stronger to cudgel him that is weaker into the same 'opinion' with him! If you be of a better growth and stature in knowledge than we, and comprehend such truths as we do not yet understand, we are most willing, as far and as fast as meat and nourishment will do it, to grow up unto you; only we would not be racked, or stretched, to the same stature or proportion with you!"a "We know not by what authority or interest you undertake to secure them [the Apologists], that they shall not be pressed to be actors in anything against their consciences.' It may be you are but of the ordinary Presbyterian stature and pitch; and so, your mercies, though somewhat severe, yet possibly may not be very cruel: but, saith the Scripture, in those days there were Giants in the earth,' as well as men of the common standard; so we fear a party amongst you, of the Hyper-Presbyterian spirits, whose Spring-tides may swell beyond your Low-water marks." e b "Good A. S., do you conceive the men would, under a Toleration, live without communicating at the Lord's table?' I know not what communion you have with their intentions of spirits, more than I; but for the present, I am no man of your belief herein. Toleration or no toleration, I believe they will communicate at the Lord's table,' and that oftener than twice a year!" d "The logico-divinity of your [following] Reason,' consisteth in this enthymeme, 'If we have but one God, one Christ, and one Lord, one Spirit, one Faith, one Baptism, whereby we enter into the Church, and are one Body; we ought to have one Communion, whereby to be spiritually fed, and one Discipline to be ruled by:' and if so, then ought not the Apologists to be tolerated!.. Not, necessarily, that 'cominunion' or that discipline' which are of Classic inspiration; no more than those which are either of Papal or Episcopal recommendation... Though we ought to have one communion and discipline,' yet ought we to be led into this Unity by the hand of an Angel of light, not to be frighted into it by an evil Angel of fear and terror.” "What, though men [in New England] of the same 'profession' with them [the Apologists] miscarried for want of such light as should have directed them in a better way; must this be a band of conscience upon them to bow down' their backs without any more ado, and to suffer Presbyterian greatness to 'go over' them, as the stones in the street? Nay; they have the more reason and necessity, in regard of such a miscarriage of their brethren, to sue for a Toleration' here; because, by that miscarriage of theirs, they are awakened to expect and fear yet far harder measure from you and your party, if they do not bestir themselves, by some means or other, to prevent it!" "They desire a Toleration for themselves and their churches in the Civil State; not that the errors which spring up in their churches should be suffered to fret like gangrenes, without being opposed by them; or, be protected by the State." i h P. 107. Did this word, in this place, suggest to Edwards the title of his several parts "Of Gangræna?" Every man that saith 'I am of Paul,' or 'I am of Apollos,' is not to be taught by thorns' and briers,'-as Gideon taught the men of Succoth," to speak better, by fining, imprisoning, unchurching, or the like; but by soundness of conviction, and wholesomeness of instruction from the Word of God. The Germans have a saying, that etiam in latrone puniendo potest peccari, a man may sin in punishing him that most of all deserves it! It is not enough for us to correspond with God in his ends, but we must keep as close to Him in his means also." b ་ "You tell us, that the Government so called, cannot but overthrow all sorts of Ecclesiastical Government.' Is Saul also among the prophets? Hæc verba loquentis ab ore, Gaudens arripio, et stupefactus Numine, adoro: I joy over these words, and reverence them for what I conceive to be of God in them. We know who prophesied when he was not aware of it. Indeed, by the beauty and perfect consonancy of this Government with the Word of God, it may very reasonably,-yea, and upon higher terms than of reason,-be thought that, in time, it cannot but overthrow all sorts of Ecclesiastical Government,' and stand up, itself, in their stead. Faxit Deus, et festinet. But that which you add, plainly showeth that you had no mind to prophesy, though God had, or might have, by you: for here you say that this order, by necessary consequence, will breed all sorts of disorder!' No: first; it will not breed' the disorder of oppressing conscientious men for conscience' sake: nor, secondly; of discouraging men from searching the Scriptures more narrowly: nor, thirdly; of having recourse unto the Word for the setting up of the Government of Christ's kingdom: nor, fourthly; of making men walk sundry miles for what they might have upon as good or better terms at home: besides a thousand other disorders,' which the 'order' of your Independency will never 'breed' by any consequence at all, 'necessary' or unnecessary; being of a very sovereign importance to prevent them... The Independent churches,' as you call them, have no such custom'd as for 'one' to give entertainment or admission to any person that hath been 'censured' by another,' without the censure [having been] first relaxed by that church which inflicted it, or without the consent of this church. This is their reproach, not their practice." ་ "As for his after-birth of Reasons,' since he professeth himself that he omits them, f we shall comport with him herein, and 'omit' them also. I hope he will think himself a debtor to us for this compliance. .. His Horsemen, you see, have been overcome, and yielded themselves his Infantry knows the manner of the field, and will, no question, surrender without encounter: nor, is there anything for weight or substance in this tail of Reasons,' but what hath been broken already in the head." g Judges viii. 16. e P. 111, ult. b P. 107. 1 Sam. x. 12. P. ult. d1 Cor. xi. 16. CHAP. LIV. EDWARDS'S ANTAPOLOGIA. C WE have seen it stated directly in one place," and perhaps indirectly in another, that an attack was prognosticated by the Apologists, from the pen of him who proved himself the most notorious heresy-hunter of his age, and whose several treatises, one of which we have introduced under the year 1641, are a farrago or "collection of such faults," as, like Epiphanius before him, procured for his works little more notoriety than for being "full of inaccuracies and errors." To subserve the purposes of our undertaking, we shall proceed to avail ourselves of what concerns it in the prognosticated treatise. And, while reflecting on this, and the other antagonist productions which the "Apologetical Narration" gave rise to, we cannot but advert to St. James's exclamation, "Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" Such was, indeed, the case, in relation to the bulky piece intituled "Antapologia: Or, A Full Answer to the 'Apologetical Narration, etc.' Wherein is handled many of the Controversies of these times.-Humbly also submitted to the Honourable Houses of Parliament.-By Thomas Edwards, Minister of the Gospel.-1644." 4to. pp. 367. It will be recollected, that after having recorded the title of the "Narration," we gave also the Licenser's precognition, authorising the printing of that tract. Edwards's treatise has likewise a Licenser's allowance; but, though a divine of the same denomination with Herle, Cranford so far differed from him as to dissent from the commendation which Herle had bestowed so liberally, yet consistently, on the Narrators. As it furnishes another specimen of what was practised in those times, when the press was under restrictions which happily for its future freedom called forth, in this same year, Milton's "Areopagitica," we give the terms of the "Imprimatur," as it stands fucing the title-page: "Having diligently perused this 'Antapologia,' I find it so full, and just, and necessary, an examination and discovery of the 'Apologetical Narration,' both in matters of fact and of opinion, that because I dare not-as too many-have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons,' I approve it to be imprinted; and commend it, Reader, to thy most serious consideration.-Ja. Cranford." He had previously, June 7th, 1644, set his hand to the single word "Imprimatur," before the "Anatomy of Independency." And he will be met with at least once more, in this capacity, in a subsequent page. Edwards starts with the announcement, that he had drawn up this present Answer to "undeceive" the tender-conscienced, scrupulous, doubting Christian" in the "Apologists, the Apology, and their churchway; and, to satisfy them in their scruples and doubts about Presby See Mosheim's Eccles. Hist. Cent. iv. pt. 2. chap. ii. sect. 9. Maclaine's Edit. d Chap. iii. 5. e Jas. ii. 1. tery." It appears, however, in the same page of his Epistle to the Reader, that there existed "many prejudices" both against his "person and the book," which he sought to abate by comparing his own "sufferings, troubles, patience, and labours," with those of " the exile, patience, etc." of the Apologists; but he tells us, with modesty not very characteristic, that he was deterred, in part, lest he might "become a fool in glorying!" a Besides other grounds calling for his Answer, he writes, "within these few days, just before the Antapology was coming forth, a pamphlet, intituled The Anatomist Anatomised,' was printed, rather to prepossess the reader against the Antapology than to answer the 'Anatomy of Independency;'" against which pamphlet even Edwards's spleen seems unusually excited. "As for a judiciary proof," he says, "of all matters of fact in my Antapology, I not seeing those Letters writ; and most of my Letters being but copies; and many of the facts being done beyond the seas; considering also, it is possible the relators may mistake in some things, I cannot positively and judicially swear and make out such a kind of proof!" And he expresses his apprehension that Simpson's "book," so far as it concerns the Antapology, "may be a block in the way of it." That this "forthcoming" Antapology is "full of bitterness, malice, reproaches, and railings;" Edwards is sorely vexed at such prepossessions having gone abroad; thus quickly forgetting that he had himself just said, "I conceive Mr. Simpson's guilt and consciousness caused fear; and fear that hastened him to thrust forth something in the way of the Antapology, to blast the credit of it before it was come forth: and the truth of it is, he, of all the Apologists, hath been most faulty both in Holland and England." The "Apology," Edwards goes on to say, " contains matter of high praise of themselves and their party,-a few inconsiderable persons, comparatively;-with many close and dangerous insinuations against all the Reformed Churches, which cannot be answered particularly without some recrimination and charge!" After this, and much more, the following passage may be instanced as a curiosity in one of the works of "Thomas Edwards, Minister of the Gospel:" "In many passages of this Answer, I do, upon several occasions, give the Apologists a just testimony of that worth for parts and piety which is in them; and speak to them, and of them, as Brethren: so that let but all these things be laid together, considering also the rules of Scripture in such cases, and that I intended a plain particular downright answer; and this Answer will then be accounted candid, moderate, -my pen dipped in oil, and not in vinegar!" And to add to the interest on behalf of the Apologists, "The truth is," says Edwards, they "have been too much flattered, both in their persons and church-way; and they are undone for want of being dealt with plainly and freely. A candlestick hath been too much held out to them; and I hope this Answer may do much good, even to abate their swellings and confidence!" But our reader's interest and curiosity will be still further excited on perusing the final sentence of this introduca 2 Cor. xii. 11. See back, p. 244. tory portion of the Antapology:-"I conclude this Epistle, as Beza doth his to Duditius, Farewell: The Lord keep thee and all thine from all evil; and especially from noonday devils which walk about in this place, and in these times;' that is, from the errors of Anabaptism, Brownism, Antinomianism; Toleration of Sects and Schisms, under pretence of liberty of conscience!" Having thus to do with one of the most cavilling and verbose of writers, we shall be compelled to set a more than ordinary restraint on the inclination to illustrate the practices and modes of treatment peculiar to this singular character; who tells us that he had "taken up a fixed resolution, never to give over writing till this Church be settled, and these great Schisms amongst us healed." a Could we, for instance, suppress such a passage, to begin with, as even the second page affords? "Into what remote and far country were you banished? And what were the companions of your exile ? Certainly the Reader.. will think, Alas, good men, Into what Patmos, Indies, or remote wilderness, were they banished and forced to fly!' and will never imagine that these men were the exiled Ministers, and this their exile, who, in a time of common danger and suffering in their own Land, went with their wives, children, estates, friends, Knights, Gentlemen, and Citizens, over into Holland; where they lived in safety, plenty, pomp, and ease; enjoying their own ways and freedom; and, when the coasts were cleared, came over into England, were entertained and received with all respects and applause, and are now Members of the Assembly of Divines!'" "As for this Apologetical Narration,'" says Edwards, “The learned Licenser having lived remote, till of late, was strongly deceived to give such a testimony to it." And then, as it were to counterbalance that testimony, Edwards would make the world his debtor, in these terins, "My judgment of it is this, That it is indeed cunningly and advantageously drawn up for to take and deceive good people; to gather, increase, and confirm their party by it; being full of specious and glorious pretences, and all plausible seeming compliance and correspondency with the churches they depart from. And, therefore, my scope in this Answer is the endeavouring to undeceive the people, and to wipe off the paint; and to show the snake under the green grass, and the foul hand under the white glove! And, upon the thorough and full examination of the book, I can bring in this just charge against it, that there is not only fraud in relating part of the story and opinions, and not the whole; holding out the bright side of the cloud, but hiding the black; but there are many manifest untruths in some of their relations, and that even where God and men are called to witness: and I could in most passages of the Apology which are matters of fact, write quite the contrary to what they affirm. Besides that, some passages in the book cross and interfere with others; as also, there is a dealing in generals and in the clouds, with many doubtful and double expressions, like Apollo's oracles; there being few passages of moment either in matter of fact, or opinion, but they are so framed that they may receive a double construction, and that sense which according to grammar and ordinary acceptation they carry, cannot be meant." |