I N D E P E 
Such fentlments as thefe are now maintained by Chrif- - 
tians of various denominations ; but they were firft avowed 
by the Independents, to whom therefore the merit or de¬ 
merit of bringing them to light properly belongs. Our 
readers will think differently of them according to their 
preconceived opinions ; but it is not our province either 
to confirm or to confute them. They rife almoft necefta- 
rily out of the independent fcheme of congregational 
churches; and we could not fupprefs them without devi¬ 
ating from our fixed refolution of doing juftice to all re¬ 
ligious parties, as well thofe from whom we differ as thofe 
with whom we agree. Jt ought not, however, to be rafhly 
concluded, that the Independents of the prefent age, 
merely becaufe they rejeCt the ufe of all creeds of human 
• competition, doubt or difbelieve the doctrines deemed 
orthodox in other churches. Their predeceffors in the 
laff century were thought to be more rigid Calvinifts than 
the Prefbyterians themfelves ; as many of thofe may like- 
wife be, who in the prefent century admit not the con- 
feffions and formulas of the Calviniftic churches. _ They 
acknowledge as divine truth every doCtrine contained in 
the Scriptures; but they think that fcripture-doCtrines 
are molt properly expreffed in fcripture-language; and the 
fame fpirit of religious liberty, which makes them rejeCt 
the authority of bifhops and fynods in matters of difei- 
pli'ne, makes them rejeCt the fame authority in matters of 
faith. In either cafe, to call any man or body of men 
their matters, would, in their opinion, be a violation of 
the divine law, fince one is their majler, even Chrijl, and they 
all are brethren. 
In fupport of their fcheme of congregational churches, 
they obferve, that the word gxxtajcrta, which we tranflate 
church, is always ufed in Scripture to fignify either o.Jin¬ 
gle congregation, or the place where a Angle congregation 
meets. Thus that unlawful afTembly at Ephefus, brought 
together againft Paul by the craftfmen, is called sx**r,c-s«, 
a church, (Adlsxix. 32, 39, 41.) The word, however, is 
generally applied toa more facred ufe; but If ill it fignifies 
either the body affembling, or the place in which it affem- 
bles. The whole body of thedifciples at Corinth is called 
the church, and fpoken of as coming together into one place, 
(1 Cor. xiv. 23.) The place into which they came toge¬ 
ther we find likewife called a church : “ When ye come 
together in the church ; when ye come together into one 
place;” (1 Cor. xi, s8, 20.) Wherever there were more 
congregations than one, there were likewife more churches 
than one : Thus, “ Let your women keep filence in the 
churches, ran; exxA ijciai; ; (1 Cor. xi. 18.) The whole 
nation of Ifrael is indeed called a church, but it was no 
more than a fingle congregation; for it had but one place 
of public worlhip, viz. firft the tabernacle, and afterwards 
the temple. The catholic church of Chrift, his holy na¬ 
tion and kingdom, is likewife a fingle congregation, hav¬ 
ing one place of worlhip, viz. heaven, where all the mem¬ 
bers alfemble by faith and hold communion ; and in which, 
when they fhall all be fully gathered together, they will 
in fadt be one glorious alfembly. We find it called “the 
general alfembly and church of the firft-born, whole names 
are written in heaven.” 
Befides thefe, the Independent can find no other de- 
feription of a church in the New Teftament; not a trace 
of a diocefe or prelbytery confifting of feveral congrega¬ 
tions all fubjedt to one jurifdi&ion. The number of dif- 
ciples in Jerufalem was certainly great before they were 
difperfed by the perfecution in which Paul bore fo aCtive 
a part; yet they are never mentioned as forming diftindt 
alfemblies, but as one alfembly meeting with its elders in 
one place; fometimes in the temple, fometimes in Solo¬ 
mon’s porch, and fometimes in an upper room. After the 
difperfion, the difciples who fled from Jerufalem, as they 
could no longer alfemble in one place, are never called a 
church by themfelves, or one church, but the churches of 
Judea, Samaria, and Galilee; (Adts ix. 31. Gal. i. 22.) 
Whence the Independent concludes, that in Jerufalem 
the words church and congregation were of the fame import j 
N D E N T, 3 
and if fuch was the cafe there, where the gofpel was firft 
preached, he thinks we may reafonably expeCt to find it 
fo in other places. Thus, when Paul on his journey calls 
the elders of the church of Ephefus to Miletus, he fpeaks 
to them as the joint overfeers of a fingle congregation : 
“ Take heed to yourlelves, and to all the flock, over 
which the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers ;” (Adts 
xx. 28.) Had the church at Ephefus confifted of different 
congregations united under fuch a jurifdidtion as that of 
a modern prelbytery, it w’ould have been natural to fay, 
“ Take heed to yourfelves, and to the Jlocks over which 
the Holy Ghoft hath made you overfeers:” but this is a 
way of fpeaking of which tlie Independent finds not an 
inliance in the whole New Teftament. The facred wri¬ 
ters, when fpeaking of all the Chriftians in a nation or 
province, never call them the church of fuch a nation or 
province, but the churches of Galatia, (Gal. i. 2.) the churches 
of Macedonia, (2 Cor. viii. 1.) the churches of Alia, (x Cor. 
xvi. 10.) On the other hand, when fpeaking of the dif¬ 
ciples in a city or town, who might ordinarily alfemble 
in one place, they uniformly call them a church ; faying, 
the church of Antioch, the church at Corinth, the church 
of Ephefus, and the like. 
The Englilh Independents, who retired to America on 
account of their dilfenfions from the eftablilhed religion 
of their country, claimed the honour of carrying thither 
the firft rays of divine truth, and of beginning a w'ork 
that has been fince continued with fuch pious zeal, and 
fuch abundant fruit; and indeed this claim is founded in 
juftice. Several families of this feCt that had been fettled 
in Holland, removed from thence to America in the year 
1620, in order, as they alleged, to tranfmit their doCtrine 
pure and undefiled to future ages; and there they laid 
the foundations of a new ftate. The fuccefs that attended 
the firft emigration, engaged great numbers of the people 
called Puritans,, who groaned under the oppreflion of the 
bifhops, and the feverity of a court by which this op- 
preftion was authorized, to follow the fortune of thefe 
religious adventurers; and this produced a fecond emi¬ 
gration in the year 1629. But, notwithftanding the fuc¬ 
cefs that in procefs of time crowned this enterprife, its 
firft beginnings were unpromifing, and the colonifts, im¬ 
mediately after their arrival, laboured under fuch hard- 
Ihips and difficulties in the dreary and uncultivated wilds 
of this new region, that they could make but little 
progrefs in inllruCting the Indians ; their whole zeal and 
induftry being fcarcely fufficient to preferve the infant 
fettlement from the horrors of famine. But, towards 
the year 1633, things put on a better afpeCt: the colony 
began to flourilh, and the new comers, among whom 
the puritans Mayhew, Sheppard, and Elliot, made an 
eminent figure, had the leilure, courage, and tranquillity 
of mind, that were neceflary to the execution of fuch 
an important and arduous defign. All thefe devout 
exiles were remarkably zealous, laborious, and fuccefsful, 
in the converfion of the Indians; but none acquired 
fuch a fliining reputation, in this pious career, as John 
Elliot, who learned their language, into which he tranf- 
lated the Bible, and other inftruCtive and edifying books; 
gathered together the wandering favages, and formed 
them into regular congregations; inftructed them in a 
manner fuited to the dulnefs of their comprehenfion, and 
the meafure of their refpeCtive capacities; and, by fuch 
eminent difplays of his zeal, dexterity, and indefatigable 
induftry, merited, after his death, the honourable title of 
the Apoftle of the Indians. 
The unexpected fuccefs that attended thefe pious at¬ 
tempts towards the propagation of Chriftian knowledge, 
drew the attention of the parliament and people of Eng¬ 
land; and the further advancement of this good caufe 
appeared an object of fufficient importance to employ the 
deliberations, and to claim the protection, of the great 
council of the nation. Thus was formed that illuftrioug 
fociety, which derives its title from the great purpofes . 
of its inftitution, even the Propagation of the Gofpel in 
Foreign 
