A trial of the new-church way in New-England and in old ... by that…A tryall of the nevv-church vvay in New-England and in old ... by that…

But to give you (if it be the will of God) the better satisfaction, we have sent you a short Treatise touching each particular, that according to your desire you might understand from us how far we do acknowledge any of these tenets, and upon what ground, hoping that according to your promise, if upon due examination you shall find any weight in them, you will give us the right hand of fellowship. But if otherwise, you will send us your just and faithful animadversions, and we do not suspect your loves to the truth, or your sincere speaking according to your conscience in the sight of God, Neither tax we you as siding from the truth with by-respects, whereof you complain, verily we abhor such rash, harsh, and presumptuous notoriousness, we see as much cause to suspect the integrity of our own hearts, as yours; and so much the more, as being more privy to the deceitfulness of our own hearts then to yours. And we cannot but with much thankfulness of heart acknowledge the many rich precious treasures of his grace, wherewith the Lord hath furnished sundry of you above your Brethren, which causeth us with great reverence to accept, and receive what further light God may be pleased to impart unto us by you; But as we have believed, so have we hitherto practised, and so have most of us spoken this our Answer to your particulars, most of us we may say, because there wants not some Brethren amongst us who proceed further, even to look at all set forms of Prayer invented by men of another age or congregation, and prescribed to their Brethren to be read out of a book for the prayers of the Church, as Images, or Imaginations of men, forbidden in the second Commandment; But as we leave them to their liberty of their own judgements without prejudice, so do we also concur with the rest of them, so far as we all go in bearing witness against any set forms, or the corruptions in them; In dispatching whereof, we have been the more slow because it behoved us first to inquire into, and to settle some controversies amongst our selves, before we could well attend to entertain discourse about foreign questions which do not so nearly concern our present estate and practise.

But to give you (if it be the will of God) the better satisfaction, we have sent you a short Treatise touching each particular, that according to your desire you might understand from us how farre we do acknowledge any of these tenents, and upon what ground, hoping that according to your promise, if upon due examination you shall find any weight in them, you will give us the right hand of fellowship. But if otherwise, you will send us your just and faithfull animadversions, and we doe not suspect your loves to the truth, or your sincere speaking according to your conscience in the sight of God, Neither taxe we you as siding from the truth with by-respects, whereof you complain, verily we abhorre such rash, harsh, and presumptuous notoriousnesse, we see as much cause to suspect the integritie of our own hearts, as yours; and so much the more, as being more privie to the deceitfulnesse of our own hearts then to yours. And we cannot but with much thankfulnesse of heart acknowledge the many rich precious treasures of his grace, wherewith the Lord hath furnished sundrie of you above your Brethren, which causeth us with great reverence to accept, and receive what further light God may be pleased to impart unto us by you; But as we have beleeved, so have we hitherto practised, and so have most of us spoken this our Answer to your particulars, most of us we may say, because there wants not some Brethren amongst us who proceed further, even to looke at all set formes of Prayer invented by men of another age or congregation, and prescribd to their Brethren to be read out of a book for the prayers of the Church, as Images, or Imaginations of men, forbidden in the second Commandement; But as we leave them to their libertie of their own judgements without prejudice, so do we also concurre with the rest of them, so farre as we all goe in bearing witnesse against any set formes, or the corruptions in them; In dispatching whereof, we have been the more slow because it behoved us first to inquire into, and to settle some controversies amongst our selves, before we could well attend to entertaine discourse about forraigne questions which do not so neerely concerne our present estate and practise.