Gainsayer Convinced, To the reader – Preface
To the Reader.
Friendly Reader,
SEeing divine Providence hath made it my lot, and a calling hath induced me (who am leſſe then the leaſt of all the ſervants of Chriſt) to appear among others in the cloud of publike witneſſes to the truth of Ieſus Chriſt, I deſire for thy better ſatisfaction to give thee a word or two of the occaſion of theſe ſheets coming abroad. Whoſoever thou art, thou canſt not but know that we live in times wherein diverſities of opinions are blown (with all license) by the ſpirit of errour over all the land, to the great diſhonour of God, and the indangering of mens ſalvation: And that there are many Simons abroad, who (though they are but ſorcerers) doyet give out of themſelves, that they are ſome great ones, and many people give heed to them as to the great power of God: though indeed (as Paul ſaid of his Galatians) they are but bewitcht by them, that they ſhould not obey the truth. By theſe men the way of truth is evill ſpoken of, the Miniſters of Chriſt brought into contempt and deſpight, the Ordinances of God ſlieghted and caſt off all the truths of the Goſpet miſerably invaded by them, and the ſons of thouſands poiſoned and perverted. This is certainly an hour of darkneſſe wherein all ſorts of devils are crept out of their dens, and walk familiarly amongſt us; and (hinc lachrimae) O that we could weep tears of bloud, and ſigh to the breaking of our loins for this: that we could ſmite with the hand; and ſtamp with the foot, and cry out, Alas for this! that there are no Orders nor Acts made no new Laws made, nor old Laws execu…ed, for the reſtraining, puniſhing, preventing of the ſpreading of the moſt curſed hereſies, errours and blaſphemies that ever bell hatcht, or heaven or ear…h heard of, But that under a curſed pretence of conſcience and liberty, our poor Church and Kingdome ſhould be a quiet habitation for all the devils in bell. Surely theſe are dales wherein the ſaith of Gods people needs all props that either praier or preaching pulott or preſſe, publike or private inſtructions or admonitions can afford them. And nothing is more neceſſary in theſe times then a ſpirit of diſcerning, whereby we may be enabled to know chaff from wheat, gold from droſſe, a ſerpent from a Saint, A…ichriſt from Chriſt. And ſurely it errours were ſet out In their true, clear and live…y ſhape, that they might be ſeen as they are in themſelves, without any di…guiſe, their bare and unmasked face would be very ugly and abominable to judicious and intelligent mindes.
Now in the enſuing pages thou ſhall finde, Firſt, Satan appearing as an Angel of l…ght, whilſt he is in a great ſhew of zeal, ralling againſt the truth, And in the anſwer, thou hoſt his mask ſo far taken off, that thou maiſt plainly perceive him to be the Prince of darkneſſe. The Occaſion both of that Paper and my anſwer was this: Being cald to preach in the Lecture at …ir…eſter (where (with grief of ſoul I think of it and speak it) Satan hath been ſuffered exceedingly to prevail of late with many, to the ſucking in of moſt grievous errours; The Paper which thou wilt ſee here ſubſcribed by no leſſe then ten, being a ſad Teſtimony of this) I being directed by Providence to preach upon the latter part of the 2 d verſe of the 2 d chapter of the Revelation, viz Thou haſt tried them which ſay they are Apoſtles and are not, and haſt found them lyars. The proſecution of the ſeverall doctrines raiſed from the words, ſome ſeemed to be offended at, as … I had preached untruths, perſecuted the Saints, &c. I hearing of this offence taken (though none given) when God brought me to preach among them again: in my next turn I preacht upon the ſame text again, and publikely deſired the Congregation, that if I had or ſhould deliver any thing, in which they were not fully ſatisfied, that they would either ſpeak there, or come to me ere I went out of the town, and I ſhou'd in all love and willingneſſe endeavour to ſatisfie them: not one of them ever come to me, but continued ſtill to revile and ſlander me, and thoſe truths that had been delivered. I being enformed of this by their worthy Miniſter Mr Gregory, could do no leſſe but write to one of them, who ſeem'd to be ſomewhat offended, and made often complaints to their Miniſter about it, which Letter I had here in the firſt place given you, but that I had no copy of it, and I know not how to gain it out of their hands again. But I appeal to God and to their own conſcien…es, whether it was not written in expreſſions of ſoberneſſe, love and meekneſſe, and whether there were any paſſage in that which might juſtly give any offence to any of Gods people: I deſired him to whom I wrote in that Letter, to ſet down under his hand (ſeeing be refuſed to come in perſon to me) what or wherein the offence was which they had taken, or what it was that ſo much troubled them; And I there engaged my ſelf to endeavour a ſati…faction, and a clearing of all their doubts to the utmoſt of my power in a loving and brotherly way.
This M. Rudge (for to him I wrote) communicated this Letter to ſome others of that faction, who (as it ſeems) betook themſelves to one H…rriſ…n a man who was formerly a Stationer in London, after that (as I an enformed) a Troopar under the Earl of Eſſex, and having run through ſome other imployments, found this at laſt to be the moſt likely to live by in theſe diſtracted times, viz. to turn Preacher: A man (who as you may perceive by the Paper (if it were of his penning) as is moſt probable; it being his hand-writing (as ſome know that have ſeen it) and he being their Teacher) looks upon the Miniſtry of the Church of England as Antichriſtian, upon our Church as in Church, denies all our pub…ike Ordinances, and goes about now from place to place to draw diſciples after him. And by the way take notice, that That Vigil…nt Committee of Gloceſter have approved of, and pla…ed this man a Paſtor to a Congregation at Chatleton in Gloceſterſhire near Cheltnam where he now exerciſeth his guifts. To this man I ſay (as I am informed) theſe gainſayers betook themſelves for aſſiſtance, he being at that time and to this day their Teacher in private. He draws up the following invective, and though it be in many things moſt helliſh, yet ten of them ſet their hands to it, and ſend it to me, wherein they deſire …y anſwer under my hand. Tr…ly having read it, I found it ſo full of malice and bitterneſse, that I was once reſolved to ſit down and to conceal it, and only in private to pity, to mourn, and to pray for them, that the world might not ſee their madneſſe and ſolly. But ſome of them began preſently to crack and to cry out A Victory, (ſuppoſing their paper unanſwerable) They reported about the Countrey, that they had proved us to be Miniſters of Antichriſt, and that we cou…d not or durſt not anſwer them, and juſtifie our calling; Being enformed of this by ſome Gentlemen of Countrey, I took my ſelf bound in conſcience to ſend them an anſwer, which … had (at laſt) been in private, only to their own hands, had not they themſelves firſt proclaimed it publikely, and had not I been overperſwaded and importan'd by ſome of my Brethren to publiſh it for the ſatisfaction of all that are at preſent in doubt of thoſe things here cleared and the keeping faſt and confirming of thoſe who yet ſtand, and may be in danger of falling into the ſame ſnares: and that which made me ſomewhat more willing to publiſh this, was, the teſtimony which ſome of thoſe Brethren of the Miniſtry, which had the peruſall of it, gave to it under their hands, which thou ſhalt hereafter finde. So that I may ſay as Paul writing to his Galatians, chap. 1. verſ. 2. Paul an Apoſtle, &c. And all the Brethren with me to the Churches of Galatia. In writing to them he doth not come forth ſingly by himſelf alone, but as it were guarded with the company and conſent of all his beleeving and faithfull Brethren: Quaſi dicat Paulus (ſaith Luther upon the place) At if Paul ſhould have ſaid, leaſt I ſhould be alone, …adde over and beſides my ſelf all the Brethren which write this Epiſtle as well as I, and hear witneſſe with me, that my doctrine is true, They are all of the ſame minde, they think, write and teach that ſelf ſame things that I do.
So I can ſay, I and the Brethren with me, who th…nk, write and teach the ſame things, contend for the ſame truth which I doe, which was once delivered to the Saints.
In their Paper thou ſhalt finde that they ſtrike at our Church, Miniſtry, Magiſtracy, Ordinances, all which the Anabaptiſts of theſe times ſtrike at.
In my Anſwer, I deſire to give thee notice that there are ſome paſſages concerning the maintenance of Miniſters, and the rigbt of tiths, which thou maiſt finde more largely ſet down in that excellent tract of that worthy and learned D Reynolds upon the 110th Pſalm, out of which I have gathered ſome flowers, the Note in the Margent will direct th…e to the Page.
Friend, The Lord knows that with very ſad thoughts I look upon the diſaffection, differences and diviſions, which are betwixt Chriſtians in theſe daies, as that which portends more evill, then all our enemies can bring upon …, and that which ſadly expoſes not only our perſons, eſtates, poſterities, but that which is deareſt of all, our Religion to the bloudy advantages of our enemies. And the Lord knows that the deſire of my ſoul in this work, is not to make wider or encreaſe, but rather to compoſe our diviſions, rather to beat then to heighten them, …ing that it may ſome way conduce to the making o… us all of one minde and of one judgement, when we ſhall ſee where the truth is, which I have endeavoured here to clear up. Reade therefore and ſearch the Scriptu…e, whether theſe things are ſo or no, despiſe not the werkendeavours of thy brother, that deſires only in this Gods glory and thy good, but prove all things, and hold faſt that which is good, abſtain from all appearance of evill: And I pray God that the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who is the light of the world, the morning ſtar, the way, the truth, and the life, would clear up all our darkneſſe, and ſhew all his people the way and the truth, guide them in it, and bring them at laſt to life and light eternall. Amen.
T…ine T. T.
We have read this enſuing Anſwer, and finde it ſo full to every particular in the Charge, clearing ſo many materiall points now in contr…v…rſie, that we judge the publiſhing of it may be very beneficiall to the Church of God.
ALEXANDER GREGORY Miniſter of Cirenceſter.
WILLIAM EDWARDS Miniſter of Tethury.
RICHARD BRITTAN Miniſter of Biſley.
WILLIAM HALL Miniſter of Avening.
RICHARD HALL Miniſter of Beverſton.
Sir,
ACcording to your deſire we have preſented you the particulars of thoſe things which we could not but much diſlike, except we ſhould be like many now in our daies, meer time-ſervers and men pleaſers, and ſo prove perſidious to our principles and profeſſions, and make ſhipwrack of faith and a good conſcience, and betray our freedomes into the hands of our bloud-thirſty adverſaries that hath long ſought our downfall.
Firſt therefore, We cannot but diſlike with your praying and prating againſt thoſe which formerly you have both praied and preached up (which p…eſents you meer weather-cocks) they deſiring nothing but truth and juſtice may take place, and our (almoſt loſt) freedomes may be repaired, which hath been earneſt…y endeavoured by a corrupt Magiſtracy and Miniſtry to deprive us of, for the recovery whereof, our ever to be admired lebovah hath raiſed up a poor deſpiſed (yet gallant godly) Army, Who hath faithfully ventured their lives, and God hath crowned their labours with good ſucceſſe, for which good ſervice, you and the whole Kingdome are bound to pray for (not againſt) them, and we truſt while we have life, we ſhall own them and ſtand by them, with heart, hand and tongue againſt all their inverterate and imbittered adverſaries, ſo long as they ſtand for truth and juſtice, as now they doe.
Secondly, We diſlike the misapplication? (as indeed is your common practice, whereby youleade people in dark paths) of that expreſſion [the baſe are riſen up againſt the honourable] who do you mean by baſe? and who by honourable? this Riddle wants an Interpreter, theſe are but bals of wilde-fire to ſet the Kingdome freſh on fire, and to fill the hearts of the ſons of Belial with diſhonourable thoughts of the Kingdoms Worthies in the Army. But if truth may take place with our time-ſerving generation, who are baſe, but ſuch who are content to be baſely cheated out of all their priviledges, ſpirituall and temporall, by a few fine empty notions, who baſely betray the lives and liberties of themſelves and poſterities for preſent ſhadows? who are baſe, but ſuch as baſely falſifie and betray the truſt repoſed in them, but ſuch as ſeek their own advancement by a Kingdomes ruine? And who honourable, but ſuch that venture their lives rather then they and theirs ſhould be vaſſels to the baſe wils of any, though never ſo great? Is not that honourable ſervice to bring Delinquents to puniſhment, ſuch Vipers that would eat out the heart of our liberties, which is as dear as our lives (which the Army only doth) Doth not the Scripture declare, that Righteouſneſſe exalts a Nation, but what ſhall we ſay to this gainſaying generation, or generation of gainſaiers? who will not underſtand, may it not be truly ſaid to them, as Chriſt ſaid to Nicodemus, Art thou a Ruler in Iſrael, and knoweſt not theſe things? or rather as Chriſt ſaid to (ſeeing) blinde Phariſees that ſin open-eyed, Ioh. 9. laſt. If you were blinde, you ſhould have no ſinne, but now you ſay, we ſee, therefore your ſinne remaineth: and this we fear is your condition, becauſe we cannot but remember carriage and zeal for thoſe who you now condemn. Oh! what pains was ſpent in their behalf, what praiers was put up for them, what