A Second Admonition to Edward Bagshaw, Part 2 · Section 21 – Section 24
Sect. 21. E. B. Your mentioning with ſo much ſcorn the doctrine of the temporal Reign of Chriſt,16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th viſible falſhoods. which you in deriſion call the fifth Monarchy way, and your endeavour to expoſe all that you think favour that opinion, is another evidence that you dare not look any truth in the face, which brings preſent danger with it: no though formerly you were as earneſt and open an aſſerter of it as any—
R. B. I ſee but five expreſs falſhoods in matter of fact in theſe few words: 1. One is, that it is Chriſts Temporal Reign, which I call the fifth Monarchy way; when as I have no ſuch words, nor meaning, but do my ſelf believe Chriſts Temporal Reign, even that now he is Head over all things to his Church, Epheſ. 1. 21, 22. and that all Power in Heaven and Earth is given him, Mat. 28. 19. and all things are delivered into his hands, John 1…. 3. & 17. 2. that he hath power given him over all fleſh; and that to this end he dyed, roſe and revived, that he might be Lord of the dead and living: Rom. 14. 9. and that he is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But whether he will Reign a thouſand years in corporal viſible preſence on earth, I am not wiſe enough to know: But I am afraid of thoſe opinions which draw down mens minds from looking for a treaſure and reward in Heaven, and tempt them to expect great things on Earth. But in this Age cuſtome hath taught men to diſtinguiſh between thoſe called Fifth Monarchy men, and meer Millenaries. And by the former name, I mean ſuch as they that aſſumed that name have been, whom I will not deſcribe, leſt I ſeem to imitate you, or offend you more than needs.
2. The ſecond falſhood is, that I mention the Doctrine of Chriſts Temporal Reign with ſcorn and deriſion; when I only mentioned the way by which many of my acquaintance came to hold it, and the arguments which they uſed to defend it, with pitty and diſſent, but not with ſcorn or deriſion; much leſs that doctrine which he nameth.
3. The third falſhood is, that I endeavour to expoſe all that I think favour that opinion; when as ſome of my moſt intimate and honoured friends favour the Millenary Opinion: and I know how commonly it was owned by many of the Ancients, and who doth not honour the name of Mr. Joſ. Mead, Dr. Twiſſe, Mr. Baily, Mr. Porter, &c. that did more than favour it? And when did I ever endeavour to expoſe ſuch men? (its like you mean, unto ſcorn, or ſome evil.)
4. The fourth and notorious falſhood is, that I dare not look any truth in the face, that brings preſent danger with it: when himſelf ſaith, that I am in the ſame condemnation with them; which hath more truth in it in a full ſenſe, than I will here open, leſt I ſeem to diſhnour my Governours. And though I confeſs that my Impriſonment was not ſo long and ſharp as his, yet he can ſcarce be ſo ignorant as to imagine, that he loſeth by his judgement, ſo much as I do by mine, quoad lucrum ceſſans, & damnum emergens. But his own Pen doth publiſh him temerariouſly falſe: while he publiſheth me to have been formerly as earneſt and open an aſſerter as any of this Opinion; and doth not cite one ſyllable whereby I ever did revoke it: And I here as openly declare to him and all the world, that I am ſtill of the ſame mind that I was in that point, and I am ſtill ready to expreſs my mind in the ſame words of mine which he reciteth. And while I openly own the ſame words which he accounteth ſo dangerous, and pretendeth that they aſſert as much as any; judge whether he be a man to be believed, that ſaith I dare not look that truth in the face, which I openly own, or any other that brings preſent danger.
5. The next notorious falſhood is, that formerly I was as earneſt an aſſerter of it as any; that is, of the Fifth Monarchy way. As any? Have I written for the Millenary Opinion, as earneſtly and openly as Mr. Mead hath done? Have I—I will paſs over late practices. Nay did I ever write or ſpeak one word for it? But you ſhall preſently ſee how he confuteth himſelf. But before I leave this, I muſt name two or three implyed falſhoods in theſe words, beſides the five expreſſed.
6. The one is,21ſt Falſehood implyed. that the Doctrine of the Temporal Reign of Chriſt, brings preſent danger: when as all Chriſtians that I know of, do believe or hold his Temporal Reign: And as for his Perſonai Corporal Viſible Reign, I never heard of any Law againſt any that held it, nor any danger that any man incurred, much leſs any ſuffering for holding it. I am perſwaded, if Chriſt came perſonally and viſibly to demand it, the King himſelf would yield up his Crown to him. But I muſt confeſs to you, that if any man will call himſelf a believer of the Fifth M…narchy, and thereupon will either deny the Authority of Rulers that are bad, (even if they were Infidels or Perſecutors) or that they judge bad, or will deny to ſwear Allegiance to the King, or will maintain that good men may ſeize upon the Government becauſe they are good (or think themſelves ſo) and that becauſe the Saints ſhall judge the world, therefore they may depoſe bad Governours, and take their places, and ſet up themſelves under pretence of ſetting up Chriſt; I deny not but ſuch as theſe may be in danger: And I am none of them that will own ſuch opinions▪ as knowing them to be no truths, but pernicious errors.
7. The other implyed falſhood is,22d. Falſehood implyed. that I have changed my opinion, or the profeſſion of it in this point in queſtion.
Sect. 22. E. B. [… not many years ago you told us,8 Self confutation & Calumny. that you were perfectly neutral, as to the point of Chriſts viſible and perſonal Reign upon earth, and you did not know which way your judgement did moſt incline. But the Theocratical Policy, or Divine Common-wealth (which is the unqueſtionable Reign of Chriſt upon Earth) this, all Chriſtians are agreed may juſtly be ſought, and the temporal dignity of the Saints which would undoubtedly much bleſs the world.]
R. B. 1. You miſprint [the temporal] for [that temporal,] and ſo turn the predicate into the ſubject. 2. For [as meerly neutral as in almoſt any point of ſo great moment, &c.] you put [perfectly neutral.] 3. For [I ſcarce can perceive which way, &c.] you put [you did not know.] Yet I number not theſe with your falſhoods, but ſhew you, that you are ſo habituated to Raſhneſs, that you ſeldom ſeem to heed what you report.
2. And can you wink ſo hard,23d Falſehood. as not to ſee how here you openly declare your falſehood? Do you prove me as earneſt and open an …ſſ…rter as any, by citing words in which I profeſs to be ignorant, neutral and uncertain? Will your followers ſtill believe ſuch an open ſelf-contradicting falſe accuſer? Is Neutrality and Vncertainty the moſt earneſt and open aſſerting of a doctrine? If you ſay that you meant it of Theocracy; I anſwer, review your words; you ſpeak of Chriſts Temporal Reign, and of the Fifth Monarchy way, and ſay [as earneſt and open as any.] Was Mr. Mead, and Dr. Twiſſe but Neutral? Was Mr. Archer but Neutral?
3. I ſtill approve of all the words of mine which you recite? What mean you then to tell me of a change?
4. And is it like that I take that to be dangerous, which I ſay that [all Chriſtians are agreed of.]
5. And do you not groſly wrong thoſe Rulers, from whom you think any danger or hurt will come to us for ſuch doctrine as this? Who is there that will deny that A holy and Righteous Government in the hands of holy and righteous men, would be a bleſſing to the world? and is to be vehemently deſired, and ſought by juſt and lawful means? Will any Chriſtian charge this doctrine to be erroneous? When it is much of the ſenſe of the three firſt and greateſt Petitions in the Lords prayer? and when all Chriſtians know, that Tyranny, Ignorance, and Vngodlineſs are the three conſtituting materials of the Devils Kingdom in the world, and that Tyranny is the grand maintainer of Ignorance and Vngodlineſs, while the Heathen, and Infidel, and Popiſh Princes of the Earth, do keep away the clear and powerful preaching and publication of the truth; and Turks, Perſians, Indians, and other Mahometans, and all the Heathens, do maintain Deceivers, and caſt out the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt.
Sect. 23. E. B. p. 7. Sir I have been very curious to enquire into the doctrine of the Fifth Monarchy,24th Self-d…clared falſhood. and moſt of my Converſe is with thoſe that do in Faith expect, and in Patience wait for ſuch a time; and I never knew any of them, (however they are miſ-repreſented) carry the notion further than you have already done.
R. B. 1. And are you a man then that is fit to make ſuch a ſtir to divide the Churches, and to account your ſelf wiſer than all the Old Non-conformiſts in thoſe matters, when all your curious Enquiry into an open matter of fact (what ſo many perſons hold) could do no more to ſave you from miſtaking it? If you never read what lrenaeus, Lactantius and others of old held? If you never read what is written by Mr. Mead, Dr. Twiſſe, Mr. Archer, &c. Did you never read any Pamphlets within theſe thirty years that ſay more? Did you, that converſe ſo much among ſuch, never hear, what I that ſo ſeldom converſe with them have heard ſo oft, and ſeen offered me in Writings, that I might have procured the Printing of them? Do you believe that none of the Levellers, or thoſe whom Oliver Cromwell ſuppreſſed under the name of Fifth Monarchy men, held no more? Did Venner and his company think you hold no more?
2. But ſo ſtrange is your forgetfulneſs or your ſelf-contradicting faculty, that you need none to tell your Readers that you write untruths, but your ſelf. Do you take no notice, that all that is my words is, that ſuch a Holy and Righteous Government is deſirable, and may juſtly be ſought as all Chriſtians agree: But your profeſſion is that [moſt of your converſe is with thoſe that do in faith expect it. And could you ſee no difference between ſeeking it, and in faith expecting it? I deſire the converſion and ſalvation of all the men I know, and I ſeek it of God in prayer, and of as many of them, as I have fit opportunity, (or ought ſo to do at leaſt;) I deſire the Converſion of all the Kingdoms, and people of the world; but whether I may in faith expect it, I am ſo ignorant that I cannot tell. I deſire and ſeek by prayer of God, that all the world may have holy and juſt Governours: but I cannot boaſt of ſo much faith or hope in this, as thoſe that you converſe with. As proud as I am, I freely confeſs my Ignorance to you. But certainly they that take it for an Article of their faith, do carry the Notion further than I can do, who profeſs that I am ignorant of it, whether it be a promiſed thing, or not?
Sect. 24. E. B. p. 7.—[Becauſe you dare not own any hazardous and perſecuted truth;24th Falſehood, and a calumny repeated. and you find it far eaſier in your Notional Divinity to recant all that formerly you were convinced of, than to bring your heart to a willingneſs for Martyrdom.]
R. B. 1. You ſpake of danger before; you now add Perſecution and Martyrdom, intimating that this is ſuch a perſecuted point; which as far as ever I heard (who live in the ſame Land, and have as hard thoughts of perſecution as many others have) there is not any thing true in your intimation. Name the Law that is againſt the Opinion of the deſirableneſs of a holy Government of all the world? Name the perſon that ever ſuffered for that Opinion? Though thoſe that will reſiſt or pull down Governours, becauſe they take them (juſtly or unjuſtly) to be ungodly, may ſuffer for it. Again therefore to imply danger of Martyrdom, for that which no man (that ever I heard of) ſuffered for, and to feign the avoiding of that danger, to be the Chief Cauſe of my recanting or changing my mind or words, which I never recanted or changed, is a monſtrous courſe of fiction and temerity.
2. Your talk of Recanting all that formerly I was convinced of] implyeth more temerity and falſhood. Any man of humane modeſty would have thought [All] too bigg a word, when the inſtances produced by him prove nothing. If you refer to the Revocation of my Book, you ſhould have opened your eyes, and ſeen that I profeſs not to Recant all the doctrine of it, though I revoke all the Book, and wiſh men to take it as non-ſcriptum: And ſure that paſſage had no peculiar recantation.
3. But if Recantation be ſo eaſie to me, remember that I pretend not to Infallibility, nor am altogether unwilling to Repent. As for Martyrdom, I take it to be every Chriſtians duty, yea, neceſſary to ſalvation, to prepare for it; that is, to deny his life, and to forſake all in true reſolution, for the ſake of Chriſt, and hopes of Heaven: But how far my heart is brought to a willingneſs of it, though I am ſure you know not, and therefore venture to ſpeak what you know not: yet I have no reaſon to boaſt, nor to be ſelf-conſident, nor to be high-minded, but to fear.