The New Hampshire Gazette

PORTSMOUTH. To the Publisher, &c. The invidious, malicious, and reprobating Charge of spiritual Ignorance, Ignorance of the great Doctrines of the Gospel (without specifying what those Doctrines are) exhibited against many great and learned Men in our Day, in your last Week's Gazette, must raise the Indignation of all well disposed, and impartial Enquirers after Truth. It has, I must acknowledge, raised in me, an uncommon Degree of Resentment, to see the Bonds of Charity so notoriously violated. - Many great and learned Men in our Day are spiritually ignorant, says the Writer, (i. e.) are running headlong to the Devil. Arrogance unparallel'd! May the Thoughts of the Man's Heart be forgiven him; for he Seems to be in the Gall of Bitterness, and in the Bond of Iniquity. But how easily is the Charge retorted; for substitute only the Weak, the Unlearned, and Calvinistick Scheme, in the Room of the Great, the Learned, and Arminian Scheme, the Watch word of a Party, the greatest Part of which know little of the Matter, and the Argument is equally conclusive; Mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur.--The great Doctrines of the Gospel must suffer in the Hands of such pitiful Defenders; Non tali auxilio, nec Defensoribus istis causa eget.--I adore the Doctrines of Grace when rightly explained; and know by Experience what the Scriptures inform me of, that without divine Assistance I can do nothing. But the same Scriptures that thus inform me, instruct me also to try the Spirits, and not to be imposed on by dogmatical Affirmations, the idle Vaunts or extravagant Boastings of every forward Pretender. I am taught to call no Man Master here upon Earth; in Obedience to which Command, I purpose, thro' divine Assistance, (and I would exhort all Persons to come to the same Resolution) to guard; not only against what I apprehend to be the Errors of Arminius, but also against the spiritual Pride of the Followers of Calvin; some of whose Principles (and those it seems most zealously espoused) are destructive of all Covenants, and subversive of all Religion.--Let Men then take the Apostle's Advice, to examine themselves whether they be yet in the Faith, to prove their own selves. 2 Cor. xiii. 5.