Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England, Part 19 – Postscript
Anſwer to CHAP. XV.
ARticle 1. ſaith, We hold the Magiſtrate cannot lawfully compell men to enter into a Covenant with God.
Anſw. It appeares by his Margent, he meanes a Nationall Covenant; But you muſt take his owne words, as for proofe he brings none, (and I beleeve hee cannot) but Barr. and Rob. which never came there, and the Apologie which (as he ſaith) lies by him: As long as I lived there I never heard or knew the Churches held ſo. But he muſt have leave to ſay any thing.
Marg. ſaith, that many of us hold the Magiſtrate hath nothing to doe in matters of Religion.
Let him know, and all others that all the Churches with us doe abhorre that vile opinion; Some, I beleeve, Anſw. of Road-Iſland & ſome others baniſhed from us, doe hold ſo, but thoſe are gone out from us, and are not of us (as it is ſaid) 1 John 2.19. If he had conſidered this diſtinction of the bleſſed Apoſtle, hee durſt not have ſaid many of us hold ſo. This muſt goe amongſt other aſperſions to be revoked of, and recalled.
Art. 2. That we hold, that Chriſtians may and ought to ſet up new Church…s, and practiſe in them all Gods ordinances; and that 1 without the conſent of a Chriſtian State: 2 yea, againſt their commands: 3 their peremptorie cammands: ☜4 and againſt the eſtabliſhed lawes of that State: 5 yea and in the midſt of and againſt the mindes of ſuch Churches as we freely acknowledge the true Churches of God.
He reſerved a ſtrange Article for the laſt; If I had not read it, Anſ. I could ſcarſe have beleeved it poſſible hee ſhould have written it: no penne can expreſſe a greater latitude of oppoſition agaiſt Magiſtracy, and lawes, and Churches too, then here he affirmes to be in us: if you review the ſix parcells mentioned you will ſee it.
To all which I ſay, 1 there is neither truth in it, nor any proofe of all, for any of theſe ſix, except the firſt. But God and men, our conſciences, & writings, our profeſſions, and conſtant practiſes will rebuke, & teſtifie againſt this miſreport. For now you would (in reaſon) expect ſome proofes, would you not? for this accuſation;☜ You ſhall heare his cited Author himſelfe ſpeake. Anſw. to 32. q p. 35, 36. (which ſaith thus.) Obſerving the things commanded of God, in a peaceable way, yeelding due reverence to all in Authority, I & praying for them. This obſerving Gods Ordinances cannot bee unlawfull for lacke of the command of man. The ſcope of all his Author ſpeakes is this, That Chriſtians may obſerve Gods Ordinances though they have no command from the Magiſtrate ſo to do; now where is doing of this againſt his commands? His peremptory command, yea againſt his lawes? and eſtabliſhed lawes? and not the lawes of an Heathen, but a Chriſtian State? and not againſt a State only, but againſt the mindes of all the Churches of God amongſt us? Theſe are all his owne additions, that ſo he might loade his brethren with contempt. How durſt he bring in all theſe words as his Authors, and yet he knowes they all are his owne!
2. As it is againſt truth and without ground, …o it is contrary to himſelfe and his owne words Chap. 5. Art. 2. and Art. 4. where he expreſſeth that notice muſt bee, and is given to the Magiſtrates and Churches before their joyning in Church fellowſhip. Yet here in this Art he ſaith, we hold … and ought to doe it without their conſents, and againſt their minds; how can th…ſe agree?
And whereas he quotes R. M. to prove that before Churches joyn… they give notice thereof to the Magiſtrate and other Churches; yet here he bring the ſame R. M to prove, we may and doe joyne without their conſent.
Let this alſo be noted, that he ſpeakes not only of our judgement, what we hold, we may and ought to doe in this caſe; but of our practiſe alſo, what we [doe,] as appeares in laſt words of the Margent: wee looke he ſhould make that good alſo, i. e. that in our practiſe wee doe thus oppoſe State and Churches in our joyning in Church fellowſhip.
5. He againe croſſeth himſelfe, for in this Art, hee ſaith, wee hold that Chriſtians may & ought to ſet up new Churches againſt the minds of other Churches, and yet he in his Marg. ſaith, that we deny them (i. e. himſelfe and ſome others) any liberty to doe thus.
Anſ. He muſt prove either that we hold him and the reſt no Chriſtians, or that we croſſe our own rules and principles, or elſe freely acknowledge a miſtake in his word.
Thus having done with his Booke; I ſhould now come to the Poſtſcript, which I was fully purpoſed to have anſwered alſo: But now ſeeing my booke (farre beyond expectation) ſwelling, I ſhould be loath to tire out the Reader; beſides I have touched upon many things therin already, and the reſt (moſt of them being built upon his booke) muſt of themſelves fall with it, and yet if it be requiſite and worth the while, I ſhall be ready to doe it, when I ſee cauſe.
A Poſtſcript to W. R.
NOw, I intreate you, in the bowels of Chriſt and the ſpirit of meekeneſſe, to review your own worke, weigh my Anſwer without prejudice; and conſider well how many pretious Saints, and godly Churches (deare to Chriſt, perſecuted heretofore by Prelats, loving to your ſelfe) without their leaſt ſtimulation of you in this kind, you have in your Narration extremely wronged, whether through over-much credulity, incogitancie, or otherwiſe, I diſpute not. Sure I am it is done; and ſo done, that it is almoſt incredible, (as one would thinke) but you ſhould, now, at leaſt ſee your error; which if God ſhall open your eyes in whole or in part, to doe (as I humbly beſeech him you may) it will bee your honour,…xod. 21.…3, 34. and no ſmall argument of your ſelfe deniall, to recall. There was a law in Iſrael, that he that digged a pit, was not to leave it open but cover it, elſe what ever dammage happened he was to make it good. You are able to make application. Solomon, Auſtin, &c. never gained ſo much, as by their retractations. There are ſome ſinnes, God will not ſenſe up the pardon of, till ſatisfaction be made by the party: Defamation is one of them. It wil be no griefe of heart, but much comfort, to remember (when you are about to leave this world,) that although, through praecipitancy, you did blemiſh your Brethren, yet) after conſideration you did againe as readily, wipe away the blot, by a brotherly vindication as for as truth required; which if …ter conviction) you ſhall for beare to do upon what pretence ſoever, how will you be able to lye downe in your grave in peace?
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Weld, Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England (1644)