Essay Towards Brotherly Peace and Union, Essay · Conclusion
The Concluſion.
ANd now Brethren, If I could with Jotham get up into ſome Mount Gerizim, where I might be heard and not ſeen, or at leaſt where I might be extra jactum lapidum, I would ſpeak plainly to you, and not as he in parables: And I would numbly, and as in the ſight and fear of God deſire you to give (not me, but) the Chriſtian world, ſome conſcientious and ſatisfactory reaſon of your departing, and yet continuing ſo departed from the Churches, into which you were baptized, wherein you were converted (which reverend Mr. Cotton is not aſhamed to own, ſaying, We cannot, we dare not deny to bleſs the wombe that bare us, and the paps that gave us ſucke, Mr. Cotton lett. print. A. 1641. pag. 3. line 27.) (the moſt of you that are converted) and whereof many of you were ſometimes Miniſter; yet now you have not onelyonly made a Negative ſeceſſion from them, but a poſitive: and have drawn and culled out of thoſe Congregations (whom yet you confeſs to be true Churches) as many of the choiceſt members as you could, and gathered them (as you ſpeak) into Churches, not onelyonly diſtinct from, but oppoſite to the Reſt of the Churches and Congregations of the Nation.
I ſay oppoſite; for verily if you lived among Papiſts or Jews, you could ſcarce ſhew a greater oppoſition or abhorrence of their aſſemblies and worſhip, than you do of theſe. Some of you may be will hear ſome of their Miniſters ſometimes preach (though others of you will not vouchſafe that) ſo ſome of you have heard a Rabbi in a Jewiſh Synagogue; you know this is no act of Church communion, you know you hear them Equivocally, not as Miniſters of Chriſt, but as gifted brethren. But who of you will break bread in their Aſſemblies, though the principal leaders of your way have given it under their hand (ſee Pap. of accommodat.) firſt to the Parliament, and ſince to the world, that they could do it? who of you will vouchſafe your preſence at the adminiſtration of Baptiſm in their Churches, let it be the infant of never ſo holy parents, but make as much haſt out of their Aſſemblies, as John the Evangeliſt did out of the Bath when he heard Cerinthus was in it? What is this but to lay all theſe Churches, and all the Members of them at leaſt under the ſentence of non communion.
And for this practice I could never yet hear any thing alledged, but what is here fully anſwered and refelled out of your own Authors.
1. If you ſay, Their Churches are no true Churches. See cap 3. per totum.
2. If you ſay theſe Churches, they have not the matter of a true Church, which is viſible Saints.
Anſw. This hath been anſwered already: Firſt for the matter Maſter Cotton hath told you, Chap. 1. queſt. 1. That the Churches of the New Teſtament conſiſt of no other matter than the Churches of the old conſiſted of; and what viſible Saints they were, the books of the Kings and Chronicles, Iſaiah, Ieremiah, and the reſt of the Prophets tell you, That unregeneracy, unleſs it be accompanied with ſuch fruits as are openly ſcandalous, doth not keep any from Church fellowſhip. Anſw. to queſt. 3. cap. 1. that federal holineſs, or holineſs by ſeparation, admits to the ordinances, cap. 1. queſt. 4. And that perſons who received their memberſhip in their infancy, proving notoriouſly ſcandalous, ought not to be continued in Church-memberſhip, yet if they be, that ſeparation must not preſently be made, is the judgement both of Maſter Hooker and the reſt of the Elders of New England. See this chap. 7. anſw. to queſt. 6.
3. If you ſay, Theſe Presbyterian Churches have not the right form and conſtitution, that is, expreſſe conſent and covenant.
Anſw. Why this hath been anſwered; for Maſter Hooker and Maſter Cotton, and the reſt of the Elders agree, that the Congregations of England have that which doth as truely conſtitute them Churches, as if they were conſtituted by covenant, as appears cap. 2. anſwer to queſtion 4. See more cap. 3.
4. If you ſay, In theſe Presbyterian Churches the Officers Lord it over the inheritance of the Lord, and rob and ſpoile the brethren of the power which Chriſt hath purchaſed for them, and bequeathed to them.
Anſw. It is clear by what hath been ſpoken already, that the brethren in the Congregational way have no more nor other power than what the brethren in the Presbyterian way; for M…. Cotton ſaith the power which the Brethren have, it is but a power of liberty, but the power of Authority is in the Elders. See cap. 5. anſw. to queſt. 14, 15, 16.
1. If you ſay, The brethren In the Presbyterian way have not ſo much liberty as in the congregational: For firſt they have not the liberty of exerciſing their gifts in prophecying.
Anſw. Maſter Cotton and Maſter Hooker both have told us how farre they are from allowing this liberty which ſome preſume to take to themſelves. See before cap. 4. anſwer … queſtion 6.
2. If you ſay, They in the Presbytery have not that liberty of conſenting or diſſenting in the admiſſion of members, as the congregational have, but the examination is taken in private by the Elders.
Anſw. So it is frequently in the Congregational Churches, and for ſome perſons conſtantly, as we have ſeen above cap. 14. anſ. to queſt. 14, 15.
3. If you ſay, The brethren in the Presbyterian way have not the ſame liberty and power in cenſures that they have in the congregational.
Anſw. Yea the ſame; for the brethren in the Congregational way have not power to receive complaints in the firſt place, to hear and examine witneſſes; but theſe things are tranſacted before and among the Elders.
Secondly, The Elders they make reports of matters to the Church of brethren, and withall declare what they judge to be the mind of Chriſt concerning the cenſuring or not cenſuring of the perſon.
Thirdly, The people, they upon this relation judge of the whole, but with a judgement of diſcretion, not with a judgement of Authority.
Fourthly, They thus judging, bind the offender by conſent, not Authority.
Fifthly, This conſent is an act of obedience, not of power; all theſe we have ſeen clearly aſſerted cap. 5. in anſw. to queſt. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Now all this the brethren may and do enjoy and exerciſe in the Presbyterian way.
If you ſay, Brethren in the Presbyterian way cannot excommunicate without their Officers.
Anſw. No more may they in the Congregational way, as appeared cap. 3. anſw. to queſt. 20.
If you ſay, The Brethren of the Presbyterian way have not power to chooſe their own officers, as they have in the Congregational.
Anſw. According to the Presbyterian principles they have; and the practice is ſo in France, Netherlands Geneva, Scotland; and if it be otherwiſe in England, it is becauſe the laws of the land do yet inveſt the Patron with a power of nominating and preſenting a Miniſter; but the brethren have their vote in chooſing the other officers, Elders and Deacons; and the Presbyterian affirms, and they grant they ought to have it in the chooſing of their teaching Elders much more; beſides there are many inſtances of Presbyterian Congregations in London and elſewhere in England, that do chuſe their own Officers.
If you ſay, The brethren of the Presbyterian way cannot depoſe their Miniſters or other officers, without the conſent of a Claſſis or Synod.
Anſwer. No more may the brethren of the congregational way, regularly according to their own principles and aſſertions. See cap. 6. queſt. 1.13, 14.
If you ſay, Theſe Presbyterian Churches have Ordinances that are not of Chriſts inſtitution: As,
1. They examine thoſe whom they admit to the Sacrament, although they own them for members.
Anſw. Yet they nowhere ſay that this is an Ordinance of Chriſt, but a prudential practice, which the brethren of the Congregational way own and practice as well as they. See cap. 4. anſw. to queſt. 14, 15.
2. If you ſay, The Presbyterian Churches have ſuſpenſions of perſons not excommunicated as an Ordinance of Christ.
Anſw. They own and uſe it no otherwiſe than the brethren of the Congregational way do, as appears cap. 3. anſwer to queſt. 22, 23.
If you ſay, They have Claſses and Synods as an Ordinance of Chriſt.
I anſwer, The Congregational Churches own them for ſuch, and aſcribe more than a conſultative power to them. See cap. 6. per totum.
If you except againſt the ordination of their Miniſters, See cap. 7. queſt. 7. anſw. to the objection.
If you ſay, Their-Churches are true Churches but not pure, you have purer Churches and purer ordinances.
I anſwer, Theſe are indeed the devices whereby people are drawn away from them to you; but I beſeech you tell us particularly what Ordinances have you purer then your brethren? Is the Word more purely preached amongſt you than amongſt them? came the Goſpel forth from you, or came it unto you onelyonly? are there purer prayers and purer Sacraments amongſt you than amongſt them? do not they call upon the true Jehovah in the name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as you do, abhorring and renouncing all other objects and means of worſhip? do not they Baptize with water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, as you do? do not they break the ſame bread, and drink the ſame cup according to Chriſts inſtitution, in memorial of his death as you do? Where then, or what are theſe purer Ordinances which you have more than your brethren?
And for the purity of your Churches, I am loth to anſwer, as our Reformed Divines anſwered the like cavil of the Anabaptiſts and Browniſts by Recrimination. Yet I think I may ſay, Are there not with you, even with you alſo ſinners againſt the Lord? but I will refer you for anſwer to your own friends, cap. 1. per totum, and cap. 7. queſt. 6, 7.
And now brethren I beſeech you conſider the grounds upon which you have made, and do yet continue this ſad diviſion, and if you have no other than theſe, as I think you have not, let all the world judge whether they be not deſtroyed and overthrown by your own conceſſions.
And let me be permitted to ſpeak to you once again in the words of Iotham, Hearken to me that God may hearken to you; you have been ſtudying the purity of Churches to the utmoſt apex of it (and it may be beyond) there may be a purity ſupra ſtatutum as well as a devotion. But O that you would ſtudy the peace of Churches, and that not onelyonly theſe of your own Idea and Platform; but of all the Churches of Chriſt, I have heard ſome much complain of rigid Presbyterians: Do not you derive that title of rigid to your ſelves. The brethren of the Presbyterian way have ſufficiently declared their readineſſe to peace in their ſeveral models of aſſociation publiſhed by ſeveral Countries, to which theſe collections out of the Authors of the Congregational way, come ſo neer, that if you refuſe to come in and unite (eſpecially at ſuch a time as this, when we have ſeen already ſuch ill fruits of our diviſions, and have cauſe to fear yet worſe) the rigidneſſe will lie at your door. Seeing your Brethren and you agree in faith and worſhip; why ſhould you live like Jews and Samaritans, like Proteſtants and Papist, like Lutherans and Calviniſts? Know you not it will be bitterneſſe in the end? Why, ſeeing your ſelves are convinced, and have declared, That Members of reforming Churches ought not to refuſe communion one with another, ſo far as may conſiſt with their principles reſpectively. And communion with Presbyterians may conſiſt with your principles, at leaſt it doth with the principles of theſe from whom you profeſſe to have received the principles of your way. Why ſhould ye yet abhorre their communion? if you do, judge whether your own mouths and hands have not condemned you. Hearken therefore to me, that God may hearken unto you; or if you will not hearken unto me, yet heark to
Irenaeus, lib. 4. adv. haereſ. cap. 4. Probatio vera & minime contradictioni obnoxia, quae etiam ab adversaries ipſis ſymbola teſtificationis profert, i. e.
Thats a true proof, and not to be contradicted, that brings forth the Teſtimonies even of the adverſaries.
Hearken to Baſil, homil. in Chr. Nativ. foreign. i.e.
The witneſſes of adverſaries are moſt worthy of credit.
Hearken to Chryſoſtome homil. 82. …n Iohan. foreign.
This is an unrefragable demonſtration of Truth, if a man call adverſaries to witneſs what he ſpeaks.
Hearken to Cyprian de Uni. Eccleſ. Quomodo poſſunt duo aut tres in nomine Christi colligi, quos conſtat a Chriſto & ab ejus Evangelio ſeparari? non enim nos ab illis ſed illi a nobis receſſerunt. Et cum haereſes & ſchiſmata poſtmodumnatae ſunt, dum conventicula ſibi diverſa conſtituunt, veritatis caput atque originem reliquerunt.
i. e. How can two or three be gathered together in the name of Chriſt, when tis manifeſt they are ſeparated from Chriſt and from his Goſpel? for we have not departed from them, but they from us, &c.
Hearken to Auſt. Epiſtola ad orthod. Con. Donat. Quicunque de Chriſto & ſcripturis ſanctis conſentiunt & unitati Eccleſiae non communicant, non ſunt in Eccleſia.
Libr. 3. Cont. Donat. Non habet dei charitatem, qui Eccleſiae non diligit unitatem.
i.e. They that agree concerning Chriſt and the Scriptures, and do not communicate in the unity of the Church, are not in the Church.
He hath not the love of God, who doth not love the Churches unity.
Hearken to Paul.
l Cor. 1.10. Now I beſeech you Brethren, by the name of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, that ye all ſpeak the ſame thing, and that there be no diviſions among you, but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the ſame minde, and in the ſame judgement.
Phil. 2.1, 2, 3, 4.
If there be therefore any conſolation in Chriſt, if any comfort of love, if any fellowſhip of the ſpirit, if any bowels and mercies;
Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the ſame love, being of one accord, of one minde.
Let nothing be done through ſtrife or vain-glory, but in lowllneſs of mind, let each eſteem other better than themſelves.
Look not every man on his own things, but every man alſo on the things of others.
Gal. 5.15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed ye be not conſumed one of another.
Errata.
Page 9. line 3. read on, p. 22. l. 13. r. endued. p. 29. l. 24. r. Governors, p. 43. l. 35. r. this, p. 46. l. 36. r. or, p. 47. l. 32. r. conſotiation, p. 54. l. 1. r. be.
FINIS.
End of the text · Matthew Newcomen, Essay Towards Brotherly Peace and Union (1659)