Essay Towards Brotherly Peace and Union, To the reader 1 – To the reader 2
To the Judicious Reader.
AMongſt the manifold diviſions both in Church and State, whereby England hath been, and ſtill is damnified and endangered; the doleful differences betwixt Presbyterians and Independants, are not the leaſt, nor leaſt lamented by gracious hearts, as in other reſpects; ſo becauſe the loud noiſe thereof, both from the Pulpit and the Preſs, doth cauſe their adverſaries ſinfully to rejoyce.2 Sam. 1.20. In this regard the Popiſh, the prophane, and Prelatical party do encourage their hopes, that the good work of Covenanted Church-Reformation in England, Scotland, and Ireland, will ere long wither and come to nothing. True it is, that as neither kingdom nor houſe, ſo no other ſociety divided againſt it ſelf can ſtand;Mark. 3.24, 25. for diviſion maketh way for diſſipation.Gen. 49.7. Upon this account in purſuance of that Machivilian Maxim, Divide & impera; the Jeſuited Papiſt, and the ſelf-ſeeking Statiſt do vigorouſly endeavor to maintain and encreaſe our diviſions in matters of Religion at this day: errors and contentions which are like tares, hindring the growth of grace amongſt Chriſtians,Mat. 13.23. are ſowed by the Divel, their implacable enemy. And it is an expreſſion of great diſpleaſure from the Lord, when the evil ſpirit is ſent or ſuffered ſo far to prevail upon them which ſhould be one in mutual amity, that they in paſſion deal treacherouſly one with another.Judg. 9.23. As it cannot be denyed, but that animoſities cauſing ſad ſeparations, may be found amongſt good men (For the contention between Paul and Barnabas was ſo ſharpe that they departed aſunder one from the other) ſo experience amongſt our ſelves confirmeth,Act. 15.39. what Solomon long ſince aſſerted, A brother offended is harder to win than a ſtrong City, and their contentions are like the bars of a Palace. In the late Aſſembly of Divines called together by Authority of Parliament, many hours, yea days were run up in ſerious debates, that the Presbyterians and their diſſenting brethren might be reconciled in matters of Church diſcipline. And ſince that time many books have been publiſh't by godly Miniſters of both; perſwaſions to drive on that good deſign, but the end intended hath not hitherto been accompliſht. Now the good hand of the Almighty, the God of Peace hath ſtirred up the heart of a faithful and able Miniſter of the Goſpel (whoſe name would adde authority to this work, though he ſee cauſe to conceal it) in a new way to attempt a brotherly agreement; His deſign is to ſtitch up our rents, and to heal our breaches by diſcovering the conceſſions and poſitions of the chief Patrons of the Congregational way, that in reference to Church conſtitution of members and officers, and in reference to Church adminiſtrations by Claſſes and Synods, there is not ſo great oppoſition betwixt the Presbyterians and them, as the Independent Brethren here amongſt us do pretend and publiſh. And let the indifferent Reader (who is not byaſſed with prejudice and partiality) judge whether there be not much ingenuity with meekneſſe of wiſdom, and ſolidity of judgement in the Narrative and inferences herein tendred, without any unbrotherly reflections or bitter exaſperations. The whole Treatiſe both in regard of the matter and manner of managing it, ſpeaketh the Author to be a man of Peace. That this his undertaking might be the more ſucceſſeful, he produceth and improveth the judgement of thoſe Divines onelyonly, whoſe parts and piety have rendred them eminent, who alſo have publiſhed to the world their apprehenſions in this Controverſie, viz. Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, Mr. Norton, Mr. Shepherd, together with the Platform of Church-Government in N. Engl. which was atteſted by all the Elders convened in a National Aſſembly there; and becauſe the names of Mr. Cotton, and Mr. Hooker, are ſuperlatively famous in the Churches of Chriſt, therefore their judgement is moſt frequently inſiſted upon. During their abode in old England they were of one mind, heart, and way with the good old Non conformiſts, who were real Presbyterians, ſo far as the Brethren of their moſt intimate acquaintance did conceive; and it is ſtrongly believed, that they would not have left their native Country for conſcience ſake, in caſe they might have been freed from the unſupportable yoak of Epiſcopal ſubſcription and conformity, whereof this may be a probable evidence that very few, if any Non-conformiſts of ſpecial note, who ſtayed in England, ever turned Independents. As for the moſt (if not all) of our Engliſh Independents, they did at once ſtep over the heads of Non-conformiſts, from conformity unto Independency, or (as reverend Mr. Ball was wont with diſlike to expreſs it) they did at one jump leap out of the Surplice and Church Aſſemblies alſo. Our brethren of the Savoy Aſſembly, are too laviſh in nominating ſome worthy men, as favorites of their cauſe, for no other reaſon, yet appearing, but becauſe they were known Non-conformiſts. Dr. Reynolds by appearing at the Hampton-court conference, diſcovered himſelf a friend unto Non-conformity, but he was ever oppoſite to them who made a Schiſm in or from the Church of England. Dr. Chadderton alſo (a known Non-conformiſt, did diſlike ſeparation from the Church of England) Dr. Whittaker and Mr. Perkins alſo were of his judgement. And it would be no hard task to undertake the nomination of many Non-conformiſts, who publikely in print have witneſſed their hearty diſlike of all wayes of ſeparation from the Congregations in England, notwithſtanding the ſinful mixtures in them (vid.) Mr. Cartwright, Mr. Travers, Mr. Hilderſam, Maſter Dorrel, Maſter Bradſhaw, Maſter*Vide Mr. Balls anſwer to Mr. Cans book, intituled, Neceſſity of Separation from Non-conformiſts groun…s. Ball and Mr. Rathband; Mr. Hilderſam did much grieve when he underſtood that the Brethren in New England did depart from the Presbyterian Government; and he ſaid, This miſchief had been prevented, if my counſel at Mr. Higginſons going over, had been taken; which was, that brethren driven thither by Epiſcopal perſecution, ſhould agree upon the Church Government, before they depart from hence. And it is well known, that many Presbyterian non-conformiſts, did by a letter ſent unto New England, bewaile their departing in practice (as they heard) from the way of Church government, which they owned here. As heretofore Mr. Parker, Mr. Knew-ſtubs, Mr. Udall, Mr. Sherwood, Mr. Fen, Mr. Egerton, Mr. Balmford, Mr. Baines, Mr. Foord; and the many ſcores ſuſpended in Q. Eliz. and K. James's reign; ſo of later times, Mr. Dod, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Wight, Mr. Bourne, Mr. Pierſon; as alſo Mr. Hinde, Mr. Nicolds, Mr. Langley, (whom Biſhop Morton mentioneth in his Defence of Ceremonies) as Non-conformiſts; Were Presbyterians, and utterly againſt even Semi-ſeparation. Unto theſe might be added Mr. John Paget, Mr. Pot, (Miniſters of the Reformed Engliſh Church at Amſterdam) and Mr. Hering, with Mr. Thomas Paget, their Succeſſors. The godly Miniſters of Scotland are generally Non-conformiſts; but the world knoweth, that they are Antagoniſts to Independency. And is it not probable, that if Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker had ſtayed in their Native Countrey, they would not have been at ſuch a diſtance from Church-fellowſhip with their Presbyterian Brethren, as old England Independents are? For doubtleſs their conſcientious tenderneſſe would have wrought them to practices anſwerable unto their judgement, held forth in this book. Theſe two Worthies all their life long were ſtudious and laborious in the Work of the Miniſtry, they were Patterns of Humility, Meekneſſe, Love, ſelf-denial, and all pious practices in their Families, Relations, and whole Converſation; By them Gods Ordinances publickly Adminiſtred, were highly prized, conſtantly frequented, and the Sabbath ſtrictly obſerved as holy to the Lord. They neither covetouſly nor vain-gloriouſly ſought great things in the world by ingroſſing places of Honor, command and profit for themſelvs. The life of faith, and the power of godlineſſe ſhined moſt gloriouſly in them, all their dayes; and how few in old England who boaſt of theſe Worthies as their Predeceſſors in wayes of Independency, do merit ſuch a character of commendation, let them determin who are beſt acquainted with their converſation in their ſeveral ſtations and capacities, And when this book hath been ſeriouſly peruſed, let the Judicious Reader give ſentence, whether in their Church-adminiſtrations, they be not ſo unlike unto them, that they muſt either diſclaim their Patronage, or change their preſent practices. It is a high commendation given of learned Mr. Calvine, that in his Inſtitutions, Commentaries, and other works, he doth ſibi conſtare, always agree with himſelf, whereas many others eſpecially ſuch who are much verſed in Polemical debates, do often croſs ſhins with themſelves through inconſiderateneſs or forgetfulneſs. This is not ſpoken to caſt reproach upon any good man, but to give an Item unto all, wiſely to weigh what they Puhliſh, and what they Practice. The Peace-makers are bleſſed, but thoſe that ſowe diſcord amongſt brethren, are an abomination to the Lord. M… 5.9. Prov. 6.19.The wiſdom which is from above, is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated; Therefore follow peace and holineſſe: L…. 3.17.Love the truth and peace. Conſider what is ſaid,Heb. 12.14. …ath. 8.19. and what may be ſuggeſted in this enſuing Treatiſe, and the Lord give a right underſtanding in all things.
An Advertiſement to the READER.
LEt the Reader take notice? that theſe words in the ſecond line of the fourth page, Nations holy by Covenant, therefore Churches: and theſe words in the fifteenth line of the ſame page; and according to this ſenſe may we not ſay Saint Saul, Saint Demas, Saint Judas? and that a Church made up of ſuch as theſe, is a Church of Saints? Both theſe ſentences ſhould have been put in the margent, being not the words of the Reverend Author there cited, but Obſervations which the Collector conceived he might juſtly make upon his words.