Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England, Part 9
Anſwer to CHAP. V.
HE is at a ſett (in Art. 1. and 2. and their Marginalls) and falls a wondering at the contradiction in them. For in Art. 1. hee ſaith, That men may in New England conſtitute a Church without conſent from the Magiſtrate or neighbour Churches: yet in Art. 2. that there is a generall Court-law, that no Church ſhall bee ſet up in New-England without the conſent of the Magiſtrate and neighbour Churches. Hereat he ſtands amazed, and ſets his Reader to doe ſo too.
…nſ.I will doe him the favour to helpe him out of this ſtraight, and ſalve his credit, by telling him; There is no contradiction at all in his Articles; doe but diſtinguiſh of times and you untie the knot.
For there was a time in New-England (for ſome few yeares ſpace) before ſuch a law was made, and then Churches did uſe to gather, without any notice given to Magiſtrates or other Churches.
But after the opinions grew on, and experience diſcovered the danger, there was a law made that none muſt conſtitute any Church but firſt give notice thereof to Magiſtrates and Churches, and ſince that this courſe is duly obſerved. So both your Art. (W. R.) (you ſee) are true, and your report honeſt and right.
Yet, withall let me give [you] a few Animadverſions, by way of brotherly counſell, and I pray take them well.
1. See, what it is to wrong ſo many godly Saints, and faithfull Churches upon private various informations, and your own miſtakes, and ſo breake that 9. Commandement of our ever bleſſed God.
2. Whiles you live, undertake no more Narratives of Church-courſes in places you are no better acquainted withall; leſt (at unawarrs) unhappily you ſpeake evill of things you know not.
3. When a matter lies before you, that admits a double conſtruction; be ſure you ever take it in the better, and not in the worſer ſenſe. In thoſe two reports, you ſee one good ſenſe (which indeed is the truth) and that I have given you: Another bad, and that your ſelfe have taken, for when you ſtood amazed in your Marginalls at the contrarietie of the reports; in the concluſion who muſt be beaten but either your Informer or elſe New-England Churches, for practiſing ſuch foule, yea more foule contradictions (as you are pleaſed to ſpeake) and yet note, you ſee neither he nor they, but your ſelfe only is in all the blame.
For the proofe of both theſe 1. & 2. Articles, whom doth he produce, for the 1. Article, but the Anſ. to 32. q. p. 43. where there is not one word nor jot to prove that the Churches in New-England are erected without the Magiſtrates cogniſcence.
Then for the proofe of both the Articles (where this contradiction lies) he produceth R. M. to W. R. and makes him the father of that monſtrous birth of a foule contradiction now this R. M. is a godly & Reverent Teacher of a Church there, who would not write ſuch a ſeeming contradiction without clearing of it ſome way or other. Ever have we found him ſober and wary in all his expreſſions. 2. This R. M. is his old loving friend alſo (who I know doth dearly reſpect him,) now I beſeech you W. R. in the bowells of Chriſt, to conſider if this be an act of love towards your deare friend, without his conſent, to diſcover his letters to the world which were written to your ſelfe in private, (for thoſe that know you both cannot but know who this R. M. to W. R. is) 2. to make him the Author of contradictions; 3. ſo to fall upon him in your Margent, (whom you know ſo loving a friend, and ſo godly a man) as one that reports to you ſuch things for truth as they neither hold nor practiſe in N. E.
Which is little better then to give him the lye, I leave my thoughts with you, deſiring you to take notice of it.
In Art. 3. 4. to the end of the chapter, he reports (and that truly excepting ſome few miſtakes) the manner of the firſt conſtitution of a Church in New-England.
As, That ſuch Perſons as are to enter into Church fellowſhip doe beforehand often meete privately, to be inwardly acquainted with each other ſpirits by conference, prayer, & mutuall examination of each other, till they have approved themſelves to each others conſcience as in the ſight of God, and before they joyne, they give notice to the Magiſtrate and neighbour-Churches, that ſuch as pleaſe may be preſent at the place, and time of their meeting, to give them advice, direction, &c. the day appointed is kept with faſting, prayer, and preaching, &c. towards the end of the day each of thoſe perſons now to be Churched, makes publike profeſſion of his faith and the worke of grace in his ſoule, &c. when the Meſſengers of the Magiſtrates and Churches have heard and conſidered, if they be unſatisfied (or any ſtander by) they make their objections, &c. and if ſtill unſatisfied, they forbid them to enter into Church fellowſhip, and ſo remain without the pale of the Church as they did before; but if they be ſati…fied, the ſaid Perſons enter into covenant, then the ſaid Meſſengers give them the right hand of fellowſhip, and returning back make report to their Churches that ſent them.
Now what can W. R. Anſwer. or any man object againſt the ſubſtance of things done in this relation? (ſome miſtakes only excepted in the laying of it downe.) One would thinke the godlineſſe of the Perſon joyning the plainneſſe, and ſincerity of their dealing from the beginning to the end, their care and indeavour to doe all as becomes Saints; and to begin this holy & weighty buſineſſe as in the ſight & preſence of God, with faſting & prayer; (at leaſt) ſhould ſtop mens mouths from ſpeaking ill of them and their wayes. Yet W. R. failes in his dealing with them in divers points, which I deſire to advertiſe him of in the ſpirit of meekneſſe.
In that offenſive phraſe, ſaying, thoſe Perſons come now to be Churches, he well knowes the meaning of that word; It doth not become gravitie and holineſſe to give ſuch deriding words, nor ludere cum ſanctis, God heares all our words, and ſees the ſcope of our hearts therein. But if he meant innocently in it, I ſhould be ſorrie, that I once named it.
He ſpeakes twiſe, both in Art. 6. and 8. of the Meſſengers of the Magiſtrates ſ…nt to the gathering of the Churches.
…nſw.But there is no ſuch thing done, the Magiſtrates come themſelves in perſon if they can, or if not, they ſend no Deputies or Meſſengers, the Churches indeed ſend Meſſengers (commonly their Elders) to lend them a word of counſell if they need, being more experienced in thoſe ways, then (cōmonly) new beginners are, to joyne their prayers with theirs & to give them the right hand of fellowſhip: But the Magiſtrates ſend no Deputies.
He reports in Art. 8. That if the Meſſengers or any ſtanders by be unſatisfied, they make their objections as they thinke fit, untill they be ſatisfied.
Then (in his Marginalls upon it) It's an hard thing (ſaith he) to ſatiſfie all commers, in what they pleaſe; If any objection be againſt his life, it muſt be preſently, and openly declared before the country. This is little wiſedom, leſſe charity.
…nſ.Here are many unwiſe and uncharitable paſſages laid unjuſtly to our charge, and all thoſe without any proofe at all but onelyonly H. W. I. W. & who knowes where to conſult with them?
As 1. That any ſtander by, yea all commers may question or object, 2. and that even what they pleaſe, 3. if any failings be in their lives they are preſently and openly declared before all the country. Which things are nothing ſo: For 1. None may ſpeake a word, but ſoberly and orderly; And 2. not without leave deſired and granted; 3. nor how much hee will, nor what hee pleaſe; but things very weighty and neceſſary, And 4. not of any failings to their diſparagement. For if they be unſatisfied with any of them in point of diſcipline, or matters of fact, they are firſt to deale with them in private, ſeeing they know before both the Perſons, that are then to joyne, and the time and occaſion of that daies meeting. And (I am confident) never a Godly ſober man will write other wiſe: It's little wi…dome or charity (I am ſure) for him to affirme things ſo contrary to the truth.
That if the M ſſengers be unſatisfied with any of thoſe that are about to enter into Church fellowſhip, they are forbidden to enter into Church eſtate.
…nſwer.This is as wide as the reſt. For the Meſſengers never arrogated to themſelves ſuch power to this day, nay they profeſſedly expreſſe againſt it, conſtantly in ſuch meetings) as to forbid their entrance into Church eſtate. The moſt they doe (at any time in this caſe) is, to deſire leave to be faithfull in interpoſing their counſell, and that only, when they ſee very great cauſe: And withall leave them to their Chriſtian liberty.
Now having anſwered to the Articles, we will ſpeake ſomething to thoſe of the Marginalls, on this 5. chapter, which are not touched already.
He tells us, Mar. to Art. 2. that there are too many here who runne the ſame Church-courſes with us, that hold that the Magistrate hath nothing to doe with the firſt table.
But 1. he knowes, (or may know at leaſt) that this opinion is utterly againſt our Judgement, practiſe, and eſtabliſhed Iawes in New-England, Anſw. therefore it no way concerns us.
2. Nor doth it any whit reflect upon our cauſe, (which he is too ready upon this or any occaſion to diſgrace) for none are more dependant upon Magiſtracy, then thoſe (they call Independants,) from whoſe principles they never ſucked that dangerous opinion, therefore he did not well to give ſuch by-blowes to innocent perſons and waies.
3. If this ſhould be a blot to our cauſe, that ſome of our Church-way hold ill opinions; let him make it appeare, that none of his way are groſly tainted with Popiſh and Arminian leavin, or elſe blot out, this Margent.
(He ſaith) Margent to Art 2. (It ſeemes to him) we have little leſſe then a compound Presbyterie ſet up amongſt us, and Church-Canons in act, though not in rule, and gives his inſtances for this.
1. As it is (ſaith he) an agreement amongſt the Churches and Miniſters, that no Church ſhall be ſet up there without the knowledge of other Churches: [There is a compound Presbyterie]
2. That no man ſhall preach or vent any new or uncouth tenants, untill firſt he hath communicated them with his fellow Miniſters. [A very good Canon.]
3. That ſuch as are to enter into Church eſtate, do uſe to meete together before hand to acquaint themſelves in private with each other ſpiritual eſtate, [a Canon]
1. Doe Canons bind people to obedience, Anſwer. ſo farre only as they pleaſe to agree unto them, and no further? theſe Canons are an agreement.
2, Doe Presbyteries conſiſt of whole Churches, for he ſaith, (as it is an agreement of Churches as well as Miniſters its little leſſe then a compound Presbyterie) If Miniſters and people both doe rule, who ſhall be ruled over by this Presbyterie?
3. He anſwers the thing and contradicts himſelfe (both at once,) for he ſaith Art. 2. this giving notice to Magiſtrates and Churches, of a Church to be erected, is by a law of the generall court, and cannot be as he ſaith in Margent; and agreement of Churches, therefore no Eccleſiaſticall Canon. Suppoſe many Godly Miniſters in London ſhould agree amongſt themſelves, that every one ſhould preach downe the ſuperſtition of (that they call) Chriſtmas; and promiſe each other, that (till they ſhould give in their reaſons to the contrary) they would not preach for or againſt diſcipline: would W. R. call this agreement a Presbyterie, or a Canon?
Let him ſee then how extreamely wide he is in the other.
If Churches (ſaith he) ſend Deputies or Meſſengers to repreſent themſelves, and to act in their room, why not in a Synod as well? Marg. to Art. 6.
…nſw.If Churches ſend their meſſengers, or choſen men, to conferre and conſult onelyonly in a Synod in their names, without any Authority of concluding and determining of matters, or (much leſſe) binding their Churches to what they determine of, (which is our caſe in New-England (as we have ſaid) I know nothing againſt ſuch a practiſe: But if Synods doe more, and goe further, his allegation is to no purpoſe,
If ſo much time (ſaith he) be ſpent in joyning ſeven or eight perſons together into one Church, how much time would be requiſite to ioyne 3000 together? but the Apoſtles went a ſhorter way. Marg. to Art. 10.
…ſw.Conſider firſt, 1 The Gifts, Graces and abilitie of diſcerning, that were in the Apoſtles above any Miniſter now living, who as they were able to preach with leſſe time of ſtudie, ſo to diſpatch and turne over weighty buſineſſe with more ſpeede and dexterity, then we are.
2 The extraordinary, wonderfull and viſible ſtroke of God upon the ſpirits and hearts of men that heard Peter at that time; the meeting; the language; their underſtanding of it; Gods aſſiſtance of Peter, and bleſsing on the word, all extraordinary: Such a day, ſuch a Sermon, ſuch effects as never were before, nor like to be, to the end of the world; ſo the power of God was remarkable in their converſion, ſo alſo in their expreſsion and demonſtration of it; So that there needed little triall when God ſpake himſelfe from Heaven.