Animadversions Upon Antisynodalia Americana, Title page – Preface
ANIMADVERSIONS UPON THE ANTISYNODALIA AMERICANA, A TREATISE Printed in Old England, In the Name of the DISSENTING BRETHREN In the SYNOD held at Boſton in New England 1662.
Tending to Clear the ELDERS and CHURCHES of New England from thoſe Evils and Declinings charged upon many of them in the two Prefaces before the ſaid Book.
Together with AN ANSVVER UNTO The Reaſons alledged for the Opinion of the Diſſenters.
And a REPLY to ſuch Anſwers as are given to the Arguments of the SYNOD.
By JOHN ALLIN, Paſtor of the Church of Chriſt at Dedham in N. England.
Rom. 3.1, 2. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of Circumciſion? Much every way: chiefly, becauſe that unto them were committed the Oracles of God.
Gal. 3.27, 28. For as many of you as have been baptized into Chriſt, have put on Chriſt. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither Bond nor Free, there is neither Male nor Female, for ye are all one in Chriſt Jeſus.
Heb. 12.15, 16. Looking diligently, leſt any man fail of the grace of God, left any root of bitterneſs ſpringing up, trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. Leſt there be any fornicator, or profane perſon, as Eſau, who for a morſel of meat ſold his Birthright.
Cambridge: Printed by S.G. and M. J. for Hezekiah Ʋſher of Boſton. 1664.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
S Ʋch is the Infirmity and Corruption of Man, the Malice and Subtilty of Satan the Enemy of Truth, Purity, and Peace, and the holy and juſt Dispenſation of God Permitting and Ordering all things to his moſt glorious Ends; that frequent Experience ſheweth how hard it is for a People deſirous to walk in all the wayes of God, to ſteer a right courſe between the Gulf of Profaning the Ordinances by an over-looſe Diſpenſation thereof, on the one hand; and the Rocks of Rigid Separation, Anabaptiſm, and the like, on the other hand.
And hence it may ſeem the leſs ſtrange, that (notwithſtanding the Eminent Lights we have had, holding forth The Covenant-intereſt of the Church-ſeed, and The Duty of Churches to improve the Ordinances for their good) yet the Practice hereof hath not obtained in many of our Churches.
That this Caſe is now become matter of publick Dispute between the late Synod, and ſome Diſſenting Brethren; though it be cauſe of Humiliation, yet we deſire herein to ſubmit to the onelyonly wiſe God, hoping and waiting upon Him to ſee the Improvement thereof for good, and for the further clearing up unto us what is His good, perfect, and acceptable Will in this caſe.
When theſe Antiſynodalia of our Brethren came to our hands, and Another Eſſay of the ſame nature was here Publiſhed, ſome godly and wiſe Chriſtians adviſed the Elders to let them …aſs in ſilence; conceiving that they would not ſo take with the People, as to hinder the Practice of the Doctrine of the Synod: and that a Reply would occaſion further Diſputes and Conteſts. But, upon ſerious conſideration of the matter by divers Elders met to that End, the Reaſons on the other ſide did preponderate. Such as theſe.
1. We being perſwaded of the Doctrine of the Synod, and not finding any Weight in thoſe Tractates to change our Judgements, it ſeemed to us, that by ſilence we ſhould be ſinfully wanting to the Truth of God, (a preſent Truth that many godly ones are enquiring into) and to the Juſt Intereſt of the Churchſeed.
2. This Truth being aſſerted in ſo Solemn an Ordinance, viz. The Aſſembly of the Elders, and other Meſſengers of ſo many Churches, after ſolemn ſeeking the Face of God, and much ſearch into the Scriptures, with large Diſputes about the ſame; Our ſilence in this caſe would not onelyonly render that Ordinance uſeleſs and vain at preſent, but alſo diſcourage the Churches in after-times to make uſe thereof for their neceſſary Eſtabliſhment in Truth and Peace.
3. We ſee evidently, that the Principles of our Diſſenting Brethren give great Advantages to the Antipoedobaptiſts, which if we be ſilent, will tend much to their Encouragement and Encreaſe, to the Hazard of our Churches.
4. Theſe Treatiſes coming into the Peoples hands, if no Anſwer ſhould be returned, will much ſtrengthen the hands of ſuch as are Diſſenters, and diſcourage the hearts of others from the Practice of the Doctrine of the Synod, for the good of Poſterity.
5. Thoſe unjuſt Aſperſions caſt upon many of the Elders and Churches of New-England in the two Prefaces to the Antiſynodalia, do tend much to weaken the Authority of their Miniſtry and Diſpenſations, and would lay them under much Scandal in Old-England and New, ſhould not a juſt Apologie and Anſwer be made thereunto.
For theſe and the like Reaſons, it was thought neceſſary to return a juſt Anſwer to theſe Books, publiſhed in Oppoſition to the Doctrine of the Synod. But that my Brethren ſhould have any eye upon my ſelf to undertake this part of the Work; viz. To Examine, and make Reply to theſe Antiſynodalia, was very farre from my thoughts. Yet when I could by no Perſwaſions and Intreaties prevail with them, to Call out ſome other more able for this Work (whereof we had choyce) I conſidered, that the Spirits of the Prophets are ſubject to the Prophets, and that the Lord is not wont to deny Aſſiſtance to ſuch as he calleth forth to any Service; yea, that He delighteth to ſhew His ſtrength in weakneſs: In hope hereof, I have by his Grace and Help run through theſe Antiſynodalia, in my plain and homely manner (loving alwayes to speak to vulgar Capacities) wiſhing heartily it had been done by ſome better hand, that might have performed it more throughly. This onelyonly I have to ſay for my ſelf, That I have not willingly declined any ſeeming ſtrength of Reaſon, nor ſought by Shifts and Evaſions to darken any ſeeming Light of Truth held forth in theſe Antiſynodalia; but have Candidly (according to my meaſure) Searched the Scripture whether thoſe things were ſo. As I have believed, ſo have I ſpoken: As I finde in the Law and Teſtimony, ſo have I written. What weakneſſes and defects may be diſcovered by a more judicious Eye, I hope (through Grace) I ſhall be willing to ſee and reform upon intimation thereof; onelyonly let no Truth herein held forth, be the leſs eſteemed for the Infirmity of the Inſtrument.
I ſhall commit this Caſe of the Church-ſeed unto that God, who of his rich Grace hath undertaken to be their God; Beſeeching Him to make his Wayes plain before the face of his People, and to improve theſe Diſputes to common Edification, according to the good pleaſure of his will.
Thine in the Lord, JOHN ALLIN. From my Study in Dedham in N.E. 6 day, 11 mon. 1663.