An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Part 1 · Section 1
In nomine Domini,October 29. 1656. & ad honorem Ieſu Christi & ipſius Eccleſiae, ad veritatis aram haec offero. An anſwer to the Admonitory Letter. The words are theſe. SECT. I.
Reverend Sir,
THat the glorious God who is the giver of all grace as well as of every good and perfect gift, would never be weary of conferring on you, or of continuing in you, or yet of encreaſing by you, thoſe real and rich gifts and graces, which he out of his good will and meere goodneſſe was pleaſed to indue and adorne your precious ſoul withal: for the due and daily uſe and exerciſe whereof his maine aime and uttermoſt end was his own ſervice, and your own ſolace to traine you up higher in holineſſe and happineſſe (as I am hopefully perſwaded in my very heart) then moſt of your companions, or acquaintance, kindred or countrey (and that at the leaſt) by the head and ſhoulders;1. An humble motion for you. is one of thoſe motions with which I have frequently and unfainedly found my ſelf moved (and that as I truſt from the higheſt heavens) for to make unto the hearer of prayers, and the granter of requeſts. This motion is my humble motion for you.
Tbe Anſwer to the firſt Section.
AMong thoſe different kind of prayers the Apoſtle mentions and enjoyns, Interceſſion is one.1 Tim. 2.1. That therefore you are pleaſed to intercede for me at the throne of grace, is an act of piety and charity, and I heartily thank you for it, and deſire the continuance; and I beſeech the hearer of prayers, and granter of requeſts, to hear and grant to us both a clear underſtanding, a ready will, obedient affections to embrace the naked Truth, as it ſhall be manifeſted unto us, all partialities and ſactions, or inclination to any parties being ſet aſide. For thus much I may aſſure you, that I am of a peaceable and docible diſpoſition. Peaceable, and hate contention and wrangling, well knowing that pruritus litigandi eſt ſcabies Eccleſiae, Eccleſ. 12.12.it cooles devotion, and animates faction. I verily beleeve he is the leſſe Chriſtian, that knows beſt to wrangle. There is no end of making many books, eſpecially of Controverſie. For of theſe there is no end either for ceſſation or profit. None for ceſſation, becauſe the parties intereſſed either through ſelf-love or pertinacy, rarely are by the moſt forcible arguments drawn to retract what they have once maintained. None for profit, becauſe the contenders are ſeldome bettered or made more religious, would I might not ſay far worſe, more fierce and of alienated affections. This needs no proof, ſince it is too apparent in the encounters of all ſides, whether for Papiſtry, Prelacy, Presbytery, Independency, &c. The Writers pens are for the moſt part ſteep'd in gall, of which tart juice I promiſe you, you ſhall not taſte one drop, it being ſo contrary to my nature, whom the Dove that deſcended on our Saviour hath embued with mildneſſe and a ſtudy of peace. And as I am inclinable to peace, ſo I am very docible alſo. Wax is not eaſier to receive an impreſſion, than I am the ſeale of truth, but then it muſt be made evident unto me either by plaine and expreſſe Scripture, or elſe by ſome demonſtration and deduction evidently drawn from thence, for otherwiſe I muſt remaine where I was. This becauſe I finde not in your diſcourſe, my judgement is not upon it altered. The words I finde in it many, the arguments and proofs in it very few. 'Tis a pretty Narrative, not any demonſtration; pardon me therefore if I yeild not.
The gifts and graces you take notice of in me, I freely and openly acknowledge are farre ſhort of your conceit; they cannot ſwell me but humble me, being laid together with my imperfections; and were it not partiality in you, you might behold them farre more eminent in many of my companions and acquaintance. But your friendly minde hath preſented me unto you as an object through a miſt, which makes it ſeeme farre bigger than indeed it is. Yet your errour of love ſhall not make me beleeve I am a gyant, when I am but a Pigmee, and ſo rich in grace, goodneſſe, holineſſe as you intimate, being conſcious to my own defects. However I am what I am,1 Cor. 15.10. and I hope his grace which is beſtowed upon me is not in vaine. My talent I received from him, to him I acknowledge it, and give thanks for it,Epheſ. 4.12. and I ſhall endeavour to employ it to that end it was given, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the miniſtry, for the edifying of the body of Chriſt. Hic labor, hoc opus. And it is my griefe, that I am forced to wrap it up in a napkin, and me thinks it ſhould breed in them ſingultum cordis, that have forc'd me to it. But no more of this. It follows in your Letter.