The Defense for the Congregational Way, Title page – Dedication
THE DEFENCE Of ſundry POSITIONS & SCRIPTURES FOR THE Congregational-way JUSTIFIED: OR An Anſwer to an Epiſtle written by Mr. Richard Hollingworth, unto S. E. and T. T. wherein he (in many particulars) chargeth them with injurious dealing againſt God, and againſt himſelfe, in that Booke of theirs, called A Defence of ſundry Poſitions, &c.
CONTAINING A Vindication from ſuch Charges and aſperſions ſo laid upon them.
As alſo a briefe Anſwer to his large (if not unreaſonable) demands, to have Scripturall, or rationall Anſw. given to his 112. Queries.
By SAM: EATON Teacher …IM: TAYLOR Paſtor of the Church at Duckenfield in Cheſhire.
Publiſhed according to Order.
LONDON, Printed by Matthew Simmons, for Henry Overton, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Popes-head-Alley. 1646.
To the Seeker of Truth in Sincerity, DIRECTIONS.
CHRISTIAN BROTHER, that lookeſt hereon, and art willing and deſirous through Chriſt to ſearch after and to receive the love of the Truth, that thou mayeſt be ſaved, and mayeſt further know and worſhip our God, and Father in Chriſt acceptably, in ſpirit and in truth, to glorifie his Name before men, wherein thou haſt prophaned and polluted it, as we have done, by conforming (with the times) to the precepts and …raditions of men: Ponder with us for thy direction theſe particulars. 1. That the Myſtery of truth is not manifeſt to the World, the generality, but to the Saints, who are dead to the World, John 14. 22. & 17. 6. Col. 1. 26. & 2: 20. & 3: 3: 2. Hence this is found amongſt them that are moſt full of love, Gal. 5▪ 6. John 13. 35. He that dwells (or abides) in that love; abides in God▪ and God in him, 1 John 4. 16. 3. Hence it's amongſt them that to others ſo doe, as they would be done unto, Mat. 7. 12. And that whatſoever they would not ſhould be done to themſelves, doe not it to others. (Act. 15: 20. 29. Old Tranſl. Margin. v. 20. Regim. v. 29. Complut. Regius in Naturali & Graec. vetuſt. & optimis, aitinſig. Selden D… Anno Civile, c. 21. & De Jure Gent. li 7. c. 12.) 4. It's amongſt the pitifull. That yee ſeeke to the fatherleſſe and widowes in their affliction, and keepe themſelves unſpotted from the world, John 1 27. 5. This Wiſ…dome is not from below, but from above, and is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, well-perſwaded, (or rightly obedient) full of mercy Jam. 3. 17. 6. It's amongſt ſuch, as living godly in Chriſt Jeſus; ſuffer perſecution for his Names fake, 2 Tim. 3. 12. John 15. 19 & 16: 33. Mat. 5. 10, 11.
Now if thou hardly kn…weſt ſuch; Say to him whom thy ſoul loveth, O tell mee where thou feedeſt, where thou makeſt thy flocks lye down, Cant. 1. 7. and he will give true wiſedome to thee, to diſ…rne of perſons, and things that d…ffer.
Yet expect not a Roſe without a pricke or ſpot. In many things we ſlip all. If any ſlip not in word, he is perfect, Jam. 3. 2. Expect therefore to finde this, amongſt them, that in their generall aime and courſe, walke neareſt according to that Rule, Gal. 6. 16. And be a doer of the will of God, as far as thou knoweſt, John 7. 17. and mainly be taken up with the knowledge, Grace, and love of Jeſus Chriſt, that thy heart may be eſtabliſhed therewith, Heb. 13. 8, 9.
For our parts, ſhame may cover our faces, that we have walked after as men: but henceforth our aime it ſo to walke as becometh the Goſpel.
Cauſe it is of griefe to our ſoules, that there ſhould be Oppoſitions between our Brethren and us, when the Canaanite (i. depreſſing Merchants) and the breach-making Perizite, are in the Land, Gen. 13. 7, 8.
The truth is, after long ſeeking our God, and oft diſcuſſing with our Brethren, we peaceably ſet upon Reformation, Practiſing what we were convinced was moſt agreeable to the Word of God: Our Brother began againſt us: Printing againſt this our practiſe: Yet we forbore long, till we ſaw, that by our ſilence, not onelyonly we, but Truth ſuffered; then were we forced to print Our juſt Defence of ſundry Poſitions. And had he there ſtaied, we had, now, abode ſilent, who by printing this, may each of us ſeeme foreign, unwiſe, imprudent, (as Paul ſaid oft of himſelfe, being forced ſo to write in his owne, and the Truths Defence, 2. Cor. 12. 11. & 11. And truely, had it been our perſons onelyonly that ſuffered, (though therein we ſhare deeply) by this Late Printed Epiſtle, with certaine Queries (being for an Anſwer to our Defence;) we had in this kinde held our peace; (although our Brother could not eaſily repaire our Damage.) But ſeeing Truth now ſuffers a ſecond time, by our ſo long forbearing, we are againe enforced to this ſeeming folly or imprudence. And by our viewing and pondering our Brothers angry bitter expreſſions, if we in any paſſage ſeeme to any, to have learned ſome of his wayes; (which we confeſſe we are ſubject unto, Pro. 22. 25.) Let our weakeneſſe remaine with us, and not be charged on the Cauſe, or Truth that we maintaine. We are learning not to render evill for evill, or railing for railing, 1 Pet. 3. 9. and hope we ſhall more fully be taught of God therein.
Chriſtian Reader, If thou haſt read our Brothers Epiſtle, we intreat thee to have one eare for this our Anſwer thereto: remembring what the wiſeman ſaid; He that is firſt in his owne cauſe, ſeemeth juſt: but his neighbour cometh and ſearcheth him, Prov. 18. 17. Conſider what is ſaid, and the Lord give thee and us, underſtanding in all things. 2 Tim. …. 7. Amen.