Reply to a Book, Reply · Part 14
The Anſwer to the 14. Section examined, concerning my falſely ſuppoſed conſenting to the wrighting of the five miniſters, upon an order made in the Conſiſtory.
THe pretended order aboveſaid being found inſufficient, and, eo nomine, excepted againſt by me, and the Elders having aſſured me, that, either that ſhould be mended, to my Content, or elſe a better and more ſufficient one ſhould be made, it now remaineth that we examine his report of my conſent to the wrighting of the five Miniſters, wherein alſo many things are miſreported.
1. Here againe we muſt differ about his report of the time. He ſayth, that the day, wherein this diſcourſe was betweene us, was Ian. 22. 1634. and yet, that it was after I had received the wrighting from the five Miniſters, which wrighting, in his tranſlation, is dated Ian. 28. 1634. When the 22. day, ſhall come to be after the 28. day, in the ſame monethmonth, this report will be true, not before. 2. As untrue is his report, that then I ſignifyed my cōſent. To make that appeare, I will breifely relate the ſtory of that matter. On ſaturday, towards the evening, one of the Elders brought me that wrighting ſubſcribed by the five Miniſters, which when I had read, I told him what I thought, & that I durſt not yeeld to it. Both he, at that time, & the next day, after the fore noone Sermon (it being the Lords day) the other Elders prayed me not to ſhew my diſlike of that wrighting to the Anſwerer, fearing that he would make ill uſe of it, aſſuring me that all ſhould be made well, to my content. The ſame day, after the ſecond Sermon, the Anſwerer aſked me, if I had received a wrighting from the five Miniſters? whereunto when I anſwered affirmatively, he demanded of me, whether I did reſt therein? Being loath to give offence, I did rather evade, then anſwer the queſtion, by ſaying (not only, as he reporteth, that the Dutch miniſters had done what they could, but alſo) that the wrighters them ſelves did ſeeme not to require me to reſt in it (ſeing themſelves ſay, in theyre wrighting; that it is but theyre privatum judicium, private judgement) but rather that they would be well content that ſome order might be made in the Conſiſtory, as appeareth in the cloſe of their wrightingh, and accordingly I did thereunto referr my ſelfe. When the Elders, fearing the Anſwerers drift, in this diſcourſe, haſtned him into the Conſiſtory, one of them ſaying he knew my mind, he anſwered, that he deſired to heare it from my ſelfe, and afterwards, when, upon my anſwer to him, they againe indeavoured to breake off our diſcourſe, he ſayd to them diſcontentedly, I perceive that he doeth not reſt in the wrighting of the five Miniſters, further then it maketh way for an order to be made in the Conſiſtory. When I charged the Anſwerer herewith, what replyed he? If this be true, it followes that he did conſent and reſt in that wrighting of the Miniſters. Is not this a ſtrange inference? Let us ſee how he proveth it? Seing this order (ſayth he) was made and confirmed in the Conſiſtory. I profeſſed my diſlike of that order which was made, as inſufficient, and the Elders thereupon promiſed that an order ſhould be made to my content, in this particular, to this order to be made I referred my ſelfe, reſting ſo farr in the wrighting of the five Miniſters, as it made way for the making of that order, which the Anſwerer had oppoſed formerly. And to this day, I could reſt ſo farr in that wrighting, if I had any deſire of being joyned with him, from which I am very farr, having ſuch experience of his ſpirit.
Whereas he ſpeaketh of my referring him for anſwer to Mr. W.] what likelihood was there in that, when I had given myne owne anſwer? I ſayd indeed Mr. W. knoweth my mind, and that I had given my anſwer to him. But what is that to this? And if Mr. W, miſunderſtanding me, did report matters otherwiſe, then I my ſelfe had done to the Anſwerer himſelfe; who ſeeth not, that he ſhould have accounted that to be the anſwer; which I my ſelfe gave to himſelfe, not that which Mr. W. gave ſo farr differing from myne, if he gave any ſuch.