Defense of the Report, Title page – Publishers advertisement
A DEFENCE OF THE REPORT, CONCERNING The Preſent State of the Differences in Doctrinals, between ſome Diſſenting Miniſters in London; in REPLY to a Book, ENTITULED, A Faithful Rebuke of that Report.
If I Build again the things which I Deſtroyed, I make my ſelf a Tranſgreſſor. Gal. 2.18.
The Wiſdom that is from above is firſt Pure, then Peaceable, Gentle, and eaſie to be Entreated. Jam. 3.17.
foreign.
The beſt way of Revenging an Injury is, not to imitate or reſemble him that did it. Marc. Antonin. Lib. 6. § 6.
LONDON, Printed for Nath. Hiller, at the Prince's Arms in Leaden-Hall-Street, over againſt St. Mary Axe, 1698.
TO THE READER.
Reader,
WHEN the Report was Publiſhed, I being in the Countrey, on my Return, ſeveral made Enquiry touching my Thoughts of it; to whom my Anſwer was; That whoever was the Author, I knew the Matters of Fact, therein contained, to be True; and Believed the Doctrines, Explained and Aſſerted in the Healing Paper, and pleaded for in the Report to be agreeable to Gods Word; and that I ſhould be willing, if at any time called thereunto, to do my moſt for their Defence.
Some Weeks after the Report had been Abroad, a Brother, who once, according to the Talent, wherein he excell'd, wrote in Vindication of the Common Faith, ſent forth a Rebuke to the Report; wherein both for Matter and Manner, he has expreſſed himſelf quite otherwiſe than formerly he had Written, or his Trueſt Friends at this time expected; and has really given the Proteſtant Religion, in the Article of Chriſts Satisfaction, a moſt ſenſible Wound.
Theſe Controverſies, I doubt not, upon an Apprehenſion, that none but the Enemy to Religion will be hereby the Gainer, are very grievous to many ſincere Chriſtians; who, when they ſhall conſider, how much the Truth, by this Colliſion, will be cleared; the moſt Important Doctrines of our Holy Religion, be more throughly underſtood; more Firmly Believed, as well as more Irrefragably Defended againſt the Oppoſition made unto it; will Admire the Divine Wiſdom, and Adore the Riches of Glorious Grace, in bringing ſo much Good out of theſe Miſchievous Diviſions, which have been, and are amongſt us.
As for my own part, notwithſtanding the hard Cenſures of my Reverend Brother, I cannot forbare telling thee, That I deſire with my whole Soul to bleſs and praiſe the Lord, for the inſight he has given me into the Myſteries of Chriſts Goſpel, ſince this Controverſie hath been ſtated, and that I do now plainly ſee, how the very Truths, we were, through an unjuſtifyable Supineneſs, in danger of looſing, will, hereby be the more clearly Diſcovered and effectually Secured.
Diſcourſes from the Pulpit, even when about the moſt Evangelical Parts of Chriſtianity, having been of late Years, rather adjuſted to move the Affections than inlighten the Judgment, are but a ſlender Fence unto Truth; And an Obſervance, how they, who are ſound in the Faith, through a Zeal for Populacy, have neglected that Cloſe Study, which is neceſſary to a through underſtanding the Important Doctrines now under debate, hath emboldened the Adverſary to Oppugn them, and with the greater Vigour to attempt the expoſing the preſent Miniſtry amongſt us; and, to ſpeak freely, one Reaſon why our Brethren are ſo much confounded with the Noiſe of Common Terms and Phraſes, at this time Controverted and ſo caſily Impoſed on, is their Diſuſe of ſuch Studies.
But, it's hoped that theſe Conteſts will provoke our Brethren to make more diligent Enquiries into the Doctrines of Satisfaction and Juſtification, as it has already rouſed up ſome Great Men to reſolve on a Defence of the very Points, now exagitated amongſt us. For, as I have heard thus much of one very Learned Perſon; ſo I did the laſt Night receive the enſuing Letter from another; in which, you'l obſerve enough to convince you it is from one of the firſt Rate among the Learned, whoſe Sagacity, and Sharpneſs is Conſpicuous, and his Reſentments Deep.
And, as the Truth, by theſe Methods will be abundantly cleared, ſo the ſureſt Foundation for a ſolid and laſting Union will be laid: For, whatever my Cenſorius Brother ſuggeſts to the contrary, 'tis the reſolution of the Congregational Brethren to do their moſt for PEACE, which they are ſure can never be laſting, if at the Expence of Truth, but let our Presbyterian Brethren joyn with us in the Defence of ſome Proteſtant Truths now in danger, they will find us to go ſo far as 'tis poſſible, with a good Conſcience for Peace and Communion with them.
That theſe Great Bleſſings may be obtain'd, is the fervent Prayer, and ſhall be the conſtant Endeavour of
Novem. 4. 1697. S. L.
The Letter I mention, I will here inſert exactly as it came to my hands.
Books Printed for Nath. Hiller, at the Princes Arms in Leaden-hall-ſtreet, over againſt St. Mary Axe.
THE Divine Inſtitution of Congregational Churches, Miniſtry and Ordinances, [As has been Profeſſed by thoſe of that Perſuaſion] Aſſerted and Proved from the Word of GOD. By Iſaac Chauncy, M. A.
A Diſcuſſion of the Lawfulneſs of a Paſtors Acting as an Officer in other Churches beſides that which he is ſpecially Called to take the Overſight of. By the late Reverend Mr. Nath. Mather.