A CENSURE OF THREE Scandalous Pamphlets I. A Defence of Dr. Crisp against the Charge of Mr. Edwards of Cambridg by Esquire Edwards in Wales II. Reflections on the Authors of the late Congregational Declaration against Antinomianism and Trepidantium Malleus by the A. Club. III. A Sermon preached Jan. 30. last by Canon Gilbert in Plimouth with a tedious Preface of Mr. J. Y. Haud timeo si jam nequeam defendere crimen Cum tanto commune viro Vlys Gen. 19.7 I pray Brethren do not so wickedly LONDON Printed and are to be sold by A. Baldwin in Warwick-lane 1699. A Friendly Epistle to Esquire Edwards concerning his Defence of Dr. Crisp against the just Charge of Mr. Edwards of Cambridg that Orthodox moderate Conformist GREAT SIR THAT you are a Gentleman a studious one and of unusual Accomplishments natural and acquired cannot and therefore shall not be denied but chearfully granted by me I meddle not with your late large Book with its superfluous Branches Baxterianism Barefac'd for which fault Dr. Chamry was against its publication as we are credibly informed I and other zealous Anti-Baxterians are both troubled and ashamed when we see 1. That any Advocate for Dr. Crisp should thus appear against Baxterianism For which sound Calvinists will give you no thanks knowing you often oppose not Error with Truth You confirm these Men in their Notions when they read your more wild ones 2. That you in that Book drop such words as these They the Baxterians like the Writers against Dr. Crisp mistake Mens sense and misrepresent their words Thus you became rather their Compurgator than Censurer 3. That you should charge Mr. Baxter as a Writer against sound Conformists and Nonconformists about Justification c. and yet vindicate Dr. Crisp much more corrupt than he and more opposite to the Authors you cite This fills us all with amazement that you so strangely forget your self 4. That you have impos'd on us in citing some Authors against Mr. Baxter particularly Bishop Vsher's Body of Divinity p. 58. when it is well known Bishop Vsher told Dr. Bernard on his Death-bed He was not the Author of that Book but that much of it was taken out of Mr. Crook 's Catechism That there were excellent things in it and if any one would be at the pains to cut off some Excrescencies and make some good Additions he might take the credit of the whole See Bishop Vsher's Life By the way was it like a Disputant to write against Mr. Baxter's Doctrin of Vniversal Redemption to tell us plainly That you never saw that Book of his bearing that Title tho you heard it was printed since his death Yes by Mr. Read Again you bring in Mr. Baxter's Objections Christ did not for us do the Duty of a Husband or Wife or Father and cite Mr. Traughton to less purpose when you might do it to better P. 116. Christ says that blind seeing Man that had the Eyes of Angels tho not of Cats and Dogs was habitually dispos'd to do all the Work and perform every Duty for us in that Relation in which it pleas'd the Father to put him and this was virtual Obedience c. Luther Rediv. Part. 2. Was not also your tedious endless Citation of Mr. Herbert Palmer's Memorials of Godliness inexcusable Almost all the Book You say he was an old Presbyterian Puritan and an abhorrer of Baxterianism which say you is a Paradox among some tho not all of them Why a Paradox I know not above four Baxterians among the Ministers in a County where once Providence cast my Lot 5. That you seem to treat Mr. Baxter with less rudeness than Mr. Edwards What is an unexceptionable Calvinist worse with you than a Neonomian And which is worse you damn the Baxterians and little less Calvinists as if lost by a Covenant of Works Yet we are glad seeing you would meddle in these matters 1. To see so many good Strokes in that Book and in a better Style than in some other Books Many things you mention are too bad too true You say right of Barkly the Learned Quaker He linkt the Papists and Baxterians together and himself with both about Justification P. 22. Let others answer for themselves and Master this is not my Work 2. That you are so good an Example to our Gentry who spend their time in Pleasure Hunting Whoring Drunkenness When you are so sober so serious so contemplative I take you to be a pious but melancholy Man 3. That you are so zealous against Quakerism in your Comparison between Quakerism and Baxterianism I hope now the fit or temptation to turn Quaker so much talk't of is over I leave that Book and apply my self to you about your Defence of Dr. Crisp against Mr. Edwards of Cambridg bound up with it You Sir call this famous Divine and so all of us that own the sound Doctrine he pleads for a Self-Justitiary and tell us That the Truth and that in Fundamentals hath been from Dr. Crisp 's Works maintâ—…n'd and defended fully That Mr. Edwards 's Doctrin Justification by Faith justifies the Papists Charge against us of Schism from the Church of Rome and Council of Trent and that you will maintain that any Jesuit might unequivocally and safely as well as gladly subscribe What Man is Justification by Faith Popery What shall I do To cite is to confute and therefore I will save the Reader 's Time and Money not to answer such little very little trifles Your Discourse of Fountain Vnion in Election virtual by Redemption manifestative in effectal Calling is unlearnedly and too much Crispianly exprest tho it is true you tell us before of being made actual Members of the Head in time I should think you being a sober Gentleman had written this Book too soon after a fit of Sickness or the Vertigo or the Calenture or had you been a profane Gentleman after a Night's Debauch P. 3. You say Our Author Mr. Edwards and his Jesuitical Fraternity jumble Justification and Sanctification together promiscuously That the Doctor Dr. C. separates them not but as to their Ends and Designs No! why were they sanctified too from Eternity from the Womb in the height of all Wickedness Manasseh when he used familiar Spirits Saul when he breathed out Slaughter against the Church What is imputed Sanctification good Doctrine already This is beyond Crisp Why such a trite Proverb so often repeated Ab Equis ad Asinos What is it from the Baxterians to the Crispians I pray our late Preachers of imputed Sanctification to consider as Christ's Righteousness is so imputed to us for Justification that no subjective Righteousness of ours can justify So if Christ's Righteousness be imputed to us for Sanctification no subjective Righteousness of ours could sanctify There would be no room for inherent Righteousness Sanctification or Holiness were the Elect in the height of all their Wickedness in a state of Unregeneracy sanctified as well as justified was there
not I will beg pardon of God and the Crispians for wronging him but if I do prove it I câ—… the Throat of Crispianism and undeceive some of his deluded Followers who cannot believe this Charge You take no notice of â—his damnable Heresy vindicate him here if you can You say Sir If a Man be justified before he believes then he is not justified by Faith Every School-boy will tell you hath been is the Preterperfectence Rare discoveries and such may tell you that hath is put for the Future shall be else Christ was Incarnate before Isaiah wrote But these and many other things I have consider'd in my Three contending Brethren Apology and New-Years-Gift and thither I refer you If Dr. Owen say you was not a Crispian I know not who was Say I if Dr. Owen was not an Anti-Crispian I know not who was and this will I make good if we meet as before You say p. 16. They censure the Doctor for condemning Graces and good Works in the Popish and meritorious sense and that this is the plain Grammar of all our Virulency against him All our Prayers Tears Meltings cannot make God lay our Iniquities on Christ A profound Assertion When Dr. Crisp said it Mr. Edwards replied who ever said they did You call him Doeg and p. 18. say that God will remember Amalek for standing in the way of God's Israel and that with an obliterating Remembrance False Prophets say you acted by a lying Spirit That the Man of Sin notwithstanding all his Wickedness is call'd his Holiness Christ is the Lord our Righteousnest All the Popes profest or practical Adherents We have Copies of the Council of Trent fleeing about our Ears in various Pamphlets against Dr. Crisp or rather his Doctrin which is the Scripture Doctrin of Justification No Man can believe you nor you your self Sir be sober and let not your arrows flee at random Are Calvinists Amalekites as well as Baxterians Doth the Pope's name make Holiness less lovely than an Arch-bishop's GRACE makes Free Grace so Arminianism and Socinianism say you p. 25. lies in our Author's treachery tho he owns a commutative imputation of Sin and Righteousness between Christ and Believers Will not the granting of this do You say p. 26. Most absconded Sir your cask smells of Socinianism c. I have spent some time to consider what makes you so waspish and in such fits of Raving Is it a turbulent brawling Creature at home If so I pity you Some at first give them their Authority and call for it too late It is storied of Semiramis she desired Ninus she might Reign in his stead nine days he granted his supplicant Wife this thing in which time she put him to death and took the Government on her self It is not safe to let a Woman reign nine Days nine Days did I say no not nine Hours Mrs. B. was too much Master at home and would do what she pleas'd Such Men must be pitied as well as blamed Now Sir whatever you and I differ in I heartily agree with you in the close of your Book of what Mr. Edwards says after his Censure of Dr. Crisp's Doctrine That he hopes he was a good Man This is say you a perfect Riddle It is a great one too to me Mr. Edwards Mr. Williams that have so said deserve I think your Reprimand Seeing you at last Rhime an Epitaph on Dr. Crisp I will think of it Yours begins Great Carbonado'd Crisp what 's now thy Crown And was thy Glory here is trampled down c. Frightful word Carbonado'd Where is he Is he broiling I should not like it if any had made such an Epitaph as one did on a notorious Knave If Heaven be pleas'd when Men do cease from Sin If Hell be pleas'd when it a Soul doth win If the World be pleas'd when it hath lost a Knave Then all are pleas'd is in his Grave Carbonado'd Crisp I cannot get the word out of my Mind such a word might provoke one of us to Rhyme as foolishly as you and so to deserve to be as severely reprov'd Suppose I should make this Epitaph Crisp did not fear to be whilst here Compunctions Enemy Where he 's now sent he must repent To all Eternity None in the least ever profest This Grace to have disgrac'd Satan alone and Crisp his Son In this are both barefac'd He that did say David did stray When Sin his burden was A burden be finds Sin to be And ever cries Alas Would you not say it were rashly done and that I had made him a Carbonado'd Man as well as you Come now and let us reason together I do acknowledg I look not on you as the worst sort of Crispians I know you would make Dr. Crisp to speak better than he intended and you pass by my Charge about Repentance Because some of my Friends are offended with a passage in my last Book That Dr. Crisp his Book was worse than the Racovian Catechism and say it was a word of Passion I say no I use no Hyperbole in it but will now prove it Next to the Notion of a God nothing is a greater Principle in natural Religion than Repentance even to bitterness for Contempt of this God affronting his Authority and offering violence to the Laws and Methods of Heaven and therefore Dr. Crisp in scoffing at such Repentance hath struck at one of the greatest Principles in natural Religion Now whether God may be merciful to some Socinians such as Mr. Fermin and others we are not all agreed but we are all agreed even those who assert the Salvation of Heathen by the light of Nature That none can be saved without Repentance and bitterness for Sin Neither can I see that I am bound to be burdened for the Sins of others for if they be Converted the great Sacrifice is offered up and Christ hath born the burden if they be not Converted they may be Elected for ought I know and be converted in time Why then if Rivers of Waters run down our Eyes because Men keep not God's Laws we Sin after David in this also If with Lot our Souls be grieved from Day to Day for the filthy Conversations of the Wicked This will not prove us to have righteous Souls with Lot but legal Spirits Paul's great Heaviness and continual Sorrow in his Heart for his Kinsmen according to the Flesh was not commendable but culpable O God of infinite Patience and Goodness whence is it that when thine Enemy made Repentance Compunction bitterness of Spirit feeling Sin a burden to be so far from being a Duty a necessary one as thou hast made it that with him it became a Sin of debasing of Christ and so scoff'd at thou hadst not sent him to Hell immediately to cry Alas there who â—idicul'd it here Blind Toby could not see the Absurdities he on all occasions committed as when he tells us we are to do no Duties to profit our selves but others
then no spot in them Which our Divines apply to Justification when Believers You say The whole I have seen against Dr. Crisp will no more avail to Salvation than the Turkish Alcoran I will make it good should any Man be saved by the Principles of these Semi-justitiaries his Hosannahs in Heaven would be but mere hypocrisy season'd with a proud pharisaical vain-glorious Spirit Therefore you say Mr. Edwards in writing against Dr. Crisp is not far from the Sin against the Holy Ghost And pag. 4. There is not the least tincture of common Morality in all his pitiful Pamphlets On you go The shaking of my Dog's Tail is more pleasing to me because more of Integrity in it What a comparison is here Can you not vindicate the young Tobie but you must think of the old one and his Dog Where are some throwing away Integrity to the Dogs and shall it have no better place there than in the Dog's Tail Why no touch of the Birds muting They were unkind Birds that did this to Toby senior who had once good Eyes but to do this to Toby junior was worse whose Eyes or Sight was never right but a poor purblind dimsighted or if you will blind Creature from the Womb or at least the Cradle You say Knight of the Post Arminianizing Palate But where is the proof A Mentiris may serve the turn here I hope this Censure of yours may be my Apology in vindicating Mr. Edwards for I have charged Dr. Crisp higher than he hath done and I assure you without sinning against Light You and your Master have paraphras'd on some Scriptures so wildly and that you under the Titles of the Books as Mr. Masters in his Spiritual House P. 107. They set up Post by my Post and Threshold by my Threshold So says he will Men bring a Bason instead of a Font and a new Directory instead of an old Liturgy After all your bitterness Who is the Rogerus Lestrangus Redivivus you write of you or thâ— worthy Divine But R. L. is not dead by the way With what face can you say Dr. Crisp was sounâ— one with Dr. Owen and others and with our Reformers When it is so well known 1. The Assembly of Divines made a woful Outcrâ— on the sight of Dr. Crisp's Books and employ'd Mr. Anthony Burges to answer him whom he followe◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as Mr. Williams hath done anâ— more than Mr. Edwards 2. Mr. Lobb now with God to the last charg'â— Crisp as a Blasphemer who vindicated the Doctrin 〈◊〉 our Reformers 3. One would think you never read Dr. Owen 〈◊〉 make him one with Dr. Crisp Dr. Owen in his Diâ—course of Justification so much shunn'd that extreaâ— that 1. Mr. Baxter as is fam'd was not displeaseâ— with the Book 2. Mr. Williams ex abundanti hatâ— prov'd that Dr. Owen's Doctrin was most opposite 〈◊〉 Dr. Crisp's 3. Our Congregational Divines have prov'â— the same out of Dr. Owen's Writings and Dr. Goodwin's That both were Enemies to Antinomian oâ— Crispian Abominations and there I refer the Reader And seeing Sir you offer a meeting to prove Dr. Crisp's Orthodoxy and challenge any of his Accuserâ— to appear I accept your Challenge and that I wilâ— prove that Dr. Crisp was an Enemy to Repentance froâ— the 298 299 300 Pages of his Book where he say David sinn'd in having Sin a burden c. The Answers given me I laugh at the Doctor spoke of Sorrow to desperation to excess No this Sorrow was never lawful Now the Doctor supposeth iâ— might be lawful before the time of Sacrifice not after or if after not since the great Sacrifice was offer'd up Or that David was a Type of Christ and so Sin might be a burden to him This was the Answer of Mr. L to a scrupulous Antinomian who found this Instance of David lying in the way of their cursed Doctrin 1. Then am I justified in my Charge and Dr. Crisp condemned for a notorious Heretick for if David did this only as a Type of Christ who bore the burden of our Sins then he did it not as a penitent Believer or as a Member of Christ or Child of God 2. Then as the Doctor says He is in this to be no President to us If it were lawful for David before the great Sacrifice was offer'd up it is not so for us under the Gospel For we are not say I Types of Christ O Diabolism none but the Devil and Dr. Crisp ever threw this Dirt upon true Repentance which hath gotten a good Name among all Men the worst of Heathens and Men profane I heard one of them say in the Pulpit That David spoke not of himself but of Christ when he said Mine Iniquities are gone over my head they are a heavy burden I cannot look up Some such Preachers are fitter to preach on a Ladder than in a Pulpit O ye adorers of this Idol Crisp you are like them that worshipped Wood and Stone Who had Eyes and saw not c. being a senseless brainless Man And they that make such Idols are like unto them Sirs be Men and do not act like Egyptians who worshipped Dogs Cats and Calves I say it again on mature thoughts Socinus preached not more dangerous more damnable Doctrine than Dr. Crisp The great God pardon Mr. H Dr. B Witsius and others for their favourable character of Dr. Crisp whereby they have undone many a Soul tho I firmly believe they never read over all the Book or did it with a running eye God forgive Mr. Williams and Mr. Edwards too for publishing their blind charity about the Doctor and all on this hope that he practis'd not his own Doctrine And whereas it is often said Mr. Williams hath been the Man that hath thus heated me against Dr. Crisp I declare nothing is more remote from truth but I have rather heated him and I am sure he repented of his imprudent unadvised Charity and I hope the aforemention'd have or will of their greater Error here Say next We hope Socinus was a good Man This were less absurd if they did Mr. Hoskish in his Imputation of Sin tells us that dreadful Story I mention'd in my Vindiciae when I then testified against Crisp's Abominations that in discourse he declared Believers were not bound to be troubled for their Sins and said Tho David was so he was not bound to be so and did it for want of being better acquainted with the Covenant of Grace I knew Mr. Hoskish well and dare not question his Veracity Good God! Was ever such a Heretick such a Blasphemer such a foolish kind of Antiscripturist counted a Christ-exalter till now I have endeavour'd with others to pull down the Walls of this Jericho and with some success Cursed say I be the Man who buildeth her Walls any more I am ready to sweat in writing such Heresy and dunstical Divinity and by passages elsewhere will I prove my Assertion If I do it
is Imputation Legal-Head c. How know you the Sun is not aâ— Animal Whether the Baxterians or Antinomians gave me lately the name of Antichrist I know nor nor care not You Sir write of Mr. Baxter's Pile or Fabrick of Antichristian Doctrine They truly call true Crispians Antichrists Know all Men by these presents that I plead for the same Doctrine our old Reformers did against not for Antichrist Justification by Faith only But for some Men whose Malice is transparent tho Ignorance thick let them say what they will I care not Whereas the Doctor 's Advocates please themselves with the names of Mr. Alsop Mr. How Mr. Griffith Mr. Powel and others before Dr. Crisp his Book Mr. M. the Undertaker told them The Book was castrated and the old Offensive things left out Yet told Mr. Lorimer who cunningly and subtilly thus objected in his Shop against buying it said roundly No not a word is left out What a bad Maâ— then are you said he to tell the Attesters so Yet this was one of the good Men Mr. Vnworthy Branch says call'd for a new Impression when all know the good Man did all for good Money and he says a Gentleman told him with Tears in his Eyes that he was troubled in Mind ten Years before he saw Dr. Crisp his Christ Exalted Was it the same Gentleman that confest he had lived in Uncleanness ten Years Better perhaps have doubted ten Years more I wish Men be not more afraid of Sorrow for Sin then committing it How are plain Texts scrued and torn not by the Doctor 's Wits I confess but Folly and make them speak what none but his wise learned self could think on Some tell us say what we will Dr. Crisp had the Gift of it to preach Free-Grace to bring Men to Faith without Repentance and to comfort Men without a Change Yes I never doubted but he had the Gifts of it too that he was paid for the Cushions he sew'd under Men's Elbows Doth his Son now enjoy the Wages of that Iniquity of the madness of the Prophet If so it is the price of Blood let the Fields be call'd the Potters Fields or the I am glad to find you jibe not at Grace as signifying inherent Righteousness as Crisp did and Mr. Toun himself Graces as they call them You indeed cite Dr. Goodwin The hand of all other Graces are working Hands but the hand of Faith is a receiving Hand Whether you are a doubter here as some are open denyers I know not If you are we will consider whether the Scriptures call them so David says He will give Grace and Glory Zachary says I will pour on the House of David and Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication John 1.16 Of his Fulness have we received Grace for Grace 2 Cor. 8.6 7. As you abound in other things see that ye abound in this Grace also Titus finish'd this Grace Charity then is a Grace Solomon speaks of the gracious Woman Colos 3.16 Singing with Grace in your Hearts to the Lord. And many other places of Scripture might be brought to prove the vanity of this wicked Notion of theirs to bring Sanctification into Contempt Observe Sir the strain of the Crispians from a Book call'd A drop of Honey from the Rock Christ He pretends to exalt Christ over all this is Crisp's pretence But I pray how or for what end did God exalt Christ Him hath God exalted with his Right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance not deny it to Israel for the Remission of Sins says Peter Believe saith he Christ is willing and that will make thee willing Many impeninent Men believe this without a Change nay some believe him to be indeed theirs and they think they are willing too to what To take him for a Saviour but not Lord for Faith nor Repentance He that p. 27. sets up his Sanctification to comfort him sets up the greatest Idol which will strengthen his Doubts and Fears To say without Christ who opposeth but in subordination to him Nothing is more common with Christ and the Apostles then bid Men rejoice for God's Work in them and by them Sorrow and Fear are dreadful things with these Men examining themselves is doubting questioning God's veracity and I know not what They never doubt but I and others do for them To distrust your selves is not to distrust God to question your Sincerity is not to question the divine Faithfulness Take heed you with your painted Pageantry go not to that Prison where you are lock'd up for ever without hope See this Author how he talks Christ Christ Christ as if their waxen Wings for so is Faith without Repentance would make them soar aloft Healing from Duties and not from Christ says he is the most desperate Disease Healing by Medicines and not the Physician is an Harangue Christ hath appointed them and blessed them too to the Ungodly and that without an absolute promise tho not contrary to it Would that Man be a good Subject that should cry King William O King William he is a comely King a wise King a gracious King but cares not to hear a word of his Laws Yet this Author says To believe there must go a clear Conviction of Sin Is this coming without a Change When Satan says he chargeth the Sin on thy Conscience charge thou it on Christ this is Gospel like and makes him Christ indeed Why Is it Satan's Work or the Spirit 's Work to charge Sin on the Conscience He says For Men to look to Duties Graces Enlargements is to legalize the Gospel No not as Helps Encouragements to say without Christ we grant it This is therefore not their meaning or they talk unintelligibly or worse All Grace we all grant is from God as the Fountain and Spring from Christ by way of Purchase and Procurement from the Spirit by way of immediate Efficiency Ezek. 36.26 A new Heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony Heart out of your Flesh and I will give you an Heart of Flesh Then ye shall walk in my Statutes I will be your God The first reason from which all springs is God's Will and the last his Glory Observe what gross Reflections they make on Grace and Duty as if they were frighted out of their Wits if ever they had any Say next I am all for the Sun I care not so much for the Light and Heat coming from it These would be perpetual Dictators tho their mode of talking be Mad and Frantick if they talk sometimes Pious so would Oliver's Porter Is his Chamber void Confidence is not Demonstration tho an I Experience be clapt to it You Sir being so great a Dissenter I pray let me ask you one little question How came you to magnify Dr. Crisp a Liturgical Man and vilify others If you say Fox tells us of a Martyr that
before they go on 2. Let me know one way or other my Accusers and for what a Posse Comitatus is rais'd against me by Men baptized into Crisp Is it because I cry of his Book as the Prophet There is Death in the Pot Call it not Sirs a savoury Book What Savour but that of Death can it send Or is it that I have cautioned you against a Jack as dangerous and more ignorant Let these Men please themselves they do not much disturb me and I doubt not some will think I am now with Domitian meanly imployed Paul no doubt was a dull Legal Preacher to him for whose sake Mattocks are brought to erase the Foundation of the Ministerial Function He is for a while honour'd by them as a King but is he not what is said of the King of Spain Rex Asinorum I doubt not but in a little time these little Animals will rise up in Rebellion against their little Man and he shall be the Rogue Drunkard These are Men of crazy Intellectuals tho said to be some of Christ's best sound Members One reply'd They have been well fluxt to be sound Are they more like Epicurus his Swine or Christ's Sheep O sad Case that when some Ministers were followed they could not take a Cup without trouble Now is a time of Liberty Have not some made their Antinomianism a Cloak for Deism or Atheism To say There is nothing in Religion worth suffering for cost One dear in the City who after in terror of Mind did stare with drops of Sweat at his Fingers-ends and so rav'd till he cut his Throat and died Simon Thorvy as Baker in his Chronicle and others tells us boasted that by his Wit he should make void any Law of Christ God so afflicted him with a fit of Sickness that his Animal Spirits were so wasted that after his Recovery he was forced to learn to read Letters again like a Child Some say there is no need of much Wit to be profane but this is not always true we see Give one another good Counsel yet be sober more ways than one study that famous Book of Mr. Perkins Dedicated to some of you viz. To all ignorant Persons in the Kingdom of England You see what it is by the poor Draper for Men not to move within their own Sphere or for you to interfere with other Mens Work You could not meddle with the substrate matter or Doctrine of the Book you revile no more than your Lord and Master This Christ-Exalter is like Pilate a Christ-Crucifier who said What I have Written I have Written and so what he hath said he hath said without giving any reason to any that fairly and privately desire it Is this your Gamaliel at whose Feet you sit and hear Impudence and Folly pass for Sense and Demonstration If ever I am printed as a Lunatick by these Men more as twice already I intend to print the ingenious Lampoon mention'd in my Apology about the Draper's Birth and Life who now refuse to sheâ— it to any Man And for these Libellers let them remember the old Romans hanged Men that could not give a satisfactory Account for not payment of Debts and a piece of their Bodies were given to their Creditors let not Men talk of suffering for their Consciences who suffer for their God-pieces None of these trouble themselves with the Learning of Antichrist's Doctors as Mr. Vnworthy Branch phraseth it The old Antinomians as Thomas Taylor in that valuable Book Regula vitae describes them pretended to act as if the Golden Age say I were return'd again Sponte sua sine lege fidem rectumque colebat but soon were Ranters as if Subjectum Pelion Ossae scandalous Men on a sudden come to have Peace not of God's sending no doubt their building on their sandy Foundation will fall to the Ground in the day of Trial their Lamps without Oil will soon go out For Men who are in the chase of worldly Pleasures to cry not indeed Lord Lord but Christ Christ will have a woful repulse I know you not you workers of Iniquity These Men perpetually declaim against the Baxterians and damn them to boot O horrid Censoriousness and Wickedness and yet at the same time corrupt the Doctrine of Justification much more than they in denying the presence of Faith as well as instrumentality in Justification as Crisp doth in plain words Reader it is worth thy Consideration to remember that Arminius himself owned Calvin's Doctrine of Justification as he tells the World in his just Man's Defence and I knew a great Arminian defending this Doctrine against an accurate Baxterian opposing it That for my part I cannot forbear thinking and saying that Arminian sound here was less Corrupt tho he denied Predestination irresistible Grace in Conversion and Perseverance than the Baxterian sound in all these Points but corrupt in this one of Justification which toucheth the very heart of Religion and true Christianity However we three managed our Controversy not in the London but Christian way and Manner without Bitterness or Uncharitableness But my Work is now with the Crispians and about their making Repentance no Duty but Sin One of the most ingenious favourers of Dr. Crisp told me lately He knew not what to say to the three Pages I censure about David and shaking his Head said I know not what to say for the Doctor there And I hope every Man of sense must grant me this that if Repentance be a necessary indispensable Duty without which no Man can be saved Dr. Crisp is one of the foulest Hereticks that ever appear'd in the World worse much worse say I again and again than Socinus If Repentance or having Sin a burden be legal and abominable and Faith only a perswasion we are Justified Rantism comes next Mr. Williams that Man of a sounder Heart than Head is so well pleas'd with the Congregational Declaration against Antinomianism that he hath lately writen his End to Discord wherein he like a Christian and Gentleman that is to say like Mr. Williams tells them he is sorry he or others suspected them guilty of Antinomianism and that they have now purg'd themselves of any such Charge and tells them had they done this sooner many late Books against them and Controversies had been prevented And therefore now no doctrinal Controversies between Presbyterian and Congregational Brethren remain to justify any further Division This is his Opinion I am sure he owns always and to all Men as he hath done in print that the giving of the first Grace is not Conditional and where that is given there is promis'd Perseverance Now let such Men talk what they will of Conditions they must be sound in sense whether in Phrase or no they are hedged in they cannot help it Mr. Lob and he met together some Months since and as I hear were agreed to write one against another no more Mr. Lob put him on this last Work and no doubt had
our Prefacer of K. Charles He did no Evil Perhaps he could do none for so Sir Orlando Bridgman in the Trial of the Regicides urged it The King can do no Man wrong He that can do no Man wrong can he do any Man right Was it some may say that when the Father's Head was on the Block the two Son's Heads had not been there too I am not more confident of any one thing I ever studied of History then that K. Charles was a Popish Perjur'd Bloody Arbitrary Tyrant As for our Prefacer's Citations 1. Some I doubt are untrue and others want proof 2. Men will too much talk like Courtiers whose Minds cannot be known by their words 3. Some very good prudent Men did think favourably of K. Ch. the 1st's Cause and Family 1. Till the Discovery of â—hat deep Plot by Dr. Oates declared by the Parliament to be true 2. Till they saw the after Proceeding of K. Charles the â—d and his Death 3. Till they saw the open defiance of our Laws by K. James I would appeal to the Consciences of some Men if I thought they had any whether they do or â—an believe what they write of that worst of Kings C. 1st tho â—ot Men. 4. Besides when Men are in Misery as the King was in the Isle of Wight they then are like wild Beasts taâ—ed So he might talk honestly and piously and easily decoy well meaning credulous Persons who are then through pity ready for such impressions 5. Yet I think their fluid Charity perhaps not fix'd is more justifiable than their Prudence or mature Judgments So it hath been as before with the Censurers of Dr. Crisp his Doctrine some close all They hope he was a good Man 6. Yet after all I care not what any Man said but what he ought to say I therefore â—o to the merits of the Cause And for the Church-Men who are angry with 〈◊〉 of us that hope Oliver is in Heaven or the greateâ— Parliamentarian Fighters they themselves must haâ—… own'd so much over their Graves if but lately Deaâ— tho they justified themselves and proceedings to thâ— last If the common Plea be good here That is 〈◊〉 that is in the least degree a remove from Despair and thâ—… you may say of any Man You hope he is in Heaven thâ—… you are not sure to be in Hell Say next you hope the greaâ—… Turk when he dies will go there That you hope to 〈◊〉 till a hundred Years old and to find a great prey not â—…ing sure to the contrary I will not digress else I woâ—… lay open the vanity of this Notion or blind Charity I care not for Milton's Iconoclastes tho I think he haâ—… written a great deal of Truth but whether honestly 〈◊〉 no I leave others to judg I do believe both he and 〈◊〉 Lord Lambert were Roman Catholicks or Scepticks aâ—… Deists doing the work of such I once conversed with 〈◊〉 Lord Lambert in his Garden on the Island nigh Plymoâ—… and could hardly tell what he would be at in Religion 〈◊〉 when I saw him on the 15th Psalm I there found a Behâ—… menistical strain and believ'd he intended to bring our Râ—ligion into Contempt What Bedlow swore is well knoâ—… and he said he brought him Letters from Thâ—… Milton lost his Paradise the Protestant Religion but neâ— reâ—ain'd it more But did nothing that Rushworth saâ—… deserve our Prefacer's Consideration Obj. But it shall be done in time When It is high tiâ—… if ever And he might have let alone this magisterial dogâ—…tical Assertion till that time that we might see all in a pieâ—… What is a Machin when taken in its parts for my paâ—… I not only can but do hear patiently any Man that shâ—… talk two or three Hours together to prove the infamâ—… Martyr-maker to be a glorious Martyr if he so belieâ—… but for Men to assert and assert without proof and be 〈◊〉 patient of hearing Objections they are not fit for Converâ—… â—o doubt this destroyer of his Country doubted not but â—ishop Williams of Ossery his Prophesy should be fulfill'd in â—is Book against Non-Resistance written in the 2d Year of the War That the King should reign till he had put all his Enemies â—…der his Feet God heard the K. when he said if I have â—…ed innocent Blood let my Honour be laid in the Dust As for the keen severe Reflections our Prefacer makes â—n those who mâ—ke a Calves head Feast every Martyrâ—om day I justify them not but if I must be either at â—heir Feast or some Mens Fast that day I know which 〈◊〉 would choose for good chear sake tho I will not tell eâ—ery Body much less the Prefacer lest I should be reâ—ected on in his next turkish-slavish-Turkish-slavish-Book His other â—rother N. Y. that true English-man lately dead is beâ—ond his Censure now This Sermon being printed must never be preach'd â—ore tho with a new Text how often soever it hath been â—reach'd already Must two hundred Pounds a Year be â—…id to a repeater of Sermons tho his own and the Trade â—…ntinue durante Vita He that preach'd his Daughters Diâ—…nity once about standing in â—inging Psalms let him â—…nsult her again and it may be he will no longer up â—…d down preach Pro and Con and turn his Cap as the â—ind blows Will not his Head when he dies serve for â—other thing now on the Steeple Hath the Martyr-â—aker's Picture before the Pulpit set up by Mr. Prefacer â—ade them both giddy That King Charles was the Author of his Image is â—utly asserted by our Prefacer as stoutly denied by Men 〈◊〉 all Parties but never was by me for 1. Colonel Crook told me he saw the Copy of it under 〈◊〉 King 's own hand and he never doubted him the Auâ—…or Now tho I confess this proves him not the Auâ—…or yet it is a great help and confutes some who â—…estion whether ever the King saw it The Testimoâ—… of an Adversary goes far he was one of the greatest Enemies the King had and one of the best Friends his Highness the Protector had 2. What will the denyers get by this who cannot deny the Conference between the King and Mr. Hindersham and other Epistles of his which prove he was a good Scholar and so far a wise Man What if his Brother Juliaâ— and his Brother Trajan were both great learned Men doth that excuse their Tyrannies and other Villanies No tho their good Morals be added to all as not given to Women or Wine c. Their learning unsanctified not enthusiastically manag'd was but as Judas and the Jews Lanthorns and Torches by which Christ was betray'd 3. Doth any Man that knows Bishop Gauden's Stile think this like it And for what a late Writer says Mr. T. of the Earl of Anglesy leaving it under his hand in a Book That he knew it was not the King 's c. and this Mr. Millington testifies 1. Is it likely King Charles the first and
James the theâ— Duke of York should so confess to him What! And none but him 2. Ought not the Earl if so to have declar'd this wheâ— live Viva voce for the satisfaction of his Countrey-men and not leave a Note in so obscure a place 3. I must have greater Testimony than Mr. M. to prove it was the Earl's own Hand and not counterfeit We know who can imitate If as Mr. Millington told me and others That Paul a Knave of Jesus Christ is no true Story but it was found that Knave was with great Artifice put in and the word there before blotted oâ—… might not a lesser Trick be here made Lastly If Bishop Gauden did say he was the Authoâ— and say true it is as true he was the greatest Villain 〈◊〉 the face of the Earth To tell the World the King saâ—… to God and Man what he never said his name deserâ—… to be a Curse on the Earth for abusing all Mankiâ—… But he was accounted one of the best of Bishops 〈◊〉 â—kely the famous Preacher once in Exon told me great â—ngs of him and that he believ'd him to be a Pious â—n tho he himself was a warm Independent Whether â—hop Gauden might help the King to any Materials I â—…l not say or the like but the same Arguments that â—…ve him to be the Author prove him to be a â—at R. 〈◊〉 remember I once heard our Prefacer say when urged â—…th the afore named Story of K. Charles the 2d's giving â—…der his Hand That the Earl of Antrim in the Irish Reâ—…lion acted by his Father's Commission It cannot said 〈◊〉 be denied But he hated his Father because a Protestant â—or thin Sophistry Yet we had an Act from an inâ—…ible Parliament by the way to make it Treason to say â—is King was a Papist I wish those excellent admiâ—le Accomplishments God hath bless'd our Prefacer â—…th say Dr. Salmon what he will to the contrary had â—…en well imployed Would Plymouth Hospital had been â—ther and the Sacramental Test Then we had had him as â—ainter not of an old rotten Post but of a new good â—…e K. William as more than a Crowned Head which is all 〈◊〉 good words he hath for him If Christ and Oliver â—omwel must pass for two Deceivers in some Company 〈◊〉 Judas and the Martyr-makers pass for famous Men. â—…d the King been indeed a Pious Man some Men would â—ver have one good for him who hate every thing of â—…ty where ever they see it except the NAME How hard is it for any Man to serve two Masters Charles 〈◊〉 Pseudo-Martyr and our good K. William Either he â—…st hold to the one and Despise the other they canâ—…t serve K. Charles and K. William If some took off the â—ad of the Father others Dethron'd K. James for K. â—…lliam and would have his Head too could they come at But if I am ask'd as I have often been Will you justify â—…ver Cromwel in all that he did 1. No nor my self in all that I have done but cry God be Merciful to me a Sinner Will these Objectors justify themselves in every thing they have done I believe some cannot justify them in any thing almost they do 2. Can David Solomon Josiah or the best of Princes be justified in all they did The Church by Solomon 〈◊〉 said to be fair as the Morn which hath her Spots 3. Yet what is it he is not to be justified in Oâ—… The taking the Government upon him I know none hate Preferment Did he then make or attempt to make his Family or the Nation great It is well known many Congregational Ministers reflected on him every Lord's day iâ— the Pulpit for usurping the Government When he seâ—… for them together he so acquainted them with the Staâ—… and Posture of things at that time that had he not taken the Protector-ship upon him all things had run into Confusion He wept and they wept as fast as he and would never reflect upon him more Yet to be plain his saying in the Star-Chamber He never sought the Protectorship no manner of way but was unwilling to take it till forced to it and shutting the Parliament-door till they had own'd his Authority were bad vile things and shew'd him 〈◊〉 be but a Man of like Infirmities with others But if it cannot be prov'd he was a Pious Man What then He might be a good Governour How rare are pious Kings One in three or four hundred Year But of him and K. Charles and Affairs relating to them have I said so much in my censur'd Book Vindiciae Anti-Baxterianae that there I refer the Reader These talkers for the slavish Doctrine of Non-Resistance are woful practitioners of it when it comes to be against them They forget themselves as Roger L'estrange in his late Fables and Morals unhappily begins When Archodemus King of the Lacedemonians married a very little Woman his Subjects fined him because they fear'd a small breed by her Why Roger were Kings fined by their Subjects in one of â—e best Governments in the World as the Lacedemonian â—s and that for so small a thing What if that King had â—…pt a Nest of Whores and among them another Man's â—ife had not his Head been the Fire Thus the great â—eaders for absolute Monarchy and Kings to be inviolable â—o Arbitrary trip ere they are aware This is like the â—ose after he had censur'd many Fables in Aesop as trite â—e makes a more foolish one then any there about the Woâ—an and the Needle thrust in her Finger He said he did â—…t thrust himself there she did so Is it not shameful 〈◊〉 see some Men condemn others as Men having no â—…nscience and factious Atheists forsooth If K. Charles â—…s Cause had been good he might say to some pleaders for â—…m as a Holy Man and Martyr what Christ said to their â—aster when he said I know thee who thou art the Holy â—…e of God Hold thy Peace accounting it no honour to â—…m to be thus applied to by an Unclean Spirit You that compare the Man of Blood to David Josiah â—…me to Christ himself remember how Williams Bishop 〈◊〉 Ossery expos'd himself when he wrote a Folio to prove â—ery comically done That Antichrist was the long Parâ—…ment and Bishop Laud and King Charles the two witâ—…sses You that talk of the sick brain'd Apocalyptical â—…en at that time can you find a worse than he or a â—ore mad Prophet than Aris ap Evan The Blood shed in the Civil War the worst of Wars â—…ied for Vengeance and was heard I pray the Inhabitants of that famous Town of Plyâ—outh the place of my Nativity to consider how faâ—ous above any Town in England not only the Men â—…t the very Women made themselves when they reâ—ell'd the Martyr-maker in his highest Attempts to take â—…e Town How God afterwards blessed them with a â—…ly laborious bountiful genteel learned Minister Mr. 〈◊〉 Hughes How all blessings of Trade Peace Plenty as â—ell as Piety then attended them What Confusions are there now in their Worship contrary to the Coâ—… Prayer-Book Instead of with an Humble Voice saying me They roar with a loud Voice going on with reading Priest or as once I heard going before him Voice not being heard How Atheism and Profanâ— hath abounded there for thirty Years past What 〈◊〉 the B. in the Manger c. Our Prefacer knows this 〈◊〉 true and hath been an Ear Witness as if they 〈◊〉 verify what some have said Where the Common-Pâ—… Book goes up the Bible goes down Let Mr. Munâ—… other serious Persons there compare Times with Tâ—… Ministers with Ministers Magistrates with Magistrâ—… Worship with Worship People with People and they not acknowledg that Plymouth was once a â—…dice now a wild Wilderness c O the Wickedneâ—… some Men who have made other Men as Heathen Meâ—… Publicans and deliver'd them up to Satan for a Tridâ— Ceremony and cherish'd as Members of their Chaâ—… such as have kept other Mens Wives whilst Magistrâ—… C. M. went openly on such particular days of the Wâ—… and such particular hours of the Day How came Canon to give this Man the Sacrament contrary to 〈◊〉 own Orders Hold up your Head Sir Are you a Câ—… formist according to the Constitution of your Chaâ—… No but in this and other things a vile Dissenter FINIS