setts men, taking hold of such opportunities as Providence presented to them, began to spread themselves into many Plantations all over the country, so far as it was discovered fit for such purposes. And though they met with much opposition, both at home and abroad, yet they prevailed to effect their design at the last, taking notice of sundry special Providences that furthered them therein. For by letters from the Lord Say, received in June 1635, as well as by the report of sundry passengers, it was certified that *Captain Mason and other* 1 adversaries of the Colony of the Massachusetts were building a great ship to bring over a General Governor, and to command upon the coast: but it miscarried in the launching, falling asunder in the midst; by which means their design fell to the ground. It was reported also, that they had a contrivance to divide the whole country of New England into twelve provinces: viz. between St. Croix in the east, and the Lord Baltimore's Province about Maryland in Virginia, as is mentioned in chap. xxxi. But though the lot was cast into the lap, the matter was otherwise disposed by

the Lord.

Some have taken special notice of the providence of God in the beginning of that, and the latter end of the former year, concerning Captain John Winthrop, Jun. and Mr. Wilson, the pastor of Boston church, whose occasions calling them both to England, they took ship in a vessel bound for Barnstable, but were by foul weather driven upon the coast of Ireland, not known to any in the ship, and yet were brought safe into Galloway, where they parted company. Mr. Winthrop, passing through Ireland, was occasionally carried to the house of Sir John Clotwathy, where he met accidentally with many considerable persons which came thither the next day to confer about their voyage to New England. In like manner Mr. Wilson, keeping in the ship, had opportunity to meet with many in that place, that desired to be informed about the state of New England. Many such like Providences

Thus originally written; subsequently a pen was drawn through these words, and the inserted.-H. Clotworthy. Sav. Win. i. 172.-H.

have been observed in carrying on the affairs of that|| Plantation of New England.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Ecclesiastical affairs of the Massachusetts, during the first lustre of years after the transferring of the Patent and Government thither, from Anno 1631 to 1636.

WHATEVER Sinister apprehensions are, or were, ever taken up about the religion of the Colony of New England, they aimed only at the primitive pattern described in the Word of God, and practice of the Apostolical Churches. If they have missed of their aim they are not to be blamed for levelling at the right mark, having a fairer opportunity thereunto than ever men had in many ages past.

It must not be denied that they were the offspring of the old Nonconformists, who yet always walked in a distinct path from the rigid Separatists, nor did they ever disown the Church of England to be a true church, as retaining the essentials of faith and order. And although they could not persuade themselves to live contentedly under the wing of Episcopal government, yet their offence was rather at the ceremonies than the discipline and government thereof. But intending not to write an apology but an history of their practice, nothing shall here be interposed by way of defence of their way, only to give a clear discovery of the truth, as to matter of fact, both what it was at first and still continues to be.

Those that came over soon after Mr. Endicot, namely|| Mr. Higginson and Mr. Skelton, Anno 1629, walked something in an untrodden path; therefore it is the less to be wondered at, if they went but in and out, in some things complying too much, in some things too little, with those of the Separation, and it may be in some things not sufficiently attending to the order of the Gospel, as themselves thought they understood afterwards. For in the beginning of things they only accepted of one another, according to some general pro

fession of the doctrine of the Gospel, and the honest and good intentions they had one towards another, and so by some kind of covenant soon moulded themselves into a church in every Plantation, where they took up their abode, until Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker came over, which was in the year 1633,' who did clear up the order and method of church government, according as they apprehended was most consonant to the Word of God. And such was the authority they (especially Mr. Cotton) had in the hearts of the people, that whatever he delivered in the pulpit was soon put into an Order of Court, if of a civil, or set up as a practice in the church, if of an ecclesiastical concernment. After that time the administration of all ecclesiastical matters was tied up more strictly than before to the rules of that which is since owned for the Congregational Way, as may be seen in a treatise published not long after by Mr. Cotton himself, in the name of the rest of the elders of the country, called the Way of the Churches in New England; which, indeed, is as a middle way between that which is called Brownism, and the Presbyterial government, as it is practised in those places where either of the said governments is owned. As for the Brownists, or rigid Separatists, there were sundry companies of them in England in the end of Queen Elizabeth's, and the beginning of King James's reign; until, being out of all hopes of liberty for their practice, under the shelter of their royal government, many of them removed into Holland. These do in effect put the chief, if not the whole, of the rule and government of the church into the hands of the people, and drown the elders' vote, (one or more,) in the major part of the brethren's ; being contented the elders should sit in the saddle, provided they might hold the bridle, as some have expressed it. On the other hand, in the Presbyterial Way, the sole power of government or rule is put into the hands of the Presbytery of each congregation, or into the hands of the common Presbytery of many congregations, combined together by mutual consent, so swallowing up the interests of the people in every single

1 See page 169.-H.

congregation in the major part of the Presbyters of the Classis or combination. But those of the Massachusetts kept the middle path between the forementioned extremes, accounting the right disposal of church power to lie in a due and proportioned allotment and dispersion (as some of the Congregational Way have expressed it) into divers hands, according to the several concernments and interests that each rank in the church may have, rather than an entire and sole trust committed to any one man, (though never so able,) or any sort or kind of men, or officers, although diversified into never so many subordinations under one another. And this middle way, thus delineated, principally by Mr. Cotton, is that wherein the churches of New England have walked ever since. The principal points wherein they differ from others may be reduced to these four heads.

1. The subject matter of the visible church, saints by calling, such as have not only attained the knowledge of the principles of religion, and are free from gross and open scandal, but are willing, together with the profession of their repentance and faith in Christ, to declare their subjection to him in his ordinances, which they account ought to be done publicly before the Lord and his people, by an open profession of the doctrine of the Gospel and by a personal relation of their spiritual estate, expressive of the manner how they were brought to the knowledge of God by faith in Christ Jesus, and this is done either with their viva voce, or by a rehearsal thereof by the elders in public, before the Church Assembly, (they having before hand received private satisfaction,) the persons openly testifying their assent thereunto, provided they do not scandalize their profession by an unchristian conversation; in which case a profession is with them of small account.

2. In the constitutive form of a particular visible church, which they account ought to be a restipulation, or mutual covenanting to walk together, in their Christian communion, according to the rules of the Gospel; and this they say is best to be explicit al

though they do not deny but an implicit covenant may suffice to the being of a true church.

3. In the quantity or extensiveness of a particular church, concerning which they hold that no church society of Gospel institution ought to be of larger extent or greater number than may ordinarily meet together in one place, for the enjoyment of all the same numerical ordinances, and celebrating of all divine worship; nor ordinarily fewer than may conveniently carry on church work.

4. That there is no jurisdiction to which such particular churches are, or ought to be, subject, (be it placed in Classis or Synod,) by way of authoritative censure, nor any church power, extrinsical to the said churches, which they ought to have dependence upon any other sort of men for the exercise of.

After this manner have their ecclesiastical affairs been carried on ever since the year 1633, when Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker first arrived there. But of these matters there may be occasion to make a fuller relation in the year 1647, when the Platform of Discipline was set forth by the elders and messengers of the churches assembled in the Synod at Cambridge, in the Massachusetts.

Some have feared that in the beginning of times was occasioned much disadvantage to the government of the church by making it too popular; and no less to the civil government, by too much contriving to advance the liberties of the people, which some others, that were not a little instrumental to promote both the one and the other at the first, would willingly have retrieved, when they, too late, discerned their error, but failed in their endeavoring a redress.

And many yet think they hit upon the right joint in settling each government as they did. Possibly they might see, where others in the reformation of the church, since Calvin's time, had committed errors, and run into mistakes, and hoped to prevent it in their own. But it must always be considered that extremes on either hand are dangerous. They had need be very good artists, and go exactly to work, that lay the foundation of