Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England, Part 3 – Part 4
Firſt for his grounds.
You would thinke that the grounds on which all his worke is founded, and all New-England Churches taxed, had neede bee ſound, even, adequate, or elſe hee will not prove himſelfe a wiſe builder. But they are theſe three. 1. Our owne printed Bookes. 2. Private letters. 3. Other good intelligences, (as himſelfe ſaith in his Title.)
For the printed bookes which he quotes, they are the writings of ſome godly and learned men there: But that theſe be rightly conceived, know 1. Theſe bookes (five in number) are not written from all the Elders, two of them but from one only; Another from ſome few, none of them from all. 2. Not written to the Churches here, as a Platforme of our practiſe, but ſent as an anſwer to ſome one or more Brethren in England that deſired ſatisfaction to ſome quaetees of their owne (whereof W. R. himſelfe was one▪) 3. Nor intended by them for the preſſe, much leſſe to be made a ſtandard to prove our Churches opinions and waies by, but publiſhed by ſome well-minded here, without their knowledge, yea againſt the mindes of ſome of them. Yet if he had kept cloſe to theſe in his narration, he had ſaved his credit, and my paines, but (you ſhall ſee) he hath ſo abuſed and wreſted them (I dare ſay in wel-neere an hundred places) that his aſſertions are, not their ſayings and words, but his owne, and they will leave him to quit himſelfe as well as he can; For as Scripture it ſelfe (the rule of all things) abuſed is no Scripture, ſo the writings of men perverted are no more theirs. This we ſhall make plentifully appeare.
Sundry private letters lying by him, (as hee ſaith) ſent from New-England; (but names only two letters of their names) are another ground of his ſtory. And whatſoever any one of theſe writs▪ (though never ſo privately, and unknown to any other man in any of all the Churches,) muſt needs be the opinion of all the Churches in New-England. But to ſhew the invalidity, yea, and impoſſibility of this to be a good ground, Conſider,
1. Theſe are incompetent proofes, and liable to great and juſt exceptions. For 1. Some, there, are contrary to us in their opinions, Antinomians, Familiſts, Antichurchians, &c. and even ſome of his cited letters (as neer as we can gather) are from ſome of theſe. 2. Others that write letters from thence, are weake in judgement, not underſtanding what the Churches hold, or not able to expreſſe aright what they themſelves underſtand; are all theſe fit to be the Churches interpreters? Doth not W. R. himſelfe in his preface ſay, Scribimus omnes indocti doctique. 3. Others may be novices & not well verſt in our way, nor ripe to give the Churches verdict. 4. Some others, haply, are but in part of our judgement, and not come off fully to the Churches practiſes there. 5. Others are prejudiced againſt the place and perſons; and prejudice (himſelfe knowes) can hardly ſpeake well. And (we know) diverſe ſuch have wrote letters, which (tis like) are fallen into his hands: Therefore theſe cannot be built upon for competent witneſſes.
And whereas he ſaith in his Poſtcript. pag. 50. Object. That theſe letters come from Members of Churches, and many from Miniſters of the Word. It is anſwered, That Members of Churches, and Miniſters too, Anſ. may be liable to ſome or other (and ſome of them poſſibly to many) of the ſaid exceptions. Neither is it in our power (nor in any Church in the world) to cure all their Members (or Miniſters either) of their diſtempers; for if it were, you would not ſuffer your own Churches (in many of their Members and Miniſters) to be ſo infected with ſundry groſſe errors as they are.
2. A teſtimonie, againſt whole Churches had need be ſure, that men may truſt unto it. But how can we be aſſured, 1. Whether ſuch letters as he cites were ever written from New-England or no, (for I have good ground to queſtion,☜ becauſe he thruſts in T. G. to I. G. amongſt his New-England letters, and yet theſe men never came there, though himſelf faith in poſtſcript, pag. 51. ult. l. That his letters come from Members of our Churches in New-England.) And as he adds ſome, ſo he may adde more for ought I know. 2. If ſuch letters were ſent, how can we be aſſured, that ſuch expreſſions (as he reports) are in thoſe letters? 2. Or ſuch a ſcope, (as he puts upon them) to be collected from thoſe expreſſions? All theſe muſt be cleared before we can ground any thing upon them. But W. R. tells us ſo. Anſ. So he tells us other ſtories in this booke, that are as far from truth, as Old-England is from New: which wee have no faith to credit. 2. If he hath ſo extreamly miſtaken the printed letters, which he knowes we can come at to peruſe, how can we, or any elſe, be aſſured that he hath not more abuſed his private letters, which no eye but his owne may ſee?
3. Suppoſe none of the mentioned exceptions can be had, but that the writers of the letters be as honeſt, ſound, able men as can be imagined, and ſuppoſe we could be aſſured of the particulars recited; yet all this will not ſerve, becauſe they are but ſingle men, and write as private perſons, their own thoughts, not as be truſted by any commiſſion from the Churches, to write their common Judgements. Therefore no ground to eſteeme their letters of ſuch authenticall force, unleſſe he can prove they were allowed by the Churches, or were men Apoſtolicall, that could not erre in writing. 4 If this be a good ground to prove Churches judgements by private letters: marke what abſurdities will enſue. 1. That we muſt believe that the Churches of New-England denie a power of votes, ordinarily, to the people, becauſe Mr. Parker a Paſtour there wrote ſo. And ſo of neceſſity we muſt believe a falſhood. 2. That if W. R. and two or three more, ſhould write into New-England of their allowance of the lawfulneſſe of an impoſed Common Prayer booke; then we may write and print it, (for ſo doth W. R.) that the Churches and Miniſters in Old-England, doe generally allow ſuch impoſitions. 3. Then any few envious or malicious perſons in a Church, may bring a ſcandall (unavoydable) upon any Church in the world, if what they ſay and hold ſhould be accounted the Churches judgement, where they live. 4. Then the Churches of England are all Antinomian, and Familiſticall, becauſe (on our knowledge) ſuch letters have been written from ſome in theſe Churches as profeſſedly mainetaine ſuch opinions: how abſurd theſe concluſions would be, let any ind fferent man judge.
5. Yea, (to ſinke this unreaſonable dealing of his) [ITS IMPOSSIBLE] that this ſhould be a ſound diſcovery of the Churches judgement and practiſe there,☞ becauſe many of theſe letters cited ſpeake contrary one to another, (as himſelfe well knowes) and his Narration fully expreſſeth) yet all the Churches in New-England, (ſaith W. R. himſelfe in his 1. pag.) are of one and the ſame way in Church Government, and what may be ſaid of any one may be believed of all: Therefore it's impoſſible that his letters (which ſpeake contraries) can be a ſufficient ground of teſtimonie for our Church way, which is but only one. And for him to produce them, as a proofe of what they cannot poſſible make good, appeares not only A SEEMING CONTRADICTION, but againſt light of COMMON SENSE, which he falſly imputes to us, but we truly to him.
6. Laſtly, we appeale for a concluſion of this Argument, from W. R. in a diſtemper to the ſame man in his right minde, to tell us, now ingenuouſly, if this be a good Argument, by one mans writing to prove the Churches iudgement. No ſaith W. R. (pag. 3. line 4. of this very booke) it is not, for ſuch a booke (ſaith he) called our way of the Churches, proves not, that they hold a platforme of Diſcipline in New-England, and why. Becauſe it was compiled by one particular man, and not conſented to by the reſt. What can be more full?
But he leanes not upon the teſtimony of any one letter, Object. but produceth divers letters for the proofe of every particular.
If he did ſo, it were inſufficient as is proved, Anſw. but he often produceth one ſingle private letter alone, without any other evidence at all, as I can make appeare in above fifty ſeverall places throughout the booke.
But he will tell us that he produceth not theſe private letters and manuſcripts by themſelves alone to prove our judgements, Object. and practiſes in New England; but as ioyned with the printed book…s or papers, to make the ſtorie compleat.
But it is not ſo neither, Anſ. ☞for in abundance of places he produceth none of the printed bookes at all for proofe, but only …heſe private letters, as his only ground. As Cap. 1. Art. 2. Cap. … Art. 2. medio. and Art. 4. And Art. 5. And Art. 11. Cap. 4. Art. 9. And pag. 17. pag. 18. pag. 19. Cap. 5. Art. 2. And Art. 3. And Art. 4. And Art. 5. And Art. 6. And Art. 7. And Art. 8. And Art. 9. And Art. 10. And Art. 11. Cap. 6. Art. 10. Cap. 7. Art. 4. Art. 5. Art. 6. Art. 7. Cap. 9. 9. And above twenty more, mentioned in the Margent and the poſtſcript. Therefore it's evident he grounds a very great part of his Narration upon theſe private writings, which are altogether inſufficient, as we have proved upon demonſtrated reaſons.
But he was not there himſelfe an eye-witneſſe to behold things; Object. he produced the beſt grounds he had for his Narrative.
What calling had he more then others, Anſ. to make any Narratives of things done 3000. Miles off, which he knew no better? he ſhould rather have let it alone then abuſe the truth, the Church…s, and all dabble himſelfe upon ſuch ſlight grounds as theſe are.
But ſee his third ground, he hath OTHER GOOD INTELLIGENCES, that is, by word of mouth.
1. Who can witneſſe he hath ſuch Intelligence? Anſwer.
2. That this is GOOD Intelligence?
3. Where are thoſe good Intelligencers? let them come face to face and be tryed: but if they be peeping behind the doore, we owne them not for good Intelligencers.
Thus we have ſeene the unſoundneſſe of this foundation whereon he builds his ſtory, and the Axlettee on which all the burden lies, being thus broken, the NARRATIVE muſt needs fall without any further oppoſition.
But as his grounds are weake, ſo the manner of his procedings is 1. Unloving. 2. Irregular.
1. UNLOVING. Witneſſe 1. All thoſe calumnies, he ſtrives with all his might, (though to no purpoſe) to caſt upon his, ſo much HONOVRED BRETHREN, from the beginning of his Preface to the end of his Poſtſcript. 2. His croſſe-grained animadverſions, where are ſo many quibs, gibs, ſcoffes, and far-fetched collections, to make New-England men and their wayes odious to the world, together with his darke and doubtfull expreſſions, (often dropt out) which may eaſily be taken by the Reader in the worſt ſenſe: As though …e reſerved his evaſions if he ſhould be put to it 3. His ſtyle full of bitterneſſe, that a man may know who the writeris: though he put downe but two letters of his name. 4. That he will (againſt all …mmon ſenſe) needs make us as much differing from the Churches … England, as the moſt rigid Browniſts, yea in ſome reſpects more; and this hee ſtrongly contends for, though we (profeſſedly) in our writings, preachings, practiſes manifeſt the contrary, and teſtifie as oft as occaſion ſerves, the great diſlike, & of their rigid Separation. 5. As he hath caſt us out of his own heart, ſo he labours to bring all men out of conceit with us, the Churches here, the Parliament, the Aſſembly, the whole Kingdome, 3. Kingdomes, yea, all other Churches and Nations: As if we and all our Church-courſes were a compound of abſurdity and folly: But in this, as in the reſt, we commit our caſe to God that judgeth righteouſly, who can cleare us as the light, Pſal. 37.
☞As his dealing is unloving, ſo irregular for it's directly againſt the Apoſtles rule, 1. Tim. 5.19. AGAINST AN ELDER RECEIVE NOT AN ACCVSATION, BVT BEFORE TVVO OR THREE VVITNESSES. Where it's plain, that Timothy himſelfe muſt not receive ſo much as (one) accuſation againſt any one Elder of a Church, but before two or three witneſſes that are able to make it good, (ſo tender is God of the names of his Miniſters.) But W. R. ſo far forgets himſelfe, and this bleſſed rule, that he receives.
1. Not one, but MANY accuſations (as his booke ſhewes.)
2. Not againſt ſome one Elder, but in a manner, ALL THE ELDERS, YEA AND MEMBERS TOO, AND ALL THE CHVRCHES IN N. E.
3. And all this not upon report of TVVO OR THREE VVITNESSES, but ſome one ſingle teſtimonie.
4. Yea, not ſo much as one ſingle witneſſe produced BEFORE us, as the text requires, but onelyonly hee himſelfe ſaith, hee hath ſuch and ſuch a letter by him, tells him ſo: So that (upon the point) there is not one legall witneſſe, but all the teſtimonie is involved upon himſelfe only, (a moſt incompetent man) and unfit to be an Informer, an accuſer and a witneſſe too, much leſſe in the roome of two or three witneſſes.
5. And (which is yet more) the doth not only receive theſe accuſations, but [reports them to others,] yea divulge and print them to the whole world.
6. And all this too, with as great infamy, dammage and wrong before the Churches and Kingdome, as may be imagined and at ſuch a time alſo, as never was in our age, when as the Parliament and aſſembly both ſit at once, conſulting about Church-Diſcipline.
7. And he ſtaies not in the bare reporting theſe accuſations, but [So] reports them, as one [labouring to draw all others into the like errour, of beleeving them.]
8. And (which is worſe then all the reſt) he brings ſuch reports againſt us, as,
1. It's nothing to him, whether they be true or falſe.
2. Yea, which he certainely knowes are falſe.
The former of theſe I prove from his owne words in his Poſtſcript,☜ pag. 50. I undertake not (ſaith he) to report things (in New-England,) as really there they are, WHETHER THEIR REPORTS BE TRVE OR FALSE IS NOTHING TO ME. The latter appeares, in that, in ſundry places of his booke, he relates things that are (ex diametro) contrary each to other, (both which he well knowes cannot poſſibly be true) and yet lets both ſtand ſtill on record againſt us, and then infers bitter invectives, in his animadverſions, from ſuch contrary reports. You will ſtand amazed at this dealing, (I ſuppoſe) which (I conceive) I am bound to diſcover, that the world may ſee how we are abuſed by him, and cleare us in their apprehenſions.
Thus for his grounds and manner of dealing. I come now to the maner of his Narration.
Anſwer to the Title. A Narration of ſome Church-courſes generally held in opinion, and practiſed by the Churches lately erected in New-England.
Anſwer. LEt the Reader mind well the latitude of W. R. his undertaking in his booke. It is to make a Narration (not of ſome particular mens practiſes here and there in New-England, (but of the opinions and practiſes of whole Churches there, and) not of ſome one or two Churches (for that is too narrow, ſtill for his ſcope,) but of THE CHVRCHES in New-England (indefinitely.) And that you may know for certain he means to tell you what [all] the Churches there doe hold and practiſe, and (not ſometimes, but) in their conſtant courſe (he ſaith plainly,) they are the Church courſes GENERALLY held by the Churches in New-England, which he will declare; So that though he ſpeakes but of ſome Church courſes, yet thoſe he doth mention muſt be ſuch, as are generally held and practiſed by the Churches there. The performance of which in its latitude (let him know) we expect, and if he comes ſhort of this, unleſſe he revoke his title, he will doe us wrong.