men... "The Postscript. Thus, at length, good reader, thou hast the sum of the 'Church Courses' of our New England Brethren: even the way that so many, that know it not or cannot judge of it, do so admire, so desire [!] And which themselves do hold forth, to us, as the only way of God; with such superlative commendation in their Letters to us, as if it were a perfect idea of the constitution, discipline, and government set up and exerced in and by the Apostolic Churches from point to point; from the beginning, till now of late, methinks they begin to abate:-see Mr. Parker's Letter to Mr. B. printed :-inculcating, what rare and admirable effects it hath produced amongst them; impatient that any should oppose it, or so much as question it; yea, threatening us with continuance of the sword until we shall embrace it! See Mr. Peter's Preface, p. i., excluding and exploding all other ways as erroneous, false, wicked, and savouring, at least, strongly of antichristianism... As for myself, I look for lashes from many hands and tongues; but in patience, through the help of Christ, I shall possess my soul, being supported by the conscience of mine own integrity... I pray it may be conceived and remembered, that I have not undertaken to report things as they really are,-which I could not do unless I had been an eye-witness,-but to collect their own reports of things scattered here and there in their own papers, and present them jointly together to thy view; so that whether their reports be true or false is nothing to me [!] [See back, p. 319, T. W. under chap. vi. art. xi.] If I can clear it to a candid and ingenuous reader, that I have not mis-reported their reports, I will be guiltless both before God and I shall desire of him, whosoever he be, that shall call the truth of this relation in question, for substance at least, that he himself would put forth a truer. `It is a small thing to say, they hold not, or they do not, this or that, but tell us what they do hold and practise, that we may be misled no longer, as hitherto... Their 'courses' are not to be covered,.. seeing by forbearance all this while, they have fretted like a gangrene into the bowels both of city and country: and I fear we have kept their counsel so long that many of them are already past cure in their error, and we almost remediless in our rents, tending unto ruin. The press is still in travail, ready to bring forth more and new confutations of them... "They sometimes cite and approve of the Brownists' books, in questions between us and them, and provoke us to answer them... They distinguish of Separation : one, they call 'moderate;' the other, rigid or bitter;' this, they condemn, but that, they own. But what they mean by this 'rigid separation' we well know not; for even the separatists themselves do condemn each other's rigour;' the latter generally condemn some bitterness used against our churches by Barrowe and Greenwood: and of the latter also, some,-as Robinson,-were far more moderate than the rest, yet were all of them complete Separatists; and so may these our Brethren be too, notwithstanding that distinction:.. yea, some assure us of profest correspondence and agreement between some of our late Apologists themselves and those of the Separation here... They withdraw themselves from all church-communion with us, in the best and purest of our assemblies; so they do not from the Brownists... And when they would seem to justify, and plead for us, yet then they do it with such uncouth and far-fetcht proofs, as we know not whether to accept or refuse their acknowledgment of the truth of our churches, upon such conditions, be the worse bargain: as when they say we have 'true churches,' because knit together in church-covenant, though implicit, because we had true churches planted here,-in the New England frame,-in the apostles' time, and perhaps also since, etc.-Ans. to 32 Q., p. 26; Disc. of Cov. p. 36, 37; R. M. to E. B... "In like manner, the Brownists father their Separation upon the Nonconformists; but both sorts do it unjustly... See Mr. Ball's book against Mr. Canne upon that very point; and, in good part, by another book lately printed, called, 'A Grave Confutation, etc.' [See back, p. 272]... In such things wherein either the Brownists or these Brethren do mainly differ from other, the best Reformed, churches, they have no consent or approbation from the Nonconformists at all: nay, contrarily, by many undeniable evidences from their writings and practices, it will appear that they have ever stiffly opposed and conflicted with all Popular and Independent government, in behalf of that we call Presbyterial. True, indeed, some of them [the Nonconformists], especially in their polemic writings, while they had the Prelacy in their eye, and no considerable adversary but that to contest withal, did, perhaps, somewhat unwarily,-as may befall the best, and best learned men, in such cases,— let fall some few things which these Brethren make their advantage of: as that a particular church ought only to consist of one congregation; that each particular church hath power to transact all its own matters; that this power is seated in the body! Many more than these, I do not now remember... But if any of them have gone far [further], as it is more than I know, so it is more than I will defend... Objection: We see the most of the better sort go this way, now. Answer: I believe not the most' by many: but if it were so, that were no good argument to justify it; because, of those that do go that way, a great number are Anabaptists, Familists, and Antinomians, etc., who all willingly choose to fall into the same channel of Popularity and Independency. Perhaps, partly, out of design to make a more considerable-I say not formidable-party, that so either for favour or fear they may be the more indulged; partly, because it suits so well with man's proud nature; for every man by his [own] good will would rule; and no man would willingly, depend upon or be obnoxious unto another: Most good men's affections are strong when, oft, their judgments are weak: All men are ever apt to run into extremes; hence it is that while they flee Prelatical tyranny, they easily fall into Popular anarchy: The novelty of their course: The people's good opinion of the persons that way siding and drawing: And, the advantage the said persons have had, whereby to screw themselves further and further into the people's good opinion and affection; by being ever employed in the chiefest work of the ministry in some of the chiefest of our churches: although they have been so far from acknowledging themselves ministers as that they do not so much as acknowledge themselves as members of any of our churches; but,-as to us, according to their own rule,-altogether without. Objection: This seems to reflect upon our Brethren that come out of Holland, but these are not so rigid as the rest; what is this Relation to them? Ans: It concerns them, I grant, not so much nor so directly, yet in some sort it doth: because sometimes they tell us they are of the same way with the New England Brethren: both their disputes and practices, so far as they are known, do all look that way: their lying so close locked up and reserved, in many things, makes them,-I conceive, not without cause-the more suspected; for truth seeks no corners, no cloaks. If therefore now, by this occasion, they would please to put out, according to their promise, not a mock narrative, a mere gull, such as the last was [See back, p. 221,] but as a true so -a full, perfect, and plain discovery of their opinions in these things, from point to point, and from end to end, I should heartily rejoice as in the much desired fruit of this my poor labour; that so all misunderstandings and misprisons being removed, and we rightly informed of the just latitude of their and our dif ferences, we might either more hopefully address ourselves to satisfy their judgments or else, if that cannot be obtained, the more willingly condescend to move with them, for the favouring of their consciences according to the rules of piety and prudence, in such things as are capable of toleration and indulgence. But lest, good reader, I should be tedious to thee, I will cease to pursue these things any further, at this time." P. 50-55. "A Postscript to W. R.-Now, I entreat you.. to review your own work; weigh my Answer without prejudice; and consider well, how many precious saints and godly churches, dear to Christ, persecuted heretofore by Prelates, loving to yourself, without their least stimulation of you in this kind, you have, in your Narration,' extremely wronged... There was a law in Israel, that he that digged 'a pit' was not to leave it open, but cover it,' else whatever damage happened he was to make it good;' Exod. xxi. 33, 34: you are able to make application. Solomon, Austin, etc., never gained so much as by their retractations. There are some sins God will not seal up the pardon of till satisfaction be made by the party; defamation is one of them! It will be no grief of heart, but much comfort to remember, when you are about to leave this world, that although through precipitancy you did blemish your Brethren, yet [that] after consideration, you did again as readily wipe away the blot by a brotherly vindication as far as truth required: which if, after conviction, you shall forbear to do, upon what pretences soever, how will you be able to lie down in your grave in peace?" T. W. p. 68. CHAP. LIII. REPLY TO A. S. FROM the "Observations and Annotations" of A. S. in our forty-eighth chapter, we have advanced here to "A Reply of Two of the Brethren to A. S.: Wherein you have Observations on his 'Considerations, Annotations, etc.' upon the Apologetical Narration.' With a Plea for Liberty of Conscience for the Apologists' Church-Way; against the Cavils of the said A. S.--Formerly called M. S., to A. S.-Humbly submitted to the judgments of all rational and moderate Men in the World. With a short Survey of W. R., his Grave Confutation' of the Separation; and some modest and innocent Touches on the Letter from Zealand; and Mr. Parker's from New England.-The Second Edition. Corrected and enlarged. Licensed and Entered, according to Order. Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 112. These "Two Brethren" commence with "A Word to the Reader, showing the causes of this Second Edition;" which was "Not mere importunity of friends, though many; but to undisplease, if it may be, some of the contrary judgment, by blotting out some sharp expressions; though extorted, forced, and wrung forth, by the violent hammering and inculcating provocations of A. S." "And, to tell A. S. why no names at length were put to their book; namely, because he did not put his name at length to his, nor hath he anywhere in print owned it, that we know of. Therefore have the Two Brethren, who, only for despatch joined in this Reply to A. S. forborne also, in this second edition, to subscribe their names." The preliminary remarks are introduced thus; "If A. S.'s heart be 'rent' with discontent in 'two' pieces, as he saith in his Epistle, at the innocent bleatings of that wronged Lamb, the Apology; surely, our hearts more justly may be 'rent' in twenty pieces, to hear and see this roaring Lion-like Reply, with his many claws of Observations, Annotations, Considerations, and Notes,' rending and tearing that modest and innocent thing, and no man saying to him, Why doest thou so? .. How many Replies in a few weeks, appearingly, have turned the world, if not the church, upside down! Most men seeming to be resolved, before the arguments are solved! Believe it, it works more upon the spirits of the best men, than ever anything yet that befel this kingdom. Things, before, were irregular enough, but now, preposterous before, resolute enough; now, violent: before, the Body of the Kingdom, the Commonwealth, was sore sick; now, the Soul, the Church!" a "Soul," in A. S. "This one, single, simple, A. S., now starts up by himself, peremptorily to state and determine the Questions, for the resolution whereof the Parliament thought the Assembly of Divines few enough to undertake!" a "Yet James Cranford is quoted by the printer, in the page before the title, as approving it, and the book, with a licentious approbation." b “Mr. Cranford!.. ask your reason, ask the book itself, Whether there be one true clause in all that you have said? Are these 'Observations, etc.' of A. S., ' judicious?'.. Are they at this time, necessary,' when the grave Commissioners of Scotland had, with far more prudence and solidity than A. S., said, by way of reply, so much to the Apology, nemine reclamante, none replying till A. S. was abroad?" e "Are they for the vindication of all Protestant churches,' whenas, in condemning the Apology, they condemn many, very many churches in England; many in Holland; generally all, in New England, notwithstanding some private Letters and Manuscripts sent over, to which we shall answer afterwards.” “Are these 'Observations' for the defence of the authority of Synods, in opposition to the Apology? What Synods? Scripture Synods! Where doth the Apology whimper against them? Or, do you mean Classical ones? If so, that is the question! And so you proclaim a Defence of that which yet hath no existence: the question is not resolved!" e 66 Well, Mr. Cranford, you have, by this, endeavoured to set Divines together by the ears more Ecclesiastico: your licentiating hath enabled men to give the second blow,' upon which the Common Law layeth the breach of the peace. And, notwithstanding you license these 'Annotations,' yet you say you reverence the persons of the Apologists! A pin for such a compliment! Love me, love the truth... Away with your dare verba, your frothy words... Stand by, Mr. Cranford, and hear A. S. tried; and, in him, yourself!" f Proceeding to the Epistle of A. S., and beginning at the compellation; M. S.,-for here and in some other places his initials alone are set before the paragraphs,-tells A. S., "The authors of the Apologetical Narration desire more of your right,' though they have less of your reverence. Had I written a book with so much unreverence, I would either have blotted out my title, Right Reverend,' or else I should never have put in that episcopal style, Most Reverend,' and 'Right Reverend,' seeing that the Bishops are going! For, to stroke in the title, and strike in the book, is but flattery, if not gross dissimulation!" g A. S. having generally alluded to "particular opinions, wherein ye dissent from all Protestant, yea, all Christian churches in the world," M. S. answers, "Now let the Protestant churches,' to whom ye say you submit, judge whether in these words there be not a notorious untruth. For wherein do the Five ministers and their churches differ from many churches in England, divers in Holland, and generally all within the Patent of New England, if you account these places Protestant?' It may be you will object Mr. Parker's Letter, and some Manuscripts from New England; and a Letter from Zealand.".. There is a Scottish Church, of which one Spang is a very busy a P. 2. 1 lb. b P. 3. e Ibid. d P. 4. e P. 5. agent, at Trevere [Campvere].. whence the Letter came...a Most happily, by almost a miraculous Providence, in this nick of time, came two Letters from New England to countermand Mr. Parker's Letter thence, and the other from Zealand. The first, from Mr. Winthrop, Governor of New England, To his Reverend and very Godly Brother, Mr. Hugh Peters, Minister of the Gospel; These deliver in London.' 6 Our late Assembly, of about forty Elders, met; wherein the Way of our Churches was approved, and the Presbytery disallowed.-Winthrop, Gov., Dec. 10, 1643.' The second, from another of New England, to another minister in Old England, about the same time; wherein we have these passages: We have had,' saith he, a Synod lately, in our College, wherein sundry things were agreed on gravely; as, 1. That the votes of the People are needful in all admissions and excommunications, at least in way of consent; all yielding to act with their consent.-2. That those that are fit matter for a church, though they are not always able to make large and particular relations of the work and doctrine of Faith, yet must not live in the commission of any known sin, or the neglect of any known duty.-3. That Consociation of churches, in way of more general meetings, yearly; and more privately, monthly, or quarterly; as Consultative Synods; are very comfortable, and necessary for the peace and good of the churches.-4. It was generally desired, That the exercitium of the churches' power might only be in the Eldership in each Particular Church; unless their sins be apparent in their work.-5. That Parish Churches in Old England could not be right without a renewed Covenant at least, and the refusers excluded.' And, were not New England so far [off,] the churches in New England would soon send a third [Letter], punctually to approve the Apology; unless it be for their nearer compliance with them who, notwithstanding, have written against them!" b Noticing the full title of the "Most Grave and Modest Confutation,"c it is said, "It cannot be forgotten, that the choicest doctrines held in England have been called pernicious' heresy. And therefore it is a high peremptoriness, in a general title, to call all those things pernicious evils,' some of which are truths. We have and do disclaim 'Separation' and 'Brownism' properly so called." d "England was never quiet, but worse and worse, since it hunted away almost a little nation of Saints to New England; though W. Rathband, joining issue with A. S., will follow them with a blotting pen in print, even to that kingdom too. Yea, and take in his way many churches in Old England, and some that are, and lately were, in Holland; and then, have at New England! None comes amiss that have gone an inch in Reformation beyond W. R.'s Nonconformity... And all this work he cuts out for himself in his book he calls A Narration, etc.'f Oh, that all readers that will not be wilfully blind, would, by the way, observe how A. S. condemns the Apologists as guilty of dissenting from the churches in New England; and, W. R. condemns them for agreeing with the churches in New England! So that A. S. and W R. do not agree between themselves!" & |