Answer to the Report of the United Ministers, Title page – Preface
THE ANSWER TO THE Report, &c. Which the United Ministers Appointed their Committee to draw up, as in the Preface. ALSO LETTERS of the Right Reverend the Bishop of Worcester, and the Reverend Dr. Edwards, to Mr. Williams; against whom their Testimony was produced by Mr. Lob. And Animadversions on Mr. LOB's Defence of The Report.
By Daniel Williams.
London, Printed by Sam. Darker, for Iohn Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey. 1698.
The Preface.
I Shall give a true Narrative of the Composing and Publishing of the following Sheets. The Vnited Ministers, after their usual recess, met at St. Hellens, Sept. 6. 1697. After previous Debates [it was Unanimously voted that the Committee should take notice of the Papers called, The Report and the Remarks. And if any Brother had any thing to offer about the same, that he should communicate it to them, in order to their drawing up an Answer.] The Committee consists of Dr. Bates, Mr. Hammond, Mr. How, Mr. Alsop, Mr. Williams, Mr. Stretton, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Spademan, Mr. Nath. Taylor.
Sept. 20. 1697. [The Answer of the Committee to the Report, &c. was read, and ordered to be read a second time next Monday.] Note, 1. They of the Committee, who applied themselves to this Work, were Mr. Hammond, Mr. Alsop, Mr. Williams, Mr. Stretton, Mr, Woodhouse, Mr. Spademan, and Mr. Nath. Taylor. Six of them severally perused this Answer to the Report; and after several Meetings, all the Seven Unanimously agreed thereto, and brought it to the Meeting as the Answer they had prepared. The most material parts were read to Dr. Bates (particularly the Proposal, p. 27, 28. The Accouut of the Subscription to the first Paper, and concerning my Book, p. 41, 42, &c.) and approved of by him. Our rule is, that no matter of moment shall be determined, unless it have been openly and freely debated, and agreed in one Meeting, and then re-assumed and concluded in a Second Meeting. 3. This Answer was debated, and agreed to in the Meeting; tho a Brother had objected against its being in the Name of the Body. Sep. 27. 1697. [Resolved that the Reading of the Answer to the Report, be deferred to this day Fortnight, that the Committee may have time to consider.] Note, 1. The occasion of this delay, was not any thing objected against any part of this Answer; But three of the Brethren insisted that it was too great a Condescention in the Body, to Answer so insignificant a Person as the Author of the Report; And that this Present Answer should be Published by a particular Brother, and that some inconveniency might attend putting forth any Answer in the Name of the Body. 2. The thing to be considered by the Committee was, what expedient could be offered, or Reason given, why this Answer should not be Published in the Name of the United Ministers as such. 3. The Committee met, and debated. But one of the foresaid three Brethren remained unsatisfied, that any Answer should be Printed in the Name of the Body of the United Ministers. The debate was put off to another time.
October 11. 1697. [Mr. Hammond acquainted the Brethren that the Committee was not ready to give in their Report.] Upon some of the Brethren begining to express their resentments at these delays; I spake to this effect: [Mr. Moderator, Tho I have met with no Reason that's cogent with me, or with many of the Brethren, why any be unwilling the Answer should be Published in the Name of the Body of the United Ministers, yet the dissatisfaction of any worthy Brother, &c. Is so inconvenient at this juncture, that I shall not insist on the present reading of our Answer here.—But I shall acquaint you, that some or other of the Brethren will cause this Answer to be Printed, with an Account how far it hath proceeded among us.] This proved a satisfying expedient, of which no Man expressed any dislike. Hereupon a Vote which past nemine contradicente, Sep. 27. 1697. (When all were present, who desired further time to consider whether the Answer should be in the Name of all the United Ministers) was now repeated and unanimously approved; the Vote was, [We Judge it needful that there be an Answer to two Papers, called the Report and the Remarks, in Vindication of the United Ministers from the Charge therein made against them.] Thus far and no further did this Answer to the Report, proceed in our Meeting of Ministers; nor did I keep it a secret when in the Press. But most of the Brethren were informed thereof, whereat none expressed (that I know of) any dissatisfaction. As for the Epistle and the Reflections on the Remarks, they went no further than the Committee, and were not to be brought to the Meeting till after the Answer had past.
Tho this Narrative informs you, that this Answer is not Published in the Name of the Body of the United Ministers, because the Confirmation of it by a second Reading is suspended, and only so. Yet the Original Papers and the Matters of Fact declared, are as unquestionable, and the Doctrines herein acknowledged are as much their common sentiments as if the Answer had been Published in the Name of the Body. For I appeal to the Book of St. Hellens, for the Truth of this Narrative, and to the Copy perused and marked by the Committee, that there is no Change in the Answer to the Report, except one amendment in the date of time. Nor in the Epistle, or Reflections on the Remarks, besides one expression softned by the Committees direction.
Could the Answer of a particular Brother, as well express the Doctrines assented to by the United Ministers, and obtain the same Credit in a recital of Matters of Fact (in both which lies their Vindication) as this Answer [which their Committee was appointed to draw, and which they brought in to the Meeting as their prepared Answer, and which was once agreed to by the Body, and unexcepted against in any one Passage, when it was suspended to gratify three of the Brethren,] I should have preferred the Liberty of Answering alone, if I had not Judged it needless after so great an Answer as the Faithful Rebuke, which was so acceptable that only the modesty of the Author preveuted the thanks of the United Ministers, for his putting a stop to the evil effects of the Report, whilst their Meetings were discontinued.
I have subjoyned that Second Paper, mentioned in the Report, &c. As also one of the Letters of the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Worcester, and one of the Reverend Dr. Edwards, both whose Books Mr. Lob cites against me: and therefore I thought none fitter to vindicate me against his Charge, and their own Books from the ill use he wrested them to serve. Lastly, Mr. Lob's Defence of the Report, with a Challenge to me coming forth, when these were in the Press; Friendship and Justice to the Rebuker prompted my bestowing a few hours to stop the ill effects of this grand peice of Art and Misrepresentation, (it's nothing else) until he shall better fift, and more expose it. And one thing I hint, which I thought proper for him to overlook. If after all this Evidence Mr. Lob can find a people so credulous and bewitched by prejudice, as to say, The United Ministers, or my self, are Socinians; that the difference on our part (tho it's so on theirs) have been about meer Words or Trifles; that we have opposed any thing but Gross Crispianism, that we brake the Union, or refused Re-union from a Zeal for Errors against the satisfaction of Christ, or Justification by his Righteousness; They deserve Pity rather than Argument. That at last Truth and Peace may prevail, is the Prayer of,
Daniel Williams. Nov. 17. 1697.