Vindication of the Faithful Rebuke to a False Report, Letter 11
LETTER XI. Of the First and Third Paper.
SIR, I perceive by your last, you are inclinable to put a Period to our Correspondence about this Controversie (if a Squabble about Words, may be dignified with the Title of a Controversie) and I confess my self as willing as your self; and when I have made some Remarks upon these two Papers, which have made such a Noise, I see nothing that should give you or my self any farther Disquiet.
§. 1. Some Account of the First Paper.
(1.) I cannot but look upon't as a piece of Incivility, which no Ingenious Spirit would have been guilty of: To publish a Narrative of an Affair wherein two Parties had an equal concern, without their joint consent, and concerting of Matter of Fact between them both.
I have known of some, and heard of more Conferences, Debates, Disputes, where both sides have mutually agreed to the Truth of things, before either of them durst be so hardy as to publish the whole: But I am now convinc'd that there are some Men, whom no Laws of Civility or Decency can oblige to what is Comely: Our Author was never indeed very Costive, in his Scribling Humours, but of late he's grown so Laxative, that all the Astringents in the Shops, will not check his Scripturiency; but out it flies, without the Preface of Saving your Presence.
If Prudence might have been heard, it would have Advised not to roll that Stone, which when it's once in motion, he could not be sure to stop: If the foreign might have been his Counsellor, it would have suggested that there were others deeply concern'd besides himself, whose leave might have been modestly asked in a matter of common concern: If Conscience might have spoke, it would have obliged to a severe Regard to Truth, in the most liable way of Writing, which is that of the Narrative. But Prudence, Decency, and Conscience are never consulted, when Men are full of Wind, and think they can leap over Nine Hedges.
(2.) 'Tis most certain, that this Paper was never drawn up with the Knowledge, Privity, or Procurement of the United Brethren; and that the Cabals wherein it was Contrived, Hammered, or rather Forged, were never under the Inspection, or Authority of the said Brethren; they were a few, a very few who set the Wheel a going, that put the Intrigue on foot; tho some others were afterwards wheadled in to bear some part in the Farce, and rather jogg'd on Passively than Actively.
(3.) You must always bear this in your Mind, that several of those Persons who were then actually of the Number of the United Brethren, subscribed this Unhappy Paper, with a Declaration and Protestation antecedent to their Subscription, that they did it with a Reserve to the Iudgment of the Body of the United Ministers. So that if those Brethren should not give their Fiat, it should be lookt on as a Non-factum, a meer Nullity.
(4.) The great Inducement to some of those Brethren to subscribe, was a Whisper, that this would redintegrate the Union; and from hence they conceiv'd some glimmering hopes of so great a Blessing; which hopes, tho they were Faint, and Leucophlegmatick, as if they were giving up the Ghost, yet they were willing to call 'em Hopes, or any thing rather than black Despair. Tho others that knew with whom they had to do, had their greater Fears, that it would never produce the boasted effect; such especially as knew that one of the Company had declared, That they never intended an Union: And we may be assured, that not one of the Nine would have put Pen to Paper had the Defender freely told them that he has since publish'd, That they never intended, or pretended to Union, but the quite contrary.
(5.) You must farther knew, Sir, that tho this Paper might have been seen, and no doubt was so, by many Individuals of the United Brethren, whose curiosity might tempt them to get a sight of a Secret; as we naturally have an Itch to see those Pamphlets which steal abroad sans privilege; yet it was never laid before the Brethren in a Body, never debated by them; and therefore could not be said to be rejected by them, because the Truth is, they never concern'd themselves to Advise about it.
(6.) And yet the Brethren at Little St. Hellens, might have rejected it; upon their own Right, without rendring a Reason, as well as those two Brethren declined their Subscription to the same Paper, for divers Reasons to themselves best known, and let our Gentleman with all his Fragments out of Calvin's Lexicon, whereof he so unmeasurably glories, give us a solid Reason, why Titius should not have the same Law with Sempronius.
(7.) Supposing the Brethren had waved their own Rights, and proceeded upon the Merits of the Paper, and Reasons intrinsecal to it, they might have found many Causes for its laying aside, and rejecting it with Abhorrence.
Now because, Sir, I will not deal niggardly with you, but frankly as a Friend, I will as briefly as I can, shew you, both the Deficiencies and Excesses of that First Paper, which because they have made an Idol of, I will prove to be a Nehushtan.
1. The Deficiencies of the First Paper.
1. And here the fatal Deficiency discovers it self, that it Provided no Barriere against Antinomianism: Really, if in a Day when Socinianism is rampant, the Reporter was so Amazed, that the Hedge about Christ's Satisfaction was Invaded (tho 'twas but an Imaginary Hedge) why might not the Brethren, in a Day when Antinomianism was far from Couchant, be amazed too to see a Paper appear, wherein was neither Hedge nor Ditch to keep out that Heresie? Repentance in order to Pardon, was superseded; especially when it was so well known, that some of the hottest Zealots for this Paper, were double dipt in that Infection. Let these things be considered.
1. The United Brethren had given, and often given abundant Evidence of their soundness in the Faith, in opposition to the Arminian and Socinian Heresies; and might therefore justly expect the like Evidence of their Brethren, in opposition to the Antinomian.
2. When the other Brethren had but some feeble Suspicions of the Heterodoxy, of perhaps but one of their Brethren, yet they were willing to gratifie the Noise that was made, so far as to put themselves under the severest Trial: And yet they who from the Press and Pulpit, by Printing and Preaching, had vented their wild Notions about these Points, would not give the least satisfaction in those tender Points, whereof the United Brethren had the fullest and clearest Evidence; and had then before them a Numerous Catalogue of those Errors.
3. Especially when the United Brethren had pass'd a Vote, That whenever they should be again Attack'd with the old Demands to give Satisfaction, they would insist peremptorily upon a Renunciation of the Antinomian Errors, which lay in their View.
4. And having been so often disappointed in their just Expectations of Satisfaction from time to time, they did insist, and had Reasons to justifie their insisting upon that Abrenunciation.
5. They had Charity to believe that the far greater Number of the Dissenting Brethren, were sound in the Faith as to these Points, and did therefore hope, that they would not stand off from a Syncretism with the Brethren in Fundamentals, in tenderness to those few who were otherwise minded, whose Number was inconsiderable: and they do, and must always judge, that all respects ought to be laid aside, when the Great Truths of the Gospel shall come in competition with private Affections, and Personal Inclinations.
2. The Excesses of the First Paper.
But the Excesses of this Paper were far more Numerous than the Deficiencies. As,
First, The Brethren found the Doctrine of Iustification clogg'd and incumbred with Novel Expressions, of which they could make no certain Iudgment: And as they did not know that they were bound to inform themselves that they might be able to make a Judgment; so they knew not where to make application to any that were able and willing to give them light into this obscure matter; they judged themselves sound in Faith in this great Article; if either the Article of Iustification, drawn up by the Reformed Churches in Europe, might be Judge; or if the Confessions of Westminster, or the Savoy might determine; or if this Article, as drawn up by these very Brethren, might be heard speak; or if the Holy Scriptures, which we all own, or pretend to own to be the only Infallible Test and Standard of Orthodoxy, might be allowed to be Umpire; and yet they must needs add the Phrase of a Subordinate Righteousness, to which all those Confessions are utter Strangers; and yet the Paper agreed to in 1692, had expresly renounced, Al Righteousness whatever, in the Business of Iustification, except the Righteousness of Christ.
Secondly, It was surprizing that they should surcharge a Paper, which was pretended to be an Instrument of Pacification, with strange Phrases, such as a Commutation of Persons, between Christ and vsus; and Christ's Dying in the Person of Sinners: When it's more than probable, most of us, shall be in our Graves, before the true meaning of them can be liquidated, and the sense ascertained; and that yet they should quote Grotius for the use of the former, who never once mentioned it; and the R. R. B. of W. who indeed mentions the Phrase, but never in the sence the Antinomians contend for; of which he has lately given an Account to the World; and when there was neither any need, nor any good use to be made of it, either for the Explication or Confirmation of the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction; and when these Phrases had been so wretchedly perverted to such pernicious Ends, by Dr. Crisp, and some of his professed Disciples, it will be most Adviseable to give it a Civil Dimission.
Thirdly, The First Paper treated a Brother undecently, uncivilly, not to say barbarously; They put upon him such hard Terms, to purchase a little uncertain Quiet, which I believe no Man who had a Grain of Spirit in him, would ever submit unto: And it may be question'd too, Whether any who had defecated their Souls from Passion, and were in a calm Temper of Mind, would ever have imposed: Let us Read and Blush! If therefore, Mr. W. shall concur with us in what we have declared touching the Doctrine of Justification; and in the Sense we have given of a Change of Persons between Christ and Believers; and of Christ's undertaking the Displeasure of the Father for our Sins; and shall give Satisfaction about any thing else, that any Brother excepts against in the rest of his Writings, agreeably to the abovesaid Articles and Confessions, we shall so far Acquiesctherein, as not to make them the Matter of further publick Contest, or Altercation, amongst our selves. So then, the poor Man must be Teazed and Baited all the Days of his Life, and never be sure he has performed his full Penance, whilst one Antinomian can be found to demand farther satisfaction; and to be placed as a Shrove-Tuesday Bird Five Throws Two Pence, so long as any Man can find a Cudgel to bestow upon him; but the fuller exposing of these cruel Terms, will invite you to the Tostscript of the Rebuke, to which I refer you.
Fourthly, The first Paper carries an Apparent Contradiction to it self, and to the Practice of those who so Zealously espouse it: For whereas, it seems to commend, A bearing with one another's Infirmities, and different Sentiments about Logical, or Philosophical Terms, or meerly Humane Forms of Speech; yet it makes a Commutation of Persons between Christ and us, to be one of the Terms upon which Mr. W. must expect a little rbitrary and Precarious Rest, as long as he Breaths: And yet this is a Humane Form of Speech; Humane, I say, for its Weakness and Infirmities, tho not for its Rationality; and the only Excuse they can pretend to make for it is, That it's neither Logical, Philosophical, nor Theological.
§. 2. Some Account of the Third Paper.
This Paper was drawn up with great Judgment, upon good Advice, and serious Deliberation, becoming Ministers of the Gospel, and the Servants of Jesus Christ, who desired to Approve themselves to him, in their Work.
(1.) Their Faithfulness to Christ and his Gospel, appears eminently in this; That they provided against both the Extreams, whereas the other Paper only took care of One. It has secured the Article of Iustification, even to the satisfaction of the most Scrupulous; provided always those Scruples are the true Issue of Conscience, not of some Worldly Interest, and Carnal Design, to create and foment Divisions, because by that Craft they get their Living: And it has secured it too against Antinomianism, by Asserting, That Repentance is necessary in its way, and Faith in its kind, in order to the Justification of a Sinner.
(2.) That Expression in the first Paper, which excludes a Subordinate Righteousness, is fully provided for in the Third, in these words: None of these, nor any Work done by Man, or wrought by the Spirit of God in them, is (under any Denomination whatsoever) any part of that Righteousness, for the sake, or on the Account whereof, God doth Pardon, Iustifie, &c. Now this Expression (under any Denomination whatsoever) is exclusive of whatever can pretend to come in for a share in Justification with the Righteousness of Christ; nor can all the Cunning of the most subtle Adversary excogitate any thing, which this Universal will not shut out of Doors, whether it be Subordinate, or Co-ordinate.
(3.) The Condescention of the Third Paper is very Admirable; for whereas all Quarrels about Mr. Williams's Book had been adjusted in 1692. and it might reasonably have been inspected, they had been Buried in that Grave, yet when some had imploy'd their Talents to find a Knot in a Bull-rush, yet the Brethren were content to admit of a fresh Debate thereon; nor do I hear that Mr. W. himself insisted on his former Vindication, but freely submitted to a farther Scrutiny, in order to Peace and Union.
(4.) I must applaud the Excellency of their Temper who drew it up; who would not forfeit their Ingenuity and Humanity, to expose a Brother to those Indignities the other Paper had done; letting the World know that however they had been wheadled into a Subscription to the First, yet they saw their Error, and were grown more Christian, and considerate in the Third.
(5.) In a word, All things were here managed in that way, which might engage the Presence of God with them, and the Blessing of God upon them: There was solemn seeking of God in Prayer for Direction; due time taken, that all might consider, and then give their Advice: They chose a certain Number out of the Body, who according to Instructions, might prepare, digest, and draw up Matters for the Brethren: They made their Report, which was consented to by the whole Body of the United Ministers; so that according to the acknowledged Laws and Customs of all such Assemblies, it may be truly and properly said, That every Individual Brother, gave his Assent and Consent to the Third Paper. That is, there was not one who declared his Dissent; there was not one, but who did Assent, that we knew of.
But if any one of the Reverend Nine-Pins, has been Tip't down, and denied his Agreement to this Third Paper, 'tis more than he had done before his Brethren: Nor am I at all concern'd; for as I dare not Pin my Faith upon his Sleeve, so neither will I hang upon his Cloak, lest he should unbutton the Loop, and let me drop into the Bottomless-Pit, as 'tis said, he threatned some of his Auditors; and if he has that slippery Trick with him, I would neither be in his Cloaths, nor hang on his Cloak for a Groat.
Our Author complains somewhere, as if he had drawn the Displeasure of both Parties upon himself; which is but the Common Fate of those that would Trim it between two Different Interests; and the Censure they commonly pass on such as would seem of Two Religions, is, That they Really are of none: An Ingenious Author in his Poem of the Progress of the Soul, describes us such a Mungrel, but one that was never trusted.
From Dogs, a Wolf; from Wolves, a Dog he fled;
And like a Spy, to both Sides false, he Perished.
And now, Honoured Sir, tho' we were not so Prudent to sit down and count the Charges of this Correspondence, before we began it, let us yet be so Wise, to Compute the Gains now we have done: I confess freely to you, I never Cultivated so Barren a Soil; never bestowed my Labour upon so Fruitless a Controversie: Earnings I have made none, 'tis well if I can come off so, to make a Saving Bargain on't: If it has turn'd …o better Account to your self, you will readily Ascribe it to him who has Blessed you with an Improving Heart: All I can say I have got, (if that may be called Gain) is a few Scratches over my Face, with Bryars and Thorns, the Remains of the Primitive Curse: If Religion has not received deeper Wounds, I shall rejoyce, and easily lick my self whole of those Impotent Strokes he has given me; but how he will repair Religion (so far as it is concern'd in the Cause of the Protestant Dissenters) I do not know: For upon the Principles on which he proceeds, or presupposes, to his Discourse, he has rendered their Cause Untenable, Undefencible. And admitting once that the Scriptures are not a Perfect Rule of Faith and Worship; That Christ is not a Perfect Prophet, nor has revealed whatever is necessary to be Believed for Salvation, (upon which Principles, he Cryptically proceeds) the Dissenters and their Cause, may be blown away with one Breath. So true is the Old Observation, That Overdoing, is Undoing; and yet we have none, but are too Proud to Observe it. I will add, That this Sublimating of Religion, in the Speculative Part, is that which has given occasion to our Deists, and Atheists to Ridicule all Revealed Religion: You will Dispute 'em up, you must Pray, and Live 'em down!
But, Sir, I will ease you now of Me; nor shall you ever more see me drawing the Contentious Saw, unless perhaps, which I hope never will, an Irresistible Provocation, should offer Violence to the Recess which I so much affect: In the mean time whatever Trouble I have given you, you will be so Just, as to place it to your own Account, because you drew it upon your self.
Sir, excuse me that I conclude without Ceremony
Your Humble Servant, &c.
FINIS.