Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England, Title page – List of contradictions

Answer to the Narration of the Practices of the Churches in New England · Title page – List of contradictions

AN ANSWER TO W. R. HIS NARRATION of the Opinions and Practiſes of the Churches lately erected in Nevv-England.

Vindicating thoſe Godly and Orthodoxall Churches, from more then an hundred imputations fathered on them and their Church way, by the ſaid W. R. in his Booke.

Wherein is plainely proved,

1. That the grounds of his Narration are ſandie and inſufficient.

2. That the maner of his handling it, unloving and irregular.

3. That the matter of it, ful of groſſe miſtakes & divers contradictions.

4. That the quotations extremely wreſted, and out of meaſure abuſed.

5. That his Marginall notes impertinent and injurious.

By THOMAS WELDE, Paſtour of the Church of Roxborough in NEVV-ENGLAND.

Jude 10. They ſpeake evill of things they know not.

Prov. 18.17. He that is firſt in his owne caſe ſeemeth juſt, but his neighbour commeth after and ſearcheth him.

This is Licenſed and Entered according to Order.

LONDON, Printed by Tho: Paine for H. Overton, and are to be ſold at his ſhop entring into Popes-Head Alley out of Lumbard-Streete. 1644.

THE EPISTLE TO THE REDAER.

THere was a law in Iſraell, Deut. 22.18, 19Deut 22:18Deut 22:19that if any man did bring an ill name upon a Ʋirgin of Iſraell, the matter was to come before the Elders, and hee was to bee chaſtiſed, and amerced an hundred ſhekells of ſilver.

There is one, W. R. (if thou knoweſt the man) that hath brought many ill reports, not upon one Ʋirgin, but all the Virgin-Churches of New-England: When thou ſeeſt him do ſo much as bring him forth to Anſwer this law, Tell him, wee purpoſe to try an Action with him, and have ſatisfaction from him. And if hee ſaith, hee hath not raiſed theſe reports himſelfe, but had them from others: Then tell him again from us, that cannot ſatisfie, for we have learned from divine and humane lawes, that if any bee taken reporting of ſlaunders (as wee ſhall abundantly ſhew hee hath do… his Narrative) he may be charged as the raiſer of … … hee can cleare himſelfe by bringing ſuch Authors into light as will owne them.Dut. 17.6. 2 Cor. 13.1. 1 Tim. 5.19.2 Cor 13:11 Tim 5:19 But if he will not, or cannot; wee muſt lay them at his owne doore. Its for all the ſeverall reports in his booke brought againſt us and our wayes, we expect the rule of Moſes and the Apo-ſtle Paul, that in the mouth of two or three witneſſes and not under every matter ſhould be eſtabliſhed to produce Barrow, Browne, Robinſon, &c. for Authors; (for they were dead before New-England Churches were borne,) or H. W. T. P. and I know not what private letters lying by him in his ſtudy (for wee know not their voyce,) nor let him ſay, it was told me, (as he often doth) for wee proteſt againſt ſuch teſtimony, nor I was informedſo, &c. for ſama eſt mendax and prejudice hardly ſpeakes well of any. Tell him wee will goe to aged Paul (hee was a good Divine) to bee our Vmpire to determine what witneſſe we muſt have in a caſe of accuſation, and to his verdict wee will ſtand, which is ſet downe plainely 1 Tim. 5.19.

Three things more let me ſay to the reader, and I have done.

1. Wonder not, this Anſwer ſtaid ſo long, for it had certainly taken his narrative by the heele, but that ſome ſpeciall providence (whoſe diſtracted lines) intercepted; the truth is, I thought it ſhould neede no other Anſwer then it ſelfe; untill I perceived ſome ill effects of it.

2▪ But why doe I undertake this worke? Anſwer, 1. I am one of the neareſt kinſmen to thoſe Churches of any other man in theſe parts, and therefore I take my ſelfe bound to the name of my Brethren (in a righteous way) and (not let it die) through my neglect. 2. Few or none are here, have had more experience of New-England Church courſes then my ſelfe, through many yeares continuance with them, and to whom I am returning when God makes way: and am therefore able to ſpeake on certainty, and with conſcience where W. R. departs from the truth in his relations. 3. I have beene preſſed by word of mouth, and ſundry letters to doe it; therefore if I ſhould hold my peace when I am called to ſpeake, and ſee ſo many innocent Churches ſuffer, I ſhould not lift up my face to God, nor my Brethren there. God knowes my ſpirit, how exceeding loath I was to controvert with a Brother, (though but a defendant) and to uncover his nakedneſſe, but when God calls I am bound with Moſes, (when he ſaw the Ebrew did wrong to his Brother) to ſay, why ſmiteſt thou thy fellow?Exod. 2.13.Exod 2:13

3. Touching the anſwer it ſelfe, ſome things I would ſay, 1 I thinke it not meete to anſwer all I could, nor to every particular, eſpecially in his Marginall extravagances, that would be too tedious; For our principall paſſages being anſwered unto, the reſt will fall of themſelves. 2. Nor to anſwer any thing in his booke, ſo oft as hee repeates it, for divers things are fetched over by him, ſome three, ſome foure ſeverall times; what his reaſons are, himſelfe can beſt give account. 3. Neither is it poſsible for me to anſwer the ſayings of his private letters lying by him, (ſuch a ground of Church ſtories as I never heard of,) becauſe I know neither who they are, nor what their owne words are, or if I did, were it materiall. 4. Thou ſeeſt I have a three fold worke to anſwer: 1. his Articles, 2 his quotations, 3 his Margent. All which I have indeavored faithfully as in Gods preſence to doe: what overſight or infirmity hath paſſed my penne therein, I crave thy pardon, for we are weake men and (God knowes) too apt to forget our ſelves in greater things then theſe. 5. What I here write, is onelyonly from my ſelfe, (if any weakeneſſe appeare) impute it not I pray thee to the caſe in hand, or our Churches iudgements there, but to my owne frailty rather. 6. Nor is it my ſcope to diſcuſſe the points of Diſcipline, (that worke is in abler hands) but I looke upon his booke, as an hiſtoricall narration, and accordingly I frame my anſwer. 7. Though he brings not the words of any of his Authors cited (which had been fairer, and might have kept him in cloſer bonds) yet I have done it for him, eſpecially in the laſt ſixe or eight Chapters, that you may iudge whether hee hath dealt fairely with them or no. 8. When I recite W. R. his words in his narration, you will ſee I have dealt candidly with him, either mentioning his very words, or ſo many of them as containe their full ſtrength, whereto my anſwer tends. 9. When at any time, in my anſwer, I ſay, ſuch an Article, or ſuch a clauſe is untrue, or is falſe; I am not willing to impute the falſity thereof to the Authors knowledge, (I would iudge otherwiſe of him then ſo,) but to the thing it ſelfe aſſerted; which may be done through his miſinformation, or miſtake: I will ſay no more; but commit thy ſpirit to the wiſe guidance of the Father of lights, who in Chriſt Jeſus leade thee by the hand into all truth and peace.

Thine T. W.

The Reader may take a ſhort view of ſome Particulars in W. R. his Narration; As they are made to appeare in his Booke by the Page, and Line, as followeth.

There are ſome things in W. R. his Narration that carry a face of contradiction: I propound them to his review: in his owne words, ſenſe, and pages. Thus they ſtand.

That

Sacraments are to be Adminiſtred to the Members of the ſame Church only. Narration p. 35. Art. 5. & vide p. 38. Art. 4.

The Churches do, and may, mutualiy, partake each with other in the Sacraments. p. 37. Art. 31. p. 10. Art. 7

That

They conceive ſome to bee true Chriſtians, whether they be in Church eſtate or no. p. 33. Art. 1.

Whoſoever becomes not a ſetled member of a Church, they account him wicked, prophane, and a graceleſſe perſon. p. 29. Art. 1. p. 12. Art. 12.

He ſaith, concerning the judgements & practiſes of the Churches generally in New-EnglandThat

They may, and doe conſtitute new Churches without the conſent of the Chriſtian State. p. 20. laſt line, p 49. Art. 2. & latter end of the Marg.

Before they doe enter into Church eſtate, notice is firſt given thereof to the Magiſtrate or the Chriſtian State. p. 21. Art. 4. And (by a law of the State) none can enter without ſuch knowledge given to the Magiſtrate. p. 21. Art. 2.

That

They may, and doe ſet up new Churches in the midſt of, and againſt the mind of the Churches. p. 49. Art. 2. and latter end of Margent.

Notice is given thereof to the neighbouring Churches, that ſuch as pleaſe may be preſent. p. 21. Art. 4.

That

The Church-Covenant is that, whereby all the Members of the Society are united to Chriſt. p. 12. Art. 1.

Many are within the Church-covenant, that are not within the Covenant of Grace, and ſo not united to Chriſt. p. 14. Art. 3.

That

The Churches of New-England are of one and the ſame way in Diſcipline without any materiall difference. p. 1. Art. 1.

They are not of the ſame way, but ſometimes of 2. contrary waies, ſometimes of 3. ſeverall waies at once, and that in very materiall points. p. 10. Art. 8. p. 16. Art. 8. p. 13. Art. 3. and 4. p. 27. Art. 11.

Objection. 1 But we in New-England goe different waies, ſo the contradictions come from our ſelves, not from him. Anſw. No, for We are all of the ſame way, and differ not in any materiall point, as himſelfe plainely ſaith. chap. 1. Art. 1. 2 His Narration ſpeakes what the Churches in New-England doe generally, as Title. p. 1. Now it is impoſſible that they can generally goe two wayes at once.

Objection. 2 But our writers ſay ſo, and hee ſpeakes according to them. Anſw. Then let him make this appeare (and that will bee hard to doe) for his quoted Authors ſpeake the ſelfe ſame thing.

p. 1An Anſwer to VV. R. his Narration of the Opinions and Practiſes of the Churches lately erected in New-England.