Essay Towards Brotherly Peace and Union, Title page – Attestation
IRENICƲM; OR, AN ESSAY Towards a Brotherly PEACE & VNION, Between thoſe of the
Congregational And
Presbyterian
Way;
Shewing out of the moſt Learned and Renowned Divines of the Congregational Way, that their Poſitions Concerning
1. Church Matters and Members.
2. Church Conſtitution and Form.
3. Church State.
4. Church Officers and Ordination.
5. Church Government and Cenſures.
6. Church Combinations and Synods.
7. Communion with and Separation from Churches.
Are ſufficient for the eſtabliſhing a firme and laſting Peace between them and the Presbyterians.
Drawn up and publiſhed by Diſcipulus De Tempore Junior.
In purſuance of the good deſign begun at the Savoy, where it was agreed, and declared. That ſuch Reforming Churches as conſiſt of Perſons ſound in the Faith, and of Converſation becoming the Goſpel, ought not to refuſe the communion of each other, ſo far as may conſiſt, With their own principles reſpectively, though they walk not in all things according to the ſame Rules of Church Order, Canon 29.
London, Printed for Nathanael Webb and William-Grantham, at the black Bear in Pauls Church-yard, near the little North-door. 1659.
THE Preface.
BUt who would write Irenicums, ſeeing they who attempt it, reap (uſually) no other fruit, then he who running in between two men that are a fighting, with an honeſt intent to part them and make them friends, brings both their fiſts about his own ears, or turns both their ſwords into his own boſome, and maketh them both his enemies? at leaſt the prevailing party and he that thinks he hath the better of the cauſe, will take it exceedingly ill, as the Lutherans do Pareus his Irenicum, which ſome of them call foreign, and the Scotch non Conformiſts the Irenicum of their Country man Forbes.
The conſideration of this made the Collector of theſe Papers, though often ſollicited with thoughts of that he hath now attempted, to lay them by, till being a little awakened, firſt with the report of ſome thing towards an accommodation of diſſenting parties endeavoured, and (as they ſay) effected in Cumberland and Weſtmerland, and in other Counties, and with an expectation of ſome thing that was agreed by the Congregational way, in their meeting at the Savoy, that might conduce to that end, he judged it now ſeaſonable to preſent theſe Papers to publike view, that he might ſuum conferre ſymbolum; If this may procure a right underſtanding and compoſing of the differences between brethren, the Collector hath his deſire and reward; if it fail and miſs that end, yet he hopes his reward is with the Lord, having this teſtimony in his own conſcience, that in ſingleneſs of heart he hath managed this cauſe not knowingly or willingly falſifyng and wreſting the words of thoſe reverend men whom he cites; from which crime if his own proteſtation be not enough to clear him, thou ſhalt by and by Reader have the depoſition of two ſufficient witneſſes. If thou wilt not believe them neither, get the Books and truſt thine own eyes. If any ſay theſe authors elſewhere expreſs themſelves otherwiſe; all that I anſwer, is, that my deſign and work was, not to reconcile them to themſelves, but if I could to their Presbyterian Brethren, which how far it is done read (but read with underſtanding and without prejudice) and then judge.
Thine in the Lord D. T.
The Atteſtation.
WE have examined all the ſeveral Quotations here alledged, by the Books out of which they were taken, and finde them to be punctually and ſyllabically true; and that there is no falſification, nor violation of them; and this, we being perſons no wayes intereſted in the controverſies between the Presbyterian and Congregational Brethren, nor engaged to either Party, Teſtifie under our hands.
L. K. R. N.