Disputations Concerning Matters of Religion, Discourse · Chapter 8
CAAP. VIII. Of the printing of the Diſputation. By whoſe motion it was made. By whom, and how managed.
IMmediately after what Mr. O. had drawn up was read, a Gentleman then preſent, deſired that the Diſputation might be printed, and deſired Mr. O. to move it to the Doctor, which he did; whereto he replied, if he might reply he was willing: but ſaid withal, that he had twelve Arguments more in proof of the queſtion: to which I replyed (ſaith Mr. O.) I was contented he ſhould reply to mine anſwer to the nine firſt without any rejoynder, provided I might anſwer to the twelve laſt without his reply, onelyonly till they were printed; and then each ſhould be at liberty to write what he pleaſed. To this motion of printing the Doctor yielded in the cloſe of the third or fourth dayes diſputation. viz. that Mr. O. his Arguments, Anſwers, Replyes, and Rejoynders might be put in print, and (for his proviſo) Doctor Brian gave him liberty to oppoſe what he pleaſed, and take in alſo the help of Mr. Marley, and thoſe other ſeven who aſſiſted him in diſputation, that the utmoſt he and they could object further againſt our Pariſh Churches, might come under one view: and withal, the Doctor wiſhed him to forbear in ſtead of arguing, to make any more excurſions by tedious and impertinent declamations againſt our Miniſters and Members, wherein all your anſwers (ſaith he to Mr. O.) for the moſt part ſpend themſelves. So in the Epiſtle of Doctor Brian to Mr. O. I have related the more out of both their printed Teſtimonies, touching the diſputation and impreſsion of it, becauſe the printed book is very hard to come by, though Mr. O. ſaith it was publiſhed with both their conſents, which may be very much doubted of for divers reaſons. For,
Firſt, there were no publick Notaries and Witneſſes, to write and atteſt what paſſed in diſpute betwixt them.
Secondly, Though there were copies taken of the diſpute, the chief pen-man of the whole was Mr. O. who(a)In the Diſputat. p. 46. confeſſith, by reaſon of a mighty crowd of people he could hardly breathe, or write one perfect ſentence of Doctor Brians Sermon: and there might be as much difficulty in taking by his pen other Dictates delivered by word. The crowd it is like was very great, for Dr. Brian ſpeaking of ſeven which took Mr. O. his part in the diſputation, who were Antipedobaptists; he in his anſwer ſaith,bJ. O. in his Exam. of the Doctors Reply. p. 23, 24. he believeth there was ſeven times ſeven thrice told that took his part, that is 149. and I believe for one ſuch a one, there was 20. at leaſt of a contrary judgement.
Thirdly, But if there were a perfect copy of the Diſpute made up by the Doctor and him, that copy was committed to Mr. O. his hand to be promoted to the Preſs, and no copy kept, whereby it might be known to be truely printed: ſuch was the Doctors candid and ſuſpectleſs dealing with his adverſary, which laid a great engagement upon him, of fair and ingenuous correſpondence with him again.
Fourthly, When the book was printed, he ſhould have ſent the Doctor a copy of it, before he had printed his Letter of conſent unto it, that he might allow or diſallow it, as he ſhould ſee cauſe.
Fifthly, Mr. O. having the Manuſcript in his own hands, might have altered his own part for the better, the Doctors for the worſe at his pleaſure. And that he had a mind to magnifie himſelf, and diſgrace the Doctor all he could, is plain, both by the book of the diſputation, and by his latter book of the Examination of the Doctors Reply. For the former, it may appear to any indifferent Reader, that for a good part of the Book, from the beginning (wherin Doctor Brian is Opponent) he expreſſeth the promptneſs of a ready Text-man, and the acumen of a Polemick School-man, as his aſſiduous and unceſſant (yet very powerful) preaching, ſheweth him an excellent Pulpitman: But in the relation of the latter part of the Book Mr. O. ſo enervateth the vigour of his diſcourſe, as if he had ſuffered a failing of his faculties, as Sampſon did when his locks were ſhorn. And this he did that he might have more hope to appear a conqueror in the conflict. To which end he contracteth the Doctors Speeches, and enlargeth his own after what ſize he pleaſeth: ſo that he neither doth, nor can acknowledg he hath done him right in the printed Edition of that diſputation. And who that knoweth his eminent abilities for quickneſs of conceit, ſoundneſs of judgement, and livelineſs of ſpirit, and volubility of ſpeech, can imagine that he would ſuffer Mr. O. to enlarge his anſwer to his ninth Argument, of leſs then four lines, to well towards forty; and in that anſwer to ſum up the Diſpute into a Triumphant Compendium for his own reputation, and the Doctors reproach, without one word of Reply for himſelf or his cauſe? As in this printed diſputation he hath done him little right, ſo in the other Book he hath done him a great deal of wrong, for not being contented to magnifie his own performance, with a maſterſhip in the Diſpute, as himſelf ſets it forth (when it had been honour enough for him, in that Doctor Brian accepted of him for his Antagoniſt, though he had ſubmitted to him as his convert) he publiſhed another Book as an examination of the Doctors Reply; wherein he took a great deal more liberty to traduce him. But that which I will obſerve at preſent, is his unworthy dealing with the Doctor, in the publication of thoſe two Books: for becauſe he could not for ſhame but publiſh ſomething in the diſpute, which might appear anſwerable to Dr. Brians deſerved eſtimation (for otherwiſe hundreds would have accuſed him as a falſary) that book of the diſpute was rather ſuppreſſed, then commonly ſold; for ſo ſoon as I heard that it was to be printed, I wrote to my Stationer for it, and remembred him of it with much importunity many times for many weeeks and months together, to procure one for me; and though he uſed his beſt endeavour and diligence to that purpoſe, he ſtill returned a non est inventus for that book: but ſo ſoon as I heard of Mr. O. his ſecond book, and ſent for it, I received it by the firſt return of the Carrier afterward: the readieſt reaſon of which difference I conceive to be this, Mr. O. his falſhood in the former Book, might more eaſily be diſcovered then in the latter; and his honour to the Doctors diſhonour in the later was more ſet forth, then in the former. In the publication whereof, beſides the offenſive Contents of it, he gav… Doctor Brian cauſe of complaint, in that this later Book againſt him (much more againſt him then the former, becauſe it was much more contumelious and inſolent) had been abroad a long time, before he had any notice thereof. Truely whatſoever Mr. O. thinketh of his own omiſſion herein (and it may be his deſire was, that he of all men ſhould never have ſeen it) I could not but take it for a part of ingenuity and juſtice (when my caſe was like his) to give as timely intelligence as I could, of what I had publiſhed againſt his Friend mine Adverſary Mr. S. by leaving one of my Books with his Stationer G. C. ſo ſoon as it came from the Preſs, to be ſent to him with ſpeed: and ſo I dealt with Doctor H. for (having received ſome copies of my firſt Book againſt him, firſt of all upon Friday night) I ſent my ſervant with one to him the next Saturday following.