and that I ought to be thank full for the diligent and impartial hand which for some short time doth seem to hurt me But seeing he himself had the same Phagedaenous and eating sores which he tels us were cured by good company and good bookes what necessity was there that mine should be touch'd with either the launce or caustick If he had not delighted in such a composition whose every line is gall and wormwood why did he not before he thus blur'd me with his blackest ink First enquire whether ever I did write any such thing to Mr. B. or no For if Mr. B. be such a lyar as he represents him why would he beleeve me the Author of so monstrous an Argument upon the bare Authority of his report 2. How did he know whether I related this Argument as from my self and not onely as the Argument of others Or 3. why did he not by some private letter endeavour to purge the peccant humour before he made the passionate adventure of calling it obstinate Let 's try whether wee can ghess what might move Mr. P. who saies in his Letter to Doctor Bernard that in all his dealing with Mr. B. he was not so much as heated so to flame against me First it was not sure the Argument it self for that being used by Fathers by Schoolmen of all Sects by Protestant Writers of all perswasions particularly by the most judicious Mr. Tho. Barlow with whom for Metaphysical Learning Mr. P. will in modesty confess himself not worthy to be named in the same day could not deserve so severe a censure Seeing he tells us that he resolves to doe nothing untill the most sober unbiassed persons shall think it publickly usefull I shall make this request to him that hee would procure any one sober person to give it under his hand that it was publickly usefull to call all those foolish and impious who have used this Argument or if such Epithetes belong not unto others why to me Others have de industriâ printed the Argument whereas I never thought that any thing which I wrote should have come to the Press nay what I did write was written in such haste that I might well say with Jerome Qui non ignoscit ingenio ignoscat tempori But I believe the sober men of his own perswasion will be so far from approving his language that they will rather let him taste of Memnons discipline who hearing a mercenary Souldier with many bold and impure reports exclaim against King Alexander lent him a blow with his Launce saying That he had hired him to fight against Alexander and not to raile Secondly though not the Argument in self yet my party and my Masters with whom he doth so frequently upbraid me might justly move his choler Indeed I find Mr. P. guiltie of partiality to so desperate a degree that he makes Arminianism enough to a mans commendation but Anti-arminianism a blasting of all graces and an alloy to all endowments as if it might be said of his Opinion as Augustine speakes of Discretion Tolle hanc virtus vitium erit Once I finde him acknowledging that Piety and Learning might be found among the Absolute Predestinarians but being now faln from his first love he thinks meet to brand Dr. Reynolds with the suspicion of being an Hypocrite as if because he were a man of great parts and worth he could not be in earnest of that party whom he hath owned in Praying in Preaching in Covenanting Nay those against whom he writes are the wicked and so by him not onely thought but also called in the Adv. to Mr. Bax But as for those that are for the respective Decrees and are no friends to Presbytery they are eo nomine religious excellent renowned immortal what not I will instance in two or three upon whom he bestows the greatest commendations sure not without some regret and recalcitration of his conscience First he blesseth the Author of an unlicensed Pamphlet called An Historical relation of the Judgement of some most worthy Bishops holy Martyrs and others concerning Gods election Divi. Phil. p. 93. ch 3. with the honourable appellation of a most learned Divine and Confessour and seems to bewaile it that the book is in so few mens hands but I shall let the Reader see that if this book had had its desert it must have been in fewer mens hands than it is The forementioned scurrilous Pamphlet was reprinted Anno 1631 and licensed by Mr. Martin Bishop Laud's Chaplain when Sir Humphrey Lind and Mr. Prynne complained to Archbishop Abbot of this execrable Imposture the book was called in Bishop Laud professing to his Grace that he had given to his Chaplain such a ratling as would make him never meddle with Arminian books or opinions more nay at the Lords Barr he said that he did put him out of his Chaplains place for licensing that Pamphlet The first Author of this book was answered by Mr. Robert Crowly as may be seen in our University Library 4º O 5. This Crowly was a fugitive for Religion in Queen Maries dayes an eminent laborious Preacher in the time of Qu. Eliz. He not knowing the name of Mr. P's Confessour calls him Cerberus but Mr. John Veron the Queens Chaplain who was principally concern'd in the book found out his name to be Champneys and in a Tract of his dedicated to her Majesty and called a Defence of the Doctrine of Predestination speaks thus of him In this I comfort my self that his tongue is known to be no slander For the like did he most proudly attempt in your most gracious Brother good King Edward the sixth's dayes against all the godly Preachers of that time calling them marked Ministers of Antichrist and men void of the Spirit of God for none be they never so godly never so earnest and faithfull labourers in the Lords vineyard have the Spirit of God or doe know the efficacie of it but he onely as many godly persons be able to testifie to his face That he did therefore and for many other abominable errours which he then stoutly maintained bear at that time a Faggot at Paul's-cross Father Coverdale making then the Sermon there Belike fearing now the like punishment and that he should be compell'd to revoke his Pelagian-like opinion he durst not for all his proud boast set his own name to his railing and venemous bookes nor yet suffer them to be sold openly or publickly in the Book-sellers shops but cowardously suppressing both his own name and the name of his unwise and foolish Printer got the whole Impression into his own hands that so he might in huggermugger send them unto his private freinds abroad whom belike he suspected to be of his affinity and damnable opinion Howbeit this could not be wrought so privily but that within a while some of his bookes came into my hands whereby shortly after the Printer was known and brought to his Answer whom this stout champion of Pelagius hath
of his hatred the title of Calvinist and Puritan and because I find some to make use of this Jvybush to tole in customers that they are obedient Sons of the Chuch of England I shall beg thy patience good Reader whilest I shew that not the Remonstrant but the Contra-remonstrant opinion hath been the Doctrine of the Reformed Church of England and that the Countenancing of Arminianisme with us is no older than Bishop Laud and Bishop Mountague who are but of yesterday in comparison But do not these men much forget themselves whilest they appeale to the Church of England Was it not the Church of England that in her 35th Article did legitimate the books of homilies and are not such words to be found in the homily against the Peril of Idolatry The image of God Father Son or Holy Ghost either severally or the images of the Trinity be by the Scriptures expressely forbidden and condemned as appears by these places Deut. 4. Isa 40. Acts 17. Rom. 1. Vide ibidem plura How then was the late Arcshbishop an obedient Son of the Church of England who put Mr. Sherlfield a Bencher of Linc. Inne and Recorder of Sarum to so much cost and a disgracefull acknowledgment of his fault and caused him to be bound to his good behaviour for taking down a glasse Window in which there were made no lesse then 7. pictures of God the Father in forme of a little old man clad in a blew and red coat with a Pouch by his side about the bignesse of a Puppet Yea I have heard it from a Gentleman of good repute that the Archbishop then justified the Picturing of God the Father in forme of an old man out of that place of Daniel where God is called the ancient of dayes Nay Bishop Lindsey one of the Archbishops great Creatures was not ashamed to say That none but ignorant Calvinist Bishops did put down Altars at the beginning of the Reformation and that they were worse then Iesuites that he was much offended with the Homily's against the Perill of Idolatry against setting up of images in Churches that he would have these Homilies put out of the Homily book wondred why they were suffered to continue in it so long Was it not the Church of Enland who by her Lords Spiritual in the upper house and her whole convocatiō in the Act for the subsidy of the Clergy 3o. Iacobi defined the Pope to be the Antichrist was it not Bishop Andrews positive opinion that the Pope is Antichrist was it not Archbishop Whitgifts commencement assertion 1569. Papa est ille Antichristus was not this also positively asserted by Archbishop Vsher and proved by King Iames and must they now be called the onely obedient Sons of our Church who study by all their Learning to take off that ignominious name from the Pope and fasten it upon I know not whom Was it not the Church of England who in her 9th Article speaks so plainly concerning Original sin That it standeth not in following of Adam as the Pelagians do vainely talke but is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man that naturally is engendred of the off-spring of Adam c. And must he now that set forth the unum necessarium then whom Pelagius himself could not be more Pelagian be resorted unto and reputed as an Oracle by those who glory in nothing more then in beeing old Eliz Protestants O that those who have any zeal for the Religion sealed by the blood of our Martyrs defended by the pens of our Divines the swords of our Soldiers established by the Law of our Nation would consider what I write But these are Parerga'es to our grand design which was to find out the opinion of the Church of England in the matters debated betwixt the Remonstrants and Contra remonstrants for the carrying on whereof it will not be amisse to consider our Church in a twofold capacity before our general Reformation after it Before the general Reformation in whom should we seeke our Church but in our Martyrs and confessors who did witnesse against the Synagogue of Sathan what were the opinions of Wichlief we can scarce find but in the History of Papists who would be sure to make him as odious as they could tell how to draw him but by their laying it to his charge that he brought in fatal necessity that he made God the author of sin we may make a probable ghesse that there was no disagreement betwixt him and Mr. Iohn Calvin For the dayes of King Henry the eight wee have through special providence some workes of Mr William Tyndall Mr Iohn Frith Mr. Dr. Barnes preserved which are all bound up together and put forth by Iohn Day 1563 Mr. Iohn Fox than whom Magd. Coll. hath scarce ever had a member of whom she may more justly boast putting a large preface in which he stileth them the cheife ring-leaders of the Church of England How point blank they speake for the things that now are called Calvinistical errors may be seen with a little labour if any one will looke upon the index though he that will read the book it selfe once over for my sake will read it over twice for his owne Come we to the more conspicuous estate of our Church when Kings and Queens have vouchsafed to be nursing Fathers and Mothers to it when she hath spoken to her members by the 39. Art Homilies Liturgies Catechismes these we will consult that we may be sure if it be possible to know her mind The Articles were first agreed upon in the Convocation holden in the Reign of Edward the sixt 1552. confirmed and repromulgated Anno 1562. ratified by King Iames 1604. and by King Charles 1628. Some little variation there is in the several editions of them about which I mind not to trouble my self seeing the 17th Article is the same in all the words are as followeth Predestination to life is the everlasting purpose of God whereby before the foundation of the World laid he hath constantly decreed by his counsel secret to us to deliver from curse and damnation those whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind and to bring them by Christ to everlasting salvation as vessels made to honour wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a benefit of God be call'd according to Gods purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through grace obey the calling they be justified freely they be made sons of God by adoption they be made like the image of his onely begotten Son Iesus Christ they walk religiously in good workes and at length by Gods mercy they attain to everlasting felicity c. Nor can any one that reads the common prayer booke with an unprejudiced mind choose but observe divers passages that manifestly make for a personall eternall election That which may be collected out of our Homilies I will not transcribe seeing the booke is commonly to be had Let me only minde
providendum est ne etiam à bonis desideretur The Episcopal governement as it was exercised in your County will be desired by the bad let not the good wish it restored also for any Church Governement is better than no Church Government a promiscuous admission to the Sacrament is more desireable than a totall disuse of that most blessed ordinance If you will but put in practice the rules you pitched upon when you were first about to enter into an association with your Brethren you shall as little need to fear the spleen of him who calleth your ordinations Prankes as the clamour of those who call your Churches Antichristian That the word of the Lord may run and be glorified among you That God would open unto you a door of utterance to speak the Mystery of Christ for which you endure contradiction of sinners and that when your work is done in this life you may enter into your Masters glory is the prayers of The unworthiest of your fellow labourers H. Hickman Magd. Colledg Nov. 22 th 1658. A Preface to the Reader Christian Reader ALthough I never saw Mr. Peirce his face yet so much have I been taken with that rich vein of Rhetorick which runnes through all his Writings falling under my eye that those few friends in whose common acquaintance wee meet will testifie I have not mentioned his name without those prefaces of respect which are due to a Scholar Nor hath his debasing mee to the dunghill of Doltisme put me under any temptation to detract from the credit and reputation which he hath acquired unto himself among our young Gallants by putting the good Greek and Latin of the old Philosophers into as good English is his Practicals by abusing Mr. Bar. with Drollery as handsome as ever drop'd from the Pen of Ben. Johnson in his Polemicals But as Bees are sometimes drowned in their Honey so is his Logick in his Rhetorick the body of his Proofs being as poor and lean as the garnish of his words and margin glorious his stuffe as meane as his dressing rich And therefore I reckon him many waies unfortunate in choosing the tremendous mystery of Reprobation for his first publick Essay Eccius indeed in his Chrysopas where he entreateth concerning Reprobation saith he did choose it as an idoneous subject in quo juveniles calores exerceret But that Mr. P. a person professing to be of that party by whose means a declaration was procured injoyning silence in these points to be an admirer of Bishop Montague who in his first Visitation made this one Article of Enquiry Doth your Minister commonly or on set purpose in his popular Sermons fall upon those much disputed and little understood Doctrines of Gods eternall Predestination of Election precedaneous of Reprobation irrespective without sinne fore-seen of Free-will of Perseverance and not falling from Grace points obscure unfoldable unfordable untractable at which that great Apostle stood at gaze with O the height and depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgements and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11.31 That Mr. P. should sport his fancy in these troubled waters wherein so many have made ship-wrack of faith and a good conscience would seem strange to me But that I am fallen into an Age in which I have learned to admire nothing not so much from any knowledge I have attained unto of the causes of things as from the multitude of strange effects But that 2ly I had long since learned that the foresaid Declaration was never intended to bee a two edged Sword was never procured out of any charitable design to settle the Peace of the Church but out of a politick designe to stop the mouthes of the Orthodox who were sure to be censured if they at any time declared their minds whilst the new upstart Arminians were suffered to Preach and Print their Heterodox notions with out any controule lest in this I should be suspected of partiality or falshood I will quote the words of the most Noble Lord Faulkland in his Speech to the House of Commons printed Anno 1641. For Thom. Walkeley Pag. 5 6. Mr. Speaker in this they have abused his Majesty as well as his people for when he had with great wisdome silenced on both parts those opinions which have often tormented the Church and have and will all way trouble the Schooles they made use of this Declaration to tye up one side and let the other loose whereas they ought either in discretion to have been equally restrained or in justice to have been equally tolerated and it is observable that the party to which they gave this licence was that whose Doctrine though it were not contrary to Law was contrary to custome and for a long while in this Kingdome was no ofter preached than recanted If Mr. P. have for the time past what he tells us for the future he resolves bestowed onely his times of Leisure and diversion upon these disputes he is the more excuseable But if whilest he hath â—een throwing stones at Mr. Bar. head his Children have wanted their bread or have been fain to take it divided to them by a more unskillfull hand then his own Then hath he put something on his doomesday booke which I wish he may have time to take off by repentance before he goe away and shall be seen no more and let him take this counsell from one who though constrained to dissent from his opinion is a cordial friend to his Person quickly to kisse the Son who must needs be offended with him for his hard speeches used against those pretious Divines beyond the Seas scarse to be equalled by any now a live or to be excelled by those in any Calendar So little do I delight to have my fingers in the fire of contention that have meddled with nothing in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but what I my self am at least by him thought to be concerned in Whether I be supra or sublapsarian or neither in the Doctrine of reprobation and the conversies depending thereon no one knows or can pretend to know from any thing they have heard me say in the Pulpit and if I have not thought meet to make these things a Pulpit businesse why should I declare my minde about them from the presse If my opinion be in some particulars singular then perhaps it may be my duty to have my knowledge to my self if in all things I agree with others of the Calvinistical perswasion I must then before I write one consider twice whether I can say any thing that others have not said before in most full and ample manner for he had need be very prodigal of his credit who in such a curious and inquisitive age as this will serve up his Reader with onely a dish of twenty times sodden coleworts Yet because I am brought upon the stage and because Mr. P. hath thought meet to blast me with the utmost expression
hat intending to keep it for a pawn his hat being taken off another malady appears in his bald head Now Sir saith the Officer I must have a double tribute of you Nay saith the Traveller that you shall not and begins to strugle with the Officer who being too strong for him gave him a foyl by means whereof there was a rupture perceived under his coat Now saith the Officer to him againe I must have a treble tribute of you The more Mr. P. doth struggle the more doth he discover his infirmities yet I beleeve he will not be quiet for they that have a bad cause will alway have the last word if death doe not stop their mouthes But as to my self I think we had both been held wiser men if we had held our peace especially seeing the heat of these Epidemical controversies hath produced more Writers then to use Plautus his similitude an hot summer brings forth buzzing flies and therefore though Mr. P. through his provoking language hath made a coward to fight for once yet will he scarce draw me into the field again for neither can I undergoe the judicious tryal of the Learned nor am I willing to hazard the passionate censures of the ignorant nor have I observed that many have been healed by going into the troubled waters though moved by the best Angels of the Church Truth is so lovely and beautifull that they who embrace Falshood will needs have it to be Truth and because they are unwilling to be deceived they will not be convinced that they have been deceived If Mr. P. doe reply seriously and judiciously so as that I be convinced it will be sufficient that in a private Letter I thank him for undeceiving me and authorize him to publish to the world that I am his Proselyte But if his Reply shall be seasoned with the salt of Momus not of Mercury or if it be stuffed and coloured onely with an ignorantia elenchi defending that which is not impugned or if he shall like the flyes seek for and stick onely upon a sore place fall on the sick and weak parts of my discourse and never attempt to charge through the main body I shall vindicate my self only with contempt and silence When a Nobleman of this Nation had a controversie in Law with a Brewer who had a Garden and dwelling house bordering upon his The Brewer gave it in charge to his servant to put in so many hogsheads of water more into all his Brewings than he was wont to doe telling him that such a supply would bear the charge of his suit with his adversary which being overheard by the Nobleman he sent presently to the Brewer resolving he would no longer goe to Law with him who upon such ease and cheap termes could manage his part of the suit I neither make my self the Nobleman nor Mr. P. the Brewer but yet seeing he suffers his fancy to flye abroad so fast seeing he hath a fluid ink-pot as ready at hand as the Thames to the Brewer seeing he can print more Books in two years than a wiser man would undertake to print in all his life nay seeing rather than not bee a good customer to Mercurius Politicus he will clap a new Title to his old Works I may well be excused if I have no mind to meddle further with him Of all distempers I hope I shall keep my self free from the itch of disputing and writing many books And I doubt not but wise men will count it more commendable to stand out than to play at small games The God of Truth and Love teach us to follow the truth in love that we may grow up into him in all things which is the head even Christ FINIS