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B02465
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A lye is no scandal. Or a vindication of Mr. Mungo Craig, from a ridiculous calumny cast upon him by T. A. who was executed for apostacy at Edinburgh, the 8 of January, 1697.
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Craig, Mungo.
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1697
(1697)
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Wing C6799A; ESTC R174378
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11,849
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17
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he was guilty of For the danger of such a Case see Heb 6 v 4 5 6. And the 10 Chap of that Epistle and v 26 29. Consider 7ly The motives he had to Incense him against â—e 1 be entertained a suspicion that I was the first that discovered him to the Civil Magistrate which although it was not true yet seing he firmly believ'd it it cou'd not but have great influence to prompt a man of his Principles to Revenge 2ly I had made his name publick in that Satyre 3ly He knew very well that I wou'd prove an impartial Witness against him now I can prove that he said that his only Refuge lay in framing Objections that might Incapacitat his Witnesses to give evidence against him And because he cou'd lay nothing to my Charge he endeavoured by this device either to have my evidence rejected or at least to put a stain upon my Name But the hope of the wicked shall Perish Consider 8ly That he cou'd move no objection against me before the Lords of Justiciary that was of Force to incapacitat me to bear Witness against him for 't is beyond all Contraversie that if he could but have rais'd a Suspicion in their Lordships that I was such a Person my evidence had been rejected It being simply impossible to bind a man to declare the verity upon an Oath whose Tenor in his Iudgment was not Obligatory These things being duely considered and counterpois'd with the Calumny in the Ballance of a sound and impartial Judgment the Slander will be found to have no proportion to my Counter Reasons But for the more perspicuity I shall Rank up the degrees of its improbability in the following Epiromy An Apostat from from the Faith a Sect. 3. Con. 6. to whom faise Accusation is an effential Property b. 2. Tim. 3.3 of whose solid Repentance we are very uncertain c. Sect. 3. Con. 6. from a habit of Slandering and Jealousie d. Con. 5 hath Ambiguously e. Sect. 1. Obs 2 and Contradictoriously f. Obs 1. either out of the Spirit of Malice and Revenge g. Sect. 3. Con. 7. or from mistake h. Prop. 4. Slandred one who is not only of an unblamish'd Reputation i. Con. 1. and given proof of his dislike to these horrid Abominations k. Co. 2. but likewise endeavour'd to reduce him l. Co. 3â— and because he could not prevail sepetated from him m. C. 4. Yea one against whom he cou'd bring no relevant Objection when his very Life in a manner depended upon the the moving of it n. C. 8. What degree of Credit such a Report shou'd receive let every one judge proâ—arbitrio Now me thinks non can rationally deny that his Calumny deserves no inconsiderable Station among improbabilityes of the first magnitud But that we may not rest here I shall likewise demonstrate that it is de facto False And that I may be methodical I 'l first lay down two observations 2ly I 'l propose and prove some propositions in order to draw my Conclusion My first Observation is his behaviour toward me before the Lords of Justiciary when I was called to Witness against him viz. When their Lordships enquired if he had any thing to object against me he answered that I should have said to him before one of the Witnesses then present that Dr. More was the first that convinc'd me of the truth of Christianity There Lordship Replyed that it was no Objection in Law and that I might bless God for my Conversion But the the thing as he exprest it being Notoriously false I desir'd Permission to speak for my selfâ— but their Lordships thought it not necessary because the Objection was of no Consequence Their Lordships enquired if he had any more to say he aledged that I had Malice against him because I had mention'd his Name in that Pamphelet from which I was cleared by Oath It being further enquired if he had any more to Object against me he answered NO My second Observation is a Succinct and real Narrative of the passage on which he builded his first and main Objection And it is this when Mr Patrick Midleton and I went to see how he behaved in Prison we found upon the Table Sir Charles Wolsley's Discourse on the reasonableness of Scripture Beliefe On which I took occasion to ask what satisfaction it had given him as to his doubts But when by his constrain'd and ambiguous Answer I understood that his satsfaction was little or none I having read the Book about two Years before Magnified it for the most accomplish'd discourse that ever I saw on that Subject and to inforce the Doctrine there delivered home upon him if the Influence of such a slender Authority as mine might have prevail'd any thing with him I said that it had so great force upon my Judgment that tho I had doubted never so Sceptically upon that point as I bless God said I 't was ne'r my Temptation Yet I could not have any longer deny'd my Assent to the Verity and Divine Authority of the Sacred Scriptures I further added that More Crotius and others has laid down such solid reasons for proving the Theory of the Christian Religion that no rational Soul that ever was at the Pains to weigh them duely can miss to be a Speculative Christian For we must understand that soliâ— Grace and justifying Faith which are the necessary requisits of a real Christian being supernatural Donatives can neither be acquired by us this or any other way But they are the Gifts of God infus'd into us and bestowed upon uâ— from above solely upon the score of the infinit Merits of Jesus Christ From which Observations the Truth of these following propositions is aboundantly perspicuous upon which account we shall be the breifer in their Illustrations Proposition 1. He could say nothing to my Charge but vvhat he laâ—â— to it before the Justiciary Court This is clear from his Answer to their Lordships last query which was that he had no more to Obiect against me Compared with the 7 consideration of this Section Prop II. That even by his ovvn Expression I vvas froc'd from guilâ— This is apparent from their Lordships Answer to his first and main Objection prop. III. What he said hefore the Lords of Justiciary vvas vvholly grounded on that passage related in the 2. Observation The truth of this appearâ— from comparing of the two Observations together But 't is put beyond all doubt by his referring it to one of the Witnesses then present for there was not a Witness then present that ever was with me and him together except Mr Midleton and another Th' other can declare that he never heard us speak any thing about Religion And Mr. Midleton can depone thet he never heard me use any discourse to that purpose but then Prop. IV. He vvildely vvrested my vvords to a quite different sense This is evident from the
Comparison of the two Observations And from it we have this natural and undeniable Corrolary That vvhâ—â— he said before the Lorde of Justiciary vvaâ— either a LYE â—â—t of a design to frame something like â—h Objection and stain my Reputation grâ—â—â—ted 〈◊〉 self-defence and Revenge Or at least a MISTAKE Which might 〈◊〉 occasioned from his habitual use of wresting Mens words or from â—iâ— inadvertâ—ncy when I spoke for truly he never much relish 〈◊〉 discourses of that nature Pro. V. What he says here is either the same vvith vvhat he said before the Lords of Juistciary or a LYE This proposition is a plain Corrolatly of the first for seing he had nothing to say but what he said then this must either be the same or a Lye seing I never saw 〈◊〉 nor spoke to him since Moreover the particle WAS is the same with what he said before the Lords of Justiciary viz. That 〈◊〉 was convinced And the Ambiguous Phrase which hensâ—â— the Circumstances duely considered denots that he had either a design to Cheat the World by Sophestry or at least that he was not positive in what he said Hence I draw the following Conclusion If vvhat he lays to my Chargâ— be either a LYE or a MISTAKE thâ—â— I 'm free But it is some of there tvvo Ergo c. The Major Proposition is incontraverâ—ible And I prove the Minor thus if vvhat he said before the Lords of Jasticiary vvas either a LYE or a MISTAKE And of thiâ—be either the same or as ill Then this is LYE or a MISTAKE 〈…〉 he said before the Lord of Justiciary vvas either a LYE 〈◊〉 a MISTAKE Aâ—d vvhat he says here is eiâ—â—â— the sâ—â—â—â—r â—ill Ergo-vvhat he says 〈◊〉 is either a LYE or a MISTAKE Q. E. D. The Connexion of the Major proposition is founded upon that Axiom qua eâ—dam saâ—â—um tettio san◠〈◊〉 intâ—r se The first part of â—inor is grounded on the Coâ—olary to the 4 proposition and the last part of it on châ— 9 proposition Now Mâ— thinks that I performâ—â— what I promised in proving the Calumay not only highty improbable 〈◊〉 likewise de facto false SECT IV. Containing the Conclusion Having constricted my self to such narrow Limits in Râ—â—â—ting What T. A. really saids jt wou'd be both a Foolish and Impossible â—â—terprise to endeavour to answer every frivolous Calumny of lying Fame When one lover of Slaâ—â—â—â— may bâ—â—rch more Lyes in an â—our than all the World can refute in 〈◊〉 Age. Wherefore I â—hâ—ll â—e 〈◊〉 brief and General in this part as I can Some say that I was the first who Inffill'd these principles in hinâ— Others asseit that I leâ—t him Athiestical Books with in numerable such frivolous stories The first of these he refutes in his Speech where he Declares that since 10 or 11 years of age he vvas or these Principles Whereas I never saw him so much as by the Face till he was 17. And had not the opportunity to discover his corrupt qualities till about the end of March 1696. And as for the other objection or any such like I answer that if any can prove them legally against me I am willing to suffer condign punishment for them To which I add that if ever I made Athiestical Book either my own Study or lent them to others If ever I was instrumental in perverting any from the Christian Faith If ever I entertain'd a dislike to the same or if ever I knew any that were of Athiestical and irreligious principies except T. A. then let the Almighty powr down upon me all the furious darts of his Fiery Indignation both Temporal and Eternal And would to God that I were as certain of a Saving Faith to lay hold upon the merits of my Saviour as I am and ever was perswaâ—ed of the truth of the Christian Reform'd Religion as it s holden forth in the Holy Scriptures From on jot of which before I receded if the Lord would affoord me Strength equal to the Absolute determination of my Mind I wou'd willingly endure any Misery that can be inflicted on Body and Soul except a Total separation from the Glorious presence of God which is so inseparably connected with the great end of our Creation and Aticles of the Covenant of Grace that non can chufe the one and reject the other And what God hath joyn'd let no man put Aslunder But it may be Objected Is it not a strange thing that a man should go to Death with such a Lye in his Mouth I Answer that it would be a stranger thing if a groundless Surmise upon the bare words of such a Person as he was shou'd be of Force to invalidat clear evidence backed with the Execrations and Protestations of one who can defy the World to lay any Scandalous Enormity to his Charge Moreover I cou'd clearly evince that this is not the only Lye in his last Speech but seing I love to hector no man especially the Dead except where Necessity impels me to it I forbear it desiring Earnestly that Christians wou'd Judge nothing before the time untill the Lord come vvho both vvil bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and vvill manifest the Councels of the Hearts And then shall every man have praise of God 1 Cor. 4 5. Novv be Merciful to me O God for Man vvoud svvallovv me up c. Psal 56 v. 1. Every day they Wrest my vvords All their thoughts are against me for evil v. 5 But in God have I put my Trust I vvill not be afraid vvhat man can do unto me v. 1 1. Thou hast dellivered my Soul from death Wilt not thou deliver my Feet from falling that I may vvalk before God in the Light of the Living MUNGO CRAIG January the 15. 1697.