Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Preface 2
A PREFACE.
THE Lord Jeſus Chriſt witneſſed a good confeſſion, at the time when he ſaid, To this end was I born, and for this cauſe came I into the world, that I ſhould bear witneſs unto the truth; and be taketh notice of it, to the praiſe and high commendation of the church in Pergamus, that they held faſt his name, and had not denied his Faith. Nor are they worthy the name of chriſtians, who, though the Lord by his Providence call them publickly to own the truth they have profeſſed, ſhall nevertheleſs refuſe to declare what they believe, as to thoſe great and fundamental principles in the doctrine of Chriſt, the knowledge whereof is neceſſary unto ſalvation. We find how ready the apoſtle was to make A Confeſſion of his Faith; though for that hope's ſake he was accuſed and put in chains. And the martyr's of Jeſus, who have laid down their lives in bearing witneſs to the truth, againſt the infidelity, idolatry, hereſy, apoſtacy of the world, when Pagan, Arian, or overſpread with Popiſh darkneſs: Having their feet ſhod with the preparation of the goſpel of peace, were free and forward in their teſtimony, confeſſing the truth, yea, ſealing it with their blood. With the heart man believeth unto righteouſneſs, and with the mouth confeſſion is made unto ſalvation, Rom. 10.10. Nor is there a greater evidence of being in a ſtate of ſalvation, than ſuch a confeſſion, if made in times or places where men are expoſed to utmoſt ſuffering upon that account. 1 John, 4.15. And if Confeſſion of faith be, in ſome caſes, of ſuch importance and neceſſity, as hath been expreſſed; it muſt needs be in itſelf, a work pleaſing in the ſight of God, for his ſervants to declare unto the world, what thoſe principles of truth are, which they have received, and are (by the help of Chriſt) purpoſed to live and die in the ſtedfaſt profeſſion of. Some of the Lord's worthies have been of renown among his people in this reſpect; eſpecially Iraenius and Athanaſius of old, and of latter times Beza, all whoſe (not to mention others) Confeſſions, with the advantage which the church of God hath received thereby, are famouſly known.
And it muſt needs tend much to the honor of the dear and bleſſed name of the Lord Jeſus, in caſe many churches do join together in their teſtimony. How ſignally the Lord hath owned the Confeſſion of the four general Synods or Councils for the ſuppreſſion of the hereſies of thoſe times, needs not to be ſaid, ſince no man can be ignorant thereof, that hath made it his concern to be acquainted with things of this nature. The Confeſſion of the Bohemians, of the Waldenſes, and of the reformed proteſtant churches abroad, (which alſo, to ſhew what harmony in reſpect of doctrine there is among all ſincere profeſſors of the truth, have been publiſhed in one volume) all theſe have been of ſingular uſe, not only to thoſe that lived in the ages when theſe declarations were emitted, but unto poſterity, yea, unto this day.
There have been ſome who have reflected upon theſe New-Engliſh churches for our defect in this matter, as if our principles were unknown; whereas it is well-known, that as to matters of doctrine we agree with other r…formed churches: Nor was it that, but what concerns worſhip and diſcipline, that cauſed our fathers to come into the wilderneſs, while it was a land not ſown, that ſo they might have liberty to practiſe accordingly. And it is a ground of holy rejoicing before the Lord, that now there is no advantage left for thoſe that may be diſſaffected towards us, to object any thing of that nature againſt us. For it hath pleaſed the only wiſe God ſo to diſpoſe in his Providence, as that the elders and meſſengers of the churches in the colony of the Maſſachuſetts in New-England, did, by the call and encouragement of the honored General Court, meet together Sept. 10, 1679.
This ſynod at their 2d ſeſſion, which was May 12, 1680, conſulted and conſidered of a Confeſſion of Faith. That which was conſented unto by the elders and meſſengers of the congregational churches in England, who met at at the Savoy, (being for the moſt part, ſome ſmall variations excepted, the ſame with that which was agreed upon firſt by the Aſſembly at Weſtminſter, and was approved of by the Synod at Cambridge in New-England, Anno 1648, as alſo by a General Aſſembly in Scotland) was twice publickly read, examined and approved of: that little variation which we have made from the one, in compliance with the other may be ſeen by thoſe who pleaſe to compare them. But we have (for the main) choſen to expreſs ourſelves in the words of thoſe Reverend Aſſemblies, that ſo we might not only with one heart, but with one mouth glorify God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
As to what concerns church-government, we refer to the Platform of Diſcipline agreed upon by the elders and meſſengers of theſe churches, Anno 1648, and ſolemnly owned and confirmed by the late Synod.
What hours of temptation may overtake theſe churches, is not for us to ſay. Only the Lord doth many times ſo order things, that when his people have made a good Confeſſion, they ſhall be put upon the trial one way or other, to ſee whether they have (or who among them hath not) been ſincere in what they have done.
The LORD grant that the loins of our minds may be ſo girt about with truth, that we may be able to withſtand in the evil day, and having done all, to ſtand.