Animadversions on the Books of Mr Williams, Title page – Introduction
Animadverſions: BEING The Two Laſt BOOKS OF MY Reverend Brother Mr. Williams, The One Entituled, A Poſtſcript to Goſpel-Truth: The Other, An End of Diſcord. Conſcientiouſly Examined. In Order to a Free Entertainment of the Truth, in ſome Momentous Points in Divinity, controverted among the Nonconformiſt Brethren, occaſionally here Determined, for the ſake of thoſe Honeſt among Us that ſeek it, without Trick, or Partiality.
By Iohn Humfrey, the Aged.
What thy Hand findeth to do, do it with thy Might: For there is no Work, nor Device, nor Wiſdom in the Grave whither thou goeſt,
Eccleſ. 9.10.
LONDON: Printed by Tho. Snowden, for Tho. Parkhurſt, at the Bible and Three Crowns, the lower end of Cheapſide, near Mercers Chapel. 1699.
Animadverſions on his Poſtſcript.
The Introduction.
Mr. WIlliams having Printed his Book called Goſpel Truth, with many Presbyterian hands ſet to it, there was ſome heat, and ſeveral Exceptions raiſed againſt it, by ſome of the Independent Brethren; whereof one of the chief was this, That he held the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt to be imputed only in the Effects. Here, inſtead of his owning this Truth, and ſtanding to it, he denies that he held it, and for his proof, produces this paſſage out of his Book, That beſides the Effects being made ours, the very Righteouſneſs of Chriſt is imputed to Believers. This paſſage of his I took, and gave him notice of, in a Letter Printed in my Middle Way of Juſtification, diſliking it as receding from Mr. Baxter: But Mr. Williams, to uphold himſelf againſt this Accuſation, is unhappily engaged, and ſets his Wits in his Man made Righteous, to from a notion that might ſerve him to maintain his own Doctrine (which is Baxterian) and yet anſwer the Brethren, as he has, by this denial, and ſo ſatisfie his followers. A great conceit at preſent I perceive he took of his Notion (which ſhews him honeſt) by that paſſage in the Sheet he called an Anſwer to my Letter, where he complains of his being ſtruck at by both Extreams, when deeper thoughts (ſays he) would perceive the Truth ſtated (quoting p. 77, 78, 79, 80. of that Book) againſt the exceſs of both. The Brethren and common Proteſtant ſay, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs is imputed in ſe, Mr. Baxter and I, that it is imputed, and can be made ours only, quoad Effectus. Either the Brethren or We are in the right: But Mr. Ws. has an invention to middle the matter ſo, as we ſhall both be out, and in an extream; and yet he hold with us both. Theſe deeper thoughts therefore of his I took into conſideration, in my Book called Pacification, and he offering ſomething in reply in ſome other after Books, I took it again into conſideration in my Appendix To my laſt book: But finding this Reverend Brother keeping ſtill his courſe, in holding with the Hound, (as the Proverb is) and running with the Hare, I muſt purſue him in his Notion, till I have hunted it down: For it is a cloudy, perplexed troubleſome Notion, that can ſerve us nothing but to entangle the underſtanding, without any profit to others, or ſignificancy to himſelf. As I have made my Animadverſions therefore on his Books preceding, I do make theſe on theſe later Books, ſeeing he perſiſts in his Notion, which were writ in two Letters; the firſt to himſelf, the ſecond to another, and are as follows.