4 I N B E P E 
Foreign Parts; and which, in proportion to the increafe 
of its numbers, influence, revenues, and prerogatives, 
has ftill renewed and augmented its efforts for the in- 
ltru&ion of the pagans in all parts of the world, parti¬ 
cularly thofe on the American continent. It is true 
that, -after all its efforts, much is yet to be done; but it 
is alfo true, and mult be acknowledged by all that have 
examined thefe matters with attention and impartiality, 
that match has been done, and that the pious undertakings 
•of this refpe&able fociety have been followed with unex- 
■pefted fruit. 
After the death of Laud, the diffenfions that had 
■reigned for a long time between Charles I. and his par¬ 
liament grew ltill more violent, and arofe at length to fo 
great a height, that they could not be extinguifhed but 
by the blood of the king. The great council of the na¬ 
tion, heated by the violent fuggeftions of the Puritans 
■and Independents, abolifhed epifcopal government; con¬ 
demned and abrogated every thing in the ecclefiaftical 
eftablifhment that was contrary to the doftrine, worfhip, 
and difcipline, of Geneva; turned the vehemence of their 
•oppofition again ft the king himfelf; and, having brought 
fcim into their power by the fate of arms, accufed him of 
treafon againft the majefty of the nation; and in the year 
1648, while the eyes of Europe were fixed with aftonifh- 
ment on this ftrange fpeftacle, caufed his head to be 
itruck off on‘a public lcaffold. Such are the calamities 
that flow from religious zeal without knowledge, from 
that enthufkdin and bigotry that infpire a blind and im¬ 
moderate attachment to the external uneffential parts of 
religion, and to certain doctrines ill underftood! Thefe 
broils and tumults f'erved. alfo unhappily to confirm the 
truth • of an obfervation often made, that all religious 
fefts, while they are kept under and oppreffed, are re¬ 
markable for inculcating the duties of moderation, for¬ 
bearance, and charity, towards thofe who diffent from 
•them; but, as foon as the fcenes of perfecution are re¬ 
moved, and tliey in their turn arrive at power and pre¬ 
eminence, they forget their own precepts and maxims, 
-and leave both the recommendation and practice of cha¬ 
rity to thofe that groan under their yoke. Such, in reality, 
•was the conduit and behaviour of the Puritans during 
-their tranfitory exaltation; they fhowed as little clemency 
■ and equity to the bifnops and other patrons of epifcopacy, 
as they had received from them when the reins of go¬ 
vernment were in their hands. The Independents, who 
have been juft mentioned among the promoters of civil 
difcord in England, are generally reprefented by the 
Britifh writers in a much worfe light than the Prefby¬ 
terians or Calvinifts. They are commonly accufed of 
various enormities, and are even charged with the crime 
of oarricide, as having borne a principal part in the death 
of the king. But whoever will be at the pains of exa¬ 
mining, with impartiality and attention, the writings of 
that feet, and their confellion of faith, muft foon perceive 
that many crimes have been imputed to them without foun¬ 
dation, and will probably be induced to think, that the bold 
.attempts of the civil Independents (i. e. of thofe warm 
republicans who were the declared enemies of monarchy, 
and wanted to extend the liberty of the people beyond 
all bounds of wifdom and prudence) have been unjuftly 
laid to the charge of thofe Independents whofe principles 
were merely of a religious, kind: for we have the tefti- 
mdny of Hume, that, “of all Chriftian fefts, this was the 
firft, which, during its profperity as well as its adverfity, 
always adopted the principle of toleration ;” but he adds, 
“ it is remarkable that fo reafonable a doftrine owed its 
origin, not to reafoning, but to the height of extravagance 
and fanaticjlin. Popery and prelacy alone, whofe genius 
feemed to tend towards fuperfti.tion, were treated by the 
Independents with rigour,” 
This community, which was originally formed in Hol¬ 
land in the year 1610, made at firft'but a very frnall 
progrefs in England ; it worked its way (lowly, and in a 
elandeftine manner; and its members concealed their 
NDEN T. 
principles from public view, to avoid the penal laws that 
had been enafted againft nonconformifts. But, during 
the reign of Charles I. when, amidft the (hocks of civil 
and religious difcord, the authority of the bilhops began 
to decline, and more particularly about the year 1640, 
the Independents grew more courageous, and came forth 
with an air of refolution and confidence to public view. 
After this period, their affairs took a profperous turn; 
and, in a little time, they became fo considerable, both by 
their numbers, and by the reputation they acquired, that 
they vied in point of pre-eminence and credit, not only 
with the bifliops, but alfo the prefbyterians, though at 
this time they were in the very zenith of their power. 
This rapid progrefs of the Independents was no doubt 
owing to a variety of caufes; among which juftice obliges 
us to reckon the learning of their teachers, and the re¬ 
gularity and fan&ity of their manners. During the ad- 
miniftration of Cromwell, whofe peculiar protection and 
patronage they enjoyed on more than one account, their 
credit arofe to the greateft height, and their influence 
and reputation were univerfal; but after the reftoration 
of Charles II. their caufe declined, and they fell back 
gradually into their primitive obfeurity. The fed, in¬ 
deed, ftill fubfifted; but in fucli a ftate of dejeftion and 
weaknefs, as engaged them in the year 1691, under the 
reign of king William, to enter into an affociation with 
the Prefbyterians refiding in and about London, under 
certain heads of agreement that tended to the maintenance 
of their refpedive inftitutions. From this time they were 
called United Brethren. The heads of agreement that 
formed and cemented this union, are to be found in the 
fecond volume of Whifton’s Memoirs of his Life and 
Writings, and they confift in nine articles, of which the 
following is the fubftance. The firft relates to Churches 
and Church-members, in which the United Miriifters, 
Prefbyterians and Independents, declafe, among other 
things, that each particular church had a right to clioofe 
their own officers; and, being furniftied with fuch as are 
duly qualified and ordained according to gofpel-rule, 
hath authority from Chrilt for exercifing government, 
and enjoying all the ordinances of worfhip within itfelf. 
That, in the adminiftration of church-power, it belongs 
to the paftors and other elders of every particular church 
(if fuch there be) to rule and govern, and to the bro¬ 
therhood to confent, according to the rule of the gofpel. 
In this both Prefbyterians and Independents depart from 
the primitive principles of their refpeftive inftitutions. 
Article II. relates to the Miniftry, which they grant to 
have been inftituted by Jefus Chrift for the gathering, 
guiding, edifying, and governing, of his church. In this 
article it is farther obierved, that minifters ought to be 
endued with competent learning, found judgment, and 
folid piety; that none are to be ordained to the work of 
the miniftry but fuch as are chofen and called thereunto 
by a particular church; that in fuch a weighty matter it 
is ordinarily requiiite that every fuch church confult and 
advife with the paftors of neighbouring congregations; 
and that, after fuch advice, the perfon thus conlulted 
about, being chofen by the brotherhood of that particular 
church, be duly ordained and fet apart to his office over 
them. Article III. relates to Cenfures; and preferibes, 
firft the admonifhing, and, if this prove ineffectual, the 
excommunication, of offending and fcandalous members, 
to be performed by the paftors, with the confent of the 
brethren. Article IV. concerning the Communion of 
Churches, lays it down as a principle, that there is no 
fubordination between particular churches; that they are 
all equal, and confequently independent; that the paftors, 
however, of thefe churches, ought to have frequent meet¬ 
ings together, that by mutual advice, fupport, encourage¬ 
ment, and brotherly intercourfe, they may ftrengthen the 
hearts and hands of each other in the ways of the Lord(. 
In Article V. which relates to Deacons and ruling Elders, 
the United Brethren acknowledge, that the office of deacon 
is of divine appointment, and that it belongs to their 
1 ' office 
