Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A48010
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A letter from a gentleman to his friend Concerning the second edition of the declaration against Antinomian errors, &c. lately published by Geo. Griffith, Matthew Mead, Stev. Lobb, Richard Taylor, John Nesbitt.
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Gentleman in the city.
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1699
(1699)
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Wing L1402; ESTC R219242
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7,970
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17
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has done in one of the Fathers which he delights so much to quote tho' with as little Pertinency as ever was sung the Ballad of Chevy Chace But I shall not spend my time in discovering that to you concerning the two last mention'd which you are no Stranger to since the Spirit with which they were acted will be best seen when you understand the Methods they took to perswade the World that the publishing their Declaration was by the unanimous Consent of all the Congregational Ministers in and about this City I will not question but the Conclave at Pinners Hall had sounded the Minds of their Brethren of the same Denomination as they call it with themselves how far they would join with them in the Publication of their elaborate Piece what Resentment the Majority had of it shall not now be told tho' 't is reported Dr. Chauncy Mr. Ness Dr. Singleton Mr. Short Mr. Harris Mr. Meidell c. car'd not to intermeddle in a Case that concern'd them not This Last was formerly a Lutheran but some Years agoe brought over to the knowledge of the Truth and is now Pastor to a Congregational Church his Assent therefore they most earnestly desir'd he being a faithful Confessor of Jesus Christ and a great Sufferer for him to obtain which Mr. L. the Scribe by order of Mr. N. the Dictator writes him a Letter which whether more full of Pride or Ignorance is difficult to define wherein he tells him how Harmonious the Ministers all were to usher the second Edition of their Declaration into the World with an Attestatation to it under their hands that there was but One more besides himself of whose Consent they at all doubted and that One had been spoke to and therefore in trust as he says requested him not to obstruct so good a Work lest they should be oblig'd to let the World know by exposing Mr. Meidell's Name in Print that he was the only Man amongst them who refus'd to join with them But perhaps you are as tyred as I am in tracing the hidden By-ways of these assuming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall therefore sum up all I am minded at this time to communicate in a few Queries which I leave to your serious Consideration Query 1. Whether by publishing a shameless half-side to vindicate the Reputation of their former title Page and Preface which they say met with a manifest Contradiction these men do not at the same time discover an overweening conceit of their own title Page and Preface and a measure of Insolence beyond what is common when they take it in such Dudgeon that the Authority of a nameless title Page and Preface is call'd into Question Que. 2. Whether these Men by insinuating that all to whom they thought fit to communicate their Declaration approv'd of it become not Guilty at least of a very gross fallacy since Mr. Meidell to whom they did think fit to communicate it if S. L and J. N may be credited openly declared his dislike of it to them at Pinners-Hall Surely such sly and untrue Insinuations ill become Ministers of Christ who should renounce all hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness c. Que. 3. Whether by saying that their Declaration was approved by all the Congregational Ministers in and about London but by two or three to whom they thought not fit to communicate it these Men do not manifestly contradict what S. L. wrote Mr. C. M. when he tells him that all had approved of it but One and that One had been spake to about it How these things can hang together they should best tell but 'till I better understand their minds in this matter I must apply our old Proverb to them Liars need good Memories Que. 4. Whether S. L. when he wrote to Mr. C. M. and assur'd him that what he did communicate to him was in trust emplying his being intrusted by all the Ministers when indeed but one or two could be found to have set him on work did therein act the part of a trusty Scribe to his Masters all or like an upright Christian and faithful Minister fit to be put in trust with the Gospel This Query I leave with the Conscience of that busy Emperick Que. 5. Whether these Men have not evidently run beyond the tedder of Independent Principles in publishing this Declaration without the Knowledge of their respective Churches and in unwarrantably concerning themselves with Pastors of other Churches But alas it is to be feared many that go under the name of Independents affect and exercise as much Tyranny and Usurpation over their own Churches and fellow Servants as any of other denominations that pretend to no such purity Witness their counterfeit Agreement first clandestinely patcht up by Clubbs of Preachers without the Knowledge of their Churches and afterward as arbitrarily imposed upon them Que. 6. Whether by mustering up a Cargo of Antinomian Errors espous'd by no Party of Men or single Preacher in England at this day these Men have discover'd most of a vain Itch of Pride to shew their reading or of an angry humour of contention to be quarrelling tho' they know not at what or of a weak air of impertinence to bring somewhat on the Stage nothing to the purpose or of a malicious Design against Souls to infect our air with some German Antinomianism which they have rak'd out of the Grave of Oblivion where they have lain now this hundred years as a Poet of their own said and against the venom of which their poor Antidotes scrap'd from Dr. c. are much too weak Que. 7. Whether the insolent Methods these Preachers have taken to terrify men more conscientious than themselves into a compliance with their base proceedings do not discover them to be acted rather by the Spirit of Belial then of Jesus Certainly it is not according to Christ's rule to Stigmatize others with the Title of Antinomians c. that cannot run our length nor does it savor of true Christian humility for any to be perking above their Brethren with such a Phrase of contempt as We thought them not fit It is to be feared these Men that think others not fit for their notice in a way of respect would think them very fit to be degraded and deliver'd over to the Secular Power why else should one of their number say we want a little more of the Magistrate on our side And what other meaning can be given of that passage wherein they tell us they Judge themselves oblig'd to bear with and exercise compassion and tenderness to their fellow Servants chiefly because our Governors have by a Law tollerated us and partly because the Savoy Confession hath taught them so to do But for any Scripture or Grace produc'd by them for Lenity Quere Where it is Que. 8. Lastly Whether upon the whole to set the Saddle upon the right Horse this Stratagem was not contrived and promoted principally by one or two wily Men that stand convâ—ct of Demy Arminianism in Principle and true Antinomianism and Intrusion in Practice in order to the raising a Dust of forg'd Antinomianism and Intrusion on others so to hinder the persuit of themselves for their Scandalous Lives Ignorance of the Gospel Invasions c. And here Sir you must needs take notice how craftily they labour to bring into black Suspicion by base Innuendoes the Persons and Ministry of such whom they most dread treating them in Print as the Chieftain at Stepney formerly serv'd good old Mr. Lawrence in the Pulpit endeavouring to load them with Calumnies sufficient that some may stick upon them and themselves may be accounteâ— Innocent A true Resolution of this Query would serve at once to clear up the Reputation of several that in all appearance were decoy'd into this Subscription by the Craft of others and that followed theâ— Steps as the innocent Men did Absolom in their Simplicity not knowing any thing and at the same time hereby we should see a little of that great Guilt that lyes on some Men's Consciences who tho' they would be thought Reverend Men are ever afraid of having themselves laid open But let such consider that the Secrets of their Hearts will one Day be discovered then it will be known with what Spirit and Aims this scandalous Pamphlet was published In the mean time I profess to you Sir and you that know my Disposition will believe me whatever others think that nothing but the highest concern for abused Truth would have drawn me to say all this and thus to have exposed Men whom but for the undeceiving of the World I would rather have been unconcern'd with as well knowing he that touches upon the failings of the Priest is like to have the barking of all the Dogs in the Parish But I must be of the same Mind with Luther quoted in their Preface To think Truth to be of so inestimable a Value that it 's better Heaven and Earth be blended together in Confusion than that the least Dust thereof should perish FINIS
A LETTER From a GENTLEMAN to his FRIEND Concerning the Second Edition of the DECLARATION AGAINST Antinomian Errors c. Lately publish'd by Geo. Griffith Matthew Mead Step. Lobb Richard Taylor Iohn Nesbitt He that is first in his own Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own Quarrel seemeth just but or till his Neighbour cometh and searcheth him Pro. 18. 17. LONDON Printed in the Year 1699. A LETTER From a Gentleman in the City to his Friend SIR SINCE you will not admit of my excuses I can no longer resist the importunity you express that I would give you my thoughts about the present state of Affairs amongst the Ministers of the Congregational perswasion more especially of what relates to the Declaration lately Published by some of them You 're not insensible how dangerous a task it is to unravel the mysteries of the Leaders of the People without drawing the Odium of a whole Party of upon the bold undertaker tho' the charge be never so Just and Righteous This is owing to a fundamental Maxim instill'd into us from our infancy That to expose the Preachers is to ridicule and banter Religion out of the World to introduce Atheism and all impiety as if the virtues or depravities of that sort of Men did add or diminish from the vital Power and Energy of true Religion which stands upon so sure a Foundation that even the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it But so far has this Poison diffus'd it self into the hearts of most Men that the discoveries God hath made unto us in his Word how he will be worshiped and what he expects from us are not fully believed except they be confirm'd by those we commonly call Divines whom to set in a clear light before the Generality of People is to rob them of the better half of their worship who thereupon are apt to cry out with Micah ye have taken away my Gods which I made and the Priest and what have I more And for my part I must frankly own that this Poison had so far infected me that all the Antidotes I ever took could not effectually eradicate the malignity of it 'till by continued observation I found our Ecclesiastical Donns so far from being elevated above those failings common to mankind that in many of them those very corruptions discovered themselves more predominate than in others But whether the station wherein they are plac'd magnifies every Peccadillo in them or whether their degeneracy be really so great with which subject I may possibly hereafter entertain you is not at present my intention to enquire But I shall proceed to lay before you my Thoughts upon a half sheet a few Days since emitted into the World and affix'd to the Declaration you wot of by five Congregational Ministers as they stile themselves And the matters of fact I shall faithfully represent to you as they came to my knowledge to the relation of which you 'll the more readily give Credit when you consider I can't Justly be suppos'd to be byass'd in my Judgment to this or the other Party whether Presbyterian or Independant having never actually joyned with either of them and therefore am under no temptation to espouse one cause more than another but as Friend to Truth and in detestation of that gross Legerdemain lately impos'd upon the World I shall give you a short Narrative of their Advertisement publish'd with the Second Edition as they call it of their Declaration and then sum up the whole in a succinct description of what part each of the five Subscribers acted in it For their Advertisement then you shall know that the first part of it runs in the following strain It having been reported and industriously spread abroad that the Declaration against Antinomian Errors c. was not considered and approved of by the Congregational Ministers in and about this City Which is in manifest contradiction to the title Page and Preface I shall not examine the ingenious stile this passage is couch'd in nor take notice of the Parenthesis aptly plac'd as they may think after a full Period the supposed Learning of the Amanuensis to that Reverend Society shrowding him from censure of incorrectness But I shall lead you directly into the understanding of this intricate matter You must know that some time since a party of the Congregational Ministers held a Consistory at the Amsterdam Coffee-house and other places to draw up something to satisfy the World that they did not any way warp towards a hateful busieness call'd Antinomianism and having their fancies quickn'd by the name of the place they were in after many debates they pick'd up some Errors from Amsterdam or hard by held some hundred years ago and strenuously confuted them by Dr. Goodwyn Dr. Owen and the Assemblies Catechism with the help of Dr. South This their composition crept into the World in so clandestine a manner that many who were adherers to them and their interest could scarcely be perswaded to believe they were the Authors of that Elaborate piece which gave birth to an Anomymous Pamphlet intitul'd Considerations upon the Congregational Ministers Declaration this some conceive to have been wrote by a Presbyterian therein he endeavours to demonstrate by many Arguments that it was not probable the Congregational Ministers were the Authors of that Declaration and in a severe passage towards the Conclusion seems to throw it upon the Celebrated Lunatick Trepidantium Malleus who boasts that he has highly merited of the World by so happily exploding Mr. Baxter's Errors and his Followers and who really engag'd in a work of the like design with this Declaration some Months ago But whoever was the Author of that Pamphlet 't is certain it had this effect that those Reverend Sirs who before had foisted into the World that suppos'd spurious Declaration being now toucht to the quick do boldly own it to be the legitimate product of their strict scrutiny into the Records of the Dead by prefixing five Names to it viz. Geo. Griffith Mat. Mead Steph. Lobb Richard Taylor Iohn Nesbitt Now upon this goodly Proceeding of theirs we may justly make the following Reflexions 1. Hereby we see unto what miserable Subterfuges Men are forc'd to betake to palliate that Pride and Arrogancy which their aspiring after a Power they had no right to had involv'd them in It is clear to every one who knows any thing of the Congregational Principles that without the consent of their Churches the Ministers have no Authority to engage in such a Work and in all Probability the thoughts of this made them asham'd at first to own it for theirs But as one Error is introductive of another so thro' a fatal Mistake which is an evident Demonstration they were conscious they had transgressed by publishing this Declaration upon their own Heads they have egregiously expos'd one of the Brethren of the Conclave tho' not of the number of the five Subscribers who to palliate