Answer to Walkers Vindication, Treatise (1 of 2)
HAd M. Walker either dealt more fairely at first, with his Christian brother and fellow-Minister of Christ, M. A. Wotton; or upon second thoughts (aforeign. which are wont to be the wiser) better considered of what before he had unadvisedly attempted; he had therein peradventure in part at least, either saved or salved his owne credit: sure I am, he had eased me of some labour, that I had little lust unto. He traduced M. Wotton in the Pulpit as a vile hereticke, while he lived, what time he knew Master Wottons tongue, through the iniquity of the times, to be so bforeign Theophylact. ep. 34.tied up, that he could not in publique plead his owne cause. Long after his decease he reneweth his revilings of him, and brandeth him againe for the like in print; when being hence translated, he cannot now either in publique or in private personally appeare for himselfe. A true relation of the carriage of the maine matter in controversie between them, in a meeting of M. Walkers owne procuring, wherein M. Wotton was acquitted, being hereupon published; he proceedeth, after his wonted guise, in violent and virulent manner, not onelyonly to charge him, as before, with heresie and blasphemy in the doctrine of justification, but (yet further to expresse his extream malice and rancor against him) cVindica…. p. 34.with the deniall of the eternall Deity of Christ; how soundly, yea or seemingly, for any shew or shadow of reason, let any intelligent Reader judge. And over and besides that, (hoping thereby to help himselfe, where he sticketh fast in the mire) he sticketh not to dforeign. Nicet. in Andron. l. 1. c. 6.cast foule aspersions upon all those that had any hand in that hearing, not sparing them therein whom himselfe had made choise of.
His Vindication (as he tearmeth it) he beginneth with a preamble, consisting of two parts.
In the former whereof, he complaineth grievously of me, and eVindic. p. 1.chargeth me with breach of piety and charity, and defect of humanity and common honesty, in labouring to set upon him foul brands of the like nature, being a Minister yet living in Gods Church; and in adding thereby affliction to him, who hath suffered persecution and bonds for the truths sake.
Which passage, when I read, minded me of the Italian professor of the Civill-law at Oxford, who having in some things carried himselfe, neither so religiously, nor so respectively towards divers worthy Divines, as had been to be wished; and being therefore by Doctor Rainolds in a private Letter freely told of it, and withall admonished fUt in eis duarum rerum majorem babeas rationem, pietatis & modestiae. 10. Rainold. ad Alb. Gentil. ep. 1.to have more regard of piety and modesty in his writings for time to come, then in some formerly he had shewed; in way of answer to his Letter, taketh on and stormeth not a little against that mirrour as well of modesty as of learning, as gQuod me modestiae laesae facis tu reum,—non vides te cum eo fic agere imperiosè, qui Papae imperium contemp…it, & exulare patriâ potuit & universo regno papali? Alb. Gentilis al …. Rainold. ep. 2.having done him no small wrong, in taking upon him so to checke and controle him, who had left his own countrey for his conscience, and was for Religion sake content to live as an exile: tho meane while, it may be, enjoying as plentifull an estate here, as ever he had, or might have attained, had he stayed still where before he was.
But to come more directly to M. Walkers exceptions against me, or prescriptions rather for himselfe, as a sacred person, or a Sanctuary man; and not therefore to be so dealt with, as I have herein dealt with him; and to discusse them briefly apart. I suppose a little selfe-love, and selfe-respect proceeding from it, had hforeign. Plut. de amie. & adul. & de util. ex inimic. ex Platone de leg. lib. 5.drawn a filme over M. Walkers eyesight, or cast a mist at least before his eyes, when he entered these pleas; that kept him from considering what the party was whom himselfe had so despightfully dealt with.
For first, is M. Walker a Minister of Gods Word? and was not M. Wotton the same? and that peradventure nothing inferiour to M. Walker in ought; however M. Walker may please to esteem or deem of him. iRom. 14. 4.At whose doom yet, well it is that he neither stands nor fals.
Secondly, as concerning survivorship, I have ever held it, and so still shall, having kforeign. Moschio. foreign. Dionys. trag. foreign. Archiloch. foreign Euripi…. Antigon. foreign. Idem Phaeniss. foreign. Sophocl. Ajac. foreign Gregor. Stasim. in carm. Schol. ad illud Aristoph. Paco. foreign. Et Suidas. foreign. Hinc diverbia illa foreign. Aristoph. Avib. foreign. Soph. Ajac. foreign. Laert. Menedēm. foreign. Lucian. de sect. Et vulgare illud, De mor…is nil nisi bonum. Quod … Solonis lege tractum est, foreign. Plut. Sol. è Demosth. in Leptin. et in Baeot. Et Chilo Sparta. foreign, Laert.votes therein with me, I am sure, not a few, untill M. Walker shall be able to convince me of errour in it; that it is a worse matter to traduce the dead, then the living. Since that the one may, the other cannot now make apologie for himselfe. Besides that it is generally held an argument of lforeign. P ato politic. l. 5 Ael…aao Sopb…stae, qui in lmp…ratorem defu…ctum Stylum strinxe▪ rat, Phil…stratus, foreign. Hinc Antholog. l. 1, c. 5. foreign. Audet vel lepus exanimi …sultare lconi. Hectorique jacenti insultat Danaûm ignavissimus quisque Iliad. …. Et Quamlibet ignavi praecipitata premunt. Naso trist. lib. 3. eleg. 11. Nec Plancus illepidè, eum diceretur Asini…s Pollio orationes in eum parare, quae post mortem P▪ anci ederentur, ne respondere posset, cum mortuis non nisi larvas luctari: quo apud eruditos nihil impudentius judicatur. Plin. praefat. Hist. nat. Itaque Maro AEn. l. 11. Nullum cum victis certamen & aethere cassis. Deest, esse oportet. Serv.no ingenuous disposition, to insult over, or deale… igorously with the deceased. And it may well be questioned whether an injury done to a Saint in Heaven, have not the greater guilt, in regard o… his present estate. Sure I am, that against those of the Romish party, mSee Pet. Moulins of the Eucharist. chap. 13.our Writers use it as an argument, and nHebr. 12. 25.the Apostle may well seeme to adde strength thereunto, that it is a greater wrong to offer any indignity to Christs body now glorified in Heaven, then it had been to do the like unto him then, when in the state of humiliation he conversed with men here on earth. Nor see I ought, why it may not hold as well in the other limmes, as in the head; that the greater sinne it is to offer any wrong or contumely to them, the more highly they are now honoured and advanced by God. And what greater wrong or contumely can be done to them, then to blast their reputations, to charge them with inexpiable crimes, to damn them to Hell, that now reigne with God in Heaven? So oTerra novissimè complex… gremio, tum maximè ut mater operiens, nullo magis Sacramento, quam quod nos quoque sacros facit. Pl…. Hist. Nat. l. 2. c. 65. foreign. Pl…t. de …olon. leg.sacred hath the condition of the deceased been deemed, that it hath been accounted a point of pUhi corpus homi…is demortui co…aas, sacer esto. Numae lex. Sep…chrorum sanctitas in ipso solo est, quod nul â vi mov…ri nequ… dele…i potest. C…c. Philip 9. Ebustis defurctorum lapidem movere, terram evertere, cespitem evellere…proximum Sa…rilegio majore, nostri semper habu…runt. Iulian. Cod. l. 9. tit. 19. leg. 5. …nde emen…andus Cod…x. Theodos l 9. tit. 17. l 4. Defunctorum cineribus violentiam inferre, sacrilega praesum…. Valent. novel, tit. 5. Ne Sepu…hra quidem dirip…r… & ca…avera …poliare illicitum ducebant …a…rilegae v…pilatorum manus. Eu…eb. Hist. Lat. vers. l. 3. c. 4. Sacrilegae bus…is abstinuere manus. Senec. epigr. 4.sacriledge, to disturbe their remaines, or to meddle with the monuments wherein their corps lie inclosed. But the godly deceased, qforeign. Homer. Il. foreign. Plato Menex. foreign. Isocr… Euag. foreign. Polyb▪ l 8. Siquis est sensus in morte. Cic. Phil. 9. Siquis inferis sensus est Sen ad Po…yb. 6. 18. Siquis vit… digressis est dolor. Ammian. l. 30.had they sense and understanding of what is here done, (as they had wont to speake, and rSic enim & nostri. foreign. Greg. in Iul. 1. Idem in Cae…ar. foreign. Idem in Pasc…. foreign.we well may) would without all doubt, account it, as well they might, a far greater wrong, to have their names tainted with foule aspersions, of this nature especially, even of the highest and most hainous guilt against the divine Majesty, then to have their Sepulchers defaced, their graves laid open, their bodies digged up, their bones burnt, and their ashes either dispersed into the ayer, or scattered upon the surface of the waters; or whatsoever other indignity and insolency the vaine rage and fond outrage, not of humane, but of inhumane spite and malice hath exercised upon their remains. Let not M. Walker therefore deeme his offence in this regard the lesse hainous, because the man is dead, or sAbiit, non obiit. Ambr. Theodos.deceased rather, whom he thus dealeth with: wherein peradventure, as t… reliquias dissipari▪ jussit, acerbiore odio, quam si tam sapiens fuisset, quam v…emens fuit. Cio. de leg… l. 2.he said sometime of Sylla, he had dealt more wisely, had he been lesse eager. Nor hath he any just cause to complaine, because he surviveth; if in the necessary vindication of the deceased so wronged, his inconsiderate carriage therein be discovered. If any blemish accrew to himselfe or his ministery thereby, he may blame himselfe rather then any other, who by these violent and outragious courses much impeacheth and impaireth his owne estimation in the minds of all moderate men.
For his third plea, in regard whereof he claimeth an immunity from being thus dealt with, to wit. uPag. 1.His persecution and bonds sustained for the truth.
Of M. Walkers restraint for some time, I have heard. During which also I sometime visited him at his brothers house. And that he suffered for the truth, I hope also is true, though it be more then I know; because I know not for what he suffered. Of his bonds, I never heard till now. If he were ever in bonds, (God be thanked) he is now free. But however, he might do well to remember, that M. VVotton, upon occasion of a passage used in his prayer, when the setling of Church-matters with us was in agitation, (which as things now stand, I suppose would not be so hainously taken) that His Majesty who then was, might in that weighty businesse, not be swayed with prejudice of long or pretended antiquity, but proceed according to the rule and direction of Gods VVord, had for some good space of time before been deprived of the exercise of his ministery, and of the means thence arising for the maintenance of him and his; his charge then depending upon him being greater, then I suppose M. VValkers either then was, when he so suffered as he saith, or now is. And that he lay still at that very same time under that heavy presure, (which he was never wholly quit of to his dying day) when M. Walker pursued (I may well say, xGalat. 4. 29. with Gen. 21. 90persecuted him) with those hideous imputations of teaching yLetter to M. Wotton Vindic. p. 15.divellish heresie and zIbid. p. 16.blasphemy, and aIbid. p. 10. & Relat. p. 4. 5.the most pestilent opinions that ever Satan sowed among Christians. Now whether this his demeanure toward M. VVotton in such times, were to bPsal. 69. 26.adde affliction unto affliction, or no, I leave to any man, not of cforeign. Homer. O…ys. …. & Il. foreign. & foreign Odys▪ foreign.brasse bowels, and iron entrals, to determine. This am I sure of, that if M. VValkers troubles, past and overblown now, may aggravate ought here, the storm still continuing might much more aggravate there. But this is the common guise of humane weaknesse, that men are rather prone to tender dforeign. Pindar. N…m. 1. Gr…gor. Stasim. in Iul. 1. & Greg. Pr…b. in vit. Stas.their own griefes, then the grievances of others; and to deny that priviledge of eRes est sacr…, miscr. Sen. c. epigr. 4.sanctuary to their adversaries, under which they require yet to finde shelter for themselves. Howsoever, a fond thing it is for any man to imagine, that his sufferings for the truth, either should seale him a Licence to rave against, and raile upon his Christian brethren at pleasure, whether surviving yet, or deceased; or should protect him against all Apology upon such occasions, made either by themselves or by others for them, in their behalfe.
For as for all that, which in the next place *Pag. 2.he subjoyneth, in his declamatory way, concerning M. Wottons assertions; how sincerely they are extracted from M. VVottons writings, or how depraved with M. VValkers own glosses and fillings; as also how by M. VVotton himselfe in writing answered, where they might seem to sound somewhat harshly by collating place with place, and reducing them to the state of the point there in question; and lastly, what was thereupon concluded, when these things were at large long since debated, in a way that M. VValker himselfe pressed M. VVotton unto; you have fully laid down in the Relation before mentioned: which M. VValker also here referreth himselfe unto; and to transcribe againe therefore, would be but lost labour, both to me and to my Reader. That which the rather also I here wave, because I shall be constrained, treading M. VValkers wild maze; as now I must do, to meet with them againe more then once or twice, where fitter occasion wil be to consider further of them.
After this complaint commenced of me, M. Walker proceeds ePag. 3.to lay down the occasion, by which he hath provoked me to proclaim so bitterly against him, and to brand him with breach of piety and charity, and defect of humanity and common honesty; and to enquire what the cause of my so doing should be.
Where, first, how I have proclaimed (as he speaks) against him, or what bitternesse I have used, either in my Preface or Postscript, I am well content that others indifferently affected judge. Howbeit I see none forwarder to complaine of bitternesse in others, then fforeign. Apud Suidam N. Q. foreign. Sext. Empir. Pyrrhon. l. 1. c. 29. Alex. Aphrod probi. l. 1. q 101. Alarcus lmper. co…mert. l. 6. § 57. Greg. Stas. desed▪ constant.those that are most troubled with the overflowing of the gall themselves, and who write ordinarily, as if their pennes were dipped and steeped in no other but that bitter liquor.
Secondly, I demand of M. Walker, where I have thus branded him. True it is, that I do indeed directly and expresly charge him with gRelat. P…st…c…. P. 40.unequall dealing; and h…d. p. 55.want of candor in his carriage toward M. Wotton. And this he returnes never a word unto, nor will be able ever to wash off. With those other defaults here mentioned I doe not my selfe charge him. I affirm only that such carriage as I there describe, iRelat p. 1. 3.hath been ever generally held a breach of piety and charity, and may well be deemed to argue no small defect of humanity, not to adde of common honesty. And what I therein say, no man, I suppose, will deny; not M. Walker himselfe. But whether M. Walker in his late dealing with M. Wotton have so carried himselfe, as to contract such guilt, or no, I pronounce not; *Relat. p. 3.I say nothing, but leave it to be deemed and determined by others, upon that which afterward is related, under the hands, either of M Walker himselfe, or of those whom he himselfe chose, and by his own choise of them made competent Judges in his cause.
The Proposition therefore there alone is mine; which M. Walker himselfe doth not, nor I assure my selfe, will deny.
The Assumption is, either his own or theirs. Yea in effect all his own, because the verdict of those, whom he referred himselfe unto.
And the conclusion consequently (which iConclusio partem sequior…m sequitu….followeth ever the weaker side) as it toucheth M. Walker, not mine, but theirs; yea, in very truth, his own.
That he charged M. Wotton with heresie and blasphemy, he denieth not: that he referred himselfe for the truth of his charge to the hearing of eight grave Ministers, his own Letter *Relat. p. 5. & Vindic. p. 16.relateth: that he failed in his proofes, *Relat. p. 38.they testifie under their own hands, whom he referred himselfe unto: that notwithstanding that faile, he hath now so long after that, since M. Wottons decease, in print renued that his charge, his booke evidently sheweth.
The imputation therefore of such guilt, if all that hath been related do not proove M. Walker faulty in such cariage, he remaineth free enough still from, for ought that I say. If it do evince him so to have caried himselfe; it is not I, but his own cariage, and the verdict of his own Judges, that fast…eth the imputation upon him.
For, what he here addeth of iPag. 5.my misrep…rts, he hath not hitherto, nor shall ever be able to convince me of misrelation in ought.
But come we to his enquiry. Where first he moveth doubt, kPag. 5.whether therefore …be so offended, because he calleth the errour, that he chargeth M. Wotton to have been the publisher of, herefie. And if that be the matter he telleth me, that howsoever I and my fellow-subscribers (that is the scornfull title that now he giveth us) did not thinke fit (for some causes, of which hereafter) to call any thing in his Exposition of his speeches by the name of heresie and blasphemy: yet some of them cited in the Parallel, are by his own confession manifestly hereticall and blasphemous. And that he rather assented to Beza, Pareus, and Lubbertus, who condemn some things in M. Wottons expositions for heresie and blasphemy, then to me and my fellows (D. Bayly, M. Balmford, M. Randall, M. Stock, M. Downhum, M. Gouge, and M. Hickes) who were pleased to think otherwise. And he hopeth that therein he giveth no offence; especially having Gods Woudfor his warrant.
Where first, I wonder how the matter against M. Wotton cometh so much to be aba…ed, that from so many pretended hereticall and blasphemous errours, whereof seven horrible heads at least were represented in the Parallel, it should be brought down now to one single errour, to one heresie. M. Walkers heart here, it may be, did misgive him; suspecting that some of them might be generally by all votes acquired of heresie at least, if not of errour. And he thought it therefore the wisest and wariest course to pitch upon some one; and yet not to tell us, which that one … …eant, was, that so he might be free to fasten where he should thinke fittest, if either his proofes concerning any of the other should faile; or those, whom he calleth in for Advocates in his own behalfe, and for witnesses to give evidence against M. Wotton, as condemning his opinions for hereticall and blasphemous, should be found voting in some of them rather for him then against him.
2. Whereas he telleth us, that there are somethings in M. Wottons Expositions (of which tearme here more anon) which Beza, Pareus and Lubbertus condemn as hereticall and blasphemous; neither yet doth he shew what those things are, nor where they so stile them. Yea, if to avoyd the former exception, he shall say, that the errour he meant and called heresie is this, that lSocsnianisme discovered, p. 1. 4.Faith, and not Christs righteousnesse is imputed for righteousnesse in the Act of justification; because he saith that his new adversary hath so stated the question; (with whom yet, or his stating the question, I have nothing here to do) he must be minded, that in the proposition so conceived there are two positions included; both which he condemneth as two pestilent and blasphemous heresies, and in mParall. Error. 1. & 3 Relat. p. 11. 14.his Parallel pointeth at either of them apart.
1. That faith is imputed for righteousnesse.
2. That Christs righteousnesse is not so imputed.
Now for the former, to wit, that Faith is imputed for righteousnesse; besides the Apostle nRom. 4. 3, 5, 9, 22, 23, 24.S. Paul more then once averring it, (whom neither these men nor M. Walker, I hope will so charge) two of them are expresse and peremptory for it. For so Beza, writing on those words of the Apostle, oRom. 4. 3.Abraham beleeved God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse. pAgitur hîc de eo, quod ipsi d De… imputatum est, nempe de lpsius side. Beza in Rom. 4. 3.Here, saith he, is entreated of that which was imputed to him by God, to wit of his faith. And againe, qPaulus activam locutionem passivè convertens, praetermittit affixum Hebraeum, quod vertere potuit foreign, ipsam videlicet s…m Abrahami. Sed hoc ipsum p…stea disertè bis expri…it. nempe versu 5 & 9. Ibid.Paul relating passively, what Moyses spake actively, omitteth the affix, which he might have rendered, that thing, to wit, Abrahams faith it selfe: but he afterward twice plainely expresseth it in the fifth and ninth verses. And Pareus reconciling the Greeke with the Hebrew: rIdem valent, Deus imputavit fidem, & sides a Deo est imputata. Quantum ad sensum duo continet hoc eloquium; Primò fidem Abrahae; Credidit A. Deo. deinde, fidei fructum, & imputata est ei (fides) ad justitiam. Par. in Rom. 4. 3.These two are all one, God imputed faith, and faith by God was imputed. As for the sense, this speech concerning Abraham conteineth two things: first, his faith; Abraham beleeved God. Then the fruit of his Faith; And (faith) was imputed to him for righteousnesse. And againe, sEt imputata est ei (fides) pro justitiâ. Fructus fidei Abr. significatur, gratuita justificatio. Ibid.And (faith) was imputed to him for righteousnesse. The fruit of Abrahams Faith is hereby signified, even free justification. tforeign, non impersonaliter reddi debere, imputatum est, sed passive, imputata est, nempe fides, ex Hebrae… textu, & Apostoli declaratione. Vers. 5. & 9. manifestum est. quod ad sensum Scripturae recte intelligendu… refert observare. Ibid.That the Verb should be rendered, not impersonally, but passively; that, to wit, Faith was imputed; it is manifest, both by the Hebrew Text, and by the Apostles declaration in the fifth and ninth verses. Which to observe is of much moment for the right understanding of that Scripture.