Reply to Rutherford, Title page – To the reader
A REPLY TO Mr. Rutherfurd, OR, A defence of the Anſwer to Reverend Mr. Herles Booke againſt the Independency of Churches.
VVherein ſuch Objections and Anſwers, as are returned to ſundry paſſages in the ſaid Anſwer by Mr. Samuel Rutherfurd, a godly and learned Brother of the Church of Scotland, in his Booke Entituled The Due Right of Presbyters, are examined and removed, and the Anſwer juſtified and cleared.
By RICHARD MA…HER Teacher to the Church at Dorcheſter in New ENGLAND. 1646.
LONDON, Printed for J. Rothwell, and H. Allen at the Sun and Fountaine in Pauls Church-yard, and the Crown in Popes-head Alley, 1647,
The Authors Preface to the Reader.
Chriſtian Reader,
HAving publiſhed ſome yeares agoe, a ſmall Treatiſe, in way of a brotherly Anſwer to reverend Maſter Herle; I now preſent unto thy view a defence thereof againſt ſuch objections and anſwers as have been returned to ſundry paſſages therein, by reverend and learned Maſter Rutherfurd. In which undertaking it hath been farre from my intention to increaſe or uphold the differences that have appeared of late yeares in England amongſt the ſervants of the Lord, about matters of Church government. For I had much rather bring Prayers and teares for the quenching of ſuch fires, then fewell or oyle for the increaſing thereof: neither ſhall the ſame I hope, be any thing at all increaſed by what here I preſent now thy view. At the leaſt this I may ſay, that I intended no ſuch thing but the contrary, even the promoting of truth and peace, if it were the will of God ſo to bleſſe my deſires and endeavors. True it is, I have taken the liberty to conſider and try ſome things delivered by that reverend brother whom here I have to doe withall, but this I truſt cannot be juſtly offenſive, in as much as the Spirit of the Prophets is Subject to the Prophets, 1 Cor. 14. 32. and the doctrine of the Apoſtle himſelfe was examined by thoſe noble Bereans, whom the holy Ghoſt commendeth for ſearching the Scriptures daily, whether thoſe things were ſo Act. 17. 11. It is alſo true which our reverend brother ſaith in his Epiſtle to the Reader, before his Peaceable Plea, that there is great cauſe of ſorrow that all the Lords people ſhould not minde one thing, and ſing one ſong, and joyne in one againſt the Children of Babel. Nevertheleſſe, this may be ſome comfort againſt this ſorrow, that by the providence of the Lord this diverſity of opinions and diſputes, if it be Chriſtianly carried as it may, may occaſion and produce in the iſſue the further clearing up of truth. For as our author well obſerveth, from the Colliſion of opinions reſulteth truth: and diſputes as ſtricken flints caſt fire for light. Due Right of Presbyt. Epiſtle to the Reader. The deſire and hope whereof, together with the advice of ſuch brethren as I conſulted withall, was that which chiefely prevailed with me for the publiſhing of this reply, wherein the reader will finde ſundry Scriptures and queſtions controverted in theſe times, diſcuſſed and conſidered ſo farre as the nature of a Reply or defence did lead thereto; and I hope ſome or other through Gods bleſſing may receive ſome profit thereby. And if the humble Chriſtian who deſires to know, and love and practiſe the truth, ſhall receive any benefit or help for attaining theſe ends by meanes of this labour of mine, it is that which I intended and aimed at, and for which I deſire that God alone may have the praiſe and glory. If any ſhall ſtill remaine otherwiſe minded; yet in due time I hope God ſhall reveale even this unto them. In the meane time, diverſity of apprehenſions in theſe points ought not to bred any alienation of affection amongſt thoſe that are otherwiſe Orthodoxe, and ſincere. It were a thouſand pitties, if it ſhould. For my part, I cannot but approve what this reverend brother ſometime profeſſeth, that he doth both love and diſpute, contradict and reverence at once: Peaceable Plea: Epiſt. Yea, he counts himſelfe a debtor for love, charity, honour and all due reſpect in Chriſt Jeſus, and a ſeat and lodging in his heart and higheſt eſteeme to all thoſe that be godly, lovers of the truth, and ſufferers for the truth againſt Prelacy, though poſſibly they like not well of Preſbyteriall government: ibid. In anſwer whereto (for I would be loth that ſuch love ſhould be loſt upon us, without due returne of the like) I would for my part profeſſe the like deare and due reſpect to all thoſe that are qualifyed as here he doth deſcribe (of which ſort I know there are many) though poſſibly they may like better of the way that is called Preſbyteriall, then of the Congregationall. For thoſe that give apparent Teſtimonies that they are the Lord's, and ſo that they muſt live together in heavens, I know not why they ſhould not love one another on earth, what ever differences of apprehenſions may for the preſent be found amongſt them in ſome things. As for bitterneſſe of ſpirit and tartneſſe of conteſts, I never thought that to be Gods way of promoting truth amongſt brethren, and therefore I have endevoured in this diſcourſe to avoid the ſame. For I beleeve there is more hope of doing good by ſolidity of argument with a ſpirit of meekneſſe and love, then by ſharp and tart language, the fruit of bitterneſſe of ſpirit, wherein for the moſt part right of reaſon is wanting, the paſſions being there moſt vehement and ſtirring, where the intellectuals are moſt …eeble and weake.
Now if any aske why this defence hath been ſo long deferred, it being now two yeares and more ſince Maſter Rutherfurd his due right of Preſbyt. came forth, ſuch may be pleaſed to conſider that New England being as 'tis counted 3000 miles diſtant from old; therefore many Books may be extant in England a long time afore we that are ſo remote can ſo much as heare any ſound thereof: and thoſe few that come to our knowledge, are commonly extant in England a matter of a yeares ſpace afore, and ſometimes longer. In which reſpect many things may be ſpoken and Printed againſt us, whereto it cannot be expected that we ſhould returne any ſpeedy Anſwer. And though it be now twelve moneths agoe or more ſince Maſter Rutherfurd his due right of Preſbyt. came to my hands, yet at that time my few ſpare houres from my conſtant and ordinary employments were wholly taken up otherwiſe, ſo that I could not attend this buſineſſe any ſooner: which I deſire may be accepted as a juſt apologie for the late coming forth of this Reply; which as it may ſeeme late, ſo it is more large then in ſome reſpect I could have deſired, by reaſon that I doe uſually tranſcribe thoſe words of Maſter Rutherfurd, whereto I d…e apply my Anſwer; which courſe I confeſſe I did not unwillingly (in ſome reſpects) chuſe, partly to ſave the Reader a labour of turning to the place in Maſter Rutherfurd which I am ſpeaking too; which elſe he muſt have done, or have taken things upon my report upon truſt; and partly that my candid and faire dealing with the Author, whom I have to doe withall might the better appeare. For when a mans words are not kept, but forſaken, and others ſubſtituted in their place, his minde and meaning may ſoone be miſtaken, and repreſented amiſſe unto the Reader. Which is a practiſe that I have often ſeene, but never approved; and therefore I have not uſed it. For I would be loth to wrong any man; ſpecially a man of ſuch worth as I take Maſter Rutherfurd to be, by imputing to him what he doth not teach nor deliver: and for this cauſe it is that I have uſually tranſcribed and expreſſed his owne words; and by this meanes my booke is growne to the greater bulk.
One thing more I would advertiſe the Reader of, and then I ſhall quickly have done: the figures from 185 and ſo forward, noting the number of the Pages in Maſter Rutherfurd his Treatiſe, are ſet downe twice therein, once in their proper place, and againe after the page 484. Wherefore if any of theſe pages be quoted in this Reply, as ſome of them are, if the thing that is alleaged be not found in the page that is named, looke for it in the other place of the booke where are the ſame figures, and there you may finde it.
Courteous Reader, ſtudy the truth in a way of Piety and peace: Be zealous for it, but loſe not love to the Saints: beware, when the world is filled with diſputes about diſcipline, that thou be not drawne onelyonly to erroneous opinions in maine matters of doctrine. Be ſure to practiſe and expreſſe the power of Godlineſſe in humility of minde, mortification of thy own corruption, faith in the Lord Jeſus, and love to all his redeemed; and be not by any meanes drawne away from theſe things, which doe ſo mainly conduce to thy ſalvation. Finally as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, Phil. 4. 8, 9. whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are lovely, pure, and of good report, if there be any vertue, if there be any praiſe, thinke on theſe things, and doe them; and the God of peace ſhall be with thee. Improve I pray ſuch intereſt as thou haſt in God through the mediator, by affording the help of thy Prayers for me, who am
Truly deſirous of thy Salvation, R. M. Decemb. 10. 1646.