1668.      13

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2 To set up an Assembly in the way of Anabaptisme is to set up a free

=school of seduction wherin fals Teachers may have open liberty to seduce

the people unto wayse of Error, w^ch may not be suffered 2 Tim 3 8. 13 Rev

2. 20. Deut 13 1=11 Zach. 13.3. Jer 29.32 ^________

3 At the same doer may all sorts of Abominations come in among us Should

this be allowed, for if a few persons may without the consent of our Ecclesiasti

call & civill order set up a society in the name of a church themselves being

their own sole Judges therin; then the vilest men & deceivers may doe the

like, & we have noe fence nor barr to keep them out Moreover if this

Assembly be tollerated, wher shall we stop = why may we not by the same

reason tollerate an assembly of familists socinians Quakers, Papists yea

tis known that all these have els wher crept in under the mask of Anabap

tisme

4 To allow the setting up of an Assembly in this way as hath bin lately preached

by some among us is to allow the open profanation of all the ordinances

of God 1. of Church gathering by coming together in a way of Schisme disorder

& confusion 2, of the ministry, by setting up a ministry that is not of God being

without ministerial qualifications, with due sequestration to the work, with

out orderly publick approbation, & therfore a bold usurpation of that holy functi

=on without call or warrant from the lord 3 of baptisme by Rebaptization

4 of that & the other sacrament by private uncalled yea Excommunicated

persons takeing upon them to administer the same, & that unto persons

under censure Ezeck. 13 8 1 Cor 15 23 40: Tim 4 3 w^th Titus 1. 7-8

1 Tim 3 2-7. Acts 6 4. 1 Tim 4 13-15 Acts 19 2. 1 Tim 3 4 14 Rom 10 15

Jer 23 21 & 27 15 Heb 5 4 1 Cor 4 1 Levit 21 17 22 23. & 22 3 Math 1

5 Wee may Argue by comparing the matter in Question with things mentio

ned in Scripture as unallowable, which yet were not worse then an assembly

with us in the way of Anabaptisme, that is as bad as the high places in Judea

viz those high places that were dedicated to the worship of the true God

being directly contrary to the order that God then appointed 2 Kings 18.4

& 23 8-9 as bad as that altar in Josh 22 18 19 though it had bin for sacrifice

as bad as the buyers & sellers in the Temple & other pollutions therof wch

Christ would not suffer Mark: 11. 15-16 As bad as many of those hindrances

of the building of the Temple whom David, & Artaxerxes made decrees a-

=gainst & are commended for it Ezra. 6 11 12 & y^e 26-29 Anabaptisme hath

bin alwayse knowne to be a notorious hindrence & trouble to temple building

6 wee in this country are but a weak & smal people & therfore more easily

disquieted & indangered by faction & opposition If the one assembly be

allowed by the same reason may a 2^d & 3^d & schools of them will

soon be coming hither, but if once that party become numerous & prevail

then this countrey is undone, the work of reformation heer ruined, & the good

gifts & injoyments which this people have adventured & expended soe much

be utterly lost

7 The people of this place have a clear civill right to the way of Religion

& order that is heer established & to a freedome from all that may be

disquieting or destructive thereunto Having with great cost hazard & labour 

obtained a patent, ventured over the ocean, planted themselves in a

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