Selected quad for the lemma: conscience_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A19886
|
A protestation made and published by Iohn Davenporte vpon occasion of a pamphlett intitled A iust complaint against an uniust doer published by a nameles person
|
Davenport, John, 1597-1670.
|
1635
(1635)
|
STC 6312; ESTC S118475
|
3,318
|
7
|
A PROTESTATION Made and Published by Iohn Davenporte vpon occasion of a pamphlett Intitled A IVST COMPLAINT AGAINST AN VNIVST DOER published by a nameles person Pro. 26.17 He that passeth by and medleth with Strife belonging not to him is like one that taketh a dogge by the eare Mat. 10.16.17 Be yee wise as Serpents and harmles as Doues but beware of Men. Pranted at ROTTERDAM by Isaac from Waesbergbe upon the Steygher in the Fame MDCxxxv THe third day of this present month of Ian 1635. New Stile at noone the fornamed booke was delivered into my hands by a Reverent Brother which when I had received and read the title page and considered the drift of the Publisher I was amased to see my name prefixed and passages which concerned me Published without my knowledge and usshered with such harsh and unsavoury language and Scriptures so wrested and missapplyed nor could I have rest in my Spirit till I had resolved upon this Protestation which I now publish for the declaration both of mine innocencie in this matter and of my hearty dislike of this course First therefore I doe solemniley and sadly protest these three following particulars 1. That I know not nor can yet learne who is the Publisher therof 2 That he had not my approbation or consent to this Publishing of it 3. That I doe account the injury done herein so greate that I know not how the Publisher of it shall be able to make satisfaction other wise then by revoking his books burning the whole impression or printing another that may passe as publickly as this is like to doe in acknowledgement of his fault Secondly what motive set this Publisher upon this worke I know not nor can I magine unles I knew the man If the arrow against the Seperation Stick still in his side A Booke be made by Mr. Paget and cause him thus to kick and fling let him know that recrimination is no APOLOGY A Booke be made by Mr. Paget and books are better answered by arguments then reproaches and it is more wisdom to heale a mans selfe then to wound another to clense himselfe then to besmeare another If some other not ingaged in that quarrail be the doer of it I wish him to coÌ„sider seriously whether some by-respect or secret distemper have not biassed his spirit a wronge way or imbittered it too much Thirdly seing the Publisher consealeth his name saying Published by one that c. I pray him to informe him selfe of three things Quaere 1 1. Whether that one be not in this act an injurious one If so had that evill bene a raigning sinne in him which I hope is but his infirmitie it would have bene found no small sinne in the punishment which he may yet escape by repentance 1. Tim. 1.13.14.16 As for my self had I bene Silent in this case every man would have concluded mee guilty yea it is already reported that I am the author of it and so besides the injury done to my selfe being represented to the publick view as a coÌ„tentious person which I naturally abhorr and by Grace much more the injury also would have fallen upon so many persons as upon this occasion should have bene scandalised by evill surmises unjustly received against me which is Slander in hearte Quaere 2 2 Whether that one be not in this acte one that soweth discord among Brethren which is one of the sixe things the Lord hateth and of the seaven that are an abhomination to him Pro. 6.16.17 18.19 For if this was not the end or intent of the publisher as I will hope it was not yet if God doe not beyond expectatioÌ„ mercifully prevent it it may be the end or event of the worke But the Lord rebuke Sathan The beginning of Strife is as the opening of Waters sayth Salomon pro. 17.14 If any man should goe about to open the sluses how soone might these NETHERLANDS be drowned before they could be stopped againe And who knoweth not that a little Child may fire an house which a thousand men cannot quench Quaere 3 Thirdly Whether that one be not this acte a Buisy body 2. Thes 3.11 one that Busieth himselfe in other mens matters 1. pet 4.15 For if the publisher be not a member of that Church what calling hath he to interpose himselfe thus publickly in matters which properly and only concerne that Church If he be a member of that Church what warrant hath any particular meÌ„ber to publish those greivances to the world which are by them selves referred to they re Consistory before matters have bene there discussed and determined or at least before the issue and conclusion which there shall be put to the question hath bene sufficiently demanded and expected who ever he be who called him to intrude himselfe into matters that appertame to me so farr as to publish a privat wrighting with my name to it without my knoâ—wledg and against my mind I leave the publisher to satisfie him selfe in these particulers which whilest he endeavoreth to doe I wil labour to satisfye all men concerning myne innocencie in the first part of the booke leaving the second part of the booke to the members of that Church whom it concerneth First I confesse that about sixe months since having bene often provoked by injurious reports about my letter to the Classis and about my Tenet against promiscuous Baptizing all that are brought especially in such a place as Amsterdam and about my desisting and about passages betweene Mr. Paget and me and having bene much sollicited by particular freinds to give my answers to such objectioÌ„s as were dayly brought to me and being informed that the Duch in that citty and some of the members of that Church and many of our nation in other parts of these Contries were by misreports prejudiced against me and seing that I purposed shortly to leave these Contries upon such necessity and much importunity I was constrayned to sett downe those particulars in wrighting that some freind might be able to speake in the cause of the dumb and to cleare the trueth in my absence Secondly I professe that no man hath the originall Copie but my selfe and that for aught I know I never gave it to more then two to peruse and whether they both transcribed Copies out of it or no I know not but they both returned myne to me againe which I have in my keeping at this instant and my intent in communicating it to those two was only to inable them to give privat satisfaction to those that should require it of them and so to inable those to satisfye others in a private way as may appeare in that I applyed my selfe in that wrighting onely to such things as were then objected concealing other things which I might have added for my further clearing vnles more publick provocation should make it necessary to publish all together Which I have hither to forborne expecting when God would sweetly order and dispose the spirits of pastor and people in that Church to vnity and concord betweene them selves in some conclusions and wayes of advancing they re mutuall good and comfort agreable to the Gospell and rule which Christ hath left for his Churches to walke by which I have hoped hither to that God would in time effect and doe still hope and pray forit The grant where of would be to me matter of vnfeigned joy and thanksgiving not with standing al the Injuryes which I have Suffered in that place whersoever it should please God to pich my tent afterwards Thirdly From hence it will follow that I am al to-gether innocent in this Matter which as I knew not of it till it was brought to me in print so I vtterly dislike both for the vnseasonablenes of the worke and for the vnreasonable and vncharitable bitternes of the Publisher Lastly my request therfore is 1. to M. Paget that he will rest satisfied with my ingenuous profession and acquitt me as he aught of any suspicion of guilt in this particular Secondly To the publisher that seing he omitted to cleare my innocency in his first publication of this Phamphlett he will now do me so much right as to affixe this sheete of paper in stead of a postscript to his booke or disperse it among all persons to whose hands his booke shall come or is come But he will most gratifieme if he make one good fire of both together Thirdly To all men to whose hands the other book shall come that they will spedily send this after it or stiche this with it assuring themselfes that if I could have foreseene this injury I would have prevented it For how soever I have written nothing in that declaration but the truth which I am also ready to confirme as occasion shall require yet I affect not to make that publick which may be ended privaty much lesse to be the first in a contention whether publick or private Now the very God of peace who also is Love vnite our hearts to himselfe and one to and other in that Love which is out of a Pure hart and a good Conscience and faith vnfeined and in able vs to keepe the vnity of the Spirit in the bond of peace even for his sake who is the prince of peace and in whom Wee who sometimes were afarr off are made night by the blood of Christ who is our peace AMEN