The New Query and Determination Upon It, Section 2
SECT. II. Of the Title Page.
A New Quere at this time ſeaſonably to be conſidered, as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace.
He knew very well how the Athenian humour of liſtening after news prevaileth with our people of all ſorts; and therefore being to fiſh in troubled waters, he puts upon his hook that bait, at which it was like many would be nibling.
Next he ſaith, It is at this time ſeaſonably to be conſidered, as we tender the advancement of Truth and Peace. He commends his New Query to acceptance in two reſpects:
1. As ſeaſonable.
2. As much importing the advancement of Truth and Peace.
For the firſt; he ſaith it is at this time ſeaſonably to be conſidered. So it is, now it is publiſhed; but it was very unſeaſonably offered: and I marvell that he, who hath written a whole booke of policy, ſhould be ſo unpoliticke as to thinke it ſeaſonable, to ſet forth ſuch a Quere, and ſo to reſolve it; ſuch it tends to retard the eſtabliſhment of Government, whereto the Parliament is ſo much engaged, not onelyonly for the thing it ſelfe, but for a timely propoſition, and impoſition of it by their civill ſanction.
For the firſt, that they intend to ſet up a Church government, we have it, 1. From their expreſſe profeſſion, December 15. 1641. We doe here declare, that it is farre from our purpoſe or deſire to let looſe the golden reines of Diſcipline, and Government in the Church, to leave private perſons, or particular Congregations to take up what forme of ſervice they pleaſe; for we hold it requiſite, that there ſhould be throughout the whole Realme a conformitie in that order, which the Lawes enioyne according to the word of God. So in the firſt Remonſtrance of the Honourable Houſe of Commons. pag. 25.
2. from the firſt Article of the ſolemne League and Covenant, publiſhed by Authoritie of Parliament, September 21. 1643. Wherein they, and all others that take it, doe covenant to endeavour the reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worſhip, Diſcipline, and Government, according to the word of God, and the example of the beſt reformed Churches.
3. this Covenant was ordered againe by the Honorable Houſe of Commons, Januarie 29. 1644. to be publiquely read every Faſt day, and to be ſet up in every Congregation in a faire Table, where every one may read it; and to this are ſet the names of Maſter Speaker, and 243. more of the Honourable Houſe of Commons.
And for the ſecond, that they meane to expedite the ſettling of Government with all convenient ſpeed, we have good cauſe to conceive.
1. Becauſe they have beſtowed already very many dayes in conſultation about it.
2. They inſiſt in the ſame conſultations ſtill.
3. They (according to the eminence of their wiſdome) apprehend many and great evils, that grow both in number, and power, by Doctrines of Libertiniſme, which neceſſarily require the reſtraint of a reformed Church Government.
4. They have already ſet it up.
1. In their Ordinance of Ordination, ſet forth the laſt yeare.
2. In an Ordinance for making London a Province this laſt yeare, dividing it into ſeverall Claſſes, and for chooſing a Committee for tryall of Elders to be choſen, and Rules to be obſerved for orderly proceeding in the ſame; and this before this Quere came forth.
3. Since that, they have advanced further, by a Vote and Order for chooſing Elders forthwith in particular Congregations.
4. And laſt of all, they have publiſhed an Ordinance, with rules and directions for ſuſpenſion from the Sacrament, in caſes of Ignorance and Scandall.
Yet they cannot make that ſpeed with the Government, which by moſt is deſired, and very much deſired by themſelves (as we of the Aſſembly can witneſſe, who have often beene ſent to by that Honourable Senate to quicken our worke, and to ripen our debates to a full reſolution) becauſe as with us the libertie of ſpeaking (wherein every one is free to propoſe, and proſecute any doubt) prolonged the Government in our hands; ſo the like libertie in the Honourable Houſes (or rather our libertie is like theirs, it being the Prototypon) lengthens the debates, and delayes the Votes of that moſt Honourable Senate; and ſo much the more, becauſe they are more in number then we in our Synod; and becauſe their determinations are finall, as ours are not.
And though that which is publiſhed doe not yet reach home to our full ſatisfaction, we hope it is in the way towards further perfection; which cannot reaſonably be expected in the firſt Eſſayes of frames, and formes of Government; for we may ſay of Jeruſalem as well as of Rome, that it was not built in a day, though in time it became the perfection of beautie, the ioy of the whole earth, Lam. 2.15. Such we pray God that fabrick may prove, which is under the hands of our Honourable and holy Nehemiahs; and Lord poliſh, finiſh, and eſtabliſh the worke in their hands, yea the worke of their hands eſtabliſh thou it, Pſal. 90.17.
The other particular he propounds to make his Quere more plauſible, is the reference it hath to two precious things, viz. Truth and Peace; both which are upheld by Government, Church-Government; and without it, for truth we have abundance of errours, and hereſies broached among us, which divide men into manifold Sects and Factions; and where they are multiplied, there can be no peace, without a treacherous toleration, which will reſolve at laſt into an Anarchy and confuſion.
Having premiſed this, he putteth his Quere thus.
Whether it be fit according to the Principles of true Religion, and State, to ſettle any Church-government over the Kingdome haſtily, or not; and with the power commonly deſired, in the hands of the Miniſters.
Firſt, he putteth the caſe according to the Principles of Religion, and State: which if he had well conſidered, he might have thought the Parliament for the one, and the Aſſembly of Divines for the other, (competently qualified, each in their profeſſion, for reſolution of ſuch a doubt, eſpecially ſince it is a chiefe part of the publique worke of them both, to drive it to its iſſue) might have prevented ſuch a Quere as this, from a private Divine.
Secondly, he ſuggeſts a ſuſpition, as if the Parliament were driving on the Diſcipline and Government of the Church in Jehu's Chariot, with furious haſte, whereas both Parliament, and Aſſembly have much adoe, to ward off imputations of procraſtination, and delay; for debating ſo long, and determining ſo little, whereof we have rendred the reaſons before.
Thirdly, he preſents it as a gravamen, or of ſome dangerous conſequence, that the power ſhould be put in the hands of the Miniſters, whereas Miniſters put in for no more power as their due, either from the Magiſtrate, or over the people, then is conſonant to the Scripture, and the principles of prudence; and if leſſe then that be allowed them, ſince it is from God, and for God, not for themſelves, God rather then they will be unworthily dealt withall; and if it be commonly deſired, (as he ſaith) it is the leſſe liable to his, or any mans exception.
Hereto having put his name, (which to me is of a ſavoury reliſh, by what I have taſted of his other Writings) he cloſeth up his Title page with the Teſtimonie of the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 10.8. in theſe words, Our authoritie (which the Lord hath given us for inſtruction, not for deſtruction); the ordinary reading or rendring of the originall word according to the literall ſenſe, is edification; foreign.but he refuſed that, and tooke the word inſtruction, which is metaphoricall; either becauſe he thought the Paranomaſie more pleaſant to the Reader, or leſſe profitable for the Miniſters claime to Church-Government; for edification importeth more power then inſtruction doth; and he thought there would have beene too ſtrong an intimation of Authority in the firſt ſubſtantive of his quotation if it had not beene allayed with a weaker word then the Grammaticall conſtruction bringeth with it: and for the other word deſtruction, if it be taken in a ſymbolicall ſenſe to his reſolution of the Quere, it implieth two things, which are of ſtrong prejudice againſt the Government of the Church:
1. That it is a deſtructive thing,
2. That being ſuch, it ſhould neither be ſet up by the Magiſtrate, nor exerciſed by the Miniſter, nor received by the people: whereas indeed the ſevereſt act of diſcipline is ſalutary, and preſervative to the better part of man; and though it be deſtructive to the worſe, it is not to be rejected, but co nomine to be admitted; both theſe we make good by the authoritie of the ſame Apoſtle he citeth, though not in the ſame Epiſtle, deliver ſuch a one unto Satan for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the ſpirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Ieſus, 1 Cor. 5.5.
This for the Title Page of this New Quere.