as if they had been Lovers of Contention and Enemies to all Union because they did not subscribe to that Verbal Vnion which they always suspected to be no better than a Feigned Thing They had the Testimony of their Consciences that they could sacrifice the dearest Worldly Interests for that Union which the Holy Scriptures commend to all Christians but they were sensible of the severe Treatment which they met with when they were reviled and aspersed for not Signing a Wire-drawn Agreement composed by their own Brethren who were upon a level with themselves when at the same time they were freed from the Impositions of the National Church by the Exemplary Moderation of King William and the Wisdom of the Parliament THE Congregational Brethren who refused to come into the Union were but few and are said to be no more than three by the Narrative of the Ministers at Little St. Helens whether their number was so small is not a thing of that Moment to deserve a strict Enquiry All the other Brethren of that Denomination who had favourable Thoughts of the Union entred into it and as they had Satisfaction in what they did so it is not to be questioned but they had innocent Ends and Designs to Guide and Govern them in it They had not been long engaged in this new Alliance but some things made them uneasie 1. THEY took Notice how some Aspiring Tempers of the Presbyterian Party began to drive at a Jurisdiction over other Churches and were busie to bring the hearing of such Cases before themselves as were more proper to be laid before Neighbouring Ministers in the places where Matter of Fact was more fully known than it could be to them who liv'd at a Distance 2. THEY perceiv'd that there was a Design to discountenance the Congregational Churches up and down the Nation THEY Thought the Instances of Sandwich and Marlborough amounted to a Presumptive Evidence of this AT Sandwich one Mr. Benson entred into a strict Engagement with the Church there to Act as their Pastor consistently with the Principles and Practices of a Congregational Church but he did afterwards violate his solemn Engagement set up another Meeting and fell in with a Party whose Latitude in Practice was Offensive to the Church When this was brought before the Ministers of the Union the Church was discourag'd and Mr. Benson instead of receiving a Reproof had a Principal Person of the Union some little Time after to move at the Fund that he might have from it some allowance towards his Maintenance although he went on to uphold his Separate Meeting from the Church At Marlborough Mr. Pemberton having parted from the Church and set up a distinct Meeting upon his Decease Mr. Goffe was called from his Work of Preaching to a Numerous Auditory to keep up this Schism and upon his own Representation of things it was strenuously press'd in the Union by Mr. Williams That Mr. Goffe might be Justified in what he had done without any Consideration to what the Church could say There was a likelihood that a Vote would have pass'd for the clearing of him if Mr. Chancey had not Interposed and desired to have his Protest against it Entred if they acquitted Mr. Goffe from all Blame without First Hearing the Church It was for such and other Carriages of the Leading Men of the Presbyterian Party in the Union that the Congregational Brethren were troubled yet bearing with Patience what they could not redress they kept their Station and albeit they had some Meetings among themselves in Reference to things belonging to Congregational Churches which were not proper and adviseable to be debated in Conjunction with the Presbyterian Ministers yet they did not in the least judge themselves hereby to be guilty of making any Infractions upon the Union because the Congregational Brethren do to this Day aver That they never consented to the Preface that is set before the Heads of the Agreement as any part of the Articles of the Union This being so it is to be wonder'd how the Meeting of the Ministers at Little St. Helens could be so forward to say That by the first thing in the Agreement they thought all opposite Meetings had been prevented when that which relates to such Meetings as they will call Opposite was never a part of the Agreement The Answer to the Report by the Committee of the United Ministers Page 2. when there is such a Trip in the very Threshold What Impartiality can be expected in their following History The Congregational Brethren were offended at several Managements in the Union but never Deserted it till that happened which forc'd them at last to leave it It was this Mr. Daniel Williams Published a Book against Doctor Crisp's Opinions and with the Confutation of the Doctor 's Opinions he did interweave several Notions of his own which have been reckoned contrary to the Received and Approved Doctrine of the Reformed Churches To speak the least of the Book it goes as far from the Doctrine of the First and Best Reformers as the New Method or the Amyraldian Scheme does if it does not take some steps farther The Book is written with little Learning but great Artifice and as if the Author studied by his Obscurity to hide some things that will not as yet go well down and it may be thought he was not without his Vmbrae Assistentes in the Composing of it because the Stile of it is more Polish'd and there is a better Grammatical Connexion in it than is to be seen in his following Writings THIS Book could not but give Offence to them who were Zealous for Antient Truths against new and old Errors yet it would have been pass'd by as many other Exceptionable Prints are if it had not been for the Attestation given to it by several Presbyterian Ministers of the Greatest Figure wherein they express themselves so far in favour of the Book that none who take their Words in the full Sense and Meaning of them can think but that they give it the highest Approbation There were Sixteen concerned in the First Testimonial and although the Presbyterian Brethren could not but be sensible that this gave great Offence and was like to produce a woful Rupture yet in the Re-Printing of the Book the List of Names was increased from Sixteen to Forty Nine of the Union which was by far the Majority of the Presbyterian Party that were in it It occasioned much grief of Heart to the Congregational Brethren to see the far greater part of the Union to set themselves to Midwife into the World by the Authority of their Names such palpable Deviations from the Truth as were in Mr. Williams's Treatise It was not for Doctor Crisp's Opinions that they were concern'd as the unthinking Vulgar are made to Believe by the Invidious and Uncharitable Reports of some who stick not to say any thing when it will serve their Interest but that which raised Displeasure in them was
of time would bring any of the Dividers to a more Peaceable and Uniting Temper but they waited to no purpose for the Return of them who shewed themselves to be Men of more Stiffness than to Re-call what they had done when it was for the sake of a Party This inflexible Temper was the more to be blamed in some of the Deserting Lecturers because they had given Encouragement to the Subscribers to hope that they would not leave the Pinners-Hall-Lecture but they disappointed the Expectations of them who thought they would not joyn with the Author and Promoter of a Scandalous Schism This shewed that as most of the Ministers at Little St. Helens had approved Mr. Williams's Book so the Chief of them would not forbear to stand by and encourage him in his Contentious Managements IT is said in the St. Helens Narrative That Four of the Lecturers were necessitated to leave Pinners-Hall The Answer to the Report c. Page 9. THERE is no Truth in this as to Doctor Bates Mr. How and Mr. Alsop unless the Composers of the Narrative mean That Doctor Bates Mr. How and Mr. Alsop who were all Intreated and Courted with great Importunity to stay at Pinners-Hall thought that their Concurring with Mr. Williams in the Anti-Lecture was so Momentous and Important that it made their departure from Pinners-Hall necessary IN January 1694. A Paper of Articles was sent from the Ministers at Little St. Hellens to the Congregational Ministers as a Test against Arminianism and Antimonianism This Paper was never publickly Read in the Meeting of the Congregational Ministers and it was so far from being considered by them that upon enquiry it cannot be found that above Two or Three of them have any remembrance of it when it was sent Both the Rebuker and the Contrivers of the St. Hellens Narrative make a great Noise about this Paper and with great confidence endeavour to fasten upon the Congregational Bretheren the Charge of Antinomianism because they were Silent about it but this Accusation is as groundless as it is uncharitable It was not any affection to Antinomianism that kept such of the Congreagational Brethren as knew any thing of the Paper from considering it but it was for other Reasons that they could not press their Brethren in general to take any notice of it 1. THEY did not think the Articles were Worded so fully and so clearly as they ought to be but were either Couched or Defective in some things 2. THEY did not reckon that the Congregational Brethren were under any such obligations to Purge themselves from the Suspitions of Antinomianism as most of the St. Hellens Brethren whose Names stood to Mr. Williams's Book were under to clear themselves from Errors too near a Kin to Arminianism because the Congregational Brethren could not be Charged with Subscribing any Antinomian Book 3. THERE was no mention made in this Paper of any dislike of the Errors of Mr. Williams and therefore such of the Congregational Brethren as saw this Paper of Articles wav'd it as that which was no sit Expedient for Peace when it said nothing of the standing Offence This is a true Accompt of the aforesaid Paper and when the Reader considers it he will then see that the Rebuker and the Framers of the St. Helens Narrative Blacken the Innocent to hide their own Deformitys and falsly Charge others with Antinomianism to cover their own Retreat towards the Tents of the Arminians WHEN most of the Ministers at Little St. Helens had upon every new Tryal given pregnant Proofs of their liking to Mr. Williams's Errors and when the chief of them kept up their separate Lecture at Salters-Hall all proposals for Peace would have been laid aside if the Industry of some had not surmounted the Difficulties which lay in their way and if they had not in the beginning of the Year 1695. got a few Ministers to meet together to try if they could find out any proper Means to heal the Breaches that were daily made wider When they had met together Twice the old Request at a Third meeting was urged That some of the Noted Subscribers to Mr. Williams 's Book would withdraw their hands from it They were press'd to do this as that which was necessary for them to do otherwise they would weaken the Authority of their own Writings It was then desired of Mr. Lobb that for the Refreshing of their Memories he would draw out of their Writings some things that were Contradictory to Mr. Williams's Assertions which he did and was drawn to Publish them before there was another Meeting because of the following occasion Mr. Humphrey having got a sight of Mr. Lob's Paper did Print some part of it with his own Remarks to which Mr. Williams Answer'd This made Mr. Lobb address himself in a Printed Letter to the Reverend Dr. Bates wherein he made it evident that the Reverend Dr. was under a necessity either to withdraw his Subscription from Mr. Williams's Book or to disown what he himself had Written This and other weighty Reasons brought some of the Chief of the Presbyterian Brethren after much time spent in Mature deliberation to agree upon a Pacificatory Paper wherein they medled only with the bare state of Truths and Errors in Mr. Williams's Book because they said they never set their Hands to any more of the Book The Paper which they sent to the Congregational Brethren is as Follows WWHER AS Some unhappy Differences have arisen amongst us principally about the Doctrine of Justification occasioned by a Book Written by Mr. Williams Intituled Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated to which some of our Names were prefix'd and against which several Exceptions were made by Mr. Griffith Mr. Cole Mr. Mather Mr. Chauncy Mr. Traile and Mr. Richard Taylor which if continued amongst the Ministers of Christ may be much to the Dishonour of God and Danger to the Souls of Men. ' For the Composing whereof as we formerly expressed our Approbation of the Doctrinal Articles of the Church of England or the Confession of Faith compiled by the Assembly at VVestminster or that at the Savoy as agreeable to the Word of God unto that Approbation we still adhere Declaring further that if any of us shall at any time hereafter be apprehended to have express'd himself disagreeing thereunto we will with Brotherly Candour and Kindness mutually endeavour to give and receive just Satisfaction herein Bearing with one anothers Infirmities and different Sentiments about Logical or Philosophical Terms or meerly Humane Forms of Speech in matters of lesser VVeight Not thinking it reasonable or just to Charge upon any Brother such Consequences of any Expression or Opinion of his which he himself shall Disown And We do further Declare with respect to the special matters in Difference amongst us that Altho Regeneration Repentance towards God Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and Holy Conversation are by Gods express VVord manifestly necessary to the Salvation of a Sinner yet that
A HISTORY OF THE UNION Between the PRESBYTERIAN AND Congregational Ministers In and about LONDON AND THE CAUSES OF The BREACH of it LONDON Printed in the Year MDCXCVIII TO THE READER HISTORY is of Great Vse to Mankind when it gives a Faithful Relation of Things as they are because it is then the Repository of Truth and transmits to the following Generations the Knowledge of what was done in the preceding Ages But when it is False it perpetuates the Belief of Vntruths so long as it is in being and gains any Credit with Men. It is a Sincere and Impartial Regard to Truth together with an Hatred of Falshood that has given Birth to the following History THE Author of the Faithful Rebuke gives such a Description of the Independents as cannot but prevail with any who know their Principles and Practices to give a Testimony concerning them so far as they are Innocent THE Language wherewith he treats them is such as one would think none could justifie who have not broke through all the Bounds of Common Civility and yet his Faithful Rebuke was so acceptable to The Meeting of the Ministers at Little St. Hellens that it was only the Modesty of the Author that prevented his having the Thanks of the United Ministers for a Book wherein he dresses up his Brethren as if he were imitating the Spanish Inquisitors when they are about to present the Hereticks to the Devouring Flames He condemns the Congregational Brethren by Wholesale in his Faithful Rebuke and altho he would mince the Matter in the Vindication of his Faithful Rebuke yet every one that minds what he says of them in his first Book will see that he Censures them as a Party of Men without Discrimination Not only the Congregational Ministers come under his Lash but the Lay Brothers among the Independents as he calls them must feel his Biting Jeers After the Rebuker had Discharg'd a whole Volley of Reproaches upon the Independents there came forth another Book bearing this Title The Answer to the Report which the United Ministers appointed their Committee to draw up This Book abating something of a Formality came forth Armed with the Authority of The Meeting of the Ministers at Little St. Hellens For Mr. Williams tells the World That the Reason why it was not published in the Name of the Body of the United Ministers was as he speaks because the Confirmation of it by a Second Reading was suspended and only so Mr. William 's Preface to the Answer to the Report c. AFTER this full Assurance given that the Reason why it was not Published in the Name of the Body of the United Ministers was only because the Rereading of it was Suspended it will be no Wrong to look upon it as that which speaks their Common Sense and Judgment till they publickly disown it THIS Book is not fill'd with Raillery as the Faithful Rebuke is and the Charges which are brought in it against the Independents are not so extensive But the Gentlemen of the Committee so far as they play the Historians fully agree with the Rebuker for they as well as he either mistake as to every instance of Matter of Fact that they meddle with or they conceal some considerable Circumstances belonging to it THE History of the Committee as well at that of the Rebuker is so partial and void of Truth that in some Respects it is become necessary for the Vindication of the Congregational Ministers from the Vnjust Accusation that they are laid under to set things in a true Light which is the Design of the ensuing History Several Original Papers might have been inserted in this History to render it more full which at prsenet for the sake of Brevity are omitted But if this be a Defect it may be supply'd if any Occasion be given for it hereafter WHEN the Ministers at Little St. Hellens are called Presbyterians it is not by way of Contempt but only for Distinction and the Reason why they are not always styled The United Ministers is because such a Denomination does not strictly and properly belong to them since their Breach of the Vnion THE Intention of this History is only to rescue the Truth from the Little Tricks of some Vnquiet Spirits But not to Quarrel with the Presbyterian Brethren among whom many deserve a General Esteem for their Exemplary Piety Great Learning and Undoubted Orthodoxy in the Faith IF there be any thing said in this History that may justly come under Correction as to Matter of Fact when the Contrary does appear the Information shall be receiv'd and the Fault shall be acknowledged but if any will Cavil about Niceties Modes Expression and Things that are Inconsiderable only or if they will Answer in the Scurrilous and Offensive Dialect of the Rebuker or with an Impotent Malice as Mr. Williams does his Adversary then they shall be pass'd by with Pity and Silence UNION when it is Founded in Truth and in Love unfeigned is no small Blessing in it self and is the greatest Ornament to Religion when on the contrary Dissention among Christians brings Reproach on the Profession of the Gospel and proves a Stumbling-Block to many It was a Desire to remove the Scandal that arises from Division that stirred up some Ministers several Years ago to attempt something towards the Healing of the Differences between the Brethren of the Presbyterian and Congregational Persuasion in Matters of Discipline but before they could bring their laudable Enterprize to any Ripeness a stop was put to their Pious and Peaceable Undertaking by the Persecution raised against them in the Year 1682 and continued for some time afterwards by the Influence and prevailing Interest of the Duke of York who when he came to change the Character of a Subject for that of a Crowned Head was cryed up by his Friends and Flatterers as a great Patron for Liberty of Conscience While the Dissenters were under the Smart of their Enemies Rage there was no need of Conciliatory Methods to promote Peace because the Increase of their Fraternal Affection to one another was the Cement of a close Union amongst them and it continued to be so all the time of their Restraint and Hardships AFTER the Liberty was given to the Dissenters by the Late King James the former Expedient for Agreement was set on foot again between the differing Parties When the Congregational Brethren were beginning to Debate among themselves upon the Articles proposed for Union it was Suggested to them That the Work would not be grateful to King James 's Court and so it was dropt This was no Valid Reason to many of them yet they fell in with it because they did then foresee that no Union could be effected between the two aforesaid Parties that would hold long and that when they sought to Agree they would fall out Although little regard was had to the Pleasure of the Late King James in desisting from this Affair yet it must be owned
because the great Truths of the Gospel taught by the First Reformers were craftily Undermined by one Man who had the chief of the Presbyterian Party to step in as his Seconds to Abett and Support him in his Quarrel THE Congregational Brethren laying this to Heart and remembring how they were bound as Ministers to Defend the Truth did resolve to bear Witness against the Errors of Mr. Williams There were Six of them that joyned in a Paper of Exceptions against Mr. Williams's Book whose Names have been more than once seen in Print and the rest of the Congregational Brethren were so far concurring with them in what they did that they thought something was necessary to be done to stop the Torrent of Error that was then running down This Paper of Exceptions was carried to the Meeting of the Vnited Ministers Octob. 17. 1692. by Mr. Chancey after he had given the Reasons why he look'd upon the Union to be broken and Perverted from its right End and therefore would be no longer a Member of it He delivered in the aforesaid Paper and took his Final Leave of them IT is here needful to Correct the Error which is in the Narrative emitted as that which was Approved by the Meeting of the Presbyterian Ministers at Little St. Helens Mr. Chancey say they in a Meeting of the Vnited Ministers after many warm Expressions declared He would leave their Meetings and break off from their Vnion the Cause he alledged was our taking no notice of a Paper of Objections against Mr. Williams 's Book The Answer to the Report by the Committee of the Vnited Ministers Page 3. This is so far from being true that it is impossible it should be so because Mr. Chancey could not complain that no Cognizance was taken of the Paper of Objections before it was deliver'd and this was the very time when he did deliver it and not till he had first given the Reasons of his withdrawing from them and since that time he was never with them When there are so many Discerning Heads in the Meeting of Presbyterian Ministers as one of themselves gives out it is a pity they have not more Love to Truth than to a Party or Faction for if they had they would not be so ready as they are to Palliate the Imposthumated Sores of one of their Members AFTER this Mistake in their Narrative they say There were many Reasons why they should take small Notice of the Objections of the aforesaid Paper 1. THREE of the Six Objectors were not of the Union This is also noted as a strange thing by the Author of the Rebuke to the False Report Page 18. and he gives the Reason why it was so to him Because one Moiety of them were never of the Vnion To this it may be Answered The Three Brethren who never were of the Union although they joyned with the other Three who had Reason to Complain of the Breach of it yet bore no share in this Particular relating to the Breach of the Union but thought they might very well make their Application to the Ministers of the Union not only because many of them were approved for their known Orthodoxy but because some of them as Mr. V. Alsop and others who were Subscribers to Mr. Williams's Book had written in Defence of some of the very Truths that Mr. Williams Opposed They could not but in Justice expect from such that they would either stand by the Truths that they themselves had publickly Asserted and not be Self-contradicting Vouchers to Mr. Williams's unsound Opinions or else disown what they formerly held When the Famous Rebuker weighs this without the heat of a Transporting Passion it may abate his Admiration and may move him to give a better Answer to it than once he did when he said upon his being urged with it That it was not fit to tell a Man of a Book he had written several Years ago This was Surprizing when it was heard because if what he has Written be False he ought to Retract it but if it be True it is not the worse for its Age. 2. IT is said The Material Objections were ungrounded To this it is Answered If they be indeed so then it would have been easie for the Reverend Ministers of the Union to have Proved this against the Objectors for the Confounding of them and therefore they should for the Credit of Mr. Williams have entred into a Debate with the Objectors which they never did IF it be said This was left to them who were Appointed to consider the Objections It is Answered None of them did ever say the Objections were ungrounded The Five Subscribers to the Book who were of the Number to whom the Work was committed did always either refuse to give their Sense of the Book or pleaded that they never read it One of the Five who is deservedly esteemed Equal if not Superiour to any of them for the Strength of his Intellectuals said he never had and he did not know that ever he should read it How then could they discern whether they were Grounded or Ungrounded The Meeting of the Ministers at Little St. Helens must not imagine their bare saying a thing is so will make it to be as they would have it It will be no difficult Task when it shall be thought fit to prove against them That the Objections are not without ground 3. IT is said The Objectors recited as Mr. Williams 's Words in his Book what the Meeting of the Ministers in Little St. Helens found quite contrary to the Letter of his Expressions This is a heavy Charge and when it comes to be sifted it will then be seen whether the Ministers have done right to their own Understandings and have avoided the blame of Partiality in being Mr. Williams's Eccho in renewing the Accusation against the Objectors IN a Prescript to a Book Entituled Man made Righteous by Christ's Obedience Mr. Williams has the following Words In a Paper Signed by Geo. Griffith Tho. Cole Nath. Mather Isaac Chancey Robert Trail and Rich. Taylor and since Printed they Charge me He Teacheth That the Righteousness of Christ is Imputed only as to the Effects with a Purchase of a Conditional Grant viz. this Proposition He that believeth shall be Saved Gospel Truth Stated and Vindicated Page 39. My Words there saith Mr. Williams are these The difference is not whether Christ by his Righteousness Merited for all the Elect that they should in his Time and Way be certainly Partakers of its Saving Effects and did not only Purchase a Conditional Grant of those Effects viz. that Proposition He that Believeth shall be Saved nor whether besides these Effects being made ours the very Righteousness of Christ is Imputed to True Believers as what was always undertaken and design'd for their Salvation and is now effectual to their actual Pardon and Acceptance to Life yea is Pleadable by them as their Security and is as useful to their Happiness