Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Appendix – Resolution 3
APPENDIX.
Being ſome collections for the information of thoſe that are not acquainted with the principles and practices of the firſt and moſt eminent leaders, in the churches of CHRIST in New-England.
THE platform of church diſcipline, was agreed on and conſented unto by many great, learned and pious perſons, from the four famous colonies in New-England, aſſembled in the ſynod at Cambridge, 1648. Something of which may be read in a late print, entitled, A Teſtimony to the Order of the Goſpel in the Churches of New-England.
The deſervedly famous and reverend Mr. John Wilſon paſtor, and John Cotton teacher of the firſt church of Chriſt in Boſton, were two of thoſe worthies that compoſed the platform of church diſcipline.
The reverend Mr. John Norton, teacher of the ſaid church in Boſton, in his election ſermon, May 22, 1661, page 12, gives this advice, "Take care that the order of the goſpel may have a free paſſage in the churches; I mean that our practice may effectually anſwer our doctrine, in that book, entitled, The Platform of CHURCH DISCIPLINE."
And in his laſt ſermon, preached on his weekly lecture, April 2, 1663, a little before his death, page 37, "Remember that we have the pattern in the mount, I mean we have the ſcripture as a rule, and you have the Platform of Church Diſcipline given to you in way of council, as the Confeſſion of our Faith to this way of church government: You know in what manner it was that which (for the ſubſtance of it) owns the cauſe congregational: If any are departed from it let them look to it."
The reveerend Mr. John Davenport, in his catechiſm, printed Anno 1669, for the uſe of the firſt church in Boſton, of which he was then paſtor, ſhows his concurrence with the Platform of Church Diſcipline in matters relating to church government.
The reverend Mr. John Oxenbridge, paſtor of ſaid church, by his practice manifeſted his conſent to the way of church government, as it is ſtated in the Platform of Church Diſcipline: And in his election ſermon in May 1671, declared his agreement with the principles of purity and power of the churches.
The reverend Mr. James Allen, teacher of ſaid church, in his election ſermon, May 28, 1679, page 10, 11. Having taken notice of the Platform of Church Diſcipline, as manifeſting the judgment of the miniſters of New-England, aſſerting the authoritative rule of the elders, with the liberty of the brethren, expreſſeth himſelf thus, 'Though the judgment of the beſt ſhould not be looked upon as ſcripture Canons, nor bind any further than it is found agreeing with the word of God, by which it ought to be tried; yet I think I may ſafely ſay, that is a clearer judgment of the mind of God in the ſcripture, in that matter, than can be expected in the next generation. It is true, in improvements of natural light, that may be increaſed by induſtry, and thoſe that ſtand upon others ſhoulders may ſee further than they did upon whoſe ſhoulders they ſtand, but it is not ſo in ſpiritual things, the further knowledge of which depends upon revelation." Eph. 1.17. Pſal. 25.9.
The reverend and learned Mr. Urian Oakes, preſident of Harvard-college, and paſtor of the church of Chriſt in Cambridge, in his election ſermon, May 7, 1673. p. 48. declared himſelf as follows, "I beg that we may keep the King's high way, the way that Chriſt himſelf hath caſt up for us, and that our worthy predeceſſors have travelled in before us, the way that hath been ſtated, not in the private models of ſome fanciful and conceited men, but in the Platform of Church Diſcipline; the trueſt underſtanding of theſe things is from the Platform deduced out of the word of GOD,"
At a SYNOD at Boſton, New-England, Sept. 10, 1679.
IT was put to vote, whether the aſſembly did approve of The Platform of Church Diſcipline? And both elders and brethren did unanimouſly lift up their hands in the affirmative, not one appearing when the vote was propounded, in the negative; but it jointly paſſed in theſe words, "A Synod of the churches in the province of the Maſſachuſetts, being called by the honored general court to convene at Boſton, the 10th of September, 1679, having read and conſidered The Platform of Church Diſcipline, agreed upon by the Synod aſſembled at Cambridge, 1648, do unanimouſly approve of the ſaid Platform, for the ſubſtance of it, deſiring that the churches may continue ſtedfaſt in the order of the goſpel, according to what is therein declared from the word of GOD. In a print, entitled, The neceſſity of reformation, &c."
At a general meeting of miniſters in Boſton, New-England, May 27, 1697.
SUNDRY reverend and worthy miniſters ſigned an inſtrument, where they declared their full purpoſe, by the help of the Lord, to maintain in their ſeveral places, the purity, and fellowſhip, and liberties of the churches, &c. In a print, entitled, Thirty important queſtions reſolved, &c.
Col. 2.6. As ye have therefore received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk in him.
Eph. 4. part of the 14th verſe. Be no more children toſſed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Gal. 5.1. Stand faſt therefore in the liberty wherewith Chriſt hath made us free.
A CONFESSION OF FAITH, Owned and conſented unto by the ELDERS AND MESSENGERS Of the CHURCHES aſſembled at BOSTON in NEW-ENGLAND, May 12, 1680. Being the ſecond Seſſion of that SYNOD.
— One Faith.
EPH. iv.5.
Joying and beholding your Order, and the ſtedfaſtneſs of your Faith in Chriſt.
COL. ii.5.
BOSTON: Printed and Sold by JOHN BOYLES, in Marlborough-Street MDCCLXXII
At a General Court held at BOSTON, May 19, 1680.
THIS court having taken into ſerious conſideration the requeſt that hath been preſented by ſeveral of the reverend elders, in the name of the late SYNOD, do approve thereof, and accordingly order, THE CONFESSION OF FAITH, agreed upon at their ſecond ſeſſion, and, THE PLATFORM OF DISCIPLINE, conſented unto by the Synod at Cambridge, Anno 1648, to be printed, for the benefit of the churches in preſent and after times.
EDWARD RAWSON, Sec'ry.