Manifest Truth, Title page – To the reader
MANIFEST TRUTH: OR AN INVERSION OF TRƲTH'S MANIFEST. Containing, A VINDICATION of a Church of Chriſt in their Proceedings on March the 8. 1657, againſt Mrs Mary Allein, from the falſe and injurious Aſperſions of her husband Mr. Toby Allein.
By LEWIS STUCLEY, Paſtor of a Congregation in Exeter.
Matth. 5.22. But I ſay unto you, That whoſoever is angry with his brother without a cauſe ſhall be in danger of the Judgment, and whoſoever ſhall ſay to his brother, Rach… ſhall be in danger of the Counſel, but whoſoever ſhall ſay, Thou fool, ſhall be in danger of Hell fire.
Luk. 19.22. Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee.
Eadem poſſunt alicui videri manifeſtè vera, quae alteri videntur manifeſtè falſa.
Quiſquis à criminibus vitam ſuam cuſtodit, ſibi benefacit; quiſquis etiam famam, & in alios miſericors eſt, nobis neceſſaria eſt vita noſtra aliis fama. Aug. de bono Viduitatis c.22.
London, Printed by D. M. for M. Keinton at the Fountain in S. Pauls Church Yard, 1658.
TO THE READER.
THat Ink hath Poyſon and Gall in it, the Hiſtorian as well as Naturaliſt will confeſſe, and a late Pamphleter hath exemplified: We need not impannel a Jury of Inqueſt for this; hereby it happens that no quarter is given to paper, and as little to many mens names, as thou canſt witneſſe if thou haſt peruſed a book of Mr Alleins (falſly) called, Truths Manifeſt.
I muſt confeſs I have had ſome conflicts in my own ſpirit whether I ſhould ſilently paſs by the falſhood of the report or returne ſome anſwer to it. Eloquar an ſileam? Firſt, I ſhall give thee the workings of my thoughts for my ſilence; and then Secondly, give thee an account of the praeponderating conſiderations that have had the greateſt influence upon me, to come thus into the view of the world.
Firſt, I ſhall conſider what may lye in the ballance againſt my printing.
1. I bleſſe the Lord I am in ſome good meaſure made ſenſible of my want of parts to contribute to the good of ſouls by my penn or tongue.
2. There are many choice practical Tracts (that concerne the eternal welfare of ſouls) publiſhed within the laſt twentie years, that (according to the conviction of my own conſcience) muſt needs promote the great ends of Creation and Redemption, more then I can hope my anſwer to a Scurrilous pamphlet may conduce; and if Luther (that Phaenix of the world) would condemn his excellent writings to the fire, rather then by the publication of them, the Scriptures ſhould be laid by; (Ego odi meos libros, et ſaepe opto eos interire. Luther in Gen. 14.) And if Auguſtin cryes out, away with our writings, that roome may be made for the Book of God, how much rather may I cry out and others, Auferantur de medio chartae nostrae, away with our ſcriblings
I muſt profeſs to all the world, That I am heartily ſorry I muſt trouble the preſs or thee with any thing but what may be uſeful and practical for thy furtherance in Grace.
3. I was even reſolved to ſay as Bernard, Premat Corpus, tremat mundus, fremat Diabolus, conſcientia ſemper ecit ſecura: or rather with Paul, My rejoyecing is this, the Teſtimony of my Conſcience, that in ſimplicity and godly ſincerity I have had my converſation in the world, 2 Cor. 1.12. And with Job; Job 16.19 my witneſs is in heaven, and my record is on high.
I was thinking to relieve my ſelf with my own innocency, as to things laid to my charge; I could even have reſolved not to make Hue and Cry after my ſelf abroad in this miſ-judging age, but to become careleſs what the vulgar think or ſay of me, ſo it be not deſervedly ill; I was loath to buy their good opinion ſo dearly, as by the expence of much time and many ſpirits: how ſweet have ſuch thoughts as theſe been to me! It is not the breath of mens praiſe that I can live by, if I have credit with God, what if I have none with man? God and conſcience are my Compurgatours to whom I dare appeal from mans bar; if God and a good Conſcience feaſt me within, no matter for the Haile of mans reproaches that rattle without: my God doth not doe by me as man doth, he doth not throw dirt but rather waſheth it away in his Sons blood, &c. and therefore in the midſt of all the clamours, miſapprehenſions, and miſjudgings of men, why ſhould not this content me, that there ſits one in heaven that will cleare me one day?
4. When I veiw the generality of the nation, I fancy them ſo overgrowne with miſpriſion, that I have hardly hopes they will believe truths, further then they ſuit their particular parties, and intereſts. One juſtly complaines of the times, that mens words or reports of their actions have fared hard ſince envy (as Peter with Malchus) hath cut off their right eares; affections alwayes cut off one (and too oft the right) we ſeldom reſerve one care for the ſtrangers (much leſſe the enemies) relation.
5. I might hope that a Miniſters yea or nay, might be of as much credit as Mr. T. A. his yea and nay; and though he hath got a certificate to gain him ſome credit, yet he knows well how eaſily I could procure hundreds of Miniſters to do me ſuch an office if I thought I needed them.
6. I have conſidered that ſome mens malice is beſt born by ſilence, and malice ſlighted looſeth (as the Bee) with its ſting its life; I have known ſome ſcolds ſooneſt ſilenced by turning the deaf eare; anſwers and replyes doe not ſo ſoone ſtrike detractours dumbe, as a contemning and diſliking deafneſs: It ſtands with ſome mens credit to diſpiſe poore accuſations, and their beſt anſwer is, with Alexander (in Lucian) unto Hannibal, foreign to anſwer nothing at all: And might not I hope that thoſe miſts that were caſt upon my perſon might in a few weeks ſcatter and vaniſh, without ſpeaking a word for my ſelf or cauſe?
7. I thought I might venture upon the Teſtimony of the Conſciences of many who know me, to vindicate me from the Aſperſions of this pamphleter.
8. Beſides all that know me, can beare me witneſs, how little pleaſure I take in a Salamander life; books of this nature can hardly be writ nor read without many heats and Commotions in ſpirits: Theſe times already have beene too fruitful in diſputes and controverſies, I have from my heart wiſhed that all our ſwords of Contention were beaten into plough-ſhares of more uſe, and fruitfulneſs, for the Lords field: Would it not be better if Abners Language were in every mans mouth and heart, 2. Sam. 2.26. How long ſhall it be ere thou bid the people returne from purſueing their Brethren?
9. Is it not a known experimented truth, that when the head is Intoxicated with empty jejune controverſies and notions, the heart becomes Conſumptive in the ſolid parts of Godlineſs? And therefore I had rather acquaint poore ſouls, that there is a Controverſy depending betwixt God and them, and that it is not no ſmall miſery to be an enemy to God, to be unpardoned, unſanctified, without hope of Salvation, if ſo they live and dye, to be a ſlave of Satan, and confidently to goe on in the way to condemnation: It grieved a Roman Emperour, that a Neighbour of his ſhould die before he had doen him any good; it is ſome affliction to me, if I muſt be forced to ſpread Rabſhekahs papers before God and men and thereby be hindred from more Important affaires, that the neceſſities of ſelf-deſtroying ſouls call for: how many are there round about that there is but a ſtep 'twixt them and the Grave? and 'twixt them and Hell? What haſte are many making to everlaſting woe? and muſt I forbeare crying, Returne, Returne, why will ye die? to vindicate my name from the Aperſions of an inconſiderable penn? Oh when I think of Pſal. 7.11. That God is angry with the wicked every day, he hath bent his bow, and made it ready, he hath alſo prepared for him the Inſtruments of death, Me thinks I ſhould leave my name to the fury of the pamphleter, whileſt I adviſe theſe mad traitours againſt the majeſty of heaven, and beſeech them with tears and crys to throw down their armes, and to ſeek peace on a bended knee, according to the Articles propoſed in the Goſpel: How can I look theſe in the face, and think how likely they are to lye in perpetual miſery, and not break forth into teares (as the Prophet did when he lookt on Hazael) and fall on with the moſt importunate exhortations? how can I, how may I leave them in ſuch apparent danger to take notice of the reflections of T. A?
Secondly: But then in the other ſcale, I found a bleeding name, and thereby the Goſpel ſuffering, I found the Churches and people of God were to be ſatisfied, that had a chiefe intereſt in my reputation, leaſt my perſon might prejudice my Doctrine, a Suſpition of ſin in an exemplary perſon (and ſuch are all Miniſters) denyes his labours their deſired acceptance; and therefore Auguſtine ſaith, nec audendi ſunt &c. Thoſe are not to be hearkned to, who having Suſpition raiſed of them which they know themſelves to be free of ſhall ſay, their Conſcience in the preſence of God is enough for them, and imprudently contemn the Eſteeme of men: Well then a good name is to be kept up, or redeemed from the attempts of men and divils, it is that which our Saviour expreſly Commands, when he ſaith, Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may glorify God, Matth. 5.16.
I know alſo how Catching a thing falſhood is, and that there are too many ſpirits in the world that are as dryed tinder to the fire of a Malicious Detractour.
Beſides I find the Apoſtles wipeing off blots from their perſons that the Goſpel might not be hindred; ſome there were that prated againſt John, with malicious words, and he aſſures the Saints he will remember them. So the Apoſtle Paul, when ſome of the Corinthian Church had beſpattered him, he accounts it worth a double Epiſtle, to give Antidotes againſt that poyſon, and to wipe off that ſpittle which ſome foule mouths had debaſed him with.
And the Apoſtle is expreſs, that the mouths of vaine talkers and deceivers (that attempt to deceive though with never ſuch ſlender artifices; for any thing will ſerve to deceive the ſimple) muſt be ſtopped. Tit. 1.10, 11.
More-over, hereby Satans deſigne may be fruſtrated, who hath alwayes attempted to cloud, bemiſt, and aſperſe the ſervants of God, as knowing if he can but lay them low in the eyes of the people, their Goſpel and Miniſtry will ſoone tumble after them: were I to ſuffer alone, it were no great matter, but when I conſider, the Goſpel will ſuffer, and my labours to many may be obſtructed by ſilence under this mans calumnies and miſ-repreſentations, I cannot hold my peace: If it is come to this, that the Preacher muſt be vindicated, that his Doctrine may be accepted, I think I am bound in conſcience, of two evills to prevent the greater, i. rather to publiſh my want of Judgment, diſcretion, and parts, then to lye ſtill and be condemned for a lyar, ſlanderer, and unrighteous Judge, &c.
But before I make any animadverſions on the late pamphlet, I cannot but obſerve ſomewhat of greater Moment then I can find in it.
1. That I being a man ſubject to great infirmities, yet it hath pleaſed God to hide them from him, who watched for my halting, and ſo to governe and order the ill will of my adverſary, that he ſeldom or never hits upon theſe, but layes the burthen upon the whole ſhoulder, and chargeth me with that which I can eaſieſt wipe off; bleſſed be God, that if at any time my nakedneſs hath been more then ordinary, yet this Cham hath not found me in it, for he would ſoone have publiſhed it to his bretheren; did he but know my often indifferencies in the wayes of God, my often ſtarting aſide, my unbeliefe, together with all the aggravating Circumſtances, ſo much as I doe, how would he glory over my infirmities? qui alterius vituperatione laudari putat; who knoweth no other way of Commending himſelf, then by diſparaging others; herein I deſire to adore the Love and goodneſſe of God to me and others.
2. That God ſhould draw good out of evil for the good of me and others, Shimei his railing tongue, and Rabſhekahs letters, ſhould conduce to our reputation, and that the wrath of man in the Lords hands, ſhould be as a file, to make the innocency of his people the brighter; this I deſire with reverence to lay to heart; how ſhould I and others adore the wiſdome of God who converteth all the ſoyle (that can be raked together out of the draught, either of our infirmities or of the paſſions of this man) into Fullers Soap to ſcoure our names and perſons to a greater brightneſs; they ſay of falſe dyalls, that's beſt which is moſt falſe, becauſe it will deceive feweſt: It is a favour for me and others (not intended by T. A. but directed by providence) that ſeeing we muſt be traduced, it ſhould be done ſo palpably and groſly.
3. I cannot but adore the Juſtice of God toward this Mr. Allien who hoping to raiſe up his wifes loſt fame upon the ruines of a Church, hath but expoſed her ſcandalous actions and his own to the more ſhame; and going about to aſperſe the cenſures of the Church, hath thereby ripened his own Judgment, which yet may eventually prove a mercy to him; it is ſo dangerous a thing to go along with impunity in any lewd courſe that the greateſt mercy to a malefactour, is to arreſt him in his Carriage.
And now Reader, leaſt thou be offended at the tartneſs of ſome paſſages in the following Book, I am forced to this Apology, That I divulge little more of Mr T.A. then what is divulged by himſelf: the Law of nature teacheth me to do right to my ſelf, and therein to prove (what I may) that I am ſlandered, and therefore I hope for a faire opinion from thee, if I give thee a farther light of what was done on March the 18th Againſt Mrs. M. A. which is by her husband very ill repreſented to the world; my reflections on him are not ſo much to uncover him, as the truth; expect no more then this from
June 2. 1658. Thy Friend. LEWIS STƲCLEY.