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H\ 4
k «-
Sacrilegious Defection
OF THE
BOLT MINISTER
REBUKED,
AND
Tolerated Preaching of the G S P E L
V I N D I C A TED,
Againft the Reafonings of a Confident
Queftionift, in a Book called
£ Toleration not to be abufed. 3
With Counfel to the *
NONCONFORMISTS,
And Petition to the .
PIOUS CONFORMISTS.
By one that is Confecrated to the Sacred
Miniftery , and is refolved not to be a
wilful Deferter of it , in truft that any underta-
kers, can juftifte him for fuch defertion at . the
Judgment of God •, till he know better how thofe
can come off themfelves, who are unfaithful Pa-
ftors, or uniuft Silencers ofpthers. • <tfi
J ; ___
i Cor. 9. 16. For though I preach the GofpeL I have
nothing to glory of : For neceffity is laid upon
me, yea woe is unto me, it I preach net the
GofpeL
i Tim.i.iz, <& z.$>& 3.6- For which caufe I fuffer
thefe things, neveithelefs I am not afhamed, &c.
1 TheJ. 2. i$,i£. Who both killed the Lord j'efus and
their own Prophets,, and have perfecuted us,3:c.
Printed in the Year, i6ji.
U)
1909998
Tolerated Preaching
OF
Cinifis (jofpbl
VINDICATED,
CHAP* Ii
Of the Jntbor and the Title*
SECT. 1.
Am one my felf that am fd
greatly defirousyf His Maje-
fties Clemency,and efcarthis
prefent Toleration fhould
not be abufed by any, efpe-
cially fileaced Minifters 5
that if this had been all that
the Author endeavoured , I ftlould earneftly
have feconded him.And I am not without fear
A a Of
«JL
(4)
of the Wtakne\S) Rafhnefs } Injudicioufnefs and
Jmyritience of fome that yet are earneft and
profitable Preachers. But when I find that
by viot-tbujing our Liberty , he meaneth , not-
ujing it, and that he hath the face to exhort us
to defer t our* Office , \v heft the King doth hin-
der them from forcible reftraining usj arid that,
when it is Gods work which we are vowed
to, he cometh to us ( as the old Prophet) in
Gods name j to charge us to forbear it , my
Confcience bids me help to fave the weaker
fore jthat need it,from fuch pernicious fallacies.
And if I fpeak plainly of the quality of bis ar-
guings, I defire the Reader not to interpret it,
asiflhadnot the hearty eft defire of Peace,
and :\\ Brotherly Love and Concord with all
conformable, godly, faithful Minifters. But
words are not anfwered according to their
nature , when the nature of them is not o-
pened.
SeB. 2. Who the Author is , and why he
refoivech his Queftion on the Presbyterian
Principles, and pafleth by the Epifcopal Non-
conformifts, as if he were fo ignorant of the
prefent State of EngUni y as not to know that
there are many fuch ( when at the Kings re-
turn,i<S6o.k was Bifliop Ufhers Form of Epif-
copal Government which they all offered for
Concord, who were employed in that work)
tbefe are little matters, not to be infifted on.
Only I fliall tell hjxd tjiat I haye mcc with few
Iris*
Presbyterian Mmifters in England: though
moft have that name g ven them in their Li-
cehfes* A Presbyterian is one tkat is [For tbeDi-
vine Right of RHlir>g-£lders,unordained,havin£
no Power to Preach and Admintjler Sacrament s\
and for the Government of the Church by
Presbyteries, Claffes, and Synods, compofed of
Teaching-Elders in Parity with tbefe Ruling-
Elders Conjantt , fo that 2l (general Affembly
of them is the true Ecclefiaftical Head, otz
National-Church. ]] Of late, a Presbyterian
is like the Puritan of old : A word which
hath as many and as bad fignificatians, as
fpeakers have diversity of defigns or intents.
In one mans mouth a Presbyterian is an Epifco*
pal Proteftant of the fobereft.fort, who is nei-
ther for Setts, nor for Cbftrcb-7yranny; and fo
impudency hath called them Presbyterians
many years, who offered the faid Epifcopal
Form, which A. Bifhop^for proved to be the
true Government of the ancient Churches.
And fo we have made Epifcopal Presbyterians,
who are agawft unordained Elders, and for Bi-
(hops. In anothers mouth a Presbyterian is one
that is refolute againftP^rj.Inanochers mouth
a Presbyterian is one that is for the fenous pra-
ctice of a holy life. In another mans mouth
a Presbyterian is one that is againft Bifhops.
And fo Independents and many other Se&s
would be Preslyterians too. And in other
mens mouthes a Presbyterian is one that is of
A 3 Bi-
CO' ,
Bifhop Reynolds, and Dr. Stillwgfieets jucfg-
ment, that no Form of Government (befides
the meer Paftoral Office, and Church-Af-
femblies ) is prefcribed in the Word of God,
Jmt vari'oufly left to variety of occafions.
Among all thefe, when you (peak with a
Railing Ruffian, he muft tell you which he
means himfelf : But when we meec with a
Divine that underftandeth the common ufe of
the Word, we muft take him to ufe it in the
fir ft proper fenfe. In which fenfel fay again,,
that I am acquainted with few comparatively
that are for Presbytery ; but I know many
that are for Paftoral Adminiftration without
Church-Tyranny or Schifm.
Sett. 3. As the Author honoureth himfelf
with the praife of being a Lover of the Truth
and Peace ( which commendation all the con-
tending parties, from the Papijl to the Quaker
are as ready to give themfelves) fo I hope I
fhall theeafilier obtain his pardon, if (belie,
ving him) I fhall prove that it is Truth and
Peace which he oppofeth. And if I offer him
a better way to* fecure themj afluring him
that I agree with him in his main defign , to
t bring the Conformifts and Non-conformifts
9 nearer, and to a more amicable concord in
the Work of God, and not to drive any further
from mutual Communion than they are.
CHAR,
K?)
CHAP- II-
Tie Nonconform/}/ J{efolutions, and the
true State of the £afe to be debated.
Sett. **T^E i c known to the Reader, that the
-L*name of Nonconformifis was noc
made by ourfelves > hut by others, (as the
names of the four Confeffors, Dan. i. was).
The Titles which we affume, as (ignifying
our own profefled Religion, are but thefe, our
Religion is Cbri/iian, and no other ; In oppo-
fition to dividing Se&s we are Catbolick* ; In
contradiftin&ion from Heretickjy we cleave to
the Serif tare as our Rule ; In contradrftin&i-
on from the Romtin Schlfm and Corruptions we
are Proteftants y that is, we protefl to cleave to
fimpleCbri$ianitj> and to the Primitive puri-
ty and {implicit j againft their introduced No-
velties and Vanities.
Seft. 2. hs to t\iePoir\to{ Church-Govern-
ment & fVarfhip (the quarrel of the prcfenc age)
l. We eafily confefs that we are not all of a
mind j which is no caufe of alienation of of-
fettions, nor fhould be a caufe oi mutual per-
fections ; It being our judgment that Chrilli-
ans are to bear With one another in greater
nutters, than Epifcopal , Presbyterians^ Inle-
ts 4 pw\
finientSyZnd Jnabaptifts difagree in. And
if any among us have done otherwife hereto-
fore, it was from a Vice Homogeneal to thac
of the prefent Conformifts , which now they
fmart for j and the Conformifts may repent of
in due time.
Sett. 3 . We take not the name of Noncon-
formists to be fuch a Cottwrntts or Hofe drawn
over the feveral parties by your prudence a9
ftall make them one, or tye them clofer toge-
ther than Conformifts and Nonconformifts are.
I pray you try, if you will not believe us,
whether Papifts or Quakers take us or you fap
their greater Adversaries. Remember how
after the Fire of London the Papifts in Print
did court you as men much nearer unto them
than we are, and much liker to befriend them.
And I doubt you will never make them think
otherwise. We take you for n^en of the fame
Religion with us, and much fitter for our
Communion, than fuch Nonconformifts as Pa%
gifts and Quakers are.
Sett. 4. But we that fuffer from you (Hear
it now>.Jbr^you fhall hear it from God ere
longj ) all the Poverty > Confinements, Cala-
mities, Sileiicings that have beer> infli&ed on
us , becaufe we would not [nhferibe^ fay ,
{wear, and do— *— you know what; can no
more go agaihft our Confciences,, in Conform-
ing to one Another ■ , than to joh. Therefore
you rauft not think that Epifc&gal) Trtsbjtm?
■ ■'.>
IP*
4n, Independent, and Anabaptist , will be ever
the more of a mind for this Toleration. Till
Reafon change their Opinions, they will live
according to their different Principles , though
they love each other, and liye in peace. And
becaufe you feem to be ignorant oi their <Prin-
ciples and Purpofes , I will tell you fome of
them , that concern the matter in hand.
Sett. j.i. They take aMiniftry to be ordinari-
ly neceflary to the propagating of the Gofpcl &
the faving of Souls, Rom.io. 14,15.^$. 20.17,
- 1 8,&c. 2.They fuppofe that this Miniftry doth
not fave men , as Wizards think that Charms
do heal men, by their Presence, Titles, Names,
or Habits ; By (landing in the Reading-place,
or Pulpit, or being called the Parfon of the
Parifli , or laying his fet words over them
when they are dead 2 But by fuch publicly and
ferfonal, frequent, plain, ferious IvjlrnUions % as
are fuited to their ignorance feenritj, prefnmp-
tion , bardheartednefs, and love to fin ; and
fuch as in other cafes would be thought fit to
change mens minds and lives. 3. They fup-
pofe that when a well rrmmrnclrd - Speech ttnne*
hath been faid to ignorant impenitent people,
one day in a week, without any perfonal fa-
miliar conference to fet it home , and make
\t more intelligible , the moft make but little
more of it, than if it had been faid to them in
an unknown Tongue>or at Ieaft remain ftiU ig-
norant and impenitent . Yea, if Forms of Ca-
techifaas
(IO)
techifms themfelves be taught them , it is ordi-
nary with them year after year to fay the
Forms, and never underftand the matter fig-
nified. 4. They fuppofe that a greater number
of the conformable Priefts, than they arc wil-
ling to mention,do Preach fo ignorantly and
dully in the Pulpits , and do fo little of this
perfonal or private work befides, as that there
is great need of a far greater number of affift-
aats, than all the yxzfent f Honconformifts be.
5 # They find that fome places, of many years
pall, have had no Minifters at all. <$. They
are not able to confute the people in too many
places, who tell them that their publick Priefts
are fo defective in their necefTary qualifications
for their Office, as that they hold it unlawful
to own fuch for true Minifters , and to
encourage them by their prefence , or commie
the care of their Souls to fuch* . 7. They think
that fome ocher places have godly , able Con-
formable Minifters, whom thcChnftian peo-
ple love and honor. 8. They think that Pa-
nfh bounds of Churches, are of humane pru-
dential Conftitution, and not of Divine In-
ftitution , or unchangeable. 9. They think
thac a IhrifhtfHattxMS a Parifh,is not aCbnrcb;
nor a Pari(hijner,*//*rJb a Church-member ;
for Infilcls y Paflfis % Htrcticks>Schifmaticl{s and
Tyijftnters may be Pariflnoners. 10. They
think that the Magiftrace hath the power of
the Temples and Tjthts % and/«£//V^ Mainte-
nance
(«)
vance and Liberty^ but that he hath not the
power of Ordination or Degradation j but a man
may be a true Minifter without his confent ,
and fo I chink all Cbnftians hold. 1 1 . They
think that fome of the Nonconformijts were
true Paftors of their fcveral Flocks , before
they were filenced and caft out. 12. They
think that the eje&ing them from the Temples
and Tytbes did not degrade them , nor make
them no true Paftors to their Flocks. 13. They
think chat the Magiftrates putting another Pa.
rifh Minifter in pofletfion of the Temple and
Tythes, did not diflolve the forefaid relation
of the former. 14. They think yet that pru-
dence requireth Minifter and People to con-
fent to fuch a Diffolution of their Relations y
where they cannot hold it without greater
hurt than benefit : Yea, and to confent that
theimpofed Minifter be their Paftor, when he
is fie himfelf, and the Worlhip performed by
him fit for them to joyn in. 15. But where
both are fir,they know no reafon but they may
take both the Ejettcd and the Impofed Perfoa
conjunctly for their Paftors, each being to Ad-
minifter to the fame Church, according to their
various Liberties &Capackies.i<5.They greatly
difference between London&c fuch like populous
Cities, & Country Pari(hes,becaufe the burn-
ing of Churches , the greatnefs of Parifhes ,
*id the paucity ofMinifters in London is fuch,
that the tenth perfon in feveral Parifhes cannot
come
(")
come to Church if they would. 17. In fuch
places therefore they purpofe to hold cheir
Meetings at the time of the Parifh meeting ,
becaufe it will be no hindrance to it. 1 8. So
they do alfo in thofe Parifhes where the Parifh
Prieft is unfit to be owned in that Relation.
19. Where there is a faithful Pallor in the Pa-
rifh Church whom yet half the people cannot
hear, cheywill not draw the people from
him, nordifparagehim to hinder the fuccefs
of his labors , but rather perfwade them to
honor him, heat him, and obey his Do&rine;
and to judge of the Tolerated Minifter but as
of his fellow fervant , of the fame Religion ,
helping in the fame Work , where all our la-
bours are too little. 20^ Where the Parifh
Minifter is faithful , and the Parifh fmall e-
nough, and neer enough to Affemble in one
place, and the people fatisfied with the Li-
turgical fuppofe the fobereft of the Nonconform
mi/is ( for they are not all of a mind ) will
gather no Church out of that Parifh ,
but will joyn with that Parifh Church and
Minifter ( fuppofing them united by confent )
and will ufe their own Minifterial Aififtance,
at fuch other times, and place, and manner, as
fhali beft tend to keep up Love and Concord,
and to further and not hinder the fucceffes of
the publick Minifter. 21. I hope no man
worthy the name of a Minifter , will dream
that Sngland fhould have no more Teachers,
thaa
\ k 3J
than there arc ( or are like to be ) Nonconform
rnifts : Or will think it his duty to hinder the'
Labors of any fober Proteftant Minifters : Nay,
I hope they will all underftand , that it was
never more their Duty nor their Intereft to
cherifh all brotherly Love and Concord with
fuch; and woe be to that man who ever he
be, whether a Selfijh envious Conformist, or a
SchifmaticalfaElioui Nonconformifi , that after
all fuch (ins and fad experience of the fruits,
(hall yet hinder the Concord of Proteftant Cbri-
ftiansy I had almoft faid, or that doth not hear-
tily and diligently promote it. 22. He that
had rather ten thoufand perfons ftayM idlely
at home , or went to Sports or Drinking , in
Stefney parifh, or (jiles Cripplegate, or Sepul-
cbersy or Martins in the Fields, or Giles in the
Fields, or Clement Vanes, Sec. than a Non-
conformift fhould preach to them , I wUl not
foul my paper by calling him as he deferveth,
though he pretend that gathering a Church
out of a Church, is a thing that he oppofeth.
23. In all thefe Cafes following,the Noncon*
formifts will hold diftin6\ Church-Afl'erablies
from the Parifti Churches. 1. Where the
Parifh Church is not capable of them , as was
laft inftanced, by reafon of the number.
2. When the Parifh Prieft is one to whom
wife men may not commit the care of their
Souls , and one whofe Miniftry is not to be
. owned, ( 1 would there were none fuch.)
J, When
C*4)
j. When the Eje&ed Minifter in faro corfci-
tntU & Ecclejta vere fie ditt* , recaineth flill
his Ancient Relation to his Flock, and part of
them Schifmatically feparate from him , and
joyn with an intruder publickly , that never
had a lawful Call, and the other half feparate
not from their ancient Pallor. Its poflible the
obtruder, though he have the Temple,may be
the Schifmatick. Ask Dr. wild, and Dr. Gun-
ning whecher they thought notfo i4.year$
ago. 4* It may be fome that are more com-
plyant than my fclf with good peoples weak-
ness and humours , when there is none of
the forefaid Reafons, may rather choofe to be
Paftors to honeft Separatifts y or Anabaptifts t
than bydeferting them to leave them to do worfe.
And what great matter of injury or provoca-
tion fhould this feem to any peaceable man t
Envy is too odious a thing for any Servant of
Chrift to own. Is ij: in the power of Anabaf-
tifts to bring all their judgments to yours.
And till they can , muft they be quite caft off.
Who knoweth not how many Ages the Nova-
tianswtrt tolerated by the wifeft and godly-
eft Emperors and Bifhops ; yea, what black
characters are given by pious Hiftorians , of
Ithacins, and his fellow Bifhops, who firft in
France did fet the Sword awork even ag&inft
Herefies, and of Cyril at Alexandria, who firft
as a Bifliop ufed it himfelf. y .But that's ngt all :
What if any number of perfons as good as you,
(hall
(hall think that the Liturgie is guilty of all
the Vifordtrs and Vefctts which once were
charged on it, and of fame Do&rinal Corrupt
cionsfitice: And what if they think that the
Pariih Churches arc void of Chrifts true Dif-
cipline,and are under an Alien, on£ which
they judge unlawful. What if they fay that
yet your Churches may be true Churches, and
all this may be fubmitted to, when we can have
and do no better j but he that can ferve God
in a manner more agreeable to his Word, is
bound to do it ; and not to offer God the
worft, when the King alloweth us to do our
beft. And if withall they ky,that you reiufe
them and they refufe not you : You will not
give them the Lords Supper ♦ uniefs they take
it kneeling ( which I think they may do, but
they think otherwife) you will not Baptize
their Children without the tranfient Image
of the Crofs as a dedicating fign, &c. If in this
cafe they choofe a diftindt Church-AfTembly
and Paftor,and Mode of Worfhip; what harm
is this to you or any one , and why fhould ic
break Love and Peace? 24. But in this laft
Cafe I fuppofe the moft of the Nonconformifts
that live in Country Parifhes which have good
Minifters of their own, will not call themfclves
a diftind Church (totally) but wiJI hold
their meetings as Ckappel- Meetings are held 5
Preaching the Word and Communicating ,"„
the Sacraments in the beft way they can amono
(I*)
ftemfelve's • but fo as not to unchurch thi P£J
rifh Church as none, or to withdraw them-
felves from their Communion ; but will keep
all loving correfpondence with them^ and fea-
lonably lometimes Communicate with them',
to fhew their principles by their pra&ice. For
the benefit of Chriftian L$ve and Coniord> may
make it beft for certain feafons to joyn even
in defe&ive Modes of Worfhip,as Chrift did in
the Synagogues & Temple in his time. Though
the leaft defe&ive muft be chofen when no fuch
accidental reafons fway the other way. And
perhaps fome Nonconformlfts own Adminiftra-
tions may be as defective as the Litwgxe.
15. Where the people are fatisfied with the
Parifh- Church Communion , I fuppofe the
Nontonformifls will only help to inllruft therri
at feafonable timss , and not meddle with
the Sacramental Adminiftrations. 2<f. The
fame practice may be done on various Prin-
ciples ; and many Nonconformifls may gather
Chuches in the forenamed Cafes, without turn-
ing Separatifts, or forfaking any of their for-
mer principles. Their differences will ap-
pear in theferefpe&s. i. They will not pro-
nounce any of your Pariftt Churches 7VW/,
which have lawful Minifters. 2. They will
not fay that your Worfhip is fuch as no man
may lawfully Communicate in. j. They
foil hold that Pariih-bounds are very conve-
nient ( chough not abfohiteiy neceffary } to be
Church-'
Church-bounds : not taking every Parifliiqne
to be of the Church, but none (ordinarily)but
Pariiliioners to be of the Church. 4, They
are driven from tne Parifh-Mimftry againft
their wills, and had far rather hold their an-
tienc ftations. y. They will thankfully re-
turn to them when ever chey have leave j And
earnedly pray that thefe feeinings and fhews of
feparation may ceafe, the occafion of them be-
ing taken away. 6. They prefer their own
manner of worshipping God, as better than the
Liturgy in their opinion, and therefore to be
chofen when they may choofe ; but they ac-
count it not the only acceptable Wor/hip, but
are prefent with you in fpirit, defiring a part in
the prayers of all true Chriftians in the world.
7. They fet not up the Church-Governmcnc
of the People over thePaftors,or themfe!ves>nor
any of the reft of the Separates proper princi-
ples of Church-Governmenr. 8. Laftly, they
defire nothing more than as Neighbour-Mini-
iters in love and concord to carry on with you
the fame work of Chrift. And in all thefe
they differ fromS?paratifts, though they gather
Churches.
2.6. The grand Difficulty to theNoncon-
formifts in their prefent condition, Iieth but in
this one cafe, Whether in competent Pari[hesj
which have able and godly Conformable Mwi-
fters y tke obligation to hold Union and Communion
with the Parijh Churchy or tht obligation to ex*>
B " itcift
C x* )
ercife a more regular way of Church-VifcipHne
and Worfhip than the Parijh Churches do or mil
do j fhould be judged the more prevalent ; And
confequently whether they fhould gather
Churches out of Churches in this cafe. For in
the other forementioned cafes the anfwer is more
eafie. I (hall give my own opinion as follow*
eth : i. It is lawful and a duty to be a mem-
ber of fuch a Parifh-Church, when we can have
and do no better* 2. We cannot have or do
better, when it cannot be without a greater
hurt to the Publick Intereft of the Gofpel, the
Church, and the Souls of other men, than the
benefit to us and others is like to countervail.
That cannot be done lawfully which cannot be
done without doing more hurt than good, and
deftroying the end.
Obj. We muft do that which God bids us %
and leave it to him what fhall be thefuccefs.
Auf. True. But you muft prove then that
God bids you do it ; for we will not take your
word. Affirmatives bind not to all times : No
duty is at all times a dury ; Nay, out of fea-
fon it is a fin. He that faith, Pray continually,
would not have you pray when you fhould
ftfeach or hear, or be quenching a Fire in the
Town : He that commanded Sacrifice, fet fome
to learn the meaning of thel'e words [/ will have
thercy^ and not facrifice."] There is few of you
but would forbear a Sermon or Prayer to fave
your own or -others lives : And you receive the
Sac* a-
Sacrament but once a morveth (at mod) which
the Primitive Churches ufed every Lords
Day. 3. The fame pra&ice than in one
place ( where ic will do more good than hurt)
is a duty , which in another place ( where ic
will do more hurt than good ) is a fin. 4. The
Cafe is now of fo great moment that no Mini-
fter fhould rafhfy determine it forjiimfelF, nor
upon the defires of feme of the people only ? but
fltould confuk with wile and fober men thac
are impartial. 5. The benefits to be expected
and compared , are thu-w, 1. The pleahng of
God (when we know it is his will) and the
prolit of mens Souls y by the moil regular
manner of D/fr/V ; and Warfhly: 2, The
leering up an instable example of right D;fci-
}>lit?e and fPbrjhif to other Churches ( but then
wee to them tha: f:c up a worfe. ) p The
fatisfyingtheCoiiiciences of feme honeil mi-
ftakiifg people y who think ( crroncoufly )
that a Conforming Minifter may no: be Com-
municated with y cr at leaf! not in the life of .
the Litargicy or in a Pariih Church , br that
the Sacrament may not be received kneeling,
6. The evils to be feared , and compared with
the benefits, are thefe. i. The exafperating
of the minds of perfonsfor number or qualirjf
confiderable ; and fo alienating them from their
brethren, and h'indrmg their good. 2. And
thereby weakening the Proteflant inrereft, in
d time which requireth out greatcfl Concord.
(io)
3. And thefettingofpartiesagainft patties,and
Churches againft Churches, and turning Re-
ligion into contentions and mutual oppositions.
4. And the countenancing of unlawful fepa-
rationsywhich will all ilielter themfelves under
fuch examples ; and the dividers will n:>t
fee the different principles on which we go ,
while our practice feemeth to be the fame.
$. And fo ft'may be injurious to future Ages,
by feeming to give tliem prefidents for unlaw-
ful feparations. 6. And it is not the leaft
evil confdjuent, that wc fhall cherifh not only
the Error of thofe that think worfe of the Pa-
rifh-Worfhip & Affemblies than there is caufe ;
but we fhall alfo accidentally nourifh their
pride, who will think themfelves a holier peo-
ple, becaufe they Erronioufly over-cenfure the
perfons and practices of others. 7. The prime
great obligation for the cure of all this, doth
lie upon fome of the conforming fidejlt were ea-
fie for them, not to filence Chrifts Minifters that
are as wife and good as themfelves.lt were eafie
for them, not to punifh a godly perfon fo hea^
vily as an Excommunication comes to, for the
weaknefs of fcrupling a Sacrament-gefture ;
and not to punifh their Children with being
unchriftened, or themfelves with Excommuni-
cation, who think the dedicating Image of the
Crofs unlawful , or think it their own duty to
enter their own Children into the Covenant
pf Go J, rather than Godfathers that have no
pro-
(21)
propriety in them, and chey are fure never in-*
tend to take them for their own , or ufc them
as they covenant to do. 8. If on fuch oc-
cafions, true godly Chriftians are caft out of
their Parifh-Churches > whether they err or
nor, all Minifters are neither obliged , nor al-
lowed to defertthem , and fo to add cruelty
and affliction to the affliited^ p. They
that think they anfwer all by faying that thcfe
peoples fcruples are but Errcurs , do buc
I. Shew their felf-sfteem , who can call that
Errour which they have faid fo little to prove
tobefo (infomeoftheir inftances.) 2. And
heta 1 keth neither like a Pernor a Cbri(iia^ y
nor a Man, that thinkefh all that err iliould
be tart out of the Church. 10. To difcern
whether in this cafe a diiiincl Church is to be
gathered or nor , is a work of meer Chriftiau
prudence and muft be determined by com-
paring the good and evil confequents together,
and difcerning truly which preponderated.
And he that through Imprudence mifjudgeth
either way, doth linne. 11. Therefore
it is folly,' and fin for Minifters ( Conform-
able, or Nonconformable ) to expeft that in
this , all fhould go the fame way, and to cen-
fure thofe that differ from their Opinion,
when they may be under different circumftan-
ccs. 12. Th:y that live in London , where
it hath ever been ufual to go to Neighbour Pa-
rifh-Churches from their own, and where
B 3 caitome,
(22)
Cuftome, and abundance of accidents make
theinconveniencieslefs, have not fo much a-
gainft their different Church. meeting? , as
;ho.fc in Countrey Towns and Parifhes have*
13. Thofe that live where the 'Honcanformifit
are the main body of the people , and the reft
arefuchfor number and quality, whofe dif-
pleafure is of lefs publick coniequence , have
the lefs againft their diftin£t Church-meet-
ings. J4. Thofe who iive where the Non-
ccnformlflszrc few , and the Conformlfis for
nurrber and quality moft considerable, and
are like to be greatly exafperaced by difhnrt
Churches, muft deny their own perfonal
conveniences, lather than hinder a greater
good, and may not: do that which others may
do. 1 jv When the publick good forbids it, the
tolerated Miniftcrs muft not gather ditiinft
Ghurch-rAGfemblies , but joyn with the pub-
lick Churches, and help the people by their
inftru&ions at other times. i<5. When the
publick good forbids it not, the tolerated Mi-
niftcrs muft hold diftinit Affemblies, for aflift-
ance in DottrincyWorfhifjxidL Vifcifllncj as near
as they can to the will of God* But fo as to
furthered not difgrace nor hinder , the ho-
neft Parifh-Minirters } living widi them in
Unity,Love,and Peace : and whether dc nomi-
ne their Affemblies fhali be called dlflintl
Churches > is a cafe of no great moment ,
though 1 think that it is fitted to take them for
l " ' ■'■'■■" / iiftfA
diflinB Cburchif 9 fecnndum quid, and not fim-
pliciter, as many Chappels be : Seeing though
in the Affemblies they diftin£Uy worihip
Godj&c. yet they hold perfonal Communion
in a godly conversation with the reft of the
Chnliians in the Parifh, and fhould (ome-
times alfo aflemble with them. And fo much
for my own opinion in this cafe.
27. If Chriftians would but give over the
cenforioufncfs , contentions 3 and afaufe of
others, which different Aflemblies in the fame
Town are ufually employed in, I fee not
what great hurt it would do any , for Ana-
baptifisy Separatifts , &c. that canno: joyr*
with the Parifh-Churches , to have leave 10
meet among themfelves, and worfhip God to-
gether in peace.
28. As the weaknefs of the people incli-
jiech them to caufelefs feparations and disjuncti-
ons, fo the doleful Pride and Selfifhnefs of the
carnal part of the CUrgle , hath in moft Ages
made them too impatient wich the peoples
weaknefs ; and make fuch a noife and ftir in
the World, if a few dq but withdraw from
their Communion, as if all that difowned
them, difowned Clp ft- And all ,bccaufe Pride
would make every man a God to the World ,
on whom all mult depend , whom all muft
honour and obey , and no man muft contra-
did: ; and all that depart from them, an*
fuppofed to accufe and undervalue them. And
B 4 thu*
(2 4 )
thus as of our own fehres , fome men arife to
draw Dilciples after them , fo others fee the
Churches in a flame, tor fear of Iofing any
of their Difciples or efteem • and between
both, how fadly and for how many Ages,
have the people of Chrift been torn in pieces.
What harm doth it me or any other (if my
Pride will let me be quiet ) if men that differ
from me in fome Points of Judgment,do quiet-
ly Worftiip God , by thunfelves. But ic is fo
rare for Separated Aflembiies, not to make it
their Religion and work, to make others odi-
ous, and fi6iioufly to draw Difciples and aflb-
ciaces to themfelves, that they muft alio thank
themfelves , that others are fo impatient with
them ; fo certain it is that all fides are too
blame.
2p. The right Diocefan hoideth that a Bi-
fhop is effential to a Church,and confequently
that we have no more Churches than Diocejft$ %
and that Parifh-Churches are properly no
Churches, butChappels, or Parts oi the Dio-
cefan-Church : And if io , i. Then he that
feparateth from a Pariin-Church , feparateth
from no Church ( though we think other-
wife. ) 2. And as he that went to any Pa-
riflh in the Diocefs , kept (till in his own
Church, fo a tolerated Church may be as good
a Church, as fuch a Parifh, and it fhould not
be rnade a hainous matter tor any to go to it,
by them that allow men to go frcm Parifh to
♦ £ari;(lic 3P ? The
30. The tfonconformifls hold that the Mi-
nifterial Office is not to betaken upon tryal,
or for a time, but durante vita cum capacitate >
And chat it is no lefs than , 1. Horrid
Sacriledge; 2. Perfidious Covenant-break-
ing; 3. Difobedience to God; 4. Cruelty
to Souls ; y.And unthankfulnefs for great mer-
cies, if any of us (hall defert our undertaken
Offices ( yea though a filencing Diocefan
fhould forbid us the exercifeof it , unjuftly. )
Therefore Preach and Officiate while we can,
we muft.
31. Having told you thus far the Noncon-
formifts Principles^ I will add, that [ If there
be any fuch Conformable Clergie men, as firll
will do all they can to filence and ejed: u>,
and forbid us to Preach the Gofpel of Salvati-
on, whil'il many hundred thoufands that lie
in ignorance and impenitency^need more help,
and then will do all they can to hinder
our Reltauration, and to keep us hlent : And
laftly, when His Majefties Prudence and Cle-
mency giveth us liberty to Preach , when
they can no longer hinder us by force , would
ftroak us into filence and neglect of our Office,
by a few fuch filly and confident reafonings as
this>i^Wufeth,asif to hinder our Miniftry
and Labour one way or other were their in-
tereft and work, I will not offend the Readers
.Ears, by giving them the name that I think
they deferve 5 but wifh thcoi to read > 1 Tbef.
2.15,
2. i Jf>»^> And to tell them ( by what names
or Titles foever they be diftinguiftied ) that J
that am a dying man, would be loth to
(land in their cafe before God, and that if they
and I were well agreed, that there is indeed a
God,a Chrift,a Heaven, and a Hell,I think we
fhould the eafilier be agreed in all the reft of
our differences. Some Teachers need theft
-plain Admonitions.
chap. in.
The Queflionijls ftating of his Queftion
confidered.
Sett. i.L-TAving difclaimed the approving
* -"-and Cenfuring His Majeliies De-
claration) he queftioneth [ whether it be ad-
vifeable^efpeciallyfor the Presbyterians 5 either
in Confcience or Prudence, to take advantage
from His Majeflies Declaration^ to deny or r*-
bate their Communion with the Parochial Con-
gregations , and to gather themfelves into di+
flintt and fepar ate Churches.
Sett. 2. Here note, i. That the Epifco-
paly or Eraftian Nonconformifts, have none of
his efpecial advice. 2. That he feemeth to
fpeak to none in London or elfewhere who
denied their Communion with the Parifti-
Churches
(Rtt.)
Churches before ; but only to thofe t^at
would take advantage fo to do from His Maje-
fticf Declaration. 5. That he calletli them
not Parochial Churches , but Congregations.
4. That he joyneth two queftions into one ,
which therefore mult be diflinctly an-
fwered.
Sett. 3 • My Anfwer is, 1 . It is not advis-
able for zny Nonconformifts , who before held
rhe Parifh Congregations to be true Churches,
and their communion lawful , and ufed to
communicate with them , to change thefe
principles, nor to renounce, or totally forbear
fuch communion. 2. But it is advifeable for
them, when they are caft cue of the Parifh-
Miniftry, and forbidden to Preach in the Pa-
ri ill- Temples, but have leave to exercife their
Mimftry eliewhere, accordingly eUewhere to
exercife it ; either in flared, or cccafional Af-
femblies , that fhali be fans or no farts of the
Parifh-Congregations, as the variety of places
and cafes fhall require, which Afkmblies fhali
be diftlr.fl; and [(parate from the faid Perjfh-
Congregations , either as Chappels be, or
( fomewhere ) r.sone Parifh- Congregation is
fepartte from ar.cther , being not one, nor in
one plncc, if you will call thac feparation. But
thisbutfera time, with Piofeffion of great
unwillingness and of a dehreto return into
the Parochial Miniitery , as foon as you can
procure them leave : Bur rciolviog not to be
mi
Idle, Cruel, Sacrilegious , and Perfidious till
then, buc to live wich all godly conformable
Minifters, with Chriftian Love , and Peace,
and Concord, if it be poffible, and you will
give them leave.
Sett. 4 # When you fay [ They cannot but
under/land the Declaration to be a very (IriU
Prohibition of all fucb private Meetings as the
Law flUes Conventicles] you know not
whofe under/landings you talk of* I. We
know not , that the Law doth not call our
Houfe-MeetingSy now tolerated ( though the
door be open ) Conventicles : If not, it had
been well for us, if you would have proved ic
fooner. 2. And if you are fare that the Law
calleth none of the Papifls tolerated private
Meetings, Conventicles, we knew not fo much :
And why fhould you feign us to be as wife as
your felf.
Sett. 5. As to your three wayes, I anfwer
you ;
i # I believe the Presbyterians will joyn
with the Independents, not as a SeB ( as you
call them ) buc in all that they think good and
warrantable.
2. That they will exercife their Miniftery,
as they are by Covenant engaged, for Chtift
and mens Souls , and will bear with you > if
you call that [ fetting up for themfelves ]
( hoping yet that you fee not up wholly for your
/<r/wjthatfpeakfo. )
3. An4
3. And they will worfhip God with the
Se& of the Diocefan Prelatijls in the Parifli-
Churches alfo, as far as will ftand with the due
exercife of their proper Miniftery : But will
not promife you to give over Preaching to be-
come your conftant Auditors or Difciples.
Sett. 6. You underftand neither the Men
that you talk of, nor their Caufe : they take
not the Independents Affemblies to be [ the
Tents of Enemies ;] they leave terms of Enmi-
tj among Brethren , to thofe that have enm\-
r/in their hearts. Nor do they [ tamely de-
liver up the Canfe. ] The moft Nonconform-
able Minifters of my acquaintance, whofe
judgment I ever asked of that matter, do
feemto think as I my felfdo, that the Epif*
copal, Pretbyterians, Independents, and Erafti-
ans 7 have each of them fome Truth and Good
which above the reft they do defend ; and
each of them fome fpecial miftake, where they
err above the reft : And if we could know it,
we would take the Beft from among them all,
and leave the worfl: : And not maintain
Church-quarrels , under pretenfe , tha: we
muft not flit to the Enemy , and give up the
Canfe.
SeU. 7. O the confidence of this Advifer in
his own underftanding } that dare fay [ That
he isfure that the Presbyterians have no reafon
to engage in a way of publicly fVorfhip coniradi-
(iintt to oht Parochial Congregations, j
i.Thac
(}0)
i. That is contradlflintt which is not oppo*
Jtte , or alverfe , hue either co-ordinate ( as
one Parifh to another ) or fubdrdinate ( as a
Chappel).
2. And what man / Is a P^ove and "Dedication
to Preach theGofpel , 7*0 reafon to Preach ic
elfewhere, when its forbidden us in your Af-
femblies? Is the alienation of Confecrated
perfonsxw Sacriledg: ? Is the notorious need
of many hundred thoufand SoulS no reafon }
Is rheexercifirg of a Worfhip and Difcipline
more agreeable to Gods Word than yours
(.we arc ready to give you the proof when we
have leave,) no reafon? Is the relieving of
many godly Christians, who are caft out of
your communion, becaufe they dare not Con.
form,*?* reafon ?Had we had leave to have con-
/^ted the filly reafonings of Mr. Fnlwood and
foirie filth ochcr Pamphleteers , produced a-
aginft the Nonconformists , we had Ion<* ago
flic wed you caufe to reprefs fuch felf eftccrri,
which dare fay [ I am fufe, they have no
reafon ].
Sett. 8. And this man that is fure they
have no reafon for tt y could ii.ftance in no
greater than the Objection, that It will feem
an undervaluing their liberty , and ingratitude
to the King.
i. We have no reafon to be ungrateful to
the King, nor to undervalue our Liberty.
2. But did that move the London Mini*
fters
fters and others,to Preach all this while, before
the Declaration.
3. When you have proved that Greater
Hurt than Good , will follow our Preaching
and Miniftry ; and when you have proved
that though all the Papists in England, do ufc
the liberty of the Toleration in the Declaration,
yet the tynconformitts muft not , bat filently
leave our (ufficient Conformists to do all the
workagainlt Ignorance, Infidelity, Popery f
and Senfuality themfelves ; I fay, when you
have proved this well, you may again blefs
the people with our filence , and perfwade us
tofilenceour felves, when you cannot do ic
otherwife.
Sett. 9. But he faith (p. 6. ) Their inge-
nuity and gratitude to (jod and the King will
he better exprejfed by their Conformity, and Loy-
al obedience to the known Laws, than by the ufe
of the Liberty permitted to the contrary.
Anfw. He knoweth that we muft not give
him our Reafons againft Conformity. He
cannot but know that many that Conform
not, in all the matters of Subfcriptions, Decla-
rations, Oathes, Difcipline, &c. (not medling
with other mens Confciences>) do think ic
would be in them a compofition of fuch hai-
nous crimes, as they do forbear to name them,
for fear of feeming to be accufers of other s ; and
to be unpeaceable: And if he think that fuch
toysj as Mr* FttfooofyMr. Stilemans y and Mr.
Hinkleys,&c* ihould fatisfie them, hethinfcs
contemptibly of their underftandings. And
he that by fuch poor temptation* as tbofe , will
yield to what their Confciences fear, can fcarce
tell what he may not yield to before he dieth.
Let him procure us leave , but to publifh ours
Reafons agatnft Conformity and then let him
tell us that we were letter Conform P when he
hath anfwered them. It's eafie to talk when
none muft confute him, and to brave it againft
one whofetdngue is tyed.
'iVS. 10. His next Suppofition is, that the
matter of this Liberty is evil. I am glad it is
not evil for the Con for mi Jt s to Preach and
WorfhipGody left it would have been lawful
to none at all. We are glad that Chrift is
Preached, even by them that do it content}-
oufly 5 in envy and flrife> to add to our w4ff.itti-
ons and Bonis : But we will not our f elves give
over Preachings Praying , nor the reft of the
Chriftian Religion, becaufe fuch men can call
it evil. He that faith our Preaching is evil,mzy
tempt men to think that the Gofpel which we
Preach is evil,or that Infidelity, Atheifm y Senfu.
ality, and wickjdnefs which we Preach againft
is good or harmlefs. Is it good inyoH % and evil
in us to Preach the fame Gofpel ? If you curn
to them that Calumniate us of Preaching
Errour, or Sedition , the Law is open , our
Writings and Dottrine are eahly tryed : If
we fay evil , bear witnefs of the evil :
//
CI
V IS J
If not 7 takjt heed of calling it evil , Ifa«
5. 20.
CHAP. IV.
Whether to gather them f elves intodiftincl
andjeparate Congregations , is unlaw-
ful in the judgment of the Presbyteri-
ans themfelves i
Sift* i. T^He proving the Affirmative is hf$
-■* work, pag. 7, &c. But the Pref-
bjterlans do no: love confu/ion , nor to difpute
fuch blindly-ftated Queftions. They diltin-
guifh,
1. Between bare Local diftinBton , and
ftparaiion *, and that which is eminently called
Separation in England, and denominated from
the Separati&SjV/hich is \_ffparating from the
Parijh-Cbftrcbes, Afinittrj y & H'crfhip, as £*//*£
*<? f rn* Churches, Mimjlry and PForfhip ; or ac
lead fuch as noChriftians may lawfully Com-
municate with, in JhOrittf} Prayer , and £*-
cramentsywhenthej can have no belter. , ] In
the farmer fenfe ( as is faid ) one Paritli-
Church is feparati from another. And if
there he any difference in their Forms or
Modes of Worship j fo was there between £.*-
C fit
(34)
fil at CafartAy and the Church at Neocefarea^
and berween J?<m0* and MilUne* and between
almoft all the Catholick Bifhops for many
hundred years. Andfo now, one PariLh-Mi-
nifter prayeth freely in the Pulpit after Ser-
mon, and before; another by a Form ; a third
biddeth prayer before^ and a fourth prayeth
not afterward at all. And yet thefe are not
feparared Churches, any otherwife than Local-
ly* and infuch Modal differences.
2. They diftinguifh between a Parifh-
Church thatimpcfeth nothing on the Mini-
sters or People that God forbiddech i and one
that doth*
3. And between a Parifh-Church that is
Reformable in that which notorioufly need-
eih Reformation ^ and one that folemnly Co-
venanted! againft Reformation.
4. They diltinguifh between a Pariili-
Church that is fuch, and owneth it felf for
fuch : And a Panlh-Congregation that hath
no proper Biiliop, nor Paftor who hath the
power of the Keys of Government, but is cal-
led by its Rulers only a part of a Church, (Di-
ocefan ) and the Minilter, but the Diocefan
Bifhops Curat.
y. They dift : nguifh between a Parifh-
Church where the Minifters in queftion are
forbidden to preach, and the People to have
the Sacrament, or their Children to be bapti-
zed, unlefs they will fay and do fuch chings,as
they
tney aare not go tor tear or uoa s anpieaiure j
And. a Parifh-Church, that drivcch none fuch
away from Miniftry or Communion. And
now will this Advifer prove that what any
Pre sbyterlans ever (aid in one cafe, muft reach
to all others, tha: are fo different.
Sett. 2. He next queftionech, i. [Do you
not allow cur Parochial, Churches to be true
Churches ? ]
Anfw. Yea, thofe of them- that have true
Pa/tors, but no others, (in a political or orga-
nized ferSe.)
2. Quefl:. And mil you not account
fuch Congregations a* jball be gathered to jour
allowed places to be true Churches alfo ? ]
Anfw. In fome places we will, and in fomc
we will take them but as parts of the Parifh-
Church i And in fome we will take them but
for temporary Affemblies, waiting for a fixed
better ftate ; And in fome we will take them
for Churches fecuniumquii, but not fimp I 'let-
ter ; Even as the cafe of each particular place
requireth.
Seft. 3. And hence follows the cry of
Schifm, Independents, Brorvnifls, rank^Separa-
ti/isy &c. As if the Minifters qf Chrift did
know no difference between noife and fenfe.
Yea, we are told of Schifrn from the Church of
England, when I wouLd give him all the mo.
ney in my purfe, to make meunderftand whac
the Church of England is.
C 3 i. t
Eccltjitftical Head "that muft denominate it,
as an eflential part.
2, 1 take it for granted he fpeaks of a Church
organized in a proper political fenfe, as confti-
tuccd of a Pars regtns y and a Tars fabdit* j
and not as an ungoverned Community.
3, I take it for granted that we have two
Archb ihops, and they tell me, that one is not
under the Government of the other. And if
that be true, we may have a Church of Cantcr-
btiry^ud a Church of York } but no one Church
©f England as denominated from one of them
as Head.
4, I take it for granted that the Convoca-
tion is not the Conftitutive-Head, i. Becaufe
it is fo feldom in being, that then we fhould
feldom have ^ Church of England : For the
Eflence ceafeth with the effential part. 2. And
the Canon thundreth againft them that deny
the Convocation to be the Reprefentative-
Church of England. If it mean of the whole
Church, Paftors and People, then the People
ru'e, and make Canons by them (as the Sepa-
rates hold :) And it is the Head of theChurch
only that we -enquire after. If they mean the
Clergy } then the Reprefentative-Church or
Head mufti be fomewhac diftindt from the
Real reprefented. If it be the whole Clergy
that is the Real Reprefented-Church or Head,
then
(37 )
then we are Popular, or Presbyterian ; for the
Presbyters are the major pare by far. And
what Rulers are they that never rule the
Church as one, by themfelves , but cnlyby
Reprefentatives. I confefs eafily that many
Churches united under one King, and living
in one Kingdom, and having thereby fpecial
opportunity for Synods, and Correfponder.ee *
and Concord, may be called ene Church, by
a denomination, i. accidental, 2. and hu-
mane, no: ufed in Scripture 5 And we will noc
be fo quarrelfome as to avoid that language
where men will needs ufe it : But it is the
'thing, and not the Name, that we enquire
of: Hbat is that One EJfential Conftitutive-
Head which maketh the Churches of England
to be aU one Church, in a proper political fenfe,
that is, as a Governed* Society} None queiti-
on the Civil-Head j none queftion the need of
Communion and Agreement among all thefe
Churches. But the Queftion is only of the
one Ecclefiaflick. Confiitutive Head. And if
m you will have the Queftion to be de nomine,
pardon us for holding that forma denominat.
But if you will denominate many Churches
[One] from One Accident, inftead cf One In-
dividual Form or Effence ; and if you will ufe
terms in Divine Matcers, which God never (o
ufed in his Word, we contend not againft you,
but only defire to underftand you, when you
- charge us with Schifmfrom the Church of E g.
C 3 Ian U
land* We have obferved what hath been the
effe&of fach another enterprizein the Roman
Empire : It was thought meet by Princes that
where the Empire was One , the Church
fhould be in fome fore One alio, which was
under them. Whereupon %oms had the chief
Patriarchate. But in time, i. this Humane-
Unity (name and thing) is pretended to be Di-
vine j 2. And thisO/?* Imperial Church (un-
der one Emperour ) is taken to be One Vni-
verfal Church y as if the Indians, TerfianSy
and all other Chrifiiaxs (even the Abejfian Em-
pire) had been part of it, and the Orbit Ro-
mano* had been Orbis Univerjalu. 3. And
then no man is a Chriftian that is not baptized
into this Pj pal Church, and made a Subjedt
of the Pope. Tell us what you mean by our
Schifm from the Church of EvgLni ? We di-
vide not our felves from the King or Kingdom,
or from the particular Churches as concordant
in any neceflary thing. If it be only that we
agree not with the Major Vote in all Subfcrip-
tions , Oaths, c D\[ciyl'int or Ceremonies : No
more did. the Bifhops in the Roman Empire,
who had various Liturgies ; nor Cjildas wirlt
the Britainsy nor ^mbrofe and {JMartin with
the Vrench and Italian Bifhops ; nor the Epi-
fcopal party in Scotland heretofore with the
Presbyterians, when they were the major parr*
Is every difference in things unnecefl'ary from
the major part, a Scbrfrnftomthem? The
J3ifhops
B'fhops thoughc not fo in England fifteen
years ago: We do noc go fo far with you, as
Gilda* with his Brit i ill C'ergy, who pronoun-
ced him non exlmlum Chriftianum , no ry-
cellent ChriflUn^ that called them Pritfis or
Ministers^ and not rather ProditoreSj Traitors ,
as hehimfelf did. Nor do we make fuch a
Schiftn as Martin feemed to do,who renounced
Communion with the Bifliops and their Sy-
nods (all his life) who had profecuted the
Pri[cilianijls \tfith the Secular Sword. Yet
neither of thefe holy men are called Separatifts
or Sch'ifmatickj*
But perhaps k is our "Disobedience to the
Church that is our Schlfm from ir. i. Buc
everyone that maketh himfelf an Ecclefiaftical
Governour over other Pallors and Churches,
is not therefore their rightful Lord. The King
we know, and his Officers we know, bur we
know nor all that call themfelves our Lords
or Matters. Not but that obedience is the
eafieft courfe of life, to a quiet humble mind :
But fidelity to our King ccmmandeth the dr-
owning of Usurpers.
2. We confefs that we do noc actually
obey the Civil unqueftionable Power in every
particle about Gods Worfhip which hath
been commanded us } I need not tell you
why. No more did the Chriftians for three
hundred years after Chrift j nor the Ortho-
dox Bifhops in the dayes of Cor, ft antics,
C 4 \ mar,
(40)
Valtns y &c. nor the Proteftarits now iri
trance , nor the Calvinljls now in Sweden ,
marks Saxonic ; nor the Lutherans under
inift Governours, &c. We compare not
our Rulers ro any of thefe, in any other re-
fpedt, but only as Rulers j but it you your
felves are refolved to fay and [ubfcrite y and
(wear, and do whatever lawful Rulers bid you,
its poflible that before you dye, you may
fhew that indeed you are not of our minds.
3. But who ever took every aft of difobe-
dience in a Circumftance, in a Family or
Kingdom $o\& 2. Schifmlxom that Family or
Kingdom} Do you rule by fuch a Law of Work*
or Innocency,\\ T \uch cuts oft men for every diso-
bedience, and cenfuretb him that cbeyeth not
perfe6Uy in all things?
4. And mechinks this fhculd not be your
meaning, becaufe by Nonconformity, we more
difobeyed cur Rulers before their Toleration,
than Jincc ; and yet it is our preaching after
that you call our Schifm from the Church.
You fee what trouble you put men to, to un-
derftand you, becaufe you fpeak unintelligib-
ly and confufedly.
If you tell me that the Presbyterians owned
a National Church in Scotland. I anfwer,
1 . So do I, as before defcribed , that is , as
denominated, 1 From an accident, and noc
from an Individuating Form y and therefore
equivocally and improper I ft 2 And humanely <>
and fo UKxetffmh, ' 2. -And
(40
2. And if Scots or any Presbyterians do it
btherwife, that's nothing to me , who am no
more bound to their Opinion than yours. And "
fare the Church of England is not called One
in the Presbyterian fencers an Ariftrocracie^
or as Headed by the whole Clergie con-
junct.
Sett. 4. The reft, p. 8 , 9, 10. need no
other anfwer, then
1. That the old Puritanes never held it un-
lawful for them to preach in houfes, even when
they had no Toleration.
2. As they held it lawful to hold Lay- com-
munion with Parifh-Churches that have true
Minifters, lb do we.
3 • They never (aid, it was unlawful to hold
communion with any be/ides the Parifh-Chur-
chesj no more will we. What Law tyeth us
to be fuch Schifmatickj as ro renounce com-
munion with all ocher Churches, except 'Paro-
chial and Conformists^ or what Nonconformfts
ever held it ?
4. Whofe confcicnce fhould fooner accufe
him oiSchifm; A Conformifts, that will hold
Communion with none but his own party, but
feparateth from all the other Churches in the
Land? Or ours, that refolve to to hold com-
munion feafonably with all true Chriflian
Churches among us^ that teach not Here/it,
nor preach down Holinefs,Lct/r or Peace, and
deny us not their communion, unlefs we will
fin.
v4z;
Cm > Let the impartial judg which of us is
the Sc'}ifaziick > ;<m<\ St par at I ft.
y. Do you not hold it lawful for a Miniftcr
to remove from one Parifh to another j and
for any man for his fouls edification, to re-
move his dwelling inio another Parifh where
is a better Minifter? A^d what if fort/ Fa-
milies do (o? who caileth any of this Separa-
tion ? And what if it had been into the Pa-
rifh o(Vedbam y A(kby, whitmore, TreSton y
whenjobn Rogers^ Arthur Hilderfham , John
Ball, John Dod> all Noncoxformifts, were al-
lowed to preach there without Conformity;
Had this been Separation and Schifa^ox not? If
'je4y what Law of God or Man forbad ii? What
Church did they divide from? If nay y why then
is it Sehifm to joyn with [ucb men in other
f laces* Where lyeth your Point of Sehifm
or Separation ? Is it for going out of their own
Parijhes? I. So Men in London have ever
done to other Parifh-Churches. 2. And
who ever made zParifo and a Church Syno-
nyrnal, Jure Vivino ? Shall mutable conveni-
encies be turned into immutable ntcejfities *
What thenfls it for going to a Nonconformist i
fo did thofe before mentioned. Is it for go-
ing to a private houfe f i. So did many Epif-
copal Paftors fourteen years ago. 2. And
fome in London iince the Fire. 3. And ,
its an ill argument againft thai), that would
» fain
fain Preach in the publick Temples, if they
could have leave. As far as I diicern, this dull
of Schifm which you would call into other
mens eyes , obligeth you to wink hard ,
left it be blown back into your own.
Sczl. $. The love of peace, and the fear of
frightning any further from Pariih. commu-
nion than I defcre, do oblige me to forbear fo
much as to iefcribe or name the additional
Conformity , and that fin which Nonconfor-
mists fear and fly frcm , which maketh ic
harder to us that defire ic, to draw many
good people to communion with Conformity
than ic was of old. But when both Law, and
Love of Peace and Concord forbid us , fo much
as to name the Caufes , it is difingenious for the
culpable to take that advantage againft us, and
to urge us to do thac which they them-
lelves cannot bear.
Se3. 6. But with full fail of felf-eonceir-
.ednefs he next ccaies upon us, with this as an
undeniable proof, thac [ our Members are ta-
ken out of trite Churches. ] Who would gain-
fay a man of fuch underftanding?
But i. Do not thofe, as aforefaid, that re-
move from one Parilh Church to another, re-
move from true Churches ?
2. How many Bifhops have written thac
the Church of Rome is a true Church ( as
Halls Collection againft Burton fhewech you)
and mufl no Churches therefore be gathered
out of them? $ f What
(44)
j. What advantage then bath every foci-
ifh Superfluous Prieft above God , and over
all good Chriftians ? God bids us worfhip him
according to his Law, and to do all things in
<W*rand decently, and to edification* And
mult not God be obeyed ? No, if the Prieft
will not confent : For if he will worfhip God
foolifhly, with non-fence, undecently, difor-
derly y again/} edification, you cannot help it ;
his followers may be a true £hurch ftill, and
then no man muft remove to worfhip God bet-
ter than pleafeth the Prieft. He that is fal-
len under fuch drunken Readers, as I was bred
under in my youth, that were drunk many
times oftncr than they preached ( I am ready
to prove it , for they never preached, but were
drunk oft;) this poor man and his Family
muft venture their Souls on this fottifhDrunk-
ards conduct, becaufe it is a true Church, and
they muft not go from a true Church^Nhzz a
trick hath theDevil found to bind men to con-
ftancy in his fervice, fo it be done in a true
Church! Alas poor England, whofeTeachers talk
confidently at this rate, becaufe they can fay
that they do it in a true Churchy & did not the
Parliament take a Church out of a true Churchy
when they fcpa rated Covent-Garden from
Martins Parifli. And fo it is when PariQies
are divided into two, one part is feparated
from the other,
Stft* 7- But fa&ious Difputers fee but on
one
one fide. You thought not that you your
felf were all this while proving your felvcs
Schifmatickf- I undertake to prove thatPiP
ftors and People are the Conft'uutive Ejfentials
of a true Cfc«rrA:That Dv.SeamanJs\t*CaUmj y
Dr. Manton } Mr.Cjouge,Dr. Bates r Dr. Jacowb,
and abundance more fuch , with the people
fubje£t to them, as Pallors , were true Chur-
ches.
Prove you if you can,that on ^#£.24.16^2.
they were degraded , or thefe true Churches
diflolved, on any reafon, which any Chur-
ches for 6co years after Chrift would
own.
4. I f not , you feem your fclf to accufe
their Succeflors, oiSchifm> for drawing away
part of the people from them ( meerly by the
advantage of having the Temples and Ty thes )
and fo gathering Churches out of true Chur-
ches ; fo ordinary is it for felf-efteeming men
to talk to their own reproach and condem-
nation.
Sett- 8. But as to his fecond Objection, I
Will take his part ,»'and though we differ not at
all from the DoClrine of the Church oiEnglancL
( till the new Doftrine about In ants was
brought into the new Rubric^ ) yet it is not
in minutioribtu that we differ from the Confor-
mifis ; gather from it what you can. God
knowech we think the macters in difference ; ve-
xy far from things indffircnt*
CHAP.
k* u )
C H A P. V-
Whether the "Declaration make the Non-
conformist preaching more lawful^ or
their duty, than it war before f
Sett, i. T TIs Sett. 2. Pro. 2. is impertinent.
XjL For, i. Heknoweth little, if
he know not, that the Tfynconformifts did before
take fuch preaching and meetings to be lawful,
and a duty in refpeft of the Law of God 5 where
they had opportunity to ufe them.
2. But they take it for a double fin, to neg-
lect a duty, when they have Liberty granted
them by the King co perform it. But he
knoweth we take God for our abfolute Sove-
raign , and think that none cin repeal his
Laws, becaufe that none hath any power but
from him ; and we fuppofe that he will pafs the
final fentence on Kings and us. To what pur-
pofe is it then among Chriftians to quertion ,
whether Men make it lawful for Chrijls Con-
fecrated Minifters to preach, when Cod com*
mzndeth it.
Sett. 2. But pag.i^.hztbinkj he may fafely
fay, \that the "Declaration doth not fo much <u
uncommwi and unin]oyn any things which the
Larr
JjXW properly commands or wjoyns J.
^/w. Say you f o ? i. The Law com-
mandech Ma^iftrates to execute the penal
Laws. The King forbiddeth them : Is not
thac to uncommand them?
2. The Law commandeth us not to meet
above four in a private houfe for worfhip, o-
therwiie than, &c. The King fafpendeth , or
difpenfech with this Commandjand not only
wich the penalty. And is not a lufpenfion of
a Precept an ur.commandiKg^ though not a
Handing of the contrary? I will not in-
flame in Juries inducing Papifts, 8cc.
Sett. 3. But he (ubuily tells us that the
Declaration meddles neither with the 7V*-
cep:ize nor Punitive parts of- the Law, but
only with the Execution, which is exirinjiekjo
both. All La.vyers muft come learn anew
-of him, what it is to difpenfe with a Law. As
if the Command [ Ton {hall examine and pnnifh
fuch Scfucb «fff,]and the prohibition^** jW/
not punifh them, but ptotctt them ] were not
comrarv. Nor the prohibition [Ton (hall hoc
meet above four ore. ] and the difpenfation,
[ Yon ma j mect : $:
Sett. 4. But ail this is utterly impertinent
to them whofe Confciences never allowed
them to forbear their Mimftry in formal obedi-
ence to any mens prohibition , bu: only whea
they had not power or opportunity to exer-
ofe j It's no duty which cannot b:done. And
Lice»fc
ZjV*»/* maketh thztpo/fiMcwhich was Impoffiblel
He that imtieth rtiy feet, accidentally maketh it
my duty to go.
Sctt. y. pag. 16. Let Mr. Crofion anfwer
for himfelf ? but the other two named by you f
Ball and Baxter have much againft you , but
nothing for you ; and underftand themfelvcs
better than you underftand them ; and he that
furviveth, taketh himfelf to be abufed by your
Allegations, and provoketh you to cite any of
his words, which are againft Nonconformijls
preaching as they have opportunity* If you
had rather that we were all ufed as Mr. Jof.
Ailtin was, you may fee by his Preface to his
Life, whether he was not for iuch fufferings ra-
ther than filence.
Sett. 6. His reviving his pitiful Obje&ion,
That we have the approbation of Authority for
feparation, is but a contemptible fp or ting of
himfelf at the game he is beft skilled at; Objeft*
ing nothingjXiax. he may feem to anfwer it with
fomething.
Sett. 7. But p. 1 8. he will bring us to Vto-
pia (Mortu invented it ) and there he will
fuppofe[the Villanies of Tbefc^^Murder and A*
daltery unpunijhed,znd public)^ Meeting* allow-
ed where they (kould be prattled. ]
An[w. 1. What ftijjld the poor Noncon-
formifis hear , if they thus Commen:ed on
the Clemency of the King?
2. But
(49)
2. But becaufe yd* will force dumb men to
fpealc!, fuppofe that kt the fame Utopia y the
Philosophy Schoob which had faithful Teach-
ers , and the Chriftian Churches that had
faithful Paftors y were deprived of near 2000
of them at once , and thofe that came in their
places, had the confeht but of tb$ leafl: part of
the people; and chat they were fuch as< did Do-
Urinallj declare to the people that millions
may be PER without fin, & that they,* x ani-
aw,approve of all the (jrcgorian Liturgie , and
every thing therein, and of all the Lutherans
Confubltantiation, and Church-Images ; and
when in Baptifm they'had vowed to fight a-
gainft the World , the Flefti , and the Devil
under Chrift, they fhould contrarily upon
deliberation make a folemn publick Covenant >
that in their places,&callings,they wbuldnever
endeavour to reform Cardinals, Inquifitions^
High-placts , Confubftantiation , Churcb-Ima-
gcs>px Church-tyranny, & fo in part renounce
ehfcir Baptifm : And fuppofe a clement Prince
fhould releafe the eje&ed Teachers from their
reftraints, and allow them to fee up private
fchools of Philofophy and Divinity , and the
people fhould fay, We cannot in confeieftee cafl:
our Souls on the guidance of the P E R*
and therefore crave the benefit of
your conduit : If thefe fuffering men jfhall
feek to reconcile them to the P E 7^S *
D and
anddefire them to have a better opinion of
them, but yet tell them, that they will not
deny them their own beft help ; Qutre,
whether they finned by not being? E R*
themfelves, or by not being cruel deferters of
mens Souk ? and which fide is to be compared
to the Mtrdtrers and Adnlt$rers} I know
this is notour Cafe in Enghni-, but if we
muft follow you into Utofia or CMtria, let us
have the equitable judgment of the place.
CHAP.
■ . ■*
(**)
CHAP, VL
Of tie Inconveniencies of our Tolera-
ted Meetings.
ScU. i. lWTOthing more cafie than for men
x\ that have fome great advanta-
ges, to force inconveniencies upon other mens
greateft Duties. And we look to do nothing
in the World fcarce that fhall have no incon-
venience. I eat not one meal often that doth
not make me fick. But muft I. therefore give
over? I can tell you of more than a few in-
conveniences of your own preaching , and
Church-worfhip • and yet you will not give
it over. But if any fhall make thofe inconve-
niencies againft our wills, and to the grief of
our hearts,& then tell us that to avoid them we
muft Sacrilegiouflj and as Soul- murderers de-
fer: our Mmiftery , we fhall eafilier anfwer
them,then they will fhortly anfwer God.
St&. 2. His firft inconvenience is,th at [jp#
frail Uj down the Cudgels and beg the peacc,&c.
of the reft of the Scftaries, m yell as the Inde-
pendents. ]
Anfw. A hard point to that Se<ft that is
D a 7W-
Turba gravu pact, placidaq^ inlmlca qmeti' y
who know not how to lay down the Sword m
But if we have been at Cudgels, we mean
not to live and die at a wdrk fo unfuitable to
our Religion and our minds. Reproach not
him that (aid [ // it be pj[ible : at much as in you
lyethjive peace My with allmen\But if it be our
diflikj oiScbifm that are the Cudgels you mean,
you are anfwered already. Pretend not to
know our minds better than our felves. When
were we againft our own Preaching, as we
had opportunity?
Sett. 3. He would next raife a fufpicion,
[ That oar Principles change with the times ,]
and yet faith [ It u a thing not eaftly objerved
in m in any thing el[e\\ Condemn not your
felf then by fufpeding it in this , till you bet-
ter know our minds : [ Or elfe, which u worji
of all, that our inter eft lay at the bottom , and
TV 06 the only Spring and Wheel of our xjealy and
all our motions >&c]
Anfw. Who had been the more accufable of
this Carnality and Hypocrifie, in the eyes of
any ftanders by, the Conformijls that take up
the Principles that go along with Safety ,
Wealth , Preferments and Dignities ? or the
Noxconformifts, that have near ten years been
deprived of all Ecclefiaftical maintenance ?
fome lived in extream poverty , and fome lain
in Jaitej &c. Sure, if we accufe not pu ? even
you
j9*>o£ hypocritical following carnall intereft,
one w.quld think a little modefty might have
cured the Canker that moved thefe iufpicions
or accufations oftu, either as to thefe or for-
mer Opinions. But my expe&ation of mo-
defty, 1 fee by the following words, needs a
pardon.
Sett. 4. He addeth [Conftder I hefeech
you^bow like u Independent-Apes jour new Con-
gregations will make you^looh^ , &c. ]
jinfw. That is to fay^Come Nonconform^ s y
if you will not he beaten from your Makers
worker we will try whether we can feoff and
fcorn you out of it ; if that will not do , we will
pretend Cbrifls Name and Authority as forbid-
in g you+ For as Chrift^ Matth. 4. fo you mnfh
encounter a three-fold temptation. But we
take pleafure in infirmities, and can hear to be
made as the ofF-fcouring of all things,remem-
bring who was cloathed in Purple, and then
mockt as being like a King. If you will take
my Spoon and Knife from me , and then fay
that I eat lik* an Ape or a Beafl, 1 will not be
fo prated and fooled out of my meat. It' with
Diogenes I had caft away my Difh to ufe my
i)are hands, or forfaken my Houfe to live
in a Tub, I had defer ved your derifion ; but
if you take my houfe & all my goods from me,
you. (hall not mock me out of my poor Tub
alfo ; We would avoid all appear ance\of evil ;
Butpnly in things indifferent 7 we will not
D 3 ceafe
ctskGhripianity preaching otpraying^whtnyoxi
can make it by your Artifice appear like evil %
Let's hear the inftances.
Sett. y. [i. Tour Churches mil be gather*
ei as theirs. J
Anfw. As much as all the Churches for
three hundred years were j or the Meetings
of Flavians, Meletity> and others at Antioch*
when they were prohibited the Temple. And
as Dr. Wilis and Dr. Gunning* were fifteen
years ago. Or if you will , as the Joannites
were in Constantinople, till Chryfoftoms name
and bones were honoured by wifer men than
thofe that caft him out.
Sett. 6. [ 2. Ton can aiminifter Baptifm $r
the Lords Supper > to none but thofe of jour fe*
lett number^
Anfxp. i. Is it becaufe we mil not y or be*
caufe you mil not give us leave ? Who then is it
long of? Oformodefty/ Tye mens feet, and
reproach them for not going /
2. But is ic not better to give an Alms to
the bodies or fouls, of fome men % than of none
at all? Argue thus with yourPhyficians^r^ ca*
meiicate none but your felett Patient ; Ergo,
you are to be fcornei if you meiicate any at all.
And I profefs, were it not for the poor peoples
fake, and my duty to God, I would give you
( that defire it ) all my praftice , and all the
gains,
^.But
j. But why may wc not in the allowed
places cxcrcife our Miniftry, in baptizing the
Children of any one of your F locks thztfhall de-
fin it, ot giving them the Sacrament} I yet
underftand it not, unleis for the avoiding of
your envy and difpleafure.
Si&. 7. [ ?• Tou cannot exereife Difcipline
b$U by the confent of your people. ]
Anfw. i. We cannot be PaSiors to any a-
gainft their wills : If yon can , and take that
for your honour, keep it, for we will have no
part with you. We find indeed that it is
your Opinion to eafrcife your Discipline on tu
againft onr mils.
2. But though we cannot take men for
Cbriftians > nor for our fpecial Flock. > nor
bring them to repentance, noryztabfolve them
againft their wills, we can admonifh and tx-
communicaxe them againft their wills , and de-
ny them the Lords Supper from us • if they
firft voluntarily fubrait to our Miniftry. We
take it not for our part or honour to do in thefe
things fo much as you can.
SeSt. 8. [ 4. ^either can you have any
Cb*rcb-Government but in your jingle Congre-
gations % and that Uo Independent on all c-
tbers. ]
Anfve. 1. Who is that long of? Is it not
you that forbid it us ?
z. But indeed we never defired to play ihe
D 4 Bilhops
U 6 )
Bifhdps iri'othtt mens Dioccfs:If we pietencU
ed to govern .jM»would you take it for our Qir±
thodoxnefxh I think not. I would you were
of the iaftie Opinion,,& I would die tope were
of the fame Opinion, and would Jet other
men alone, and excrcifehis .Difcipline oyer
tione that he bath nothing to do with. Bax*
ter whom you name hath told you, that Bi-
ftop $^*r profeft his Judgment to him., that
even Biftiops in a Council (though they are
therei (goyernours of the Flocks , yet ) meet
not for Government pf bne another hyVote^
or of ether. Bifbops , but fcr Concord* And
^r otitis de Imp. f urn. pot. haxh fhewed you
that Canons' are not Z^wbut Agreements.
z. r But why may not majiy ot us Miilifters
meetiapne allowed place, fpr fuch Agreements
in our Paftoral Go vernmei^t ? And no great-
er dependence do wedefire: I affure/yoi* we
ihoul4 be glad if all the fijenced Minifters thefc
thirty years had been left dependant on the
Piocefans. ;
Sect. $>. He addethf Thm & others are
Independents by choice and Trofejfion , you will
makf jo Hr f elves fo bjneceflity ; and that necejfir
tj fttch>as joh wilfully throw your [elves into, a-
gainft all the light of Presbyterian ~Con(ciencc %
Trndence and I nt ere ft, by a needlefs and fin ful,
a fcandalow and mifchievous Reparation. ]
Anfw* i # Such confidence upon fuchjn-
fignificaht tcafonings, is a great dilhonour to
the wic and humility of the Author. He that
no better knoweth their judgments , can tell
joh, what all the light of the Presbyterian con*
fcienceis.
2.He can prove that ourMiniftery is needlefs^
finfuly &c. becaufe he can call the exercife of it
fep oration : As it the paucity of ignorant and
ungodly Souls, | aad the fufficient number , abi-
lity y z>cal, and diligence of the Conformijls made
us and our Labours needlefs indeed. Alas f
what thoughts have thefe men oi fouls, of jin y
oiholinefsy of repentance, and of their own
fufficiency and labours. But, Sir, who made
you a fitter Judge of the need of fouls, thati
themfelves and all others ? Next perfwade us
that Tutors are needlefs, becaufe all in Eng-
land are born learned. I have much ado to get
fervantsin my own Family that have tolerable
knowledge and piety: And can our Conform-
ifls alone fufficiently teach many hundred Fa-
milies , and prove that other mens help is
needlefs ? Try firft whether you can perfwade
men ,. that you alone are fufficient to teach all
the Children in your Parishes to fpeak, and
to drefs them 3 and feed them, and that all
other perfons help is needlefs. Get them to
fall all till you feed them your felves , and
coake them believe they need no other meat.
We that have conferred with all the people of
our
our Panihes when we were permitted, found
that multitudes were almoft as ignorant asHi*.
thefts : And yet our excellent fucceflburs, that
do no fuch thing ( as to any two of them that
ever I knew or heard of) but fee their faces in
the Churchman prove all our Teaching needle fs
to thefe poor ignorant fouls : Is this humility,
and Ministerial fidelity ? Its^?* in us to preachy
and duty to the Conformists i lam glad they
take it yet for a duty to any.
3* But is it not as eafie for us to fay, That
you have needle fly, and fitfully % andfeanda-
httfiy taken our places , ( I mean as to the
Church-Relation, & not as to the Temples and
Ty thes, ) and drawn fome of the people to
feparati&n from thofe that were before true
Churches > We fay not fo ; but put not your
felves on the hard task of difproving it, if you
are wife.
4. But our necedicy 5iV,hath vifible Caufes.
1. God and our ownconfent at our Ordi-»
nation , made our nectjfity of exercifing our
Miniftry ; We are not afhamed of the Gofpel
of Chnft, nor that ic was our choice : But God
hath laid this nectjftty on tes , and woke untom
if we preach not the ^ofpcl^ae we have opportu-
nity.
2. TheBifhops tofome of us, and fenier
Paftors to others, by Minilterial kwftiture im-
pefed this neccflity on us.
3. The
3. Th# great neceffity of multitudes of fouls
( which nothing but grofs ignorance de fa8o %
Infidelity , or Impudency can deny ) concur-
rech to caufe this neceflity.
4. The Law impofeth a necefficy on us,
not co preach among you in the Temples : If
then God fay, Preach, and the Law fay,
Preach not in the Temples , we may conclude
we muft preach out of the Temples ; if we have
but as much wit as King James's Hounds had,
that at a double way, if they find the. Hare
hath not gone one way , will take it for
granted he is gone the other* Here is then but
two makers of our neceffity, the Impofer and ibe
Bcflraincr; Reproach neither of them if you
will take our council.
ScH. 10. He addeth [ In vain do you thinly
to help jour f elves, and tofatisfie the World, by
pleading the moderation of your Principles, And
that you do believe our Parochial Congre-
gations are true Churches , which the other
Sectaries deny : For befides that many of the
Independents acknowledge the fame , thu is the
great aggravation of your Schifm : For why
then do you feperate from tu ? ]
Anf+ i. We are glad that you confefs the
Independents themfelves are fo moderate to-
wards you.
2. We perfwade none to feparate from
you.
3 .Do
(rfo)
3. Do you filence us, and depofe us from
the Miniftry, and forbid Baptifm and the
lords Supper to all thac have not as wide a
fwallow as your felves, and then ask , Why
[0 far ate you from hj f
I 4. Do you draw Churches to your
pelves out of our true Churches that were be-
fore you, and then charge your att on us ?
5. Why come not yon to the private Chur-
ches among you that have all this while been
kept up? t.g* In London y why may not Dr.
Mantouy Dr. Annefley> Dr. Jacomb , and a-
buhdance of fuch , as fairly charge thofe that
go only to the Temples, for feparating from
chem ? They fay , They are as true Chuches
as you. If their not hearing you is feparation,
why is not your not hearing of them [0 ? Big
words when men are got into the Saddle make
not their Caufe good.
6. But it feemech that acknowledging you
true Churches will not fatisfie you, without
(what ? ) attnal hearing yon. But doth not
every Cbappe^and every neighbor Parifh then,
and all the World befides your Auditory, fin-
fully [epafate from yon ? Some men can tri-
umph in fuch rcafonings for themfelves , as
would make another fick to read them.
CHAP,
(Si)
CHAP- VII.
Of the inconvenience from our Brethren*
fence of Toleration,
ScB. i.L-Jls next Se£Hon, pag. 21, &c. is as
A : Ameer del ufion as any of the reft.
Firft, he argueth from the Presbyterians be-
ing always againft a Toleration. Reader, all
fober Divines that ever I met with , ufc here
to diftinguifh between Tolerable and Intoler-
able things and perfons, and to conclude that
the Tolerable muft be Tolerated >and the other
not, though they all agree not how much is
Tolerable. Now what doth this man but talk
confufedly, as if they had been againft all To-
leration. Look up man without blufhing,
and tell the World, Whether ever the Presby-
terians maintained it a fin toTolerate Presbyte-
rians. Alas , for thofe poor people , that can-
not try fence from nonfence / with what fluff
will fuch men carry them away? If you talk
of the 'Toleration of any that are Intolerable,
what have wc to do with it any more than you?
Sett. 2. Any more than you y did I fay ?
Sir, vilifie not the wits of thofe Clergy men
that chiefly contributed to our *— fo as
to
(6z)
co imagine that they did not know What they
did, and forefee this day. Honour their *#«
derfiandings more, than co take them for fo iV-
norant, ( especially being lowdly foretold it f )
as not to foreknow,
i. what number and fort of men would be
laid by.
i. How the people would judge of them and
their Caufe.
3. How both they and the people would go
through their fuferings.
4. How wife \ fenfire, and merciful Hu Ma-
jefiy would be y when he faw all t hu (I ir y and dif~
fatufa&ton of his people.
y. And that the preaching offilenced Mini-
fters in private, would encourage all other Setts.
6. And when ever the door was opened for
their Liberty y all others would endeavour to
tbruft in with them. Who then I pray you
hath done more for Toleration , you or
,we?
Sect. 3. But his next hath no bonnds, and
grieveth me to read it ( O pofterity, how will
you know what to believe?) viz,, p. 22.
[ Have not you lately refufed the comprehenfton y
artd denied fo great an advantage to your f elves y
becaufe you could not have it without a general
Toleration. 1
Anfw. No, Sir, we have not ; nor fliould
you have by a queftion Yenccd fuch a fallhood.
Name
(*3)
Name the men that offered us a comprehend-
on, and the men that refufed it ? If you tell
us that;**, or fuch another offered it to one
of your neighbours , you may poflibly make
your words ridiculoufly true : But if you
mean that either the King or Parliament of-
fered it, tell us when, and and who were the
refafers. If you mean any Parliament Speeches,
it is not fit for us to talk about them. But
you will not I fuppofe prefume to fay that the
Parliament ever offered either Toleration or ac-
ceptable comprehenfion ( that is , to take in
2{onconformijts ; ) much lefs both.
There was a Rumor of one Mans Speech, ^cal-
led a Presbyterian , as if it had founded like a
refufal of fome abatement , but if you will
talk with him as I have done, he will foon
/hew you the falfhood of that Rumor.
If you could have proved that any fecret
perfon ever refufed fuch an offer, can you
thence fay to the Presbyterians that they refn-
[edit?
If you mean an offer that by a great Mini-
fter of State was made , be better informed of
it your felf.
i. That it was not refufed y but very
thankfully accepted.
2. That for the Toleration of other men, be*
pies themfelves , thofe two or three that
meddled in it, anfwered.
14 That
(«4)
i. That it was their defire that all ToU<
rablc T>ijfentiers might be tolerated*
2. That it was His Majefties work and not
theirs.
3 . That therefore thofe that were to be 7*-
lerated r were accordingly to be fpoken to of
the Term*, for we were capable of treating of
the Ca(e and Terms of none but our felves*
And after this the endeavour for our Com<-
prehenfion went on to our content, till the
Parliament (ate, and prefently lluit the door
againft it.
I know of no other offer but this, which
thofe few that dealt in it well know was far
from being refufed ; fo chat a greater (lander
could fcarce have been laid on men chacliave
ftii fo greatly defired A COMPREHENSION
OF ALL SOBER PROTESTANTS IN
THE PUBL1CK MINIS TRY, and A TO-
LERA.TION ALSO OF ALL TOLE-
RABLE DISSENTER S,under Laws of
peace and fafety : This was (till the thing
which we begged for in vain : But who fhoulcf
be accounted Tolerable , we were never called
to give our publick Opinion or Advife, that I
know of. Repent of fuch Calumnies , and
ftudy not to aggravate your Fault by Etf-
cufes.
Indeed, if the offer had been mfcde to them
of a Comfrehenfion on condition . chey them*
felves
I Of )
,civcs would have APPROVED of an V*l~
verfal Toleration ot all thofe whom they ac-
count Intolerable. I doubt not but they
would have faid, We tbankjtttly accept Com-
prcbenjicn> but cannot approve of (tech a Tolgm
ration, but leave your own rvorkj to your own
Krifdom • we cannot go againfi oar Cor.fcicnccs
for any Liberty : But other mens aftions , are
not ours.
Sett. 4. And he addeth oLi fpeeches againft
Toleration, Univerfal intolerable Toleration?
Wherein we lament his want of common
fcnfe ormodefty.
1. If he would infinuate that we are for
mVniverfal Toleration^ becaufe we preach
when we have liberty and opportunity, What
dealing is to be expeded from fuch men? When
he confefleth that we have been ftili againft
fuch a toleration ? When we have almoft
twelve years ago , cryed out , even to un-
mannerlinefs, that if poffibly we might have
been heard, to the Reverend Prelates^ Cast not
out fo many in the necejfities of the people ? O
drive not godly people from your Communion for
nothing I If yon can prove Cr offing , and your
Sacrament-kneeling lawful, with Subfcriptionsy
Canonical-fwearing to you, &c. yet all that
think^otberwife fhouU not be excommunicated 7
or forbidden to preach Chrijis Gofpel : We have
Fornicators > and Drunkards, &c. enough to
£ excom*
I 6 ?)
excommunicate : O drive not upright con felon a*
tie Christians from your Churches ! Force not
Ministers to private preachingmd faff&w&h
which will certainly occafton Setts, and of en a
door to you know what. And when we can no
whit prevail, if thefe very men themfelves fhall
fay, that it is we that are for Univcrfal Tole-
ration, with what Forehead — ; —
What man that hath not lived in a dream theft
12 years, hath made any doubt but that it hath
been the interest and defire of Infidels , Papifis
and Quakers, that our ejections and prejfures
might be a* great as might be, that fo the Pro-
tefiants might be weakned & broken by their own
Divijionsy and the chief oppofers of thefe men
be either confumed, or forced by mifery to petiti-
on for Toleration, or at leaf} that it might be
granted as for our fakes, and we might be faid
to open to them the door, that they that con feft
we have been moft againfi it, might be able
(but qua front e ) to fay that it was our doing and
not theirs. But when mens wits have thus
play'd the game to the utmoft , they are buc
abufing themfelves : For they mufi dye, I tell
you^theymufl dye y & be judged by that God that
batetb Malignity, Cruelty, and Hypocrifie, and
Will detect all frauds before the Worlds when all
that is now admired by the dreaming World^fhaH
be levelled^ obfeured, and appear contemptible^
even to them that fold their Souls to obtain it.
Sett.
V °? )
Sett. f. Once more Readeiyperufe all the
Citations of this Author, out of Mr. Edwards^
Mr. Trap (a Conform*/}, yet num'ored with
US ) or the Jus Vivinum Presbyterii ( faid to
be written by Dr. Roberts, a Conformiji^ only
read them not with this Authors Spectacles or
Eyes, and then tell me like a man of truth ,
whether thou doft believe that their meaning
Was, [ An Univerfal Toleration is unlawful :
Ergo, Presbytery mafi not be Tolerated , if any
others get the power ] or whether ever the
Nonconformlfis faid, [_We are not to be Tolerated]
or, Whether the Epif copal men told Cvomwcl
in his Ufurpation, [It is unlawful to tolerate mf\
Ic is ftrangc that any party who think them-
felves only or chiefly fit for Legzl poffejfion %
fhould yet think themfelves Intolerable.
But if he talk of the Tolerating of others,
that are indeed intolerable , let him calk to
them that have to do with it ; and let him firfl
talk his friends into the tears of true Repent-*
ance ( if they be not paft learning) even from
the greateft EXPE RIENCEiz felf.
Sett. 6. But the man will ferioufly prove
What he faith, p. 2 j. [ £an you more jig
cwn y recognize, or more exprejlj giv* jour un-
feigned affent and confent unto, and approbation
ef both Toleration and Sch-.fm , than not only
ie firing to efcape the penalty of the Laws , and
to live quietly m afiatc of fepxration by zertue
E z of
tfitj but alfo by taking the utmoft advantage of
it, for the ereUing diftinU and jcparate Con*
gre git ions to jour [elves* ]
Anfl.N he mean that we approve of the To-
leration of onr [elves, & all the Tolerable J furc
we never did deny it : Let the enemy of man-
kind glory in the contrary, as his proper ver-
tue. But if he mean ( as he plainly feemeth )
that we approve of the 1lniver[alitj of Tolcra-
tion ; Come, weigh his proof.
i. By de firing to e[c#pe the penalty of the
Laws.
Anfxo. Now you fpeak fenfe i we feel your
meaning. It is a crime worthy the name of
Schifm, to defiie to be unpunifhed , when
you defire our punifhment : We do not tota
feftore telum recipere : What if you were for
hanging and burning w ? were it Tolerati*-
nifm & Schifm to be unwilling to be hang'd or
burnt ? While we have fuch Ithacian Matters
in our own Coats, blame us not to defire
Toleration, and to thank the King for faving
us from our Brethren.
The penalty of poverty j and lofing all Mi~
nijlerial maintenance, we never efcaped fince
you fucceeded us : Yet God that bids us ask
for our daily bread, would not have charged
our de firing it, on us as our fin, if the Law had
forbicitus. Poor Jofeph AUeine and many
another are gone, and did not efcape the pe-
nalty:
flaky : I never heard chat Bradford or Hooper,
or Latimer were accufed for de firing to f/<r<*p*
penalty. Was it Jofepbs fin that the IJhmae-
lites and Egyptians were more merciful to him
than his Brethren?
But, Brother , what good will our fuffer-
ings do you ? What harm wil it do you if we
efcape ? Do you feel your felf ever che more at
liberty when we are in the Common- Jayh ?
Are you the fuller , becaufe fome Noncmfor-
tnifls wanes Bread ? We have been heinoufly
accufed by others , for coming within five
miles of any City, Corporation, and place
where we lately preached ( when Chnft
faid, If they persecute you in one City, flee to ano-
ther : ) As if it were lawful to defert all the
Souls in Cities and Corporations , or to take
you alone for fufficient, where the very num-
ber of Souls proves you lead fufficient. But
would you be at more hearts-eafe > to think
that none of us are within five miles of you,
nor teach any of the people the Gofpei of
Chrift? You have with lefs noife endured
Infidels and Papifis enough within five miles
ot you ? Alas, when the Stone is fet on rolling
down the Hill, where will it flop ?
Sett. 7. But this is fpoken conjun&ively
jvith what folio we th: And what's that?
E * 2. To
2. [To live quietly in a flate of feparati-
on — ] that is, Noc to be your fubjed hear-
ers ? But,
i. Have not many of hs 9 fonie conftantly,
fome at times , fat at your feet as your Dif-
ciples.
2. If Minifters be judged by you unwor-
thy to preach the Gofpel, have they not reafon
to think you judge them unworthy to naive
the Sacrament?
3. Are you Separates for not hearing them ?
If not, why are they fuch for not hearing you ?
But of this before.
SeB. 8. But theutmoftis [ Ereftingfepa-
rate Congregations to your J 'elves. ]
Anfco. 1. You mean , it is fin in us to
exercife the Miniftry which we are vowed
to , and noc to be Sacrilegious and cruel
to Souls : For can we Preach without Au-
ditors* And can thofe Auditors be no Con-
gregation ? And can that Congregation be out
of your hearing , and not be locally fepa-
rate y as every Parifh-Church and Chappel
is ? Muft two Congregations be one * or
elfe be Separatifts ?
I know two Churches fo near that the
people may hear each other, and yet they
arc two, and therefore one is feparate : And
I pray, which of them is it ? It may
be all in Englani feve Canterbury , or ra-
ther
CO
ther Gla&enbury,zxt Separates , for fcpa-
rating from the firji Church : As if Pytba-
gorat juftly curfed the number of two , be-
caufe it was the firft thatdurft depart from
unity ; and all Churches in the World
were Separates except Jerufalem.
I pray you Sir, tell me, What if a Tolera-
ted 'Presbyterian ihould read the Common-
prayer in his Church , and ufe all your
Ceremonies ( though he fear Perjury , and
Lying , and Violating his Baptifmal Vow ) :
were this a Schifmacick or not ? If yea ;Then
fo is every neighbour Parifh-Minifter , or
Chappel Curat. If not ; than it is not a
iiftinU Congregation that makech Separa-
tes. And then what if he do not u(e the
Liturgie ; doth that make a Separatiji ?
Were you all Separatifts that ufed it not
fifteen years ago?
* I iliall next expe& to hear that he is a 5/-
paratifi that readeth in his own Common*
Prayer- Boc^ and not in yours.
But I doubt the Separation is in this,
that the Tolerated Minifter will not be your
Curat, and ruled by you : But remember
that fome are Presbyterians , and therefore for
Parity of Minifters ; and I and many o-
thers are fo much for Epifcepacy », as that we
would not have Prelatical Jur lfdi&ion given
to thofe Parifh Priefts , who themfelves arc
againft Presbyter 7, and for Prelacy*
E 4 CHAP,
U*J
CHAP. VIII.
Of Inconvenience from the Nature o£
the Practice*
Sett. i. TN all this Se&ion, let the Readef
■* confider ,
i. How few words there be, which a
Papift Prieft in Pari* might not fay againft the
Protcftants.
2. Whether this be not the fummeof all,
[ Preaching the Gofpel hath hazards y incon-
veniencies and likelihood, o£fru(lration ; There-
fore it is your folly and fin to Preach it,]
3. Whether there be not much that would
not almofl: as handfomly have ferved Celfm^
'Julian) Porphyry, EmafitU) or Symmachns a-
gainlt Christianity?
Sect. 2. Do not you excommunicate and
drive from your feveral Parifhes the Member^
of Chnft ? for no: eating with your Spoon,
and then reproach them that will cake thern
in whom you caft out?
Sett. 3. We ftill hold that Memb^s of the
fame particular Church, fliould not live at a
difiancc
( 73 ) ■
Hflanci fo great , as to make them mcapabU
of ordinary Perfonal Communion.
Sett. 4. We take your Warning : Udepen*
dents j as you fay, may over-reach us ; Peo-
ples inconftancy and wealchefs may fruftrate
much of our Labours ; Quakers and Papifti
may deceive fome 5 We^adde, And you and
others may keep us after all in Poverty, and
in Jaylsj for ought we know* And what of
all this ? Therefore preach noU Next fay^
Therefore be no Chriftians^ Therefore damn your
twn fouls } if jour temptations be fo great. No,
Sir, But, therefore we will ferve Chrift the
more refolutely, and truft him for our prefer-
vation and reward, TheCiod whom we ferve
is able to deliver us : But if he. will not, be
it known unto ycu, that we will not ceafe to
preach his Gofpel, while we can, and we fear
not being lofers by him.
Sett. j. But your will feemeth to bear down
^our Experience, while you would tempt us f
y the difcouragements of Difficult Afficmb-
lin&, and the Peoples Poverty. Have thofe kept
us from doing what we could till now ? Will
our Poverty be greater than you Conformifts
have made it ? Have we ferved God about
twelve years without one bit of the Levites por-
tion ? and cannot we do fo till we die ? There
is an harmony in all your duccurfe; To tell
11s of the diicouragement of Poverty from 0*
tbcrS|
(74)
thers, that would help us, were they able,
iwhen your Party hath fo long kept us with-
out a bit of Bread, but what Alms, or fome
mens own Stocks afforded theni, is juft like
the reft. It fufficeth us to tell you, that we
preach not for Riches, and we will not ceafe
through Poverty. Talk at this rate to one
another.
SeQ. 6. When you fay, that a Toleration
may reduce the common fort to an indifferency in
Religion.
I anfwer,Get your friends together then that
have brought it to tbatpafi, as that [ It muft
be this or worfe] and bring them to weep over
their fins before God ; That if a miferable
Nation may not be faved from the Fire that
you have kindled, your Souls yet if poffible
may be faved.
Sett. 7. But, (f*g. 29. ) you too boldly
make your felves the Stewards of God's Blef-
fings^ and as Magifterialiy, without proof,
pronounce that we are out of his way, and in
cppofition to bis Church , and contrary to bis
Word.
Anfw. For my felf I have long been of an
opinion,which one day you will pardon, that,
Perjury, Perfidioufnefi and *Perfecution , proud
contending who (hall be great eft, and covenant-
ing never in certain points to obey Cbrifl againfl
the World and the Fle(h, is not the way of God :
If
(7$)
If you take mc for lingular, there is no re^
medy.
2. And what Word of God is it that we
contraditt ? I reade in the Rubrick of lome-
thing about Infants, Certainty the Word gf
Cod j but I never heard in what Chapter or
Verfe it was.
3. And which is CbrifPs Church which we
oppofe ? What Chapter and Verfe faith, that
only Subfcribers, Swearers, Declarers and Con-
formifts are the Church of Chnft ; and thofe
that fear an Oath and Conformity are none
of it?
CHAP. IX.
Of Inconvenience from our prefint
Conformity.
Sett. 1.
HE next confeffeth that [ melt of tu have
hitherto held fome meafurc of Communion
with the Church of England ] And now [if we
depart and fall quite away ] (when we purpofe
to go no further from them, but rather come
nearer if they will give us leave) then faith he
\Toh mllpublifhto the World, that your comply
ance
C 76 )
Una with us before the Toleration^ was not out
vfftnfe of Duty j or love of Peaa and Unity , or
any other good end j but meerly out of Jltvifb
fear of Punifhment, &c^\
Anfw. 1. We will not refle& by recrimi-
nation, becaufe we would not provoke you
more than needs.
2. As far as I can promife, we will judge
of you no worfe than we have done t nor de-
ny any Communion with you which we have
ufed, and can ufe without ncgledting our own
work. As I conftantly joyn in myParifh-
Church in Liturgy and Sacraments, fo Ihope
to do while I live (if I live under as honeft
a^Minifter,) at due times. But what if I had
leave without Conformity to preach in the
next Parifh-Church ? I cannot then be in
yours at the fame time. He that preacheth
not, may hear you conftantly : But he that
may preach himfelf, mull not ceafe his Mini-
ftry, to be ftill one of your Flock. We long
ago published our Judgments, that It is a fin
not to joyn with a left-worthy Minifier % and a
left-orderly Mode of IVor(hif>, when we can have
no s better • And that it is a fin to tye onrfelves
ordinarily to fuch when we may have better lawm
fully, that is {confideratis confiderandis) upon
terms whereon it will not do more hurt than good*
You fee then on what terms we may vary our
r ^ra&ices, without the crimes recited by you.
( 77 )
If now when iVe are preaching our felves, yotj
will fay thac we are it parting from joh, ( be-
caufe we cannot be in two places at once), and
then come on with all thefe Calumnies, we take
but this to be your meaning ;
i. To tell us thac you think we io value
the honour of our Names and Reputations with
you, as that you can make us falfe to our
Callings, rather than be cenfured by you.
2. That you have alwayes a Quiver full
of fuch Arrows provided, and refolve, that if
we will not give over our Miniftry, and be ru-
led by you, you will make as many as you
can believe, thac we never had fenfe of Vmy 3
love of Peace or Unity, or any good end, but mcer
jlavifhfear. So men, it's like, would fay of
Chnft, when fometimes he preached openly,
and fometimes departed from mens fury inta
the Wildernefs or obfeure places ; Or of Paul
thac was let down by the Wall, in a baskec,
and when he departed from the Jews Syna-
gogues which he had before frequented ; or
thofe that fled from one City to another. Ic is
a duty to preach when I can, and no duty
when I cannot : And if others make the [can\
and the [cannot,] is it / or they that change
my practice ? But if you teach men fuch ap-
parently cauflefs Cenfures and Reproaches,you
may have many Diiciplcs 7 buc not very gooi
*ncu And fane will thus paraphrafe your;
(7*)
words, [If the King will not let us perfecuU
them for preaching , we are refolved we wii
flander them y and make men believe ( on hov>
hard terms foever they ferve Cbritt ) that they
do it aU but a* cowardly {elf peeking Knaves*]
What abundance have called me Rogue of late
years, that never knew me, or fpake one word
to me before,or heard one ?rom me I As to the
reft [That we proclaim our cowardife, or a love of
licentioufneft, or put on liberty for a cloaf^ofma-
leioufnefi] it ail fignifiech but what you have
a lift to fay, and calls co us to long for the judg-
ment-day of Chrift, but yet co look well to
the integrity of our hearts, and try our way
before we go it.
CHAP.
CHAP. X.
Whither qht Miniftry b] Mvifions wiU let in
Poperj.
Sett, i. T Love this Author much the bet-
1 ter, becaufe he fpeaks againft di-
vifions , and becaufe he feemeth willing to
draw thofe men towards him , whom others
drive from them , and becaufe he feemeth
careful of our Proteilant Intereft, and defi-
rous of fome kind of unity to that end. But,
alas, have we fo many years ago befoughc his
party with all humble petinon and importu-
nity, anddifputcdit with them •, that they
would have pittyon the confidences of thou-
sands fearing God, that they would have
mercy on the thoufands of ignorant fouls that:
need all our Teaching ^ that they would not
cat our fo confiderablea part of th: Prote-
ftant Miniftry that fhould hinder Poperv,
and would notneceffitate unavoidably thofe
divifions,which by weakningthe Proteftaftft,
would do the Papifts workj and under the
fad denial of oar petitions, mud we now hear
that {the Pop* jbd/l come on the Puritans pick?)
That wcrd \Jhall~\ we have bin long hi arintj
and feeling. To be Matters of th? Game is
a great advantage for the difpofai of other
mens reputations in this World, a littla
r wh.lc.
f8*;
while; but in the next, the fport is fpoiied,
Se&. 2. And rsaSiy, Wiii Popery come in
ever the more for our Preaching} (do you
It we ftiajl Preach for it?) or ever the Ids,
if we renounce our Miniftry ? Why rben will
nor [cur filcncc too prevent it; and fo we may
ail hi hient leit we preach in Popery.
& ecr. 3 . Bnx it U Divlfiors that will do it.
No doubt of it,if it ever be done. Come and
impartially debate the cafe w*- h us, w ho have
bin the great caufes of Protectants divifions,
Confurmifts or Non-Conformifts ? But I am
afhanocd to fay that it needeth a debate. But
chat you would yet repent of what is part,
inflxad of reproaching thofe that you have
afili&ed \ And for the time to come, if we
have not unit) and peace ^ for my own pare
1 can fay, it (hall btjour doing, and wilful do-
trig, to refufe it.
CHAP.
(83)
CHAP. XL
Vottnfel to the N on- Conform'. ft s , Afinijrers
and People.
BRethren, you hear by this Author that
the Conformifts are greatly afraid of
Popery , and that the danger by feme will be
faid to be from you-.but who ever raketh you
for the Papifts friends, the Papifts themfelves
wiil never fo edeem you. You fee that fome
Comfor miits are defirous of peace and concord
with you, for the common end, the Churches
ftrength againft all adverfaries. God forbid
that you fhould not be as forward to love
and peace as they. I have thefe following
counfels to give you before I go out of rhe
World , expeding to have von ere long in a
condition, which will require more vpifdom,
holivefs, and for tit tide t than I fear themoft are
yet pofTcfTcd of.
I. Refolve by the grace of Go J, again fl aH
temptations*, ad through all difficulties, faith-
fully to ply jour Minifterial worl^You fee how
muchSaranis againtt it, and how he tryeth
every way to hinder it : fomerimes by force
and tears, fam-rimes by flatteries, fornetitnes
as that old Prophet feduced the other, by
tomihg as in Chrifts name, a-, an Angc
tl^htj and by Minifleri of RighteouiV.e^.
F % Hi
He maketh not light of your Miniftry , elfe he
would not do fo much again ft it -, O do not
vou make light of it. Our Ordination,
Vow and Covenant is Holy ! If Ananias and
Sapphira dyed for alienating conftcrated mo-
ney by a lye, what (hall we expec^if we alie-
nate conftcrated perfons by a lye : Souls are
precious, fia is ftrong, Satan is fubtile, the
World is deceitful, the ftefh is unreafonable,
deceivers have great advantage, time is (hort;
O therefore work while it is day, for the
night cometh when none can workj Our own
floath and finis the moft dangerous filence.
How many fouls feed or famifh, live or die,as
we do our duty, or negk A it ? Can you fpare
your fle(h or labour , when you think what
impenitent fouls muft feel for ever • and what
the Sandlfied (ball enjoy ? Would you not
ftiine your felvesasStmin the Firmament?
Would you not be found by Chrift fo doing ?
Would you not convert Sinners from the er-
rour of their way, when it is the favingofa
foul from death, and covering a multitude of
fins ? What ever Word of God deceivers may
abufe to ftop your mouths, be fure that holy
Covenants mull: be kept •, that Sacrileges a
fin} that nature it felf tells you* no man hath
power to nullifie your Obligation to Charit\
it felf in the work of mens Salvation ^ that*
the love of God dwelleth not in you , if you
fee your Brother have n ce d y and (hut up the
(85)
bowels of your com paffion from him: Men
may regulate your charity for good, but not
deftroy it. If the poor were famifhing about
you, no Law can difoblige you from reliev-
ing them. Be fure that neccjfitj is laid on all
the Minifters of Chrift (though not by the
fame t»ay as it was laid on the Apoftles^ ) and
woe be unto them if they preach not the Go-
fpel. Fear none of thofe things that you (hall
fuflfer .- they are the prognofticks of your
Crown; You fhali judge the world that judg-
eth you : It will be joyful to \\£*r,Tkefc are
they that came out of great Tribulation, &c.
Even Dr. Th. Jack^fon notably concludeth,
that the reafon why Martyrdom among Chri-
ftians now, is rarer than among Unbelievers
heretofore, and that more fuffcr not, as John
Baptifi did of Herod , is not becaufe Great
ones among Chriftians are not ready to do as
Hrr^did, but becaufe Minifters more omit
their duty j The deareft duty is the moft gain-
ful.
2. 1 befeech you, Stud) harder that you may
now fo preach , as that you may convince men
fraElically, thzt you are really ufeful & needful
to the Worlds and that your Jilence is a real lofs.
They that now take your labours to be need*
lefs, are tempted to it by the weaknefs of too
many. They can fcarcc find in their hearts to
fay fo of any Eminent judicious Men ; If
when you have fo long made the World be*
F 3 lieve
C86)
Ikve.that filencing yoius a cnofl heynotis fi% %
you dial now preach fo r<3W?/y,fo incongruoujly
fo injudicicufy, & unskilfully, 'of coldly as to.
confute your ieivc«,& harden t^hoft that were
for your filence, hew great will your (heme
be? If you will be thoughpffione ufeful than o-
thers think you,preacb letter i>ow than others
do. I really fear, left meer Ncn-covftrmty
have. brought fome into reputation as con-
fciexcious, who by re eah^pxe aching will ii>fe (ffc
reputation of bung judicious, more than their
filence loft it. What now will you do better
and ww? than others to prove that the Nati-
on cannot fpare you ? I expeft not great
Judgement &C Learning in ali the younger (oit,
nor thole that in thtfe times have bin kept
from ftudy, by labouring to get their chil-
dren Bread: but verily the iyjudicioujyiefs of
too many' among you, is for a lamentation.
But thegartd calamity is , rhar the moft inju-
dicious are ufuatlj the tnoft confident and felf-
CQYiCeited \ and none fo commonly give way to.
their igverant z,eal t tocenfurcy hack^bite^ and
reproach others, us thofe that know not what they
tall^of. I impute not this to youasNon-
Confbrmiils, but as fens ©f Adam : for ex-
perience hath convinced me t th*t PRIDE
OF UNDERSTANDING, when
men have little to be proud of, or confidence
of al! mens own apprthenfkyns , is the vice of
Men, Women and Children , when they arc
F aft
(*7)
paft eighteen year*; of age, which feemeth to
be moft defperately uncurable. Few forts
y v hut i e always in the right, and o
erroneous in comomibn of t'lem : as D.d-
laras riccy ft* i^nora, ce of tluir Kc:
So that I fca r not the pr:va\ ncy utfcepticifm
in the wo r ld ( hough I fear infidelity ; ) 5V/f-
coriceitednefs , I warrant yo.i will keep ic un-
v.ich ancient* as Ep-kretn S)r>ts,M4Curi?<s,
M*riin, &c. who were of little Learning but
holy a^.d humble, and prciumed not above
their knowledge -> Were honoured in ths
Churches : bat when the Egyptian Holy
Monks would. fluty their humble pride and
ignorance, by tumults and z alous madnefr,
to feek the blood of the Bifhops , that belie-
ved not that God had Hands and Feet like
Men, and to deftroy thofe as ungodly that
were not as foolifli as tfumfelves, wtm cou'd
have bin more fcandalous again;: the honour
of Godlinefsand Chriftianity ?
3. Over vdue not ywwn -Preaching, ani
under vaIhc not other mens , becztife tr/ef are
C-oHformfts. T ht nttmber *nd necejji-ties of the
ignorant and ungodly indeed do make your la-
bours neceflary, wtreyou lefs fie than many
of the Conformifts : but that proveth you
i\oi more able) or your preaching better than
theirs. Partiality may make fame of your
own mind, think all weil that you fay , and
all weak tha: others fay : but the reft of men
b 4 will
(88)
will the more dcfpife you. Be no* wife in
your own conceit ^ Look not every man at
his own gifts and worth , but at the gifts and
worth of others: In honor prefer one another;
Pride is the firft born of the Devil : and pride
of knowledge and goodnefs is more common
and pernicious, than pride ofCvmel)nefs f
Wealth, or Greatness. Mark that Preacher
Conformable or Non-conformable, who ftri-
veth hardefi for his own honour, and would
raife it by difhononring other s % and is moil im-
patient of all that clowdeth him, and is onely
for thofe that fet him up • and look out no
further for a mark oib*dneft> but take that
man for one of the worfi, how well foevcr he
preach or pray. Except Chrifts Apoftles had
bin converted to the teachable humble ftate of
little Children, they could- not have entered
into the Kingdom of Heaven, Math. 18. 3.
You wear not the Livery of Chrift , if you
are not humble, and apter to think meanly of
your own gifts and doings, proportionally,
than of other mens. How unfavoury is it to
hear a Non-conformift come from a profita-
ble Sermon of a Conformift, faying (to hin-
der the peoples benefit,^ This is poor drjfiuf,
and carping at every incongruous word ^ as
much a* to fay, lean do much better .-Through
Gods Me» cy f jome Conforraifts preach bet-
ter than many of you can do.
(89)
4- Tet difference between Conformable Mi-
niters , and own not the Atiniftry of any that
are utterly incompetent and into erable\ Hear
them not ordinarily : for though I fay not
that all their Miniftrations arc nullities, yet
I fay that you fhouid not encourage an intol-
lerable undertaker, todeftroy himfelf and O-
thers. By into erabU men, I mean,
'F*r ft, Such as are ignorant of \or erroneous a-
gainft theeffcntials of Chriftianity.
Secondly ,Such as are utterly unable to teach
them others.
Thirdly, Such as malignantly Preach down
the pra&ice of a holy life. Or in a word,
thofe whofeMimftry is fuch,as really tendeth
to do more hurt than good y from fuch turn
away. Yea v where the Conformable Mini Iter
may be tolerableyin cafe no better could be had,
jet if indeed his teaching be fo trifling, and fap-
lefs, as is like to do but little good, let compaffion
-move you , to take more liberty jour f elves to
teach the people there, than under tvorthjer
Men. Too many fuch young raw triflcrs,
I confefs I have heard my felf : and I would
not have order or humility pretended, to turn
Pteaching into a Ceremony, left all Religion
be next taken but for a Ceremony. It is a
ferious work, and muft be ferioufly done.
5 tfj°* live where the Conformable Parifh
Minifter is faithful ( truly endeavouring the
falvation of his Flocks) 1 charge you in the
name
(90)
v*me vfChrift Do not onely y \f pojfib/e, as much
4$ in you Ijeth, live i* love> fa-mharity and
-peace with him, but alfo do all that pit can to
maintain his honour^ and promote his rvorkj. Be
not Strangers to him : Diitance breedeth
uncharitable thoughts. If you hear or fee a-
ny thing that you diflike, go privately and
lovingly, and tell him of it : if any behind
his back dilhonour him, rebuke them. If he
look for fome fuperiority over you, and fome
,<pbfervance from you, deny it not : It is a
duty to fubmic to one another. Youcan tell
a Prelate, that he that will be the greateft,
muft be the Servant of all : Praftice as you
preach. He that fcorns to ftoope is proud,
as well as he that would have Men ftoope to
.him. Live with him as a Brother and as a Ser-
vant, in meeknefs, humility, and gentknefs
of behaviour : And do not like our young
paiiionate Perfons,traTt*ple vipon him,as if his
Conformity had put him, as a (inner, below
you as more Holy thaahe, and under the
Magiftery of your Reproofc You and I
think that he hath Tinned : But he thinks
that it is we thai (in : And he that is without
jfin, let him cafi the fir ft Hon \ I charge
you Love him, as your felve^and behind his
back fay nothing, and do nothing/ bat what
is fit to teftifie fuch love. Let all men. thus
jknow that you are GhrilK Difciples : For all
your Nonconformity, you are no better
than
(9U
than he, if you be not more Charitable than
he. If you kt you** ftlves in a dividing way,
f: crctly to rejoice at his Difparagemcnc, and
to draw a<; many frcm h:m a< you can ; you
ae but Deftrojers of the Church of God :
Cail your fdves what you will, I will call you
Deftrojers if you are Divider -/.Yea much that
elfe would be your Duty, mull be omi teed to
avoid Divifion. The worl^of God y the good
of Souls, the Deforce of the Prtfeftart Re-
ligion againft r^,rcqi.iireyour mod con-
joyned ftrength ; \nd you are berriyers ofal]
tlufe,if you are Divider s.S\\ppo(z your felves
as ChappeUCurats under the ParifhMini-
ft;r>,and fo in concord perform your work,
6. Therefore go as oft-a&yoH can to his Con-
fregation s and hold Communion ferfonully ■■-
m, and lead the people with joh. Do not fay,
Now we have opportunity to do better, it-is
unlawful to jojn with themthat do worfe : Tar
though it be not lawful for you to regleft
your own Duty and opportunity> it is lawful
for you by D-sei as weu as j-Vord, to ftew
your Chriflian Concord md Comm^rsori : and
fo to dojaxyy make it a: t! at time mi.ch better
which elfe inroga r d of the manner would be
worfe. 0:herwifc if ene Preacher, p;ay and
preach better than all the* reft, all the people
fhould be bound to foifake their v Minifttrs&
go to him as one that doth better. But bsnttm
$fi ex caufis integris: Difjunttion and HI effects*
may
(n)
your better mode of Worfllip mrfel
7. Therefore in Parifbes where all may well
hear the Parifb Minifttr y I would not havejou^
without necejfity, preach at the fame hour as he
doth, but at fome middle time ; that you may
not feem to via with him for Auditors,nor to
draw the people from him • But let them go
with you to hear him, and after come and
hear you (or before} ) But in London and
great Parifties where all cannot come to the
Parifh Church , as alfo in Pari flies where the
Minifter is not to be owned \ I perfwade you to
no foch obfervation : It is fo inconvenient to
the people there , to be caft upon unmeet
hours, that I perfwade you not to doit.
g. Where the Parifb Minifter is to be heard
by jot* and jour hearers^ Ithinkjtbeft to preach
ther but once a dty,a nd at fome neighbour place
that hath mo ft needy the other part. My rea-
fons are,
Fir ft, Becaufe the people cannot hear and
digeft four Sermons a day, nor three well :
and thofe that hear you twice, will not go
to the Parifh Church 5 and fo you will but
draw them away , from that which might
profit them as well as yours. And it ispreaeh-
Ing well that more affsð people , then
Preaching long or 'often.
Secondly , Becaufe, alas, you will hardly
live, where fome Neighbour Parifh hath not
fa bad a Minifter , as that the p:oplehave
more
mors need of help ^ and ihe reft of youc
pains may be beftowed on Week-day Lc
dares, as the people have leifurc.
9. Therefore I greatly defire, that in fuch
places you would beftow the greater half of
your labour in private, in skilful exhorting
people from houfe to houfe ? If you did not
fo before you were filenced, repent betime ^
If you did, you have found the benefit of it.
This is it, which few Conformifts do, and in
this you may beft live as their true Affiftants.
Publick hearing without perfonal conference,
fcldom bringeth men to underftand well
what you fay. Brethren, let me ask yotsas
before God : Why hath no more of this bin
done while you were filer ced? Is it not too
much Hypocrifie, to cry out againft them
that forbid us Preaching, which is one half
of our duty, ar.d in the mean time wilfully to
negled that part which none forbid us ? I
fpeak not of them that were driven fiom all
Cities and Corporations where their ac-
quaintance enabled them, and forced to live
where they had no fuch opportunity 5 nor of
them that through poverty had not time.
But molt men might have done naore this
way than was done} This way thePapiits
have done their work. And it is very confi-
derable^hatmoft that come to your Chapptl v
Meetings, are fuch as you take for the IcaQ
needy, as being alrea^' turned unto Goc
Bu
(n)
But from houfe to houfe "you may fpeak with
themoreignoiar:: : for fome ot them its like
jvillhearyoa, ' ifinceiity incline^ men
to that way of duty that hath lead oltcnta-
tion.
10. Preach Faith and Repentance, the
tommon Catechifm principles , (which are of
greateft need and ufe,and rcq «ire the grcatcft
skill in Preachers,) -and do net on pretence of
going higher , trouble the peoples hexds with
umieceffarj things, nor turn thcin after vain
/anglings : much Kftagainft Confoimity, or
any thing that rcflcftcth upon the Pariflt
Minifters. , You may quickly kindle in your
Religious Hearers a taftious opinionative
kind ofzral, that (hall make them firebrands
in the Church* and no whit tend to favd
their fouls. And you may deceive your felves
i>y exercifing fuch an opinionative zeal,while
you think you are doing the work of Chrift.
O how happy had [he Churches bin , if in-
ftead of all the Schoolmens & old contenders
curlofities ofthe Trinity, and alt the blind
difpurcs of Predeftination and Free-will, and
aii the b\.fle about Eptfcopacie, Presbytery,
Independency , Anabaptiftry , &c. the
Churches had Heard the Baptilftul Covenant
it felf, With the Creed, Lords Prayer, and
D caiogue wtl! opened, and mens hearts
had bin more fired with the love of God in
Chnil, rather than thur heads hcacedwith
(95;
fiich cortroverfie*, as the poor people cannot
manage, but only by unskilful Teachers, arft
tempted by them to be difturbers of the
Church.
1 1 . If there be any among jour people? that by
fuch a ftnful unpeaceable z^eal? vrih be c en faring
& deriding ConjcrmifisJndependents^Anabap'
tijis, or any hemft tolerable a\ Renters } z nd trill
be reproaching thim behind their backs <>and ma-
^jVgthim odious to the Hearers , rebuke them
Jbarply, and cherifh rot their fin • And if
they hear not, rebuke them before all, and if
they amend not, caft them out of your Com-
munion : and as you love your felves, the
Church and others, let not the proudtft cen-
ferious people be yourMafters : Take heed
of that bafe complying humour, that maketh
feme they dare not difpleafe them, leaft they
fhould call them as bad as they do the Con-
formifts. For if you come to this, it is the
Women and Boy that have leaft knowledge,
and moft proid cenforious psflions, that will
be the Church Governours. Keep your Au*
thority, let them take it how they will, and
be rot f.rvile followers of the peoples errcurs
and irregular ways.
12. Pojfefs your Hearers with true Gofpel
principles of Love, that they maj be fir/} pp>re y
, then peaceable and gentle. Preach zeaioifly
for Lovcy zgainft love-killing envious z?al.
Teach them to know that all men are imper-
f<a
{90)
ftSt and faulty, and foisall Mens Worfhip
of Gad ; and that he that will not commu-
nicate with faulty Worfhip, muft renounce
communion with all the World (and all with
him.) Unteach them that falfe conceit,that
all Book-prayers are unlawful, yea, or all
that is impofed ; Read over to them thofe
Pfalcns that have frequent repetitions and re-
fponfes, that they may know that fuch are
not unlawful. If it be lawful for the people
to fimg Gods praife , it is not unlawful to fay
it. Do you doubt of the confequence ; Prove
to us. , what difference there was between the
ancienty?tfg/«£,and our Laudatory faying, and
you will find your task too hard. Unteach
them that paultry principle, of placing Re-
ligion in being crofs to the reft of the Congre-
gation. As when they will not (land up at
the Creed, or at all the Hymns of praife,
when reafon andufe tell us, that (landing up
k a convenient praifing gefture $ and when
the primitive Churches ( from an unknown
original, calling it an Apoftolical Tradition)
unanimoufly commanded (landing only, in all
the Lords Days Adorations 5 which btcaufe
we cannot now well obferve, it is decently
confined to praifes only. And in this the
Conformifts do better and more decently than
you : and it is forry perverfnefs to fly from
a better way, becaufe that others ufe it. Un-
teach ihem t^eir unwarrantable felfmad'
TeH
{97)
Tells of Church Communion ; as if there
mull be any other proof of Holinefs needs gi-
ven, befides a fober prefeffionnf Chriftianiij,
fthat is, of the Baptifmal Covenant ) not
proved! j contratdifted by Herefie y or a wicked
life : If we are Non-Conformifts, becaufe
we cannot comply with all that we think to
be invented uncapable terms of Communion
from others, w ! ,y fhall we make fjch engines
to divide the Churches our felves, and do the
very things which we condemn in others.
Unteach them their expeditions, that nil the
Church wuj} be {At is flea of the Jincerity of each
Communicant • or that the pre fence of the U4-
rvorthji who are admitted by their own falfe
profejfionj or by the Afwifters fault , doth _
make it unlawful! to other* there to commu-
nicate. T he Book called, The Cure of Church
Divifions will tell you more fuch dividing
principles , which you m-jft unteach them.
rhe Minirters that have bred and cherifhed
thefe, have bin our fubverters, and are our
[hame : and fuch principles are the fhame of
too many welt meaning honed people. Woe
to the felfifh Teachers , that for their per-
tonal intereft, dare not contradict them, but
:herifh them into tluir dividing errours y
vhen their eyes are opened, and they fee tlteir
niftakes, they will be tempted to (hew their
>wn diflike of them, by running as hr on the
rxtrearae of formality -,In a word, help to fave
G Rett-
Religious people rrom Demg juperjttttous
while they cry out againft fuperftition •, aid
make them know that a Religion which con-
fifteth in our own modes and ways of worfliip,
and in decrying other mens, may ftand with
all unmodified fin ; and that the fle/h is no
more denyed by fitting, than by kneeling* and
that to fay I am Godly becaufe my geitures,
and orders are more Scriptural than the Con-
formifts, is a pittiful way for an Hypocrite
to cheat his foul : and make them know that
few things have hardened menagainft Reli-
gion, and made Non-Gonformifts a fcorr
mftead of being helpers of mens fouls y fo
much as to fee that many place rheir Religi-
on in fuperftitions of their own, Touch not.
tafinot* handle not$ and make it piety to a-
void that as fin, which is no fin : and ther
men judge of all the reft by this.
1 3 . And I will prefume co tell you my opi-
nion, as of a matter , not abfolutely neceffa
ry, but at this time, of fuch convenience,** ii
I were to keep a Church- Meeting, I wouU
refolve upon ic, as my duty : and that is,tha
jour own pr attic e now (hew a found znd. healing
judgement about that Church-troubling Centre*
verfie of Praying freely, or by Forms • §vti
that now you would fe.a fox ably do both. Th<
contention about this hath bin (Tnildifh, anc
yet a fire not yet quenched in the Church
while one belyeth God,as if he had forbiddex
al
K99)
II FREE Prayer in the Church; and cr
lers belye him as if he had forbidden all
ormi or 5^-prayer : when God hath left
otb free, to be done as edification mod re-
irireth. His underftanding is low that
linketh eicher of them firaply unlawful -,
id he knoweth little in fuch matters, that
loweth not, that both -ways have)nany zvA
'cat conveniences , and both have many and
•eat accidental inconveniences, (which having
mmerated elfe where I muft not now re-
at.) And they that are all for the one only,
the other only, (hall have all the inconve-
ences with the benefits : but he that will
tfonablj ufe both, (hall have the benefits of
th, and the leaft part of the inconveniences
'either) Therefore in the Churches of Eng-
ndy free prayers were allowed in the Pal-
ts, after the Liturgy.
And pardon me far faying, that w : hen this
tty controvefiie hath fo much diftrafted us,
ofe Minifters. thatufc but one way onely,
:m fcandaloufly to the people to be onely
r that way, and fo do harden them in their
rour, and keep the fire burning in the
iurch. Hethatprayethonjy by Book
»rm, perfwadeth the poor people that-free
*)er is Fanatical, uncertain and uni
d they that never pray ctherwife, perfwL
e poor people, thac all Forms or I
ay ers are unlawful - 7 if a whoje partv
G 2
in forbearing all Forms at fuch a time as this,
when fo many take them for unlawful. , And
fo they corrupt mens very Religion , and
teach them to make dutits and fins to them*
felves which God never made, and thereby
fet them in a way of Hypocrifie, Self delu-
fion, and endlefs quarreling with others.
I prefcribe to no man ^ and toleration fo
far taketh off publick Impofitions, as that
none can now fay, This Form is impofedon me y
and therefore unlawful. But fthough I will
not bind my felf) I here tell the world, That
if my firength and toleration, and a calljhwld
ever more give me opportunity for the free exer--i
cifeofmine Office, I would fometimes pray free-
ly without Forms , and fometimes ufefeme part
efthe common Liturgy , and fometimes nfethe
Reformed Liturgy , which in 1660. was agreea
on by the Commiffioned Non-Confofmifis <,
(though being done in cxtrcam haft,itfhould
be reviewed and perfe&ed : ) I would ordina-
rily pronounce the Creed, {as the Faith which
the Church Jjfcmbleth in the yrofeffion of,)
and ordinarily recite the Lords Prayer and
^Decalogue y and read two Chapters and the
Pfalms : And they that would not joynin
this way of Worfhip, fhould freely go choofe
thtm a Teacher more agreeable to their opi-
nions : fori would not fcrve the humours of
any in their dividing errours.
And
(101)
And Brethren, endure me to tell you,
i. Thatpleafing the ignorant profeflfors
i mours, is a fin that flieweth us too hu-
iane and carnal, and hath always fad effcSs
claft.
2. And thatlconfefs to you I think jour
ayisfhert^ and chit it is now of moreim-
orunce,what the future effects of your courft
nil be to pofterity ^or tbofe to come, than how
c will take with your prefent followers. And
/hen the Hiftory of this Age is written , do
hat now which you would have there re-
orded. My chief meaning is, This will be a
ontr over fie when we are dead and gone : Do that
tow, which being recorded may be ft tend to the
>ight decifion of it then. Leave to Pofterity
\ow jqh have liberty, that example (as well as
void;) which thou would have them follow.
rempt not future Contenders to plead that
ill Forms are unlawful by your examples.
If any fay, JVejball thus loofe our people^anX
heSeparatiftjiwho will cheri/b allfuch humours,
vill have them all : I anfwer, We have too
ongtryedthe pleafing ^ay already, and fee
:hat we cure not, but chenfli their difcafe.
rake Gods way, and let us deny ourfelves,
as well with the humourous people as we have
done with the Conformifts, .and then leave
the iffue to God. And if they will follow
Separates, it is fitter that they be mifkad by
fuch erroneous perfons, than by you.
G 3 H And
(uoz)
14. And on this occafion let me
word to this kind of Religious people :
notafliamc to you that your worthie
nifters (hould be fain to go befides thei
judgement in Gods Worfhip to humou
And that they muft tell the world, We \
mix Free-prayer and Forms in public)
the people then will be gone to the Si
rifts. I fay not that they go againft
Conferences • For their confidences ha
reded them to omit what elfe would ha
fitted, left croAing your humour, it (
drive you away to your own fubvei
But how came you to be fo much kolji
wifer than the Holyeft and wifeft of
Teachers? Mark, is it not more of the
men and Apprentices thac are of this 1
than of the old experienced Chriftian
it not a high degree of Pride for perf
your ftanding and under/landing* to cor
that allmoft all Chrifts Churches I
World for thefe thirteen hundred years a
to this day, have offered fuch worfhip
God, as that you are obliged to avc
and all their Communion in it } And th;
moft all the Catholick Church on t
this day , is below your Communic
ufing Forms? And that even Calvin ai
Presbyterians, Cartwright, Hildcrfham
the old Non- conformifts, were unwort
your Communion: Would yQU have run
cm D$d or Perkins , or from Cyprian or
fugufiihe, and faid, They are formal Fel-
ws % not to be joyned with ? Doth God ufe
Miracle to make felf-conceiced Women
nd young Nfcn, fo much wifer than the moft
icient ftudious experienced Divines. It is
?ft then m t :-n Preachers before we grow
d and to avoid ft udy and experience left ii
inorant than we were. e
Brethren and Friends, I profefs for your
any of you are our joy, and it is
- that we have done and fuffered for
isces $ Bjt I muft tell you (for Adver-
ricswill cMl i: you) that for your ignorance,
judicial fnsfs , pride, [elf* conceit ednefs^ you
ir grief zndjhame. We are hit in the
feth xv\tk (vch fglf wife ignorant giddy un-
aceabie followers ; And we have nothing to
y , but to blufti, and fay that you mean
t/l, and that it is not kng of us. Can Gods
>irit which ordain eth Elders to be Paftors
his Church, be the Guide of your jadge-
ents, when with fjch fhamelefs pride you
tup your errours againft the knowledge of
>ur Guides ? \iyoa are wifeft bzyou the Pa-
)rs y (which fome are prone enough to ar-
gate.) Itfliameth us, it grieveth us, to
e and hear from England ^ and from New-
ngland,t\\is common cry, W* are endangered
DivifionSj principally becaufe the felfcen-
G 4 ceited
(104;
ceited part of the Religions people , mil not be
ruled by their Pallors, but mufl have their way,
and will needs hi Rulers of the Church and
them.
Yea, I tell you with truth and grief, I am
confident (ntxt to mens own fin, which lea-
veth them to a judicial delufion,) nothing hath
done more to jet up Popery and the Prelacy you
dijlik$> than the fcandalous in fiances of your un-
rulinefs and Church tearing humours: And
that you have made more Papifts, than ever
you or we are like to recover. Nothing is
any whit confiderable thataPapift hath to
fay, till he cometh to your cafe and h\th>Doth
not experience tell you , that without Papal uni-
ty >> and force y thefe people wiU never be ruled or
united? \t\$jou that tempt them to uf:fire
and Fagot , that will not be Ruled nor kept
in concord, by the wife ft, and holyeft and
rood fclf-denying Minirters on Earth . Even
Ainfworth the Learnedeftand GodlyeftPa-
floroftheSeparatifts, though he went with
them beyond Sea , and was of their opinion,
and carded wooll to maintain hirafelf while
he was their Teacher, yet could Rot keep that
one feparated Church in peace. And rauft
you, even you thatftiould be our comfort,
become ourfhame, and break our heartland
make men Papifts by your temptation. Woe
to the World, becaufe of offences, and woe
to fornc by whom they come.
I
I thank God, I fpeak not my own cafe • I
think thofe many Religious people that I
have had the overfight of, are as ready to be
ruled by me, and a* undivided, as any that
cwr I have known ? But alas, in too many
places it is otberwifc: Should the Minifters in
London, that have fuffcred fo long , but ufe
any part of the Liturgy and Scripture Forms,
though without any motive, but the plea-
fing of God,& the Churches good,what mut-
tering and cenfuring would there be againft
them? And woe to thofe few Teachers that
make up their defigns by chcrifhing thefe di-
ners. One would think that their warn-
bia fair . But ft nati fint ad bis
ingHam > The Lord have
mercy 01,
15. Seeing p'aces and numbers and other
Church-circun,ftances are matters left to hu r
mane prudence, be fnre that you prudentiallj
difcern the diver jit j of duties, according to the
diver fit j of pUces and occafions. Thefe things
I here include,
-F/ri?, That you be not of thofe Church-
tearers opinion, who muft have all go juft one
way, in all thofe undetermined variable
things- And will cenfure all, and take them
for dividers, that do not as they do.
Secondly, That Edification or the Public^
good is the end, rule and meafure of thefe Pru-
dential actions.
Thirdly
( I TO J
Thirdly, That in looking to this rule and
end , you muft not look only to your pre-
fent Congregation ortheprefent Age, but
to all the Churches abroad, and to pofterity.
Fourthly , That nothing here (hould be
rafhly done, but by great advife.
Fifthly*, That therefore other Brethren, (as
well diflenting as confenting Minifters)
fliould for fafety be confultcd with, not to be
your Governours, but for Counfel and for
Concord.
Sixthly y To which end correfpondencies
of Minifters is neceffaty.
16. In thofe places where the name of a di-
fiinff Church, and that your administration of
the Sacraments is like to do more harm than
good, it is your duty to forbear it, and only to
Teach. How to difcernthis. Prudence and
Counfel muft dired you : If there be a wor-
thy Parifh Mtnifter, and the people arc all or
almoft all fatisfied (or may be fausfied by you)
to communicate with him according to the
liturgy,andif your own adminiftration would
ftir up fo much offence and hurt, as that the
benefit cannot countervail it, the cafe is plain.
But ifyoulivein London, or where all the peo-
ple cannot come to the Pari/b Church, or the
Afinifier is intolerable , and the good is like,
(on prudent advifej to be apparent! y greater
then the hurt, I know not but you may
I, Know your flock by name.
2. And
1 107;
2. And take it either as a Chappel (in fome
places) or as a dirtied Neighbour Church (in
other places.)
3 . Duely Adminifter the Sacraments.
4 And foberly and wifely ufe Chrifts Dis-
cipline.
17. BefurethvX the Concord of all the true
Proteftant Non-Conformifts Churches, be eft a-
bUJhedupon the (imj.le ancient Catholic^ terms y
and not upon any felf-devifed Additions:
That is,that all chat own the Scripture in ge-
nera! , and th? Baptifmal Covenant, the
Creed.Lords Prayer, and Decalogue in par-
ticular (as the fummary of Holy Belief, holy
Defires,and holy Brattice*) be taken for fel-
low Christians, till it be proved againft them
that bv Here fie or rrickednc/s they nullifie this
prordlion. This is the Rule and Teft of uni-
versal concord. Here all agree : And if after
this one Church will ufe Forms of Prayer,and
another will not, one will Baptize Infants,
and another will delay it, &c. they are dif-
ferences that rauft be born, where Love and
Reafon cannot heal them, without breach of
Charity, Concord or Communion •, yea in
the fame Church, fuch different opinions
may be born, further than as thofe that dif-
fent from the Paftorsmode of worfhip , will
feparate themfelves when none rejeð thtm.
We have all naturally a Pope born in us, and
when men have never fo much talkt againft
Popery
Popery and Prelacy, too many cenfure or run
away from all that arc not of their way.
If any tell you that fo wide an enterance
will let into the Church Socinians and other
Hereticks, who will rais-expound the words,
Ask them again,
Firft , Whether Baptifing men is not a
taking them into the Church ? And whether
the Apoftles and Churches for many hundred
years , required any more of thofe that were
Baptized? And whether their bufinefs be to
fhew themfelves wifer than the Apoftles, and
the primitive Church ?
Secondly, Whether Hereticks will not fub-
fcribe to all the Scripturc,while they mifinter-
pret it -, And whether all the Scripture there-
fore be not big enough for a Creed ?
Thirdly? Whether all Herefie be not a con-
tradiction of fome of the aforefaid Articles
of Faith,and he that faith, I believe this Creed
and all that is contrary to it, renounce not all
Herefie.
Fourthly , Whether all Laws be faulty
which men can mifinterpret- And whether
the > Law muft be changed and enlarged as oft
as any break it.
Fifthly, Whether all the Volumnsof Ge-
neral Councils, be not yet too little by that
rule, the fence of many being ftill contro-
verted?
Sixthly , If we mud have new Creeds and
Church
Church Articles as oft as Hercticks mifer-
pound the old,whether it be not in the power
of the Devil and Hereticks to make our Faith
ridiculoufly alterable every year, till it grow
intolerably voluminous ?
Seventhly , And who is it that mud be ftiil
the Creed-makers or menders ? And where
will they flop ? And how (hall we know when
we have all?
Eighthly, Is he a wife Paftor, that rcadeth
how the Churches have ever fince the Coun-
cil at Nice bin difira&ed with new Creeds,
and yet will take no warning? Read how
Hilary Pitt, inveigheth agair.ft them. When
they vexed Hierome himfelf with fufpicions
of Herefie about the Trinity, (becaufe he
was not for the term Hypoftafis as a per/on)
his anfwer was, They askjne of my Belief (or
Faith) as if Ih^dbin New-horn (or Baptised)
without a Belief: As if he (hould fay, Is it not
a true and fufficient Creed or profeffion of
Faith, which we all make at Baptifm ? Why
eife are we Baptized ?
Ninthly, Tell them, that Pallors indeed
rouft know more than all the people: but noC
by having a new Creed or Scripture* butac
their Ordination they are to give an account
of a fuller HnderftandtHgthz fame Creed tban
the people rouit do : And the Ordainers muft
examine them where they fufped them of He*
refie.
Tenth!;,
(1*0)
TcntU], Laftly, Ten them that no more
than this fehtcfffary,a^he*fo0r} but if any
after prove an Heretick, the accufer muft
prove it by him j and w* at is the ufe of
Church Difcipline*, but to reform him or cart:
him out? And Laws will >u ferve alone in-
ftead of judgement.
If they fay that a Herttick may do much
mifchief before it can be pi- /ed againft him,
Tell them,
1 . That it muft not be Thoughts but Words
that do mifchief in the Church ; And Words
are proveable.
2. That fuch proud tyrannical overdoers,
have bin the Churches undoers ? And it is they
that have done as much mifchief as mod He-
reticks : And that they thar will be fo much
wifer and better than God , as to keep out ai 1
Herefie by their feif-conedted ways, are the
men that let in Herefie and Impiety, and
keep or caft aut faithful Paftors , and are the
Officers and Agents of the g r tat Divider and
Deflroyer of the Churches,
Let me add, Brethren, we that have lived in
an Age, when the Engines of Church*Dhi-
fion have fo fadly profpered * and have Smar-
ted thereby, and born our Teftimony againft
them, are doubly obliged to leave this Tefti-
monj of ours to Pofteritj to warn them , that
if poffible they may efcape the fnare $ And
ihcrefore TOPUBLISHTHIS OUR
JUDGE-
< in;
JUDGEMENT, and OUR OWN
CONCORD ON THESE PRI-
MITIVE TERMS to all the World,
as againft the Romijh tyrannical-uncertain- con-
founding- Church- dividing , and ftilL growing
Articles of Faith •, Remetnbring that the fame
men that have made their Religion fo big as
that the French Impreffion of it {viz,, their
Councils) is too dear for the purfe of a Non-
conformable Minifter - ? can yet tell you that
even Faith in Chrift himfelf (explicite) is not
abfolutely neccffary, at leaft to juftification,
and that the knowledge even of much of the
Law of nature as well as of theGofpel may not
be abfolutely neceflary,as Stnft* Clara y Deus-
Nat-Grat. Problem. 15. and 16. provethcut
of the Schoolmen at large.
18. Afanage your Aiinift trial cenverfe pru-
dently and fhufiy. The converfe of Minifters
is of great ufe, and therefore frequent Meet-
ings needful : Ufe them to thefe ends,
i. To advife and prevent the tffcds of
rafhnefs or imprudencie in Church affairs :
when every weak man hath the ufe of the wif-
dom of all his feniors, it is fafc.
2. To prcferve Concord ^and prevent back-
biting*, animofities and faftions, and dilcor-
dant fcandalous Angularities.
3, That young Minifters may be Learners
as well as Teachers , and may grow up under
the Helpes of their Seniors^
(112)
[ 1 think therefore you may beft thus im-
prove your Converfe.
1 Often meet for faftingand prayer, to
lament our former and later fin , and to
pray for the Church of Chrift and for all
men ^ for the King and all in Authority,
that we may live a quiet and peaceable life,
in all Godlinefs and honefty.
//. Set up conftant regular Difputations,
(not about trifles, nor with litigious licen-
cioufnefs ) But about the grounds of our
Religion, efpecially the differences between
us and the Socinians, and Papifts ; And this
with School order, under Moderation. Be-
caufe,
i. Too many of us are young and unftu-
dyed in thefe matters, and little fit to deal
with the Philiftins Goiiahs, and have great
need to increafe in holy defenfive skill.
2. It will by the bounds of order prevent
ail contentions and wrangling*, and medling
with Rulers or other mens matters, and all
lofs of time by impertinent difcourfe.
III. Counfel and Cencord about Church
pra&ice muft take up the reft, of your time.
And thefe three ieafonably ufed Prayer, Dif-
f motion, and Counfel will conduce much to
your growth and ftrength.
But fee that Minifterial Meetings turn not
frem Counfel and Agreement to Formality and
V juration of a Ruling power over one an-
other,
v us ;
other, and fo degenerate not into Synodital
Church-tyranny * much lefsufurpe the Ma-
gistrates right : For Synod* ill managed
f:ave bfn the Fevers and Pleurifes of the
Chirr ches.
1 9. Therefore btfitre to keep out, both the 7j-
ram) of A<f ajar Votes, a^dof the frond Ma-
gi ftrrial (elf- arrogationi of any individual s 7 t\±&t
tbtnl^af! ethers m*ftft6op to them.
1. When it is once thought that the Major
WW muft carry it, an Itl&clan Synod* will
tyrannize-, and every weak felf>corfceited
roan, that hath nothing of fence to fayagainft
you, will charge nine Learned judicious grave
Divines with Ikfoltnty, if they will not be go-
verned by ten that are unlearned or injudici^
ous fdfeiteemers. " VoUing is not for govern-
ment, but for Concord V And not to be ufed f
(left it feent an appear&nce or introduction of
ufurparion,) except in cafes where nicer Con-
Gfr/isyour work.
- 2.' But nothing hath more plagued the
Church-than the Pride and Jrrogancy of fomd
oPthft ftiftoh , that think theyVe wronged
ifrfieymay notRiile: Think not that this
Sftfrit isbnly in Papife or Diocefans $ Pride
isthebeartoftheold man, and born in 111 \
And doleful experience teileth how itfurvi-
veth in too many AntiprelaticaF Ministers, of
bumbling principles, and unhumbled foiils/
Do We not know that the Pride of fame among
ourjiives, uiac muu ve siu, ana ao au, tin
they have undone ally is the very thing, that
hath filenced fo many Minifters, and brought
us to the ftate that we are now in ? There
are fome men that mud only be heard in all
debates, and feldom hear ; who are angry if
they be gainfaid -, who think that nimble
Tongues, or popular Intereft, or grey hairs,
muft pafs for uncontrolled reafon. And they
ftudy to make parties, and fet up their own
Didates, by paffion or indirect contrivan-
ces : They can feldom debate a caufe , but
their fpleen fwelleth againft thofe that fay
not as they fay,but contradict them,and they
fecretly back-bite them to blaft their names!
They note thofe that follow them, and thofe
that oppofe them, and make two parties of
them, And all comcth from the common
fin of man-kind, An nnkHmbled overconfident
under ftanding.
Thefcmen muft firft be meekly (fcfired to
be quiet, and to let y oube quiet, and to re-
member that Non-conformifts are not for
felf-obtruding Prelacy ^ And that they are
Brethren and not Lords : If that will not do>
try by Prayer to prevail with God , for more
of humllit j and peace in his Minifters. If that
will not do, filently bear their importunity
with neglcft : If that do not, M^ct without
them:
3. And
3* Ana yec mere is as great a iiinciiicru*
any of tbefe to be avoided alfo: Which is the
felf- conceit ednefs and Pride of the younger
and the more injudicious Sort of Minifteis,
hindering them from following the Counfels
of wifer experienced men. For thtfugh we
muft have no arrogant Lordly Ufurpers a-
mongus, yet all that know any thing muft
confefi, that in all profeffions wife and**-
imions men are few : It is but to few Divines
thatGodgivech clear aid accurate judgmentsj
And undoubtedly there is a threefold Supe-
riority and fubmiflion of divine obliga-
tion,
I. OfSubje&stomen in Office ove: them,
i. Of the younger to the Elder.
3. Of them that have lefs knowledge, to
them that have more. For Office and Seniori-
ty are but forma'ities, did thev not fnppofe an
•eximious fitnefs by Superior knowledge. If
therefore God endow here and there one
man with extraordinary judgement, it is
the wifdom and happinefs of the times to
know him, and to kindle their Torches ac
his fire : So did one Luther, one Afelanch*
thon % one Calvin , ont Ertfmus, one Jewel,
JVhitakers , Reignolds, Davenant^ &c. profit
many. You may go a hundred miles amongft
the lefs judicious for t, and raifsof that light
which one Amelia* ^neCamere, one Strati*
gifts, one le BUnc^&c. could (hew the
H % world.
wono.* Ana ll is me riaguc or corrupted
r&ttitt that Tgnorancc keeptth men frorn knott-
ing it felf, and not one of a multitude (even
of Religious men J who are injudicious will
believe x\ at they are injudicious \ but every
man is fo much the more confident that he is
in the right and others errc,by how much the
more he errelh himfelf : fo cLat few ignorant
Miniflers are t^clable, but think that they
are coo wife to learn, becaufe by office they
undertake ts)tiach : But through Gods mer-
cy, rny own converfe I ath bin with an hum-
ble fort of Minifters, which was the occafiorr
of our unity and peace. And London and the
Conntrey have many 'fach, who! hope wifl
bcable to refill the dividing attempts of the
felf ignorant ar.d felf conceited.
20. La'tiy-, Spend this little time as inths
ycay fofp.eidj fujfirings and death : Your pre-
fent Winters day is ftu>rt. Work hard ;
Live wifely : Suppofe your tryal were the
next year : B.have your feives as men that
ftar.d in profpeft of the Giave : It is not like-
ly that God will pafs over twenty yars wil-
ful! divifion<, wantonnefs, proud contention j
felf diftraftion, fcandals, and great fins fa
little repented of/ that men cannot endure
tohtarthem ramed, with fo (hort or fmall
a fuflfcringas we have undergone. And the
fame Spirit yet blinding the guilty 5 and kecp-
rg fome of the feparating f arty to tapeni-
Oi7)
tenrt, and working dill by unlawful means
to their unlaw ul ends, is the fearful PiOgno-
Ck, that more of the old effcft.are to be
r -oduced by the old uncured caufe. O be
nor partakers in the guilt and biindnefs left
you partake of the deftrudion, and demcnta-
tion be the fttre pr-Qgnoflicl^ of perdition, BtlC
O Lord fpare thy people, and blcfs thine In-
heritance, and lee not the weakne!>or will-
fuinefsof the Paftors orpeople, deliver it up
as a prey to the D^ftroyer. And though our
folly and fcandal have m^Je us afcorn, i*t
it not turn to the extirpation of true Religion,
and to the further advantage of Chnrch-t)-
rannji Ignorance* or Malignity in the world.
And if we the fooiifti (inful Paftors, have for-
feited our honour and ilaiion in thy Church,
let not the Tyrannical Foolifi and wicked^t
thofe that (hall be wifer, holjcr and more
faithfully and fuccefful I y diligent fucceedus.
CHA?.
CHAP. XII.
An humble Petition to the Confofimifis.
Se%. i. T^Athers and Brethren, though I
I prefumed to counfel the Non-
Conformifts as my equals, I willprefuraeno
higher with you, than to lay my felf at your
Feet, and humbly a fecond time to become
your Petitioner for the fouls of men, for the
Gofpel,the Churcb,and the intereft of Chriff.
It is your Office to be Petitioners to mankind
for Chrift, and to befeech them in his Read
to be reconciled to God. And a man might
hope that one that (hould become a Peti-
tioner to you, that your felves would not dc-
ftroy that Church, might find acceptance and
prevail . But Satan hath got fo great advan-
tage, that the wifeft man living is uncapable
of fpeaking rightly to you without offence.
He that can draw men into great difgraceful
fin, hath thereby raifed a Bulwark to defend
his work. To be filent and comply , is to be
cruel to the /inner and himfelf, and who can
do it that believeth Death and Judgement :
To caii men to repentance, is utterly to lofe
th. m t,y implying that they have finned. O
Kttle did I once think rhat Repentance had bin
fo bard a work, when God offereth pardon
pf a:l other fins, a^ainft the Law of innocen-
fYt
cjfcOn fo low and rcafonablc a condition.
Jett. 2. It is not in my thoughts to con-
found all Conformifts, as if there were no
difference among your felves. I know that
there arc many forts of you :
1. There are fome Learned real ous high
Conformifts, who think they have done good
fcrvice to God, by all that they have done
already ; and no doubt, were wife enough
to forefee what they were bringing to pafr,
and are not, by any fobeijman, to be accufed
of doing either they knew not what .or what they
did not fuppofe was goody and would countervail
*/l that itfbould coft to procure it. Their work
hath profpered ; And the hinder part of it
is yet in their hands •, But it is alfo in the
hands of God. To thefe Reverend perfons,
I have formerly fpoken to their great of-
fenfe.
Seil. 3. 11. And I would there were no
Minifters fo pittifully dark, and young, and
raw, or fo much outof love and relijb, with
things Spiritual, through the prevalency of a
ftronger appetite, as that their incapacity
convinceth me, that I am not to expeft
much regard from them,as knowing with what
ears they hear.
Sett. 4 ///. There are alfo fome called
Latitudinarians, who love not Fopperyes or
violence, but are men of Reafon andfober Con-
verfationff though they are not fo tender and
H 4 fcrupulous
(, WO )
fcrupulous as the Non-conformifts, but can
break over greater rub?.
tftrfih 5. IV. And there are other fiUij
feber mrvilling Conformiftt, who by the bene-
fit of ' fubferibing in their own fence .hzvz ftrctcfct
the<nfelves to do what tbey have done \ \itho
conform on the terms of Mr. Sprint', 'ftib-
mitting to what would clfcbcoril , oneiyto
obtein the liberty of Preaching \ (far be it
from me to put in any leihfh ends.) Who are
unwittingly Conformijisj as the WefimwjUr Af»
femblywere* chat after took down Prelacy.
«$>#. 6. To al! of th-*rn that ,yet have tlrai
to hear, I humbly prefent thefe following
Requefts.
I. O be not tea angry with thofe that cenfon
joh as finners. Ideteit rafh cenforioufhefs ■•
But you know men that ditf.r in this world,
about Speculative*, n ay differ about matters
of Prtftice too : The J. -fuifts,Fry $xs and Jan-
fenifts do fo, in no:a/^'dr little things*
And in fuch a diff:rence>one party muft needs
G.nfure the pra&ifersof the contrary, a; (in^
ners. If you and I differed about Ufury,
Stage phyes , Gaming, &c. one party muft
needs think that the other fide doliveinfin.
And who liveth and fir.neth not ? Either the
c:nfure is true or fa/fe: \Urue, fliould you
not be a* thankful as to one that would fate
you from the P'ague? Will fen do you lefs
h\\it than confute I If it btfalfe, Confider
I. You-
( 121 )
i. You are fallible • and the notfce of a
foffible ferniciens danger, ftiould be received
with felf-fufpicion and thanks
2. And you fltoutd love them the better for
their averfnefs to fin, chough they fliould mi-
itakc the matter of it. A proud heart faith
fwellingly,/^ I to fa accounted herein afinner*
A humble perfon will fay : AUs^Iamtoo likely
to mifhake and fin; but if I do not J will love, even
a mi (taken enemy of fin. And to deal faithfully
with you, Hadiko(eho»i(t Conformifts of my
acquaintance, bat come firft to the ableft dif-
fenters, and impartially heard and Weighed all
that they had to lay , and not fecretly flipe
into Conformity, as if they had bin afraid
of hearing all, I (hould have bin the more of-
fended with their Cenfurers. But Go4
hatcth fin , and fo rauft all that truely Jove
him. And they are our beft friends that do
moft to prefervc us from it. And they arc
our greaceft enemies, that would flatter us in-
to it. To Preach againfty?«, is your Mini-
fterial Office : And if any man thinks that
you make a fetemn Covenant to fin, that you
may have leave to preach againft fin - Yea
that you deliberately commit a great one,that
you may have leave to preach againft a lefs m
other men , this man deferveth to be heard
though he miftake. At Death arid J idgment,
nothing in the world butfw will be your dan-
ger ; Unjuft cenfures will be none. IF we
fay
(122)
fey nothing to you yet its eafie to gather by
thccoflly terms on which we avoid it , that
wc take conformity for a fin.
And if any of the people carry it cenforioufly
orcontemptuoufly towards you (which we
abhor) remember that yoa take them for we ak.
and fievijb perfons: And honour or contempt
is valuable according to the quality of the ho-
rourer or contemner : You take your follow-
ers to be the wifer as they are the more : And
we bear their cenfures ofus % and much more ;
And cannot you bear the cenfures of a few
that you judge weaker ? Yoij will proclaim
the Non-Conformifts to be the ftronger
Chriftians, if they can bear poverty and re-
ftraints, withthecenfureof themoft, when
you cannot bear the cenfure of the feweft,
with liberty and Minifterial maintenance and
honour.
II. Bor your fouls fake and for the
Churches fake, T*kf heed of felfijbnefs and
Pride ', left it fill you with envy againftyour Bre-
thren that ferve the fame Lord) when joh thinly
the j any way diminifh jour refutation and ho-
nour. I would have others keep up your Re-
putation to rheutmofl; which in the name
of God, I charge upon them- Yea, and in
honour to prefer you : But if you think they
do not, remember that you arc the Servants
pf a Crucified Chrifi , who made himfelfofno
tepupathn, but too\upon him the form tfa Ser-
vant,
vant, and yet this way got a name above eve*
ry name. As fure as you live, contending
for honour, is one of the rcadieft ways to
loofe it, and giving it to ethers, and con-
temning it! your fclves , is one of. the fureft
ways to get it, It is its motto, ^luodfequitur
fngio j cfHodfugit ipfe fecjuor.
Self-efteem, and Pride is odious in all : but in
a Minifter of Chrift more odious, than in any
man : but never fo odious as when it rifeth
to futh malignity, as to envy or hinder the
work of God, becauft another moreefteem-
ed doth it. It is a (in that I am readyer to
tremble to think of, than further to re-
prove.
And remember what work it hath made in
the Churches of Chrift already. Read but
what EufebiuS) Socrates, Sozomen y Evagrins,
Ntcephorus, Sec. fay of thefewdsoftheold
Biftiops : Read but the Afls of the Councils
ztEfhef. i,&2. of Chalcedony at Ariminum,
at Sirmium^ at Nice, zd.&c. and if hor-
rour and fhame do not overwhelm you, to
think what Chriftian Bifhops did, and that
fo early in the face of the Heathens, you are
not men. Read but how Nazianzene was
ufed at Conftantinople , by a Synod of Ortho-
dox Bifhops, when he bad overcome the Ar-
ridns : Read the Controverfies between Ba-
fil and AnthjmiHs y zwA others : Read the dole-
ful ftory of Theophilns Alexandrinus, and
the
the Egjptidtt Monks, and of the fame Theo-
ph'Uus his manner of dealing a^ainft the Ori-
genifis, and of his double Lettered Prefent
which be fent by Ifidore a Prieft, to the Empe-
rour and Maximus> to be given to him that
got the better : Read the odious ftory of the
faid Theophilus and Epiphanies his proceed-
ings againft Chryfoftome, and his tje&ion by
a Councel of Bilhops : Read the proceedings
of Ithacins and Idacins and their Synods in
Snip. Severus: There is no end of inftan-
ces : Read but the deftru&ion of the many
hundred Brittifk Monks at Bangor, and the
great fufpicions that Anguftine taufed it.!
Look but on the face of the Greek and La-
tine Churches to this day, from the begin-
ing and caufe of their divifions: And fee what
the Lutherans have done oft times againft the
Calvinifis in Saxony \ and other parts of Ger-
many ,(&% in G*fp> fencers fuffmngs for one: )
And fee what the Roman Papacy and Clergy
have done in the world by Lordly Pride and
felfiflinefs : And laftly, See what hath bin
done by it in this Land ; and at lad learn
by experience r and judg« of Church-mcns
Pride by the efFefts.
Brethren, what harm will it do to you, if
&Non Conformift preach by you? if many
follow him? If fomc prefer him before you?
Do not others prefer you before him ? What
if his followers think Conformity to be fin ?
.Do not you ana yours tnuiKiootouriNonw
Conformity? It is not your felves that yoiv
preach for, but the peoples Souls : And why
may noc Cbrifts Gofpel profit them from an-
other as well as from you ? Nature teacheth
men to rclifh their own food, and partly to
feel what doth them good? Clemens Alex*
and. Strom, i . giveth it as the reafon why tire
Church (thev, not now) left it to every Com-
municant at the Sacrament, to T*kf their oven
fart, Becatifeman having free will, (hall be
thechoofer, or refufer of his own good. If
they choofe a worfe Teacher than you, it ia
not )oh but the) that are the ioofers : If they
choofe abetter, you have your end , if you
are Chriftians? If you preach not fow ellai
another, you are not fit to be Minifters of
Cbrift, if you be not glad that another doth
better, and is a blefling to the Flock. II
you preach better , its two to one but good-
nefs will have an infuparable attiaftion : Of
if miitake make them more capable of good
from another than from you, (houid you not
defire that they might have it ? Will you fay,
It is their partial humour ? I have heard ma-
ny Minifters fay fo, thax had reafoa to have
faid, It is ray unskiifulnefs ordnlnefs : But
fuppofe it befo* APhyfician will let his pa-
tient take his Medicioe from one mans hand,
if hercfufe it from another. The Father will
n s? !?! $h? Ir^y f a 5.!fb if k? ?*!* u ^ e n<*
meat rrom mm, out rrom cne mocncr. if
the people had no faults or weakneffes, what
need were there of joh or other Minifters.
I am as apt to fpeak fharply agalnft the
humours and weaknefs of Religious people,as
moft that a/e not envious and malignant. But
I rauft give them this Teftimony,that though
many of them cannot well judge of judicionf-
nefs ii\ their Teachers, yet moft of them love
a fcrietis Preacher and a Godly Liver 5 And
few of them diftaft either Prelates or Confor-
mists, if they p reach ferioftflji and live Holi-
Ij. But when in all the Countreys they fee
fuch Preachers and Livers chofen outfory?-
lencingj all the world cannot keep them from
d ifl iking fuch Bifhops as (hall do thus . I am
moft confident for thofe of my old acquain-
tance , that if they had feen Bifhops (after
their long difacquaintance with them) to
have Preached and Prayed in a found and fe*
rious Holy manner , and fet themfelve* to
promote the labours of Godly Preachers,and
to encourage piety in the people and reprefs
iniquity , they would generally have loved
and honoured them, without refpeft to Pres-
bytery or Independency : It is Godlinefs
that Godly people care for. But fincc I and
abundance about us wereejt&ed, andfince
many of themfelvcs have bin laid in Goals,it
is no more in my power to make them love
fuch
lucn DiinopS) man to rr.ast mem love mo
Goal it felf.
Yea further, Brethren, what if the Non-
Conformable Minifter do give the Sacrament
tofome, as you do to others ? What if they
think their way beft, as you think yours?
What if they call themfelves a Church and
excrcife Difcipline , (which without need I
would not have them do,) What harm will
this do to you or others ? If it do them harm,
let them thank themfelves : But to you it can
do none, unlefs the unchriftian Rn of pride
and envy caufe it : or unlefs by reproaches and
contentioufnefs they hinder the fuccefs of your
labours •, which is another thing. I confeft
I have ever bin jealous of fucb Arbitrary
Churches, where there ii room for all in one
Church, left they fhould turn Anti-Churches
and Theatres of emulati6n and contention ;
(which I charge all confcionable perfons to
abhor : ) But all this may be avoided at
cheaper rates, than (ilencing fo many labori-
ous Mintflers,or excommunicating all the peo-
ple that are Non-conformifts.
///. foyn lovingly with jour Brethren , as
Servants of one Lord , to promote oneworl^
Look not ftrange at them, if they defire your
friendfliip ; Yea, if any of them provocenfo-
rious and pievifti, if you are the more pa-
tient, condefcending^nd forward to love and
unity) and to further the peoples good>I (hall
take
take you for better men than them < And fa
will all that judge by the fruits of the Spirit
Try this way inftead of wrath, andlcfere
undertake that ic (hall more maintain your
honour j with your peace of Confcience.
Brethren, our great account is near : The
Judge is at the door : It will be then convfbr*
table to give a true account of Minifferial fi*
delity,and hear. Well done good and faithful
fervant- rather than to hear, We have beaten
our fellow Servants, or unfaithfully kept the
Key of knowledge. The fouls of your charge
are *»*#/ and precious : It is-a hard and great
work to cure one : to make one Ignorant per*
fon underAand, one proud ptrfon humble*
one infidel to believe, one worldling to be-
come Heavenly, or one fenfualift to be a mor-
tified Saint : What help then do you need ;
what labour is requifite, to bring a Parifti o£
many hundred or thoufand perfons to this
change! A> aur weaknefs tnuft make us all
cry cut, Who u fufficient for theft things^ fo
when one man hath ten memwork to do , he
may well fay, He is inefficient i Irtthefirfti
three Centuries, when one Congregation
had a Bifhop with a Colledge or Company
of fellow PrcvbyterSjthey were not too many*
though one onely could preach at once. I 1
fpeak not uncertainties * We have tryedthe
PaJtoral work •, and know by experience that
a Parifta of a thoufand (much more of many
the*-
thbufond) families , hath work enough for
fnany the raoft able and diligent Minifters
inche Land : Yea;aParifh of an hundred Fa*
milieu needeth more help than any one Mi-
nifteriiable to afford them : Try thtra all
by perfonal conference houfc by houfe as we
have done, anu judge. Would you then have
the pebple taught, reformed andfaved, or
not ? If yea, Would you not have neceffary
help to do it? I cannot believe that roan to
know rtiiriy what it is to be a Minifter or a
ChrifHari, that perceiveth not a neceffity of
help if be can have it : And if you bad con-
verted all now living, thofc that are born
ntxtwill haveneedof as much labour as their
Parients : For ignoring fenfudlit] and pride
will be born with them.
Think God therefore that you may hav*
help; and take it, whether you meet in on* of
tm AflfembHcs : Help your tolerated Bre-
thren in their work, as thofe that more de-
fire thegood of the peoples fouls than they.
Coxifult together for the removing of impe-
diments, and for the (lengthening of each
other. And if any fadious, or froward Non-
conformift ihould happen to be your Neigh-
bour, go to him, and by love and familiarity
fcek to win and cure him ^ and you will win
the hearts of all good people. And if he be
really turbnlent, and do more harm in the
place than good, lam perfwadedthe reft of
the Nonconformifts will rebuke him>anddif-
own him. Iadd>
IV. If any difference between you cannot be
compofed, in fie ad of troubling the people about
ft f quietly refer it to fome indifferent Arbitra-
tors. Is there not a wife man aijiong you ?
Muft Abrahams and Lots Servants, feparate
them for a Well I Mult Paul and Barnaba:
part for different cenfures of another mans
omiffion? Shall Chriftians, Proteftants, Mi-
nifies, the Teachers of Love, and Concord
and Patience, be fo wea^ fo felfifc fo bad+
fuch contradiders of their daily Do&rine?
as not to be able to carry on Chrifts work in
peace; nor to make an amicable compofurc
of their differences ? If you arc Chriftians
indeed, the difference is not who fliall have
the mod followers, applaufe or honour bxxt who
feiveth God and faveth fouls , in the right
and truceffeftual way? And may not prayer
and confutation reconcile fuch a controver-
fie? For my own part I am confeious of
pride and (elffhnefs •, Yet I can confidently
fay, that when I had a Pafloral charge,where
I reeded many Affiftants , if I had known
where that man lived whom the people would
have loved, honoured and profited by, more
than my felf, I would have rid night and day
to get him to be the man : And when I have
beard my Neighbour Minifters that were
younger men (I can fcarce forbear naming
themj
(MO
them) preach much moreaffe&ioriatelyand
profitably than my felf,|I have fate under
them with tears of joy. But alas, What hath
*en years filencc of fnch men , deprived the
fouls of the poor people of ! I never thought
it meet with Saint Francis and the Fryers, to
abafemy felf by going naked, or by, taking
on me to be an Awfe, or by filthinefs.or ridi-
culous behaviour ; A* if Heaven and a Swine-
fty were moft like : ($ee Foulis hisHiftory
of Popery. ) But I have thought it my duty to
cad away deliberately and knowingly much
of my Reputation, even with Religious peo-
ple , by the difcharge of fuch duty as I
knew would do it - y Believing that Reputa-
tion is one thing to be refolutely denyed for
Chrift, and that he that faveth his honour
(hall lofc it , and he that lofeth it for Chrift
(hall have everlafting honour.
Brethren, there is no great matters to be
done in the Church of Cteift in the midft of
fo many corruptions and temptation?, with-
out confirmed Reflation; RefolveC > bt wholly
the fervants of thrift, and to feek mens
Salvation, and to take no thought for your
carnal intereft and honour ; And then ths
God whom you fcrve will rate care of it.
Think not that other mens felfifhnefi or f ro-
wardnefs is an excufe to yours : Who know-
eth man, and knoweth not that pride and
felfijbnefs is as common as fin, that is , I* the
I z kit-
laflrdying heart ofall our corruption? Will
you exped none of it in others, when you
know (if you know your felves) that you
bavc much of it in your felves ?
Plain-dealing is not the Sign of enmity but
love. Imuft tell you, that wc cannot but
think that you need Repentance , great Re-
pentance, for finning more (and that by /w£-
iic\ j dfliberatc , chofen , covenanttd , Mini-
fterialfirj) frotefling againft Repentance )in
the day when Judgements calkd us all to re-
new our Repentance for our foi roer fins. But
yet we fufpeft our own underftandings : We
know what different apprehenfions of thing*
good men may have : We know that we are
great finners our felves : We take not all this
to warrant our cenforious reparations from
you. But we befcech you be not too angry
with us, for differencing between good and
evil, between him than fweareth, and him
thatfeareth aa Oath. As long as we do it
to the cod and fuff.ring of our own flefh*
which difputtth in i\$ more cunningly and
ftrongly for Conformity-,- then all theZ>#-
?eU, the JFullwoods, the StiUmans,&c. in
England. We have naturally no more love
to poverty, to fcorn, to a prifon, than you
have: And why may not thofe chat do no-
thing el fe almoft fay , that its like weftudy
co know the truth, as hard as any of you all ?
And the love of beggery, fcomand imprifon-
raerit*
mentis nor likely much to byas us7 And
if you think that our honour with our party
doth it, you mutt needs think that we (who
fo fliarply reprove tbem,)do think very high-
ly of that poor defpifed party, when we pre-
fer their opinions, not onely before your
Afagnat-es & Plures , but alfo before our
Livelihoods, Liberties and Lives. Woe to
the Hypocrite that hath no better a re-
ward !
And why fliould we do it ? Were we not
as capable of tht more Noble and General ap-
plaufe as you, if we could have taken your
way ?
As we are none of your Judges then , Be
you none of ours , but let us with Refolved
unity (though not uniformity) ferve that one
God whom we are all devoid to. Remem-
ber that to Preach Leve is your Minifterial
work- AndcopraAce it is your Chriftian
work. Refolve as much to craimain Chri-
ftian Lcve as inviolate, even to Martyrdom,
as the Martyrs did to ffiaintain the Chriftian
Faith. Remember Ridley and Hooper; You
may come to Ridley\ Confeflions ere you die.
We purpofe not tollnminifter you fomuch
a Gildas did his Brittains , nor to feparate
from you fo much zsMartindid to the death,
from all the Neighbour Synods and Bifhops,
for a far letter caufe than the filencing of
eighteen hundred Minifters. We take not
I 3 you
OH)
you whom I now write to , to be conferring
to this work. (Though your filenceand non-
refiftance y hath bred fuch thoughts of you in
people, a* we would fain have you cure by
the contrary means.) We are for peace :
Be not you againft it : But we cannot buy it,
by deferring the Miniftry , to which we were
confecrated and devoted, nor by negleding
lb many thoufand miferable fouls. Bring
things in England once to that pafs, that re-
ally our labour may be unneceffary, in the
judgement of thofe that are not Infidels, Igno-
rant s y or Malignant enemies of a holy life,
and we will prefently gratifie all that defire
our filence, or our banifhment , and will not
trouble men with needlefs work.
Thus, Brethren, you fee, I have prefumed
no higher than to Petition you j And that
not to your coft or detriment j nor for our
prcferment,wealth op eafe : We aske you not
for food or ray men t ^ We crave from you
none of your Dignities,nor Eftates : Though
when I find this Author diffwadingusfrom
our Miniftry, becaufe the people are poor, I
think that reafon might almoft as aptly have
ferved toperfwadeus to live no longer , be-
caufe the world is too poor to keep us ; We
do but eat if we preach, and fo we muft if we
{Jo not : And I think it had favoured of no
excefs of Charity and Minifterial ingenuity,
|f he had rather faid * Brethren, joh muftper-
fernt
('35J
form jour undertaken Miniftrj, and we and the
-peoples foals have need of all jour help ; And
the maintenance is given fort he work^t There-
fore you that worl^with us, Jball hive part of
the Church maintenance with us, at leafi a fifth
part, as was allowed to the e)e&ed by the Par-
liament, becaufe the people cannot maim ain you,
and A is hard toferve God without anxiety {while
jour families are in want. This Lad better
befeemed our Brethren - y but we crave aid
expeS no fuch thing from you 5 but only pa-
tiently to fuflfcr us to live and labour by you,
and let God provide for us as he pleafe.
And if we tad expeded that heretofore you
had Petitioned on Rulers, for the liberty
of our Miniftry, it had binnounrcafonable
txpe&ation. Ail kn:w that our own Petiti-
ons had no hope : Mimfters (hould of all
men have bin mod fenfibje of the Churches
breaches, lofs and danger, and moft compaf-
fionate of the peoples fouls : If you had but
humbly acquainted our Rulers, That all our
labours conjoyned are too little $ that you
needed our help, and the ignorant our teach-
ing • That your own Judgement was,that our
Miniftry was more neceffary than our per^
fonal Conformity,
1. You know not but you might have bin
heard : For no doubt our Rulers thought
they did that which the Reverend Charch-
I 4 men
men tlid advife or thinkbeft :I hope you do not
think that our civil Rulers would have done
all that they have done againft us, if it had
bin againft the Bifliops and conformable Cler-
gies judgment and advife : Civil Governours
are never fo cruel in matters of Religion, as
the Ruling and exafperated Clergy arenas the
Hiftories of all ages tcftifie. °
2. Or at lcaft you might have had the
greater peace of Confcience, in all the confu-
fions that have followed, and fatd, It is mt
long fif us.
And you would have acquitted your felves in
the judgement of all your hearers , and they
would have bin the lefs prejudiced againft
your Miniftry.
Had you Petitioned and prevailed but for
thefe two things , you had healed ail our
breaches,
Firfi, That the door of enterance might not
have bin barred by any other fubferiptions,
proftffions or Oaths, than what were ufed in
the Churches of Chrift , till the exaltation of
the Papacy (for 6oo.years,)befides the Oaths
of Allegeance and fupremacy, andthefub-
fcribing the Doftrineofthe Church of Eng-
land, in the 39. Articles , according to tEo
I ith. of Queen Elizabeth.
Secondly , That thofe (fo fubferibing) tyho
dare not ufe the Liturgy and Cerecaonies*
might
night have leave to preach la the Qmrcbei
vhich ufe them, under Lavs which (hall re*
drain them from all unpcaceable oppofition
fo what they dare not ufe, or to the Gove rv
raent of the Church. And having raenti^ntfi
this, What if I added yet this claafe to ray
prefent Petition to you ?
V. That yon will yet Petition for us> or ra-
ther for the Church of Chrifi , that upon the
for ef aid terms we may be, ifpojfible* taken in to
the eftablijbed Mwftrj , If not<> jet tolerated, as
Letturers under youinfuch Churches, when
the Mimfiers defire us , mt taking any of their
maintenance from them* but t rafting God for our
daily bread.
By thU means you (hall have no need to
fear our injuring of your weaich or reputati-
on } Nor the (lengthening of the Papifls by
the weakening of Proteftancsthrough our own
divifions; (Onely let not the people who
fcruplc Conformity , be therefore denyed
Church- Communion and Sacraments.)
And now as God will judge , fo let the
world judge,& let pofterity judge whether we
are unworthy in coraparifun of the prefent
Minifters of England , to be permitted to
preach ChriiU Gofpel on thefe felf-denying
and felf-abafing terms • And whether they
that cry out of the danger of Popery, Infide-
lity, Profancnefs and Herefies* and yet had
father
(W)
rather let them in all,than give us leave to «-
ercife that Miniftry to which we were confe-
crated, in poverty and fubje&ion ; and while
they cry out of Divifions, will not lay by
the Dividing- engines ; (hould rather accufe us
or the-mfelves,if the evils overwhelm us,which
they fecm to fear ?
It is not pleafnre* profit or worldlj prefer-
ments, that w* contend for : We would do
no man hurt or wrong : If our lovers of
Church-power do think us intolerable, be-
caufe we obey them not as fully as they defire,
we profefs before God and Man, that ir is not
becaufe we would not be fubjedt and obedient
to any, as far as will ftand with our obedience
to God, but only becaufe we dare not, we wi/l
not do that which we believe that God for-
bidcth us: And if we err e, it is not for want of
ftudying, perhaps as hard and impartially as
they, to know the truth : And to him that
thinketh he doth evil it is fin. It is fin,and no
fraall or tolerable fin , which our confeiences
fear, in our forbearing fubferiptions and
Conformity : If they alfo take it to be a fin
to fuflfer us to preach the Gofpel, and a. grea-
ter fin, than to fuffer the inundation of Infi-
delity, Popery and the reft which they fay is
ready to break in upon us , And if they think
our not Subfcribing, Swearing, e£r. to be in
us (o great a fin, that the punifhroent laid en
Swearers,
Cup)
Swearers * Drunkards , or fornicators] will
not ferve turn to avenge it on Our felves, nor
any other of our perfo^al fufferings,unlefs the
fouls of many thoufands, and the Proteflant
Religion, and our Pofterity alfo fuffer for it,
the Judgments of God muft be endured . But
remember no*. Lord our offences, nor the of-
fences of our Forgathers, neither take thou
vengeance of our lins : Spare us good Lord ;
Spare thy people whom thou halt redeemed
with thy mofl precious blood, and be not
angry with us for ever. And haften O Lord
Jefus thy more Righteous Judgement.
FINIS.
.g R-A ATA.
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