The Blind Guide, Chapter 1
Chap. 1.
Directed more particularly to the reverend and learned ſubſcribers of the late teſtimony to the truth with-in the Province of London. Shewing the ſenſeleſſe raylings, the groſſe untruths, the ſhameleſſe boaſtings; expreſſed by Maſter Goodwin in his Paſquill called, The youngling Elder, With a recitall of ſundry weake and erroneous paſſages contained therein.
THe reproached in Mr. Goodwins Pamphlets, have more need to be humble under their glory, than to be patient under their diſgrace; no ſcriblings are ſo ſcurrilous, and no ſcurrilities are ſo honourable, as are thoſe which drop from his pen. 'Tis rare to meet with that Chriſtian, who doth not more than conjecture that there is much worth in every thing againſt which he expreſſeth much wrath. His Antagoniſts never could do him good with their will…, but he hath ever done them good againſt his will. By writing againſt his errours they could never make him better, but be hath ever by rayling againſt the truth and them, made both to be better beloved. I ſuppoſe Maſter Goodwin rather noteth than liketh that abundant eſtimation which your teſtimony findeth with the faithfull. The ſtones that this Shime… hath caſt againſt it, God hath turned into pearſes, and made of them a Crown of honour for it. Your teſtimony oppoſed errour, and God hath made it to vanquiſh infamy. He who directed you to make it uſefull, hath himſelf made it accepted.
God hath cauſed your teſtimony like the ſun to riſe on the evill and on the good, and rather than it ſhould not refreſh them that did deſire it, to diffuſe its beams on them that did not deſerve it. It hath ſhined upon the unſavoury dunghill as well as the pleaſant garden, the cloſe and noyſome alley as well as the ſweet and open Country. No wonder then if its ſucceſſe have been as various as its objects. When its welcome warmth viſited the Countries, Warwickſhire, Eſſex, Norfolk, Devonſhire, Yorkſhire, Northamptonſhire, Lancaſhire, Wiltſhire, Somerſetſhire.how ſweetly fragrant was the ſavour which inſtantly they breathed forth? Who hath not gratefully reſented the pleaſant odours of zeale and learning ſcattered through the Kingdome by the Miniſters of ſundry Counties, in the many atteſtations to, and approbations of your teſtimony? Some of us have ſeene the letters of the learned Spanhemius highly approving of it, as an eminent expreſſion of your faithfulneſſe to Chriſt and his truth. A Declaration and exhortation, pag. 34. The many teſtimonies which the truth and cauſe of Chriſt, the Covenant, and Presbyte…iall Government, have lately received from that cloud of witneſſes of the Miniſtry in leverall Counties of England, after the example of the worthy Miniſtry of the City of London, againſt the errours of Independency, Anabaptiſme, &c. are unto us matter of great praiſe and hearty thankſgiving.And who obſerveth not the frequent and reſpectfull mention that the famous and faithfull Generall Aſſembly of the Church of Scotland maketh of your teſtimony, in their Declarations of moſt publique concernment. Theſe indeed were the breathings of the more ſweet and open places, when warmed with the zeale of your witneſſing to the truth. But who can expect the like from the unſavoury dunghill, or the noyſom alley, though joyntly enjoying the ſame bounty from the beams of your teſtimony with the other?
Thoſe ſtinking exhalations, thoſe muddy ſtreames, I meane the ſuming and fooliſh pamphlets ariſing againſt your teſtimony, out of that alley of errours, where Maſter Goodwin lodgeth, (whoſe compoſition is mud and blood) are a ſuperſufficient teſtimony of the contrary. In his other impure pamphlets he outgoeth all his complices in wickedneſſe. But in his two laſt, wherein God did leave him to oppoſe Chriſt in your teſtimony, he hath even outgone himſelfe. I know not one in the world left him to contend with for maſtery in the black arts of lying and reviling, unleſſe it be his ſtygian teather. In which reſpect as his tearmes of youngling and novice are notes of no diſgrace to me, ſo neither is his hoary and hereticall head found in thoſe wayes of unrighteouſneſſe an enſigne of over-abundant honour to him. 'Tis true, his expertneſſe in lying ſpeakes him Captain of the Cretian Band, and his skilfulneſſe in reviling a Doctor fit for the ducking-ſtoole, though not for the chaire, hut theſe preferments rather deſerve pitty than provoke envy. As ambitious to give the world a view of his maturity in the forecited ſins, he addreſſeth himſelf againſt the reverend ſubſcribers of the late teſtimony in multitudes of paſſages, after ſuch an odiouſly falſe and reproachfull manner, as thouſands of moralliz'd heathens in the world would bluſh if but deſired to do the like. A handfull, in ſtead of a vaſt heap which might be given, are theſe which follow. To this effect he breathes out reproaches.
Maſter Jenkin his reverend and beloved brethren, Epiſtle to the Reader, p. 4, 5.are theſe falſ-fingered men, theſe opprobria & propudia generis humani, The ſhames and blots of man-kinde, the vileſt of men: Their cage is defiled, cleane birds forſake them, and it ſtands all of this nation in hand whom either the intereſt of honour or conſcience toucheth, ſpeedily to quit communion with them.
In his former pamphlet Syon Colledge was viſited, in this latter, 'tis excommunicated, in neither 'tis prejudiced. In caſting upon you the names of blots and ſpots of mankinde, he is but your ſcullion to make your integrity ſhine the brighter by all theſe reproachfull ſmutchings; and as he willingly detracts from your reputation, ſo he unwillingly adds to your reward. What he relates of the foule and forſaken cage, clearely ſhewes that he accounts meetings for prayer, preaching, purity of reformation, alms to the poore, reliefe to the aged, and for increaſe of brotherly love, to be the foule defilements of a place, of which the Miniſters having been guilty in their meetings at Sion Colledge, he knoweth that in ſtead of ſhunning communion with you, the faithfull with a holy ſcorn neglect his excommunioating of you. The truth is, moſt of thoſe whom he accounts to be of his own party, forſake and abhominate him if they have any thing of God in them; onelyonly they being (I fear) under the tentation of carnall policy, have not (as yet) fully declared againſt him, for which the Lord pardon them. Maſter Bridg, lately of Holland, whoſe judgement in this particular I ſhall not mention without reſpect, ſaid but a little while ſince among ſundry Miniſters of my intimate acquaintance, That ſome brethren of them were reſolved to repaire to Maſter Goodwin by way of adviſing him to deſiſt from maintaining his erroneous opinions touching the Scriptures; and if he refuſed ſo to do, they reſolved (he ſaid) to quit communion with him; with theſe or with words to this very purpoſe did he expreſſe himſelf. And I have heard ſundry of the Independent judgement ſpeake of this and his other opinions, propagated in the alley againſt grace, with the height of abhorrence, and with much profeſſed deteſtation And the truth is, Maſter Goodwin in his pretended joyning with the conſcientious Independent, is lookt upon by the piouſly prudent but as a ſcabthat cleaveth to the body. He ſpeakes of clean birds that forſake you. A double miſtake; I know but of one that hath forſaken you, and I wiſh he were not, Maſter Goodwin, in ſtead of a cleane bird an unclean heaſt.
He thus goeth on raving,pag. 5. There's an old ſaw which cuts well:
Non audet ſtygius Pluto tentare quod audet
Effranis flamen —
Which he thus engliſheth:
The Prince himſelf of the black ſtygian lake
Dares not attempt what Prieſts will undertake.
In cutting with this ſaw he turned the teeth of it the wrong way, I mean from himſelf toward you, otherwiſe it wouldhave cut better and quicker thus:
The ſins which ſtygian Pluto dreads
The Prieſt of Errour-alley ſpreads.
But let him turn the teeth of the ſaw his owne way, 'tis no diſgrace for you to be taxed with deeds which Satan dares not attempt; and ſuch are thoſe which I mentioned even now to be the deeds of Sion Colledge; nor is it any honour for him to be in harmony with hell, and to conſpire in the ſame performances with Satan.
He ſaith, his ſaw cuts well, but whom may he thank? he knowes who it was that did both file the teeth of it, and helpt him to handle it; viz. the prince of ſtyx, in Satans ſaw pit ſchool'd he was.
In another place, drunk with rage, he thus goeth on,Youngl. Elder, pag. 16. Impiety and oppoſition to the truth hang upon Sion Colledge, and if Sion Colledge were removed, impiety and oppoſition to the truth would ſoone fall to the ground.]
What? Si. Col. a prop of all impieties! could more be ſaid for the removall of any ſtewes or ſtie of fin? 'Tis true, there's much impiety & oppoſition to the truth in the Kingdom but, Mr Goodwin, ſuppoſe impiety and oppoſition to the truth be Independent, how can they then hang on Sion Colledge? And were that poore Colledge ſo loaded with impiety, &c. a removall of it might be ſpared, for it would of it ſelf certainly and ſuddenly fall to the ground. For his intimation of a removall of Sion Colledge, 'tis but a caſt of his Epiſcopall office. Not long ſince he viſi…ed Sion Colledge, even now he excommunicated it, and now he ſues out his Writ de excommunicato capiendo, abſolving thoſe from finne that ſhall remove it; nay he makes it a moſt meritorious employment, even the taking away of all impiety and oppoſition to the truth. Mean while let him take heed leſt he be tranſlated from his Biſhoprick, and removed to his own place, Ar. 1.25.before Sion Colledge be removed out of its place: And truly could all his impious errours that ſo much oppoſe the truth be removed with him, his miſerably miſ-led flock wouldhave a happy change, if his endeavours that they may have his ſpirit among them when he is gone have not been too effectuall, and his head be not their directory then, as it is their rubrick now.
He now foams for madneſſe. For all the ſucceſſe, Youngl. Elder, pag. 25.either in converting of ſoules, unleſſe it be from God unto Satan; and ſo for building up of ſoules, unleſſe it hath been in wrath againſt the Parliament, Army, and faithfull ſervants of God, which the Miniſters have had for theſe three or foure yeeres laſt paſt, I am full of rationall confidence, that it may be caſt up with a cypher, and meaſured with a reed that never grew.
In one thing you may obſerve Maſter Goodwins modeſty, he only ſaith, That for theſe three or foure yeeres you have converted none; but I have ſpoken with ſome very gracious Chriſtians, who have been exact obſervers of Maſter Goodwins Miniſtry, and they told me, That they never heard or perceived that ever God bleſſed it with the turning of any one ſinner toward God. How many he hath turn'd from God, its not ſo eaſie to determine as 'tis to ſear.
But the totall inſucceſſefulneſſe of your Miniſtry in the converſion of none, is ſuch a putid calumny, that even the ſectaries read it with bluſhing, and when they are told of it, they turne their heads another way, and pretend 'tis for conveniency of ſpitting; It may be your grief you are ſucceſſefull in converting no more; your comfort you are ſucceſſefull in converting ſome; your confidence that he is a ſoul perverter, or at leaſt that the way to convert men, is not to teach that men can convert themſelves. His trouble it is, that any are converted by you from his errours. But if he thinkes that there is no converſion of ſoules in our Churches, what will he and his Collegues do for new recruits? their trade of Sheep-ſtealing will quite decay, for I have heard that ſundry of themſelves do not ſo much as pretend to preach for converſion of ſoules.
As for my ſelfe, I ſee no other import or tendency (as he cants it) in this his fooliſh pamphlet, but onelyonly by reviling to vilifie me (though I can, bleſſed be God, ſay with Joſeph, God hath meant it unto good for me, yea, unto a good contrary to the evill of reproaching,) and therefore more than one hundred times doth he in this his rayling paſquill expreſſe himſelfe againſt me in ſuch termes as theſe: Youngling, novice, boy, childe, youth, young ſpringlius, young glorioſo, young ignaro, young Phaeton, vaine young man, unworthy young man, young Jenkins, young ſimplicius, childling, young Pragmatico, ſhameleſſe young man, young Dictator, young Metropolitan, young Thraſo, green-head, young peece of preſumption, Prelaticall peece of Presbytery, unhallowed peece of Presbytery, ſwelling peece of vanity, ſan of ſhame and folly, illiterate ſoule, poore man, ſilly brain, mancipium of illiterateneſſe, friend William, Batte mi fili, (as if with his religion and reaſon, he had alſo abjured good manners.) And he plainly tels his Reader, that his aime in writing his booke was thus: To make me know my ſelfe; though a gracious heart would have put him upon writing to have made the people know the truth.
Touching his reproaches for my want of yeers, I could ſay: That I was ordained Presbyter about ten yeares before Mr. Goodwin commenced Independent; That I learned thoſe rudiments of Logick above 20. yeares ago in the Univerſity of Cambridge, which Maſter Goodwin is now defective in, either by never learning them, or forgetting them, as is cleere by ſundry paſſages in his Booke which I have mentioned in this. That if I be ſo young, I am in part excuſed for my illiterateneſſe, my times (it ſeems) having been ſhort as well as my attainments. That I grant, Mr. Goodwins book ſpeaks him old, particularly, that paſſage of his, p. 2. To. Eld. where he ſpeaks his owne ſeniority thus: The worſe ſpirits of malignity, hypocriſie, ſearedneſſe of conſcience, diſſimulation of the truth. &c. do not often finde men out till they be ſtricken in yeeres. As for the reſidue of his Pamphlet it ſpeaks him old even to dotage, which is to be a childe twice and alwayes. That were I ſo young as he pretends, yet he cannot prove the falſeneſſe of my aſſertions by the fewneſſe of my yeeres, though this be the ſtrongeſt argument in all his booke againſt what I write, his only indeavour being to make my booke a ſufferer by my yeeres, becauſe he cannot make my yeeres to ſuffer by my booke. That were there ſo great a diſparity of yeeres between us, yet truth is ſenior to us both, and he and his errours are more younglings to truth than I am to him, though I grant his Errours to…ing grace, as old as Pelagius.
Touching that other imputation of illiterateneſſe; I ſay I am ſo far from diſliking this his charge, that I ſhould have bin very well ſatisfied if ſundry who exceed Maſter Goodwin in ſtanding, and very much in underſtanding, had paſſed the ſame cenſure upon me that he hath done, and never another. That as he hath not ſo much learning as to allow him to boaſt, ſo I have not ſo little as to ſuffer me to be unthankfull. That he hath diſhonoured himſelf in the undertaking, nay in the overcomming (were he victor) much more inbeing overcome by one ſo illiterate; having muſtered ſuch a vaſt body, ſuch a huge book to purſue a flea, wherein every line is at leaſt either a pike or a musket; ſhould he vanquiſh it would be no honour to him, ſhould he be vanquiſht the diſgrace would be indelible. That ſundry, not contemptible, have had but low eſtimations of Mr. Goodwins literature. Famous Doctor Stoughton obſerving how Maſter Goodwin was wont to torture Scripture for the defending of his errors which in thoſe dayes he vented in his Sermons, uſed this compariſon in the hearing of an eminent Miniſter now in London, As an hungry dog that teareth and gnaweth upon a dry bone, and can ſuck nothing out of it for the relief of his appetite, by long gnawing upon it, wets it all over with the unclean moyſture of his own mouth, and at length for hunger ſucks in that moyſture againe as if he had been beholding to the bone for it; ſo, ſaid he, did Mr. Goodwin teare the holy Scriptures to draw out a ſenſe that might countenance his unlearned and corrupt opinions, which he not able to obtaine, (the Scriptures being dry to ſuch intents) the ſpurious expoſitions that flowed out of his owne month upon the Scriptures in his tedious tozing of them, he confidently ſucks in againe, as if they had been the contributions of the Scriptures themſelves. Mr. C. a Miniſter of good worth, now in London, and Miniſter of Ma. neare the be. whether upon obſerving the darkneſſe of Mr. Goodwins way in expounding, or rather his darkning in ſtead of expounding Scripture, or otherwiſe, ſometimes ſaid, Mr. Goodwin was like a horſe that went into a very clear ſtreame, but coming forth againe, he left it by pawing with his feet, very thick and muddy. And indeed he is no better at the pen than in the pulpit; for in making all his pamphlets, he ſeems to dip his pe…, or rather his pia mater, in puddle-dock. A reverend Commiſſioner, and a learned Miniſter of the Church of Scotland, having one of thoſe wretched pamphlets called Sion Colledge viſited ſent him, in his letter ſhortly after returned, he uſed only this ſhort but ſharp expreſſion concerning it, Goodwin is a beaſt, The paſſage I reade.
Touching that imputation of Prelaticall peece of Presbytery, I ſay, my principles, preaching, and other practiſes, are and ever ſhall be, by Gods grace, oppoſite to Prelacy, becauſe my conſcience tels me that Prelacy ſo much oppoſeth the Word; under Prelacy I was an early ſufferer. At Cambr. long ſince I was forced to forſake my otherwiſe dear Colledge, becauſe I durſt not ful mit to popiſh and prelaticall innovations, and to betake my ſelf to another Colledge in the ſame Univerſity, where I enjoyed liberty for ſtudy ſundry yeares with out thoſe Prelaticall impoſitions; and ſundry are able to teſtifie how fierce the rage of the Prelaticall faction was againſt me a long time in the univerſity, and afterwards; though I ſay not that Maſter Goodwin was connived at, and ſecretly encouraged to vent his opinions in Colemanſtreet, when the faithfull Min…ſters of the City were ſilenced and perſecuted.
You have had a taſte of his reproaches; behold him now making lyes his refuge. He relates two ſtories concerning you, which together with his deſcants upon them, are the ſubject matter of moſt part of his Epiſtle; but there is ſcarce a word in either of them, in the writing whereof, his fingers were not wofully troubled with the Cretian cramp.
In his firſt ſtory he tels the Reader,Pag. 2, 3. of his Epiſt. That although n a Provinciall meeting, it was reſolved upon the queſtion, That no anſwer ſhould be given to his booke called Sion Colledge viſited, and (he hopeth out of ſenſe of his innocency) that the graver judicatory had determined his immunity as Pilate did Chriſts, yet Maſter Jenkins like the Jewes, who would needs have Chriſt crucified, hath made log furrowes upon his back, &c.
A ſtory that hath not fewer than fore of five of the foreſaid Cretian commodities in it. For firſt, The Provinciall meeting never propounded, much leſe made any reſolution upon, any queſtion concerning the anſwering or not anſwering his book. 2. Never was it reſolved in any of your meetings, that his book ſhould not be anſwered; indeed it was generally conceived that ſo empty a pamphlet deſerved not to be anſwered by any. So that 3. the forbearance to put any upon the imployment of anſwering his book, was not out of ſenſe of his innocency, but out of apprehenſion of his impotenoy; you looking upon him as ſeven fold more the ſon of ſhame ant folly after the publiſhing of his Sion Colledge viſited than he ſhewed himſelf before. 4. Never did Mr. Jenkin make furrowes upon his back, he onelyonly ſhew'd the deep furrowes that Mr. Goodwin had made upon the back of truth with the plow of his pen, Satan guiding and driving it moſt commonly for him. And I know nothing that was laid upon his back but a rod, (according to Salomons advice) and that too of his own making. Sorry I am, that inſtead of making him to mend, it hath occaſioned him to be mad.
In his ſecond ſtory he tels his Reader, that the Archytects of the deſigne (he meanes of teſti…ying againſt his errors) obtained the ſubſcriptions of Maſter John Downame to a paper, wherein was not the leaſt mention of any of his Errors, and after, Mr. Downames band was obtained, they foyſted into the Catalogue of Errours what ſayings they pleaſed.
Captain Cretenſis is upon his march, but I ſhall ſtop him. The relation conſiſteth of two as odious untruths as ever dropt from a Cretians quill. For.
Firſt, I affirm, that the Errours of Maſter Goodwin were mentioned and ſet downe in the Catalogue in that fulneſſe and order wherein they are now expreſſed, nay diſtinctly read in the bearing of Maſter John Downame, before be ſubſcribed his band to the paper for the witneſſing againſt them.
2. No ſayings of Mr. Goodwin, or of any other of the Sectaries mentioned in the Catalogue, were put into the Catalogue of Errours after Maſter Downames hand was obtained.
The former Maſter Downame hath acknowledged to two or three Reverend Miniſters that went to him on purpoſe for enquiry, at the ſame time expreſſing to them his abhorring of Mr. Goodwins opinions mentioned in the Catalogue; which I rather relate, becauſe he termes Mr. Downame learned, and one of the beſt ſpirited men. I like the expreſſions, with this note, that ſuch men moſt deteſt Mr Goodwins Errours.
Two deteſtable lied are contained in that relation of his, pag. 78. To. Eld. where he ſaith, That not long ſince ſome of his followers came to me to propound their ſcrup…es about the Dectrine that I had taught, concerning the nature of a true Church, and that contrary to my … promiſe, I denyed conference with them, and that I refuſed to diſpute with them unleſſe by writing. The truth is this, many Sectaries (obſerving how ſundry Chriſtians (I deſire to mention it with humble thankfulnes) were ſtrengthened againſt the Schiſme of Independency, by the Sermons which I preached neer three yeeres ſince, concerning a true viſible Church) were filled and cut to the heart with madneſſe. At which time ſome of Mr. Goodwins followers, upon a Lords day toward evening came to my houſe, ſundry of my Chriſtian friends in my owne pariſh coming with them, to obſerve (as I conceive) their deportment. Where one or two of Mr. Goodwins followers that had a minde to ſpeak more than the reſt, diſcovered that ſhamefull ignorance in cavelling, that divers of thoſe that flood by, and ſome of their owne party, as afterward they confeſſed, bluſh…d to hear them; my ſelf alſo wondring at their empty impudence; they being ſo farre from bringing any objection againſt what I had delivered, that they were not able without my prompting them to tell me what particular paſſage in my Sermon it was againſt which they took exception. Only they knew, that what I had delivered made againſt them, and they were reſolved that they would not like it. But ſo far was I from refuſing conference with them, that I entertained neare two houres diſcourſe with them at that time, though I had preached twice that Sabboth, my body being thereby very faint and weary; expreſſing alſo the greateſt forwardneſſe and willingneſſe to informe and ſatisfie them whenſoever they pleaſed, and deſiring them to that end to come to my houſe, for indeed I much pittied them. To be ſhort, it wat at length propounded by one of my friends, that my ſelf and two Miniſters might diſpute with three of theirs who were of a contrary judgement concerning the points in controverſie, for the ſatisfaction of the unſetled Gentlemen. This motion I embraced moſt willingly, and deſired them to certifie ſo much to their Miniſters, which they promiſed to do; and upon advice taken with ſome reverend brethren concerning the fitteſt and profitableſt manner of managing the ſaid diſputation, I made this offer under my hand in writing, and ſent it by ſome of the unſetled Gentlemen, viz. That I would ſend their Miniſters the heads of all my Sermons, with all thoſe poſitions contained in them, that oppoſed the way of ſeparation; and if they would ingage to anſwer them in print, I promiſed alſo to publiſh a reply in print to that their anſwer, that ſo all the world might ſee on which fide the truth lay. But this offer, ſavouring too much of plaine dealing, and love of the light, their Minihers accepted not, pretending their mighty imployments. The Miniſters refuſing the diſcuſſion of the controverſie by way of writing, though ſolicited thereto by my Letter, what followed: why now my Gentlemen (to make up in ſobriety what they wanted in ſetledneſſe) having it ſeems leiſure enough, earneſtly deſire that I would engage with them in writing. This I refuſed, holding my ſelf cloſe to my former offers, that if any of them were unſatisfied, I would endeavour moſt willingly in a private way of conference to inform them, conceiving that this might content them who aimed at information and not at oſtentation. In this relation therefore of Mr. Goodwins, I charge him with theſe two broad faced falſities: 1. His ſaying, That I refuſed conference with his followers, whereas I earneſtly invited them to come to me for that end. 2. His ſaying, That I was adviſed by my brethren to diſpute with his followers only by writing, whereas I never was adviſed or offered at all to diſpute with them by writing; my offer to diſpute by writing or printing, being onelyonly made to their Miniſters, or thoſe ſo called.
In a coole requitall for theſe three rotten and falſe ſtories, in two of which he baſely ſlanders ſo many of his betters, I ſhall onelyonly ſuccinctly ſhew how much more he hath abuſed himſelfe in his Youngl. Elder, than he hath all or any of you, by his foule and falſe repreſentations.
For the wronging of his owne reputation, (if at leaſt it could be made worſe than it was before) by his late pamphlet called, The Youngling Elder, to ſay nothing here, how cheap and worthles he hath made his ſcriblings by the ſcores of pages ſpent in ſuch raylings, as the common obſervations and light of every reader doth confute (ſcum and ſcurrility making up his whole book.) I ſhall onelyonly obſerve how ſhameleſſe and ridiculous he is in magnifying and extolling himſelf, pretending himſelf to be the moſt dreadfull adverſary that ever put on gowne or …antlet, bragging, and ſwaggering, and boaſting, and ranting, and rufling, in the beginning of his book, as if he would bury ten ſuch younglings as my ſelf in one furrow of his brow; and as if he would affright the whole world into a forbearance of quetching againſt him, by the terror of my example; when as, alas, in the ſequell of his booke he is ſo wretchedly weake, and ridiculouſly empty, that inſtead of making me to bleed with his force, he onelyonly makes me to bluſh at his folly.
Speaking concerning my hazardous adventures in dealing with him,pag. 3. he thus inſults: Little doth this poore man know what be hath done. Presbytery lies bleeding at the ſoot of my writings, and is as good as broken in peeces by them; it is ſhaken, ſhattered, and diſmantled by them. When I write I feele the ſtrength of God neare me. pag. 17.I have had to do with the keeneſt ſons of high Presbytery, pag. 5, Ep.whoſe little finger had more weight than Maſter Jenkins loyns, and yet I have laid all their attempts and writing in the duſt, as well they did deſerve, and therefore this young man was of no deep reach, becauſe he feared not the ſame iſſue. Exempla gratia, p. 26. Y. El.You laid Maſter Walker and Maſter Robroughs writings in the duſt; with the former of which you encountred as an aſſe with a lyon; and with the latter of which you never durſt enter the Liſts, though provoked by an elaborate Treatiſe in confutation of your errors about juſtification. So you laid Maſter Edwards his Antapologia in the duſt; a booke that ſo fully and clearly detected your frauds, that inſtead of anſwering the matter of it by Scripture or reaſon, you were faine to betake your ſelf to your Grammer, and only here and there ſnarle at the ſeeming improperneſſe of a word. He threatens, That before he and his friend William part, he will make him as hereticall as himſelfe, &c. And rather than he will not prove himſelf a boaſter, he makes himſelf a ballad-maker; he ſaith. or rather ſaweth thus, in the height of menacing:
The time will come that youthfull Turnus ſhall
Wiſh dearly Pallas ne…'r had been encountred.
But why rather makes he not uſe of the skill of a far better Poet, who brings in Maſter Goodwins younger brother, expreſſing himſelf thus to David:
— Art thou weary of thy life ſo ſ…one,
O fooliſh bay, phantaſticall baboon.
— I will not file
My feared hands with blood ſo faintly vile,
Go ſeeke thy match, thou ſhale not dye by me,
Thine honour ſhall not my diſhonour be,
No (ſilly lad) no, wert thou of the Gods,
I would not fight at ſo unknightly odds.
This, among the reſt of the characters of thoſe ungodly men, ſpoken of by Paul and Peter, 2 Tim. 2.3, 4. 2 Pet. 2.18. foreign.agrees with him, to be fierce and high minded, to ſpeak great ſwelling words of vanity. He expreſſing himſelf more like a Ruſſian than a Miniſter; he ſhining not like a ſweetly influentiall ſtar, but flaſhing like an angry bloody Comet, he ſpeaking after the rate of the eldeſt ſonne of Godmagog; more like a Polyphemus than like a Paul; more like a ſwaſh-buckler than a Biſhop; a Lamech than a Moſes; and expreſſing more the preſumption of Behemoth, Job 40.23.who truſteth that be can draw up Jordan into his mouth, than the lamb-like ſpirit of a Saint. In a word, he hath ſo much of the Goodwin, that be hath nothing at all of the John in him, for
— From his eyes
All drunke with rage and blood, the lightning flyes
Out of his beaver like a boar be foams,
A belliſh fury in his boſome roams.
But alas this Ivye-buſh of boaſting doth but ſhew the badneſſe of his wine to all prudent paſſengers; his booke is a meer thundring trifle, a mountaine of chaffe, a terriculament, onelyonly for the ignorant of the alley; like the logg in the fable, it makes a great noiſe in its falling, but then it lies ſtill for every frog to skip upon it.
The truth is, he might well have ſpared the paines of ſetting his name unto it, for ſo poor a weakling, and ſo miſhapen a monſter it is, that as none will challenge it for theirs, ſo none will doubt it for his; although in two regards it be very unlike the father, it having a rich and a full bead, (a ſtuffed title) and a thin empty body; the reſidue of the book.
He doth not ſo much as pretend to anſwer the greateſt part by far of what I bring in oppoſition to his errours. There's not ſo much as any mention in his Youngling Elder of the moſt materiall paſſages contained in mine; but he prudently paſſeth them by in learned ſilence, and onelyonly here and there toucheth ſuperficially upon a few by-paſſages, (not but that he was able I trow, with the leaſt puffe to ſend them all on an errand to the wormes, had not his owne goodneſſe and noble nature more prevailed with him than any merit in ſuch a naughty youth as I) ſo that as to the buſineſſe of anſwering me, his booke is a meer by-work, and indeed among all judicious men a meer byword; which he prudently foreſeeing, confeſſeth by way of anticipation, that his booke is not a formall confutation of mine, but that his end in fetting of it forth,Epiſtle to the Reader, was to make me know my ſelfe; but of his childiſh and impotent omiſſions I ſhall (God willing) give a more particular account in the following Chapter. But if at any time he doth vonchſafe a mentioning of any of my paſſages againſt him; inſtead of an anſwer he either brings ſcoffs and reproaches, or elſe he labours to do the work of an opponent, bringing in ſtead of a ſolution of my arguments, a bumble of muſty reaſons, taken out of his other books to fill up paper in this; or elſe his poore ſew anſwers are ſo miſerably unſatisfactory, impertinent, and hereticall, that this his laſt worke appeares plainely to be the iſſue of his very dotage to all impartiall obſervers.
I ſhall onelyonly in this fi…ſt Chapter barely recite ſome of his anſwers to ſome places of Scripture and paſſages contained in my booke; reſerving the refutation of them to the third and fourth Chapters, though indeed the recitation of ſuch cheape and poore ſtuffe, be a ſufficient refutation of them among intelligent Readers.
The places of Scripture which I bring againſt his Errours, he either wholly paſſeth by, as if they had never been alledged by me, (and thus he dealeth with all thoſe many places which I alledge againſt his Errours about the Scripture) or elſe if he pretends to anſwer them, he puts ſuch falſe and unſound gloſſes upon them, that he ſpeakes himſelf moſt erroneous, even when he goeth about to cleere himſelfe from errour; like the ſwearer, that being reproved for his oathes, ſware with a greater oath that he did not ſwear.
To that place Acts 26.18. where Paul declares, That he was ſent to the Gentiles to open their eyes, &c. I having ſaid, That converſion is the reſtoring of ſight, not of light onelyonly, T. El. p. 54.he aſſerts moſt prophanely and erronouſly, that mens eyes are onelyonly opened in converſion as the light of the morning or the ſun may be ſaid to open a mans eyes which were ſhut by the darkneſſe of the night; ſo that naturall men have good eyes, onelyonly they are in the darke, there's nothing periſht in the faculty of ſeeing.
To that place,Yo. Eld. p 55. Epiſt. 2. dead in treſpaſſes and ſins. he anſwers, by ſaying the meaning onelyonly is, That they of whom the Apoſtle ſpeaks, were guilty of death, and liable to condemnation.
The meaning of that place,Yo. Eld. p. 87. 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the ſpirit of God, neither can be know them, &c. he gives us thus, by the naturall man, he ſaith, is not meant the man that is ſimply or meerly naturall or unregener are, but ſuch a kinde of men as are babes in Chriſt; and whereas its ſaid, be cannot know the things of the ſpirit of God; Yo. Eld. p. 89.this profound expoſiter of Scripture gives us this to be the meaning: The naturall man whileſt he continues thus, bath not a power actually and for the preſent, to know ſimply the things of the ſpirit, but he hath ſuch principles which by a due and regular improvement may advance and riſe into ſuch a capacity or power as is contended for.
That place of 1 Cor. 4.7.Yo. Eld. p. 59. Who maketh thee to differ; he tels us, is not to be underſtood of any difference betweene man and man which is made by any ſaving worke, but of ſuch a difference onelyonly which ſtands in more or fewer, or in greater or leſſer gifts; which difference in the primitive times was frequent.
He having ſaid, That no writings, originals, or tranſlations, are the Word of God, the matter and ſubſtance of things (as that Chriſt is God, is Man; that be dyed, that be roſe from the dead, &c.) conteyned in the books of the Old and New Teſtament, being by him acknowledged only for the word of God. I demand of him thus. Bu. p. 22. how can any beleeve that the matter and ſubſtance of the Scripture, as that Chriſt is God and Man, &c is the Word of God, when as be muſt be uncertaine whether the written word wherein that matter is conteyned is the Word of God or no; This hereticall and rediculous ſoul fetcheth off himſelf thus, by asking me againe, Cannot a man beleeve theſe matters conteyned in the Scripture, The Sun is the greater light, and the Moon the leſſer light, unleſſe he be certaine that the written word is the Word of God?
To my charge, of his joyning hands with the Arminians in heir errours, concerning power to good ſupernaturall, he anſwers …ot a ſillable by way of denying the charge, but tels me, That in holding Jeſus Chriſt to be they holy one of God, Yo. Eld. p. 43. Y. El. p. 44.I joyn hands with the Devill. Yea, he ſaith the Arminians attribute all the praiſe of converſion to God.
Nay, he ſlights and neglects as much the accuſation of agreement with Pelagius in his Errours, impudently affirming,Youngl. Elder, pag. 52. that between Auguſtine and Pelagius there was little or no difference.
To my allegations out of the Fathers and Bucer, for vindicating either of the Scriptures or the grace of God, he anſwereth not a word. And inſtead of doing ſo, when I bring multitudes of evident places out of them, to ſhew how thoſe places which he wreſteth ought to be underſtood, he very modeſtly rather than they ſhall not be though to ſpeak for him in ſome few places, tels us that they contradict themſelves in all the reſt.
To cite (ſaith he) other words of a contrary import to thoſe qu…ted by me out of the ſame Author, is no manifeſtation of the impertinency of my quotations; Yo. Eld. p. 5.but it is indeed a diſcovering of the nakedneſſe of an Auth…r, to preſent him contradictious to himſelfe, and to expoſe the unſtableneſſe of his judgement to the eyes of men; So that …ucer, Ball, Auguſtine, Hierome, are ſelf-contradictors, unſtable, naked, unable, rather than this petty-toes of a Pope can erre an haires breadth.
He ſcoffs at the abſolute decree, and ſaith,Yo. Eld. p 10. That I and my mates tremble not to inform the creature againſt the Creator, as if from eternity be had ſhut up his grace, &c. with the iron barres of an irreverſible indiſpenſable decree.
He tels us pag. 62. that ther's nothin but morall perſwaſion to act the will into a ſaving conſent,Yo. Eld. p. 62. pag. 63. for thus he wanders. It paſſeth my underſtanding to conceive how the will ſhould be wrought or acted into a conſent in any kinde otherwiſe than by argument, motive and perſwaſion, unleſſe it be by force, violence, and compulſion. The eſſentiall conſtitution and fal…ick of the will exempt it from being drawnely an other meanes.
And page 65. he thus debaſeth the working of Gods grace, There is no man converted actually, but might poſſibly have acted or demeaned himſelfe ſo as never to have been thus converted.
And pag. 52. The adjutory of grace doth not imply a neceſſity of effecting that which is effected by it.
He clearly takes part with that infamous Pelagius againſt thoſe holy men,Vid. p. 5. Y. El. in charging them with Manicheiſm, I having told him, That the charge of Manicheiſm was an old calumny caſt upon the Fathers by Pelagius, he tels me again, We are not to enquire by whom or upon whom it was caſt, but by whom it bath beene taken off from any of your judgement; Youngl. Elder, pag. 45.till this feat be done, he concludes the charge muſt be continued.
But of his omiſſions, and ſlender and erroneous performances, you may pleaſe more fully to take this following account in theſe three following Chapters.