordinances and institutions under the defection and apostasy of Antichrist (1647) ToC
Goodwin, John – Independency, God’s Verity: or, The Necessity of Toleration, Unto which is added the Chief Principles of the Government of Independent Churches (1647) 8 pp. ToC
Goodwin was a latitudinarian Arminian.
Mather, Richard – A Reply to Mr. Rutherfurd, or A Defence of the Answer to Reverend Mr. Herle’s Book Against the Independency of Churches, wherein such Objections and Answers as are returned to sundry passages in the said answer by Mr. Samuel Rutherfurd… in his book entitled ‘The Due Right of Presbyteries’ are Examined & Removed, & the Answer Justified & Cleared (1647) 109 pp. ToC
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 60-61
“Rutherford, in the following year, joined in [Charles] Herle’s crusade against Congregationalism with his famous work, ‘The Due Right of Prebyteries’ (1644). In reply to Herle, [Richard] Mather and William Tompson published, ‘A Modest & Brotherly Answer To Mr. Charles Herle’ (1644). Also, refuting both Herle and Rutherford, Mather wrote another work, ‘A Reply to Mr. Rutherford’ (1647).
It should be remembered that Rutherford’s The Due Right of Prebyteries (1644) itself was his critical review of both Mather’s ‘Church Government and Church Covenant Discussed’ (1643) and Cotton’s ‘The Way Of The Churches Of Christ In New-England’, whose manuscript was widely circulated in England even a few years before its publication in 1645.”
Norton, John – The Answer to the Whole Set of Questions of the Celebrated Mr. William Apollonius… looking toward the resolution of certain controversies concerning church government now being agitated in England Buy (1648) 196 pp. ToC
This is in response to Apollonius’s work above. See background to this work and this review and this review.
Hooker, Thomas
Sang Ahn, Covenant in Conflict, pp. 62-3
“While both [Richard] Mather and [John] Cotton made a formal document of the Cambridge Platform, Thomas Hooker was asked to write a more detailed, thoroughly researched and comprehensive treatise in defense of the Congregational Way.
In July 1, 1645, a year before the Cambridge Synod was convened, there was a meeting of “the elders of the churches through all the United Colonies” in Cambridge, where they agreed to send Hooker’s original manuscript of Survey along with other books including John Davenport’s answer to Paget, ‘The Power of Congregational Churches’.
When their works were lost in the sea, both Hooker and Davenport rewrote them, which were sent over to London and published in 1648 and 1651 respectively. Samuel Stone considers Hooker’s Survey as the most complete defense of the Congregational Way which is free from errors: “I can affirm I know no man more free from errors in his judgement, than was he [Hooker].” Accordingly, Stone audaciously declares,
“If any to this Platform [Hooker’s Survey] can reply with better reason, let this volume die: But better argument if none can give, than Thomas Hooker’s Policy shall live.”
Such a bold statement, however, would elicit a severe criticism from [Daniel] Cawdrey and [Samuel] Rutherford. In 1651, Cawdrey published a treatise, ‘The Inconsistency of the Independent Way with the Scriptures and Itself’, where he attacked Cotton’s ‘The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared’ (1648) and the part I and chapter II of the third part of Hooker’s Survey. Unlike Cawdrey, who deals with only some parts of Hooker’s Survey, Rutherford, in his ‘Survey of the Survey’ (1658) attempted a point by point refutation of Hooker’s doctrine of the church as revealed in the all four parts of his Survey…
It seems to be true that by the time Rutherford’s ‘A Survey of the Survey’ was published in 1658, the climax of the Congregational-Presbyterian debate of the 1640’s was over. Only some echoes of the debates of the previous decade lingered into the 1650’s through the works of Cawdrey, Rutherford, and Samuel Hudson on the one hand, and [Samuel] Stone, [John] Owen, John Allen and Thomas Shepard on the other.”
Cotton, John – Of the Holiness of Church Members in Two Treatises (1650; Quinta Press, 2017) 105 pp.
Cotton responds to Robert Baillie, Willem Appolonius and Rutherford’s A Peaceable Plea (1642).
Davenport, John – The Power of Congregational Churches Asserted & Vindicated in Answer to a Treatise of Mr. J. Paget entitled, ‘The Defence of Church-Government Exercised in Classes & Synods (1651) 179 pp. ToC
Paget’s work is above.
Cotton, John – A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (1652; Quinta Press, 2006) 200 pp.
Stone, Samuel – A Congregational Church, a Catholic Visible Church, or an Examination of Mr. Hudson, his Vindication Concerning the Integrity of the Catholic Visible Church, wherein also Satisfaction is given to what Mr. Cawdrey Writes Touching that Subject in his Review of Mr. [Thomas] Hooker’s Survey of Church Discipline (London, 1652) ToC
Hudson replied to this in the second edition of his work in 1658, in the Postscript.
Shepard, Thomas – A Treatise of Liturgies, Power of the Keys, & of Matter of the Visible Church, in Answer to the Reverend Servant of Christ, Mr. John Ball (London: Cotes, 1653) ToC
Owen, John d. 1683
Major Treatises on Independency
** An Inquiry into the Original Nature, Institution, Power, Order and Communion of Evangelical Churches, with an Answer to the Discourse of the Unreasonableness of Separation written by Edward Stillingfleet and in Defene of the Vindication of the Nonconformists from the Guilt of Schism in Works, vol. 15
** The True Nature of a Gospel Church (1689) in Works, vol. 16
Are Congregationalists Schismatics?
** Of Schism, the True Nature of it Discovered and Considered with Reference to the Present Differences in Religion (1657) in Works, vol. 13
A Review of the True Nature of Schism, with a Vindication of the Congregational Churches in England from the Imputation Thereof Unjustly Charged on Them by Mr. Daniel Cawdrey (1657) in Works, vol. 13
An Answer to a Late Treatise of Mr. [Daniel’ Cawdrey About the Nature of Schism (1658) in Works, vol. 13
Additional
A Brief Instruction in the Worship of God & Discipline of the Churches of the New Testament, by Way of Question & Answer in Works, vol. 15
A Letter Concerning the Matter of the Present Excommunication in Works, vol. 16
A Discourse Concerning the Administration of Church Censures in Works, vol. 16
Cotton, John
Certain Queries Tending to Accommodation and Communion of Presbyterian and Congregational Churches ToC (1654) 20 pp.
Newcomen, Matthew – Irenicum; or, An Essay Towards a Brotherly Peace & Union, Between those of the Congregational & Presbyterian Way: showing out of the most learned & renowned divines of the congregational way that their positions concerning: 1. Church matters and members. 2. Church constitution and form. 3. Church state. 4. Church officers and ordination. 5. Church government and censures. 6. Church combinations and synods. 7. Communion with and separation from churches. are sufficient for the establishing a firm and lasting peace between them & the Presbyterians, In pursuance of the good design begun at the Savoy, where it was agreed and declared, that such reforming churches as consist of persons sound in the faith, and of conversation becoming the Gospel, ought not to refuse the communion of each other (1659) ToC
Newcomen was a Westminster divine and Independent.
Mather, Increase – The First Principles of New-England Concerning the Subject of Baptism & Communion of Churches, collected partly out of the printed books, but chiefly out of the original manuscripts of the first and chief fathers in the New-English churches, with the judgment of sundry learned divines of the congregational way in England, concerning the said questions, published for the benefit of those who are of the rising generation in New-England (1675) ToC
** Goodwin, Thomas – Of the Constitution, Right, Order & Government of the Churches of Christ (d. 1680) 408 pp. ToC Also in Works, vol. 11 with a few other related, short pieces.
Goodwin was a Westminster divine. Book 4 (47 pp.) is against presbyterianism.
Mather, Increase – The Judgment of Several Eminent Divines of the Congregational Way Concerning a Pastor’s Power Occasionally to Exert Ministerial Acts in Another Church besides that which is his own particular flock (1692) 13 pp.
Chauncy, Isaac – The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Ministry & Ordinances (as has been professed by those of that persuasion) Asserted & Proved from the Word of God (1697) ToC
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1700’s
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1800’s
Haldane, James Alexander – A View of the Social Worship & Ordinances Observed by the First Christians, Drawn from the Sacred Scriptures Alone (1805) 390 pp.
James, John Angell
Christian Fellowship, or the Church Member’s Guide (1830) 235 pp.
A Manual for Church Members in Works, vol. 11, pp. 455-502
** Punchard, George – A View of Congregationalism (1840) 230 pp.
** Davidson, Samuel – The Ecclesiastical Polity of the New Testament Unfolded (1848) 480 pp.
Adeney, George – Congregationalism Scriptural, or the Nature and Constitution of the Church of Christ as set Forth in the New Testament (1851) 27 pp.
Wilkes, Henry – The Internal Administration of the Churches, or Congregational Independency Viewed from Within (1859) 85 pp.
Outlines of Congregationalism: Select Tracts (1859) 185 pp.
Angus, Joseph – Christian Churches (1862) 71 pp.
** Wardlaw, Ralph – Congregational Independency in Contradistinction to Episcopacy & Presbyterianism: the Church Polity of the New Testament (1864) 355 pp.
Dexter, Henry
A Handbook of Congregationalism (c. 1880)
** Congregationalism: What it is, Whence it is, How it Works; Why it is Better than any other Form of Church Government, and its Consequent Demands (1865) 340 pp.
ed. Reynolds, Henry – Ecclesia: Church Problems Considered in a Series of Essays (1870) 560 pp.
Clarke, Dorus – Orthodox Congregationalism & the Sects (1871) 170 pp.
Pond, Enoch – Congregationalism, a Premium Tract (d. 1882) 45 pp.
** Dale, R.W. – Manual of Congregational Principles (1884) 260 pp.
Ross, Abel Hastings
** The Church-Kingdom, Lectures on Congregationalism (Andover Theological Seminary, 1887) 405 pp.
A Pocket Manual of Congregationalism (1888) 250 pp.
Jackson, Samuel – A Hand-Book of Congregationalism (1892) 215 pp.
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1900’s
MacFadyen, D. – Constructive Congregational Ideals (1902) 275 pp.
Jefferson, Charles – Congregationalism (1910) 30 pp.
Millard, Benjamin – Congregationalism (1912) 132 pp.
Price, Ernest – A Handbook of Congregationalism (1924) 55 pp.
Martin, A.D. – The Principle of the Congregational Churches (1927) 130 pp.
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History of Independency & Congregationalism
The Greater Part of Church History
1800’s
Fletcher, Joseph – History of the Revival and Progress of Independency in England since the Period of the Reformation, with an Introduction containing an Account of the Development of the Principles of Independency in the Age of Christ and his Apostles… until the time of the Reformation, vol. 1, 2, 3, 4 (1847)
** Punchard, George – History of Congregationalism, from about AD 250 to the Present Time, vols. 1 (to the Reformation), 2 (Reformation to 1579), 3 (1575-1626), 4 (America, 1620-1750), 5 (America, 1760’s+) (1865)
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Early Church
Quote
William Cunningham
Historical Theology 2.548
“These peculiar and distinctive principles of modern Independents or Congregationalists were not explicitly professed, and, of course, were neither formally defended nor assailed in the early church. As a subject of controversial discussion, they are wholly of modern origin.
They seem to have been first publicly and distinctly broached, as exhibiting the scriptural views of the constitution and government of the church, by J.B. Morellius or Morely, who was connected with the Reformed Church of France, and whose work on the subject, entitled, ‘Traicte de la Discipline et Police Chretienne,’ was published at Lyons in 1561, and was soon thereafter condemned by the National Synod at Orleans in 1562, and again at Nismes in 1572. They were embraced also by [Peter] Ramus, the celebrated philosopher, who was killed in the massacre of St. Bartholomew; but they made no permanent impression upon the French Protestants.
It was not till about twenty or thirty years later, near the end of the sixteenth century, that these views were brought out and practically acted upon in this country, by some persons… who were known for a time under the name of Brownists.”
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Article
Clarkson, David – Treatises on the Church Polity of the Primitive Times ToC in Select Works of David Clarkson, pp. 1-244
Clarkson was a puritan Congregationalist and successor of John Owen. He gives a Congregationalist interpretation of Early Church history and argues against the Episcopalian interpretation.
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Post-Reformation
General Works
** Hanbury, Benjamin – Historical Memorials Relating to the Independents, or Congregationalists from their Rise to 1660, vol. 1, 2, 3 (1839)
Hawley, Z.K. – Congregationalism and Methodism (1846) 340 pp.
Waddington, John – Congregational Church History, from the Reformation to 1662 (1862) bound with and after Angus, Joseph, Christian Churches, p. 72 ff.
** Dexter, Henry – The Congregationalism of the Last 300 Years, as Seen in its Literature in 12 Lectures (1880) 1,085 pp.
** Nuttall, Geoffrey – Visible Saints: The Congregational Way, 1640-1660 Buy (1956)
“This is the standard academic work of the origins of Congregationalism in England.” – Quinta Press
** Ahn, Sang – Ch. 2, Sect. 4, ‘The Polemical Context of the Rutherford-Hooker Dispute’ in Covenant in Conflict: the Controversy Over the Church Covenant Between Samuel Rutherford and Thomas Hooker, pp. 53-66
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England
MacKennal, Alexander – Sketches in the Evolution of English Congregationalism Carew Lecture (Hartford Theological Seminary, 1901) 275 pp.
** Dale, R.W. – History of English Congregationalism (1907) 790 pp.
Hooper, Thomas – The Story of English Congregationalism (1907) 160 pp. 7 Lectures
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Scotland
** Ross, James – A History of Congregational Independency in Scotland (1900) 305 pp.
MacWhirter, Archibald – ‘The Early Days [1740’s-1800’s] of Independentism & Congregationalism in the Northern Islands of Scotland’ (1968) 25 pp.
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America
White, Daniel – New England Congregationalism in its Origin & Purity, Illustrated by the Foundation & Early Records of the First Church in Salem (1861) 325 pp.
Goodwin, John – The Pilgrim Republic, an Historical Review of the Colony of New Plymouth, with Sketches of the Rise of Other New England Settlements, the History of Congregationalism and the Creeds of the Period (1888) 715 pp.
** Atkins & Fagley – History of American Congregationalism (1942) 445 pp.
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Biographies
Lives of the Chief Fathers of New England, vol. 1 (John Cotton), 2 (John Wilson, John Norton, John Davenport), 3 (John Eliot), 4 (Thomas Shepard), 5 (Increase Mather, William Phipps), 6 (Thomas Hooker) (1870)
Peel, Albert – A Hundred Eminent Congregationalists (1927)
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Congregational Confessions, Books of Discipline, Documents, etc.
Collections
1800’s
** ed. Walker, Williston – The Creeds & Platforms of Congregationalism (1893)
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2000’s
** ed. Wells, David & Robert Davis – Historic Documents of Congregationalism Buy (2005) 138 pp.
This includes the Savory Declaration of Faith (1658), the Cambridge Platform (1649) and the Heads of Agreement (1691), with some introductions.
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Platforms, Confessions, Declarations & Documents
The Cambridge Platform of Church Discipline (Cambridge, MA, 1648)
The Savoy Declaration of Faith (London, 1658)
The Institution of Churches & the Order Appointed in Them by Jesus Christ
Heads of Agreement (London, 1691)
The Saybrook Platform (1708)
Saybrook Confession (New London, CT, 1710)
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Bibliographies
The Most Exhaustive
** Dexter, Henry – ‘Collections Towards a Bibliography of Congregationalism’ (1880) 285 pp. being an appendix to The Congregationalism of the Last 300 Years, as Seen in its Literature in 12 Lectures in Chronological Order see also the Index to the bibliography, in alphabetical order by author and title together
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Short-Medium
Dexter, Henry Martyn – ‘List of Principal Books Relating to Congregationalism’ (c. 1880) 4 pp. in A Handbook of Congregationalism, pp. 178-82
Jackson, Samuel – ‘Books on Congregationalism’ in A Hand-Book of Congregationalism (1892), pp. 200-203
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“…the Independents… who, when some of them were in Scotland with Cromwell [1650’s], when they saw the form and order of the Church of Scotland, particularly great Doctor [John] Owen said to Mr. Donald Cargil that, if he was to reside in Scotland, he would entirely fall in with this Church, and think it his honor to sit a member in one of her assemblies.”
Patrick Walker
Six Saints 1.152
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Related Pages