A LETTER From a GENTLEMAN to his FRIEND. Concerning the Second Edition of the DECLARATION AGAINST Antinomian Errors, etc. Lately published by 

Geo. Griffith,  
Matthew Mead,  
Step. Lob,  
Richard Taylor,  
john Nesbitt.    He that is first in his own Cause (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own Quarrel) seemeth just, but (or till) his Neighbour cometh and searcheth him, Pro. 18. 17. 
LONDON: Printed in the Year, 1699.   

A LETTER From a Gentleman in the City to his Friend.  
SIR,  
SINCE you will not admit of my excuses, I can no longer resist the importunity you express, that I would give you my thoughts about the present state of Affairs, amongst the Ministers of the Congregational persuasion: more especially of what relates to the Declaration lately Published by some of them. You're not insensible how dangerous a task it is to unravel the mysteries of the Leaders of the People, without drawing the Odium of a whole Party of upon the bold undertaker, tho' the charge be never so Just and Righteous: This is owing to a fundamental Maxim instilled into us from our infancy, That to expose the Preachers is to ridicule and banter Religion out of the World, to introduce Atheism and all impiety, as if the virtues, or depravities of that sort of Men did add or diminish, from the vital Power and Energy of true Religion, which stands upon so sure a Foundation, that even the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it. But so far has this Poison diffused it self into the hearts of most Men, that the discoveries God hath made unto us in his Word how he will be worshipped, and what he expects from us, are not fully believed, except they be confirmed by those we commonly call Divines, whom to set in a clear light before the Generality of People, is to rob them of the better half of their worship; who thereupon are apt to cry out, with Micah, ye have taken away my Gods which I made, and the Priest, and what have I more? And for my part I must frankly own, that this Poison had so far infected me, that all the Antidotes I ever took could not effectually eradicate the malignity of it, till by continued observation I found our Ecclesiastical Donns so far from being elevated above those failings common to mankind, that in many of them those very corruptions discovered themselves more predominate than in others: But whether the station wherein they are placed magnifies every Peccadillo in them, or whether their degeneracy be really so great (with which subject I may possibly hereafter entertain you) is not at present my intention to inquire: But I shall proceed to lay before you my Thoughts upon a half sheet, a few Days since emitted into the World, and affixed to the Declaration you wot of, by five Congregational Ministers, as they style themselves: And the matters of fact I shall faithfully represent to you as they came to my knowledge, to the relation of which you'll the more readily give Credit, when you consider, I can't Justly be supposed to be biased in my Judgement to this or the other Party, whether Presbyterian or Independent, having never actually joined with either of them, and therefore am under no temptation to espouse one cause more than another; but as Friend to Truth, and in detestation of that gross Legerdemain lately imposed upon the World, I shall give you a short Narrative of their Advertisement published with the Second Edition (as they call it) of their Declaration, and then sum up the whole in a succinct description of what part each of the five Subscribers acted in it.  
For their Advertisement then, you shall know that the first part of it runs in the following strain.  
It having been reported and industriously spread abroad, that the Declaration against Antinomian Errors, etc. was not considered, and approved of by the Congregational Ministers in and about this City. (Which is in manifest contradiction to the title Page and Preface.)  
I shall not examine the ingenious stile this passage is couched in, nor take notice of the Parenthesis, aptly placed, as they may think, after a full Period, the supposed Learning of the Amanuensis to that Reverend Society shrouding him from censure of incorrectness: But I shall lead you directly into the understanding of this intricate matter.  
You must know, that some time since a party of the Congregational Ministers held a Consistory at the Amsterdam Coffee-house, and other places, to draw up something to satisfy the World that they did not any way warp towards a hateful busieness called Antinomianism, and having their fancies quickened by the name of the place they were in, after many debates, they picked up some Errors from Amsterdam, or hard by, held some hundred years ago, and strenuously confuted them by Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and the Assemblies Catechism, with the help of Dr. South. This their composition crept into the World in so clandestine a manner, that many who were adherers to them, and their interest, could scarcely be persuaded to believe they were the Authors of that Elaborate piece; which gave birth to an Anomymous Pamphlet, entitled Considerations upon the Congregational Ministers Declaration: this some conceive to have been wrote by a Presbyterian; therein he endeavours to demonstrate by many Arguments, that it was not probable the Congregational Ministers were the Authors of that Declaration, and in a severe passage towards the Conclusion, seems to throw it upon the Celebrated Lunatic, Trepidantium Malleus, who boasts that he has highly merited of the World by so happily exploding Mr. Baxter's Errors and his Followers, and who really engaged in a work of the like design with this Declaration some Months ago. But whoever was the Author of that Pamphlet, 'tis certain it had this effect, that those Reverend Sirs, who before had foisted into the World that, supposed spurious, Declaration, being now touched to the quick, do boldly own it to be the legitimate product of their strict scrutiny into the Records of the Dead, by prefixing five Names to it, viz.  


Geo. Griffith,  
Mat. Mead,  
Steph. Lob,  
Richard Taylor,  
john Nesbitt.     

Now upon this goodly Proceeding of theirs we may justly make the following Reflections.  
1. Hereby we see unto what miserable Subterfuges Men are forced to betake, to palliate that Pride and Arrogancy which their aspiring after a Power they had no right to, had involved them in. It is clear to every one who knows any thing of the Congregational Principles, that, without the consent of their Churches, the Ministers have no Authority to engage in such a Work, and in all Probability the thoughts of this made them ashamed at first to own it for theirs. But as one Error is introductive of another, so through a fatal Mistake (which is an evident Demonstration they were conscious they had transgressed, by publishing this Declaration upon their own Heads) they have egregiously exposed one of the Brethren of the Conclave, tho' not of the number of the five Subscribers; who to palliate (according to Instruction no doubt) the Publication of their First Edition, without their Names, gave out that those Errors were of such Consequence, that except they had more fully weighed their Collection of Answers to them, their Design would have proved abortive: And they must then have inevitably exposed that Learning and Zeal (poor and blind as it is) wherewith they have for some time amused ignorant, well disposed People. Add to this, another short Remark, which will yet expose their Combination somewhat more, They call it a Second Edition, whereas, in Truth, it is very much questioned, whether many of the first Impression found vent; and 'tis generally thought, that the Advertisement, to which these five Names are affixed, is stitched by the Bookseller to their Declaration; which, with a new Title Page, is all the Alteration it has undergone.  
2. We cannot but note, that they have hereby obliged the World with a taste of that Learning, which they account sufficient for themselves, and their Churches too▪ For being throughly convinced of the Ignorance and Inability of their respective Flocks to assert their own Principles (as the last Subscriber of the Five, very sagaciously has asserted) they, like true Champions, by their single Prowess have defended that Cause which none opposed, and confuted those Errors which no body holds, or charges them with.  
3. Hereby they demonstrate to the World, how happy the present Constitution of their Churches is; since the Pastors can so easily ravish from the People, that Authority, Order and Discipline, which all of them, when first they were called to their Charge, found them in, and place it alone in themselves; which makes me judge, without any breach of Charity, that they have found their Lording over God's Heritage so sweet, and so profitable, that they would not be very much averse, upon the first Overtures of a Treaty, to attempt to make the two Sticks one again: And then they may exercise Despotic Power without control, beating their People with a heavy Hand.  
But 'tis high time to come to the other part of their Advertisement, which shuts up in these goodly Phrases.  
We, whose Names are hereunto subscribed, to the and the truth of Matter of Fact may appear, to the Conviction of every Reader, do declare, that (excepting two or three Ministers, who go under the same Denomination with us, to whom we thought not fit to communicate the said Declaration) all the Pastors of Congregational Churches, in and about this City, did consider, and unanimously express their Approbation of it.  
And here, Sir, for brevity sake, I shall slightly pass over the awakard Style, this Sentence, (as well as the former) is expressed in. Have these great would-be-Representatives of all the Congregational Churches in and about London, with all their Academic Literature, attained to no more Judgement in their Mother Tongue, than scarce to be able to write true English? This indeed would be a diverting Subject to paraphrase upon, had I not matters of greater Moment to communicate to you, which will expose their Honesty somewhat more than their harsh English does their Accuracy. I will not, in what I shall say, take the method most of them do in their Pulpits, when they either force a Text to speak what it never intended, by their impertinent Glosses and Distinctions, or constrain it to go with them much longer than the Subject will bear; but I will give you, in short, my Division of the above quoted Advertisement, according to the Genuine Interpretation of the Words, which will unfold to us, what Doctrine is contained in them.  
Then let us see how Magisterially these Donns open themselves.  
We, whose Names are hereunto subscribed, to the end the Truth of matter of Fact may appear, to the Conviction of every Reader, do declare, etc.  
It will not be impertinent to spend a few thoughts upon the Consideration of who these We are, that so presumptuously take upon them, to be universal Dictator's; and from the vain supposition of their own Merit and Renown, to convince every Reader of the Truth of matter of Fact. Little Scrutiny made into the Merit of these Rabbis, will easily show how much Credit we ought to give to what they assert, and what Influence it will have upon all Men of Sense.  
The Two first Subscribers then, as we find them ranked in order, are G. G. and M. M. whom I put together, not for any Resemblance they bear to each other, (for they are in some Respects as opposite as the two Poles) but because the first of them was, by a piece of Policy natural (to the second) decoyed to affix his Name to this Narrative, tho' he has since confessed he did not understand the Intrigue, and therefore I shall have nothing more to say of him: And the rather, because I'm credibly informed Mr. M. gave Directions, that unless Mr. G. signed the Paper first, his Hand should be blotted out; by which Stratagem, the good old Gentleman was ensnared, and the odium of his being found in such Company falls entirely upon his Betrayer; whose design herein I shall not pretend to unriddle, but leave it to be guessed by you, and others, who have a clear insight into this Man of Design: only I must add, that I'm apprehensive his engaging to support himself and others, in Practices no way warrantable, will revive a Report which has been whispered about the Town of a certain House and Garden surreptitiously obtained from the true Proprietors.  
Step. Lob, Richard Taylor, and john Nesbit, bring up the Rear, and are the Persons whom I shall next entertain you with. Mr. T. I must in Justice defend from Censure, and acquit him from any sinister Dealings in this Affair, he being probably influenced by the Persuasions of Crafty Men, to whose Wiles the Easiness of his Temper leaves him exposed; to his own great Disadvantage, and the Encouragement of their Insults.  
Mr. L. you have heard much of in the last Reign, and not a little in this, tho' upon other Accounts. Then a Politian and a mighty Courtier, being a Secretioribus to the late Tyrant: Now a rough and surly Divine, fight his betters with his Pen; the common Scribbler of what the Synod, meeting at Pinner's Hall, alias Amsterdam Coffee-house, alias a House in Moorfields, please to employ him in: One while drawing his Dagger in secret, another while fight the whole Synagogue at St. Helen's with his Brandished Sword in public. This Man of Contention, with his Friend Mr. N. were the great Promoters and Inditers of this Pamphlet, these two are intimately acquainted with all the steps relating to this quarrelsome Declaration. This poor Wretch Mr. N. is lest of all to be excused, for that he discovers his want of Common Civility, which should teach him to be thankful to a Nation, that has put Money in his Pocket, and set the Beggar on Horseback, who now in requital would ride over the Necks of his Benefactors; but possibly he may have found some Encouragement for what he has done, in one of the Fathers, which he delights so much to quote, tho' with as little Pertinency as ever was sung the Ballad of Chevy Chace.  
But I shall not spend my time in discovering that to you, concerning the two last mentioned, which you are no Stranger to; since the Spirit with which they were acted, will be best seen, when you understand the Methods they took, to persuade the World, that the publishing their Declaration was by the unanimous Consent of all the Congregational Ministers in and about this City. I will not question but the Conclave at Pinner's Hall had sounded the Minds of their Brethren of the same Denomination, as they call it, with themselves, how far they would join with them in the Publication of their elaborate Piece; what Resentment the Majority had of it shall not now be told, tho' 'tis reported Dr. Chauncy, Mr. Ness, Dr. Singleton, Mr. Short, Mr. Harris, Mr. Meidell, etc. cared not to intermeddle in a Case that concerned them not. This Last, was formerly a Lutheran, but some Years ago brought over to the knowledge of the Truth, and is now Pastor to a Congregational Church, his Assent therefore they most earnestly desired, he being a faithful Confessor of Jesus Christ, and a great Sufferer for him; to obtain which, Mr. L. the Scribe, by order of Mr. N. the Dictator, writes him a Letter, which whether more full of Pride, or Ignorance, is difficult to define, wherein he tells him how Harmonious the Ministers all were to usher the second Edition of their Declaration into the World, with an Attestatation to it under their hands, that there was but One more besides himself, of whose Consent they at all doubted, and that One had been spoke to, and therefore in trust▪ (as he says) requested him not to obstruct so good a Work, lest they should be obliged to let the World know, by exposing Mr. Meidell's Name in Print, that he was the only Man amongst them, who refused to join with them.  
But perhaps you are as tired as I am, in tracing the hidden Byways of these assuming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I shall therefore sum up all I am minded at this time to communicate, in a few Queries, which I leave to your serious Consideration.  
Query, 1. Whether by publishing, a shameless half-side, to vindicate the Reputation of their former title Page and Preface, which, they say, met with a manifest Contradiction; these men do not at the same time discover an overweening conceit of their own title Page and Preface, and a measure of Insolence beyond what is common, when they take it in such Dudgeon, that the Authority of a nameless title Page and Preface is called into Question?  
Que. 2. Whether these Men by insinuating, that all to whom they thought fit to communicate their Declaration approved of it, become not Guilty at least of a very gross fallacy? since Mr. Meidell, to whom they did think fit to communicate it (if S. L—, and J. N—, may be credited) openly declared his dislike of it to them at Pinners-Hall. Surely such sly and untrue Insinuations ill become Ministers of Christ, who should renounce all hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, etc.  
Que. 3. Whether by saying, that their Declaration was approved by all the Congregational Ministers in and about London, but by two or three, to whom they thought not fit to communicate it, these Men do not manifestly contradict what S. L. wrote Mr. C. M. when he tells him that all had approved of it but One, and that One had been spoke to about it. How these things can hang together they should best tell, but till I better understand their minds in this matter, I must apply our old Proverb to them. Liars need good Memories.  
Que. 4. Whether S. L. when he wrote to Mr. C. M. and assured him that what he did communicate to him was in trust (emplying his being entrusted by all the Ministers) when indeed but one or two could be found to have set him on work, did therein act the part of a trusty Scribe to his Masters all, or like an upright Christian, and faithful Minister, fit to be put in trust with the Gospel? This Query I leave with the Conscience of that busy Empiric.  
Que. 5. Whether these Men have not evidently run beyond the tedder of Independent Principles, in publishing this Declaration without the Knowledge of their respective Churches, and in unwarrantably concerning themselves with Pastors of other Churches? But alas! it is to be feared, many that go under the name of Independents, affect and exercise as much Tyranny and Usurpation, over their own Churches and fellow Servants, as any of other denominations, that pretend to no such purity; Witness their counterfeit Agreement, first clandestinely patched up by Clubbs of Preachers, without the Knowledge of their Churches, and afterward as arbitrarily imposed upon them.  
Que. 6. Whether, by mustering up a Cargo of Antinomian Errors, espoused by no Party of Men, or single Preacher in England at this day, these Men have discovered, most of a vain Itch of Pride to show their reading, or of an angry humour of contention, to be quarrelling, tho' they know not at what, or of a weak air of impertinence, to bring somewhat on the Stage, nothing to the purpose, or of a malicious Design against Souls, to infect our air with some Germane Antinomianism, which they have raked out of the Grave of Oblivion, where they have lain now this hundred years, (as a Poet of their own said) and against the venom of which their poor Antidotes, scraped from Dr. etc. are much too weak.  
Que. 7. Whether the insolent Methods these Preachers have taken to terrify men more conscientious than themselves, into a compliance with their base proceedings, do not discover them to be acted rather by the Spirit of Belial then of Jesus? Certainly it is not according to Christ's rule, to Stigmatize others with the Title of Antinomians, etc. that cannot run our length, nor does it savour of true Christian humility for any to be perking above their Brethren with such a Phrase of contempt, as We thought them not fit. It is to be feared, these Men that think others not fit for their notice, in a way of respect, would think them very fit to be degraded, and delivered over to the Secular Power, why else should one of their number say, we want a little more of the Magistrate on our side. And what other meaning can be given of that passage, wherein they tell us, they Judge themselves obliged, to bear with and exercise compassion and tenderness to their fellow Servants, chiefly because our Governors have by a Law tolerated us, and partly because the Savoy Confession hath taught them so to do. But for any Scripture or Grace produced by them for Lenity, Quere, Where it is?  
Que. 8. Lastly, Whether upon the whole (to set the Saddle upon the right Horse) this Stratagem was not contrived, and promoted principally by one or two wily Men, that stand convict of Demy Arminianism in Principle, and true Antinomianism and Intrusion in Practice, in order to the raising a Dust of forged Antinomianism and Intrusion on others, so to hinder the pursuit of themselves, for their Scandalous Lives, Ignorance of the Gospel, Invasions, etc. And here, Sir, you must needs take notice how craftily they labour, to bring into black Suspicion, by base Innuendoes, the Persons and Ministry of such whom they most dread, treating them in Print, as the Chieftain at Stepney, formerly served good old Mr. Laurence in the Pulpit; endeavouring to load them with Calumnies sufficient, that some may stick upon them, and themselves may be accounte● Innocent.  
A true Resolution of this Query, would serve at once to clear up the Reputation of several; that in all appearance were decoyed into this Subscription, by the Craft of others, and that followed the● Steps, as the innocent Men did Absolom in their Simplicity, not knowing any thing; and at the same time hereby we should see, a little of that great Gild that lies on some Men's Consciences, who tho' they would be thought Reverend Men, are ever afraid of having themselves laid open: But let such consider that the Secrets of their Hearts will one Day be discovered, than it will be known with what Spirit and Aims this scandalous Pamphlet was published. In the mean time, I profess to you, Sir, (and you that know my Disposition, will believe me, whatever others think) that nothing but the highest concern for abused Truth, would have drawn me to say all this, and thus to have exposed Men whom, but for the undeceiving of the World, I would rather have been unconcerned with, as well knowing he that touches upon the failings of the Priest, is like to have the barking of all the Dogs in the Parish. But I must be of the same Mind with Luther, quoted in their Preface, To think Truth to be of so inestimable a Value, that it's better Heaven and Earth be blended together in Confusion, than that the least Dust thereof should perish.  
FINIS.