Hiory of the Puritans, examin'd. 43 ' By reafon of which Divifions and Sub-Divifions, they fell at laft into fo many Fra&ions, that one of them in the End became a Church of himfelf, and having none to join in Opinion with him, baptiz'd himfelf, and thereby got the Name of a Sea-Baptift, which never any Se±ary or Heretick had got before.. Neal, p. o. The difference among the Puritans engag'd them in a warm Controverfy among them- felves, about the Lawfulnefs and Necegity offeparating from the Church of England : Mofi of the Puritans werefor keeping within the Pale of the Church, ap- prehending it to be a true Church in it's Dol-lrines and Sacraments, though defeaive in Difcipline, and cor- rupt in Ceremonies ; but being a true Church, they thought it not lawful to feparate, though they could hardly continue in it with a good Confcience. Mr. Canne, a Brownilt, in his Preface to his Piece, call'd, A Necefty of Separation from the Church of England, provedfrom the Nonconformifts Principles, Printed 1634. has the following Words. ' I know what I fay, and have good Ex- ' perience of this thing ; for there is not ten of a hundred which feparate from the Church of Eng- land, but are moved firft thereto, (I fpeak of outward Means) by the Do tr_nes of theNoncon-' ' formes, either in Word, or Writing, taught to the People : And indeed upon their Grounds, ' how can any one do lefs than feparate,if his Heart ' be tender againit every Sin, feeing that they con fidently affirm, that their Miniftry, Worfhip and Difcipline is from f?ntichrft, and in their Church are Swarms of Atbeifts, Papifts, Erroneous and Heretical Se&aries, Witches, Charmers, Mur- 4 therers, Thieves, Adulterers, Lyars, &c. Thefe arb their own Teftimonies, and we know they are true ; and therefore in obedience to God, and ' care of our Precious Souls, we have left our un- fanc`lified
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