Neonomianism Unmasked, To the reader 2 – Errata 1
An Animadvertiſement.
READER,
OBſerve the following Debate is by may of Dialogue, the Rule of which is, that each Interlocutor is to be allowed to ſpeak his own Sentiments, and of ſuch as he repreſents, and therewith to produce what Light and Evidence may be had to evince the Truth of what is offered, and defend it from the Charge of Error, under whatever Denomination he ſtands, thereby truly or falſly called. Here is no attempt to pole, or vouch for Truth, or againſt Error, to impoſe upon the Faith of the Reader, but he is left to take or leave as he finds ſufficient ground to be perſwaded in his own mind from what is offered by either of the Dialogiſts.
If any one would know (among any Variety of Apprehenſions that he may ſometimes find concerning matters in Debate) what the Author's Opinion is, he would not have it weigh with any one, ſo as to carry a Bias in his Judgment, and therefore doth rather chooſe modeſtly and impartially to Argue than to Determine, allowing each Dialogist his full Scope: But for Satisfaction to the more earneſt Enquirer, he doth declare, that he doth acknowledge the Scriptures to be the Word of God, the perfect and only Rule of Faith and Practice, and acceunts him ſound who owns the Doctrinal part of thoſe, commonly called, The Articles of the Church of England, the Confeſſions and Catechiſms, Shorter and larger, compiled by the Aſſembly at Weſtminiſter, and the Confeſſion agreed on in the Savoy, to be agreenble to the ſaid Rule, according to their Genuine Sence and Meaning. And as to his Deſign, it was not what the Comeedian ſaith his was, Quum primum animum ad ſcribendum appulit, id ſibi negotii credidit ſolum dari, Populo ut placerent quas feciſſet fabulas. Which he ſaith fell out much otherwiſe than he expected, Verum alitèr evinire multò intelligit. How little Cauſe hath he then to be ſurprized, whom the Doctrine of Chriſtianity hath taught better things; viz. That if he pleaſe Men, or ſeek ſo to do, he ſhould not be the Servant of Chriſt; and that he is not Judged at Man's Day, but He that Judgeth him is the Lord: His Comfort is that the Cauſe is good, whatever Infirmity may accompany the Management.
Progreditur incepta quam feciſſet Fabulâ.
THE Calvinian Society being ſate, there came in an old faſhion'd black Gentleman, with ſhort hair, Muſtachoes, a Beard brought to a Point, Pallidus, & mortis imago, whom Mr. Calviniſt (being in the Chair) remembring (ſince he found him diſcourſing with Mr. Neonomian in the Eutopian Fields) ſaluted and welcom'd in the Name of the Society, and cauſed to ſit down by him, ſaying, My Brethren, this is that Gentleman that Mr. Neonomian hath ſo egregiouſly expoſed in his Book, as fundamentally Erroneous in the Doctrine of the Goſpel, and called Antinomian. I found them both together lately in the Fields, earneſtly debating the Principles maintained in the ſaid Book, and the Circumſtances that attended the publiſhing of the ſame, which I thought not to be a convenient place for ſuch Diſcourſe, becauſe of ſo many that paſſed and repaſſed, and therefore invited them to this our Calvinian Society, which they very readily and thankfully embraced. Whereupon there was much Whiſpering in the Company upon the appearance of this new old Face, one ſaying one thing of him, and another another; but in the mean time Mr. Neonomian being not yet come, Mr. Calviniſt takes Mr. Antinomian into a Withdrawing Room, and thus he begins with him.
Calvin.
I pray how was your Diſcourſe with your Antagoniſt modify'd t'other Day before I came to you. He ſaith, Quaedam dicta in ſe inclemetiùs existimavit: You were too ſharp upon him.
Antinom.
I remember a little School-boy's Lattin too, Ne ſis tam ceſſator ut calcaribus indigeas: What a Drone then and Dull Animal ſhould I be, if I were not ſenſible of the ſevereſt Stimulations! Quaeſo quis laſit priùs, & quantùm? You declared enough of your Reaſons why you had ſo ill a Reſentment of this his ſo pernicious an Undertaking, ſo groſly circumſtantiated; and I think I have reaſon to be much more concerned than you; for he makes me to have laid the Seed-plot of the worſt of Hereſies, denying a poſſibility of Union with me as a Chriſtian, rendring me no better than a Mahometan. He ſaith, I ſet up the Grace of Chriſt againſt his Government, and ſo he makes me a Traytor to him. He renders me very lewd, in charging me for making Sin innocent, and Holineſs Sin: He makes me a Monſtrum Horrendum, without Principles, Learning or common Sence, in the Repreſentation he gives of me to the World. Moreover, How many nauſeous Circumſtances have attended theſe abuſive Projects and Practice o… eſpecially that of obtaining Hands that are prefixed to his Book, which he did ſubdolouſly, clandeſtinely and precariouſly, becauſe it could not nare ſine cortice: And this Aggregation of Hands muſt go throughout the Nation for an Act of the United Brethren; and ſome ancient Brethren muſt be by ſome Art drawn in under ſpecious Pretences, who have in Print refuted his whole Scheme keenly and ſtrenuouſly, and their Labours are extant to witneſs againſt their own Hands. Others alſo who have preached contrary Doctrine ſeveral Years, both which muſt come under the Rebuke of building what they have deſtroyed il and many of theſe never read the Book before they recommended it. Among the others, there are near a dozen young Candidates to the Miniſtry proſelyted to this corrupt Scheme, who are neither Paſtors, nor Ordained in any Sence, or ſo much as ever came under any due Pro…tion of their Fitneſs for the Miniſterial Work; are but ſitting at the Feet of their Gamaliel as yet. Laſtly, It is not eaſie to foreſee the dangerous Conſequences that will enſue theſe things. A promiſing Union muſt be broken, a New one ſet up, Miniſters and Chriſtians alienated in Judgment and Affection, Flames of Contention kindled, the Goſpel and ways of God reproached; Bellum Theologicum begun, (what could the Devil have done more?) For if the Truth be ſo publickly attack'd, God will have (among all the wiſe and prudential Men) ſome of thoſe the World calls Fools to defend it, ſuch as he will enable to run the Riſque of Reproach and Cenſure, and through Grace ſhall not be aſhamed of the Truth of the Goſpel of Chriſt; and rather than there ſhould be no other than the reputed wiſe and prudent Profeſſors among Men, that commonly betray Truth inſtead of defending it; God will raiſe up ſome Fools from the Dead to do it, ſuch as I am; and as for my Antagoniſt, I ſay to him with the Comoedian, with whoſe words you began,
De hinc ne fraudetur ipſe ſe, aut ſic cogitet
Defunctus jam ſum, nihil eſt quod dicat mihi
Is nè erret moneo, & deſinct laceſſere
Habeo alia multa, nunc quae condonabuntur,
Qua proferentur poſt, ſi pergat laedere
Ita ut facere inſtituit.
Calvin.
What you have ſpoken calls for Conſideration, and will be conſidered by all good Men. But Mr. Neonomian is come, let us not therefore loſe time.
ERRATA.
PAge 5. line 41. read our Jus. p. 16. l. 35. r. charging. p. 17. l. 33. r. that diſtinction. p. 18. l. 13. r. men being under. p. 21. Marg. l. 17. r. ſupplicia pro maleficiis. p. 27. l. 2. r. foreign. p. 28. l. 9. r. affirmantia. p. 30. l. 20. r. cleanſing. p. 31. l. 6. for Date r. Doctrine. p. 38. r. fideles. p. 58. l. 8. r. ipſius. ibid. l. 9. r. foreign. p. 64. l. 27. r. Elect.