Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England, Part 7
Anſwer to CHAP. III.
THis Chapter is ſpent in laying downe what qualifications the Churches of New-England require in perſons of age that are admitted Members.
He tells us (to name but the heads in briefe.) [That they muſt be reall Saints, ſincere Beleevers, men of meeke and humble ſpirit… and ſincere ends, and that the Church in admitting of them, doth make exact triall, 1. by letters of recommendation, 2. or teſtimony of Members, 3. experience of their converſation, 4. by examination of their knowledge and the worke of grace, firſt in private, then in publique, 5. that they be ſuch (which he ſaith is much deſired) as can cleave together in opinion and affection, 6. that they cohabite as neere as may be, for the better mutuall watchfulneſſe, 7. that they be ſuch as know what belong to Church Covenant, approve it and ſeeke … ]
I pray W. R. (ſpeake now as a Chriſtian and as a man of God,) … there any thing in all this you have ſaid, that you can blame in our practiſe, 1. for deſiring to have all our members (if it might be) of ſuch a ſpirituall ſtampe and character as this, and 2. for endeavouring by tryall (what lies in us) to find out ſuch as ſay that they are Jewes and are not, but doe lye, 3. and having diſcovered ſuch, for keeping them from polluting the holy ſeales and other Ordinances of God to his diſhonour, and their own ruine, 4. or if we (as far as our light and line reaches, for wee have no ſpirit of infallability, Find them ſound in the faith, for receiving, encouraging, comforting them, what hurt is in all this? I tell you, W. R. if your ſelfe and ſome others did take more exact pains in the tryall of your people, and fitting them for the enjoyment of Church-Priviledges, it would never repent you.
Now, although theſe particulars recited, doe juſtifie us and our proceedings; yet marke his dealing, firſt in his Articles, then in the Margent of his chapter.
He tells the world Art. 2. That we require in perſons to be admitted, not only to be common, bu… [choyce Chriſtians.]
…nſ.It by ch…y…, he me…n…s eminent Chriſtians, it's very falſe, for we accept Chriſtians of the loweſt forme, and never reject any for want of parts or eminency of grace, i… we can diſcerne in them an heart ſmitten with ſenſe of ſin and need of Chriſt joyned with a blameleſſe converſation, though very weake in knowledge and faith, &c. we dare not refuſe but emboſome them in the Lord.
And h…mſelfe (when he will ſpeake the naked truth) confeſſeth as much Art 8 & tells us what great indulgence we uſe in the admitting members.
Let the Reader take notice, that upon peruſall of his Authors quoted, he ſh…ll not find any one ſentence or word tending to juſtifie his ſaying her…in.
Hee would make men beleeve in Article the ſecond, that wee hold if any be admitted that is not a reall Saint, he is falſe matter of the viſible Church.
…nſwer.This he boldly affirmes, but not one word of proofe, nor truth. We hold no ſuch thing; for a viſible Saint may be true matter of a viſible Church, when admitted a member, upon his profeſsion of godlines and taking the Covenant as Achan, Iudas, Ananias, & Saphira, were all true matter of the viſible (though not of the inviſible) Church, elſe they had never beene admitted, into the Churches. And that our Churches in New-Eng. hold ſo, vid. 1. 2. Anſ. to 32 9. 50. Diſcourſe of the Covenant pag 5.
Hence now, what will become of all his long Margent to Article 12. where hee keepes a great ſtirre in confuting us by foure tedious arguments of an error we never held, but it's one of his owne framing. So all his labour therein is loſt; and ſome diſhonour gained, he ſaid in his preface he would bring proofe for every materiall thing not proved before; yet he breakes his word, becauſe he had a minde to have it true, that it might reflect upon us.
He reports, That every one that is admitted is brought before the whole Church (though never ſo many) to make their Declarations in publike, & wonders in his margent that we ſhould be ſo harſh in our dealing, as not to betruſt the Elders and ſome private men with their examinations. Art. 6.
He is againe beſides the truth, Anſwer. for in the Churches where we have lived many yeares, we have ſeene ſuch a tender reſpect had to the weaker ſex (who are uſually more fearefull & baſhfull) that we commit their triall to the Elders & ſome few others in private, who upon their teſtimony are admitted into the Church, without any more adoe. And ſo ſhew more indulgence to them then W. R. doth to us. As for that question in his margent, Why may not the Officers be truſted with their examinations, &c. Anſ. So they are, frequently, according to your wiſh.
In the ſame Article he ſaith, That in the publique their Declarations muſt be to the conviction and ſatisfaction of all before they can be admitted.
It's not ſo, for though ſome few be unſatisfied, Anſwer. they uſe to ſubmit to the reſt, and ſit downe in their votes, unleſſe their reaſons be ſuch as may convince the Church.
For his Quotations cited to prove both theſe laſt mentioned, good Reader doe us the favour but to ſearch. Anſwer to 32 queſt. pag. 23. 24. and Anſw. to 9 queſt. 62. 70. and you ſhall finde them to juſtifie him ſo farre, as not to afford him any one word, or ſo much as a ſhew and countenance.
All I ſay to W. R. is this; How can this ſtand with ſimplicity and truth?
He would make men beleeve Art. 8. that SOMETIMES we goe contrary to our former rigour, by uſing great indulgence in our admitting members: as if we were not conſiſtent to our ſelves and principles through inconſtancy; and (upon this) taxes us in the Margent for ſo doing.
Do but marke his dealing in this his proofe of our unconſtancy for the ſelf ſame author, & page he quoted to prove the rigour of our admiſſions, Anſwer. he cites to prove our indulgence. Anſw. to 32. queſt. p. 8. he brings this for the one and the other as if the ſame pen had written contradictions in the ſame page, yet no ſhow of any ſuch thing will appeare if you peruſe the place; I leave the Reader to judge.
That ſuch members in one Church in N. E. as are received to the Sacrament in another Church, muſt fi…ſt bring letters of recommendation from their owne Churches, Art. 7.
Though we hold it a convenient thing (eſpecially for ſuch as live farre off, and altogether unknown to any of the Church, Anſwer. where he deſires participation of the ſupper) to bring a teſtimoniall with him, yet it is a conſtant and uſuall thing (eſpecially if any of the Church knowes them) to accept Members of other Churches upon their deſire, without any letters teſtimoniall, and the Author quoted does him the favour rather to ſeeme to ſpeake contrary to him then for him, for (ſaith the Anſwer to 32. p. 29. 30.) We doe require letters teſtimoniall from the congregations in Old-England, for ſuch as come from thence, before wee admit them to the Sacram…nts, whereas ſuch as come from one Church to another in New-England we receive becauſe theſe Churches in N. E. are better knowne to us the… the other. See him this teſtimony favours him.
The laſt and worſt report of all the reſt is in Art. 12. where hee rep… That if any amongſt us doe not ſeeke and deſire Church fellowſhip in our way, … account them DESPISERS OF IT, YEA WICKED AND GRACELESSE PERSONS.☞
…nſw.To which I anſwer with deteſtation, (GOD FORBID.) Wee ſpeaket… (as knowing God heares all our words) We hope we are farre from ſuch a ſpirit: for we know well, that many gratious and pretious Saints there amongſt us may, and ſometimes doe, for a good time abſtaine from ſeeking and deſiring Church fellowſhip for other grounds then DESPITE VVICKEDNES, AND GRACELESNES.
Sometimes becauſe they are not ſetled in a place: ſometimes becauſe they deſire more experience of the Miniſters & people where they ſhould joyne: ſome for want of cleare light and full conviction of the Church-wayes we walke in: and ſome others out of many feares about their owne ſpirituall eſtate before God, judging themſelves (through temptation) out of a ſtate of grace; and dare no… venture upon the Seales, &c. whom we yet eſteem… pretious Soules and have laboured by all arguments, wee were able, to encourage to come into Church fellowſhip.
☞See what cauſe therefore he hath in his marginalls to this Article to upbraid us, for harſhnes uncharitableneſſe, and forgetting the royall law of love in this point, &c. whereas he forgets the law of love and truſt alſo, in ſuch reports as theſe are.☞ And for theſe quotations cited of Anſw. to 32. q. p. 21. and Anſw. to 9. poſ. p 69. (wee boldly ſay and doe here challenge him with it) that there is not one word therein to beare him out; and therefore I doe here lay this report upon himſelfe, as the raiſer of it, let him defend it, or humbly take the blame.
Beſides theſe blurs he puts upon us in the text, he attempts no leſſe in his large marginall comments on this chap. by many objections raiſed againſt us, (beſides thoſe we have taken away already.)
…bject.As that we keepe our Church doores ſo cloſe ſhut, and why may not faire overtures and ſhewes of Grace in ſuch as offer themſelves, be ſufficient for admiſſion? and what neede ſuch narrow ſearching and ſounding of mens hearts to the bottom? and that Chriſt never made ſuch rules, and the Apoſtles and their Churches never practiſed the lik…, and that reall and internall holineſſe is not required to make a member, but only federall and externall, &c.
Anſw. Doe but ſee how Church members were wont to be qualified. Matt. 3.6. Act. 8 37, 38. Acts 19.18.9 Rom. 17. and 15.34. Eph. 1.1. 1 Cor. 9.13. 2 Cor. 8.5 Where is plainely expreſſed, what frame ſuch were of. They confeſſed their ſinnes; They profeſſed their Faith; They beleeved in the Lord Ieſus, with all their heart. They confeſſed & ſhewed their worke. They openly burnt as many c…iuring bookes as …e mo…th no leſſe then fifty thouſand peeces of ſilver. They were man beloved of God, Called to bee Saints; Full of goodneſſe, filled with knowledge. The faith of ſome of them ſpoken of through the world; Faithfull in Chriſt Jeſus; Profeſſed their ſubjection to Chriſt; gave up themſelves firſt to the Lord, and there to the Church by the will of God. Now let W. R. ſpeake, is here only federall and externall holineſſe, were here onelyonly faire Overtures and ſome ſhewes of grace? but if we goe further their his principles carry him: Then wee keepe our Church doores too cloſe; Then hee cryes out; its againſt charity, againſt chriſtian wiſedome, againſt Juſtice and all; and then why will not Overtures and ſhewes ſerve our turnest I tell you theſe Overtures &c ſhewes (W. R.) have done miſchiefe enough already, (a man would thinke) to Chriſt his Kingdome, and to theſe poore Engliſh Churches, its even hightime (ſure) to preſſe on further now then Overtures, firſt you were for ſtinted Liturgies, and now pleade for Overtures; whither next?
But to Margent on Article 4. What need… we be ſo nice in our admiſſions, Objection 2 whereas men in Scripture have beene admitted into Church Communion upon one teſtimony onelyonly, as Paul Acts 9.27. upon Barnabas teſtimony alone, and Phoebe, Rom. 16.1. upon Paul… bare testimony.
1. For Paule admiſſion; If you would conſider, Anſw. 1. The incomparable eminencie of Grace, and ſingular excellency of ſpirit that was apparent in Paul: 2 The high eſteeme and credit that Barnabas (who gave teſtimony of him) had in the Churches hearts, (as Acts 11.24. Acts 4.36. Acts 13.2. and 13 7. and 15.25.) And thirdly, The fulneſſe of his teſtimony which he gave in for Paul, Acts 9.27. you will eaſily anſwer your ſelfe, that there were more grounds for his admiſſion then ever were required of any member into a New-England Church.
Secondly, For the admiſſion of Phoebe by Pauls teſtimony only, Rom. 16.1 Its anſwered, Pauls bare eſtimony was more then twenty mens words in the Churches hearts: 2 But here is a great miſtake, for Phoebe was not by Pauls teſtimony admitted into Church fellowſhip (for ſhe was already a member of the Church of Ce…chrea, yea and a ſervant of it too, viz. either a widow of that Church, or ſent from that Church to Rome upon ſome ſpeciall buſineſſe) but ſhee was only recommended by Paul to the Church of Rome, during the time of her abode amongſt them, not for any admiſſion into the Church at Rome, but for aſſiſtance in ſome buſines, Rom. 16.2.)
What neede is there of Verball declarations of the worke of Grace? for if they be Object. 3 ſubtile Hypocrites they will deceive you with golden words, as Marg. Art. 5.
1. It may, and doth ſatisfie our owne conſciences, Anſw. if we do uſe all meanes we can, to finde out, by the rules of the word) whether grace be in them or no, it they yet deceive us, its their ſin, not ours.
2. God (who often takes the wiſe in their owne craft, 1 Cor. 1.19.) laies open ſuch hypocrites, while they ſeeke to deceive others, (as frequent experience hath ſhewen us in the very act of their triall.)
3. Thoſe that are ſound doe manifeſt the ſweet ſmell of their graces by ſuch declarations. Therefore it is not bootleſſe.
Object. It ſeemes a thing impoſſible to ſuch good ſoules as know not the time & manner of their converſion, or have forgotten it, to give account thereof ſatisfyingly to a multitude, ſeeing alſo their manner of inquirie is ſtrict, and the matter inquired into, the ſpirituall ſoule points.
Anſw. 1. We wonder, (we confeſſe) to ſee a Chriſtian, a Miniſter of God thus to ſpeake. If it ſeemes ſo impoſsible for ſome Chriſtians to give an account of the worke of Grace in them,Pet. 3.15. what meant Peter to direct all beleevers to bee alwaies ready to give an anſwer to every man of the hope that is in them? If they muſt give this anſwer to all (even to perſecutors themſelves,) (as the Text intends) of the grounds of their hope, is it impoſsible that theſe good ſoules ſhould render account to their godly brethren, who in a loving way demande it, and for their owne good too?
2. What if they know not the time, order & manner of their converſion, yet, if they can give any evidence of Chriſt, now in them by the workings of his Spirit for preſent, though they know not how Chriſt came at firſt into them, its ſufficient.
Object. If an account of their grace muſt be given, were it not better to have a ſet and ſtanding rule written and recorded without variation in all the Churches? ibid.
…nſwer.Would he have us make a New-England Primer, a ſet forme? this were a way indeede to bring all to a formall courſe, and to teach every one (though no grace or experience at all of Chriſt in his heart) to learne (by rote) this forme, and then all were well.
W. R. was (as we heard even now) firſt, for common praiers, and then for Overtures and ſhewes, and now you have him for ſtanding formes; You ſhall ſee him goe further anon, are not your fingers ſinged enough yet with ſuch formalities? Its time to ceaſe.
Obiect. Through your ſtrict examinations multitudes of our Engliſh in N. E. that were reputed godly, are kept out of Church-Order, and themſelves and little ones little better then heathens, Marg. on Art. 6.
…ſw.Many, for want of examination of themſelves and tryall by others, that went, in common view, for ſound ones, poſſibly (and that not without good cauſe) upon due triall may be found too light, when weighed in Gods ballance, and its better for ſuch to be diſcovered here, then hereafter, to their eternall ruine:
2. Many doe keepe out of Church-Order upon ſundry other grounds above ſaid, and out of choyce, and not through ſtrait examination.
3 But that the non-admitted are eſteemed by us, or doe live like Heathens, is an untrue and unſavory imputation: Where we ſee any breathings of Chriſt in any, we eſteeme them as Chriſtians, we love them dearely, and carry our ſelves accordingly to them and theirs, though not yet in Church fellowſhip with us, (God himſelfe is our record againſt ſuch calumnies,) where wee ſee no grace as yet wrought, we labour in all meekneſſe to bring them to Chriſt, and in meane time take Chriſtian care of them and their little ones, as thoſe that may bee heires of the ſame grace with our ſelves: doe men all this to heathens?
But why are men of differing opinions, and men of harſh and rugged diſpoſitions, Object. 7 though otherwiſe Godly, kept out from your Churches? Marg to Art. 9.
1. If mens opinions be ſuch as deſtroy faith, or the power of holineſſe, Anſwer. as many in New-England lately were, (though now layed proſtrate by the light and power of the word) or ſuch as doe directly croſſe and eradicave the fundamentalls of our Church Governement, and the perſons that hold theſe til opinions are factious and turbulent: It's no wonder though we be ſlow in admitting ſuch as wee know will deſtroy either the power of godlineſſe, or our Churches peace; but if they d…ffer onelyonly in ſome inferiour points (as you ſpeake) and be of ſober ſpirits, it's known, we admit ſuch and live in peace together with them.
2. Wee never knew men of ſowre and cynicall diſpoſitions naturally, meerely for that, if otherwiſe they appeare godly, and labour againſt ſuch diſtempers, to be kept out of Church-fellowſhip amongſt us.
But if any man deny the Church Covenant, or doubt of it, your Church doores Object. 8 are ſhut for ever againſt him, p. 11. end.
We pray you goods W. R. ſpeake not againſt common ſenſe; Anſw. How can wee poſsibly admit him into our Church Covenant, that denies the Church-Covenant? can wee make him doe that he denies to doe? Since Gods people muſt be a willing people, Pſal. 110.3. Or if he doubts of the lawfulneſſe of it, is it lawfull for him to enter into it doubtingly, or for us to offer it, ſeeing whatſoever is not of faith is ſinne? Rom. 14. laſt.
But to ſay, our Church doores are [for ever] ſhut againſt him, is a ſpeech as untrue as harſh, for as we waite on God to afford, and on him to receive light, ſo we are as glad when he is informed therein, & are ready to open our Church doores wide to receive him.
Some other things more ſlight I paſſe by in his Marginalls on this Chap. for brevity, the ſubſtance of all which may bee referred to ſome or other of theſe heads.