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ClAlvinusin Matth. 13. 35,3^, 37, &c. Use porro rrmlm valde abfurdum ejjfe videtur, in Ec~ clefitfinu /over i vel impios homines*, vel prefanosvel fieleratos : Adde quod pleriqy zeli prttexttt pto* *quo morofii nifi omnia ad eorum votnmcompofifafint quia nufquam apparel abfoluta puritas^ tumultttofi ab Ecchfia difcedunt, vel importuno rigor e tarn ever* tunt &perdunt. gjhare hie meo j'udiciofimplex eft paraboU fcopus : Qiimdiu in hoemmdo peregrina* fur Ecchfia^ bonis & finceris in ea pcr«uxtos fore ma* fox & hypocritas, ut fe patientia a*k : lei^

& inter ofendicula quibus turbari pojfent, retinetnt

infraUxm fidei Conjiantiam E\i quidm

h£c valde molefia conditio , quod reprobU onetatu* Ecclefia ufque ad finem mundi: hoc tamen tempos nobis ad patientiam ideo Chriftuspr&fcribit,M vbna

fpenos lattemm -Graviter quidem Pajiores incunfr

here Meet ad purgandam Ecelefiam > Et hac inpar* te ab otmdbut piis adjuvandi funt , quatenus^feft cujufqi vocatio. Verum ubi omnes in commune mu~ tuas operas contukrim^ non tamtneo ufq; proficient, ut pznitus ab omni forde pur gent ecelefiam*—-> Vehtde etiam earum Zelum fixnare & moderari> qui fat effti non" put am focietatem nifi cum furi* Angeli* cottre. gti ai cxtirpandum quicquid dtf-plicet p*£p$ere fejtintiHti antevertunt quantufif ix fe efiy Ckrifti judicium, & t mptrnnAn&foojlitiHM temmfibi ufurpsm* -

E* in Mat. 6. [ §hod Johannes privatam , fdijpfafy tradidit furt difcipMvs^ idfecijfe ekiftimt

i orandi timoprout twpr'vs ratio ftrebaU Res tunc valde apud JucUos cwrnpw fuijfe notum eft : %ota, eerie Keligio fie cotapfit erat^ ttt^mlrtfinnon fit ' precandi morerri a faucis rite cultum fuijfe* Rurfus quum inftaret promijfa. redemption fiddium nienus'precando ad ejus ffiezto ,& diftdmnm excitari oportuit* Johannes etf i>ariis Scripture locU certam aliquam precationem corificere fotuit qu£, tempori congruent , ac fropius accederet adftirituale Chrifti rdgnum-——-. Et in Rom. 14* 3 > Prudenter & appsfite utriufqy vitik occurrit. . Hoc enim vitio labor ant qui funt firmiores , ut eos qui inanibus 'fcruptUi detinentur y . tiinquamfuperfUtioJuiosdcjpiciant , atq\ irrideant : Contra hi vix fibi cavere a temerariis judicii* que-tfnt, ut noudamnent quod non affequuntur : Qxic-quid fieri contra fuumfenfum cernunt y illud malum ejfe put ant: Illos erga a contemptu dehor tatur, hos a nimia morofitate. Q

Calvin on Matth, i3 v This feemeth very abfurd to many, that ungodly, or prophane, or wicked men , are cherifhed in the bofome of the Church: And very many being over morofe under pretence, of.zeal, unlefsall things be compofed to their de-fires, becaufe ablolute purity is no where to be found, do tumultuoufly depart from the Church, .Or by unfeafonable rigidnefs do overthrow and ^eftroyit. Therefore in my judgement, this is the fimplefcope of the Parable: that as long as the Church fojourneth in this world, bad men and hypocrites will be mixt with the good and fincere in it > that Gods Children may arm them-

felves

fdveswkh patience, and among the offences- that, might trouble them, may retain unbroken faith \

and conftancy : ——Indeed this is a very trou- \

blefome condition, that the>Church is burthened with Reprobates to the vro^Wsepd : Buf this > is thefpace thatChrift preferibeth us for patience^ left we flatter our felveswith empty hopes——-The Paftors indeed muft diligently laboui; topurgC; the Chuxch : And in this ajl godly mpioi (hould; help them, as far as their Calling dedv : alk)wv_ But when all men have done their beft, they- fliail not fo far have fuccefe,as to purge theChurchfronv

all defilements. -AndChriftfwould bridle and^

moderate their Zeal, who think it unlawful to have Communion ( or fellowfhip ) with any but pure Angels—They that prepofteroufly make hafte to root out all that difpleafeth them,do as much as in them is prevent Chrirts judgement, and fnatch and ufurp the Angels work.

Calv. on Mat. 6. That John delivered a private form of Prayer to his Difciples,! fuppofe he did it in fuitablenefstothe time. That matters were then very corrupt with the Jews, is known. All Religion was fo collapfcd, that it is no wonder that the manner of praying was rightly obferv-ed but by few. And when the promifed Re-demption was at hand, it was meet that the minds of the faithful (hould by prayer be ftirred up to defire and hope for it. John might from feveral places of Scripture make up one certain prayer, which (hould be agreeable to the time, and might come nearer to the Spiritual Kingdom of Chrift.

Here 1 defire the Retdtr again t* nrte , that A \ thdugk

$hugb Vrayer was thin fo corrupted by the than-Jfkt,ye*(:br$ ufkaOy joymd in their Synagogues, Luke 14* 17 • and never medkd mth our Contra-verfie, about the Lawfitlnefs of fet Forms.

Galv* on Row. 14.3. Tauldoth prudently arid fitly meet with the faults of both fides; For this is the fault of the ftrong, that theydefpife and deride them as foperftitious folk who are detained with vain fcrupleS:On the contrary thefe can hardly forbear cenforious condemning that which they underftand not: And they think that to be evil , which is againft their own fenfe. therefore Paul ditfwadefh the one fort from contempt, and the other from overmuch mo-rofenefs.

THE

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P R EFA C E

TO THOSE

READERS

Who arc of the Exceptors mind, and are offended at my Book called,

' THE

CURE

OF

Chureh-Diyifions.

TxetWtn^ rehyjhould I wonder at the fruits of thofe weakpejfes which we are all fubjett to (fome more, fomt left) in thii Jiate ofimperfeftion ? ^ , , and which I fo lately told you of at large , in my Character of and Dir£<9tions for Weak-Chriftiarjs. If a ftirit of In-' fallibility and Miracles in Paul and other the Apo-files of our Lord^ could not overcomt thefe lamentable frilings, in their hearers and pllowers^ in the tri-

B mitive

TO

mitive Church, why fhould fuch as J lool^fir more fuccefi. If Paul thought hid Galatians foolijh and bewitched Gal. 3. 1. and hti Corinthian Christians to be babes, yea Carnal and not Spiritual, bccaufe there' were among them £«*©- *} 'if« xj jy^oraar*/, envying, ftrife, and divitions, ^rdf the words fig-Mifie, zeal <?r emulation, ftrife and reparations or fa&ions, or dividing into feveral parties, while one faith , Jam of Paul , and another I am of Apollos *, what wonder if we are no better now. But our fins are not the le(i becavfe that others had the Hkg , but the greater bccaufe we takg not warning by them •> when the ffirit of God hath fofmart-ly reprehended them.

I have as little reafon as you to be ignorant what provocations the prcfent militating and exaggerated parties do give each others h and how fur preienfes uncharitablencfi hath obtained* And I know but few of you that have either more openly pit themfclves into the breach , and attempted more to have prevented both feverities againfl you, and the prefent divitions among us, than I have done s or that have undergone more wrath and calumny ( to mention no other kjnd jLfufferings ) for fuch attempts than I have done : you cannot jujily thinly that it i* for want of your provocations and temptations to dfcontent , that I am not of your mini. I have had as many and great provocations as moil of you all: And I am not naturally without tbofe faflions , which would takg advantage by fuch tifagc. A multitude of fierce and reproachful Volumes are written againji me y many of them abounding with grofi untruths in matter of fiaU \ to all which I havz for peace f*k$ been .filent to tki* 'day.

And

CO

And none that know me do thin\ , that it U tt efi tape mens wrath that I have been more for fence and unity than you. I will do that right to them that hive done me but little, as to tefiifie that I verily believe^ could my Conference comply with their Opinions and wifs^ I could as foon have their favour m moll among you. But God is jfil! the God af Love, and Peace, and Concord \ and fo muft all bis fervants be : He changeth not , and we muft not change from $hU which is his Image. This is tny'Religion h and if any mens provocations muft change me from this , they mnji change my Religi* on. . I am not for fitch fruits of fufering as fome late eminent prifoners in London wirt^ who turned 0Ojjkcrs inprifon, and loji their ReVigion with their liberty } nor will I pretend )CorfcUnce fir the defying of my Conference, and the for faking of the fa-cred life of Love. Do you not your Jelies condemn 4 Carnal fiate ? Remember then that they are Carnal who are contentious dividers in the Churches, i Cor. 3. 1,2,3. Tozi will I doubt not jnyn mtb me in dijallowing of a fklhly mind and life ; Remember then that the workes of the flefh are thefe, as adukerieAfornications ^ &c. So jlfc hatred ( or enmraes ) variance , emulations, wrath, firffe, feditions f«?•%*?<*•**-, Dividing^ into parties ) herdies , envyings , 8cc. I kpotv you wiUconfcfi thdt if any man have not the fpirit of Chrift,the (ame is none of his, Rom. 8.£. Re-member then that the Spirit <f Chrifi is the jpirit of Love j Love to- God and man U that Divine nature which God indueth allClmjls members with* The fruit of the fpirit is Love, joy, peace, long-fullering, gentkneG, gopdnefs, faith, meekneis*

B % tempc-

CO

temperance, Gal. 5.20,21, 22- When we thinly ear jelves wifer than thofe wc differ from , let us not jhew it by mafterly cenfcrioufiiefs or contempt, but by being as much more Loving and peaceable than they an. My brethren be not many Matters , knowing that ye fhall receive the greater condemnation. And when other mens faults rife up before you, watch both y'mr paffans and ymr ungues, remembringthatln many things we all ofiend : And it any man offend not in word, the fame Is a pert eft man, and able to bridle the whole body. Who is a wife man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him (hew out of a good conversation his works with mceknefs ©f wifdom : But if ye have a bitter envious leal and ftiifeitf your hearts, glory not and lie not againft the truth : This witdom defcend-eth not from above, but is earthly, fenfual, de-villifh :l'or where envying 2eal ( $»a@-J[ and flrife is, there is coufufion and every evil work, Jam. 3-j, 2,13, 14, 15, 16. Brethren no change of times trill allow me to change fmm this which is my Religion ; No injuries from men trill excufe me if I forfakje it* I hope I (hall »iMb fuch a changeling ht this which is the Great Command of the Gofpel, and the fulfilling of the Law, and the very Heart of all Religion 7 as to turn from it for a prifon or a voluminous calumny and reproach* Iconfeft I mujl change, but I hope it will be, to turn jiill to more and more Love and Concord, and not to Left* It is not thanks worthy to Love thofe that Love its , nor tojpeal^ well of thofe that ufe us wcll^ nor u tal^e it patiently when we are buffetted or punijh-ed for our faults^; But if r?e fujfer for welldoing*

and lofe none of t*rr Love or patience or intcgrir ty by our fuffcrings^ happy are we* Alas bow fadr ly d) many mil fake, that fear only yielding to tboft reborn they fuffer by y and do not fear tbjl.paffr ms y which would quench tbeirL&ue> -and turn tbem unto feels andherefics y in meer opposition to tbiir <*f-fiiders.

I kjtowthxt tbe great objection k , Tfajt under pretence of Love, I would bring ungodly per-ie.cutors into reputation > and tempt men to unlawful Communion with them , and that I make an ill application of good principles, to hide the odioufnefs of their tins > that care fo little for the fouls of meii> as their ufage of Minifietsand. people doth openly declare.If I had only perfWaded you to unite in Love to ora^anothctv mi nof <o think better of the deftroyers of the Gmrcli, nor to comply with them rn their Idolatrous way of worfliip > you could have bornir.

Brethren^ wilt ynn y that ta\e it for injiJtice in a Judge^ who wit! condemn a man before be bear bim fpeak^fr bimfelf\ be intreated hit to rcprefi yaxr pajfions fur a little while > till ym have calmety confidered thefe tbinAfdlomng.

i. Did I ever pervade y»x to tbinj^wefioftbe faults of other men , while I perfwaded ym to lave their perfons ? ( nnlefi ym call tbe Comrmtnvm a fault of which we are to Jpeaf^ anon) Did I ever feel^ to abate yotrr difake of the fins which yon mojt fpeal^ againf} ? Eitlxr malignity y cruelty* ptrficu* tion, or any other*

2. 7be thing which 1 perfwaded men to in thzt bool^y was Communion with all Clwiftians^ (but differently as they differ in degrees of purity. ) lhat

£ 3 rebkk

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phich I motioned and pleaded for , I famined up in the Utter cnd y with the contrary extrearns \ which * you may there re id in] jive propofitims^ i • To adhere to the primitive (implicity , and make nothing necelTarv to our Concord and Communion which is not fo. 2. To love your neighbours as your feives , and receive thofe to Communion whom Chrift receive th, and that hold the forefaid neceffary things, be they Epifcopal, Presbyterian, Independents, Anabaptiits Calviniiis, Armini-ans, Lutherans, &c. fo they be not proved heretical or wicked. Fcrufe the rcji^ When you come to your feives you will corf.ft that this, wm no unreafonable nor unchrijlian motion? Which of 'all thefe Parties i* it that you are angry with me for pftfwading yon to Communion with ? Muji every one of the Parties renounce Communion with aU the refl ? 0 how unlike is thi* doVirine to that of the Holy Choi ? 1 Cor. 1. ic. & 3. 1,2,3. Rom. 14. & 15. &c. If not every one, which of them is it ? Is any one of all thefe Parties, the •whole Church of God ? wioo dare fay fo ? Wtiy jhouid T rcfufe Communion with any one of thefe\ while I fcruple not CowmuvMk with all the reft. Or if it muji be but with one4ort, howjhall I iqiow which of them it muji be ?

I know fame men judge of others by their Own opinions and felf intereit: But is that indeed the Chrijiian Rule ? Some ef the Epifcopal way are Jtngry with me for including the Independents > when I doubt not but the far greater part of them are the fincere fcrvants of Chrifi: And fince their Synods late moderation^ I kjtow not many Churches in the worlds bcfides the Waldenfes of the Bohemian,

an, Polonian and Hungarian Government-, who are i merer to my own judgement, in Order and Difci- * flint thin tbtfe in New England are, and none that fir Piety I prefer before them. Some are angry with me for tvkjM in the Anabaptijis: rrlpcn it is not fuch as the MunfLr Anabaptijis that we have to do with ', but godly men, that differ from us in a pint fo difficult, that many of the Papifis and Prelatijts have maintained, that it if not determined in Scripture , but Vependeth on the tradition of the Church. lam not of their mind , and I haze given them my reifins in my boo\ ftr Infant Baptifii: But hiving bad more invitation to jiudy the \paint throughly> and treat of it largely, than mojiof tfofe that are offended herein , let them give me . leave to fay, that I know it to be a very difficult point i> And I know 4S good and\ fiber men of that mind, as of theirs that are moliagainji them*And I kpow that in the diyes of Tertullnn , Na2.ian-zene, Augntfine , men had liberty to be baptized, or to bring- their children, when and at what age they pleafed, and none were forced to go againji their Confcicnccs : And I know not that our Rule or Religion U changed, Q( that we are grown any wifer or better than they. Y once motioned terms of Concord to the Anabaptijis, and was in as hopeful a way fir

Peace with them, as with woji others, till « ■

Some are offer>d:d that I put in the Arminians *> when I am confident that tlxre is not one of many hundreds, who are againji Communion with them that kjiiw what Arminianifme u, and truly un-derjiand the difference* And the fame men refufe not Communion with */?i?/e Anabaptills who are Ar-rainian>. And ip bath been the wv\ *f not only

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hit. Dury, out many other excellent men, for many\-years , to reconcile the Lutherans with the Calvin ttifts ! and it hath jifftly been thought a blejfed worV^h draw them to Communion ryith each other I And yet the Lutherans are not only of mojlofthe Ar-minm opinions, but alp have fuperintendcnts, litur^ £ies,ceremonies,cxorcifme,Church-images, 6cc. W\>m jo much labour hath been befiowcd in this work^, and Jo many excellent *fratifies written for it, by fious Dury ', Junius, Parous, Calixtus, Ludov. Crocius, Joh. Bergius, Conrad. Bergitis, Hattq-nus , Amyraldus, Hall, Davenant, Morton, &c. When all fiber Protejiants have frayed for their fuc-* cefs, or approved this defign, are we novo come to that pajl, that thofe that Jeem the zealoufeji for the Church and mutual! Love, Jhall thin\ it to be a fin, either to hold Communion with the Lutherans, or to Write for it ?

But the great offence it that I put in the Epifco-pal, as ft for our Communion > which Ifuppofe is principally becaufe of their manner of worthip, in which we mujl have Communion with them* Which fortfeeing, I anfiwered more objections againft this than againjl the rcji', wfycb h%th occasioned fome falfly to affirm, that I write only to draw men to Communion with the Church of England. I will therefore here proceed to fime further expostulations of thU point.

3. Is there ever a word in all my Boo}^, perfwa-ding you to Communion with a JDiocefan Church f as fuch ?

4. Is there one word in it for your Communis yenth a national Church, that bath one political fpi-ritual Conjtitutive Hud under Jifm Chriji > (thoigh

\v* the

(?)

• the Kingt Jupremacie none of us quejiion ) Vol once Jhectdle with any fucb thing ?

5. Is there a word to perfwade you to Communion with Perfecutors.? Tbmgb I am farced to dif-pleafe you by anfwering that objection, ani telling

. you that we Jhould be Impartial, and remember what moft parties or many have done to others\ which you were not able it feems , to bear, though it was plainly neajfary to the due reflation of the Cafe in quejiion, whether any Perfecutrs may be Communicated with &

6. Is there one word to perfwade you that every Parifti is a true Church, and fit to be Cr>mmiimca^ udwitb? If none of all this be there, I hope your fatience vs not v:ry hard put to it> if I do but in-%reat you to repent, if yju hive faid that of it which U untrue, whoezer told you jo, or at leaji, n>t to proceed in untruths when you are fi often warned of them.

7. Vo-you thinly that it was dm lih^ tender CGiifcienced Chrijlians , for fo many to fay, that I write again]} your meetings, yea that I conformed my ielf i And this kfore ever they faw my bevl^,-) err ever Jpakg with man that faw it? And that men dire yet continue fuch fayings while the boot^ is vifible to prove them falje f and revile again:} it when they conffi that they never read it/ Is this the fruit of thefpirit of Chriil ?

But give me leave after thefe expoftulatians, ts come a little nearer to your objedhn^ and to tetiyw openly where we differ.

I. Tou would have me fpea}^ for Love and Vnity among the Nonconformijis : ( And I kjiow no matt that hath done it nvre frequently and more openly

than

(IO)

than I have done y having thefe 24 years been offe-* ring or pnbli/hinz terms of peace) But God forbid thtt ever 1 (h'uld be of their opinim ( if there* be any fucb ) who thinks that out unon mufl be only frith a Party , and not with the whole Church of Chrlii '•> or that we mu'l Love none , or feek^ peace with none but th <fc , that are in fitch points of our own opinion H I am united firfl to Cbrifi and the uni-verfal Church , and confequently to all the parts as fucb 5 though.in divers degrees m they differ them^ felves in their Conformity to Cbri'l.

2. 1 be fetch y>u endure me with patience toteU yw , that I never took^ either the Non-conformijis ulme, or the Confirmijis t.) be the whole Church of Chri'v , or to be his only people in this Land : nor the only faithful Minihrs of the GifpcL Brethren^ let not wrath and t'oe faults o£ fome , deceive us to become injurious to others \ or to deny them Live and Jufiicc , becaufc that many of their opinion are had, inhere in all the world y do you kjiow a Kingdom> rvbere the greater part are not too bad , and where thofe that are of the Rulers Religion, be it ytever fo right , do not comply with it to fervt tloeir fiefb ? *ibe Low Countries have no Bijhops nor Ceremonies , tior no fucb Liturgie as moil arc offended at with us, bnt are under the Presbyterian Government: And yet what the Comm>n fort are there , and in other fucb Countries^ I need not tell ym. Forgive me for telling you , that if you kyow no godly perfons ( Minijicrs or others ) of the Epifcopal tpay 9 J do, and loAg have done : And m my acquaintance in-creafeth I know more and mwe. Tou that take me to befo'bjd) as tloe Antidote dejeribeth me , mil tbink^itm great comrtiendationtj them^ that I pro-

fit

^fcjitokjtotp thofe of them, whom I take to be much better than my [elf: Therefore I will fay a greater W>rd , that I know thofe of them reborn I think M godly and humble Ntinijlers, as molt of the Noh-confurmiis whomlkfiow* I doubt not but there are many hundred Parifh Miniflers , who are m Pcrfecu-tors, nor ever confented to Perftcution ! who Preach holily, and live holily , though I could wifh that they were more* And what reafon bavtyou to charge any other mens fins an them ? I am not ignorant what may he [aid to make them confequentially partakers* But I mnji fay tbis*in anfwer to all', that if Godwill charge undifcerned confluences upon them and us, there will none of us all be found meet for Church Communion, or for heaven* % I am judged by your Jelves to be too cenfbrious of you, and too jharp in telling you of that which I doubt not to be your fin : why then are you fo offended with me for being no more ceuforious. and (harp towards others? was I ever thought'to be kinder to them than to you ? Is not every man naturally mofi favourable to thofe of his own opinion ? Is it Conformity or Non-conformity which I have mofi defended ? Is it as a Conformiit or a Non-conformiit that I have been judged and ufed thefe 33. years? It it they that have lately written reproachfully again{i me : It is they that have —Z

need name no more* But for the Non-confurmijls I mujl bear witnefs of their kjndnefs to me , that they never rejetted me , never forbad me to preach ( but 'one Sermon ,) mr, (except particular angry parties whom I wrote againji, ) they never denyed me their good word. What then can you thinly jhould draw me u be too (harp againft them, and too favwra-

, bit

He t& the other ? J toot^for no worldly advantage w benzfit jhm tlnm* Surely lit. tb.it is apt to be too ihaFp, is /%r to be fit agabiji iiffkntexs frotn wlovm be fuffereth , than againji tbofe tbat bape ever been bit friends i Bttt trittb if mttb , and the wildom from above is without partiality afld without hypocriik\ Do bttt mar\}>ow botb parties juitihewc, while both condemn me y (though I am too Confhm of my faultinefs to jujlifie my felf ) IIk one fide thinly that I am not balf (harp enough againjir the Anabaptijir y SepJiatijh and Indipen-* dents: And ym tbit I nm rente ti y thinly tbit I am not hilf (harp eaough againfi the 'Corifor-anifts : fo that one fde doth mt only JHjtifre me from tlte charge of cenfrmufnefs or Jbaypnefi againjir the other, hut blame me for the contrary^ and are angry with me tbat I am no (harper But Gods judgement of u* all is right y a#d \m feal is fare , The Lord knoweth who are his whoever jhall deny it. God trill n )t judge of upright Cbrijli-am as they fudge of them fives, when they unjttjily accufe tbem\ f elves '>> Much lefs according to the judgement of their adverftries*

Brethren, I think^ verily that I have as rmtzb t& fay agahifr conformity, as it is ve wired of us Mini-, jtcrs , as moji of you that are moji angry have : And yet I tell ym again , that I believt time are many hundred Godly Minijiers in the Farijb Churches of England, and that their Chmclxs are true Churches, and that I tbink^not my felf worthy t% be compared ivith Mr. Bolton, Whately , Feni}er> Dr. Preftpji, Sibbes, White, Field, iKher, Jewel, and -abundance other old Conformijis: And yon might forgiveKme^ if 1 compare thitn. with your

felves^

C'3)

felves, and if I again profcfi to yon , that rfthiy were all alive, and trfed now the fame Liturgy and Ceremonies as they did then, I could kh find in my heart to think^ their Communion in Prayer and Sacrament to be unlawful, nor to cenfnre that man as injurious to the Church, who jhould write to per-fwade others not to ftp orate from tlxm on thatjkp-portion* I am fure tin Affembly af Divines that fate heretofore at Wcilminfter, were fo emformabh when they went thither, that I never Ward of fizz Non-conformifif among them, befdes the fiu diffen-ting brethren : Jheir yidgement was ( as Mr* Sprints) that Conformity was lawful in cafe of m-ctflity, rather than to be deprived of liberty to preach the Gojpcl, but that it was a burden which they Jhould caji off its. fton Si they had liberty fo to do : And I knew feme who urged them to declare tlxir Repentance for their firmer corf.trmiij, and to have confeffed it to have been their fin* But I never beard of any confiderahle number of rfjzm that ever did it , or that changed their minds: And though Miniikrial Conformity ( as to Engagements ) is now much altered , many of thcra the* are yet v Hying do again confrm. Ar>d th$ugb I then was not, nor yet am of thiir mind my fclf yii I wonld not {hun Communion with the Kezercnd members *f that AJfembly (Twiflc, Gatikcr, Whit-taker, andtherejt ) if again tUy were ufers of the Liturgie among us.

$* But what if in all I hit I be mijiak$n, and if Communion in the Liturgie prove unlawful tjkculd you befo impatient as not to bear with cne that in fucb ah opinion differetb from you ? As I write far ray opinion\ fo do you for yours? And why Jb^u d

u*

cm

not you hear with my dijfent^ as well at I do tciith yours ? My judgement commanded me , Firft to exhort all tbber Chriitians, to draw neerer, and to lay by thofe principles, which drive them from each other as not to be Communicated with: And Secondly, where that cannot be obtained, to bear with one another in our feveral At femblies or Churches, avd to manage them with Love and peace. This was my exh nation > And the time once was ( even when the fire Vijfenting brethren pleaded their caufe with the AJJembly at Weftminfter, ) that this motion would have keen ac+ ceptcd, or at leafi not judged fo great an injury as now it is. 0 brethren , do not expofe your felvcs .and caufe^ fo much to the cenfurc of impartial men^ andof pojicrity^ as to let them knowtbJtt you are grown fo high , or that in the very day of our humiliation thefe terms feem fo injurious to you-> as tbtfe exceptions intimate* Mr. Nye and Mr* The. Goodwin were fo friendly with Dr. Preiton, ps to fublijh his work/ when he was dead. And 1 verily thinly if you had been acquainted with fuch Con-formifis heretofore^, as be was^ and Dr. Stoughton, and J)r. Taylor, and Mr. Downam , and thoft furcnamed, and abundance mere, you could not choofe but have thought them both tolerable and lovely , if you had not thought it lawful to Communicate with them: Much more you (hould have endured fuch as the Non-conformifts of that age , who ufed Parifti Communion, and pleaded for it againft the Separatijis, in far (harper language than ever I ufed to you ( as their bookj againjt Johnfon and jCann and Brown and Ainfworth do yet viftbly declare* ) If yon thinly their Reafoiis and mine for the Lew-

fulnefi

C'5)

jhIhcJs of Parifli Communion to be infufjicient , ft do I think^of ymrs againji it.

I haveread divers that charge the Liturgie with Idolatry. Did I ever lay fo heavy a charge on ycu? Did I ever fay that it is unlawful to have Communion with you, as you fay it is to have Communion with others ? \V))y then Jhould you not bear with leffer Contraditwm, when others mu\i beat with far greater from you ? JVill you froclaiki your felves to be the more impatient ? Ton mil then makg menthink^that yon are the moji guilty* You fay of fuch men as thofe before named £ your wor-(hip is Idolatry, and it is unlawful tor any Chri-ttian to hold Communion with ycu in it, and all that are prefent and joyn with you are guilty of the Idolatry! Ido but fay , that [ you make the Cafe more (xfious than it is, and injure others by this charge ~] V/liat a world are vpe come to \ when thofe that you count unworthy of your Communion y muji not takg your charge if Idoktry as too [harp, and yet you that jhould be moji p tient, t*k$ it for a beynous crime and injury >, to be told that you wrong them, and that you judge too hardly of them f and that their Communion is not unlaxv^ full

Nay, U it fcemly for th fc men that have faid and done fo much, ( I fiy, fo much, ) for Liberty of Confcknce, and would never confent to the Weftminfter Affembly to declare againji it, events to thofe parties ^ whom y u counted very erroneous your felves, to be yet fo impatient of our liberty** tell the Church our judgement about the Lawfulneis of ' other mens Communion ? Is it meet for them who are offended with tl>?fe that filenct as and reftrain

m

(16)

to of our liberty , to be fo tender , af to Jhewby fitch language as tbit. Exceptor ufeth, and by fuch nnjuji fames as fome others have difperfed ^ borp little tbcrnfelves can bear diffenters ?

I know that dijpleafure and impatience in the divers parties, vi exprefftd different wayes > But 0 that yet y?u would confider, how near of kjn the principles arc, and horp much dcjeCt of Love and Patience there is in you as well as others.

4. Andl intreatyou to mari^ but what your own ob\eVtion intimateth : Ton could endure it if I had only pleaded for Peace and Concord among the Non-conformiils : But doth not this intimate, that Peace and Concord in it fclfis definable, among aH thofe that {hould agree and be united ? Why, I am as well able to prrove that all true Chriftians (hould have Peace and Love and Concord for the jirength of the Vniverjal Church , as any of you all are able to prove , that any one Tarty Jhould have Concord in it felf T'he Epifc ipal part would have all pontile Concord among thofe that are Epif copals and the Presbyterians among Presbyterians y and the Independents among Independents ^ and the Anabaptifts among Anabaptifts i no party is for Di-vifions among themfclves , till the particular temptation doth prevail. And yet I am not pardonable fr moiioning , that all fober Chriftians ^ as Chriftians, may have all poffible Love > Peace and Concord among tbcrnfelves*

Brethren , I am fure that Chrifts body is but one :, I do not defpife all thofe words of Cbrift and ihzSpirit which! cited in my boo]^: Ikjtow that the diverfity of knowledge and gifts among true Chri* jiians , Jhould not makf diveriities of Churches ,

t*7 J

x. 12. When I know thif> and cannot chooft but kpow it , why Jhould any be angry with me for knowing it ? I know that the Godly Confer-tnijis and Non-confirmijts in England (hould be united , as well as each farty among tbemfelves i 1 kpotp that our divifwn gratifieth the Tafifts , and greatly hazardeth the Proteftant Religion , and that ntoreahan moji of you feem to believe or to regard j I know that our divifwn advantageth Profanenefl y and greatly bindereth the Jucceji of Minijlers on both fides : I know that it greatly Pleafeth Satan^ and buildeth up his Kingdom , and weahpeth the Kingdom of our Lord: His own mouth hath told us Jo : And Jhall I not beHeve him ? As in our Worcefterfhire Agreement heretofore^ we proceeded on terms which excluded not the Epifcopal -, fo in our defires and terms of Concord , we muft ftill g9 the fame way y and Jhut out none from our Love and Comqiunion , whom Chrifi receiveth and would have us receive. If they Jhut out us, that is not our fin but theirs. The hurt and lofl is farr more to the excluder than the excluded ^ to him that loftth his Charity, than to him that lofeth but Communion with ethers. And Ihjtow that as none Jhall takg out ef Chrijls hands , thofe that are given him by the Father^ and he himfelf will in no wife cajl them out *> fo he will at laft give no mere thanks either to Diotrephes or to any feparating parties , that would rob him of his own 7 and fay that his Children are not his Children , and that his Churches are not his Churches, and that his Worfhip is not his Worfhip, but Idolatry , than you will give to him that will turn out your Children and fervants^ and *$kg away your

C goods

(18)

goods and lands, and fay that they are not yours. Brethren, it grieveth me to the. heart, that neither party Conformable or Non-conformable is more fenfible of the fin and danger of our diftance. (Though I tyiow that in both parties there are many wife and holy perfons, who I fuppofe lament it more than I do* ) It layeth my foul in daily lamentations , to fee how we run further atfA further from each other h to the apparent danger of the f rot eft ant Caufe, and of the Kingdoms welfare, and of all the hopes of our pofterity h And that in jiead of repenting of thofe fins which every party is guilty of \ and takjng warning by our former experiences, or by the dreadful judgements of God upon us all, that yet we are daily lofing the little Love that U left, and {fill flying further into more and more ex-operations and diftaft '-> As if all the Church and Kingdoms hopes confifted in overcoming one another. When our long experience telleth ys, that fubduing thofe that muft fill be members, is no Cure of a divided body i and that treading men down doth but alienate them the more*

And I kpow that it U Concord and Vnion upon fuch terms in which we are all agreed, that muft he our Cure, if ever we be Cured. And that no (Covenant ner partial intereft; can poffibly jujiifie us, if we willjiablijh cur union on fuch terms, as JhaU either exclude fuch on one fide as Jewel, Grindal, Downam, Hall and other fuch BiJhops y or fuch on the other fide ^Ames , Hilderfham, Cart-wright, Bayne, Egerton, and other fuch worthy perfons that were Nonconformifts:

For my part, my Utmsjhould neither exclude, $Lpifc0pal, Independent >- nor Anabaptift. But one

thai

C'9)

that will feparate and exclude himfelf, or one that vriti tyranize and exclude all others, wt cannot any otherwife hcrve Concord and Cemmunion with, than diftantly by Cbrifiian principles and patience* But at long running they Jhall be all convinced, that the Cure of the Church is not by meet Coh-queft or Contempt of others » Nor by the Vnion and Concord of fome Parties only, but of the whole; And that the "found and fiber Conformifis and NM-conformijts, are the parts in England, that muji be united > And that neither Violence nor un-juft feparating Cenfures are the healing way j And that which party foever it be that contriveth and endeavoureth a Vnion, by the extirpation and ruine of the other part, is fchifmatical, and tal^eth the way of deflation > And that it is the Devil, the Infidels, and the Papifts, that will be the gainert by our continued divifions. And therefore thjugb I kjtow not the man alive, i# England who bath mire fair pretence , font the ungrateful ufage of the differing parties , to dejift from any more fitch conciliatory attempts, yet, let my hopes be never fo low, feting it is a thing that mult be done, or we are undone, I will imitate boneft Mr. Dury, andchoofe rather to wafi my dates in vain attempts for Peace, than to go quarrelling and contending to the grave, a* I have feen too many others do.

And if both parties in this exaggerated age , Jhould never fo much revile andflander me, (though * furviving name be little of my interejl ) I makg no doubt but our poRexity , will be conftrained by experience , to thinly better of Peace-makers than of Contenders. The names of Melanchthon, Bu-cer 3 Calixtus , Bergius > Burroughs , Hall, C 2 Davenant^

(id)

Davenant, 8cc. are far more grateful and honourable to after times, than the name of Flacius j though an excellent learned man ) or of Schlufc felburgius , Calovius , or any of our fiery Contenders or deftroyers.

'to all this I add, that even the feparated Churches themfelves do find a neceffity ofVnion and Concord for their prefer vat ion. Vivifion elfe will pnrfue the feveral pieces, and the fame principles which I write againfi, if they go along with them, wiU crumble them all to dufi. "the feparated Churches in Holland ( of the Englifh ) fully pro-ved this. Even thofe members in New-England, which Mr* Norton fadly told Mr. Afh and me, did withdraw and gather themfelves to an unlearned faflnr, and would not be intreated by Magifirates or Minifiers, yet when they were feparated, would fain k$ep Concord among themfelves. And if half of that feparated body, foould again have feparated from the reft, that fragment would fain keep themfelves in Vnity. And )UU nature teacheth them to feel that their Vnky U their ftrength and life , and that their Vivifion is their diffolution.

5. And I mufi needs tell the world, that though I Conform not, it is greater things than the matters of Conformity, which are the chief 'parts of my Religion h And therefore it u not Non-conformity that we mufi all Unite in, fo much as Chriftianity, and foundnefs in the Faith. And I doubt not but the Independents who offer t* fubferibe to the Vo-Urine of the Church (//England, will fay that they differ far more from the gjhafyrs, and Seeders, and Eamilifis, than\ they do from the Conformifis, And

C2I)

fo do I , though I would have Love and Gentlenefs exercifedto them all.

6. And if the prefent Conformable Mimhy were more to he blamed than they are , yet they may learn and profit while they teach. Many of them are young , coming lately from the Vniverfity \ and may yet grow up to ability and piety ^ and greater ufefulntfs in the Church". And many of them are prejudiced againfl their brethren y for want of acquaintance : And a. Chrijiian prudent Loving familiarity and Convcrf&tisn with them , may tnakg them in time become more ferviceable to the truths than we are : whereat a continued dijlance , cftran-gzdnefs, and cenforious averjation, will feed their mijlakgs and uncharitable cenfures of us , yea and their jharp feverities againfl us, and will \eep up a heart-war , and a Church-war in the land. And alas who tytowetb either when or how ^ or in who ft calamity it will End. For he that puts on his armour fhould not boaft as he that puts it off.

I do therefore conclude with this repeated profef-Jion, that it is the Conformijis and the Non-confer-mifts that confiitute the Englijh protefiant body > And it is the Conformifts and Non-conformifts that mttfl at lafi , ( when they are wearied with tearing and oppofing one another ) be brought together^ and the faithful of both psrtyes muji buildup the Church in Love and Peace • And therefore the intereji of the Pfoteftant Religion, muji be much %ept up by the means of the Pari(h Miniltcrs , and by the dodfrine and wor&ip there performed •> and not by the Non conformifis alone* And they that thinks and endeavour tha$ which is contrary to this ( of which fide fever ) Jhall have the hearty thankj and concurrence of the Papijif? C 3 Him

(«)

P Hit* therefore that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful difputations. Let not him that eateth defpife him that eateth not. And let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth; For God hath received him. Who art

thou that judgeft another mans fervant?

The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but Righteoufaefs, and Peace, aud Joy in the Ho-ly-Ghoft: For he that in thefe things ferveth Chrift, is acceptable to God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and the things wherewith one may edifie another. And blefled are the Peace-makers, for they (hall be called the children of God.

THE

GENERAL PART

OR

INTRODUCTION

TO THE

DEFENCE

OF MY

CURE

OF

Church-Divifions.

Being a Narrative of thofe late A&ions which have occafioned the Offence of men on both Extreams ^ with the true Rea-ftns of them y And of thefe Writings , which fome account Unfeafbnable: with the true ftating of the Cafe of that Separation, which my oppofed Treatife medleth withs And an Anfwer to feveral great Objections.

L THE

GENERAL PART,

OR

INTRODUCTION.

CAP. i.

the Narrative of thofe late AUions^ which have occasioned mens difyleafurt againji me on both fides : with the Rcajons oj them, and of my Writing 5 which lam now defending.

H E number of Books written againft me is Co great, that if I (hould not be very liifpicious of my felf, left I had wronged the truth, and the Church of God, and given men juft occafion of all this obloquy, I (hould be very defe&itfe in humility, and in that care, which I am obliged to for the avoiding of (uch injuries. And I find upon examination that

if

Ml

if I could have let all fides alone, and judged it coniittent with my duty to be filent while the envious man fowed his tares, and not to have con-traui&ed any that I took to be injuring the Truth and Church , nor to have founded the trumpet againft any error which arofe before us, I could as eafn'y have efcaped their wrath as others. And I rind that whereas our differences both in Do&rine, arid Worfhip, and Difcipline , have engaged men of feveral minds in fuch writings again!* me. ( Some Infidels , di-verfe Quakers, Papifts, Antinomians, fbme Ar-minians , fome Anti-arminians, Anabaptifts, Se-,paratifts, Levellers, Diocefans, &c. ) What otje accufeth me of, another doth not only acquit me <^f, but ordinarily as (harply accufe me for the contrary, and for going no further from the reft* So that nothing but lilence could put by their iierceft accufations, And filence it (elf will iiqc pleafe the Imperious fecit, who think me criminal, becaufe I ferve them not according to their own delire and way. And -filence was not that which I promifedGod at my ordination, nor is it a doing of that work, to which I .was then confecrated and devoted.

But becaufe iome men fpeak in a more Sanguinary dialect than others , and becaufe the.late charges of Diiloyalty, ought not to be disregarded by a loyal fubjedt, and becaufe for the fakes;of their own fouls, it hath often made me pitty Mr. Vitrei* Dr. Borematt, and tpany others like them, who have pablilhed ugly falfehoods, of me, I once thought to have here e^ercifed fo, fnuch Charity to them, as by a full Narrative *}f all

thofe

thofe a&ions of my life, which concern fuch matters as they accufe me of, to have rectified all their miftakes at once, and made them under-ftand, what it is, which they wrote of before they underftood it: And the rather becaufe this excepter followeth them , in telling me how guilty I was of the wars,and all the effe&s of them,and alfo that I wrote a flattering book to Richard Crommll* And in this narrative I purpofed to confefs fo much as had any truth in their accufations, and to flop them in their falfitications and calumnies as to the reft. But upon fecond thoughts, I caft it by, perceiving by too long experience, that they who are engaged againft the Truth, are unable to bear it, and take all for an unfufFerable wrong to them, which dete&eth the falfehood of their reports. And when men do ( as Mr. Hinkc ley) importune me to publifh the reafons of my Non-conformity, when they know that the Law forbiddeth it, and there is no expectation of procuring a Licence, or when the old ftratagem is fo vilibly ufed , of drawing us by their challenges into their Ambufcad'es •, or when I am eagerly provoked to gape againft an oven, while it is red or flaming hot > If I crave their patience, and exercife my own,till it be grown more cool, before I accept of fuch a challenge, and fuifer them to ufe their Art ( till repentance fhaH unteach it them ) and to make my name a ftepping ftone, to thofe ends which they now afpire after , methinks they fhould be content, to talk on without a contradiction, and to be free from the light of that Truth, which they are not able to endure i Or at leaft fhould pardon me 3 if I imisate my Lord ,

*that

that was filent, even when falfe accufers fought his defamation and his blood. But , God enabling me, I promife them an anfwer , as foon as they will procure me Liccnfe and Indemnity.

In the meantime, I (hall now only, i. Tell you why I offended one fide^ by faying fo much againft their impofitions , 2. And why I have fince offended the other , yea both fides, by my late Eook called, The Cure of Church-Divifionf.

Before the King was reftored, ^being then at London, I was called to preach two publiqk fer-mons^ the one before the Parliament, the day before they voted the Kings return *, The other before the Lord Major and Aldermen on a day of thankfgiving for the hopes of his return. In the latter I plainly (hewed my fenfe of the cafe of the fal 1 ing party find the Armies anions ', and gave as plain a warning to the then rlfingparty, with fome prognofticks thereupon. In the former ( the tirit that ever I preached to a Parliament, and the laft,) I fpake fome words of the facility of Concord with the fober godly moderate fort of the Epifcopal Divines, and how quickly Arch-Bifhop VJhcr and I came to an Agreement of the termes on which they might Unite. When this Sermon was Printed , this paffage caufed many moderate Epifcopal Divines to urge me to tell them the terms of that Agreement v And they all profelfed their great defires and hopes of Concord upon fuch termes > viz. Dr. Guljion, Dr. Alien, Dr. Bernard^ Dr. Fuller, Dr. Gauden^ and feveral others. Dr. Gzuitn defired a meeting to that end or" the feveral parties, but none came at the day appointed but he and Dr. Bernard, and

♦ Dr.

C*0

Dr. Manton and I \ where I fpakc thefe words, which he Printed without the limitation annexed, which I fet right in my next Printed Book , viz. that I fmnd (then) little or nothing in the doBrinal part of the Common prayer Book^ , which rvhf not found, having hut as favourable an cxprt-tion M good mens writings ufually mnji have. He kft out [ the doftrhtal part ]

At laft when the Earle of Orery perfwaded me to be his Majefties Chaplain in Ordinary, and was prefent when the Eail of Manckcjier gave me ( and Mr. AJh ) an oath of fidelity, it being he that firft brought me acquainted with Biftiop Vfter\ the mention of the fame bufinels fell in: Whereupon we (hortly after were told by the Lord Chamberlain, that it was his Majefties pleafure, that there (hould be a treaty for Union between the Epifcopal party and the Presbyterians: And Dr. Keignolds^ Mr. Calamy^ Mr. A(h and my felf being hrft, Employed, when we had made fome entrance, we defired that fome might be chofen by the Minifters throughout the land , to fignifie their fenfe, becaufe we could fpeak in the name and (enfe of none but our felves j But his Majefty not confenting to that, we defired an addition of many brethren at hand, which was granted > and the liberty for all Mini-fters that would to meet with us, for confutation, as many did at Sion-Colkdge and dfewhere. In this Treaty we all proftffed our Judgements for the Lawfulnefs of a Liturgie > and dctired the Reformation of that which we had, with the addition of new forms in Scripture phrafe, fitted Jo the feveral Offices, with Liberty to the Mini-

rters

(30)

fters to ufe this or that. Whereupon we drew up fuch a Liturgie our felves, which though- it fell to my (hare, yet the reft of our brethren examined and approved of it, faving that Dr. Reignolds diiliked the difpleafing the Bi(hops by fuch large additions, and a Liturgie feeming entire of it felf, inftead of fome addixionnl prayers to theirs. How many weeks we were employed from tirft to laft, in thefe debates , how fully and freely we took that opportunity to plead for reformation , and againft unneceifary impoiitipns, whileft the men that now quarrel with us faid nothing that we know of: how hard a province fell to my own lot, as to the offending of the Bifhops, under whofe hot difpleafure I thereby ( in obedience to my Confcience ) did caft my felf, ouj* writings ( which (omebody hath publi(hed for the greater part of them ) (hew > and our Savoy conference, and my prohibition to preach in JVorcefter Dio-cefs (hortly aftes (before other Minifters were filenced ) and the publiftied writings againft me, did all fulficiently acquaint the world : And the particulars of this bulinefs I now pafs by.

Only I think meet to make this twofold pro-feflion , to the two parties on the Extreams >

i. That the true reafon why I wrote and fpake fo much, fo long, and fo vehemently, had it been ppflible to have prevented many Impofitions, was principally becaufe I undoubtedly forefaw how great a number of faithful worthy Minifters would elfe be fi!en:ed by them \ and how ill the Church could fjar: thole Minifters, while there are fo many hundred thoufands of ignorant and ungodly people in the land •> and what fort. of

Minifters

Minifters in too many places muft unavoidably fucceed them, unlets the Church doors (hould be (hut up ? and I forefaw how the people under fuch Minifters would be afftdted to Religion, and to the Bilhops, and M'miftry ? And I torer-faw what multitudes of Rehgiousperibns would take the things impofcd is unlawful,and would fe-parate from Corc,n;union with the publick Churches j> and would worfhip God in private meetings with the filenced Minifters, I forefaw how many Minifters and people that did Conform with a grudging Confcience, would do more at laft to undermine the Impolitions, than the Non-Conformifts. I forefaw eaiily vvhat jealoulies, di-fpleafurc, feverities, imprifonments, Sec. would follow the private preaching of the filenced Minifters, and the private meetings of the people; And I knew well that other Minifters as well as I, would judge it no better than perhdious facri-ledge, to forfake the holy calling to which they were confecrated and devoted,and to defert fo many thoufand needy fouls : But, above all,I forefaw, how certainly and fadly the Churches diviiions would be hereby increafed, and the Love of each party to the other would be abated, if not destroyed : How hard it was for one tide to Love and Honour the Non-conformifts, that accounted them Perfecutors and unconscionable men : And how hard it was for the other fide to Love and Honour thofe that they fuffered by: And how little Reproaches, Fines, andlmprifonments, do ufe to increafe mens Love to others. I foreknew that one fide would call the other Rebellious Schifmatical Phanaticks -, and the other fide

were

(3>;

were like enough to account them, Perjured Perfidious Perfecutors *, and that in the midft of fuch thoughts, fuch words, fuch ufyge, Love was no more like to profper, than fire in the fea. And 1 knew that whatever zeal be pretended for Obedience and Order on one fide % or for purity of Worfhip on the other, when Love dieth, Religion dieth y and they that are dcOroyejrs of Love, are deftroyers of the Church and of Chriftiani-ty, and of the fouls of men: and to increafe Love is to five fouls.

And I forefaw that the further they go in this way, the further they will go from God and Godlinefs, from pejee and fafety , and that it will be the longer the worfe , till they retire: For one hard ufage on one tide, and hard cenfure on the other fide, after another, will by degrees raife men to the height of bitternefs, and make them think, that their intereit confifteth in the hurt and ruine of each other.

Alfo I forefaw that while we worried , and weakned one another, as all Scdts would grow under the difcontents of one party, Co the Pa-pifis were like to be the principal gainers«, And .they would be ready to offer their fervice to ftrcngthen one of the parties againft the other i and would be glad to take up the reproaches againft the moft religious people, that were by angry adverfaries brought unto their hands ^ And that when we had made our {lives' a Common fcorn by our manifold divifions, and by our biting aiid devouring one another, they would plead this as our (hame, to draw people tp them-ielves, as the only ftable apd confident Church >

and

and would make us giddy that we might reft on them as our Supporters *, and when they faw us weak enough,would be ready to devour us alf.

And I eafily forefaw how calamitous a thing it would fce to .the Kingdom, to have moft Towns and Parishes fet all together by the ears, . and for the neighbours to be as Guelpbes and Gibeliinesy every man employed in cenfuringand reproaching others, inftead of living together in neighbourly and Chriftian Love.

And I forefaw what an injury this would be to the King, to have the fufferifig party under thefe temptations, and wife men made mad, and his people weakned by fuch fad divifions; whereby their cheerfulnete in his Love and fer-

- vice would be abated, and forreign Enemies would be encouraged to attempts againft our peace and fafety, and if. ever they (hould invade

- us, it maketh me tremble to think how our di-vifions would debilitate us, and hazard all our

\ common fecurity and* hopes. Yea, how uncomfortable a thing it muft needs be to thef King, to rule fuch a divided people, that live in a heart-war among themfelves, in comparifon of ruling a loving, and concordant fort of men. In a word, I knew that a houfe or Kingdom divided againft it felf would not ftand : And though I could not make the Bifhops believe tnt y I kperv that divifwnf) lamentable divifwns^ were like to be the con(equent,of the things which then I (p importunately petitioned and intreated them to forbear:I knexp if,for Ycmldnot'choofe butkpoieit. And for thefe reafpns I wrote, I pleaded, I carncftly contended with them as I did, while D there

(34)

there appeared any hope^ as being 'loth

feen the things which I have already feen

God knoweth to how much worfe we %

ing, if Grace and Wifdom yet prevent

And though I exafperated the fore which I

have cured, and haVe ever fince ttiy felfl

der their difpkafure, yet I have peace in

ftimony of my Confcience, that I did rr

tohave prevented our miferies while I had

2. And I would give notice to the oth

*ty, that whilft I pleaded for their liberr

again'ft the Impofing of unneceffary thi

took not all the things in queftion for u

to be done^ which I thought unlawful to

necejfary to our Communion or Minillratio

knew that my judgement ever was fort

fulnefs of kneeling at the Sacrament =, (d

fince the Rubrick is inferted, which difc

- both all Bread Worfhip and the Bod : ly it

feiii*. ) And we all a* is faid , thotigh

iurgie liwful\ and when we wrote oiv

to' theAnfwer of oitr Exceptions, we fa

words ( which may tell you, whether I

my mind, and what was then our- c

. fenfej pag. 3. [ While we tool^ it to'I

fe&ive^' difordcrly and inconvenient Mode of)

it.rvduld be our fin to ufe it of choice , n

may 'prefer a more convenient way i whai

ought to do in cafe of necejjity^ when we n

Jhip God inconveniently^ or not at all* ] -A

12, 13. £ What if it be- only proved unla

you- t/rimpofe' it, though not for others to j

you when you do impofe it ? Is this n§ 1

alter it f Should you not have fome care

(35)

fin your fclves, as well as to prcferve others from it? An inconvenient Mode oj Worjhip is a fin in the Impnfer^ and in the Chotfer^ and Voluntary uf^r* that may offer God better^ and trill not : And yet h may not he only lawful , but a duty to hwt y that by violence is necefftated to offer tcp that or none. 3 By this you may ice what we all thought then of not only hearing, but reading a d^fe-dive Liturgie in fuch a cafe. If you fay, that this was but my own Opinion » I anfwer, Though as they wrote the particular Exceptions without me, fol wrote this Defence of them by their appointment, yet it was examined and confented to by the reft, who were not men apt to take things on truft, nor to be impofed on by fuch a one as me.

When this Treaty was fruftrate, and the torrent ofdifpleafure came upon us, ( which reached me with the hi ft ) I law alfo that the ftorm of mens paflions and difcontents would quick* ly follow : And therefore according to my own judgement and advice to others, I endeavoured to pradife my felf h. that is, neither to forfakg my Callings or omit any fcrvice I could do for the Church, nor yet to do it in a turbulent and Hnpeaceable, or dividing way.

for the hrft, I thought writing was my greateft work, which made me not travail abroad to Preach ( which alfo weaknefs difabled me f(om doing ). But yet I never to my remembrance either forbad any from coming to my houfe, nor ever invited any to hear me. I had no Pa-floral Charge in London } nor could I live there with my health : My judgement was, that though

D a fo

'CsO

fo many hundred Minifters Were filenced, arid too many Congregations had fuch, as were to us matter of grief, yet the Intereft of the Chrittian Prote-ftant Religion m England, mult be much kept up, by keeping up as much of Truth, Fiety and Reputation as waspoifible ifi the ParifhChurches-There-forel never laboured or difputecf to make any Minifter a Non-conformrft , unlefs he came to me, and by defiring my judgement, made it my duty ( Though I oft openly profeffed , that if I conformed my felf to what is required of a Mi-ritler, I (hould take it to be no little or fingje fin) I remembred the faying of Mr. Dod, who thanked God for the Churches fabgjh at fome conformed, and for the "truths fakg , that forne conformed not. I refolved that if I lived where was an intolerable Minifter, I would not hear him, nor come near him, fo as to encourage him in his finful undertaking of that Sacred Office : But if I lived under an able, worthy, or tolerable man, I would joyn with him in publick ( conftantly if I had not ceteris -paribus the liberty of better, and fometimes if I had) And I would help him by my private labour* as well as I could, and live with h m in Unity and Peace. Accordingly I conftantly joyned in the publick Prayers and hearing at the Parifh Church where I lived ( having no better that I could go to ) and never Preached to my family, but between the times of pubhck Worihip \ and the people that came in to me,went with me to the publick Worfhip.

In all this time many perfons importuned me tc g indeavour that allNon-conformifts might agree in one,by what mcafures to walk as to their Comma

nior

(37)

nion with the Parifh Churches, and fiich other things/for many reafons/ And I ever fhunned all flich attempts *, J. Becaufe it is the way that we have blamed (o much in others^ to make narrow meafures tor other mens pra&ices, and un« ueceffary terms of Brotherly Concord : We muft unite as Chriftians m neceflary things i and if one man can, e.g. kneel at the Sacrament and another cannot, if one can -joyn in Common-prayer, and another cannot *, yea, if one can Conform to the Liturgic and Ceremonies , and another can-npt, it muft not break our unity or peace 2. Becaufe that Non-conformifts are not all of the fame judgement in every particular among then}-felves\- And how can they then agree upon the fame pradice in every point? If they Jhould'<> either the moji fcrupulous muft come up to them that think that lawful which they fcruple, or elfe the later muft come to the former : If they yield that think the things unlawful^ and do as the others do, they ftall fin: And then they might as well Conform ? And if they that hold more things to be lawful muft agree in practice with them that hold the fewejl lawful , than fuch muft i.Forfake their own understandings, and live ih many fins > and 2. They muft be alwayes at an uncertainty in their practice, becaufe fome may yet arife, that may count more things unlawful y And fo the whole party may change their praftice every year , as new fcruples or errors arife in any, 3. And fo the moft (crupu-lous though the moft erroneous, muft be the Standard and Rule of all the reft. 4. And (b we (hould temp? others ftill to ntw Jcruplesy an4

D 3 to

to make more and more things finful 5 that (b they might obtain the Rule of all. I ever thought therefore that without any combinations 3 our way is, every man to know the truth as well as he can, and practice accordingly •, and live in Love and Peace with tho(e that differ from him in tollerable things. And thus I hope mod Non-conformable Minilters do.

In the year \66$. divers learned and reverend Non-conformifts of L&ndon met to Confider how far it was their duty, or lawful to Communicate with the 'Parifh Churches where they lived in the LitUrgie and Sacrament: and we agreed the next day to bring in our ftveral judgements in writing with our reafons. Accordingly I brought in mine, in which I proved four propofitions, i. That it is Lawful to ufe a form of prayer : 2. That it is Lawful to joyn with fome Partfh Churches in the ufe of the Liturgie. 3. That it is lawful to joyn with fome Parifh Churches in the Lords fupper. 4. That it is to fome a duty to joyn with fome Pariih Churches three times a year in the Lords fupper. They being long, I read over to them the laft only , which being proved ( by 20. Reafons ) included all the reft. Upon Confideration whereof, no one of the brethren feemed to diffent, but to take the reafons to be valid s fave only that one Objection ftopt them all, to which I alfo yielded, and we concluded at the prefent to. forbear Sacramental Communion with the Parifhes : And that was > becaufe it was a time when great feverities were threatned againft thofe that could not fo far Conform \ and molt of the Independents and

fame

(39;

fome others were againft it i And our brethren verily believed that.if we (hould then Communicate, thofie that could not yield fo far , would be the (harplier ufed, befcaufe they yielded not as far as we. I yielded to them readily , that Oed mil have Mercy and, not Sacrifice , and even Gods worlhip othervvife due, as prayer, or preaching, or fabbath-keeping may be omitted for an aUof Mercy , even to pull an Oxe or Afs out of a pkt. And therefore pro tempore I would- forbear that facrament, which was like to caufe the impf ifoh-mentor undoing of my neighbour.

In mentioning this , thefe three things are my end. i. To tell the world the judgement of thefe Minifters j who are misjudged by their Sdfo-p al forbearance of publick Communion, that they take it for a thing unlawful: whereas ire

thus accidentally hindered from it ( B ;nli-

ny other accidents not here to be men., ned ', this before named is ont* ) 2. To (hew the Prelates who and wh?t it is that hath hindered mens nearer Communion with them *, And that while rigor and feverity is truflgd*tcl as the only means to further it, it proveth the principal means of hindering it. 3. To (hew the Independents, that we have been lb far from dealing hardly or uncharitably with them , that we have forborn that Communion, whiclj elfe our own judgements would have charged on us as our duty , either only, or chiefly for fear of being the lead occafion accidentally of their fufFerings ; And if yet they are impatient with us for obeying our Contciences, who can help it.

What the reft did after this confutation in D 4 their

their pra&ices, I enquired not: But for my own part pn the fame argument I forbore Communion with the Parifti Churches in the facramenp a lpng time, till at laft I (aw that the Realon feemed to me to ceafe, and I durft not for I knew not what, go againft my judgement : But left it might poffibly have any fuch hurtful con-fequents , I chofe a very private Country Parifti to Communicate with , where I fpmetime fo-jjourned , and where there was neither that, nor any other reafon to hinder me : But yet after many years further obfervation,left men that know not of my practice, (hould be fcandalizcd or in-fnajred, to think that I forbore Parifti Cpmmu-mor\a§ unlawful^ and fo to do the like them-felves, I once chpfe an Eafter day to Communicate in a very populous Church in London-, pur-pofely that it might be the further known : But having fome reafons to forbear at the Parifti where I lived moil conftantly, it fo far provoked the Parfon that 1 may fuppofe no Independent fuflfered (6 much through my Qommuni r eating-, as I have done by forbearing for their fakes.

At laft \x\ the year 1^7. obferving how mens minds grew every day more and more cxafpera-ted by their fufferings, and whither all this tended, ajid what was like to be the iflue, I wrote this book called* 7he Cure of Church-Diyifions > the Reafons whereof I am next to ; give you. . But being not ufed to publifli any thing unlicen-fed, nor thinking it fit to break the Law of Printing without neceffity, nor knowing how tp get it fxinted unlicenfed if I would* I knew tha^ if

I put any thing into it very provokingly , it wopld not be licented t and would fruftrate all the reft. And yet my. Conicicnce told me, that ' it looked To like partiality, to tell one party of their faults, and call them to their duty , and npt the other, that I refolved to lay as much to the Bi(hops and Impofing Clergy , as (hould iig-nitie my judgement plainly to any intelligent man, and tell them what fenfe J had of narrowing Impofitions and Severities, and what is the way of Unity and Peace, though not to cloath it in exafperating language ; And if they would not not licenfe it all together, I purpofed £o call it all aiide.

And to confefs the truth, the deep fenfe of the fin and infatuation of this age, hath long made me delirous to have written one Book , with the Title in dying Bradford; word's, REPENT O ENGLAND, and that in feveral parrs, pro-felling firft, my awn Repentance in (everal Particulars, then calling feverally the Bijbops and Con-fqrmable Clergy , the Presbyterians, the Independently and the SfftarieSy Corporations and Country to Repent. But I knew the Bijhops would not endure it, and I could not get it Licenled or Printed, and I had greater things to write, and many wife men whofe judgements much rwleme, diffwaded me and laughed at my weaknefs, that I {hould think that fuch men would regard what I faid, or that it would have any better eife& than exafperation ! And I long purpoltd not to fpeak to one fort, till I might (peak to all, to avoid partiality, and evil confequents.

But at laft conlidcring, that by this rule I

might

(40 '

might never tell any of their fins, nor preach repentance to them whilll I lived, and that I muft not deny my duty and Charity to one (brt, be-caufe another fort will not receive it, and feeing a]fo neceflity increafe, and having already writen and faid fo much to the other party, I refolved to imitate thofc two excellent faithful Tra&ates, viz. n Mr* Af. Pool's Vox clamantU indeferto in Latine, calling the Non-conformable Minijiers, to Repentance , and Mr Lewi* Stukekys ( a worthy Congregational Minifter in Exeter , and a kinf-man of the late General Monkgs ) enumerating copiouily moft of the Common fins of Religions Trofejfors^ and calling them eameftly and faithfully to repentance > which fince the writing of this, I hnd excellently done in a book called England* danger and only Remedy*

And therefore I ti\i\ publifhed fome old notes written eleven or twelve years ago called Viretti-ons for ma\ Cbrijiians , and annexed to it "the Cbara&er of a found Cbriftun •> In both which I wrote that which was as like to have exafperated* the impatient, as this book is > And yet I heard of no complaints , And afterward I wrote this which I now defend ^ and fent it to the Licen-fer , who upon perufal refufed to Licenfe it i And fb it lay by, and I purpofed to meddle with it no more- But leaving it in the Bookfellers hands that had offered it to be Licenfed,after a long time he got it done *, and (o unexpectedly it revived.

The Reafons of my writing it were no fewer than all thefe following , which I now fub-mit to the judgement of all men truly peaceable and impartial , who value the intereli of

Chriftianity,

(43)

Chriftianity, and of the univerfal Church above their own.

i. To make up my foregoing VircUions to jveal^ Cbrijiizns more compleat. Having dira>-&ed them about the private maturs of their fouls, I intended this as another Fart, to Diredl them in order to the Churches Peace

2. Many good people.of tender Confciences and weak judgements, detiring my advice about Communion in the publick Affembiies, I found it meeteft to publifh this general Advice for all, to fave me the labour of (peaking to particular perfons/and toferve thofe that lived further otif.

3. I faw thofe Principles Mowing up apace, in this time of prcvucation^^Bich will certainly increafe or continue our imifwns^ if they continue and increafe. I am fure that our wounds are made by v: mding principles of dittrine i> And it muft be healing d^trines that mutt heal us: And I know that we cannot be healed, till do-dfrinal principles be healed. To give way to the prevalency of dividing Opinions is to give up our hopes of future unity and peace. And to give up our hopes of Vnity and Peace^ is to de-fpair of all true Reform ition , and happinefs of the Church on earth. If ever the Church be reduced to that Concord, Strength, and Beauty, which all true Chriftians do deiire , I am paii doubt that it muft be by fuch principles, as I have here laid down.

4. But my grand reafon was, that I might ferve the Church of Chrift, in the reviving and prefervation of Cbrijiian Love. As it was an extraordinary meafure of the Spirit , which

Chrift

C44;

Chrift made his Witnefs in the Gofpel Church *, fo is it as extraordinary a meafure of Love, which he makefth the New Commandment, and the mark of all his true Difciples : And whether affli&ing on one fide, and unmerciful and upjuft eenfures, on the other fide, one driving away \ and the other flying away^ he either a fign or means of Love : And whether taking pthers to be intolerable in the Church, and unworthy of our Communion, and feparating from, or avoiding the Worfhip where they are prefent , be likely to :(>ndk Love, or to kjU it, let any man judge, that hath himfelf the exercife of Reafon, and unfeigned Love. I know that this is the hour of TemptaiL| to the fufferers, to ftir up pailion and diftai^P and that men have need of more than ordinary grace and watchfulnefs, and therefore of mojfe than ordinary helps & warning, to preferve due Love, and keep out an undue hatred of thofe by whom they furfer. And how great a temptation alfo their eenfures and difcontents will prove, to their Snperionrs^ and others by whom they futfer, and what unfpeakable hurt it may do their Jmis , may eafily be conjectured. This fin will prove our greatest loft.

5. Hereupon men will be engaged in finful Attiras of injuftice and uncharitabkneft againlt each other. They will be glad to W*, and forward to belieye hard and falfe reports of one another. And too forward to vent fuph behind one anothers backs : And there is no doubt, but many of each party already think worfe of the other commonly, than they are : ( Though, alas, we are all too bad, and fome egregioufly

wicked. )

(45)

kicked. ) And thofe Perfins and Churches that would cenfure a man for Curfcs or Oaths, fhould alfo cenfure men for /landers and backbiting*. And fhould I not do my beft, to prevent fuch a courfe of daily fin ?

6. Both violence and fcparation tend to divide the builders themfelves, and keep the Minifters in contending with, and Preaching and Writing agairift each other, which fhould be employed • in an unanimous oppofition to the Kingdom of Satan in the world , And when all their united rvifdom and firength is too little againft the common Ignorance and Prophanenefs of the world, their divifwn will difable them, and give fm and Satan opportunity to prevail. • 7. It may engage them on both fides in the dreadful fin of ferfecuting each other , one party by the Hand, and the other by the "tongue, ( even while they cry out of pcrfecution: ) And on both fides to hinder the Gofpel and mens falvation, on one fide by hindering the Preachers from their nwj^, and on the other fide ( yea on both ) by hindring the fuccefs. For what can be more done to naake men defpife the word, than to teach them to defpife or abhor the Preacher ? And what more can be done to de-ftroy mens fouls, than to harden them againft the Word ? Is there any feber man on either ex-tream, that dare fay , J would have none of the fiople faved, that are not^ or witlnot be the hearers of our party ? If you dare not fay, that you would have all the reft to be damned, dare you fay, you would not have them be taught by others ? Or that you would not have them pro-

• tit

C4*J

fit by the Word they^hear? If not, how dare you tempt them to vilitie and dcfpife their Teachers? If they will not learn of you, be glad if they will learn of any other, and do not hinder them.

8 Bythefe means they will cherifh an hypocritical fort of Religioufnefs in the people, which is more employed in Sidings, Opinions and Cen-furings of others, than in humble felf-judging and in a holy heavenly mind and life. A man need not the Spirit of God, and fupernatural Grace, nor much Self-denyal, nor Mortification of the flefh, to make him choofe a certain fajhion of external Worfhip, and think that now he and thofe that are of that fajhion, are the only people, and to reproach all of other fajhions^&s ungodly, and to think that he is ^ therefore a better Chriiban than the other, becaufe his fajhion of outward Worfhip feemeth the better to him. Not that any thing in Gods Worfhip fhould be denyed its due regard h But its pity that by an unproportionable eftimation of mens feveral Gurnard fashions , words and geftures, poor fouls fhould be tempted to deceive thetnfelvcs , and to forget that he is the belt Chriftian that hath molt Faith, Humility , Love and Heavcnlinefs, which is the true Holinefs, and Beauty of the 'foul.

<?. When men think a Lawful Communion ( yea, a duty ) to be unlawful', it will both keep them in the fin of omitting it , and caufe them to add their finful Cenfurcs of all thofe that ufe that Communion which they avoid. They do not only think that they are holier, becaufe they

hear

C47)

hear not, and pray not, and communicate not in the Parifh Churches, but they look down with a fupercilious pity upon thole that do I And how many parties have I thus been pitkd by ? As I go along the Streets, the Quakers fay, Poor man, thou art in dsrkticfs. The Papifts pity me^ for not being one of them : The Anabaptiftspity me, for not being cne of them: The Separates pity or difdain me, bccaule I forbear not the Worfhip that they forbear : And this Excepter lamenteth my condition as pailionately as any. It is not for [ Not JVorfoipping with them ] that they cenfure me ( for I am ready to do it, ) but for Worfhipping with others, in Words which theyYikt not. And whereas holinefs was wont to be expreffed moft by Worfhip actions, now it muftbe characterized more by Negatives, even in external adjuncts. And if he be the beft man that avoideth moft the Communion of others which he taketh to be bad, I. have, and • have had, neighbours- better than you all, that never communicate with any Church , nor ever publickly hear, or pray, or Worfnip God at all, becaufe they think all your wayes of Worfhip to vbe bad.

I remember Rivet marketh out Grothts by this, that while he forfook the Proteftant Churches, and called us to unite with the Church of Rome ( that is, with the Pope ruling not arbitrarily, hut by the Laws of a General Council, not excluding thai of Trent ) he did actually communicate with none at all.

io. When mens judgements are thus miftaken about Church Communion , their Worlhip of

God

(48)

God will be corrupted : They will in their hearts earneftly detiee that all others may be of their mind, and they will complain to God of that as a fin, which is mens duty : Elpecially among thofe of their own mind* And this offering up of their miftakes to God, in earned-nefs, as an acceptable fervke, is a tad polluting of holy things. So he that is famed to have written this Antidote, is faid to have made my Book which was written for Chrijlian Lave, to be the matter of his publicly Humiliation. And another of my friends, in dayes of prayer, maketh it his lamentation, [Lord^ here are thofe that are one day here, and another day at Commonerayer C\ As if the exercife ol 'Knowledge and Love^ in impartial Communion with all Chrifts Churches ( not forcing us to fin ) were a (in to be lamented. But I need not go further for inftance, than this Antidote^ where the Reverend Author taketh it for a fervice of God, to write againft thofe neccjfary Precepts of Love and Vnity , which he miltakingly oppofeth. And fo did Mr. Johnfon andMr.C^ne, who moft confidently prefented their Writings for feparation, to God, as a fervice which he had commanded them, and would own.

n. This narrow judgement tempteth men on one fide, to Anathematize all that fay, There are any other true Churches in England^ fave of one form and fafliion '•> and it tempteth others to deny the Parifh Churches, to be at all true Churches, and fo to narrow the polfelfions of Chrift. And hereupon it tempteth them to endeavour to Jifgrace and djifolve each other. It draweth

many

(49)

many to thirifc, that it is the Intercft of Religion now in England^ to have the Parifh Churches to be brought low in reputation and deferted, an<4 Gods publick Warfhip, which they woiild have , all Religious people ufe, to be only that of tolerated or more private Churches. By which they little know what they wifh, againft the intereft of the Chriftian and Proteftant Religion in this Land? Nor what hurt they would do, if in this they had their wills.

12. Thefe dividing Principles and Spirit? which I oppofe, will on one fide giv£*(heker to all the prophane malignant minds, that itch to be affli&ing others^ that fear God more than they : -And on the other fide, it will give fteket to all kind of Hcrefies and Se&s > of which expe-rience is too full a prook

13. Yea, before our eyes, the moft pernicious Herelies, even thofe of Quakers, are ftill not* only continued , but increafe. And we lee men that to day condemn Communion with the Pa-rift Churches, and then with the Presbyterians > do fliortly fly from Communion with the Independents too. And mens pallions in (hflerings pervert their judgements > And frequently men are overcome by tryal, when they think they are moft conftant and have overcome. Its commonly known how many of late are turned Quakers * And what considerable perfons lately in prifon, fell to that unhappy Herefie. Yet they that by a Prifon loft their Religion,»o doubt fhought therofelves more honourable by their fufFerings, than thole that go to Common-* prayer. Aad (hall we ftand by and.fee this

E work

(So)

work go on, and neither lament their im, that drive men to this, nor warn them of the PaJJions and Principles that lead to it.

14. •Separation will mine the feparated Churches themfelves at laft, ( By reparation I mean the fame thing that the old Non-conforrnifts wrote againft by that name) It will admit of no confiftency. Parties will arife in the (epara-ted Churches, and l^parate again from them, till they are difTolved. I befeech my deer brethren that are otherwife minded to open their eyes fo far as t$ regard experience. Brethren , what now Comparatively are all the feparated Churches or parties upon Earth * Would you have all Ghrifts Churches, and ail the intereft of the Chriftian Religion to be asihort lived, and to ftand upon no more certain terras than they do? How few feparated Churches do now exift, that were in being an hundred years ago ? Can you name any ? And would you have had all Ithe Churches of Chrift on Earth, to be drffolved, when they were diffolved ? Or do you think that all were diffolved with them ? This would makd usallfeekers indeed.

15. Separating and narrow principles befriend not Godlinefl, as they pretend to do, but lamentably undermine it t If it were but by driving* off and difaffe&ing the lower fort of Chri-ftians, whofe Communion you rejeft. The Cafe of three or four Churches in New-England grieve • my heart: But the Cafe of the Summerlfands as related to me by Mr.Vaugban ■> a worthy Mini fter lately difcouraged and come from thence, would make a Chriftiaa heart to bleed > Tc

heai I

•hear how ftridir and regular and hopeful chat plantation once was? And how one Godly Mini* mjkr by feparation, fele&ing a few to he his Church, and rejecting all the reft from the fa-crament, the rejetted party are grown to dolefu} eftrangedneft from Religion , and the feleQed party much turned §)udkgrs , and between both , how wofull are the fruits. But the Cafe of England^ Scotland, and Ireland ( which I foretold in my book of Infant Baptifme ) is yet a more lamentable proof, what feparation hath done againft Religion , (o full a proof, that it is my wonder that any good man can overlook it.

id. Yea it tendeth to make Religioufnifs cmtewptible, and the profeffors of it, a common fcorn, when we are perceived to place it in un-warrantable feparation^ and Singularities ,and when we make men think that the greatcft difference • between thofe that they call Frerife, or Religi-oWy and others , is but this, that one of them prayeth without boot^ , and the other by the bo*kj% that one of them will not joyn with thofe that ufe the Liturgie , and the other will. If we let men fee that in indifferent things we are indif-ferent^ and that lejfer evils we avoid as lejfer , and greater cvils,as greater^md that the great difference between us and the ungodly,is in our ferioufnefs in our Chrifiianprofeffion, and in our heavenlynefs^ and true obedience to Chrift, it would much convince them of their tnilery, and honour Religion in the World : But when they perceive that the greateft contention which our houfes and our fireets do ring of , is whether we fhall hear a fg|, man that conformah or not ? Or whether we (hall

E 2 pra$

pray \yith . them ^at ufe ths. Liturgie? Or

whether we may fometimes Communicate with a Tariff* Church or not ? This turneth the thoughts of the carekis and carnal, the worldling and the fenfualiit, from the neceffary condemning of himfelf for his ungodlinefs, and fets hina on thinkings that thefe ftri&er people do differ from him in things of jio importance , and that they are but an erroneous fell conceited fort of perfons , and that he is much the wifer man. Thoufands in England arc hardened into a neglect of Godimefs , to our differing and the apparent danger of their own damnation , by occaiion of the l. a warrantable fingularities, and the icandalous fins, efpecially of thofepro-fc&rs, that have been molt addi&ed to (inful reparations.

17. I am not caufekfly afraid left, if we fuffer the principles and practices which I write agamft, to proceed without our contradiction , Popery will get by it, fo great advantage, as may haizard us all, and we may lofe that which the feveral parties do contend about. Three waies efpecially Popery will grow out of our diviiions. i.By tl^e odium and fcom of our difagreements, in-confiftency, and multiplied fe&s s they will per-. {Wade people that we mull either come for Unity to them, or elfe all riin mad, and crumble into duft and individuals- Thoufands have been drawn to Popery or confirmed in it by this argument already : And I am perfw^ded that all ,ihe arguments elfe in Bellarmine and all other books that ever were written , haveoiot donefp much to make Papifts in England^ as the. multitude

(55)

tude of fe&s among our felvcs. Yea fome Pro-feflfors of Religious ftri&nefs, of great dteem for ' Godlinefs, have turned Papifts themfelvcs, when they were giddy and wearied with turnings*, and when they had run from fed: to fed, arid found no confiftency in any v For when they fee (b many , they fay, How can I tell that this or that is in the right, rather than the other > This it is that they ring continually in our ears. TPhicb vf all tbefe fttts U in the right f And what ajfurance have they of it more than all the reft that are at confident ? And howfnataCb.U) dotjj any one fed tnakg .<? And of h*w late orig' ( for the moft. ) But the poor deluded cotllider not, that in going to the Papifk rhcy go but to dnother feci that is wor(e th?r the reft > And though greater^ yet no the

third part of the Christians in the i Aud

that Chnjiianity is but one : And tl vvay to

reft, is to unite upon the ccnuf.c, terms'of / pie CbriflLvity.

2. And who knoweth not ft the Papifts have to play by the means of our di-

* vifions T Methinks I hear them hiding on esfch party, and faying to one fide, Lay more tq n them , and and abate them nothing ? and to the other, ftand it out and yield to nothing i And who is fo blind then as not to fee their double game and hopes, viz. that either our divifions atid alienations , will carry* men to foch difta'n-ces and pradfcices, as (hall make us accounted jfe-ditiomfebeViotti) and dangerous to the piiblick peace,

• and fo they may pafs for better fubjtQs than we > or clfe that when fo many parties under Tuffer-

CM J

5ngs are conftrained to beg and wait for liberty , the Papiftsmaynot be (hut out alone, but have 'Toleration with the reft. And (hall they ufe our bands to do their workj, and pull their freedom out of the fire ? We have already uufpeakably iferved them, both in this, and in abating the odium of the Gun powder plot*, and their other Treafons , Infurre&ions, and Spanifh invafion ( of which read 'thuanw himfelf that openeth all the myftery. )

3. And it is not the leaft of our danger (nor which doth leaft affed me ) left by our follies , extremities and rigors, we (hould fo exafpera^e the Common people, as to make them readier to joyn with the Papifts, than with us , in Cafe of any competitions, or their invafions, or infar-re&ions againft the King, and Kingdoms peace. Sure I am that the Parliaments and peoples ref<> lutions againft thepi, after the late fire, and in the time of th# laft war , when they were fo much feared , did difcourage and depre(s them more, than all the reft of their oppofers. And though we cannot rationally believe that the people of England, much lefs wife and (bber Go* vernors, will ever be fuch enemies to themfelvcs, as to fubjeft themfelves to the Romifh Tyranny, and to forget what Ireland and England have feen and felt, yet becaufe it is not only oppreffion that ma\eth wife men mad, let us do nothing by unlawful alienations and Angularities, or fierce and difobedint oppofitions, which tend to make the people like better of the Papifts than of

tiS.

j8. I am pot able to bear the thoughts *f (e-

" parating

e 55 ^

panting from almoft all Chrifts Churches up-QtX Earth. But he that feparateth from one or many upon a reafon common to almoft all, doth virtually feparate from almoft all. And he that feparateth from all among us upon the account of the unlawfulnefs of our Liturgie^ and the bad-nefs of all our Miniftry , doth feparate from them upon a reafon common to almoft all, or the far greateft part, as I conceive*

ip; Though Mimjierial Conformity be to u* , another thing ( by reafon of the new impolitic ons, ) than it was-to our predecefiors yet to the people conformite is the fame, if not caller ( efc peciajly to them that I now fpeak to : j For it is the Liturgte, Ceremonies and Miniftry, that moft alienate them ( as I faid before, and not fo much the fubfeription againft the obligation of the Covenant. ) And the Limrgie is a little amended as to them, by the change of the Tran-flation, and fome little words, and by fomelon4 ger prayers. And the Ceremonies are the fame , and thirty years ago there was many bare Reading not Preaching Minifters, for one that there is now: Therefore our cafe of feparation being the feme with what it was of old, I take it to be fully confuted by the antient Non-conforrnifts, And I have fo great i veneration for the worthy names (much more an eftimation of the Reafonings ) of Mr. Cartwright y EgertoHj Uiliet^ jham-> T)od , AmtfiWy Farkgr, Bairns^ Brightman^ Bally BradJhaWy Faget y Langley^ Nichols* Herhtgy ajidmany other ;fuch, that I fhall not think they knew not why they chofe this fubjeft y and Wrote moje againft feparation than the Confer-

t 4 raifts

mills did. Nor do I think that the reafons of Mr. Johnfon and Mr. Canne , can ftand before them. And it pittieth me to hear now many that differ from them fay, we are grown nifer and bavt more light than they 1 when as our writings upon the fame fubje&s (hew that we are far in that below them ? And in othe* parts of knowledge, alas t what are we to Reignolds^ Ames, Farmer and feveral of the reft ? But the world knoweth, that the turn of the times put moil of us into the fudden pofleffion of our opinions, without one half of the ftudy (it may be with moft, not the hundredth part ) which Cartwrighty Ames^ Party , &c. beftowed upon thefe points. And I never yet few caufe to believe that our prefent Dividers, do learn more in a days ftudy, than thofe learned holy men did in twenty. Nor do they (hew more wifdom, or holinefs in the main. I am very glad that the Pious Le&ures of Mr. Hilderjham, Mr. R. Rogers andfuch other old Non-conformifts, are in fa good efteem among good people, where, they w?ifl read them urging the people not only againft feparation, but to come to the very beginning of the publick worrtiip, and preferring it before their private duties.

As for them that fay, If Vod y Ames y HUder* jMw, &c. had lived till now , they would havp been of our mind. I defire them to prove it, <jr not affirm it ? Is not the Liturgie , Ceremo : dies, and Miniftery the (ame ? And what figns of fuch mutability did they (hew ? Could your Rear fons have conquered them, more than Mr. Ainfmrtbs) Jvbnfins* pr Games I They were

not

(57)

not fo Light, to be changed caufelftfly.

And I pray you mark, that if yn* are wifer in this point of feparation than all tHefe old Non-conformifts were, than Jihnfon, and Canne, and Horpe> were wifer alfo in that than they > which doth not appear to us by their writings: And then, for all the greater Light , that you think you have, yet jtihnfin, G*t/;/c, and Har?, had as great Light, and were in this as wife as you , though Ames, and the reft of the Nonconform^ were not. O that our brethren would but ferionfly read over the writings of thefe men, efpecially Jacob , Paget, Ball, and Bradjhaw, and Giford againlt the feparatifts, and try whether the cafe was net the fame.

20. Yea I muft confefs , that when I think what Learned, Holy, Incomparable men, abundance of the old Ccnformifis were, my heart ri-feth againft the thoughts of feparatifig from them ! If I had come to their Churches, when they ufed the Common-prayer, and admini/lred the Sacrament, could I have departed and faid, It is not lawful for any Chriftian here to Communicate with you? What! to fuch men as Mr. Bolton , Mr. IVhateky, Mr. Fenmr, Mr. Vent, Mr. Croo^ Mr. Vik^e, Mr. Stocks, Mr. Smithy Dr. Trejion , Dr. Sibbes , Dr. Stmghton, Pr. "Taylor, and abundance other fuch ? yea fuch as Bifhcp Jewel, Bifhop Grindal, Bifhop Hall, Bifhop Potter, Bifhop Vavenant, Bifhop Carkton, &c. Dr. Field, Dr. Smith, Dr. John White, Dr. WiUet, &c yea and the Martyrs too , as Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper himfelf, Farrar , Bradford, Philpt) Sanders, &c To (ay nothing of

Luther,

Q 5« J

Lutheri Melanchthon, Bacen and the reft of the for reign worthies. Could I feparate from all thefe on the reafons now in queftion ? Yea Calvin himfelf and the Churches of his way, were all fcparated from by the feparatifts of their times.

21. At leaftl cannot eaiily condemn the ancn ent Independents , who were againft (eparation as well as the Presbyterians. Mr. Henry Jacob is accounted the Father of the Englifh Independents ;, And he hath wrote a book againft Mr, Johnfm the feparatift, of this Title, [A Defence of the Churchs and Minifiery of England, written in two Treatifcs againji the Reafons and 0b)e8i~ ens of Mr. Fxancis Johnfon, and others of thefe-faration. Commonly called Bro&nifts. J And in the end he hath £ A Jhort Treatife concerning the tru-nefi of a Pafioral Calling in Paftors made by Pre-lates* ] And I intreat the F.eader to note that Mr. Johnfon there chargeth the Church of Eng^ lind and their worlhip, with no fewer than 9 1. Antichrijlidn abominations* A^d I would ask any of the dividers >' whether they have more than pi. Antichrijlian abominations to charge upon it now. I am content that thofe I write to now, will caft by my book, if they will but rea4 Mr. Jacobs.

And Dr. Ames was half an Independent, and yet againft reparation. I need not mention the great moderation of New-England, where their late healing endeavors greatly tend to increa(e our hopes of reconciliation ? ( O that the reft of the Churches were as wife and happy ! ) Whofe experience hath pofleffed them with a deepdiflik? of the fpirit of feparation and divifion*

Yea

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Yea ( if any'thing may be believed which 1 have not feen ) Mr. fh. Nk himfelf hath wri-ten to prove the Lawfulnefs of hearing the Preachers in theParifh aflemblies. And yet it is as confidently confuted by another of the Brethren, as my book is by this Excepter. And he that pro-yeth it Lawful to joyn with them that pr.ofcfi tbemfelves a Church , in their ordinary T>)tirine, and pulpit prayers, and Pfalms of praife, I think can never prove it unlawful at all times, to joyn with them in the ufe of the Liturgie, or in the Sacrament ( fappofing the fcruple of Kneeling removed ) For the moft of the Liturgie is the reading of the Scripture it felf , and the reft is found matter, though in an imperfect mode and fafhion of words*

22» If feds and herefies increafe among us, the blame of all will be laid upon the Non-con-formifts. And fo it now is : They commonly fay, It is you that open the door to them all: And how injuriously foever this be faid, it be-cometh our duty, not only to fee that it be net true, but alfo to do our part againft them. And this was one great reafon why the old Non-conformifts wrote and preached fo much more than the Bifhops againft feparaiion, becaufe all this fpurious offspring was fathered on them, and ftiH laid at their doors : And withal became they found how hard it is, to ftop men that begin to find real faults with other men, from fancy-. ing abundance more that are not real i and to keep men from running into extreams ; And experience told them , that their own party was in danger of running from them s and it was npt

calk

eafie to keep them ftable in the fober profeffioji of the truth. Elpecially the Independents cm this account, are obliged to be the greateft d\C-(waders of reparation, becaufeall fe&s are fathered on them, and too many of their congregations in England, and New-England* have been lamentably corrupted, or fubverted and diffblyed by them.

\ 23. There is no man that is acquainted with Church hiftory but knoweth, that as Chrift was Ciuciried between*two thieves, fo his Church hath been diftreffed and troublcd,between theprtiphane malignant perfceutots, and the heretical and fe-; £fcarian dividers, even from the dayes of the Apoftles until this age. Infomuch that Paul himfelf, and Peter , zndjude* and John were put to write as largely againft the Dividers al-mod as the perfecutors. lidtn^m, Epipbanw\ Augujiint) iheodarety befides the reft, do fadly tell us in their Catalogues and Controverfics, how lamentably thefe Dividers then hindered the Go-fpel, and diftreflcd and difhonoured the Church, And the fad ftorks ofHoVand^ Mnnficr and othets in Germany, Poland, and especially thefe twenty years palt in England, do bring all clofer to our fenfe. And are not the Watch-men of Chrift ftill bound to tell the Church of their danger on the one fide as well as the other ? Yea in fome re-fpe&s to fay more on tkti fide, than on that, becaufe Religions people are eafier and ofter turned to be Divider /, than to be Perfecutors or Pro--fhane*

24- All thefe dangers lying before us, and the Non-conformable Minifters being under great Reproaches,

proaches, and lamentable hinderances from their facred work, and called by God to fidelity as in a day of tryal, what guilt would be upon us % what (hame would be our due , if we (hould all be iilenc whileft wfi (dfe the principles of Divi-fion continually ir.crcafe > The fame principles which the old Non-conformifts confuted, greatly propagace themfelves , through the ftnart which alienateth the peoples minds. And Rea-fon doth fo hardly prevail againit Feeling, that all that we can fay will prove too little. This is the true caufe why they cry out now, [ Ob the cafe is changed! It U not with ut as it was in the old Non-conformijisdaies t ] Becaufe they did but bear of what was in thole daies , but they fee and feel what is done in ours. Therefore wc had (o eafie a work comparatively to perfwade men that the old fcparatijis were miitaken, but can hardly now perfwade them that the fame frinciples are a miiiake > becaufe now tbeyfmart> and Pajjion is not eafily held in by reafon. I can make (hift to hold in a mettlefbme horfe , while he is not provoked;, But if a Bifhop will come behind me , and la(h him, or prick him , and then blame the rider if he run away with me, I cannot help it. But fure if wemuft needs have to do with fuch men, it concerneth us to hold the reines the harder. And if after fuch grievous judgements, as plagues, flames, poverty, reproach, and filencings, and fad confufions, which God hath tryed us with in theie times, his Minifters (hould through f aflion , policie or floth ^ fit ftill and let Proteifors run into linful principles and extreams, it will be our Aggrava-% t«d fin. 25, And

2 5* And one reafon why I fet upon this work was, becaufe I faw few others do it. If it mHJi be done , and others will not^ then I muff take it for my duty.

26. And another reafon was, becaufe I knew but few that I was willing to thrufi upon it, fo for-wardly as my feif^ for fear of being the author of their fitftetings. Many may be abler, that are not in other refpe&s/^f. Some Minifters are young men. and like to live longer to ferve God in his Church , and their Reputation is needful to their fucceis; If they be vilirted, it may hinder their labours. And experience telleth us, that the dividing fpirit is very powerful and victorious in cenforiou* vilifying of diffentcrs. But I am almoft ml } es Emeritus at the end of my work, and can realonably expedt to do but little more in the world*, and therefore have not their impediment : And for popnlar applaufi^ I have tryed its vanity : I have had fo much of it, till I am brought to a contempt if not a loathing of it. And whereas fome brethren, fay, that Cenfitres rviU hinder the fvccefj ef my Writings, I anfwer , No man (lull do his duty without fome difficult ries and impediments. If my writings will not do good by the evidence of truth in them , and if the cenlures of Dividers are able to fruftrate them, let them fall and fail. And fome of my brethren have great Congregations to teach, which are (o inclined to this dividing way > that they cannot bear their information. But when I preached in my houfe to the moft, I knew fcarce any of the Parifli that came not to the Parifh Church', but fuch 3s lived in my own

houfu

houfc. Atfo many Minifters being turned out of all their maintenance, have families and nothing to maintain them, but what the Charity of Re-. ligious people giveth them. ( Little do fome know what the families of many godly Miniikrs fuffer! ) And (cme Independents are maintained by their gathered Churches, and if they tA\ them off, both reputation , work and mainrenance would fail (For thefe that filence them will neither honor them , nor maintain them % And though I fuppofe that thefe brethren would ferve God in the grcateft contempt and poverty, and (elf-denial, if they perceive that Gcd doth call them to it, yet I think it a duty of Charity in me, to go before them, and do the more difplca-fing work, to prevent the fuflferings of fuch, or at leaft, not to thruft them on fo hard a fervicc. For I have no Church that maintaineth me, nor any people whofe eftimation I am afraid to lofe, that are dividingly inclined, nor ( through Gods mercy ) have any need of mainttnance from others, and therefore may do my duty at cheaper rates than they.

27. And I will add one reafon more of the pnb-lifhing, though not of the writing of my book. When it had been long caft by , I found in the Debater^ and Ecclefiajiical PoUtitizn that the Non-tonformip are made ridiculous and odious, as men of erroneous, uncharitable , and ungovernable principles and fpiflts ( Though we fub-(cribe to all the Do&rine of the Church of England ) And I thought that the publication of this book, (hould "leave a teftimony to the gene-tatiens to come, by which they nvght know

whether

C&4)

whether we were truly accufecL> and whether our principles were , not as much for Love and Peace as theirs, and as continent with order and government.

Is not the Non-conformifts do&rine the fame with that of the Church of England, when they fubcribe to it, or offer fo to do ? Did not his Ma-jefty in his Declaration about Ecclefiaftical affairs, complain of them ( Dr. Ettrges I fuppofe) who pretended a difference between us in do&rine ) if they fay that the Non-conformifis are to be denominated from the Major part, I anfwer, W£ provoke the wiilingeft of their adverfaries to prove , that either the Major part, or any thing near it, is of more erroneous doctrinal principles than themfelves ? The Independents as well as the Presbyterians offer to fubfcribe to the dodtrineof the 35?. Articles, asdiftind: from Prelacy and Ceremony. And I muft witnefs that when I was i-n the Country, I knew not of one Minifter of ten that are now iilenced, that was not in the main ( as far as I could difcern ) of the fame principles with my felf. And though any- Reproacher will blindly injure the Non-con-formiiis , who (hall judge of them throughout England and Scotland by the many parties in Lwr-dm, where a great number of differing opinions alwaics inhabited *, Yet I may add that even in London the burning of the Churches, and the notorious neceliity of i^any thoufand fouls, and the Acts which punifhtheru by fix moneths im-prifonmeut, if they come within five miles of a Cojpbrarioa, ( and therefore make them think it iiccclTtry to keep out of the P^rifh Churches,

where

C °5 J where they may prefently be both accufed and apprehended ) doth make the Practice of many very humble, godly, peaceable , and moderate men ( by Preaching at the time of publick wor-(hip, When their hearers cannot well come at another time ) to be fuch as caufeth men to mif-ftake their principles.

But Satan maligning the jnjl vindication of the Non-con for mills againit thefe accufations, hath by fal(e fuggeftions itirred up (ome , who differ from the reft as well as we, to clamour againft this Book , which was publifhed for the clearing of the innocent: And now they have disclaimed it, they have renounced their own part in thofe peaceable Principles which they difbwn, and in this Vindication \ But I muft defire the next Accufer, to charge this Renunciation upon none but thofe that he can prove to be guilty of it, and not on the Non-conformijh. And the rather becaufc ( by a fclf confutation ) they have (hewed themfelves, that the old Non-conformijh weije more fbber and peaceable *, And I can af-fure them, that the molt of the Non-conformifts Minifters of my acquaintance, are not a jot more rigorous or farther from them, than the old Non-conformijh were And that thofe that treated with the Bifliops in idtfo. did yield to fuch an Epifcopacy, as the old Non-conformijh would fcarcely have generally confented to ( viz. Bifhop VJhers model in his Rtdudtion. )

If the Accufers of the Non-confoimifts (hall fay, £ By the cenfore of your Bwk^ and Ferfin you fee what Non-conformijh are> ihat mil joyn inre-

F ceiving

diving and venting falfe reports, even: of their brethren < before they fax? or heard one line of the ^ &0 Krl I Anfwer to fuch : i. Call not that the a& of the Non-conformifts, which fome of one party of them are drawn to by mifinformation. 3. There were fo great perfons and fo many of the Conformifis concurred In the report, that you may well be Client as to Parties , and fay that" Iliacos intra muros, &c. We are all to blame. 3. It cannot be denyed , that among all parties in England , there are fo many that take up felfe reports , and think it no fin if they did but hear it from credible perfons, and hereby are Sa-tans instruments to vend falfe defamations, that it is become the fhame and crime of the land * and many ftrid ProfcfTors (excepting the graver and foberer fort) are too commonly guilty of it, though not fo much as others. I will not deny but humane converfe requireth fome credulity: But if men medled not with other mens matters without a call, and withall did Love their neighbours as themfelves, and were as tender Confci-enced as they ought to be, and knew how little before God it will excufe a Lie or Slander to fay, [I heard it of fnch an honed, man , or I faid but what I heard of many, ] it would prevent a great deal of fin.

And that it may appear I am impartial, and defend not thofe faults in the Religious fort, which they muft repent of, I will intreat you to mote from this one inftance , thefe following obvious obfervations.

1. Note by this inftance what an inequality

there

( *7 ) there may be m the tendernefl of mens Confcibtct* towards meer words and formes of worlhip, and towards the tins which nature it felt condemn^th, if theythidy not well the wiles of Satan > when the City and Country (hall have the fame men that are tender Confcienced ( which I commend ) about a Ceremony or the fajhion of their prayers, without any icruplc or remorfe thus receive and publifh a ilander or falfhood, ( that I wrote againjl private meetings , and for Conformity , and that / Conformed) and this before they had ever feen oi fpokgn with one man living that had feen ore line of the book, or could report it to them with the leaft pretenfe of knowledge. Yea and all this againft one that had given an opener tejti-mony againlt Conformity, than any one man of all them that thus Ilandered him, as far as ever I was able to know.

2. Note here what I have told you in the book , the great difference between a formal dividing zeal for opinions, and a Chriitian zeal of Love and Heavenlinefs and good workes. If you would kindle this latter in your own or others hearts , alas , what holy labour doth it require ? How many lively Sermons arc all too little to kindle the kail flame of Loving , heavenly fruitful zeal ! How many meditations and prayers are ufed before any holy flame appeareth ? But a zeal for our Tarty and our opinions^ and our feveral formes and fafhions of fpeaking to God, will kindle and flame like the tire that con fumed London. A fparke from one difcontented perfons mouth will iuddenly take, • F 2 and

and engage multitudes in City and Country in the affe&ionate fpreading of untruths*, and who can quench it till it go out of it felf for want of fcwel ?

3. Note alfd the great Partiality of multitudes of Religious people, and how eaiily we can aggravate the faults of others , and how hardly we can either aggravate or fee our own ! The defedts of the Liturgie , and the faults of thofe by whom we fuffer , are ea-fily heightned , even beyond defert. But when many of us vend untruths, and flan-ders againft our brethren about the land, who aggravateth this or repentcth of it?

4. But above all I intreate the Dividing Brethren, if they can fo long lay by their partiality , to judge by this of the Reafotts of their Separation from thofe Churches ( Private or Parochial ) that they differ from , in tolerable things. You thinly it a fin to Communicate in a Church where the Liturgie is ufed , and Vifcipline is not fo ftrid-ly exercifed againft fome offenders , as you and I defire. But fuch publicise multiplycd untruths in mens mouths , doth never make you fcruple their Communion. I intreat you do but ftudy an anfwer to one that would fe-far ate from yon all , upon fuch grounds as thefe. Firft for the fin , confider of thefe texts, Eiod. 23. 1, 2. ihon Jhah not raife a falfe report : put not thy band with the winked to he an unrighteous rvitnefi* "thou Jhah not follow a multitude to do evil * neither fhalt thou

C*9)

jj>ea\ in a caufe to decline after many to wreft it. Pfalm 15. 3. He that bactyitetb not with h'u tongue , not doth evil to bti neighbour * nor ta\eth up a reproach againft bti neighbour. Rom. 1.3c. Backbiters , haters of God^ 2 Cor. 12. 20. Lcji there bt debate , jirifes , backjti-bitings , winterings , &c. Prov. 25. 23. ^» rftfgry counterance driveth away a backbiting tongue: Tit. 3. 1, 2. Put them in mind to be ready to every good work^ ^ ti jpeal^ evil of no man. 1 Pet. 2. 1. Laying afide evil jpeakj

ings 1 Tim. 6. 4. Whereof cometh evil

furmifings , Eph. 4. 31. Let evil jpeakjngs be put away from you. Jud. 10. Tibefe fpeak^evil of tbofe things which they kpow not. Jam. 4. 11. Speal^ not evil one of another > He that jj>eak? eth evil of another and judgeth another , fpeah^ evil of the Law , and judgeth the Law.

Have you more and plainer texts of Scripture agninft the Common Prayer than all thelc are ? Now fuppofe one fliould fay that a people of fuch fin as this fliould not be Communicated with i> efpecially where there is no difcipline exercifed that ever fo much as cal-leth one man of them to repentance for it: what anfwer will you give to this, which will not confute your own obje&ions, againft Communion with many Parifti Churches in this Land.

* 5. Laftly hence note, how ftill overdoing is undoing. By the Principles of Love and Peace conteined in the book which fome reproach, had they not cfifowned them , they might

(7o)

have had their part in this jufi Vindication^ againli^them that accufe the Non-conformifls Principles o£ Enmity to Love and Peace: But they would have no part in it , and have caft away their own vindication , and fo have confirmed their accufers , and tempted them to believe that fome Non-cenformifis are indeed fuch as they defcribed ;

But I muft again intreat them to diiiin-guifh : Many feds go under the name of Non-_ confurmijis , from whom we differ incomparably more than we do from the Confirmifis y as the Quakers, Seekers Behmcnifts, and fome others. We are none of thofe men that, be-caufe we all fuflfer together under the Prelacy , dp therefore more flofe with thefe, than with the Conformists , with whom in do&rine and the fub'ftance of worfhip , we agree.

But becaufe it is their own revived choice , to disown the Principles and Vindicatim of that hookey I (hall only fay,

I. To our Accufers [ It is not thefe Dividers which we Vindicate , that will not jiand to §ur Vindication J.

If. To pofterity ( whofe hiftorical Information of the truth of matters in this age I much 4efire, ) [ If you would l^tow what fort ef men they are , that theje times call feftaries and Dividers or feparatifis , I will give you but their 0wn Char after of themfelves > that you may he

fun

fure I wrong them not : Perufe the bool^ called , The Cure of Cburch-Vivifions \ fir they are per-forts fo contrary to that boo\ , as that they takg it to be an evil and mifchievous things andgreat-ly to he lamented and detefled : in fo much that fome of them fay , It had been well if the Author bad dyed ten years ago y and others^ that thii booJ^ bath done more harm than ever he did good in all his life. So intolerable is it to them^ to have their Love-hilling and dividing principles fo much as thus contraditted, while they cry out againfl the Impoftng fpirit 'of others. The meafure of their diitafte againft thefe Principles of Love and Unity, I leave you to gather out ot the exceptions which I am now to anfwer.

C70

CAP. i.

The true ft ate af the CoMroverfie^ between me j and thofe whom I call Church-Di~ viders.

BEcaufe the Excepter carrieth it all along, as if he understood not what I (ay, or would not have his Reader underftand it, I muft itate the Cafe as it ftandeth between us, for the lake of them that love not to be deceived , nor to be angry at they know not what.

Know therefore that the dcfign of the Writer of that Book was , to rcjiore Love and Vnity among CbrijliaHf , which he faw decaying and almolt dying through the temptation of our fujferings from fame , and our differences with others , and through the iid'mgs of parties , and through the fajfions which conquer fome mens judgements, and the hypcrifie of others , who place their Religion in their fidings^ and in the forms or fajhions of the words of their prayers, or thecircumftances of outward Worfhip : And to acquaint Christians with the wiles of Satan, who would kjll their Grace , by killing their Love , whilft they think they dp but preferve their Purity. And to open to them the fecret ivindings of the Serpent, and the w°^ings of

Pride,

(73)

Pride, and Wrath, and Selhfhnefs, againft the works of Love and Peace : And to fhew them the great deceitfalnefs of mans heart , which often righteth againft God as for God, by righting againft Love and Unity i and which oft loftth all, by feeming to overcome, and forfaketh Religion by teeming valiant for it s ) And I e(pecially intreat the Reader to note, that I faid much more about Principles, than Practices', Becaufe I know that as to Communion with this or that Church , mens practices may vary upon accidental and prudential accounts , of which I pretend not to be a Judge : And therefore I rirft fpeak againft Love killing Principles, and then againft fuch Practices only, as either proceed from fuch Principles, or increafe them. It I fee a man ftay from Church , as I know not his reafons, fo I judge him not y unleis as he doth it upon iinful caufe*, and efpe-cially if he would propagate thofe Caufes to others, and juftirie them to be of God, when they are againft him.

And whereas Hatred and Enmity w^orketh by driving men from each others Societies, as rvick^ cd or intolerable, and Love worketh by inclining men to Union and Communion > and again,mens dijiance increafeth the Enmity which caufed it i and their nearnefs and familiarity increafcrh Love , and reconcileth them *, I did therefore think it a matter of great neeetfity to our wel-fare> to counfel men to all lawful nearnefs and Communin, and to diffwade them from all un-neceffary alienation and feparation from each pthcr. Let

(74;

Let the Reader alfb underftand, that in this, my purpofe was not to condemn mens reparation from the Parity) Churches only^ nor more than any othir fwful feparathn : But from any true Church of Chriftians whatfoever * 5 when uncharitable Principles drive them away, Whether it be from Presbyterians, Independents, Anabap-tifts, Arminians, Lutherans, &c. Onlybecaufe that thole I deal mod with, make moft exceptions againft Communion with the Parijh Churches y I bellowed moji words in anfwering fuch exceptions.

Therefore .obferve i.That it is none of our Qaeftion, [ Whether yon Jhouli Communicate with the Parijh Churches alone, and no other ?

2. Nor L Whether youjhould Communicate with every Parifh Churchy or any one whofe Pafiors are through inefficiency, herefie or impiety intolerable ? which I have written againft Vir. ^6.p.2Q2,&c.

3. Nor L Whether we may hold local Communion in Worship with a Church which denyeth us fuch Communion, unkfs we will fin : This I have

oft enough denyed, />. 203, &c*

4. Nor £ Whether ceteris paribus local Communion with a purer and better Church , be not ordinarily to be preferred before local Communion

. with a worfe ? ( which I affert, p. 203,^.)

5. Nor £ Whether a mm be a Separatijl from another Church , meerly becaufe he is not locally prefent with it ? ( For then when I am in one Church, I feparate from all other in the world? )

6. Nor £ Whether it be lawful to remove ones

dwellings

(75)

drveting, for Communion with a better Miniver and Church, fuppofmg that we are free ? pr 204.

7. Nor [_ Whether it he lawful to remeve to a better Church, without removing ones dueling.in. a place where another Church is near, to which we may go without any public}^ injury ? or hurt to our felves or others, which is greater than the benefit, pag. 204.

8. Nor L Whether we may remove both from Church and Countrey, by the occafions of our Callings or Trades , or other outward weighty reafms? pag. 2^8.

p. Nor [Whether we may l^eepin Com muni n privately with cur lawful Paltors, if they be turned out of the publickjfemples ? 3 Which I have af-ferted, pag. 299* and have faid, that where the F-afior is, there the Church is, in whatever place they dj affemblc, p. 250. (which T>x.Hide z\io thought, when he began his Bcok with an af-fertion of the neceility of feparating then from the publick places. And fo did other Prelatiiis then, and fo think the Fapiiis now, and meft other parties. )

10. Nor is it any of our Qaeftion, T Whether you Jbould have Communion with a Dioccfa/i Church, as fuch \ ( It is a Parochial Church with fuch others that I fpake of, and never a word of a Diccefan Church. )

11. Therefore it is none of the Qucftion [IVbc-ther you rnuji own our Vicefan Bifhops ? 1

12. Nor yet \_W\nther ym mull baveCommtt-nion with any thing called, A National Church, as a Political Society conjiituted of an Ecclefiaiiical

/ Head

Head and Body, and denominated from that form, sr Conjlitutive Head ? Though we mult own a National Church, as it is improperly fo denominated j from the King; that is the Civil Head ( accidental, and not Conjlitutive to the Spiritual Church. ) And as it is a Community of Chrifli-ans, and a part of the VniverfA Church, united by the Concord of her Paftors ', who in Synods may repnfent the whole Minijhy i and be the means of their agreement.

13. Nor is it the Qieftion, [ Whether you mujl needs hold CommtDi: n with thoft individual Bi-Jhops, whom you acewnt the Perfecutors, andCau-fes of our filence and confufions. I have told you in the Srory of Martin, how he feparated from the Syr.cds o[ thofe individual Bifhops, and from their local Communion , without feparating from the Office, the Churches, or from any other Bifhops. This is a matter that I did not meddle with, btcaufe it is not their Communion that you are called to, but the Par'fh Churches.

Indeed to (ave mens lives, he did yield to the Empcrouronce to communicate with them v But ( faith Snip. Severushiil 3. p. Bib.Pac.2^0 Summi vi hpifcopis nitentibus, ut communionem Mam fuhferiptiont fir mar ct, extorqueri non potuit. And the Angel that appeared to him faid [Merita Alanine compungeris \ fed aliter exire ne-qitifii : repara tirtutcm, refume Conjiantiam, ne'jam non pcriculum gloria fed falntis incurreris* Itafi ab illo tempore fatis cavit, cum Ma Ithaciant partis Communime mifecri. And after finding his power of Miracles abated , with tears he con-

ftffed

(77)

fefled to Sulpit* That propter Communloms ilius malum, cui ft vel puntlo temporis, necefttate, non Spiritu mifcuiffet , dctrimentum fenfire virtutis. Sedecim pofiea vixit annos , nnllam Synodum adiit, ab omnibus Epifcoporum Conventibus ft remo-vit. But this was only from thofe Bifhops who by provoking Magiftrates againft the Prijcilllan Gnojiickj, had brought all ftridt Religious people under (com. But he fepurated not from any others.

14. Nay, I made it none of our Qjeftion > [ Whether yon fhmid Communicate, with any Fj-rifh Minijlcr, who concurreth rvith them in thefxid matters which you acenft the Bifhops of, any farther than by Conforming to the Law. For it is but few of the Parifh Minijiers that were Convocation Men, or that you can prove did ever con-fent to our filencing.

15. Nor is it any of the Queftion, [ Whether thnft alfo be guilty offtparation and diviftms^ who fljaU make unneceffary Engines of divifion, and lay upon the neckj of any Churches fuch unneceffary things as have a tendency to divide. Who hath faid more againft this, than I have done ?

id. Nor is it any of our Queftion, £ Which of the two is the greater cauft of divifwns , or which of the forefaid perfons is moji culpable ? ] Who hath ipoken plainlier in this, than I ? If the Brother that excepteth would make you believe, g that any one of thefe is the Contrcverfie, if you believe him, he doth but deceive you.

But whom I mean by Separatifts, I have plainly told you, pig. 24?, 2 5c, &c.

And

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«3* And that which I perfwade men to, is this : i. To love allChrijihns as themfelves.

2. *fo hold nothing ., and do nothing which is contrary to this Love, and would deflroy it.

3. Therefore^ deny noChriilians to be Chrifti-ans, nor no Churches to* he Churches, nor no law* ful JVorfhip of any Mode or Party to be lawfull.

4. Not to feprrate from any others upon any of theje three falfe fuppoftions or accufations, ( viz." 1. As no true Christians : 2 • As no true Churches: 3. As having no true Worfhip, or as worshippings fo as it is not lawful to ]oyn with them. )

5. %» choofe the moji edifying Minifiry, and the foundeji Churchy and pureji manner of worjhipping Cod, that poflibly you can have on lawful terms y as to your ordinary ufe and^Communion, fo far as you are free to choofe.

6* 6 Io joyn with a difeUive faulty true Churchy ordinarily, and in a mznner of Worfhip which is defective, when you can have no better, on lawful terms, ( as without the publick injury, or your own greater- Wnderance than help ) And I pjove, that this^ is the woril: that you can charge fas to this matter of Communion ) on thofe Pa-; riih Churches in England-, that have honeft competent Paftorsi and the fame others charge on the Churches of Independents and Anabaptifts* And- that it is a duty to hold communion with any cue of thefe conlkntly when you can have no better,

7. %hat if yon can ftatedly have better > yet fomewnes to Communicate with a defensive Churchy as a jiranger may 4q^ that is not interejfed in their

difcipline^

$79 ;>

difcipline, or is no flated member, is not only lawful, but, for the ends fah$, is a duty, when our never communicating with them is fcandalous, and offenfive to our 'Rulers, and tendctb to ma\e people thinly that r?e hold that to be unlawful which we do not , and when our actual Communion is apt and needful to (hew our judgement, and to cherifh love andChrijiian Concord. On which account, as I would Jlatedly communicate with the Greek Church, if I were among them, and had no better & and would fomiimes communicate with them in, their Prayers- and Sacraments, it 1 did but pafs through the Countrey as a (hanger, or if Would have betters even fo would I do with a Parijh Church , if as faulty as you can juii charge it ( with the foreiaid limitations ) or with a Church of Anabaptifts or-Independents, (if they did not ufe their meetings to def troy either Piety or Love )

This is my judgement *, This is the fumm o£ all that I plead for-, as to Communion. If th£ Excepter deny not this, he talketh not at all to me-

If any that have paffionately reviled my Book and me, do lay, We thought you had gone further, and pleaded for more : I anfwer them* that we (hould not fpeak untruths, and revile things before we underftandthem, and then come off with [ I thought you had faid more. ]• It is this with other Love-kiLing diitempers that I frrive to Cure.

And again I tell you, that it is, i. Ignorance: 2- Pride, or overvaluing ourownnndcritandings:

3. And Uncharitablenefs generated of thefe two*, which is the Caufe of our CR UELT IES and our unlawful SEPARATIONS, and which breed and feed our threatning Diviiions^ among the parties on both extreams. And its the death of thefe three that mail be our Cure,

CAP. 3.

Some Objections ( or guejlions ) about Separation anjivered.

AS to that party who think Anabaptifts and Independents unfit for their communion, I am not now dealing with them*, and therefore am not to answer their Objections. Only on the by I (hall here mind them *, 1. That it is not fuch as the old German Anabaptifts, who denyed Magifiracy to Chriftians, &c. that I fpeak of*, But fuch as only deny Infant Baptifm; And that many of them, are truly Godly ibber men*, and therefore capable of communion. And that the ancient Churches left it to mens liberty at what time they would have their Children baptized.

2. That many Independents are downright againft Separation \ Mr. Jacob hath notably written againlt it. Therefore thole that are but meer Independents , refufe not communion with the Parifh Churches : And why fhould you refufe communion with them ?

3. That many that feparate, feenndum q?iid> or

fro

pro tempore^ from fomc part of Worthip only and for a leafon, yet feparate not fimply from the Churches as no Churches, nor would do all *s they do, in other circumftantoes. * For infhnc£, when they come-not to the publick Aflembltes, yet they will iml refufe ynu , if you will come to tkcits. Goto thtir m ri , ^nd fee if they lb far feparate , ^as to forbid you ? Nor perhaps to their Sacrsnicnts^ .if-von will fuhmit to their n>jy, as you expert they fhould do byyourr* Now feeing we are all agreed ? that the Magi-ftrate doth not make Minifte ChurcKes (or Sacraments, ) bat only er.ccuiage, protccft and rule them, I defire you bftt to : j^rfc irnparfiil as toconfider that i.You couftfnd your felves Sepjratiiis , becaufe you r.ever g.o to one cf their Meetings in their houfe^ or other places \ Why then (hould you call them Siparatijh, on-ly tbr not coming to ymrs ? 2. But if they ate guilty of Separation for Holding either that ~yUrG^%^ Ntd^ or that Of**-

mumon with you is-unlawful by Gods Law, enquire how far ym alfo are Separatifis, if you fay the fame without proof by any others^ f-Though their lawfulniis by the Law of the LancU 1 juftiiie nor,"no nor the regularity of their Chuich AflTernblies. )

4; And I would here note how partial moft men are. They that think an Independent or Anabaptiil, yea, .or-a Tresbytcrian intolerable at home in their feveral Churches,\Qt if they would i>ut come to tlxit ^commnnion , they would receive them as . tolerable members. And they that think it unlawful to hold communian'with G the

the Freht'itSy and give the region partly from afein wi-itnefs \\ yet would receive them ( in cinaiiy Chutcbesv; ^f they did but change theic .Opinions, and defue communion with them in

their way- <

But it is thofc thit judge Pariih communioa

( where there are godly Minifters ; unlawful -tha[t I amiiereto fpeak to* And their principal

doubts are Inch >as many good and fober perfons .need an anCwer to.

QUES.T. I.

•Qaeft. i. TR\k0tf> not the fecond Commandment\ y

:\L^A^MrGods oft ixpnffed jtaloufie in the matters .ofih}sJj r or(hip y - w£% it' a fin toegm-; munlcati i-i the Liturgie ?

mim**m*&* y ? m& tnar w u flr

all the cft)i*M:Gtorgz ward appearance is the Wot-lawfon's XbeopoUtfca. pipping of a fcUfo G^thpugh the mind be pretended jtp>e kept free.- Now the Worshipping Ofvlj&sfttft God in the,wards of the Lhii,*g\e r bath hone of this h nor will any but a : fio&l, Cenfurer thhik that it is the worfhipping of a falfe.God.

Nor is everyufe of thg ftmsp/<*<*/, wr4,er

(83)

other -things indifferent^ a (ymbolizing with Idolatry : But the faying thofe words^ .or the uiin£ thcfe Ads or GettKionks, by which thcirfalfe Religion in fpecie is notified, as by a teffcra^ or badge to the world- Or oitng the Symbols of their Religion as differing from the trite* Even as the u(e of Kjptifm, and the A-wds Supper, xht Cfted^ and the conftant ufe of ouxCburcb-lfcr* Jhipi are the Symbols of the Chrijiian Religion. So their S^craments^ Incenfc , Sacrifcings, and Worftnpjjing Conventions^ were the Symbols of Worshipping /j#i G^/ > which, therefore Chri* ftians may not ufo

But. thty that lay, that all falfe Worfhip cfthi true God is Idolatry, add to Gods, word , and tearcfi 4oArincs which are but the forgeries of *heir own brain. Though mcfire.than Idolatry be forbidden by Covftqumce in the fecond Com* .mandment, that.proveth it not to be ldolatryj\x+ caufe. i|:s there fo forbidden.

2.1 have after <4iftingui(hed of falfe Worfhtp^ and told you T that if by falfi;)X>u mean forbid* den, ox not commanded, or finfitlj we all worihip P°d faljfy in the Manner every day, and in fomc part of the matter Very oft. Our diforderS, com-iufion, tautologies,. unfit cxpreifions, are all forbidden, and {o faife. worihip; And if God pro* hibitany diibrder which is in the Liturgie, he prohibits the lame [ in extemporatc frayers ( in ^vhich fome good Chriftians art as tailing as the Liturgie ) And as the words of the Littcrgit ar4 not commanded in the Scripture, fo .neither are the words of oujc extemporate or fiudiedSer^ toons qi Fray trs* \

G i $• God

($4)

3. God hatcth every fin in every prayer •> but he hateth the avoiding of prayer , and of due ■communion much more. He hateth every disorder in extemporate piayer > And yet he more hateth that Cenforioufnefs and Guriofity^ which would draw men to for fake the fubftantials of Worfhip, or Chriftian Love and Communion on that preteiice.

Gods Jealoufie in his Worfhip is moft about the heart, and ijejxt about the fubftantials of his own inftitutions, and of Natural Wprftvip, and leafl about the phrafe of Speech- and order, while it is not fuch , as is giofly dishonourable to the Nature of God, and to the greater things. And though *God under the Law ^x-prefled his jealoufie much about Ceremonies, yet that was not for the Ceremonies fake,* hut to •con-troll grofs. irreverence and contempt of holy' things (■ as in thtC^kolpzzab, tWBetU-jbemites^ Vzziab^ Aarons Sons \) and to keep up an efteem of the Holineifc of God J ahd to reftrain facrilegtous preemptions Afld urider the :Gofpel, it is neither thi$\\pi»ce of Worfhip, nor that, neither this Mountain, nor Jerufakm^ but Spirit and 'truth that-Gocfc.moft looks at. It is not whether you pray, by a Book, ©r> without* by words /; fore-ftudied on not, by *words of your own contriving, or of anothers, that Gofi is now jealous of. Fox^en when you want words, he-accepteth the groans exeked by his Spirit, Row. 8. 26, 27.

If Chrifti^ns (hould plead Gods jealoufie abfcut his Woifhip h as Cenforiouily agaihft thek own fraytn, as they do agcinft pbif wWi and

Churchti

Churches in this cafe, they would turn prayer into the fuel of defpair and torment. For God is fo jealous of his Worfhip, that he hateth all the finful dulnefs, emptinefs, wandrings, vain repetitions, confufions, unfeemly expref-fions, of all your fecret prayers, and all your family prayers. And yet I would advife you neither to think that God therefore hateth you , or the prayer itfelf, nor yet to fly from God and prayer, nor family Worfhip, where it is no better done, Gods jealoufie, especially under the Gofpel, is to be minded for to drive us from our floth and careleinefs, to do the beft we can, but not to drive us from him , or from prayer , or from one another. Thefe are Satans ends of minding men of Gods'jealoufie , as he doth troubled fouls to drive them to defpair.

And others may fcruple joining with your rveatycjfes and faults in Worfhip on pretence of Gods jealouiie, as well as you with theirs. What if "twenty Minifters be one abler than another* in their feveral degrees ( and the loweft of them doth weaklier than the Liturgick forms. ) Doth it follow, that only the ableft of all thefe may be joyned with, becaufe that all the ¥e(t do worfe ? It is granted that we muft offer God the heft , that we have or can do. But not the beft which we cannot do ? And many things muft concurr ( and efpecially a refpeft to the publick good ) to know which is the beft.

G] QUEST.

(86)

.QJ1EST. lit

Queft. 2. TT\uth not the Covenant mty it now JL~Junlawful > to hold Cmmunion in the ufe of the Liturgie ?

Anfo* To hold Communion in the Liturgie Ordinarily where we cannot lawfully have better^ and extraordinarily where we can have better, is a thing that we are bound to by the Covenant, and not at all bound againii.

For thofe of the Independent way who think as Mr. Eaton writctb that the Covenant bindeth not, I need r»ot here fay any thing as to their-fatisfa&ion, For others I fay , i. There is no word in all the Covenant cxprclly againft the Li* turgie.

2. If there had been any word in it agafeft Communion with the Churches that ufe the Litur* gic, ir had been fin, and againft our duty., and therefore could not bind.

3. The judgement of Proteftants is, that Vowes muii npt make us new" duties of Religion but bind us {after by a fdf obligation, to that which .'God binds \is to without them. Therefore (though if wc ihould Vow an indifferent thing, it would bind, yet > this could npt betaken for the Covenanters intention.

4 And it is commonly agreed a that if we Vow a thing indifferent'^ it bindeth us not whqi the in differ ency ccajcth *, which may be by the M*-gifirttcs command, or by anofher mans necefiity> or

change

C»7) change of Cafes : ILlfe a man might before hkxA prevent moft of the Magiiirates obligations , and his Parents and Mafters too,and efcape obedience k and might lay with the Pharifees, it is Corban y or a devoted thing.

5. It rcmaineth therefore that no man of us ail hath need to go^ of ought to go to the Covenant to know what itbis duty in the worfhip of God \ but only to the Scripture \ feeing if Scripture make it not a duty, the Magiftrates Law will make the doing of it a/i«* And if Scripture make it not a fin^ the Magiftrates command will make it a duty. But when we k&orv what is duty or fin (m our cafe ) we may go to our Vows next to prove jthat it is a double duty or a double or aggravated (in but no otherwife. Therefore let the Scripture only decide the fir# cafe, whether it be lawful or not.

6. The Covenant or Vow exprefly bindeth us againft fchifme. But the renunciation of Communion which I now difpute againft, is plaine fchifme \ Therefore we are bound againft it by that Vow.

7. The Covenant bindeth us againft all that is contrary to the power of Godlinefc, and found dodlrine. But the feparatirig which I plead againft is certainly fuch.

8. The Covenant bindeth us to Unity and the neareft Uniformity we can attain. But as the world goeth now, this Communion is the neareft, and needful to exprefe our Unity.

9. The Covenant bindeth us to Reformation according to Gods word, and the example of the beft reformed Churches : But to prefer no fublitl^

G 4 worfhip

(8%)

&orjhipOt zvporfe^ before the Liturgie, is tkfor* Nation and propbanenefl y And it is greater Reform niativn to prefer the Liturgie before none,- 'than to prefer extemprate publick worfhip before the Liturgie. And all the Reformed Churches in Chriftendom, do commonly profefs to hold Communion with the Engljfh Churches in the Liturgie, if they come among us where it is ufed. Therefore it feeroeth to me to be perjury apd Covenant-breaking , either to prefer no public^ worjkip before the Liturgie, or to refufe occafio-nal Communion with the Churches that ufe the Liturgie, as a thing meerly on that account unlawful.

QUEST. It?.-

Queft. 3. \X7 Hctbcr the Cafe be not mtteb aU

VV tend [met the old Non-cenfor-mijlstvrote againft feparation r then called Brow-nifme ? And whether roe have not greater Light into thefe Controversies than they t

Anfxv* 1. The C^fe of Miniftcrs Conformity is much altered, by a new Adl which requireth fublcribing new things, Declaring AiTent and Confent to all things prefcribed and conteined in and by thjee books > and by fome other things. Bu.t that part of the Liturgie which the people are to joyn in is mack better, as is (hewedbefore. And if we are returned to /the famejiate that they were then in, we are under the fame duties that they were under. And. let it be; re-

membred.

(89) ;

membrcd, that wc never Vowed that God fhould not bring us back to the fame cafe ( which had been blalphemy ) And therefore it had been bad enough, if we had vowed not to do what was our duty in that fiate , if God (hould return us to it.

2. I earneftly intreat the doubting Reader ,

that thinketh his duty and the Churches peace, to

be worth fo much labour, but to read over

{bme of the old Non-conformifts books againft

reparation. And if you there find the very fame

objections anfwered ( or more and greater J than

judge your (elves whether their cafe and ours

was (as to this caufe ) the fame* The books

I would defire you to read are, Mr. Jacobs thp

Independent agairift John fin h Mr. Bradjhans

againft Jobnfon y with Mr. Gatakprs defence of it

againft Canne: Mr. GijfW, Mr. T) arret ^ Mr. Yx-

get) Mr. Hilderjbam^ Dr. Ames, Mr. Cartrvright y

Mr. Brightman , and laft of all and fullieft at the

beginning of our troubles, Mr. John EaU in three

books.

But of this hating fpoken already, I (hall repeat no more , but only to profefs my judgement, that Our ordinary boafters that think they know more in this Controverfie than the old Non-conformifts did, as far as I am zbh to difcern are as far below them almoft, as they are below either Chamicr , Sadecl , TPliitakpr or fuch others in dealing with a Papift. which of tbe*n czn faythat> about Epifcopacy, as.Ger-fonL, Buccr, Vidoclaut^ Bhndell, Salmafins have done ? and fo of1the reft.

QUEST.

QUEST. IMI.

Qneft. 4. TS it not a fhameful receding from jLout Reformation , now to nfe an nnreformed Liturgie^ and a pulling damt of xphat ppe have been building*

Anfo. 1. It is not fit here to enquire who it is that hath pulled down, and deftroyed Reformation : though it <beeafie todifeernit. But/ this is certain, that God hath fet up the Government that is over us , and that our Governors take down by their Law$ j that which we accounted Reformation : This is not our worke, but theirs ; 4 nc ^ that they permit us not otherwife publickly to worfliip God, And that a man in Goal doth ordinarily joyn in no publick worftiip at all. And where men do venture on other manner of worfhip in for-t ^en affemblies , the fears of (bme and the pafiionate difcontent of others, and the diftur-bances by fouldiers and officers, and fuch like, do take off much of the edification ? and hinder us from fuch a frame ef mind as is molt agreeable to the work and day. And to worfliip God no where ., is to go farther from Reformation , than to worlhip him by the Li-turgie*

2. To do it of choice is one thing, and to do it as a duty put upon u$ by Gods providence .> and our Governours., when we can do 110 better , is another thing. It is God

that

(<?0

that hath f tilled dorrn our liberty and opportunity to {ervc him otherwife : and we muflr obey him. It is no faulty mutability, to change our practice i when God by changing our condition doth change cur duty : No more than it was in Ptftf/who to the Jews became a Jew, and circumciied 'Timothy , and (haved his head for his Vow &c. and became all things to all men: And no move than it was in Augujiine who profefleth that he would worfhip God, as to formes and ceremonies, according as the Church did with which he joyned where ever he came : Nor no more than it is in a traveller or merchant to joyn, in feveral Countries, in feve-ral fafhions and ceremonies or rites of outward worlhip.

QUEST. V.

Queft. 5. \TTItt ** not ftrengthen and encou-VV ragt the adverfaries cf Reformation ?

Anfi*. 1. We muft not make fuch camal policies our guides, as to forbear that which God doth make our duty , for fear of encouraging other men. If we take this to be uncharitable fa&ioufnels in others, to ilefire rather all thefe diftra&ions in the Church, than that the Non-conformifts (hould be encouraged and ftrengthned by feeming to have juftly de-fired a Reformation, let us not be guilty of what we blame.

. 2. If you will believe themfelves y it is the unwilling Gonformifts.th.zt they are mod in danger of, who profefs that they conform of ne-cellity, and delire a Reformation * As Dr. WiU Ham Smith hath (hewed in a book written to that end. The Aflembly of Weftminftet that fet up the Presbytery were fuch Confor-tnifts.

3. It is finful pride and tendernefs of their own honour * which maketh fome men avoid their duty , and wrathfully grudge at them that fpeak for it, becaufe thofe that are againft them thence take occafion to infult over them or reproach them. If men do but fay, you are now turncoats and time fervers y and where is your reformation now 7 and you are novo glad to do as we do , they think this reafon enough why they (hould forbear that Communion and worfhip which is their duty. Are thefe befeeming felf denying humble perfons > Could they fuffer death for their duty fake, that cannot bear a little reproach for \tl

Obje&. If vpe tyew it were our duty we would fuffer for it. Anfw. But is it not this very fuf-fering and reproach , and infulting of* others, which maketh you ^iwJ^that his not your duty} And fo tarnal perfons ufe to do. They will believe hothing to be their duty whi*h they muft foflfesfcyi Let Gods honour be all to you , and your own be nothing , and you will not much flick.at-fuch things as thefe*

QUEST-

C93)

f

QUEST. VI.

Qaeft. 6. T> V T text not this cnurfe divide m &jjmoKg our felves \ while ont gonfo to the Parijb Churches and another doth not ?

Anfa* i. Mr. T'ombes did not ftick at dividing the Anabaptifts when he wrote for Parifh Communion. And Mr. Philip Nye 'did- not ftiik at the fear of dividing the Independents, when he wrote aM.5. (as I am credibly informed J for the hearing of the PartfhPreachers,'(though another wrote againft it prefently after \ AnH if an ordinary attendance on their publick doctrine be lawful, this will go-further than many think, to prove the reft" of the Cortimtmi^n lawful.

2. We are already fo far divided in oitr judgment s\ a^forone to hold- it to be lawful-, ami another to be unlawful: And who can cure thfs divifion ? And'why (hould it divide us ntvte , if mens pra&ice be according to ; their judge-ments, rather than for them to tin againft their Confciences ? -

3. The great thing in which we difler from the Prelatifts yea and Papifts too is, that we would have'our Union laid only upon Necejfary things , and'liberty and Charily maintained in the reft. And fhall we now contract ft our felves, and fay that things neceffary arc n6t fufficient for our •union ? Cannot we hold union among our felves, if fome go to the publick aflemblie* , and

fomc

t 94 )

fome do not > What is this but to have the impoting domineering Spirit, which we fp£ak (b much againft ?■ We cannot bexter confute the uncharitable dividing Spirit of the world, than by flawing them, that wc can held Love and %Jnion , notwithstanding as great differences as this, ( yea 6 and much greater* )

QUEST. VII.

Queft.7. OH*// we not hereby countenance the O Prelates in Church-tyranny andVfur* fatian ? and invite them to go further\ and to make more burdens of Forms and Ceremonies to lay upon the Churches ?

Anfo* Withput medling now with the que-' ftion^what guilt it,is that lyeth on any Pre* lates in the points here mentioned, I anfwer, on your own fuppolition \ 1. That it is the King and his Laws which we obey herein, and not the Dipcefansi t .

2* How openly and fully have we declared our utter diffent from the things which you fappofe that we (hall countenance them in ? Our Writings are yet viliblc : Our Conferences were notorious. And is not the lofe of our Minifhry, and the lots of all Eccleliaftical Maintenance, anql the pinching wants of many poor Miniifers, an4 their numerous families, and our fuffering Volumes of reproach, confinements,^* a % n location of our diffent ? The cafe is foraewhat hard with abundance of godly faithful Mihi-tters ? Few that never felc it themfelves, can

judge

V ?5 J

judge awght , what it is to want a houfe to dwell in, a bed to lye on, to have Wives that are weak natured, to keep in yearly patience under all fuch ncceilitics, which the Husband can bear himfelf \ to have Children crying in hunger and rags, and to have a Landlord calling for his Rent, and Butchers, and Brewers, and Bakers, and Drapers, and Taylors, and Shoo-makers calling lor money, when there is none to*pay them ( there being no fifth part of Church-maintenance now allowed them ) : in the Froft and Snow to have no hre,nor money to buy it! And yet all this is little in comparifon of their reftraint from .preaching the* Gofpel of Salvation •> and the dik plcafure of their Governours againft them if chey preach. And is not all rhis yet an open ligniik-cation of their Diffent from the things which they (ofar deny complyance with? If fome of their Accufers on both fides were but in the fame, condition, they would think it ihould go for a (uflicient notification of diffent.

3. We perfwade no man to any one (in, for Comrnuoion with others , no not to fave their lives. If the thing be proved unlawful to be uftd ( and not only unlawful to be fo impofed ) we exhort all to avoid it.

4. Yea, if an over numerous aggregation of things which fingly arc lawful, (hould make them become a fnare and injury to the Church > we would have all in their places fufficiently figni-fie their diffent v or if the.number {hall turn, them into a fin in the uiers, we would have none to

„ ufc them. Though we would not have men cen-lure or contemn one another ( much left ^eftroy

(96)

one another) fot a matter of meats, or dayes, or (hadows \ yet if any will by falfe do&rine or taperioqihefs, fay Touch not, Tafte not, handle aot, and will judge us in refpeft to Meat, or Drink, orHolyDayes, or the New Moon, or Sabbath^ CoU 2. 16. 21". We would have all men to bta* a juit tettimony to the truth, and to their Chritfian liberty.

5. But if the defedts of publick Worfhip be tolcra-ble, and if Providence, necellity and Laws, concurr to call us to ufe them, ( when cite we mult ufe none, or do worfe ) here Communion doth become our duty: And a'D#*ymuft ntft be : caft off, for fear of feeming to countenance, the faults of others. We have lawful mesns tQ (ignihe. our -difieni : It is not in our fewer to exprefs it how rvt fleafe , nor to i&9l& far from the faulty as we can , to avoid the • countenancing of their faults : Bat we muft- do Gods work in his own way :-And we iriuft difown - mens tins only by prudent lawful means, and not by any that are contrary to Chriftian Love and Peace, or a breach of any Law of God.

6. 7cad was not for countenancing any of the falfchoods and faults which he> reproveth in any ok the Churches , efpccially partiality, fcnfuality , drunkennefs at the very Sacrament or Love-Feafts, 1 Cor. li.&c. And yet he ne-v^r bids them forfake the communion of'the Church for it , till they (hall reform. There were other wayes of-teltifying diflike.

7. I mult not countenance an honeft weak Miniitcr or Matter- of a family, in the difordfer

cr

(97}

or defe&s, or errors of his prayer or inftru£-ing*, And yet if they be tolerable errors or de-' fcdts, I muft not forfake either Church o* fa-mily-Worfhip with him, that I may difcounte-nance him*

8. There be Errors on the contrary fide, which are not without confiderable danger \ which we are obliged alfo to take heed of countenancing. I will inftance but in two \ one in Do&rinej arid the other in Practice.

i. There are men otherwife very honed, and truly godly, and of holy and unblameable lives, who think that the Scripture is intended by God, not only as a General , but a particular Law or Rule> for all the very Circumjtances of Worfkip^ ( yea, fome fay of the common bxfinefs of our lives): and that the fecond Comwiniment in particular condemnetb all that is the product :r invention of man in or about.the IVorjbip of God $ and that to deny this is to deny the perfefiion of the Scripture j and that all written 'Bock/? and Printed^ are Images there forbidden » and that all fiudied or prepared Sermons , ( as P9 Method or Words^ whether in Notes or memory ) are forbidden Images of Preachings and that all provided Words or Farms ( written , or in memory , of our . own or other mens Contrivance or Companion ) arc-forbidden Images of Prayer '-> and all prepared* Metre and 'tunes art forbidden Images of Praifh W'fingingi and that no man that ufeth any fucb preparation or form ,of words in preaching or prayer ^ doth preach or pray by the help of Gods Spirit : and that if Barents do but teach a Child a

H form

C 9» J

form of words to pray in y they teach him this-forbidden Imagery^ yea. Idolatry.

I hope the number is but (mall that are of this Opinion , and that it being commonly disowned . by the Non-conformijis , no Juftice or Modefty can charge it on them, but only on the few perfons that are guilty of it. But yet I muft fay, that we are obliged to take heed of Countenancing this Error , as well as of Countenancing Church-Ufurpations. I For i. V/hen a few men of eminent integrity are of this mind, it proveth to us that many more may be brought to it , and are ix\ danger of if, Becaufe meer Piety and Honefty i$ not. enough to keep men from it : Yea, when men otherwife eminent alfo for Learning and great underftanding are of that mind ( as they are ) poor, ignorant, unlearned perfons, though very godly, are not out of the danger pf it.

2. And if it prevail, what abundance of hurt will it do?

i. You may read in the new Ecclefiaftical Politician, how it.will exafpejrate the minds of others, and give them matter of bitter reproach , and for the fake of a very few, how many that are blamelefs (hall be afperfed with it ? and the -caufe of the Non-conformills, yea, with many, the Protectant, yea, and theChri-{Han Religion, rtndred contemptibje and odious by it.

a* It drawcth mei? into the dangerous guilt of Adding to the Word of Gad y under pre^

tence

(99) tence of ftn& expounding it, and defending its perfection and extent.

3. By the fame Rule as they deal thus by one Text ( as the fecond Command ) they may do fo by all : And if all or much of the Scripture were but thus expounded, I leave it to thefober Reader to cionlider, what a body of Divinity it Would make us, and what a Religion we fhould have ?

4. It altereth the very Definition of the holy Scripture, and maketh it another thing: That which God made to be the Record of his holy Covenant, and the Law and Rule of Faith and H lincfs , and the General Law for outward Modes and Circumftances, which are bat Accidents of Worfhip, is pretended by men to be a particular Law, for that which it never particularly medleth with.

5. It forely prepareth men for Infidelity^ and% to deny the Divine Authority of the Scripture , and utterly to undo all by overdoing. It Satan could but once make men believe, that the Scripture is a Rule for thofe things that are not to be found in it at all, and which God never made it to be a Rule for, he will next argue againft it , a$ a delufory and im-perfedl thing. He will teach every Artificer, to fay, That which is an imperfeft Rule, is Hot of God. But the Scripture is an imperted: Rule. For faith, the Watch-maker, I cannot learn to make a Watch by it * faith the Scrivener, I cannot make a Legal Bond or Indentures by it > faith the Carpenter, I cannot build a

tt 2 Houfc

< IOC )

Houfe by it*, faith the Phyfician, /I cannot fuf-ficiently know or cu*e Difeafes by it y faith the Mathematician, Aftronomcr, Geographer , Mufician, Arithmetician, the Grammarian, Logician, Natural Philofbpher, &c. it is no per-fecft particular Rule of our Arts or Sciences .* The Divine will fay, It tells me not fufficient-. ly and particularly what Books in it felf are Canonical, nor what various Readings are the right, nor whether every Text be brought to us uncorrupted , nor whether it be to be divided into Chapters and Verfes, and into how many : Nor what Metre or Tune I muft fing a Pfalm in > nor what perfons (hall be Paftors of the Churches, nor what Text I (hall choofe next, nor what Words I (hall ufe in my next Sermon or Prayer, with abundance fuch like ; Only in General, both Nature and Scripture fay, 0 Let all things be dme in Order and to Edifica^ tton y &c. Spiritually, Purely, Believingly, Wifely, .Zealoufly, Conftantly, &c. He that believeth it to be given as fuch a particular Rule, and then find eth that it is Went or utterly inefficient to that ufe, is like next to caft it away as a deluilon, and tnrn an Infidel, or Anti-fcri-pturift.

6. This miftake tendcth to caft- all Rational Worfhip out of the Church and World > by deterring men from inventing or ftudying how to do Gods work aright. For if all that man inventetb or devifetb be a forbidden Image, than we muft not invent or find out by ftudy, the true meaning of a Text., the < true method

(id)

of Praying or Preaching, according to the various fubjedb : Nay r we rauft not ftudy what to fay i till we are fpeaking, nor what Time, Place, Gefturc, Words to ufe j no nor the very Englifh Tongue that we muft Pray and Preach in , Whereas the Scripture it felf-re-quireth us, to meditate day and night , to finely to fhero our felves wortynen that need not be afhamed : to fearch and dig for knowledge , &c. J)o they not err that devife evil ? but mercy and truth Jhatt be to them that devife good: Prov. 14. 22 4 . I Wifdom dwell, with Prudence (orfxb-tilty ) and find out knowledge of witty inventions, Prov. 8. 12. iht Treacher fought to find out acceptable words, Ecclef. 12. 10. Banifla ftudy, and you bani(h knowledge and Religion from the world : The Spirit moveth us. to fearch and fiudy, and thereby teacheth us what to judge, and fay, and do \ and doth not move us, as I play on an Inftrument, that knoweth not what it doth.

7. This Opinion will bring in all Confufion . inftead o£ pure reafonable Worfhip: While every man is left to find that in the Scripture which never was there, and that as the only Rule of his a&ions, one will think that he iindethone thing there, and another another thing. For it muft be Reality and Verity , 'which muft be the term oiVnity: Men cannot agree in that which is not.

S. Yea, it will let in impiety and error *, for

when men are fent to feek and find that which

is not there, every man will think that he find-

H 3 J cth

(102)

eth that, which his own corrupted mind brings thither.

9. And hereby all poflibility of Union among Chriftians and Churches mult pcrifh , till this Opinion perifh ; For if we muft unite only in that which is not in being, we muft not unite at all. If we muft all in linging ■ Pfalms, agree in no Metre or Tune in the Church but oneihrt Scripture hath prefcribed us, we (lull ling with lamentable dilcord.

10. And hereby is laid a fnare to tempt men into odious cenfures of each other : Bccaufe ftudied Sermons, printed Books, Catechifras and Forms ot Prayer, are Images and Idolatry^ in thefe mens conceits, all Gods Churches in the woild muft be cenfured as Idolatrous. And almoft all his Miniiters in the world muft be accounted Idolaters >, Children muft account their Parents Idolaters, and dHobcy them that would teach them a Catechifm, Pfalm or Form of Prayer. Our Libraries muft be burnt or caft away as Images > And when Minifiers are diminished, and accounted Idolaters, if Satan could next but per-fwade people againft all the holy Bookj of the Miniftcrs of Chrift ( fuch as BoUons, Prejlonf y &c.) as Images and Idols, had he not plaid a more fuccesfill game, then he did by Julian, and doth by the 'lurkj, who keep the • Chriftians but from humane Learning ?

11. Hereby Cbrifiian Love will be quenched, when every man muft account his Brother an Idolater, that cannot {hew a Scripture, for the hour, the place of Worlhip, the Bells 3 the rfour*

gaffes,

^ 103 /

glaflcs , the Pulpit, the Utenfils, &c or that ftudieth what to fay before he Pray or Preach ?

12. And hereby backbiting , flandering and railing muft go currant as no fin, while every Calvin, Cartwright^Eilderjham^ Perkjns r Sibbs^ &c. that ufed a Form of Prayer, yea, almoft all the Chriftians in the world, muft be accufcd of Idolatry , as if it were a true and righteous charge.

13., And. all. our fins will be fathered on God, as it the fecond Commandment and the Scripture perfection did require all this, and taught Children to difobey their Parents and Matters, and fay your Prayers and Catechifms are Images and Idols, &c

14. It will rack and perplex the Confciences of all Chriftians j> when I muft take my (elf for an Idolater , till I can find a particular Law in Scripture, for every Tune , Metre, Translation, Method, Word, Vefture, Gefture, UteniiJ, &c. that I ufe in the worlhipping of God ; When Conference muft build only in the air, and reft only on a word whichnever was.

15. It will have a coufounding influence into all the affairs and buftnefs of our lives.

id. Laftly, It will affright poor people from Scripture and Religion, and make us, our Do-dfcrine and Worlhip, ridiculous in the fight of all the world. The Do&rine ( which we hear maintained ) which hath no better fruits than thefe, muft be avoided, as well as^ the contrary extreant, which would indeed charge the Law of God with imperfe&ion , and caule man to

ufurp

ufurp tfie part of Chrift. And wc muft firft know, Hot? far God made the Scripture for our Rule i and then we muft maintain its fufficiertcy and perfe&ion.

11. Alfo on that extream, we muft do nothing to countenance thofe Practices which tend to alienate Chriftians hearts from one another, and to keep up Church-Wars, or to feed bitter cen-fures, fcorns and reproaches. And we that muft not fcandalize the Religious fort, muft avoid all that thus tempteth them, which is the real fcan-dal. But of this I have faid enough in the Book which I am now defending.

Pare II.

An ANSWER to the

Untrue and unjuft Exceptions

OF THE

ANTIDOTE

AgainftmyTREATISEfor

LO7E WAVtyJTY.

DEar Brother (for fo I will call yOu>whether you will or not), the chief trouble that I am put to inanfweringyour Exceptions (next to that of my grief for the Churches and your felf, by reafon of (uch Diagnofticks of your Malady • is the naming of your manifold Vntruths in matter qffatt. It is 3 it feems, no fault in your A eyes

eyes to commit them y but I fear you will account it unpardonable bitternefsin me to tell you that you have committed them. If I call them Mifial^s, the Reader will not know by that name, whether it be miftakes in point of Fatt or of Keafon : And Lies I will not call them, becaule it is a provoking "word: Therefore Untruths muft be the j-nkldle title.

E X C E P T. I.

-l Untruth. ^ a g ei# The whole defign of this Book being to makgfuch as at this day are care full to keep them]"elves Pure from all defilements in Falje worjhip, Odious, it may well be affirmed it was neither feafonable nor honejl —

Anfw. T^Hat's the fundamental Untruth* JL which animateth all the reft, when you had got a falfe apprehenfion of the defign of the Book, you. feem to expound the particular pafTages by that Key. That which you call, The whole defign 5 isnot any part of the defign, but is exprefly and vehemently oft difclaimed and profefted a-gainfi. in the Book. And whoever readeth it without a Partial mind, will prefently fee that the whole defign of the Book is to deliver weak Chriftians from fuch miftakes and fins, as dejiroy their Love to other Chriftians> and caufe the divifionsziuovig the Churches.

2. Falfe

[3l 2. Falfe tvorfhip is a word of various fen- Falfc Wc fcs: Either if fignifieth, i. Idolatry, in what: fcveri worfliippinga falfe God. 2. Or the Ido- ^ 5 of lh *' latrous worfhipping of Images, as reprefen- ^° r V rations of the true God. 3. Or worfhipping God by Dodlrines and Prayers that confi/t offaljhoods. 4. Or deviling Wcrfhip-Or-dinances, and falfly faying they are the Ordinances of God. 5. Or making God a Worfhip which he forbiddeth, in the fab-ftance^nd will not accept* 6. Or worshipping God in an inward finful manner, through falfe principles and ends as hypocrites do. 7. Or in a finful outward man4 ner, through diforder, defe&ivenefs, and unhandfome or unlit expreilions.

Ofthefe, Ifuppofeyou will not charge the Cheches you feparate from, as guilty of the firjl^fecmdy fourth^ or fixth, (which is out of the reach of humane judgment) For I fuppofe you to be fbber. As for the third> through Gods great mercie, the Dodhrine of England is fo found, that the Independant? and Presbyterians have ftill offered to # fab-fcribe to it in the 39 Articles: according to which (if there were any doubtfulnefs in) the phrafes of their Prayers, (they) arc to be interpreted.- For the fifth, if you accufe them of it, you muft prove it > which is not yet done (fuppofing that you take not Government for PForJhip) i nor can you do it. So that it muft lie only on the feventb. And for that(if you will take the word [falfe- wor* fhip;} in that fenfe) do not you alfo worlhip A3 God

God fatfly when ycu worfhip him fitfully ? And are not your diforders and unmeet exprefji-0#/./&fj,as well as theirs? Alas,hcw oft have I joyned in Prayer with honeft men that have fpoken confufedly,unhandfomly, and many vvaiesmore unaptly and diforderly than the Common Prayer is ? How oft have I heard £Ood old Mr. Simeon AJh fay, that he hath * heard many Minijiers pray fo unfitly*, that he could heartily have rrifhcd that they had rather ufedthe Common Prayer? When did any one of us pray without fin ? How ordinarily do Anabaptifts, Antinomians, Arminians, Separatifts, Sec. put their Opinions into their Prayers, and fo make them falfe Pray-ers 0 and fo falfe Worjhip ? Nay, could you lay by partiality, and hpcrvyour feljLCz very hard thing) you would prefentlyTee that you who wrote thefe Exceptions, are liker to Worfhip God falfly than they that do it by the Liturgie, that is, in the third fenfe ; Becaufe the Volirine of the Prayers in the Liturgie is found*, but if you account this Script of yours to be Worjhip (and why not trritingzs well as preaching) or if you put the fame things into your Worfhip^ which you put into your writings, fas is veryufu-al with others) then it is falfe IForJhip in-deed, as confining of too many falfhoods. If you fray to God to encline men againft all that Communion which you write againft, or lament fuch Communion as a fin* this is falferworjhip than any is in the Liturgick Prayers. And if you will call all thofe

modes

I 5]

modes of worfhip falfe-, which God in Scripture hath not commanded, what * falfe zvorjhiffier are yon, that ufe a tranflation of Scripture, a Verfion and tunes of Pialms, a dividing the Scripture into Chapters and Verfes, yea the Method and words of every Sermon and Prayer,or moft, and abundance fuch like which God commanded not ? God never bid you ufe the words of Prayer in the Liturgie j Nor did he ever bid you ufe thofe which you ufedlaji without it.

O Brother, if you knew your felf, and judged impartially, you would fee, that whatever you fay againft mens communicating with other mens tolerable failings, as falfe worfhip may be as ilronglie urged for avoiding communion in disordered prayers that are without bookJ> and much more in the prayers of honeli erroneous Separatists, Anabaptifts, Antinomians, &c. which yet for my part I will not fo eafily avoid. I confefs if my judgment were not more than yours againft dividing from each other in the general, I (hould be one that (hould be as forward to difclaim Communion with many zealous Parties fnow received by you) and that as falfe worfbippers, as you are to difclaim Communion with others. S am iure you worfliip God falfy. that is, finfdly y every time that you worthip him.

3. But, feeingmy < ^Jeth you

equally from unjuft "av Communion

with all found and fober Chrijiians ; I ask you, 6 whetherall thefe feveui parties are

falfe

CO

falfe wvrjhifflers, fave you alone ? DM not the Presbyterians and Independants agree in worfhip, when you gathered Churches out of their Churches, and when thoufands feparated from all the Parifh Churches al-rnoft then exiftent > Indeed the Anabaptifts charged us alfo with falfe worfhip, but it was not truly. But the ordinary Dividers had not that pretenfe.

4. O how eafie a thing is it, Brother, for a man, without any fupernatural Grace, to reproach another qjans Words in Worfhip, and then to abhor it and avoid it,and think, I am one that keep my felf Pure from falfe Worfhip ! But to keep our felves pure from pride, cenfbrioufnefs, uncharitablenefs, contention, evil fpeaking, and fenfual vices, is a harder work. Others can as eafily (without mortification or humilities keep them-felves pure from your falfe worfhip as you can do from theirs.

% Vntruth* EXCEPT, ib. Since the crying fm this day is nop feparation^ but unjuji and violent Perfection, ( I) which Mr. Baxter jpeak; eth very little againfi.

Anfo'i* A Las, dear Brother, thataf-xl. ter fo many years Jilencing and affliction, after flames and Plagues, and dreadful Judgm£nts,after twenty years practice of the fin it felf,*and when we are buried in the very ruines which it caufed, we

fhould

• [7]

fliould not yet know that our own uncharitable Vhifions, Alienations, and Separations, are a crying fin ? Yea the eying fin > as well as the uncharitablenefs and hurtfulnefs of otherS ? Alas, will God leave utalfo.tven us to the obduratenefs of Vbaraub? Doth not judgment begin with us? Is there not crying fin with us ? what have we done to Chrifts Kingdome, to this Kingdome, to our friends (dead and alive) to our felves, and (alas) to our enemies, by our Di vifions? And do we not feel it ? Do we not kgow it ? Is it yet to us, even to hs<> a crime intolerable to call us to Repentance ? Wo to us! Into what hard-heartednefs have we finned our felves ! Yea that we (hould continue in the fin, and paflionately defend it! When wilt God give us Repentance unto life >

2. And whither doth your paflion carry you, when you wrote fo ftrangean untruth

as this, that I Q $t*k. ver V ?***fr a & a i n ft # !• Was it polfibleTor you to read the Book, and gather Exceptions, and yet to believe your felf in this ? Doth not the Book fpeak againft Church-Tyranny, Vnjuji impofitions. Violence, and ta]qng away mens Liberty, and rigor voixb Viffenters, from end to end > If any man that readeth but the Preface (as page 14,15,i<J, 17,18.) and all the fecond part (befides much more) can pofEbly believe you, I will never undertake to hinder him from believing any thing.

3. Butfuppofelhadfaid little againft it, will you charge me with Negatives or omif-

A 4 fions

lions before you know my Reafons? Or would you have no better people hear of their fin andrduty, till Persecutors will endure to hear of theirs. Exod* 6. 12. Behold the children of Ifiael have not hearkened unto me: hm then /hall, &cA faith Mofes ? Have mod or many of the Separation faid more againft feverities than I have done ?

4. But eould you poilibly be ignorant that a Licenfe is not to be expe&ed for liich a Difcourfe as you feem here to expedh You deal by me as the late Perfoafive to Conformity that vehemently calls to me to publifh my Reafons for Nonconformity,while he knew my hands were tied by the Laws and Li-eenfers.

5. But what if I had not in this JfWJ^fpo-ken much againft Perfecution, Is it not e-nough that I have done it in others ? I have not here written on many fabje&s which in other Volumes I have written of. And why fhould I ? If I had, would you not have blamed me for writing one thing fo oft ? Butyoumoft unhappily chofe this Inftance for your quarrel, I think in the judgment of all the Land, that have read my writings ? Befides my five Difpu tat ions of Church Government, how oft have I written againft Perfecution? The few Publick Sermons that ever I Preached, had fomewhat again ft h* Read our Papers to the Bifhops in 1660. efpecially the Reply to their Exceptions, &nd the Peti tiori for Peace- Enquire again pf the long provoking Conference at the

[p]

Savoy*, and the reafon of the following indignation againft me, and afterwards read this Book^ again h and then I modeftly cha-Jenge you i, to name thofe men in England, efpecially of the Separatifts, that have faid and done more againft that feverity which you call Perfecution, than I have done. 2. To name me one Licenfed Boof^ fince the filencing of the Minifters, and fince the Printing A3, That bath faid Jo much againfi Severity and Perfecution as the Bookjchicb you quarrel with bath done*

EXCEPT. II. Mr. B. mentionetb with - Vntruth much bitternefs what was formerly done in v the time of the War i which vs in him a moji unbecoming practices becaufe firfc Mr. B, was as guilty of ftirring up and fomenting that War as any one whatsoever: and none ought to blame the ejfett^ who gave rife and encouragement to the Caufe.

Anfa. i. T F you mean that my words**Jfe ° ( . »r m «**-I i • 7 t - j oniBg former

JL bitterly toyow> I cannot deny t ^ lTi % %

it: You know beft: But for my part, any Reader may fee in the Book which the Preface referreth to, that I only lament our too open undeniable uncharitablenefs and divisions, and the effe&s thereof, and ule the mention of fome mens former faults with whom they and I can hold cemmunion, to prove by way of Argument that they ought not to avoid communion with others for

the

the like or lefs. And I know not how to convince men well, if I muft pafs by all fuch experimental Argument?.

2. Do you not mark your partiaKtie, Brother! In our Reply to them 1660. pag. 7,8. et alibi, and in my 5 Difput. &c. I tell the Bifhop of faults paft? of Silencings^ and SujpendingSi&c* of the excellent Minifters afflidted and laid by ^ and how ordinarily are they told of the things charged on Bi-thop Lau^ Pierce-, Wren-, &c. in their Articles to the Parliament: And when did you blame me or others for fo doing ? Can I believe that this offendeth you ? Arid is it fin to tell yourftlves of your former fins, and none totelltheBifhopsof it? O that we could know what fpirit we are of.

3. Your third untruth in point of fa6t,is, [that I was as guilty offiirring up and fomenting that war as any one whatsoever.'] Could you poflibly believe your felf in this ? 1. I fuppofe you never faw uie till above ten years after I had done with Wars. 2.1 fup-pofe you lived far from me 0 3. If you know#?/ww, and what youfpeak of, you know that I was never'of the Ajfembly i I never Preached to the Parliament, till the day before the King was Voted home: I was forced from home to Coventry 1 There it was that I did fpeak my Opinion, but refu-fed their Commiffion as Chaplain to the Garrifon. In Shrofjhire my Father was twice imprifoned, that never did any thing againft the King j nor medled with Wars;

For

FortwoMonthsI did fomething there to little purpofe, and once got my father out of Prifon, by caufing another to be feized to redeem him ; but I never took Commilfi-on, Office, or pay all that time. I never cntred into the Army till after Nafcby fight, and openly declared I went thither for this furpnfe-i To difcharge my Confidence in dip-faadingthe Souldiers from the Overturning of the Government, and to have turned them from the purpofe which I perceived among them, of doing what afterwards they did. If you and others that know not what they talk of, will but ask Di.Brian^ Dr. Grem, Mr. King) or others, whom aflembled, I twice confulted about it, or any Surviversof the Coventry Committee, what bufinefs I went on into the Army, you will change your mind.

And did [no man rvh'atfoever do more than this.'] What not the Parliament [themfelves ? Not any of the chief Speakers there ? Not any of their acquaintance. What, not any of the other party neither ? Not any of the Armies, neither of the Earl of EJJex nor of Cromml himfelf ? How then came the Ar- Whether I mies on both fides to be raifed, and proceed were as guilty fb far in Wars, before ever I faw one man * san ? in ftir * of them, to my remembrance, or any Parlia- l!£* " p ment man or Souldier had ever (pake with me, or faw me, or ever had a line of writing from me ? Why do you find none of my Parliament Sermons in Print ?

4. But, if indeed I was as guilty as you

mention,

inention, why i: it in me a mofi unbecoming prattice^ to blame that which you think I did occaficn > Is thi > good Divinity, that it is unbecoming a Miniftcrto mention heinous fin with Lrterncfs which we have bin guilty of? How then (hall we repent? Or asReppntince ?n unbecoming thing ? I hope the Ad of Oblivion was not made to frustrate Gods Ad of Oblivion, which giveth Pardon to the Penitent ? Doth it forbid us to Repent of fin, or to perfwade our brethren to repent > Where fin is hated, Repentance will not be hated: And if fin were as bitter as it muji be. Reproof would not be bitter.

5. Do you think that you Preach found Dodfrrine, when you fay that [None ought to blame the effects who gave rife and encouragement to the Caufe."] If this Do£hrine be part of Gods worfhip which you oifer him, who ihould be avoided as a falfe worshipper, that is, 3. falfe teacher , fooner than your felf! What a fcandal is it to the world, and di-(honour to your felf, that fuch Dodhine fhould be found thus under your hand, deliberately delivered ? If this be true, then he that firft encouraged the War on either fide, muft not blame any of the Murders, Robberies or. other Villa nies therein committed > Then he that hired the French man tofet Londm on Fire, muft not blamj thz burning o£h. Then a man ought not to blame any fin whichever he was a caufc of! Then when a man hath once finned he

muft

[ «3 3

muft defpair^ and never muft repent nor blame his crime. If you had found fuch Do&iine as this in the Common Prayer Book, you would have had a fowler charge agamft it than now you have, as to Dodhi-nals. Which I mention but to (hew you, that if we muft run away from one another for every thing that is unfound, we fhall never have done, and others muft avoid you as much as you do them.

6. But your deceit in the word [That A " d Pjfy of War] hath a tranfparent covering. Which JJ u J t ]J^ War is it that you mean ? Do you think all £ff c a s ? that is done in one land, or one age, or by

one Army, is one War ? Where there are feveral caufes, (especially if alfo feveral parties,) fure they are feveral Wars. The firft War was made under the Earl of Ejftex.when the Commillions run | for the King and Parliament 1 . The fecond War begun under Fairfax and Cronme% when [for the King ] was left out of the Commillions. Another War was by Cromwell againft the Londoners and Parliaments when he garbelled them y though it came not to blows). Another War was agaiuft the Scots Army and the Englijh that rofe for the Kings Deliverance. Another was in Ireland : Another in Scotland : Another between Cromml and the Levellers. And many others there were afterwards under feveral llfurping Powers» And do you call all thefe one ? or which of them do you mean ?

7. I fuppofe you gtofly call.the meer

cmfir

L Hi

confequents, the ejfetts. Sure that which was the Ejfeft of a later War-, might be but the Consequent of a former. Or elfe you mull fay that the Parliament raifed War againft themfelves, to pull down themfelves, and fet up a Prote&or ? This was the Canjh quentoi their firft War> but whether the ejfett I leave to Logicians to determine. But by this you may fee that you again preach falfe dodtrine. The King may give rife and encouragement to a War-> and yet may lawfully blame fuch Confequents as you call effects / What if the Kings own Army fhotild plunder and murder, and blafpheme and depopulate** yea, or dcpofe or hurt, or any way injure the King himfelf ? Shall a man that feparateth from the Liturgie as falfe worfhipcome and tell us, that the King ought not to blame any of this becaufe he gave rife and encouragement to the War : Extremities and Pailion do thus unhappily ufe to blind men*

8. But ferioufly, Brother, I befeech you let us review the Effects you mention or re-fpedt. Is it poffible for any fober Chriftian in the World to take them to be blamekfs> or to be little fins* What! both the violating the perfon and life of the King. And Whether no- t ^ Q Qi an g e of the fundamental Government Kl&tc?Jf. or Confiitntion. And an Armies force upon 'the Parliament which they promifed obedience to ? Firit upon.t?/«/e# members \ next upon the greater part of the houfe v and laftly upon the remainder? The taking down

the

[ 15] the boufe of Lords *, The fetting up a Parliament without the peoples Choice or Con-fern. The invading am Conquering Scotland: The making their General ?rote€tor.Tht ma- ™ft now^hac king an Initrument of Government them- ^wro^thcViS felves, without the people. The fetting up Narrative of their fecond Protedtor. The forcing him to my Anions diffolve the Parliament. The pulling him hercio, which do*n, whom themfelves had lately fit up. fXtX ■ The fetting up the remnant or the Com- ca ^ K away> ' mons again: The pulling them prefently becaufe neither down again: The placing the. Supremacy partof;hcac-in a Council of themfelves, and their adhe- cufcr$ can bwr pents. Was all this lawful ? And to do all 1C% this as for God, with dreadful appeals to him.? Dare you or any man, not blinded and hardened, juftifie all this ? If none of all this was Rebellion or Treafon, or Murder, is there any fuch Crime,think you, po£ fible to be committed ? Are Papifts inciting over us in our (hame ? Are thoufands hardened by thefe and fuch like dealings into a fcorn of all Religion ? Are our Rulers by all this exafperated to the feverities which we feel ? Are Minilters (Ilenced by the cc-cationof it,about eighteen hundred at once, (even many hundreds that never were in any Wars, and (uch as confented not to this at all. ) Are we made by it the by-word and hilling of the Nations, and the (hame and pitty of all our friends ? And yet is all this to bt'piftificdy or fifcncid ? and none of it at alltobt openly repented cf> I openly pro-fefs to you 3 that I believe till this be done,w T e

are

are never like to be healed and reftored, and that it is heinous grofe impenitence, that keepeth Minifters and people under their diftrefs: And I take it for the fad Progno-ftick of our future woe, and fat beft) our lengthened affliction, to read fuch writings agamft Repentance-, and to hear fo little open frofefjion of Repentance-, even for unqueftiund* lie heinous crimes '•> for the faving of thofe that are undone by thefe fcandals, and for the reparation of the honour of Religion, which is molt notorioufly injured.

To fee men ftill think, that their Repentance is the dijhonour of their party and Caufe-, whofe honour can no other way be repaired ! To fee men fo blind, as to think that the filencing of thefe things will hide them , as if they were not known to the World! That man or party that will jufti-fie all thefe heinous Crimes^ and ftill plead Confcience or Religion for them, doth grievous injury to Confcience and Religion: I have told you truly in the book which is hitter to you, that Gods way of vindicating the honour of Religion, is for us by open free Confeflion, to take all the fhame to our felves, that it be not injuriouily caft up«-on Religion. And the Devils way of pre-ferving the honour of the Godly, is by jufti-fying their fins, and pleading Religion for them, that fo Religioufuefs itfelfimy be ta-jcen to be hypocriiie and wickednefsi as maintaining and befriending wickednefs.

For my own part I thought when I wa:-

fted

[ 17] feed my ftrength, and hazarded my life in the Army againit thefe fore-named Crimes, and afterwards preached and wrote againft them fo openly, and fomany years, that I had not b?en fo much guilty of them as you here affirm. But if I was,! do openly con-fefs that, if I lay in fackcloth and in tears, and did lament my iins before the World,Sc beg pardon both of God and man, and in-treat all men not to impute it to Religion, but tame, and to take warning by my fall, which had done fuch unfpeakable wrong to Chrift and men, I fhould do no more than the plain light of nature afTureth me to be my great and needful duty*

EXCEPT. II. ib. There is daily much ±y H f TH ^ 7 greater propbanenefs? and the Confequent of pwpbanenefs, Immoralitypatted hy tbofe (\) rrbomyet Mr. Baxter never mentimth hut with honour \ As if no fins or mifcarriages were to be blamed but theirs? who are unable to defend tbemftlves.

A'tfo* !• T F this were true, I were much X too blame, it being the very ufage of others againit my felf, which I have great reafon to complain oft

2. But if it was pollible for you to believe your own words, that I never mention them but with honour? I (hall think that there are few things that you may not polfibly believe, Reader^ if thou perufe the book, and

[ i«] yet believe this Author, I am not capable of Whether I ne- Satisfying thee in this, nor will I undertake ver mention it many thingelfe. Are thefe terms of ho-jhc prophanc rour p re f. p. 18. [How long Lord muft thy jucwiih ho- chmch and Cm fi hc in fbe hjndf Q f mex ^

rienad furious fools , &c. ^ Do I honour them when I (o much difplay their fin.? And when in the fcheme in the conclufion I de-fcribe it > And when I tell you of many of fuch Minifters,and that it is a duty to feparate from them, or difown them. And when in the hiftory of Martin,! tell you how neer it I am my felf, as to fuch as Martin (e-parated from > And when I cite Gildas,c£r ling fuch no Minifkrs, but enemies and tray-tors, Sec. Were you not very ra(h in this?

3. But what if inthisbool^l write neither again ft the praphane, nor the Jews, nor the Mahometans} Is it nothing that I have written the greater part of ab^ve fifty books befides againft them.

4. What if there be Prophanenefs to be reproved h doth it follow that m muft not be reproved alfo > Muft we not repent, be-czuk they muft repent?

5. O how hard is it to pleafe all meet ! What man in Eagland hath been Ids fufpe-&ed to be a flatterer of fuch as he mseneth than my felf ? or more &ccufed of the contrary that hath any reputation of mini-fterial fobriety ? Ask the Bi(hops that Conferred with us at the Savoy, 1660 ? Ask your felf that read our Reply then > Ask any that ever did Cenverfe with me*, whether ever I

was

,

C 'p]

was fufpe&edof flattery, ordawbing with trim • fins ?

6. But feeing you fo far honour me, as to vindicate me from other mens accufati-ons, I fhall confete that it is my judgement, both that we (hould honour all men, i Pet- 2. ij. efpecially our fuperiors* and alfo that in our eyes a vile per fun Jhould be contemned, while ree honour them that fear the Lord, PfaU 15.4.

EXCEPT. III. He allorveth himfelf a great and majierly liberty^ call his brethren fierce, felf-conceited dividers, fedverijh ]>ef+ jbns,&Qi

Anfrv. T F there be none fuch,or but a few,

JL I will )oyfully confefs my error > Of partial tea* But if all ages of the Church have had fuch, d«nct. and if this Kingdom have been fo troubled by fuch, as all men know ', and if they yet live in this fin to their own trouble and ours, why (hould it be contrary to meeknefs to mention it ? Should I hate my Brother, in differing fin to lie upon him.

Every paragraph almoft inviteth me to remember Chrifts words to the two fierie Difciples, and to fay^O how hard is it to \t&&> pphat manner offpirit we are ef. Tell me Reader, whether this be not true ? that if I had called the Bifhops facrtfegms filettcers of a faithful Minijiry, murderer* of many him* dredthoujand Jottls, fer]urimr 7 frgnd^ tyran* B 2 nicat}

uical, covetous ', formal hypocrites*, malignant haters of good mm, & c. 1 might not very eallly have come off with many of thefe angry brethren, without any blame for want of Mceknefs? Nay, whether they would not have liked it as my zeal ? when as fuch a gtutlc touch upon themfelves, doth intolerably hurt them. Is there not grofs par-tialitje in this.

Note alfo that thefe brethren that plead for Libertie do call it a mafierly Libertie in me, thus to name their faults. And do § you think that they would not have filenced my book, if it had been in their power? Note then whether thefilcncing imperious Spirit, he not common to both cxtrcams*

EXCEPT. lb. He ufeth the fame frothy and unfavoury words, that otherspropham Prayer and the name of God by, and which at the beji, is that foolijh-tailing or jefting whichwe are commanded not fo much as to mention, Eph. 5.3,4.

Anfw. TPH E words are [lam only per-X fwading all dijfenters to Love one another, and to forbear but all that is contrary to love : And if fuch an exhortation and advice fecm injurlms or intolerable to you, the 1 I;ord havt mercy on your fouls'. J'Is the mat-. ter of this prayer unlawful ? Or can he prove that I (pake it jeftingly; When I took it to be the ferious prayer of my grieved

heart ?

heart ? Or may we ufe no words ( as Lord have mercy on us, &c.) which others ufe unreverenrlv ? Or is it true do&rine, that this is the foolifh talf^and j'ejiing forbidden, Eph. 5 ? What proof is there here of any one word of all this?

E X C E P T. IV. p. 2. He dnhvcry often and needlefly infijlon many tilings that may tend to advance bis own reputation*] The in-ftances are added.

Anftc. i. T Confefs, Brother, I am a great of my Pri&,

JL finner,« and have rt}or€ taults than you have yet found out. But I pray you note, that all this (till isnothing to our Controverfie, whether we fliouJd advife men againft Church divifions as contrary to Love*

2. If a humble Phyfitian may putiproba-tiim to his Receipt, and fay I have much ex-perienceofthis or that \ I pray you why may not a humble Minifter ttil England, that I f and you) have had experience of the hurt of diviftons, and of the healing uniting power of Love? Did all the Independent Church-members whofe Experiences are printed in a book, take Experience to be a word of pride.

3. And is it pride to thankjhe World for their Civilities to me, in mixing Commendations, which I difown, with their centres ? What! to confefs the remnants of

B 3 jthei*

their moderation (notorious in matter .of fad, the truth of which you durft not deny) in the midft of their many falfe cen-fures and calumnies.

4. Or to tell you how unable I have found back-biters, to prove their accufati-pns in do6trinals to my face? 5. Or to tell you, that fom£ feven Independents) per-fwaded rne,whcn I was filenced to write fcr-mons for Tome of the weaker .Conformifts ( fuch as are too many youths from the Univerfity ) to preach ? Where lieth the pride of thefe expreifions ? Is it in fuppo-fing w that there are any Conformifls wca\ct than my felf? Whether, think you, this Brother or I, think meanlier of them ? Or fet our felves at the greater diftance from them? 6. When I plead againft charging forms with [Idolatry] I fay, that for my felf [it is twenty times harder p me to remember a. form of words ^ than to exprefs rrhat is in my mind without them.~] If this be not true^why did yckvnot queftion the truth of it > If it be, why is it pride to, utter it, as a proof that I plead for Love, and not for my own in-tereft ? Is it pride to confefs fo openly the weaknefs of my meriiory ? I never learnt a Sermon 1 without book in my life : I think I could not learn an hours fp£ech,fufficient-ly to litter the very words by memory in a fortnights time* And is it pride for a man to fay that he can eafler fpeak vvhat is in his qrind ? T*uly brother, I was fo far from ^tending it as a boaji^ that I imeant it as a

dimi*

L*3 3

diminution of the over-valued honour of

prefent extemporary expreilion, and to tell

you, that I take it to be fo far from proving

that your prayers only are accepted of God,

before a form, as fignifying more grace,

that I take it to be an e after thing for an ac- Whether it be

cujlomed man that hath not adifeafed hefi- „Zl°V* y

r , , . . r . • , extempore, or

tancy to ipeak extempore what is in Ins wind, by roemoi y of than to learn a form without book> And words. that they that do this^ do ferve God with as much labour and coft as you do ? Do I boaft, or do I not fpeak the common cafe of molt Minifters,when I truly fay, That when I take mofi pains for a Sermon, I write eve* ry word : when I take a little pains I write the heads > but when bufinete hindereth me from taking any pains, I do neither, but fpeak what is in my mind > which I fup-pofe others as well as T, could do all the day and week together, if wearinefs did not interrupt them. I feek by thefe words but to abate their pride that think themfelves fpi-ritual,becaufe they can pray or preach without book 9 Like fome now ueer me, that account it' formality and a fign that a Preacher fpeaketh not by the Spirit, if he ufe notes, or preach upm a text of Scripture , but admire one neer them that cries down fuch, and ufeth wither.

7. Is it pride to fay that [thofe darker perfons whom I have been fain to rebukg for their over-valuing me and my nnderjtadding, would yet as ftiffiy detend their moft groundjels opinions againtt me when I croft B 4 them,

them, as if they thought I had no under-itanding.] If you do think that you cannot be over-valued, or are not> fo* do not I. And I thought my rebuking men for it, had beennofignof pride. And, brother, lam confident, if you your felf did not believe that my undemanding, and confequently my Writings are over-valued, you-would never have written this book, ^efpecially in fuch a ftile againft me: yea, in the end you profefs this to be your defign, to undeceive thofe that had a good opinion of me. If thofe on the other fide had not thought the fame, my late Auditors at Kedcrtoinfter had never had fo many Sermons\ and that by per-tons fo higb^ nor would fo many boohs have been written to the fame end even to cure the people of this dangerous vice, of overvaluing me. The matter of fad being Co publick, invalidated your exception.

8. The laft expreilion of my pride is,that I give this teftimony even to Chriftians inclined to divifions, that, if they think £ man fpeaketh not to the deprelling of true iand ferioiis religion, they can bear that from . him, which they cannot bear from one that they think hath a malignarit^nd : and that bri this account in my (harped'reproofs my own auditors have (till been patient witn Ine. Enquire whether this be -true or not ? Whether I have not preached twenty times fnore againft'Divifions, to apeople'that never once quarrelled with it. than I have %itfcfl agamftit in the boot with whieh

you

you (b much quarrel. And is this prsbatum given againft malignity a word of pride too?

You proceed in your Charge that [ I have great tlxntghts of my felf and have learned little of Cbrijtian or moral ingenuity, and am unfit to be a Teacher of it to others* Anftv. i. Do you not yet perceive that you alfo have a filencing fpirit ? when you and thofe that you fcpar ate from are agreed, that we are unfit to ke Teachers, becaufe y?egainfay you, why do you pretend fo great a diftance, even in the point of imperious feperity. 2. O how hard is it ftill to know our felves, and what manner of fpirit we are of. Is it pride in me to ihink that I am righter than you or to exprefs it ? Why, brother, do not you think as con-fideHtly thzt you art righter than I? and do you not as Confidoitly utter it ? I differ no further from you, than you do from me: And why is it not as much fignof pride in you, to think you know more than I, *s in me to think that I know more (in this) than you ? The truth is, Pride is not a true valuing, but an over-valuing our felves, and our Who is to be ownunderfiandings. If cither you or I be in judged Proud; the right, and both think our felves confidently to be fojie is the Proud perfoir which ever he be, that is in,the irrong \ For it is* he that over-valuetb his own underftaijding. Here therefore the Evidence muft decide the Cafeo

EXCEPT,

E X C F P T. V.p.3 * Anfmred. Your yh. MowmHfekcs. Exception implieth more Untruths: The firft is, that I did not conftder that fault of the Impofers y which I have written in that very book (0 much againft/ and elfewhere -, and before, (aid more againft than any man that I know in England , This was not confi-derately fpoken. The fecond is, that all or moft ot thoie that you feparate from, made tearing engines and dividing impofitions^K this be not implied you (peak not to the point* But you may eafily know that in all the Pa-rifh-Churches of England^ there is not one man or woman,no not one Minifter of very • many that ever made or impofed fuch Engines.

The third implied untruth is, that I plead either for fubferibing Afiinfa or for fuch Communion as cannot be had, without fub~ fcribing AJfent, to what you kjton> is fitful > whenyou mayjoyn as far as I defireyou^ with* cut fubferibing any Affent at all*

EXCEPT. VI. Anfmred. 1. As to Whom we thefenfeof 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, i<5. and Rev. nmft comcout 1 & 6. • You confefs that | the texts do dirtti-?? om ? ly and properly concern only Infidels and Ido-

laters there mentioned. 2. You fay It belongs to othrsthat are gnilty of the fame Crimes, under the name ofChrijiians^proportimally.

Anfw. Very true V If it be not a contradiction ! If any called Cbriftians be notorious

Infijels

Infidels and Idolaters, they arc not Cfai/ft-<*#/, and fo not fit for Ghriftian Communion. But from the Societies of fuch we muft flie our felves: But not from the fbcieties of Chriftians,alwaies, when fome fuch fhall intrude.

3. You fey [We are afmmakded jiritfty tf feparate from every one that if called d brottier\ if he be covetous, or a raifer, & c. An fa* The! Church, and not a ; private man, muft exclude fuch a one from Church-Commuriion. And you your felf muft-exclude hirri firdm your private familiarity -, But you are not commanded to feparate from the Churcft, if they exclude him not. I am not bound to feparate from the Church where you ire, for this Book which you have written, though I couM prove it railing* How few feparated Churches know you on earth, that have no Covetoptt perfon or raikr ? Or at leaft, where the people hold it their dutie to feparate from their own Church, if any Covetous perfon or railer beth'ere >

4. You add [that if notmttflanding all admonition any Church mil JIM retain them y tpe are not to oxen fuch a Church as a Spoufi of Chriji, and therefore muji come out of it> &c] wh «» r wc Anf*. i. I have in that Book proved ttie ^{^ contrane by abundant Scripture inftances > And in the next exception you jwir felf con-fefs the primitive corntptions r arid lay the -ftrds of your Separation only on Impdfed Conditions of Communion. 2. Yot* give us ho proof of this naked affhtfcn. If *

Scold <

Scqldptfr woman or a Covetous Profejfor be retained in a Church otherwife pure, you are not therefore bound to (eparate, much lefs to take it for no Church: For that is a true Church which hath the true effentials of a Church : But fo may one that reteineth a Qovetous man or a. £a?W. Ergo—By your rule> you mull Separate not only from Pa-riJbClwrcfoS) butfrotn moft of the Separar ted Churches that ever.I was acquainted witl),

I find no particular-Church called A Spoufe of Chrijiy but the univerfal oniy ; As a Corporation is not a Kingdome, but apart of a Kingdome.

5. Above twenty Arguments in my hook for Infant Baptifm, (hew that you did not truly fay, that [the beft argument that all learned menhave ever defended it by, it the propor-tion.it ft at h jo Circ'umcifhn.

___ :

EXCEPT. VII. Anfwered. You fay that I impertinently recite the Corruptions of the Scripture Churches, to prove that we are not to feparate, &c. yourreafon is [Be-caufe many Errors'in Vottrine and life vpcre } formerly admitted, y et none of them were impo-TheCo ti- fed as conditions of Communion. on of the Anfa. Do you not fee that here you

Scripture feem to deny what you faid fb confidently

Churches; in thelaft Exception ?-,There you fay, We-mufl come out-, if they mill receive fuch for members after all admonition >and reteintbem.

Here

[ 2P]

Here you feem plainlie to yield that up, and to lay all on impofed Conditions of Communion, as if elfe you could communicate with Churches fo corrupt. You can bear your own contradiction better than mine*

2. What isimpofed onyou as a condition to your Communion in the Dodtrinje and Prayers of the Parifh Churches, but your attual Communion it felf > If you will fay, that their badMinifter, and their imper-feUform-, is impofed as a Condition, becaufe you mujl be frefent *, fo they may. fay, that youzKo impofe -your imprfett manner and exptfftons on them> as Conditions of their Communion in your Churches: And thus you are all Impgfers.

5 Vnmtbs

EXCEPT. VIII. Anfwered. Firft you fay I faid that I [met with many Confci-entious ProfeJJors, &c. That's your fifth un- ■ truth : I faid no fuch thing, but only [ma-v ny Cenforious profeflbrs. ]

2. You fay,7f is hardly pfftble to believe it. But that ispoflibleto men that ufe to be more careful of fpeaking truth themfelves, and that are acquainted with the people of England , by fuch means as. Conference, which is hardly poffible to others.

3. You ask [Ought not fuch things to be CM concealing concealed^ And youabufe Scripture to con- th f foulcsof firm it. But, 1. Are you not h f ere partial? Dlvi 4 c S

Is it your judgement that wefhould conceal the faults or ignorance, or errors of the Bi-

Of concealing (hops, Confofmifts, and Parifli members > the faults *f Or be they not commonly multiplied and Dividers, aggravated? £nd yet, muft the Separates ignorance and error be concealed.

2. Do you defire .their Repentance and humiliation whpfe faults you would have concealed ? And do you imitate Nebemiab and others of Gods Servants, that ufe to Con-fefs the fins of all ranks and forts of men?

3. Do you ufe in publichJmmiliaUQns to confefs this ignorance of Profeflbrs or not?" If not, what a kind of humiliation do you irake? If you do, dpnot you publickty reveal this fecret*

4. How grofly are you unacquainted with England that take tftis for zfecrct, or for hardly to be believedywhen we have Congregations and multitudes of fuch, and the

*ft«aAbut land * and world ringeth of them. Hornius his j. p 0 y OU not t h us harden them that

aTeS . charge us with/^f^c/}, when you (hew Scas,Ecclcf. your (elf fo felicitous for the Concealment Rift/and fee of the ignorance of your party, while you whtt ftrangcrs have no fuch care for others ? think of us. ^ g^ j t j s y 0ur fjxfh Vntruth in point

o( fa8> when you fay (with fcorn) £ Are not we Commanded not to reveal the fecret of another s which pious and prudent Mr. Baxter hath m Jcrupled to fin again}}, &c< Prov< 25.^.]

Of my reveal- As Y ou abufe the text > which f P^ aketh of

ing Scc««. *& individual perfon, who is fuppofed to be

hereby injuredjbccaufe known, fo you fpeak

untru*

untruly in faying I revealed anothers fecrets 9 For to pafsby,that I reveal not the perfons, who are ftill mb$own*> it is not true that they were fecrets ! When I difputed almoft all day with fuch(both Souldiers and QthersJ in the publick Church at Amerfham above 20 years ago, was that a Jeered which they fa fiercely proclaimed ? When I difputed daily almoft with fuch in Cromn>elTs Army, was that a fecret ? When I difputed with Mr. Bromt (an Army Chaplain) and his adhe* rents for the Godhead of Chrift, in a pub-lick Church at JForcefier> was that a fecret} When I difputed in the publick Church at Kiderminfter with the Quakers, was that a fecret ? When the faid Quakers, and many other Se&s, have come to my houfe, and have oft affaulted me in many other places openly, and vented their ignorance with fierce revilings and raging confidence, was that a, fecret ? When I have openly Catechized men, was that a fecret} Do not all found Proteftants believe that they are fundamentals which our .Quakers commonly contradift, and are ignorant of, efpecially Foxes party, whom Smith and Majot Cob-Mt accufe to deny Chrift and the Refurre-&ion, &c. And are there not Affemblies yf fuch in London ? And do not many turn to than of late ? And is that a fecret which tljeir books and their affemblies tell the World? Who is it now that is Jut u Jhame ?

Except,

[30

E XC E P T. IX. Anfwered. I muft riofr anfwer for what I fay againft the Papifts too. I Confefs they axefeparatifis or recu-fants too. Bat lets hear the Charge > You fay [T:hey are very unmigbedand rafh words, when he faies Q Shew me in Scripture or in Church hifiory that either there ever was de fadto^r otigbt to he de jure fuch a thing in the * Worlds as the Tapirs call the Church, and I profefs I nill immediately turn Papiji > ] We thin\ none can write thus, but declares a great iinfitadinefs in 'his Religions for none that bpoweth Church hifiory hut can prove that fuch a Church as the Komane, hath been neer 1300 years a&ually in being.

f ' Anfw. i. My foregoing words are thefe^ Y^the Pope hath feigned another thing, and called it the Churchy that is, The Vniverfaiiiy of Chriftians headed by himfclf: Whereas 1. God never injiitutedor aUomdfuch a Church. 2. Nor did ever the Vniverfality of Chrifiians acknowledge this ufurping head.

Now when you lay there hath been [fucb a Chyrch as the Komane"] either you mean what I denied [ fuch a Church as they claim and feign] and Idefcribed,Or only [_fuchb Church as they are, which if another thing.'] ' If the later, why will you grofly abufe your Reader by fuch a deceit, which tendeth to, tempt him unto Poperie?, What's that to rny words which you feeffl ttf contradid? But if you mean the former, and indeed coritracfift me, then 1. You prevaricate in

befriend*

befriending Popery. 2.Youberefet down three more Vntmtbs in matter of fact > i. That there hath been neer 1300 years Cor

fuch a Church *, that is 0 that the 7 Vntrutfa Vnivcrfalhyof Chriftians did acknowledge the Pope for the Vniverfal Conjiitutive and Go- 8 Vntrutb*

nng Head. 2. That there is none that kporv-cth Church hijhry but can prove thti. 3. that 9 Vntrutfa they are very unrpcighed words > in which I af-fert what I did.

And all this I have given the World full The Caufe of proof of, in my Difpute againft Mr. John- Popery erica. fan the Papift, of the Viilbility of the Church. Had I not weighed the words, I had not fo many years agofo largely proved and maintained them. And I have there folly proved, that the Romane Church wai only Imperial, or of the Empire ("and the Couhtreys that after fell from the Empire) fuch as we call national, becaufe under one Prince. That defatto, the Perfians,' the Aballines, Indians, part of Armenia find many other Churches or Chriftians, never ac-vledged him their Conftitutive or Governing Head i that the Emperors who called the General Councils had nothing to do with the fubjedts of other Princes, nor ufed to call them; That the General Councils confifted only of the fubje&s of the Empire, (and thofe that had been of the Empire,) except one Johannes Perfidis^nd one or two moreinconliderable perfbns, that no account can be given of, who they were, or how they came thither, Gvdignns himfelf C ° will

will tell ycu enough of the Abiffines. All the Papifts in the World are never able to , anfwer this publick Evidence of fadt, with any fenfe. Of Mr. John- Mr. Johnfons Reply I take not to be wbr-forts Reply to thy of an Anfwer with any man that can my Be ok. make-life of an anfwer s when his fhiftisfo grofs as to intfance in the Biihops of Tfoa-cia as out of the Empire, and fuch as they, which every novice in hiiiory 2nd Geographic can C onfute* ilnkfs I was Confuted in London at a publick Play, where (that you may fee who influenceth them) a Tutor in Geographie was (as I am credibly informed ) brought in telling his Pupil!, that Prefier Johns Comttrcy of Absffia was of the fame Latitude vcitb a fdace in Worcefkr-fhire called Kedermirifter.l

Now feeing reafon forbiddeth me to interpret you as fpeaking of the Church of Konit as a Sect or Party, when I fpake of it, as the Vniverfalhy ot Chrifilans beaded by the Pope (your Context (hewing that it is my words that you gainfayj therefore I muft number thefe three alfo with the xct\ of your untruths.

You adde [ We wonder that any Protectant Jhould.be founds though hut by the by equating of Church hijicry to Scripture, of if the uncertain tradition of tfo one-, were to be as much accounted of and followed a* thd Divine And in*-fallible Revelation of the other* ]

Anfw. i. Becaufe this wonder plainly containcth an affirmation that I do fo,I mult

fay

r 351

fay that It isyour tenth untruth; Prove(uch loVmruth* a word if you arc able.

2. It is not true that this Hiftorie is uncertain ( though not to be equalled with S riptuie.) Is the Cafe of a vail Empire of JEtbiofu (as big yet after the decay faith Brier wood, as Germany , Italy-, France and Spun) uncertain, when-the World knoweth that they have not had fo much as Converfe with the Pope, and at Oviedos attempt did not know who he was ? And fo of Perfia> India, &c.

It you will needs be fo much wifer than your neighbours as to prove all hiftorie uncertain, even that there was a C*fat-> or a William the Conqueror, i. While you befriend the Papifts in this one point, you will incommodatethem in others, 2. And you will promote Infidelitie, by making that hiftorie uncertain by which we know the Canonical books of Scripture, and that they are delivered down to us the fame and un-corrupt. %

When I had given in few words, a full and plain anfwer to the Papifts about our kparation from their Church, and remem-bred how many Volumes they have troubled the World with, by obfcuring our plain and Whether ic be ordinarie anfwer, I told them, that muft imollerablc have Volumes to hide the fenfe, that if this Pride to fey anfwer feem not plain and full to them, it is be- thr J ch ^ p *P l{ * $ catffe tbey underhand not Cbrijiian fenfe and ^nft^ ™ reafon > and not for want ofplainefs in {he f cn f c anc i rc ^ nutter, or through defeSivenefs as to litis- fon. ,

' C2 fc

[ 3*1

fie a reafonable impartial man. This, brother, chargeth this faying, to be j infolent* and from intolerable Pride Jbecaufe I dare fo Charge another with want of Chriftian fenfe, and reafon, & c.

w Untruth. Anfw. i. This is his eleventh untruth. I only named fenfe and reafon objedlivtly^not fubje&ively. [ It is not bccauf the Anfwer which I give the Papiics (and which Pro-teftants commonly give; is not full and plain, or wanteth/c«/e or reafn^but becaufe the Vdp\[\s underfiand it not. He that hath fenfe and reafon may be hind red from ufing it aright, by interelt, partialitie, and wilful negligences which it is no new thing for Protectants to think that Papiils are too oft guilty of. But how proud am I then, intple* xdbly proud that in feveral books have main-taincd that all Papiftsthat hold Tranfub-ftantiation, do make it an Article of Faith, and neceiTarie to Salvation, flatly to contradict all the fenfes of all the found men in

# the World, that (hall judge whether bread

be bread, and wine be wine? How much ttibjcinfolfntji Charge is this? But,brother, Popifli abfurditks have need of a better defence, than to call the adverfarie infohnt and proud.

2. And is the thing I fay true or falfe? I prove it true. The An fiver of the Troteftants about Luther'j Reformation which I give, it Chrijiian Scnfe and Reafon : But the Papijts or any that deny itferioujly, and takf it nut to be plain and full underjiand it mt : Ergo they

under-

[37] underftand not Chriftian fcnfe and rea-(on.

Thetis,In this: Fori never (aid that they underftand not Chriftian Senfe and Reafon, in any other thing-, nor is there the leaft appearance of fuch a fenfe. Now if this, - brother, will deny either of the premifes, he may expeft an anfwer. Till then I adde.

3. Are not you, brother, by your own cenfnre notorioufly inflent and intolerably proud, if this hold good, as well as I? Do you not take all that you fay againft me (or fome part at leaft; to be plain and full, and to be Cbriji'un fenfe and reafon ? And do you not fuppofe me to think otherwifeof it > *And do you not think that this is be-caufe I underftand it not? Thus fome mens hands do beat themfelves.

4. And do you not implicitly charge all <pr moll Proteltant Writers with infolence and intolerable pride as well as me ? Do they not all think their reafons againft the Pa-pifts plain and full fat leaft fome of them:) And do they not think that the Papifts de-nie them becaufe they underftand not the Chriftian Senfe and Reafon which is in them.

5. And have not all mankind a deficien-cie of underftanding? And is it pride and infolence to fay fo ?

6. But judge of your own fpirit by your own rule: Do not you think thofe that you before charged with perfecution, and nuking our dividing engines, and whofc

C 3 " Com-

[3*3

Communion you think it a duty to avoid, to be fuch as undcrjiand not Cbriftian fenji and veafon in the ar^uings which I and others haveufed againft them?, And is it not as lawful to think fo of the Papiits ?

EXCEPT. X, Anfrvered. I ufed the phrafe of \fLocal prefential Communion] in Contradiftin&ion, i. To the Cacholick Communion of pcrfons abfent, which is by Faith and Love, 2. x4md the Communion by Delegates and Rcprefentativcs: And our bror ther here,i. Calleth this phrafe | infignifcant Jargon^] which was not faid through any redundancy of Senfe and Reafon above othets ••> Nor do I acknowledge his autho-xitie in the fentence without his reafon.

2. He faith \Vnlavpful terms are impg-fed onus} An fa. Brother, Do you think men muft truft their fouls on your naked word ? Where in all this book have you done any thing, that with an impartial undemanding can go for proof, that [i# all the Varifh Churches of England that u[e the Liturgie^ that is impofed as a Condition of our Qommunhnin hearing spraying, which it is not lawful fomctimes to do ?] Anfwer this, as to Mr, Nie about hearing.and to me about Praying* ifyoucari.^ and do not nakedly affirm.

3. You fay you do not [Jo much ftparate as forbear Comtnunion\ and your reafon is

[ B9 ] '

ffor rve were never of them. 1 Anftv. I take you for a Christian and a Protectant: Are you net fo far of us > Is not a member of the fame Univerfal Church of Chrift, obliged to hold Communion, as he hath a fpe-cial Call or occafion, with more Churches than that particular one whichlie ordinarily joyneth with/ It you purpoiely avoided and denied Communion with all the Inde-.OE Separation. pendent Churches in England fave one, and wrote to prove it unlawful, I think this were a feparating from them, as they are parts of the Church Univerfal that areneer you.

frXCEPT. XI. Anfmred. i. The word Seel fthough oft taken but. for one party in a divifion ) was not by me applied to all the names before going, but to the laft named only, and fuch other, 2.1 fpake nothing at all of the truth or faKhood of the Cenfurers words, but cf the requitals that Cenfurers have by ether mens Cen-fures, which may be (harp and paiEonate, and a rebuke to the Cenfured, and modally q{ Cenfurine Culpable, when the words are true. Yet I papift*/ am content to undergo the Cenfure you here caft out of me, rather than to cenfore, that a Papijl cannot go beyond a reprobjtc^ an-lefs you do, (as Mr. terlqns doth, to make it good,) be ib charitable to all the millions elfe among them, as not to call them Papijls, except they pradically hold the moft per-C 4 nicit

siicious opinions of their Councils and Divines. I confefc I aflfedt none pf the honour of that Orthodoxnefs, which confifteth in Sentencing millions and Kingdoms to Hell, whom I am unacquainted with.

EXCEPT. XI I. Anfrrcrcd, Here we

hive firft a meer rnagilierial dictate with-

QfPauU not outprobf, that I fpeak £ triflingly j about

fcandalizing Scandal, and jhcwhow little I nnderfiand it*

the weak. g ut w here D s hisreafon or Confutation? 2.

Why all is but this £ Paul would not eate

ficjh rather than he would offend hvs wealth ro-

tber>&c. ] Judge, Reader, whether the bare

1 know that citing of thefe words be any proof, that in

E u ir °!L S Scripture, Scandal is not taken mors for

much ciftcr r , ^ . t , . , r

about the weak temppng, enfnaring, and laying before men an

brother here occafwn ofjltmibling, or finning-) than for meer

defenbed, but difpleafing men, which is the thing that I af-

no L in h h Y rini]ed -

£rur R Vthc . P u ^ fure Brother, if you fpberly review itu for. }t> you will find that you de^l very hardly

with the Scriptyre and the fouls of men. Firft the word [fl"K.ocV(fta\i£ffj which our Tranflatorsturn[w^^ojfc^] you read [offend'] inftead ot fcandalizc ? And 2. You bring a text againft the truth which I alTert, which is as plain for it as can well be fpoken. -The whole Chapter (hewing, that \_4kp wcakg "brother] that Paul fpeaketh of, was oncthat [with Confcience of the Idol, did eate ft as a th\ng offered to an IdoL and their Confcience being iveal^vrM defiled) ver. 7.9. AncJ

it

one whofe ConfcienceU emboldened (or firmed) ttreate thfe things which are offered t? idols , and thereby he may perijh , . io, rr.

And it is he that is (not difpleafed) but made to offend- And thcfcandalizing which Paul would avoid is called £ becoming a ftumbivjg to them that are rveal^ ver. p. Emboldening to that heinous fin , ver. 10. Maying a brother to offend, v. 13. twice over. Is this, think you, diff leafing the innocent ■, or rather, tempting thofe that art apt tofin^nd continuing rhe faulty.

Read what Dr. Hammond faith of their weabntfsi and what ow&evuv fignitieth there, and then further tell me i 1. Whether you mean fuch weak ones' that yoU would not have me offend ? 2. Whether thofe thaf are mofi difpleafed with us for Communion in the Liturgie, be fflth as you will fay, are mod in danger of yielding to fin > 3. Whether you would do as Fan! doth, Call thofe weak brethrenjwho to that day did eate in Idols temples^ and that as a thing offered to idols ? 4. Whether Paul commanded the Corinthians to Separate from the Churchy becaufe fttch men were in their Communion ? 5. Whether Paul himfelf in comtfiunicating with that Chilrch,did not that which you write ujgainft ? 6. Whether'by this rule, we fnould not take heed moft of fcandaiizing thofe Chriltians that are apteft to fin? 7. Whether this tcxt^ which you Co abuie, well confidered, is not fufficicnt againft all

your

your Caufe, and for that which I maintain >

EXCEPT. XIII. p. 6. Anfmred. Here is nothing but, i. His faying that He may well doubt of the truth of what I report, viz, whether any (or many) faithful Minijiers would fo reproach their people-, and their honourable name which is upon thm, as to call them pievijh and felf cgnceited Chrijjians. ] Anfw* i. Are there any fuch Christians or not ? 2. If they are, (hould their fault be healed or cherifhed ? 3. If healed, fhould it be reproved or concealed ? But I will an-fwer this further anon, when it comes in again.

2* He doubts not but thofethat thus complained to me expected fo much prudence and faithfulnefs in me as to conceal their Com-plaints^ and not vent them now w\xn thejlatc More of re- of affairs is fo much altered. Anfw. Here are vcaling fecrcts. two untruths implied: 1. That thefe complaints were only made in fecret^ with an expectation that not only the perfons, but the cafe it fclf fhould be concealed. But how did he know this? Might not many of them be men that fince conform, and make the fame complaint now openly ? Yes, I could name you more than pne fuch ? Might not fome be fuch as have done the fame in print themfelves ? Yes, Old Mr. Rob. Abbot was one, who after removed to Auftins -London^ and died there, before Mr. Ajh. If yoii

will

[43 1 will but read his book again ft feparation,you will fee thathe filenced not fuch matters,but hath faid more than ever you are able well to anfwer. 2. It is not true that thefe Complaints were-only made before thefiate ofaffairs was altcrcdtfor I have oft heard it tince, with greater fenfe of it than ever before. Nor is it any difhonour to a Minifter, not to be ignorant of Satans wiles: The more they know them, the liker they are to overcome them.

3. In his conclufion are two more mi-ftakes, but becaufe they are prophetical, I will not cocnt them with the grofleft. The flrft is,that he hopes that hereafter alithat fear God trill be very careful how they tnakg any complaint unto a Perfon, (The Secondj who trill tak^ the next worji occafion to revile a whole innocent and Godly Pa-rty by a malicious ptb-lifting of it: Whereas, 1. Since the writing .of his book I have had complaints againft fuch as he, by many that fear God i, 2. And he cannot prove what he prophefieth I will do. But yet rwo more untruths are implied in the propheiie. 1. That I will mile a whole Innocent, Godly fuffering Party, when I protelkd I meant no particular party, but thofe of every party, Epifcopal, Presbyterian, Independent, Anabaptift, &c. who through want of Love are apteft caufelefly to condemn their brethren and avoid them (unlefs he will call all the Ignorant, Proud, and Vncharitable of all parties, by the name pf a whole Godly fitfering party.) 2. That I

wiU

Vntrutb.

[4+]

VpiU revile them malicimfly ; unlefs he mean that writing for Love and Vnity is a malicious a& againft Satan and his Kingdom.

EXCEPT. XIV. ( Hereafter I muft number them, for he is weary of it) Anfrver-ed. This hath little worthy obfervation,but his 12*/?. Untruth, viz. that [by mentioning the feparatift as a diftinU body of men, from

b 7 iSvidi!T an the Antinomian ->£&*H T > an & Anabaptift,itU

And of bis * evident lean mean no ether, but my Vresbyte-

Curfe. Yian an d Congregational brethren ~\ which he

follows with An Appeal to God againft this

Slanderer, and earneftly prayeth that herconld

pleafe to rebukg him.

Whether this earneft prayer be a Curfe ? and whether it be like to thatrule^ to pray for them that curfe us,and whether this brother himfelf doth not in thefe very words put his error into his earneft prayer, even in print, and fo veritie what he would fo vehemently gainfay (to fay nothing of the Common fame in "London, that he that is famed to be the Author of thefe Exceptions, kept a day of Humiliation about me and my book) I leave to the Readers obfervation. And alfo whether this earneft prayer (or Curfe) and this bold Appeal to God, be not prophane, and rather a fruit of pa(Gon,than charitable zeal ? And whether he here knew what fpirit he was of?

But to his Untruth I anfwer, i. I prote-fled openly that my meaning was not what

he

[45 1 he affirmethit to be i And cottld lie kn'o . it better than I ? 2. An Antinomian and Anabaptift as fuch, are diftindi from Scpara* tiite as fuch ; But doth it follow that therefore they may not be Separati fts alfo that are Antinomians and Anabaptiits ? Though the Errors whence the Sedts are denominated be various. 3. I have long ago in many books told the Papifts that I mean them, as the Chief Schifmatickf and SeCt v and Dr. Hide for the fir It page of his book, what I thought of him ; And the Lutherans that fo refill all the endeavours of ZVry, Calix-M, Bcrgitoy LntL Crocw^ and many more, in refuting Communion with the* Calvi-nifts, that 1 mean them i And here I profefs that I mean no other party of men at all, but the Dividers of all parties whatfoever, even in the beginning of my Preface > And yet, alas, brother, did you not tremble firft topublifli fogrofs an Untruth, and when you had done, to ground your Appeal to God, and carneft prayer agai/tjl we,upon it I The Lord give you a meeker fpirit, and a tenderer conference. .

' And that I mean not an Independent as fuch (for the Presbyterians will not fufpedt me) I will flop your mouth with this fuf-iicient proof, 1. That the chief Indepen-dants have written excellently againft fepa-r^tion,as Mv. Jacob by name ^ And they pretend that Mr. Bradftjaw and Dr. Ames were Iudependants. 2. That I rejoyce in the ftatc of the Churches of New England,

fines

[4*J fmce the Synods Conceiiions there,and good Mr. Elidts. proportions tor Synodical con-ftant Council and Communion of Churches, as much as in any Churches State that I hear of m the World, (Though as to the form of Government, my judgement mod agrees with the Waldenfes, cr Bohemian, pubhfh-edby Lafcitius and Commenim) especially fince the Magi Urates late printed Order, that all the Miniftcrs (hall take efpecial care to Catechize and perfonally inftrudt all the people under their Charge, even fromhoufe tohou(e> at lea it 3 or 4 Families meeting together, &c. which I much rejoice in. It is evident.t;hen, that though a man may be a Divider, that is Epifcopal, Presbyterian, Independent or Anabaptiit, yet asfucb as then denominations lignifie, I mean none oi them; for many of all theft names zxtnoVi\ viders f though a Papili is lb by the ejfence 0) h'vs Keli^wt , un-churching all beiide hi<

And if you had done me but commot juftice, you would have noted, that in m} • fcheme in the end, the fecond Propolitioi of the way of Love which I plead tor is 11 thefe words*, [Love your neighbours as you\ felves: Receive tbofe tbat Cbrijl receiveth, am that hold the ncccfjaries of Communion, be tbe\ Epifcopal, Presbyterian, Indcpmdantf, Ana baptifks, Armimans, Calvinijis, tkcfo they hi not proved heretical or wicked. ] Judge now ofyour Truth and Charity by thefe eviden ees.

EX

EXCEPT. XV. p. 8. Anfrcrcd. Here .

isthcitfb. vifible Untruth, He faith [He *3 v * m *

/peaks very flighty. vf Prayer in comparifon of jindy^for the attaining of rrifdome, calling it too cheap a way. ivlric}) fbemtb you hor* little be mtdcrjlaKdab the nature of true Prayer,'] &c.

Anftv. I love you the better for your zeal tor the honour of Prayer, though I had Whetbci I rather knowledge and truth had guided it ^eT/ Reader,! intreattheetQpauiemybcok,and v,ifj om i sto bc if thou find there what he faith, condemn got by payer me more than he doth, and (pare not. I tell alonc,»vkhouc thofe men that will do nothing for know- an >' olher ledge but as]^ for it, that [Godhath not fro- mcans * tnifed yon trne undcrftandbig upon your prayers alone-, without all the reji of his appointed tneaas > Nor that you Jhall attain it by thofe means as focn as you defire and feel^it > For then prayer would be a pretence for hzinefs y & c. lb at paying it but me of the means winch G d hath appointed you to come to knowledge bys Tiligent reading, hearing and meditation and Counfel of the wifeji is another. 3 And will any Chriftian dtnv the truth .of this except the Enthufiafts ? Or fhould any Godly Mi-nifttr rife up againft it ? Is any of this true? i. That I have here one word of Comparing ; yer andjiudy > 2. Or that I prefer ftudy cr reading, or other means before prayer? 3. Or that I fpeak lightly of prayer in Comparifon of the other? 4. Or that I make prayer it felf an eafk thing? Is not this, that I

call

[48] call his i^tb. Untruth, compofed of many ? When it is vifible, that I put prayer jfrft, that I only fay that it is but one means, and not all\ and that others nrtuft be added > and that praying alone without other labour is too eaiie a way ? What (houldone anfwer to fuch dealing as this ? I befecch you, brother, preach not the contrary whatever you think, left you juftifie the filencers, while you blame them?

' And if really you are againft my words, fatisfie the World by experience, how many you ever knew that came to the understanding but of the Articles of Faith, or the Decalogue or Catechifm, or Christianity it felffthat I fay not to your degree of knowledge above me and fuch as I,) by prayer alone, without hearing, reading, meditation, or conference. And why Paul bids Timothy give.himfelf to Reading, and meditate on thefe things^and give thy felf wholly to them} And why Hearing and Preaching are fo much urged > And whether It be any great fault to filence you and me and all the Preachers in the Land, if prayer be the only means of knowledge ? And whether you do not before you are aware ftill agree with them whom you molt avoid, who cry up Church-prayers to cry down Preaching } And why you wrote this bock againft me, if your earncfl prayers againft me, and the people, be the only means ?

And when you have done, I can tell you of many Papifts and others, that you your

fe/f

D

[4P]

felf fuppofe never pray acceptably,who have come to a great deal of knowledge: Though there be nofrnciifiedfaving Knowledge (after the firft Converfion) without prayer. I am forry you put me to trouble the Reader about fuch things as thefe.

It follows [Neither dot\\ Solomon direUto f>ty other way principally, &c] Anfw. Did I (peak one word of the principality or which was the principal way ? Did I not put prayer firft, and other means next ? This is not well , brother '•> Truth befeemeth our Calling, and our work. And yet he that Gud, 1 was found of them that fought 7tie not y 'in my opinion, which yet expe&eth your reproach) doth give fix much knowledge as is neceffary to mens fir ft faith and repen-rance and converfion by the hearing or reading, or confidering of his word, ordinarily to them that never firft asked it by Hncereprayer j For I think that Faith goeth aefore a believing prayer.

You adde \We cannot hut wonder that any lares fo exprefly go againft the very letter of Scripture , — but that we have done with vonderingatMr. Baxter' s boldnefs.

Anfvo. This I may well put as your 14$. 14 VnWut% Jntruth. Reader, try if you can find one yllable of what he fpeaks in all my book ? 3oth he that faith [prayer U but one of the teans^\ contradidt the letter pf Jam. u 5* f any man lackjvifdome^ht him askjt of God? ) how hard is it to know what fpirit w y e are i> That a man fhould go on in fuch deal-D; ing

C5o]

ing as this > and make-fris own fidtions the ground of fuch tragical exclamations when he hath done? Yea, he proceedeth.

For what follows in juftification of hvs unwarrantable conceit exceeds all bounds of fo briety\ — whither will not Pride and overweening carry a man ? He that had fo tramp led upon his brethren without any regard their innocency or fujferings, now fpeaks bu fightly of our Lord Chriji himfelf. j

Anfw. Your anger I pafs by h I like yoi the better for fpeaking againft Pride : Fo by that yotl (hew that you love it not un der that name. But ftill How hard is it.t know our felves ?

I am forry, i. That you are fo fore an fender as to account it trampling on you, t« be intreatedto Love your brethren^ and nc to divide the Church of God. 2. And that yo fey, He regardeth not your fuferings , wh fuffereth with you, and writeth fo much 2 that book containeth againft your differing; 3. And that you fhould call that your Innc cency^ which I have proved fo largely to " againft the new and great Commandemen and when you make fo poor an anfwer the proof.

I might number thefe with your Ur truths, but that I will choofe out the grofK l^Vmruth. fort \ fuch as is the next (\%tb. Untrutl that I fpea^fligbtly (fCbrift. Is it flightin 1 Chrift to Ipeak the words and undenie truth of Scripture ? Two things I fay Chrift •> 1, That he incnafed in mfdam

h

[5.]

bis youth ? Do you not believe that to be true? Surely Mr Jeants in all his writings againit Dr. Uamm nd of that point, did ne- J^JL vcr deny it. 2. That be would not enter upon otTchrift ? his publickjtlinijh > till be was about 30 years of age? Do you not believe, that alfo? What Hoy Thrift then is here that is a ilighting of Chrift ? inweafed in The reafon of this later which I humbly Wif<iom ' conjecture at (and elfewhere exprefs) is,that he might be an example to young men, not to venture and enter too early upon the Miniitry. The reafon you alledge from Num.$. 2,3. Igainfaynot, though I think it far fetcht (that Chrift muft not enter (boner upon his publick Minifxry in his extraordinary office, becaufe the fons of Corah were numbred from 30 years to 50.) But you inlinuate another untruth, yea exprefs it while you flatly fay,I.iniinuate,that Chrift ftaid till 30 years old, that he might be more » perfeti inrvifdome: I had no fuch word or thought. My following words | It bad been eafier for Chriji to have got all knowledge by two or three earneji prayers than for any ofus~\ refer only to the tirft claufe, (of his growth in wifdom) and not at all to the later (of the time of his Miniftry.) In But you deny that Cbrifi had any addition ft pf mfdom^except as to mariifeftation, j I believe A Gods word! And with others he will be in as pardonable that believeth it, as he that $ denyeth it. I did not expound it: But if c I muft, I will. I think that according to the prefent frame of humane nature, the in-D 2 cor-

■[ 5* ]

corporate foul receiveth the feveral obje&s it muft know ab extra, by the fantafie, and that by the fenfes, and that our adtsof knowing exterior things are as Philofo-phers affirm, objectively organical, though not efficiently and formally, that is, that the Intromiilion by the fenfes and phantafie, is neceffary to the right dating of the objedh And therefore that in all thofe a<Sfcs of Knowledge which Chrift exerclfed as other men do, i. The Objed, 2. The Organical capacity and aptitude of the body were neceffary (not tO'the perfection of his humane foul, in Effence, Power, Virtue, Inclination, Difpofition, but only to the Adt of Knowing. And fo I think Chrift when new born knew not actually as a man, all that he afte* knew \ no, nor long after > And that he in-creafed in Attual knowledge, 1. As Objefts were prefented, 2. And as the Organs in-creafed in Capacity and aptitude, and not other wife. Yet I believe that Chrift prayed before his Organs and adtual knowledge were at the higheft, and that he could (had it been his Fathers will and his own) by prayer have fuddenly attained their perfection v and that Culpable imperfection he never had any, nor fuch as istheejfeS of fin in Infants^ now. If this be an error, help me out of it Hy fitter means than reviling.

You adde that Chrift needed not prayer foi himfelf, but as a pattern to us, &c. Anfa* Chrift had no Culpable need, nor as God any natural need. But, brother, take heed of the

Com

C 53 3

Common error of them that think they can never fay too much , or do too much, , , when they are once engaged j for this is but chrift needed undoing, i. Do you think that Chrifts hu- Prayer for -mane nature was not a Creature? 2. Do you himfeif. think that all Creatures are not Dependant on the Creator ? and need him not > 3. Do you think Chrifts humane nature needed not Divine fuftentation in exiftence, life, and motion, and Divine influx or Communication hereunto, feeing that • in God we live? and move? and be? 4. Do you think that Chrifts body needed not created means ? as the earth, the air meat and drink, and fleep and reft? And that he needed not drink, when it is faid, he thirited, J oh. 19. 28. I tbirji. And Job. 4. 6. Qbeing wearied with his journey*, &c ver. 7. Give mc to drink*] Whether he needed not cloathing.and needed not ordinary bodily fupplies, when it is laid, that fome minijired to him of their fub-fiance? Luke 8.3. As our Father knoweth that vpe have need of'all thefe things , Mar. 6.8* 32. So I think that Chrifts humane nature needed them^ and that he gave not thanks at meat for his Difciplesonly h and that he bid them (peak- nothing but the truth, when he faid Mit.21.3. Mar. 11. $.Luk£ 19. 31. The Lord bath need of him. And that it was for bimfelfxh&t he prayed three times that the cup might pafs, if, & c. (though for our inftrudion) Lukg 22. 44. Matt. 20. 42. 44. Heb. 5.7. Who in the dales ofhisflcjh? rebut he *wL offered z/p prayers and fitppl'rati

whhjhong crying and tears unto him that was able to favt him from death, and was heard in that he feared > though he was afon^yet learned he obedience by the things which he fujfcredj and being made pcrfcVi, cxc.~\ I believe that when he was on the Crofs he needed deliverance, and when his. body was in the grave it needed the Divine power for to efc ' fed his refurredtion. And how a man would have been formerly judged of that had de-nycd any of this. You may learn by the feverities of many Councils again ft the Eu-. tychians, Neftorians, Monothelites, &c.

I am (b regardful of your fufferings that I would not put your mind to any needlefs grief h But yet I heartily wifh your Repentance, not only for your errors, but that you fh.ould let out your (unknown) fpirit to fuch vehemency in your revilings upon fuch pittiful grounds, as when you adde [So that to JpeaJ^fo lejjcningly of Prayer and Cbrifl, to undervalue fo much the unfpeakable ufefulnefs-of the one-) and the incomprehenfible Majefly of the other, becomes very well the fpirit that Mr* Baxter writes withS] This is but a repetition of untruths.

EXCEPT. XVI. p. p. Anfwercd. Having Vir* 27. given live proofs by which I knew many to be miftaken that expound Texts of Scripture, by the Impreilions on their own fpirits, I faid Vir. 28. [It U very ordinary with poet fanciful women and melan-

c/v/v

choly perfons, to take all deep apprchenfionsfor revelations h and if a Text come into their minds, to fay, ^Tliis text was brought to my mifi £ C crpK £ y mind,andfetuponmyfpirit, at if nothing could nom 0 f Scrip-bring a text to their minds but fome extract- cure dinary motion of God ? and as if this bringing it to their mind, would warrant -their expofoi-on.~] Whereupon I advife men to know the necellityof the fpirits ordinary fan£ti-fying work, and not to defpife mens pretences of revelation ^ but yet to believe none againfi Scripture. As to the ground of this paflage, it is fuch as is not difputable with me, being matter of fenfe h (Co impoffible is it for me to efcape all the heinous accu-iations of this brother.) It is not many years fince I have had feveral perfons with me (two or three out of one County) that brought me books written for the Prefs, and urged me to procure them printed and (hewed to the King, in which were abundance of Scriptures abufed to many daring predictions of things prefently to come to pafs, and all upon pretence of Vifions and Revelations, and the fetting of fuch an ex-pofition on their hearts : And the men were ignorant, melancholy, and crazed perfons, and the Scriptures almoft all falfly interpreted, and the predi&ions fail. And all of them had the fifth Monarchy notion without conference (that I could learn) with any about it.

When I lived mCoventrey, Major Wilkes a

Learned Scot, lived in the houfe with me,

D 4 who

who profeffed to have lived many years in a Courfe of Vifions and Revelations, and had abundance of Texts fet upon his heart, and expounded to him by Viiion, moft for the Millenary way,and for Prophecies about our times and changes, fand fome againft precifenefs many of his expofltions were confiderable: fome palpably talfe : fome of his predictions came to pafs, and fome proved falfe : Be was of a hot melancholy temper, and as I heard, after di ft rafted.

If this brother had known how many (if not many fcore) cf deeply melancholy perfcns have been with me, that have had fome of them prophecies, moft of them al-tnoft in defperation, and fome of them comforted by fuch or fuch a Text, brought fy their mind, which was of a quite different fenfe, and impertinent to that which they fetcht from it, and fome of their Colle&ions contrary to the reft > he would take heed of doing Gods fpirit fe much wrong as to father poor craved peoples delirations on it ? And this is ascommon,I think, among the Papifts themfelves, that meddle lefs with Scripture than we do : What abundance of Books be there, of the phantafmes of their Fryers and Nuns^ as Prophecies, Vifions, and Revelations, which the judicious Reader may perceive are but the effe&s of melancholy andhyfterical paiiions, improved by ignorant or deceitful Priefts.

But what is the Charge againft me here ? Why 5 he faith [He caVs tbctn poor fanciful

mmm ?

women, and melancholy perfons^ that ordinarily receive comfort by fuggefted Texts of Scripture."]

Anjtv. This is the i6tb.vifibk Vntruth. tf Vntmk Indeed here are are two grofs untruths together, i. He changeth the fub'ject into the predicate, and then affirmeth me Co to have ipokcn. I faid [It vs ordinary for fitch fanciful and melancholy perfons^ to taty deep appre-henfionsfor Revelations, and if a Text come into their mind, to thinks it is by an extraordinary motion of the fpiriu And he feigneth me to (ay, that they that ordinarily receive comfort byfuggefted texts are melancholy. Is it all one to fay, It is ordinary for melancholy perfons to pray, to fear- to trrtfiLQ* And, I They that ordinarily pray, fear^erre, are melancholy.} Again, Brother, this is not well.

2. He feigneth me to fpeak of them that [ordinarily receive Comfort] when I have no iuch word,, but fpeak of them that would draw others into error and feparation by confident aflerting falfe expofitions of Scripture as fet on their mind by revelation from the fpirit. This is not well neither.

He addeth \If this be not toft in the Chair of S'comers , what tf ?] This needethnoan-fwcr.

[For (faith he) is not this the very language cf holy men > Anfh\ Alas, brother, h(5w impertinent is your queftion ? The quciiion is, Whether this be the language of no melancholy th* or of none but holy men > and that

as holy > Is it not the language of many a Popilh Nun and Fryer that pretend to Revelation ? Have not I heard it with thefe ears from multitudes in melancholy and other weaknefs that have perverted the Texts which they alledged> Havel not read it many books of Experiences ? Is he a fcor-ner that faith, that a man may fpeak the fame words miftakingly in melancholy which another fpcakedi truly? Do you well, brother, to trouble the World at this rate of diicourfe ? For charges on me, I pafs them by. And for his faying that the bare recital of their uf lai words is fitter for a Jejler than a judicious Divine^ and when he hath done, to be fo angry that they be not all afcribed to Gods fpiritj will not denominate fuch paffages as they deferve, left I offend him.

Left you deny belief to me, I intreat you and the Reader to get and read a book pub-lifhed by Mr. Brown (as is uncontrolledly, affirmed, who lately wrote againft Mr.^ Tombes againft the lawfulnefs of Communion in the Parifh Churches) concerning the] experiences and ftrange work of God on a! Gentlewoman in Worcefter (whom I will' not name, becaufe yet living, and God may recover her, but is there well known.) This Gentlewoman having been long vain, and, a conftant negle&er of publick worfhip D was fuddenly moved to go into the Church; while I was there preaching (on Rom.6.2i.)\ The very Text (truck her to the heart •> butj

before

L 5> 1

before the Sermon was done Cne could hardly forbear crying out in the Congregation : She went home a changed perfon j refblved for a holy life. But her affedrion for pafiion) being rtrong, and her nature tcndcr^zrxd her knowledge fma% The quickly thought that the Quakers lived ftri&lier than we, and fell in amon^them. At laft perceiving them vilifie the Miniftry and the Scripture, her heart fmote her, and fhe forfook them, as fpeaking againft that which by experience (he had found to do her good} And defiring to fpeak with me (who lived far offj opened this much to me. But all thefe deep workings and troubles bctmcn the feveral waies, did fo aflfed: her, that (he fell into a very ftrong melancholy > Infomuch that fhe impofed fuch an abitinence from meat upon her felf, that (he was much confumed, and fo debilitated as to keep her bed, and almoft famifhed. Mr. Br own (znd others) were her inftruders, who were very zealous for the way called The Fifth Monarchy , and having inftrudred her in thofe opinions, publifhed the whole ftory in print (which clfe I would not have mentioned) I (hall fay nothing of any thing which is otherwise known, but detire the Reader that doth but underhand what melancholy is, better than the Writers did, to read that book, and ob-ferve with forrow and pitty, what a number of plain effects of .Melancholy, as to ib'trghtfi and Scriptures , and aUions, are there afcribed to mar temptations on one

fide,

[ to ]

f ide,and to Gods unufualot notable operations on the other fide! In the end he faith [And indeed when a foul opprejfed with forrow be-fore- (hall fuddenly find eafe-> by having Jome Scripture brought to their mind which before they thought not ofifthtf be not the JPirits work as a Comforter, we (hall be alwaies doubtful how aad when he performeth that vffice \ which 'way of Doubting Mr. BaxterV Divinity leads into, which fuffzi. ntly Jhews^ it is not of God : Tor God calls us to hope perfectly, and to rejoya in the hope*

Anfw. The Divinity which I think true and found, doth teach Enthufiafts, whethej Fryers or Nuns, or any fuch Phanatick, no to believe every fpirit,but to try thefpirik whether they be of God *, And to believt that Satan can transform himfelf into ar Angel of Lights And to doubt whethc their fuggeftions, revelations or prophecie be of God, till it be true and fure : For in fiance, I would have had your fellow prifonj er have doubted of his three after menj tioned prophecies uttered in the Pulpit, aj from the fpirit of God (That we Jhouldhav\ no more King-, Tythes, or "faxes : ) Be not an; grywithme for giving you fuch inftances ; It is only to fave others from wronging th= Holy Ghoft, and expofing Religion to pro fane mens fcorn. And I would not have on; turn Anabaptift, if in their forrow or mu fing that Text fhould be fet upon theij mind, Atl.22. i<5. Why tarrieji thou^arif and bebaptized ) and wajh away thy fins."]Non

woull

would I have another turn Papift, if that Text be fet upon his heart, Aft. 9.6. Arife and go ifo the City, avd if foall be told thee what thoit muft do : And if it be a Popifti Prieft that he rtrft meeteth with, and think-cth that this is the man that muft inform him.

I would not have a member of arty Church, upon an inefficient reafon feparate from it, if that Text be fet upon his heart, Come out of her myfeople, &c. Or 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them, and be ye feparate^ &c.

Nor would I have an Hypocrite or ungodly perfon conclude himfelf to be fincere, if that Text do fuddenly come into his mind (how affedtingly foeverj Joh^ i-^7* Behold an Ifraelite indeed in wham is no guile*

Nor would I have an upright doubting Chriftian conclude himfelf an Hypocrite if that text come into his mind, Aft. 8. Thy heart is not right in the fight ofGod y & c.I think that there is fomewhat elfe befides the fud-den coming into our minds, and the deepeft affe£ting of us, that is neceffary to prove the true meaning of a Text, and the found-nefs of our Concluftons from it. And yet I never doubted but that the fpirit doth both caufe our comfort, and our refolutions and other gracious effefts, by bringing forgotten Texts to our remembrance.

But the way that I think the fpirit cureth our doubting by/is all tHefe things following

[■*3

ing fet together, i. SuppoGng-that he hath infallibly guided the writers of the Scripture. 2. And hath fet to it the<0snfalliblo feal of God (which is the Imprefs of his Fowcr^ Wifdome, and Goodnefu) 3. And that he helpeth Miniiters to preach this Gofpel to' us. 4. He next doth help us to Rlmembcr, and to Understand it -, And no falfe expofition is from the fpirit of God: ■ And he hath left us fufficient means to difcern (as far as is neceffary to our Salvation and our Comfort) whether it be right-. ly interpreted or not. 5. And he helpeth us iirmly to believe the Truth of it: And of the unfeen Glory which it promifeth. 6. And hereby he kindleth in us Repeytance^ Hope-, and Love-) and reneweth both foul and life to the Image of God, and the example of Jefus Chrift. 7. And then he helpeth us to AB or Exercife all this Grace. 8. And he helpeth us to difcern the fincerity of it: And And foby the Jpirit we know that we have the fpirit-, and have the w T itnefs of Chriil, and the feal of God, and the pledge, earneft, and firft fruits of eternal life within us, whilcft the fpirit doth make known him-felf to be in us. And all true figns of Santti-ficatioH) or the Divine nature in us, are figns of this in-dwelling fealing fpirit: But fo are not the fudden paffions, and fancies,and change of parties, fides, or by opinions, or ftrong conceits unproved, from whence fome ufe to fetch their comforts. $. And next he helpeth us hereupon to make a true ' appli-

application of the promife of Juftification and Salvation to our felves : Having before applied or received it by Faith and Conjent* and being Juftified> he helpeth us to apply it to our Affurance and fetltd Hope and Comfort i and to argue, T/>er£ h no Condemnation to them that are in Chriji Jefus, that rva\ not after the fiejh bin after the fpirit: But I am in Chriji Jefus^ andlrva\ not after thtfltjh but after the fpirit > Therefore there is no condemnation to me. 10. Next the fame fpirit exciteth a&ual Hope and Joy in the foul, by the faid application of the promife > that we fhall not only conclude from it, that we have pardon and right to Heaven in Jefus Chrift, but alfo (hall have the Will and Affettions duly moved with that ConcJufion. ii. And the fame fpirit helpeth us to anfwer all the falfe Cavils of Satan, the World, or our mifgiving hearts, which rife up againft this hope and Comfort. 12. And hftly he helpeth us in the ufe of all thofe holy means, by which this Hope and Comfort is to be maintained, and helpeth us againft the fins that would de-itroy it, and fo keepeth it in life, and exer-cife, and perfcverance, till vvc finally overcome. By all thefe twelve Ads together the fpirit caufcth the Hope and Comfort of Believers, and faveth them from their doubts and fbrrows..

And i ow, Brother, when you can calmly think of it, I fhould be glad that you would confider,whether to fay this Divinity

lead-

[*4]

Icadeth to doubting* and that it is not ofGod* be not, i. An untruth, 2. An injury to him whom you calumniate, 3. An injury to the fouls of men that muft be thus comforted, 4. And an injury to God, by telling the World,that his own dodhine is not his own, and by feigning Gods truth to be mans error. And whether your way here opened (by receiving fudden Comfort by a remem-bred Text) be founder do&rine > And be not fuch a way as Papifts,Quakers,and moft deluded people commonly boaftof ? And if you bring poor fouls no better dire&ions for their full affurance, peace and joy, whether in the end you will not prove a miferable Comforter ?

Whether God bates beok-praycrs or

foroH,

EXCEPT. XVII. p. 10. Anfmnd* When I fay that I wonder at men that tbinl God mahgtbfttch a matter as they do of. their feveral words and forms* as that he loveth onfy extemporate prayers and hateth forms* or lovetf. only prefcribedforms andhateth extempor au prayers by habit ^\ he faith this is [ As if i could never fpeal^meanly enough about prayer But, brother, if you kindle this burning 7eal your felf, by teaching men to hate eithei forms or praying by habits Marvel not ifii burn you, within and without \ and wher your own paflions have fcorched you, othei mens hatred of your prayers, as you hat< theirs, do tipuBfe you alfo. And if you hate the quenching of thefe lircs, even when th<|

Chur

e*51

hurches by them are all on a flame, as for t men as you will be of another mind, I 11 yon again, brother, you greatly wrong lddifiionour God, if you think that he ycth fo much upon that which he never ive any law about, or fpake one word for r againit,as to tell the World that he hateth I prayer that is put up by a form pr book. :nd that he that denyetb tbit } fpeakgtb mean-

I of prayer. The Lord teach you to know rhat manner of fpirit you are of, ( which *que(i I (hall reiterate for you, inftead of raying with your earneftnefs, The Lord re-fclg binu) Have you the bowels ot a Chri-:ian, and the fpirit of Chriftian Love and Inky, and can you think that God batetb tor that was my word) all the prayers of

II the Churches and Cluifiians in the Vorld, that ufe a form ? Even of all the keek Churches, the Armenians, Aballincs, acobites, Syrians, Copties, Lutherans, and [alvinifts> of all the Englifh publick thurches > and the prayers of fuch holy nen as Dr. Prejloti, Dr. Sibber Mr. Perk?n*> Ax. HildcrJhamJAr. Cartnrigbt^Dr. Stougb-ott, Mr. Wbaulty, Mr. -Bolton, and all fuch s they that ufed fome the Liturgie, and bme other forms ? And that God hateth he prayers of all Chriftian Families and 2hriiVians that ufe a form ? Do you diflike d^ing to God's word, and will you adde

eo it (o boldly,as to (ay,he hateth that which ^e never once forbad ? If y.ou would make your feader thir^r E that

[66-]

that I make God indifferent to at modes and j words in prayer, you would abufehim: tor t though I never hwrd a man/tfwr in prayer, i I think you ciofe in prayer a little before j fe and I have heard many rail in prayer, and 0 traduce men for truth and duty, and venl their own errors. But I befeech you pro- i mote fuperftition no more,and feign no Di til vine Laws-which you cannot (hew as.? Aw A teach not this unhappy age to te.gn thing G neceffary that are not, and pamt out th< & molt holy gracious God, as the patron o J every one of their fancies.

Your words [Voth not God regard the matt I m of our addrtffing our [elves tofom?M«t • -we i ^ M £ Jirif? ] Do full make rn A pray, that you may byotv-your ftmt. U c vou well to intimate that I lay the contrary ra When I maintain that God fo far acceptet to them that mtffiif him in ffirit and truth , that he will accept their prayers,mt6 a ton » or without , and fetfet& wfr&erS y£a, hat f,| left Wfc indifferent, to be varied as mens <X fc * cahomandufefcr either vary, as he hat » done a/ww or juter in peaching. ltlS \^ eafie thing to turn formalist either way, t ft thinking God loveth our prayers either b fe caufe they are in thep»K wrdr,or m w [ oUs words. ^ . ' *

The (ccond part of this Exception ca * Jeth me [« *#*, tfc<t <*«*& neither believe tl n &itt** wr &*/«//, £«'aw w ***/.*' . * ? Becaufe I fay about a Liturgie, i.Ctrtat* '

[«7 ] layers by habit tvrre fifed* 2. that itislikg wketherihc bat the fbarifees loftg Liturgie, was in many jew* hid a hingsworfe than ours \ Aw yet Chrifl and Liturgie in M Apojller oft jnyrted with them, and never Chriftsc'mc; ondemned them.]

Anfir. i. Let the Reader obferve whe-hex ever Chrift, his Apoftles, or the Pha-ifees medled with the Controverfie about he lawfulnefs of forms ? Whether ever Ihriil: condemned them? 2. Let the Rea-ler note that when I fay that Certainly orms were ufed, I fay not, whether in the lynagogue or Temple, or Houfe, nor do I *y that they were other forms than Di-ine ? But when I fay that it is Ukg in many bbrgs the fbarifees Liturgie was vcorfe than wrs, I mean that it is like (though not*cer-wn) that part of it was of humane inven-ion, and uled publickly.

And, i. The word Liturgie (zsMartinius nd other Etymologies agree, hath three ignitications, 1. The largeft is, for any pub-Icl^officecfmimjiry^nd fpecially of diftri-mtion. 2. For the publick fervke of God, n reading, teaching, praying, &c. 3. For ated orders and forms of that publick brvice, To which BeHarmine addeth a tyb. s the narrowett fenfe of all, wa. For the icrificing offices only > which is no ufual mfe. Now the fecond and third being the ow-Common fenfe, I thought there had stz pfcl 91: een no queftion about them. and ioi> See-

That the Jews had a Divine Liturgie fn }th fenfes (as a fen ice, and as a prefer ipt E 2 form)

form)! proved in my $tb. Difput, of L; gies many years aga i. In the Temple the) had moft pun&ual prefcripts for their fa-:rihces of all forts, and their offerings \ and the manner of performance, and the anions of Priefts and people about them* In the Synagogues Mofes and the Prophets wen read every Sabbath day/ And the Pfalmi I Chr. 16 4 were P ur P°ftJy penned (many of them J and and*?. ' recorded to be Prayers and Praifes for tfy >Chron.8.i4, publick and private worfhip, and wexf **• committed to feveral Church-officers to be

publickly uied: And "David and Solomot, appointed the Inftruments, Singers, and order & manner in which they (hould be ufed A form of prayer for thePriefts is prefcribej in three benedictions, Numb. 6. 23. Hez? kiab commanded the Levites to fing Praife . to the Lord with the words of David and g Afaph the Seer, 2 Chron. 29. 30. 1 Chron 16. 7. \On that day David delivered firfi tH Tfalm to tbanl^ the Lord into the hands f Afaph and bU brethren^xod. 15. The foq of Mofes is a form. And Rev- 15. 3. tl| Saints are fiid to fmg the fong of Mofes aq of the Lamb. Molt Expofiters think th$ thcHymne that Chrift fung at his lajl fu\ p£r, was the ufaal form: If not, it was new form. Mofes form at the moving an rejiing of the Ark is fct down, Numb. i( 35,36. Veut. 21.7 8. There is a form fc the people to ufe, Judg. 5 Deborahs fong, recorded: Co is Hannahs praife, 1 Sam An Joel 2. 17. thue is a form for the Priefts 5 \

the J

'heir Humiliation: And John taught his )i/cip!es to pray '•> And when Chnft was lefired to teach his Difciples as John had lone his, he gave them a form. Now let the )ber Reader judge whether the Jews had 9 form or Liturgie of God's appoint-lent.

"If he fay, I thought you had meant a bu~ tone form 5 I anfwer, If you will think that /hich I fay not, 2nd choofe rather to tevile* tan obferve what you read, I cannot help

2. When I fpeak of a Probability afterward, I do mean of a humane Liturgie : of rhich I will now only fay, i. That ic feem-tfi very improbable to me that the Phari-:es who fd abounded with' Traditions, lOuld not fb much as have any human* tms of prayer or praife.

2. When Chrift fpeaketh of their long 'ayersJL defiretfom on both extreams to con-ier, that, If it was a long Liturgie, they iould not compare the Puritans to the harifee in his long prayers as they ufe to o, but to others. But if they were extern-rate Prayers, i. To one fide I fay, that if hrilt had been againft extemporaie praying* i would have put that into his rebukes: To the other fide I fay, If the Pharilees id the gift of long mempwatc prayers* we uft take heed ot over-valuing tuch a gift, id afcribing it too much to the fpirit, fo at the Pharifees long payers* as a two ged fword, cut both extreams in this eviih Controverfie, E 3 3. This

3. This Controverfie whether the JetP? had a Liturgie^ is handled fo largely by Mr. Selden-, that I mull refer the Reader to him that would fee what is faid for the affirmative, in Entycb. Alexandr. pag. 35 to p. 63. Where he lhews that till Ezras time therej was none but the Scripture Liturgie i And that in Esr^s time eighteen Prayers were made i and (hews how far they might o* might not adde: Where having cited abun dance of Rabbilis, he (hews that however the Jewifli Rabbins are fabulous, thefe hifto-?ical teftimonies are our beft means of information, and are credible, and addeth thej words of J of Scaliger-y \Jilc fuit vetusRi^ tut Celebrationis Pafcb<e temporibw Mefii*: Quod vctuftijjimi Canones in Vigeftis lalrmt*, dievs manifejio probant: Nifi ^m eos neget antiquos effe h Quod idem acfi qui* capita Pa* piniani, Pauli, Vlpiani, & aliorum JttriJ-confultorum inVigeJii* Juftiniani produfta neget ejfc eomm Jurifconfultornm quorum no* mine citantur^ Qjwd nemo Jams dixe-rit.

EXCEPT. XVIII. p. 10. Anfwered* Here you except againtf me,if for any things Of jcafting ac f or [ faing grown fo fcrupulom and fo tender mi™™ astobe<$bided y ifaxybrea&efa *^.» mon Prayer* \

Anfo.J. I fpake of jefting on both (idef at one anothers devotions, and not of one alone. 2, If you arc for that way of breaking

[7.]

ing jcafts and fcorns at other mens prayers, with what meafure you mete it will be ; ..red to you again. They will requite you to the full with jeaffc and (corns at yours alio. 3. Brother, do you like this way, or I you not? If you do,what a fpirit are you of? If you do not^why do you quarrel with this advice

And whereas you cite my own words in the Pveply to the Bifhops, I muft tell you, 1. That I know nothing in any of thofe Papers or Treaty , as to the matter that I have changed my judgement in, or repent of. And I admire that the Prelates that ask fboften \What tvillfatisfieus?~\ and others that carry it to the World as if we had faid nothing, fhould to this day leave that Reply and our Lkurgie then offered them, and our Petition for Peace, fo much unanfwered * Which few that knew them will believe 19 for want # of will and fervour or indignation againft them? 2. That yet the fentence cited by yoj [ Whether it be that the Commo?!- ■ Prayer-Book^ hath never a Prayer for it (clj\\ I confefs is farcaftical, and I unfeignedly thank you for calling me to review it s and I do unfeignedly repent of it, and defire pardon of God and men, for fpeaking words of fo much derifion?Though I then no more perceived my fault,than you do yours.

I mentioned fomethat were fcandaliied at the fcorns of men at the Lkurgie heretofore* And, 1. He calls ica frofhane jiory fitter for Ranters, 2. Hecbatizngetb mt #> nil £ 4, tfc

[70 the names of them that ttfed thofe expreffifflf. 3. He thinly I did greatly fin in repeating them.'4. Elle he will thinly I invented tbem> on pnrpo/e to make my brethren odious^ and jttjiifie the perfecution againji tlxm*

Arfip. 1. li it be fo bad, why arc you fo augi-y with me, for being againft it, and the like, or any {corns at other mens tolerable devotion ?

2. Your challenge is but a drop of your unrighteoufnefs. I told you I knew them that were inflamed by thofe words, but not that I knew the Speaker. And how fhould a man know the names of all that look in etf a Church-door ? How oft have I had Quakers in the face of the Market and of the publick Congregation, revile me, and curfe me as in the name of God, and fpeak as bad words as thofe, when I feldorheasked what their names w % ere. And yet I muft name them or be to you a malicious lyau And (hall I not be fo with you, it I obey your challenge/ Is it not unfavoury to name men in fuch llories ? Well, I will thus far this once obey you. In 1640. coming up to London to the Phyfitians, I lay at Bofoms-Inn in Laurence-Lane : On the Lords-day the Iii^-v.ceper, an old man (Mr. Hawksheadzs 1 tern inber his.name was) came in from Laurence Church with feme gueftsin a very g#:itf pailjon; Vve ask'd him what the itfci wjs> He jnfwereu, that as he went o the Church, a fellow look'd in, and ^ke ti,oi£ very words I recited, fave that

he

[75 1 he faid [jtheVcele] inftead of [the Devil: ] And from very fober honeft people I have, I believe, many (core times heard them call the Common Prayer [Porridge] and fay, \He U not out of bis Porridge yet J

3. If I fin in repeating them, I pray you juititie not that fpirit that uttered them i Nor be not of the mind of the Councellor of the wicked in this age, whofe policy is to perfwade men to commit jucb heinous fins (Perjury-, Lying, &c.) which found odi-oufly in the naming, and then no man may ever accufe them, left he be guilty of railing, incivility, &c.

4. Brother, a very low degree of ingenuity would have taught you to have judged fach a Plea for Love, by one that in this book fpeaketh more againft Perfecuting you, than ever you read, I believe, in a Li-cenfed book fince tha printing A&, to have come from no malicious persecuting intent.

Yet, as if you were fo eagerly ftt on the Defence of the dividing (candalous mifcar-riages of this age, as to take it for perficu-tion fo much as to lament them, or pray againft them, you gather the fame conclu-fion from my very payers to God, for fifty * to ins Clmrcb that is diftra&ed and endangered by fuch ufage.

And here, feeing your Sufferings are fo The temptatr much talk'd of, and I am numbred by you ? ns of fuffcr : among your persecutors, endure me to tell * -you, ttmfecffering hath its temptations as

well

well as profperity •, And that the temptations topajfzon^nd to run too far from thofe we fuffer by, and to lofe our charity to them and their adherents, arc fo much ftronger to me (I leave others to judge themfelvcsj than the temptations to fear and timerous complyances, that I was much more jealptfs of my heart in this,- when I firflferetf moft than at other times: For I knew that it is one of Satans defigns to rob me of my Charity and Integrity? in which he would more triumph than in depriving me of my maintenance, reputation and liberty. And I muft confefs to you, brother, that (though I once hoped that we (hould have been great gainers by our fufferings) the fruit of them now Many arc appeareth to me to be fuch in many as ma-overcome by keth me more afraid of imprifonment for fofcfo&who the fake of my foul, than ot my body, left

bmcomc! h A* 01 * 14 ftir U P that V a $«* which fllouU

It's a reproach bear down my judgement into fome errors

to our Nation and extreams,and corrupt and deftroy my

that ttornm L ove t0 t h em by whom I fuffer.

hlh fnl'u < ^ nc * lt ^ Brother^-lam fully convin-

fyKr'atifmus cec ^ t ' iat 1Tian y ^M think their fufferings

five Brownif are their giory, and prove them better men

km nen alios than others, are lamentably loft and over-

habeat authres come by t { ie ; r Offerings. I think your com-

^tt^r^r^ P an " 1013an( *y° a arc n0 g a ^ ncrs by "*i w ho perfiitloJie Epif- P^fently by preaching and writing thus, mos Domini bring water to the extinguishing of Chri-to,pag.2 44. ftian Love. I think thofe two Gentlemen S^ much good before mentioned, that turned Quakers in ♦■aftcriogdoih. prifon5 and left thcijf R fe iigi on -(as many

more

more have done) were lofers by it. Audi think many thoufands in thefe times, that are driven into various errors and extreams* and have loft their charity to ad verforics and diflenters % have loft a thoufand times more than their liberties and money comes to. Woe be to the World becaufe of offences > And woe be to them by whom offence cometh. Experience of too many maketh me Iefs in love with fufferings than I have been > And to think that the quiet and peaceable preaching of the Gofpel (though under* many other difadvantagesj if God would grant it us, would be better for our own fouls.

EXCEPT. XIX. Anfwered. You proceed, \_But Mr. B. being once got into the chair of the fcornful will not eafily out, and therefore goes on [It is an odious found to hear an ignorant,ra(h,felf-conceited perfon, efpe-daily a Preacher, to cry out Idolatry, Idolatry, againft his brethrens prayers to God, becaufe they have fomething in them to be amended,] Whereas we do not thenfre think ayty thingto be guilty of Idolatry, becanfe it hath fomttbingin it to be amended, [but becaufe it is nfea in the worship of God, without any command of God to mak* it lawful'<>"] And this we mufi tell onr Vittator, is a fpedes of Idolatry, and forbid in the fecond Commandment : And if be mil not receive it fo, it ti 2 to ufe his own arrogant ayd imperious

words,

words] becanfe be under/lands not Chrifiiah fenfeandreafon.

Anfe. i. The charge of Idolatry againft the Liturgte arid Conformable Minifters I found in John Goodmns book, and Mr. Brownes^ and others: But this, Brother, car-rierh it much further,,

2. He contradi&eth himfelfin his Negation and Affirmation : For, \tfhatfbever is' to be amended^ which is ufed in Gods worship, hath no command of God to makd it lawful ( For it is fin:) But wbatfoever vufedinGods rpoT/jhip without any command of God to make it lawful, he affirmeth to be Idolatry: Ergo, whatsoever is ufed in God* worftiip which is to be amended, he maketh to be Idoktry.

3. Reader, if this one Se&ioh do hot make thy heart grieve for the fake of the Church of Chnft, that our poor people fhould be thus taught, and our Congregations thus diiiraited, and unholynefs, that is^uncharitablenefs, fathered upon the God Whether all Love, and our fuiferings and non-con-

thatufeany fotmity thus turned to our reproach, and ?hin^ in Gods wrath and reviling pretended to be Reli-worfliip noc gion, thou haft not a true tenfe of the con-7™d™ d *i\ cernmentsot Christianity and the fouls of cular a^orm''" men * ' ^ a " P r0 P°fe here thefe few things of prayer; be to thy confideration. Idolaters? And J^ucjh i. Whether an Idolater be not an v*har this cea- odious perfon, and unfit for Chriftian Com-fcre of idolatry mun i on > (That thefe men think fcr, their

_ 2. Whether he that wmethand preacheth to prove others Idolaters, do not write and preach to make them (fo farjfeem odious, and to perfwade men from loving them, and having communion with them as Chriftians ? ^.

Q, 3. Whether he that preacheth up hatred caufelefly, and preacheth down Christian love, do not preach down thefum of true Religion, and preach again ft God, who is Love?

£>. 4. Whether preaching againft Qoi and Religion, be' npt worfe than talking againft it in an Ale-houfe, or in prophane difcourfe? And fathering all this on God and Religion be not a fad aggravation of

X?

Q; 5. Whether this, brother, that affirm-eth this to be Idolatry that he fpeaketh againfi,fhould not have given us fbme ytoxd of proof, clpecially whejre he calleth me that deny it, a Dictator > And whether both as Affirmcr among Logicians, and as Accu-Jer among men of juftice, the proof be not incumbent on him?

Q. 6, Whether here be a fyllable of proo£ but his angry affirmation ?

4X7. Whether thou panft receive this faying of his, if thou have Chriftian fenfc and reafon,' fo far as to believe that all the Churches of Chrift fore-named, the Greel?, the AbiiGne, the Armenian, the Coptic * the Lutherans, and all the Reformed Churches that fall under his Charge,

[78] Idolaters > And couldft bring thy heart accordingly to condemn them, and feparate from them? And whether thou canft take all the holy Conformifts of England, fuch as Bolton, Frefton, Sibbes, Stocfa Dike, Elton, Crookg, Whatthy, Fenner,'&cc. for Idolaters > yea, and all thtnon-ConfbrmiJh that ufed and joyned in the Liturgie ?

Q.8. Whether thou canft believe that this fame brother himfelf, that writeth at this rate, do tffe nothing in Gods worjhip which hath no command of God to make it lawful ? Is all this reviling, all this faMe do&rine, all his untruths commanded of God ? Or doth he iiot make himfelf an Idolater^

Q. p. Whether, if he teach true dodbrine, there be any Church or perfon in the'World that worfhippeth not God with Idolatry \ I give my reafons. i. There is no one but fimtcth,(ov ufeth fin) in the wor(hipofGod. v But no fin is commanded or lawful; Ergo there is no one, according to his do&ririe, but ufeth Idolatry in the wor(hip of God.

2.Thereisno one that ufeth not fbme things not commanded to make them lawful, in the wor(hip of God: Therefore, if he teach true doftrine, there is no one but ufeth Idolatry. The antecedent I have oft proved by many inftances : The method of every Sermon, and Prayer, the words, the time and length, the translation of the Scripture, whether it (hall be this or that*

the

[7P] the dividing of the Scripture into Chapters and Verfes, the Meeter of Pfalms 5 the Tunes, Church utertfils, Sermon notes (which fome ufe,) Catechifms in forms, &c. the Printing of the Bible, or any othev books, &c~ none of thefe are commanded. And all theie are ufed in the worfhipof God. And muft all Chriftians in the World be taught to fly from one another as Idolaters? Is this the way of Love and Unity ?

Q^io. Why thould this, brother, be fo extream impatient with me for calling Vi-vidtrs^rpczk andpkviffj j and cezforiw Chri-itians? Ifinhisown judgement all men be Idolaters, that ufe any thing id Gods worship not commanded ? Is not this to cen-fare all men as Idolaters ? And yet is a cen-fure of pievithnefs on thcfc Cenfurers a ju-rtifying of perfecutior.

Q. ii. Whether this kind of talk be not fport to the Papifts, to hear us call one another Idohters, as well as them > and do not ipake them deride us * and harden them in their bread-wor(hip, and image-worfhip, as b$ing called Idolatry on no better grounds than we fo call one another.

Q. 12. Whether it be not a great diflio-Jriour to any man to fiiflfcr filencing, becaufe • he cannot add to Gods worfhip, the Ceremonies and Liturgie, and at the fame time to add to Gods word new and falfe do-ftrinesofour own, by faying that [Itis a tytcks of Idolatry, forbidden in tbeftcond Com-rKdHdybecaufe it is nfedin the wsrjhipof G«d

mtbpui

without any command to makg it lanfuW] And if we fhould fuffer (uch falfe do&rinc, and additions, and Love-killing, dividing principles this, to go uncontradicted, whether we do not betray the truth and our flocks, and (hew that we were too worthy of our fuffer ings ?

But that this affertion or definition of Idolatry is falfe, I need to prove no other-wife, than, i. That it is unproved by him that is to prove it, and, 2. That it denieth Chrift to have a Church on earth, or to have any but Churches of Idolaters. 3. That it turneth all fin in Gods worfhip into one * ipecies, even Idolatry. And fo every falfe do&rine ufed in Gods worfhip is Idolatry: Every Antimonian, Anabaptift, Separatift, or of any other error be it never fo fmall, inuft be prefently an Idolater,if in prayer or preaching he fpeak his error; And what man is infallible ?' When -your Companion promifed in the Pulpit, tfett there (hould be no more 1ythes y no more Taxes, nor no more King, in IForcefierJhire after J^rce/fer-Fight, this muft be Idolatry. For certainly no error is commanded of God. 4. That it maketh the defcription of a thing indifferent, to be the defcription of Idolatry. For as [_•& thingforbidden) is the defcription of fin, fo to be [not commanded] fpeaketh no more but Indifferency (Though the prohibition to do any thing not commanded, fpeaketh more, .if it could be proved.; 5. It is contrary to the Scripture which never ufeth the wor*J

\ivo:

[IVOLATRf] w that fenfe? Pei •the icveral texts, and try. 6. It equalletft almoit-all Churches with the Infidel and Pagan World. 7. It heinoufly injureth God^ a hater of Idolaters, and will villc their fins (as God-haters) on the third and fourth Generations* to feign him to be thus a hater of his Churches, and of them .that ufe any thing in his rvorjhip not commanded. 8* It tendeth to drive all Chriftians to de-fpair, as bting Idolaters, and fo abhorred of God, becaufe they have all fome kneomman-dcd> yea forbidden thing in worlhip: For by this mans do£rine, a finful wandring thought, a finfiil diforder, or tautologie, or bad expreffion is Idolatry^ (as being not commanded.) 9. It tendeth to drive men to give aver voorfhipping God\ becaufe while tney are certain to (in, they ate certain to be Idc-l*ters-, when they have done their belt. 10. It hardenetfi tht Mahometans in their enmity to Chriflianity, who being the great exclaimersagainft Idolatry do already falfely brand us with that crime.

But what ever eUe it do, I am (life it is fo Pernicious an engine of Satan, to l>jll Love md divide the Churchy to feign every Con-brmift how holy foever, and every one rfiat ttfeth iti trorjhip any thing not comman-led, to be an Idolater, that I may well ad-rife all Chriftians, as they love Chrift and us Church, and their own fouls, to keep ■lemiclves from fuch mifbkes. Were id

: tjkzt it is unmeet to dc gr^>: works fc-r

rily, on fuch flight occafions, in fuch a dif-courfe as this is, I would here ftay to open the meaning of the fecond Commande-ment } and (hew,- i. That there are abundance ofliwiul things in Gods worftiip, as circumftances and outward modes that are not commanded in fpecie or individiio. 2. That fome things forbidden in that Com-mandement indirectly , are not Idolatry. 3. Much lefe are they a fufficient caufe of ieparation. But this is fitter for another place. And I again refer you to Mr, Lavefon in his JbcopoUtka.

EXCEPT. XX. AnftPired. This Exception is but a bundle of miftak'eg, and the fruit of your falfe interpretation of my defign, 1. That I prove not what I fay> is nor true, when the many inftances fully prove k and you your felf deny them not. 2. Wher I explain my felf frequently and fully, who I do not mean by Dividers, and what fepa ration I allow, you feign me to open m mind [very unwillingly^\ and to [defend tbofi whom I traduce^ that you may make mei believe that I mean thofe whom I ilill pro fefe that I mean not, and that you know nr mind better than I my felf. This is not tru and righteous dealing.

EXCEPT. XXL p. 12. Anfweru When I fay ^Onrprefme at the pttytrs offk

Cbtirci

[*3 J

' •; fijjion of Confent to all thatvs ?ers] he faith, [The Apqfttt I hin a /% cafe of ftting^t

: hi I 1 is Ten fie."] info. Brother, 01 alf the men that ever iad to do with, fcarce any hath dealt fo Whither we jiiiperrieially , without faving any thing are £ Ullt y° f

Itgainft the proofs which I lay down, nor alUhach'faul-(arming to take any notice of them. How C y in the pray-an you ehoofe but ice your felf, that by de- ers thu we are nyingmy propofition. i. You make it un- prefencar. lawful to joyne with any Church or perfon in the World h and fo would diffolve all Church-Communion and Family-worfliip > Vox do not all men fin in prayer ? And muft my man confent to fin ?

2. How do you reflect on God that for-)fddeth us, to forfake the affembling of our . I ves together ? If confenting to fin be un-ivoidable ?

3. I told you,we Confent not to the faults timr own grayer x, much left to another j,that xe lefs in our ^)ower ? What work would

i his one "opinion of yours make in the

jj iVorld? If we are guilty of all that is faulty

t n all the prayers of the Church (or Family;

to ve joyn with, yea more, do by our prefence

il rfefs Confent to them \ and rzithal, ifatimt

(g ommxnded in rvorjkip he Idolatry , what a

Vorld are w r e then in? It's time then I

urn feekers, and fay that Church and Mi-

"{ liftry are loft. It is thefe principles, bro-

ti her , that 1 purpofely wrote my book

gainfw

F 2 But

But you fpeak much befides the truth when you fay \flhe Apofile thought othcrrvif iu a likf Cafe\\ For you never prove that he thought otherwife : Dare you fay, ( I be fcech you think on it J that Paul and all thi Apoiiles, and all the Churches, proftffed confetti to all the faults, in worfhip which thfr were prefent at ? How know you that thei were never prefent at any fuch as Paul re proveth in the Corinthians? Yea, wa Chrift a profeffed Confenter to all that h was prefent at? Or all that he commands men to be prefent at, when he went to th Synagogues, and bade the cleanfed, go (hev f hemfelves to the Pricfts, and offer, &c. Ab\ bade his Difciples, hear the Scribes and Pha rifees, &c. I do not charge theConfequen ces on your perfon,but it'seafieto fee, thai it will follow from this opinion, that Chri\ was afinner+md consequently no Saviour,an .fo no Chrilt. Alas, whither would you caij ry the people of the Lord ?

Nor do you prove Paul's Cafe to he B ibis. Eating at the facrificcs in- the Ido Temples was vifiblc Corporal Idolatry? fOi bidilen indeed, in the fecond Command* ment as Idolatry (interpretative, vifiblc, e> ternal, corporeal.) It was that very Adt fc which an Idol was outwardly wor(hippe< Therefore it was a Prof effing-adz inte; pretativcly. Symbolizing with Idolaters have told you, is Profeffing'y toxaSymbole. a Profeding fign. But he that is prefen with a Church profeifing to worfhip, nc

a

^n Idol, but the true God, and that accords |ing to the Scripture, and is united to the-fchurch only in this profeflion, doth not by (b doing Profefs Confent to a Min liters ill wording, or methodizing of his Prayers or us Sermons, which is the work of his own >ffice.

2 # As for your charge of Blafphcmy*, &c. »nme, for intreatingyou to take heed, left ou blafpheme, by making Gods fore-w&ing of fault x>to fignilie an approbati-n, I pais it by, and will not by fo frivolous return be drawn to enter further on that Dint.

EXCEPT. XXII. p.13. AnfrverecL fhethe* it be bitter nefs^ fiercenefs^fury^ vr md impatience, to reprove thefe tins, in an ftance which your felf prefume not to ntradicS j And whether the opinion that 0 truth U to be ftlenced for peace] be lit for iicious peaceable men to own, or be pot to be gain-faid, I have long ago debated my book of Infant-Baptifrne, pag. 8.

tg EXCEPT. XXIII. p. 13, Anjmredr 3 roudifTsnt r whydidyouanf\ver none cf • f : fix Reafons I gave fpr what I faid, ncr (a m to take notice of them > But only when I iy [It wire eafe to injiance in unfcafmab J e \ ''imprudent words of truths fpokgn toV. . ' I

I ivhicb have raifedperjecuiions of long continuance ruined Churches, caufed the death &f multitudes, &c Upon which youp".i iciir queftions, To which I anfwer, i.T r : ft artery of fome, will not juftifiethe finfuj imprudence of others. 2. If you fhould be guil tyof the blood of thoufands by one fin, will it excufe you that another was mora guilty ? 3. Elijah,* Micaiab, and Jahn Baptiit, f pake not unfeafonably or impudently: Nor is all imprudent thatbringeth iul-•iering or death. 4. Gofpel Minifters may follow them that Ipake prudently v but w#> feafonable and imprudent fpeaking , is not following them. I have recited elfewhere a faying even of Dr. Tk Jackson, that It U not becauje great men have not fms and wrath cnoifgh. that there are no more Martyrs under Chrijiian Rulers; but becaufe there be not John Saptifis enough to tell them of them (to that ienfeO ' • ;'

But, either by all this you mean to de-r fend unfeafonabk and imprudent /peaking, or elfe ycu mean that there is no fach tin > or elfe you mult needs contend where you conn fent. If it be the firft or third, I will not be lb imprudent as to fence with you. If the fe-cond , it is grofs contradiction of reafon and morality, and of Chrift himCcK, Matth. I 7. 6. 1 Jim. 2. 11, 12. 1 Cor. 14. 28. ; ' i j 5.13• Eccls^.J*

EXCEPT*!

[*7]

EXCEPT. XXIV. p. 14. [Be b*h

found out a nov Caufe of Separating and 'fucb as roe doubt not the Pope mllthvikj)ini for, when he faies~> \_Almoft all cur cmttntions and divifwns^ arc caufed by the ignorance and . injudkioufnefs of ChriJiiansC For it is evident that our contentions at this day^ are prin-tip ally > if not rvbclly caufed, by thepride^ im- > pertintneit and tyranny of impofers > which guilt Mr. Baxter would eafi them of by charging it on the ignorance and injudicwijncfs of Christians. I

, Anfo. Thefe laft words are your ipb. X jy Htm j, m Untruth', 1. Where have I faid a word to ' eafe them of it ? May not two perfons or parties be both guilty of Divifion ? Yea, if cLiftians? one were guilty wholly] that is fit the rvhok^ yet he may not be guilty folely, and no.one a ith him.

2. Have you or any of your' party, done fo much to have ftopt that caufe of divifions which you accufe, as I have done ? And did I ever change my mind ?

3. O that God would make you know w lat fpirit you are of, and what you are doing! Alas, brother, will you leave Eng-

. land no hepe of a Cure ? What hope,while ,'• are impenitent ? What Repentance, while we juftiheour fins? Yea, while the Preachers teach the people to juftiiie them, Whether any and become the defenders of the fins which Chriftians be icy fhould preach againft, and fight agiinli dll,l > 'R^a^ -ir brethren that do but call men to Re- ^5°^ '" F 4

£ $8 J

is ^Goa : ,

Gcdlintfs is that, which abhorreth tenet ? I am offended greatly with heart,that melte '" lines as tfrtfe, fox England' c - lake. Religions fake h For the honour of God, and for the fouls of men. Is that a t Caufe of feparation ] which hath been the Caufe fince the daiss of the Apoftles to this day? Qid.ever. man read the hiftories of the Schifmcs and Herefies of the Churches, and not find out this Caufe, this old, this ordinary Caufe? If you had vcmembred but what Socrates and Sozontcne fay of the Church of Alexandria alone, what contentions, what tumults, what blood-fhed thefc weakneiTes and faults of Chritiians caufed, it might have told you, it is no new thing. O lamentable cafe of miferable England* that even among the zealoufet fort of Mini-iters, any (hould be found, that either, vindicated all Chriftians from the charge of Ignorance and hqudicioufntfs \ Or that tninketh thefe are noCaufcs^ or no culpable Caufcs of divifions! That have no more acquaintance with the people of this land ! And know no better them that they plead for! That fuch (hould feek to flatter poor fouls in defpite of that open light, and undeniable experience of all the Chriftian Wcrld! That in an age when the weak-Tieiles and faults of Chriftiaus have wrought

fuch

fuch heinous effects among us, they fhrm!3 be denied ! And when God by judgements hath fo terribly fummoiled us to repent, by filencing, diihpations, imprifohments, reproaches, and mod dreadful plagues and tfames h alas, fhall we call to profeifors that have ruined u£ by Ignorance and Injudhioup nefs (the gmleft names that their fin will bear) and hy? Repent not Chriftians? yon art not ignorant or injudicious '-> It is not you that are the caufes of our divifions and calamities ? Our Contentions at this day are principally? if not wholly caufed by the pride? impertinency? and tyranny of the Impofers.

Eeiieve not, Chriftians, that you are innocent ? Believe not that you are not igno^ rant and injudicious as you love your fouls, and as you love the land: If once God deliver us up to AntichriiHan darknefs and cruelties, it will be cold comfort to you, to think, that you once were flattered into im-penitency, and made believe that you were not the Caufe.

But that our hearts may yet more relenf in this fad condition of the feduced, let us hear the following words.

Bcfdcs , (faith he) rpt cannot underhand the meaning of fuch phrafes as £ dull Cbrifth tns? Ignorant and injudicious Chriftians^ Ft* whoever are Chriftians indeed have received an. anointing? by which they know all things? I Joh.2. 20.27. And jhottld not have fuch vile Epithets affixed to them? which only tend to expo)% ei'en Chriftiaytity it fllf as if it did

not

nop cure thofe tbatfincerely unbracedit, of their Ignorance and hijudicioufnefs.

Anfw. It is no difgrace to Chriftianity, that it is fet offby the prefence of Ignorance and hijudicioufnefs i As ficknefs maketh us know the worth of health. Nor is it long of life or health, that doleful difeafes remain yet uncured > For were it not for them, in-ftead of di/eafes there -v ould be death. It is Godlinefs and Cb vhich ' ang~

eth tiiat Light and Health into f r World that is in it ^ And men are not ignorant and batl becaufe they are Cbrifti'ans and Re-ligimsy but becaufethey are not better Chri-jiianfi und more Religious. Perfect Christianity would make men perfe&ly judicious. The weakeft true Chriftian exceedeth the Learncdft Ungodly Do&or even in judgement and knowledge > Becaufe he pra-ftically and powerfully knoweth, that God is G04/, and to-be preferred in honour, obedience, and love before all the World > and that Cbriji is Cbrifi^ and to be believed in for Juftifkation and Salvation ;> And that the Holy Spirit is his Advocate and our Quickener, Illuminater and San&ifier, to be believed and obeyed ', and that there is a Life of Happinefs to be hoped for, which is better than all the pleafures of fin, and the feljcity of worldlings; In a woxd, they have a real, though imperfect undemanding of the Baptifmal Covenant, and of the Creed, or Symbole of Chriftian Faith; And this is a great and noble knowledge, and

Cure

! re of them that were lately ignorant of all tliefe things, and were led Captive by the Prince of darknefs at his will. It the Reader that would fee the difference will perufe my fmali Tja&ate of Catholic!^ Vni-ty, he may be informed of it.

But yet is there no fueh thine as I<rno~ _ . _

tt, duh, injudicious Cbnjtians, becaufc they of D^ion* kpow all things i> Mutt we not ufe fcchpbrj- to wea k chri-Jif and Epitbetes, becaufc Cbriiiianity cureth ftians to gie*

.?;. Dear brother, I have no mind to »»grace, 'make you odious, nor to open your fin- to others •> But you have opened it to the Worlds and I muft open it to you, it pof-fibly you may repent \ But efpecially I am bound to try to lave mens fouls from this perilous deceit s And therefore I (hall prove to you that there are fuch dull and ignorayit

i injudicious Cbrijiians '-> And 2.1 fliall tell you the greatnefs of your error and iin.

That there are fuch is proved, 1. By the words of Scripture, Heb. 5.11, 12, 13,14. [Seeing yee are dull of bearing: For n for the time yee ought to be teachers, ; need that one teach you again which be the firfi principles of the Oracles of u ; are

become fuch as have need of nnll^ and not of ' ng meat-, For every one thai v unskilfulKox unexperien 1 wiof

Kigbteoufncfs > for meat bclongefb tot eventboje vAn I fes cxcrcifcd to aifccrn I

!> ]

I Tim. 3. 6. Not a novice-, left being lifted up with Pride, he fall into the condemnation of the Devil. The verb ivtptoSiis is other-wife by our Tranilators in themqrgin turned lbefottedr\ And Strigelius faith that it fignifieth not only puffed up, but one cracj^d brain d and phanatkhj, And Lyferus faith of the fame word, 2 Tim. 3. 4. tranilated High minded,thzt it anfwereth an Hebrew word which fignifyeth> to be darl^, and not tojhine clearly* which Leigh reciteth. See Martinius deTyphu*

1. Cor. 3.1,2,3,4. And I brethren could not fpea\unto you as unto Spiritual, but as unto Carnal^ as unto babes in thrift: I have fed you with milk^ and not with meat* For hitherto yee were not able to bear it, neither yet now are yee able: For yee are yet Carnal: For wfaereas there vs among you^envy big ( the word is, Zeal, that is, emulation) and ftrife, (or contention [and divifions,'] or fa&ions,) are yee not. Carnal, and walkas men ( or according to man*,) For when one faith, I am 0/Taul, and another J am of Apollo, are yee not Carnal?

• Eph. 4.14. That m henceforth be no more children, toft to and fro, and carried about with every wind by the jleight Tor coufenagej of men, and cunning craftinefs whereby they lye in wait, to deceive > but Qeabjng the truth in Love may gran? up, &c.

Luke 24. 2 5. 0 fools and flow of heart to believe, all that the Prophets have /pollen*

Mark

k 6. 52. 7bey confidered not the mira^ tbt Loaves,.for their bean was hardened.

Mark 8.17. Why reafon yee btcsufe yet have no bread? Perceive yee not yet*, neither undcrlland ? Have yee your hearts yet hardened ? Having eyes fee yet not ? And having ears, bear yee not? And do you not remen> her ?

Luke 12.16. Tihefe things widerfiood not hh Difciples at the firfi.

Luke 18.32,33, ^Theyjhallfcourge him, and pit bim to deaths and the third day he jhali tift again: And tlyey underjioodnont of thife things > and this faying was hid from them, neither knew they tbt things which were

ffok* o

1 Cor. 8. 2.7. 10. If any man thinhjbat he hpowetb any thing, he kpowtth nothingyel as he ought to tyow^ — Hawbdt there is not in every man that knowledge : but fame with Confcienct of the Idol unto this hour, eat it us a thing offend to an Idol, and their Confcienct being weaj^is defiled. Shall not the Confcienct of him that is wea\be emboldened to eat tbofp things which are offered to Idols.

See Rom. 14 and 15. Gal. 6. 1. 1 Cor. p. 22. Gal.$ and 4. throughout. Col. 2. 21,22, &c. Heb. 13. p. 1 Tim. 1. 3. Should I recite all fuch Epithetes, convi&ions, and reproofs in Scripture it would be tedious.

2. The thing is further proved by the coirmon experienceof mankind, which it

ama-

[ P4 1

dmaieth me to think a man that liveth among rnen in the world, awake and in his fenfes, can be v ignorant of? Enen , know it: Friends know it h not only that there arc Ignorant and Itytidkhm CbrijlianSy hut that the far greateft part are. fuch though not in a damning, yet in a fad and troublefome degree ! And that the far greateit part of thofe that we hope are truly godly, remain fo lamentably ignorant of abundance of things, that fhould be known, and continue in fuch an infancy of underftand-ing, as is a great advantage to the Tempter, and many waies calamitous to them-felves, and to the Church: It is the Ian, ration of all experienced Minifters. AJ how ignorant even honeft people remain i And howflowly they come on in knowledge ?

3. If God have made it one half the work of the Paftors of the Churches,to labour all their daies to heal the Ignorance of good people^ then, fuch Ignorant ones there are ; But the antecedent is plain in Scripture > and believed by moft Minifters, as their daily Sermons tell you,

4. Do not the multitudes of Sedte and Errors, and Contentions that have torn the Chinch from the Apoftles daies till now, prove it ? Were all thofe in the Catalogues of Epipbanm^ Augftjtine , PbiUJirw, &rc. , Certainly gracelefo? Or were none of them Ignorant and Injudicious.?

And though Chnvh-tyrawfy be a grand

Vtvi-

[P5]

Divider, that this was not the only Caufe? two inftances prove to'the great difgraceof this aflertion of his. Firft, the inttance of the faid feds of Chriftians, for the firft 300 or 40c years, when there were no fuch Impofitions. Secondly, our late twenty years (or neer) contentions and divifions, and numerous parties, when there were little or no impofitions. Was it impofitions or tyranny that bred feds in the Armies, and in England and Ireland in the daies of liberty?

5. And is it not fufficient proof to, England, that there are makj> ignorant, injudicious Chriftians, when the mines of twenty years experience overwhejmeth us, and when (6 many years unreconcilable differences prove it? And when we have fo many feUs arid differences to this day r What all thefe differences, thefc wars, thefe difputings, thefe cenfurings, divifions and confulions, and yet no Ignorant Injudicious Cbrifiians ? O what will pafs for proof with them that will not take fuch experience for proof ?

6. And what fay you by all the Greeks the Abaffine, Annenian, Nejiorian, Jacobite, &c. Chriftians, that are alas, in National general Ignorance; Which will you affirm, Brother ^ That all thefe Nations are dam-na k Infidels, or no Cbrifiians? Or that there, are m Tyrant Cbrifiians among them?

7. And what fey you by all the Contention! of Lutherans and Cakinijls, Arminians

and

afid AniiarmirUj}U)the troubles of Germany by M'tritzer and his Anabaptifts, and thole at Mmjler, and thole in Holland^ and many other Countreys.

8. And what fay you by all.the books now extant (Dr. Criffes Mr. Saltmarjbe^ Cotfs^ Mr. Cradocks, Mr. Piir, Mr. Jtar^ Mr. Randalls, Jacob Bcbmens, and all the Germane Prophets, Andr. Ofiander.Smenk^ fieldw-> &c.) Is there no Chriltianity ? or no ignorance and injudicioufnefs apparent in them? Befides all the writings of Episcopal, Presbyterian, Independents, Separa-tifts, Anabaptifts, &c. againft one another.

p. Do you not think your felf, that multitudes of Conformijisi yea Minijfors are Ignorant and Injudicious ? Sure yoado i And can you judge them all to be tio Chrifti-ans*

io. Do you not think that I am Ignor rant and Injudicious ? If not, you muft not only think that I am no Cbrijlian, but alfo extfeamly maliciouily wicked. But if you do fo think of me, can you think fo of all the non-Conformable Minijiers of my judge-menu I am fure if you believe yoqr felf, and as you writer Ignorance is the eafieft charge we can expedfc trom you.

11. And will you put forth fuch a book as youremi to the World, and when yeah..-done deny the Ignorance and Injuttocimfncft of all Chrirtians > This is all one as to fwear that there is never a fwearer among Chriftians.

12. I appeal to the common Charges of Minifters in their Sermons and books, who charge weak Chriftians with dnlnefs^ igno-ranees and injudicfaufnefs.

13. I appeal to the experience of all Matters of Families, whether they meet with no fuch Chriftian; there? Yea, how hard it is to meet with better ?

14. I appeal to the experience of every felf-knowing Chriftian, whether he find not abundance of dttlmfs, ignorance and in* judicioufnefs in himfelf ?

15. I appeal tp the payers of almoft all Chriftians, whether they charge not them-felves with this to God ?

1 6. I appeal to almoft all the difagree-ing difputers of this and every age, whether they charge not one ahvtber with it ?

17. I appeal to mod Parifhes in England? whether many of the people charge not their Minifters themfelves with it ?

18. I appeal to Univerfities, Tutors and Schools, whether they know none fjch ?

ip. I appeal to any judicious man, whether he find not the judicious even among good Chriftians » yea, and Minifters to be, alas, too rare >

20, And I appeal to all men that are a* wake, whether there be no Chriftian chil^ dren in the World ? And whether all fuch children are cured of Ignorance and Injudi-ciaufnefsj and know all things by the anointing of the Spirit ? And if all this be no proof, it is time to give over teaching and difputing. " G And

And now that, if perhaps, you may rc-

r f pent, and others be preferved, I (hall tell

of th^foof' you-what nature this finful do&rine and

ihus ftacter ng t practice is of*, i. It is a cherithing of Pride,

Chrittiaus. which is the firft-born of the Devil: Yea

of fpiritual Pride, even a Pride of mens

Knowledge and Judicioufnefs,whkh is worfe

than Pryle of wealth or ornaments.

2. Hereby it refifkth a great work of the Gofpel and Spirit of Chrilt, which con-fifteth in the humbling of fouls, and making them become as little children, confeious of Ignorance, and teachable. # * 3. It defendeth that (in which all experienced judicious men complain of* as that common calamity of mankind, which is the grand caufe of contentions, and errors in the World. Whidi is, mens thinking that tHey know what they do not, and overvaluing their own underftandings,& thinking that they are wife when it is otherwife.

4. It contradi&eth the Holy Ghoft, and reproveth his language and reproofs, as I have before (hewed. To which I adde 2 Him. 3. 6, 7. They lead captive filly women laden with fins? led away with divers /#/?/> ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth* 1 Cor. 15. Where Paul is put to prove the Refurre&ion % rer. 34. Some have not the knowledge of God: , J Jpea\ ttivs to your fhame : ver. 36, Thou fool, ^ that which thou fwefl, &c. Hoi* y. 7. Iht Prophet is a fool, the fpiritual man is mad, & c. 1 Cor. 3. 18. Let him become a fool that ht

may

[ 99 ] •

may be wife. If you fay that fame of thefe were not true Saints, I anfwer, i. Paulcdt leth the Church of Corinth in general, Saints. 2. Our queftion is of more than true Saints h even fuch as may by others (who are no heart-fearchers) be called, Chrijlians h whether we may call any [dull, ignorant, or hi]udiciom Cbrijlians} j

5. You teach Parents and Matters to neg-left and betray the fouls of their children andfervants,that arc Chriftians: And children and fervants, to rejecft the teaching of Parents and Matters: For if they are not dull, nor ignorant, what need they to be taught or to learn ? And at what age do they come to know aV things, and to be paft the title of Ignorant ? Is it at 4, or 5, or 7 years old ? Doubt lefs they may have the fpirit then ; If not, where is it that you will fet the bounds ? At what age voire you paft your ignorance and injudicioufntfc, and knew all things >

6. You thus make the work of School-majiers needlefs ■> and alio of Tutors and Academies.

7. You encourage and countenance idle Minifters, as to the labours neceflary to Chriftians: If there be no dull nor ignorant Chriftijff'sjh&f are not fo blame-worthy as we have made them*

8. You excufe thofe that unjuftly hinder Chrifts Minifters to preach to Chriftians, in any part of the World : It there be no ig-nnaHt Chriftians, Preachers are not fo ne-

G 2 ceflary,

cefFary, nor filencing them (b bad a thing as we have made it.

p. You encourage the contemners of the Preaching of Gods word, who fay, what need we go to hear, we know as much as they can tell us.

10. You contradict the Sermons of al-moil all Minifters, as if they abufed Chri-ftianity, and belyed the people, when they reprove their ignorance and dulntfs.

ii. You encourage the bold invaders of the Miniftry, who thinking that they kgow all things, and are not ignorant , do turn Teachers of others, before they have learned themfelves.

12. You encourage the difputing, contentious wrangling, and infolent fpirit that is abroad, which maketh men tear and divide the Church, by confidence in their feveral opinions* while allof them may think that they are not ignorant nor injudicious.

13. You feek to keep Chrifts Difciples in continual Ignorance, while you would make them believe that they are not Ignorant^znd fo keep them out of a learning way, which is a Difciples ftate.

14. You condemn your own pn&ice, who preach to thofe that you judge your (elf to be Chriftians \ For what need they your teaching (as to their understandings) if they are not Ignorant, but know all things >

15. \ou countenance the Quakers and Papilts in their doftrine of Perfection : Yea you go tar beyond them, inafmuch as they

afcribe

afcribe perfection but to a few-

16. You juftifie all the Errors of the times,whichChriftians hold,and teach them to fay, we areChriltians, therefore weerre not, for we are not ignorant.

17. You juftifie Contradittions\ For if ten men be of ten feveral contrary minds, £. g. about the expofition of a Text, it is but one of them that can be right > And yet you teach them all to think that they are right.

18. You do this againft the full light and .experience of an age of Errors, yea of al-moft all ages of the Church.

19. You (hew your felf infenfibleof the finful ignorance and divifions, and ruines thereby procured, thefc twenty years.

20. You teach all thofe that are or have been guilty, to be impenitent.

2%. You do this in an age, when dreadful judgements, which have begun at the houfe of God, do call his houfliold moft loudly to Repent, and to be an example of penitence to others.

22. Should you prevail thus to keep Christians in impenitence, you would keep us in our calamities, and turn away the peace and deliverance which we hope and pray for, and be the prognoftfck of our oontinued woe, if not of the undoing of the land, and an utter forfaking.

23. You teach Chriftians in prayer not to confefe their dulnefs or ignorance^ and make them (peak falfly that do contefs it.

G 3 24. You

C I°2 ]

24. You vilifie all thofe means which God hath inftituted to cure his peoples ignorance, as a needlefs thing, if it be cured in all already * As reading, hearing, me^ ditating, conference, &c.

25. You crofc theufe of all the Worlds even the works of Creation and Providence^ fo far as they are Gods means to teach Chri-ftians knowledge, and cure their ignorance.

26. You teach men to lofe the.moft of their lives, as to growth in knowledge, when they muft believe that they are cured of their ignorance as foon as they areChri-flians, and know all things perhaps at feven years old,

27. You teach aimed, all Chriftians to defpair of their fincerity, and to deny themfelves to be Chriftiains. For when you have taught them thzt\wlmvcvare Cbrffians indeed, have received the anointing by which theykyowall things,and art cundof'their ignorance and injudicioujhefs, & are not to be called dully or ignorant, or injudicious Chritiians.*] They will quickly aflTume [But it tf not thus with me, I am dull and ignorant, &c. therh fore I am not a Chriftiay. indeed* \

28. Youalmoft if not wholly deny an# un-Church thrifts Church on earth, while you deny all to be Chrilliaris indeed that are ignorant, injudicious, dull, and know not jll things, ••)

2p. BycherHhingthepri^and ignorance of Chriftians, you cherilh all their other

fins,

L I0 3 ] fins, which thefe two are the common parents of.

30. You make us hereby feem a tender and a fa&ious people, that fee motes in the eyes of others, but not beams in our own > who can aggravate the fins of others, yea, ihcpublicl^rrorjhip into Idolatry it felfi But when we come to our party , we take it for a reproach to Chriltianity, to be called dull, or ignorant^ or injudicious*

31. Ypu (hew by. this that your cenforc of the (joaformiiis is fo high, as to make them all to be no Chriflians indeed. For you cannot think that an Idolater is not Ignorant and Injudicious: and fo no Chri-ftian with you. But he that wrote Mr. Bolton s life, thought otherwife.

32. You abufe the Scripture, 1 jfeK2.2o. 27. to countenance all this j As the Quakers do [He that U bom of God fmneth not.'] Calvin, truly notcth that by £ kpoming all thingf-) he wcanetb notimiverfally, Jed adprt-fentU loci circumjiaHtiam rejhingi debeth] It is, the All tinngs which the apojiates there reproved did deny. As the Prophet faith, 7'beyjball not need to teach one anotfxr faying* Km** the Lord^for (dlfhall hjtorvhim: —-And yet tfcjey might ha*e need to teach one another an hundred other fr^/ 5 though they all hpew the true God from Idols. So here to V#ow all things *> is to be knowing perfons, in companion of the infidels and apoftates*(which, faith Calvin he fpeaketh to procure a fair audience with them:) As if he thould

G 4. fay,

L I0 4 J fay, [Ifpeak not to you as fo rude and ignorant perfons that know not thefe great things which thefe apoftates deny."] Dr. Hammond thinketh that it meaneth, that the Holy Ghoft by which you are anointed, or preferred before others, is a certain proof or evidence to you, of the Truth of all the do&rine which Chrift taught, and therefore you cannot forfake him by the feducement of thefe apoftates. Beza faith, Atqui cogno-fcimus omnes ex parte> i Cor# 13.fr Eft igi-tur Hyper boh, qua fignifieat Apnftolns, ft ni-hihz0m quod Mi jam antta non intellexerin^ quos ipje commonefaciat potius quam doceat^ ut loquitur etiamipfe T)ominus,]er. 31*34* Vcl quod etiam fimplieius eft-, omnia inteVigit necejfaria agnofcenavs AntiCbrijlifi&taven-dii illorum infidiis : And .to that purpofe the Englifh Anotations,

But further I grant, that all Chriftians have that fpirit which teacheth them all things needful to Salvation. But how ? Npt in the fir ft moment. Nor without their pains and patience in learning: Butjl in bleiiiHg them by degrees in the ufe ofl thofe means, which they muft continue learning by, while they live s which not-withftanding, moft are long dull and igno-rautj and injudkiom^ though not in compa-rifon of unbelievers.

But what if the Text had meant properly \yee hyou? cill things \ ]J Do you prove that this isfpqken of all. true Chriftians^ and that m all ages ? And that it is not partly groyne

de4

dedon the extraordinary anointing of the fpirit, poured out, AG. 2. proper to thofe primitive times, for the obfignation of the . Gofpcl.

33. It's a heinous fin to be a flatnrer of mens fouls! And to fowe pillows under mens elbotos, and to call evil good, and to footh multitudes up in their Ignorance, •and tell them 3 It U not an Epitbete fit for them.

34. And thus you teach them to oppofe ^nd hate a feithfuller fort of Miniftcrs,who will tell them of that which you would draw them to deny.

35. And it is a double fin for a Minifter to do this, who is a watch-man for the peoples fouls.

36. And yet more, for one that fo (harply reprehendeth the faultynefs of Confer-mills, as w feparate from them.

37. And to pretend that the confeffion of our own faults is not only an eafing of other mens, but even a meriting of the Tope > As if either the Pope muft be in the right, or no Chriftians muft be faid to be Church-Dividers by their ignorance * Even in a time when our Divifions fo (hew them-felves, that no one can doubt of them; What is this but to perfwade men to be Pa-pi its >

38. And what is all this but to cxpofe us to the (corn of all that are inclined to fcorn us. To teach them to look on us as they do on the Quakers, *ts a proud, diftra-

tfed

&ed fore of people, that will make the World believe that none of us are ignorant, Hw lad is it injudicious, or dividers, againft fuch noto-niHSySalmafas nous- publick evidence; Yea, to harden and oihcrs them that have voluminoufly reproached abroad, fuch the non-Conformifts, and to engage your horrid defcrip- £elf t o juftifieali the ignorant, injudicious XiCh fefts %«igs that they are charged with *, or elfc and fcandals ? t0 prove that the fptakets were no Chriftjh Though the ans.

Aftors were ^p # And this you do in the very day of

W fka*o? our fcandals and reproach, where thou-ttem%lhoughr. & n dsare already hardened into a diftafte of ferious Religion, by our former divifions and injudicious mifcarriages *, As if you \yould thruft thefe miferable fouls yet deeper into Infidelity and Atheifm. And when the fcandal of our divifions hath turned many (and fome old piofeffors of Religi-oufhefs) unto Popery > you take the courfe to turn off more.

40. Yea, by making us thus odious, you do very much to increafe the diftafte and difpkafure of pur Afgi&m* and to briog I more fufferLngs upon us, as a people that are Phanatkfcs indeed : Even while you make Troud impefofafrmd fcrfecuiion the caufe of our divifions. And when the world know-eth, not only that in the firft 300 years of the Church, there were fwarms of hcrefics and feds, and alfo after Lutbers reformation, and among us in Armies, Cities, and Countreyfor about 20 years, even to our own confufion * yet would you tempt them

• to

fa fc I I

If I

C 107] m take us for a people not to be believed by feeming to deny all this. And whe n I broved to you, that it is Gods way after our mifdoings, to take the fhame to our felves, that it may not fall on our Religions and the Devils way to juftifie the miidoings of £hriftians, that Chriitianity and Religion may bear the blame > you give no confutation of any of this, and yet go on to wrong the truth, by defending that which is not to be defended > If there be none of all this that in your eyes is matter fit for your Repentance, I ft ill pray that you may better know what manner of fjpirit you are of.

Yet I wifh you to oblierve, that I do not fey, that in terms you aflert allthefe ill consequences i nor do I think that you fo practically hold them> as not in ibme measure tO;hold the contraries of them*, I take you not to be fo bad: But I only advife both you and others, to own no more the opinions which infer fiich things, nor to do that which tends to cherifh them.

And I here proteft to all that (hall take die occafion ofc your paper, to afperfe the Proteftants, or the non-Conformifts in general, that they ^iil be inhumanely difui-^enuous in fo doing, when none but the guilty fhould be aacufed.

EXCEPT. XXV. AnfifemLi.Bm-

tlier, you do ill to intimate eithe* of theft

Un-

Sk

i k

C •">» ] Uptruths. i. Either, that there is no fm thing as \an ignorant fort of Preachers, mo Of iheloud valued for their ajfeftionate tone andfervou voice of the t fo an a yi er judicious menh] When as the who aSnfiiS 1 ! chriftiaA " World knoweth that there ai menr." " man y ^ UG ^ P rea ^hcrs both among the fetfer

fe£ts, (and of our felves, there are or ha\ been fome) and in the publick Aifemblies fe and among all Chriftian Churches wheitjin there is preaching through the World] fc And the worlds experience puts it pa doubt, that the generality of the vulgar, mjof learned and injudicious fort of men, do v< luexmanbyhistoneand voice more thaL for the judgement and excellency of h fc matter, if not put off by fuch advarL <age. Brother, you and I are both know^r perfons > Though I look not to mentio;! ; my felf without your imputation of pridj^, I will venture, while I put my felf on tfc| | fide which you fay I reproach, to tell yoijfc that I was once commonly taken to have aj affe&ionate a tone of fpeech as ever yo> were, at the leaft: And I ever found ths Matter and AfFe&ion together took beft J But that warm Affe&ion and fervent utj terance, with common and little matta took more with the far greater part^thai far more excellent matter delivered, witl le(s fervour of affe&ion. I havefaidas mucl againft cold preaching as aver you hav done at leaft: And I am as much againft i as ever : And I am my felf much helped h profiting by an affe&ionate delivery^ But

Bro

Cc

[ K* ]

3rother, I take it for no pride to think that [ have had more experience of mens cafes han you have had h (If you have had no nore Paftoral Charge than I fuppofe, and ;ame but out of the Univerfity when I was eady to be turned off from mine.) And [ muft tell you that I have been oft forry to cc how the people have been moved (in &rmy and Countreys) to value a Quaker, a Jeeker, an Antinomian, an Anabaptift, a Socinian that preach'd down the God-head )f Chrifh (And among the Orthodox, uch- ignorant ones as you know I-am acquainted with*) meeriy for the tone and ervency of their delivery. Scarce any thing bath more infe&ed the injudicious with ei-four.

2. Or if you deny not that fucb a thing here tf, then it is yet worfe in you to feign :his empty loudnefs y or affetted fervency-) to be he Preaching which God owneth to the *x>nverfion of fouls, Comparatively. This s to reproach the work of Preaching and Zonverfion, fo ill do you avoid what you njuriouily impute to others, when you cry mt 5 \What could Parker, &c. have Jpohpt non nproachfnVy, &c Sure you thought I lad fpokenagainft fervent preaching it fel£ >r elfe you would not have talk'd as you lo? Here alfo ( after fome mention of my ?ride and Folly ) you adde two more grofe Untruths, i. That what I {pake of indixir Inal ptrfons without refpeft to any party, umformifts, non-Conformifls, or Separates,

)

tifts, and iiiftenced in many of my own ,a qnaintam^ fome of which now Conform, are zealous Conformifts, who were the fc venteft loudeft Preachers that ever I kne in all my life: £ If I mil not tell you who tb are> (alas man, did you never know foci you mnji thinks it concerns all that ah at I day engaged in a Gofpel fefaration.~\ Anfi

\%Vnumh. Had y° ufaid Iffe miltbink^fo] it mig ! have been true: But, 1.1 had made no me tion at all of feparation in the whole Vire& on, nor intended any more than I expn fed* But only meant to diredfcpeople avoid that error in the choice of Teacher which prepareth them for any fedu&ion ar divifion. 2. I had largely fpoken there f affedHonate Preaching. 3. I am not a quainted with very m&ny fuch as in Englai have been known by the name of Separ tifts, that go no further > But thole few th I do know, I take to be colder, dull Preacfiers, than thofe that are called Vtt byterians byfar,for the mod part of them* far was I from meaning themjBut Quakei and Fifth-Monarchy men, and fome An ' baptifts I kno\V, and many revilers of t Miniftry I have known , in Armies ar Countreys that were juft fuch as I d icribe. 2. It is an untruth that you h;

i£> Vnmiib. n0 pretence of Reafon for (that I can thir » of) that I [have left off the Lords wor\, at inftead df helping it forwards with you, a weakening ymf hands^ and dijgracing

bull

i

bnildcvs. "] If you mean that I preach not in the Putyit, no more do you; If you mean Whether I that! have not a fcparated Church, I never h h a *t lc 5° ff had one fon ycur principles at leaft:) If ^^ you mean that I preach net in London, 1.1 cannot if I would. 2. I never had any Pa- Note how cr-itcral Charge, nor place in London, but dinarilyCteft pmch'd one year up and down for others, h^A^ files and another year took but a voluntary Le- avoided perjure. 3. London! was forced eight years fccu«enby ago to forfeke for my health and life.4.Gods removing/ wcrk is not only in Lon&on* 5.1 have no call thither, nor any people related to me as a Paftor there. 6. There are very many worthy men thert that want both employment and maintenance, whom I will not injure. Are not all thefereafons enough.? Zut if you think otherwife, 7. Are not all the Preachers in England forfakgrs of Gods mrli that preach not in London ? 8.1 think you preached not for many years, when you lay fo long in prifon: Did you then for-lake Gods work ?

f But I muft confefs, Brother, I have al-

waies been too ilothfal and unprofitable a

(ervant,and i\]}\ am: Yet I can fay, that I

enow no other employment that I have, and

:hat I fpend no more time in other things

than necelfities of life require*, I play

away none, and I idle away but little *> and

Wi icbing, were it oftner, is a fmall part

t tot my work, and that will be proved to be

jt! r is rk, which you think isagainft

Jhii.... (as* all have done that ever I wrote

againft

againft almoft.) And I love you much the better for being zealous for that which you do but think is the Lords work * But I am pad doubt that it will prove at laft, that fiich doftrintSypajJionS) and praQices as yours, will be the manners and hinder ers of the builders.

Of the judge- E'X C E P T. XXVI. Anfemd. p. 16.1 mcnt ot the intreat the Reader to perufe my words Uftivetftl which you except againft fo angrily, and]

Church. am a flT urec | o he will rind them ufeful to him

in the great Queftion Who Jhall be Judge i And to help him out of his perplexities I. It is a notorious untruth that you (ay £ It U altogether a new way of deciding Con troverfies, to affirm Vittator lihg, in all point of belief or prafticc which are of vecejjity t Salvation^ you mufi ever h^ep company wit* the Vniverfal Church.] Be it right or wrong who knoweth not that knoweth what wa held of old, that it is the way. that Irenxuj 7'ertullian ) Epiphanm^ Hitrome? Augujiim Optatus^ and abundance more have large! written for: And which Vtncentins Lir'men fix wrote his book for, (<>fuod femper, ubiq & ab omnibus , &c.)

2.Note, Reader,that he leaveth out,that \(t faid here [no man muft be Judge v no-> not t\ m univerfal Churchy but only that they are 01 affociatesj and that here every Cbrijiian nuMk k^th the Articles of his Faith his own^andupi Jnr no mans authority-) &c.j But I maintain th;

[ H.3 1

ic is no Article of abfolute neceffitv ** Salvation that hath been unknown to the tlrii-

• I al Church till now j for then it were ao Church.

But, faith our brother, rvho Jhati tell us

>at vi the Vniverfal Church? And where ft all we find it ? Anfvp. Are thefe Queftidns now to be anfwered by me ? Did you never before hear it done by others ? The Uni-vcrfal Church, is the Vniverfality of Chrifti-ans: It is to be found militant^ on this habitable earth. Did you not know this >

But you ask, f How comes the Scripture mt to be mentioned ? 3 Anfip. Becaufe it was not feafonable, or pertinent. I was not defining the Church ^ If I had, it wa^ definable without the naming of the Scripture, Zt leaf! before the Scripture was written ; And whence think you did I mean men fhould make the do&rine of Faith their own v part controverfie, but by the Scripture ? Good brother, till you have j written more books for the authority of Scriptures than I have done, or preach'd \ more for it, own not fuch difingenuous intimations.

f 2. You fay that, \vphat he aides £/Of chc judged I mtcb more conceited andfingular J In matters ment of Leaol-( f high arid difficult /peculation , the judge- c . d ™ e f n * n dif * li mm of one man of extraordinary underjiand- .^.* psculrt-^ngand cleimefs^ti to be preferred before both uhe 'Bailers and the Major Vote.] Anfop. It is j mother Untruth, that thU U fingular. My s rerv words are almoft verbatim in Mr. Tent-i H bit

[»4]

hleVind-Grat. elfewhere cited. Why dc the Scotifis, ft) far follow Scotus, and th< Nominals, Ockfjam, and the Dominicans Aquinas\ e^c. it this were a lingular opini on? Do not all the Peripateticks faythi fame of Arijiotle in Philotbphyj? And th Atomijis ot Epicurus, Vemocritus and Ln cretius > and the Cartefians *>f their Matter Doth not Dr. Trviffe fay the like of Brad war dine and of Fifeator} And do not man befides Rutherford think the fame of bim Do not the Ramifts fay fo of Ramus* D< not the Protejiants fay fo of Calvin, as U all that went before him ? Nay, is it not al moil the common opinion of all Learne< mea i And a thing beyond difpute ? Di( ever any man put fuch points of high fpe eolation to the Major vote ? Alas,brothei that you (hould trouble men thus, by print ing your confidence againft unquefbonabl Truths/

In the next place you fuppofe, [Mr.Bax ZoVmruth. ter hopes, as Haman did in the likg cafe, tha he pall be the man, or elfe he would not hav advised us to prefer the judgement of any on man whatsoever. 3 Anfa* Here are thre more Untruths, I. lhat Ihope to be the man 2. That Hamans was the like cafe* ^Iha elfe I nmlduot have advifed, &c. But I le them go for one v till you have prove< ft what you fay, and know my heart bette. than I my felf. In the mean time I give yoi an inftance in which I affaire you I hop not to be the man: Will you fuppofe at m

nex

J

t

C"5]

next meeting of Minifters, that there are 'fixteen that underttand not the Hebrew Tongue, and three that have but a little (mattering in it, and one that is a Bitbntr, aPbafz}**-, a Buoctorfe^ a.TfemelM, or ( to pleafc you where it is poifibir) an Aynf-nwtb : If the Controverfie bfc, how fuch a Text of the Old Teftament is to be inter-preted, will you put it to the Vote > Or will you not prefer that one mans judgement before all the reft ? And do not thofe Minifters do thus, that truft to the Tranf-lators, and underftand not the Originals themfclves.

But you adde, [He hpows xve believe that the Scripture is botbperfefi and plain*~] Anfo. Yes, plain to them that are fitted to underftand it. Our labour is not to alter the Scripture, but to alter mens underftandings. Do you know as much as T'mjfe or Brad&ardine for all the Scriptures are plain ? Or do you think that I know as much as you ? Let the t Reader judge. Do you not think that your writing and preaching is needful, for all i that the Scripture is plain and perfeft : a And do you not know more than all your i hearers? If all the Minifters (flenced and i unfikneed be not needlcfs to teach tbe people y ei .why may not fome one man excell you and j iwe, whofe teaching may be needful to us,and yet the Scripture not be difgraced ? Or why will you not write us an Infallible Commentary, and fave Mr. Toole his labour ot -abbreviating the Criticks, if the phinnefs of H 2 the

the Scripture ferve your turn without the teaching of any one that excelleth you ? Shall all our people, and all the differing, contending parties in England fay, 7be Scriptitres are peifeVi and plain, and therefore .we need not the Tranllation of them, the Interpretations, the decifions or helps of any but. our felves? Or of any vvifer than the'moft ?

As for your Anathema, I thank you foe your admonition.

/ x.jsn tun-vn uj rsuriijiy, mult* rjc jli nvirij iivi iv

oft C a ffi rm U^ oft falleth out that bonejipeople are : ano- like firming {beep, if one leap over the hedge.

EXCEPT. XXVII. Anfwered. You fay He feems to us very much u difparage the

Whether ho- reputation of hone\h, when befcruples not to

ncft people be -

nor apt to '

after one *„_

thcrs example* the reft will crowd and ftrive to follow bim> 'Ibis we thinki if enough to make people afraid of being boneji, if Indeed when they arefo, they are fo apt to go allray.

Anfw. I. Do I need to cite you an hundred Texts in which this finning, itraying inclination is charged upon honcft men ? When Paul faith of himfelf, what he doth, Rom* 7. and David of hlmfelf,' Ffal. up. 176. And he that faith that he hath no fm deceiveth himfelf, and the truth is not in him* And there is.not a jUfi man that doth good and fimteth noi.Did not Pauls carnal Corinthians, and Lgeal Galatians go aftray one after another? Are you fare that they that followed' their Leaders into all thole litis which Eph

pharim '

m

Q]

V

pbjn'us and others mei^ipn, ivae \i diJljo*> And all they that foi'ouvd Snwl^ feldim , and Eebmcrt , and Sticfdius , and Mtwzcr, and "fuch others ? And all they that have followed Dr. Crz//?c, or Arminw, or the Leading Anabaptifts, or Seekers, of thefe ages? Yea, or all they that did and faid thofe contrary and confounding things in our late troubles, which muft not to you be mentioned ? Are you (lire that none of all thefe were honeft ? Or are you furc that none of them went aftray ? Even when they contradi&ed, yea, killed one another? Qr are you fure that feme feduced not the reft ? At leaft you fhould not have forgotten in the doing of it, that you were then writing an Antidote to keep honeft people From being infected by mybuol^for Love and Vn\ty\ And if honeft people are in no fuch langer, why laboured you in vain ? Your, ntenfenefs upon what your pallion fets you )n, hindereth your memory of what you :annot choofe but know. ' 2. But, O brother , how injurious a "ourfe is this that you take ? How contrary o all thecourfe of Scripture, and the duty >f a Minifter, to lay the re; utationof ho-ieiiy it felf.fo much on fuch finners as ... honeft men are, that honefty it felt nuft be thus publifhed by you to feem dan-;erous and hurtful, uniefs all honeft people e vindicated from fuch errors? As if we iuft grant that, if men can but prov raying difpolition in many hofl

H 3 fons,

L "8 ] forts, they muft be afraid to be honeft > And do you not undoubtedly hereby give up all honefty to be avoided ? Will any man but you, that is fober, and awake, deny the antecedent, that teeth ourfeveral parties, and knoweth what we have done ? This is not the way to vindicate honefty. Health and Life are not to be avoided becauferaoft • have difeafes and infirmities. Why did you not anfwer the proofs I gave you of the Lutherans, Armenians, Greeks, and other kingdoms that run together in an error ? Are the falls of Gods'fcrvants recited in Scripture, a reafon to teach men to flye from honefty or religion ?

EXCEPT. XXVIII. AnftrerecU When

I counfelled men to [note and avoid the fins

and bad examples of religious men, andtdfitfd)

vchat are the common errors of the religiom

party where v>e live, that rvc may ta\e afpeciat

care to efcape them. ] Here, i. You impute

this to my enmity agahtjljlricinefs* Whether we j n fa I# j thank you foj a u your a( j mo .

wTavSdthc n^ons-, but, truly, Brother, you quite

£ns of Chri- miftake our controverfie through youj

ftians in the bookwhich is about Dividing the Church-

time and places es , an d deftroying Love, and~ not whether

where wclive„ m y heart be malicious, tviched, or to be Ana

tbematized ! What if I be worfe than Ju<

dte ? What's that to our cafe in hand \

2. And tntiewiU teach you, that fin is no

gaily ftriUnefs nor hmtcfiy > and that he tha

was againjlyour fifo might be fir your ftritt-

C j?f 1

2. You queftion whether [any man that dates write fo> U ferious.] This needs no an-fwen

3. You {believe fitch coknfclwMnever given to Christians before .] Anftv. 1. Alas, that any Minifteror Chriftian (hould be fo unexperienced ! Would you not only reproach the non-Conformifts, but all Protefiants, and all Chriftians ? as if npne either of their Minilters or Neighbours ever counfelled men to watch and efcape the fins which the Religious part are guilty of, in the time and Countrey where they are ? The Jews, were .before Chrifts time the holy peculiar people of God : And did. you never read, 1 Cor. io« 1. 5,6,7,8,9,10, i*o * 2 ' It's too long to tranferibe. Did you never read He}?. 3 and 4 > Nor read of the fins, of the To-twamy y the putting away of wives, and other faults of the better fort, and the generality of the Jews ? Did you never read how common the high place-worfhip was even under godly Kings ? Nor yet how the Law was neglected till the book was almoft unknown? Did you never read of the fins of Nvaby Lot and his Family, Abraham, lfiac Y Jacobs Mofes, Aaron, and hisfons *, the company of Car ah ^ David, Solomon, Pe^ frr, &c > Did you never read of Chrifts- rebuke of his Difciples for their hardnefs of heart, their ignorance, their firiving who (hould be greateft ) And hqw he took that occation to warn them by the compari G of a child, and by his warfiing and w

H ±

[ m ]

of. their feet? Nor yet of his yebuking their common expectation qf a temporal Kingdom ? Are not the errors of the fc-veral Religious Seft-s reproved by the Ancient Writers, Jretueut) r tcrnflliafi J EpipJu-ntvs % Angiifline^ &c. Did you never read any writing counfelling men to avoid the errors and tins of the Vonatifi /, nor the Afo-yatians, the Mono^hclkes^ the Ncjlorians^ En-tychkms^&c} The errour of the Religious ibrt among the Lutherans, is Confubltan-tiation, Church-Images, Ceremonies, &c-The error of the Religious Calvinijh is too much negled of the Lords day: What thofe of the Arminians and the Anabzptiftsi and many other forts are,I leave to you.Did you never read any man jhat warned others to avoid thefe fins and errors ? Did you never find in the Antlmonians writings, that the iiri&er fort of good people went too far in prefiing humiliation, tears and degrees of forrow,fo as to be too dark and fpa-ring in preifing the dodhine of Grace and Love: (And it was partly true*) Did you never hear or read, how fuperlHtion, ereme-tical and monafhcal lives, exceffive failings and aufteritks, were caufed by the ftrifteft people ? Nor 'yet of touch not> tafte not y handle not ? Nor of fome lawful things feigned to be unlawful? Nor yet that ever Paid wrote to the Corinthians^ Galatijxns, &c. And Chrift, by. John> to fix of the Aftan Churches, to know and avoid the fins of Chriftians, together' with the hereticks

among

among them ? Nor yet that Paid faid, Acu 2c. Of your onn flies jhall men arife fa 7 ingperverfe things to draw away Vrfciples after them? Nor yet that he faid, I have n? nun lik£ minded, fas Timothy,) for aU)feel^ their own things, and mt the 'things that a Jefus Chrifts ? Nor that all fuifool^bim Jt bu iPpearinghrfoveNero? Nor that all i Vifciples forfool^ Chrifi and fled? Nor tr. P^/r/iaid that the Minijkrs of Sit an tr.h formedthemfelvesintoManiiers of Kighteouf-nefs ? In a word, that betide all other fin^ the carna 1 fidmg and divifions which Paul reproved the Corinthians for, mofi ages have among the itrider tort been guilty of > Would you teach your hearers to put their do<ftrines or pradnces to a Major Vote of Proteffors? Do you think we know the lincere from hypocrites? Or that either hypocrites or fincere are without fin? Or that we muft take no warning by good mens falls ? Muft we all do over again, all the faults that Religious men have done thefe 30 years ? You makemy heart grieve, Brother,to think that there fhould be a man among us, that thinketh the Church muft be built up by fuch doctrines, and fuch means as yours ?

You fay \\Ve arc commanded not vco?f rm mir felves to the World. ] Anfte. Nor to tin-ningChriftians neither \ [Butfirft (fay y, to fuppofe that the Religious party havi generally fome common errors among them, and > MM ad< if thai n i ; : tld . irefidly fttidy l '

cfcape

[ * 22 ] Wheiher the efiapetbemi Tins counfelwe thin\Mr. Bax-Religious fort tex may be the father of\ not da w envy him

Fl^rtZ the honour of it.1

lome common . « J TT J t_ t> t- • r

errour to be Anfir. i. Have the Religious fort among

avoided * the Greeks-, Abaffines^ Nefiorians^ Jacobites^

Armeniansi Lutherans , Anabaptifts, Armh

mans, &c. no common error among

them >

2. Are you for more Infallibility and Perfe&ion than the Papifts themfelves ?

3. Will any Chriftian befides you, that is fober, deny that we (hould ftudy to efcape them ?

4. Did you ever read any fober Writer „ of another mind ?

I befeech you take heed of this pernicious flattery of ProfefTors; And I befeech all the Religious that love their fouls,to take heed of being enfnaxed by fuch flattery, into a proud, impenitent ftate.

And in the grief of my heart here, I muft fay to the people that which I exped this brother (hould impute to enmity to godlinefs. You fee by this manner of teaching what you have brought your felves and your Teachers to ? I have oft grieved to obferve, that many look that Preachers fhould make it their bufinefs to flatter them. and Moll them in the higheft praifes, and tc prick others as deep, and vilifie them as much as may be i and this is the preaching j? that they are beft pleated with, I know thai the precious and the vile muft be widelj differenced, and he is no Preacher of the

Gofpd 1

Gofpel that doth not do it: But when the Preacher muft notifie our farty as pxcions^ and call: dung on thofe as vilc*> whom uncharitable men without proof tbinf^vik^ and muft hide all our fins, as if to touch them were to reproach Religion it fe?f„ and muft aggravate theirs, even the greatejl that differ from us, or elfe be a fhtterer and tem-r irizen O that foch knew but what manner of fpirit they are of?

You adde that 7 fn&kg fifty advice riiicu-htis^ by forgetting that I bid men agree with thcVviverfjl Glwch. Anfip. I laid exprefly, \Inthe nectfiary ArticlesofFaitb(] And muft we therefore agree with them in all their fins and errors ? Or may I not fay, Qeparate not from moft or any Chrifrians as to things true and necctfary,] and yer \jxvbid tbeirfixs^ and [be. followers of them as tbey are of'Chrijt.] Alas, poor Chrifti-ans, that ever you ftiouW either be inftru-&ed at this rate ? or yet have need to be intruded againit it ?

EXCEPT. XXIX. Anfomd* Why, Broker, did you never till now hear either Familifts-, Socinians, or the grojfer Quakers . ch as Major Cobbet writes againfi, and Smith) called by the name of [aSeft,] Had you no greater thing to quarrel with ? You fhall call them how you will. Your anger I pafs by.

EXCEPT.

J

[ P4 ]

EXCEPT. XXX. Anfwered. You fay '[May we not Jujily fufpett that to be bad in the worjhip of God, which the wiclgdfon do love}"] An fa. I fpake not of [what they love-, but*, what they are for, ] This change of my words is unrighteous. I only advi* fed men not to rejett a good caufe? becaufe it is owned by (ome (or moll badperfons.) And why did you not anfwer my inftance of the Pharifees long payers ? We have had ma-liy Religious perfons or feds that have of late been (bme againft Infant Baptiime,. fome againft finging Pfalmes, fome againft Miniftry, and Church-meetings, and fome againft Sacraments, and inftituted Ordinances, and fome againft Tythes and Uni-verfities, and humane Learning*,(And Mr. Notion of New England told .me, that with them, A Church feparated from a Church, or was gathered out of it, rejctiing their Paftors, and choofing unlearned men, and would receive and endure none that had humane Learning > and that Mcfes and Aaron (as his words were ) Magijirates and Minificrs went down on their Ibices to them with tears, and could not move them to relent unto unity, or to receive a learned Minijier, nor get any anfwer from them, but [_ that is your judgement, and this is ours.l I fpeak his. very words as neer as I can poiiibly, fpoken to old Mr. Afh and me, before his ( yet living) companion Mr. Broadjireet a Magiftrate of New England.) Now all this the commm People are againft.

Muft

Muft we therefore be againft Magnates-, Minijlers, Ordinances, and all, becaufe the common fcople zrc tor their. How commonly are they againft the gu^rs? and the Fayiilifis, and the Infidels^ and Heathens, and (with us) the Fapijls> Are all thefe therefore in the light: Let any Familifi deny the Scripture, or the immortality of the foul, and the common people will be againft them. Muft we deny God and Chrift becaufe we live in a land where they are owned*

Brother, confider, i. That feme truths the light of nature teacheth all. 2. And fome common illumination teacheth multitudes ot bad men. 3. And fome good education, and the tradition of their fathers, and the Laws of the Countrey teacheth.

4. And fome are better perfons among thofe that you feparate from, than many are that feparate from them. Let not 14s then be bad, and more erroneous than thofe whom you account the worfe, and all becaufe they are no worfe.

The Text which you with me to read on my knees, I have done fo, and I thank you for that advice > but I anfwer not your hope ot retracing what I havt written ( in thatj but contrarily, 1. On my knees I :>ray God to forgive you fuch abufe of Scripture. 2. And to give you a founder mind. For the Text fpeaketh of Infidels > ox denyers of Chrifts incarnation, and ma-icth this the diftereucingCharader,[£:?-

ry ffirittbat coitfeffetb that Jefas u eome in tbeficjh is of God t and fo on the contrary. But are all thefe Chriftians that you plead for fcparation from, and charge with Idolatry, htfidcls? and denyers of Chrift? £nd all the Churches on earth that ufe a Litur-gk ? O brother, you ufe not Scripture, 01 the Church aright. We grant that in pro-iefled Christians alfo, the carnal mind is en-;inity to God, and they that are moil carnal, are likeft to reject the truth •> But yei we would not wilh you to meafure TrutI by the quality of the Receiver: Fox Chrif is truly Chrtlt, though many workers o' iniquity (hall fay, we have prophelied ii thy name: Many hexeticks have been ftri6 and temperate, when the greater part of th< i Orthodox have been too loofe: Yet tha did not prove the Chriftian do&rine to b\ falfe.

EXCEPT. XXXl.Anfwered. I have litti* , here to do but number your vifible Untruth

21 Vntrtttb. in imtter of fa(ft . Qne i s(2lt j, 0 untruth,

[He fyes upon all fides that are for order i anykindS] When I Ipeak not a word again! Order? jior againft any fide* but the in „, itances of fame tpens extreams, which a f g that zxzfor Order hold not.

22 Untruth. Your 22^. Untruth, is [Without exfrej

fing himjilf whether be. .is for Papal? Presbj terian, .or Independent Governmm in tt Chnrzh^ .And [if this wen not crime cnoug

\k

ttfiem unfilled in fonectffary a point*'] What fignification have I giren of unfetlednefs > When I have long ago publickly told the World my judgement about all this to the full, in my five Difputations of Church Government \ and in a Book called Clmjiian Concord^ and another called Vniverfal Con-cord-, another of Confirmation, befides many more. But might not a man be fctled that were (as I am in the main) of the (aire judgement as is expreffed in the Walden-fes, or Bohemian Government, defcribed by Lafiitm and Commenius \ which taketh in the beft of Epifcopacy, Presbytery and In-idependency, and leaveth out the worfr, and the unneceffary parts ? Are all the Hungarian, and Tranfilvanian , and old Polonian Frotejiantr, that come neer this order, with-our Order, or unfetled ?

3. It is your 23JL Vntruth that I write vt- 23 Vntruth* ry dubioujly about Jujiificatwn, whether ret art to takg it to be by Faith or by works* ] When as all that I was here to fay of it, is fpoken very plainly, ty I have written many books to make my mind as plain as it is pofiible for me to fpeak: (As in my Confefjion,my Difpn-tatims of Juftification, my Apologies, my Anfwer to Dr. Barlow, and in my Life of Faith, which was printed before this, where I have dete&ed a multitude of errors about Juftification ', and many more. ) And if you expedt every time I name Juftification I (hould write the fumm of all thofe books over igain, J (hall fail your expectation,

though

Of JuKfia-tko.

I

■

L128]

ghi I incur your cenfure, wbo^no doubt had ldone it, would (jiiftly ) have cenfure* ilich repctitionfor tedious vanity*

You adde \\Vefexr he is not fotmd in tba poinu~\ (Anfa. Your fear is your befc con futation,and the beft. aiiiftance that you af lord, tomakemeaswife x and judicious a! your (elf.)

j 7beLord, (fey you,) We hope in mem to hti Church, and particularly to thoft rrbi have been deceived into a good opinion of him tPill bring this man upon his knees^ that he ma) k mdkg. a public^ acknowledgement of hv. h

Anfrc* If that be your work, it is the fame with his, that it is faid you fometimc wrote againft: fo many Volumes have ii been written already-by^Papifts, Prelatifts; n. Anabaptifts, Quakers, Seekers, and man} ^ other Sc&s, tor this very end, to cure mens i, gopd opinion of me *(as if a man that could ij but riiink ill of me, were in a fairer hope fc of his Salvation) thcrt if all thefe'have not ** yet accomplifh'd it, nor all the famous Ser mons that have been preach'd againft me i rih I doubt, brother, that your endeavours come too late. You may perfwade fbme few m fa&ious credulous fouls into, hatred, butfc, trill thofe that love God, willlove one another. And I confefs of a 1 that ever I favv. Ileaft fear your book, as to the bringing!* men out of a good opinion of me, unlcfs your name and back-bitings can do it.

When'you fey that I lay that j The pre-

fumptmus

[ &9 ]

fkmptww do boafl *of being Righteous by Cbrffis imputed Kighteoufhefs, ] in conscience and honefty you (hould not have left out [without any fulfilling of the Conditions of the Covenant of Grace on their parts] Is this jult dealing ? Are there no fach prefump* tuoUs boafters ? Or will you juftilie them all, that you may but vent your wrath on one. My judgement in the forefaid point |>f ImpOtation of Chrifts Righteoufnefs, I lave opened at large in the forefaid wri-ings. The Life of Faith, ConfeJJion, Vifp.of fufiifySic.

EXCEPT. XXXII. p.18. Anfmnl t

rid, [The good of nature U lovely in all men as

nn, even in the wicfyd, and our enemiesh (And

terefore let them that thinf^they can nevet

Vdkjbzd enough of nature, take heed lefi they

m into excefs\) And the capacity of the good

7 holinefs and happinefs is part of the good of

iture\ ] Would you think now that any

tan alive (hould find error or herefie here ?

r (hould deny this > Yet, faith this brother,

B his isjirange counfel to them that have learned

I wi Scripture, that every imagination is evil y

1 'c. So that we do not fee if we rfill allow the

> hit of God to be the beft Counjetior, how we

u, nfpea\ bad enough of corrupted nature, as

ij i nature of every man now is. 1

i Anfa- Truly, brother, that man that

I Duld not have Profeflbrs of Religtoafncfs

< England humbled in thefe times, may find

Whether we can fpeak bad enough of nature.

[ I30]

in your book a greater help to cure his or* ror,than in the D*tater,or the Ecclefijolitir ciatu 1 .Your [not bad enough'] is fure a hypery hole: For you can {peak as bad as the Script ture doth \ And if that fpeak aot bad enough you accufe it of deficiency or error.

2* But I fuppofe, you meant [not too badS What do you think then of fuch faying as theft: following? If you fpeak truth, then, 1. Mans nature is not capable.cs grace, or of any amendment or renovation 2> Nor is it capable mediately ^of Glory 3. Mans nature is not ReafonabJe, nor bet? ter or nobler than a bruit. 4* The argument tomld not be good againft murdering of any but a Saint, Gen. 6.9. Who-fMk jbeddttb mans bloody by man JhaU bis blood k * Jbed \ for in the Image of God made be man 5. No man can grow wprfe than he is, if h never fo much defpife God and all hi fc means of grace, and commit every da Adultery, Murder, Treafon, &c. 6. Thei there are no degrees of evil among natura ft) men, nor is one any worfe than another 7. Then men on earth are as bad as thofi in hell, and as the Devils. 8, Yea,tenhun dred.thoufand times worfe than Devils, an< the damned > for fo bad you can call them 5>. Then mans nature hateth good formal! as good, and loveth evil formally as evil 10. Then there are in m^ns nature no. tefri mpnies for a deity, or the imn^ortality the foal, nor no confeience of good or evil

Sec Aft. 17;

torn. 1, and *, ^^ nQ principles or difppfi6K>ns. to com

moj

t*3*3

tnon hcmcfty or civility , or eHe all thefe are bad. 11. Then no wicked man is culpable, as finning againft any fuch innate Light, Law, or Principles. 12. Then natural men are as much void of power to read, confider, or do any good at all, or forbear any fin at all, even hourly murder, theft, perjury, &c. as a (tone is void of power to (peak or to afcend. And fo that all fuch that are damned, are damned for not doing that which they had no more power to do, and for not forbearing that which they had no more power to forbear than a ftone to (peak. Or elfe that all fuch power it (elf is evil. 13. Then it may be faid 5 that there is nothing in all the nature of man which is the work of God > or elfe that Gods work it felf as well as mans is evil* That man is not a man, or elfe it is evil to be a man. 14. Then there is nothing in mans nature that God can in any kind or tneafure Love •, or elfe that God loveth that which is evilj even with complacence* 15. Then there is nothing in mans nature whidi we (hoald love in one another * and no man is bound to love, yea, every man is-bound perfe&ly to hate all that are not Saints > or elfe we mnft not perfe&ly- hate, but love that which is perfedly evil. 16. Then no man (hould love his children or i- friends, for any thing in them till they have » grace. 17. Then no natural man (hould love himfeif; Or elfe goodnefs is nor the t| proper obje& of rational love.- 18. Then X 2 if

[ w ]

if every man be armed with utmoft malice againft others, and perfecute and deftroy them, imprifon, torment, murder all good men, yea Kingdoms, if he were able, it would be but that which we are naturally no more able to forbear, than the fire to burn, or a (lone to be heavy. 19. Then feeing every man ought to look upon every natural man as perfectly evil, and a perfect enemy to all mankind, if they all murder one another, it is but the deftroying of fucK as have no good, either natural or moral,' and fo are far worfe than toads or ferpents. 20. Then every natural man hath no rea-fon faving only Gods command, ( which it isimpoilible for him to obey) to forbear the murdering of himfelf or his children, any more thrn others. 21. To conclude, Then man is not Bonum Pbyficum^ and in Metaphyfaks^ Ens & Bonum non convertun fur.

You adde, [Andbad not Mr. Baxter told^ us before^ that be underftoodbyFleJkyonly the fenfnive Appetite} ] 2±Vntruth. Anfro. This is your 24^. Untruth, and a meer fi&ion \ And your not noting the place was no fufficient hiding of it. I have oft in many a writing declared otherwife what I underftand by [Flejh.~] Viz. 1. The fenfitive apprehenfion, imagination,appetite and paffion as it is grown inordinate. And, 2. The underftanding, will, and executive power as they are corrupted to a finful inclination to the obje&s of (enfe,and |i

become

1 ■

k

i

si t

become the fervants of the ienfitive parf, and are turned from the love of God, and things fpiritual, unto the fleftily inter-eft.

You proceed, [Now we fee one firm reafon to deny the leaft allowance of free will in the things of God, fmce thofe that hold it in any iegree, are jlrongly inclined to deny original 5# and corruption > which if Mr. B. hath not c elt y &cA Anfw. i. This is plainly affertive )f me,and is ^our 2<ytb. Untruth: I never ^Vntruth. lenied it J but have in my Divine Life and Whether there xher Writings, faid more to prove it, than bc an y Nearer you have publi(hed. 2. If no degree )f free will, even Phyfical, or Civil, be to be tllowedjthofe that deny us liberty to preach, )r if it were to live, do no more in your tccount, than they are as abfolutely necef-itated to do, as your pen was to write this, bid fure you will alter our courfe of Ju^ lice, and equal murder, man-llaughter, and hance-medley, as they, call it: And where-s he that killed a man by the head of his xe flying off unwillingly; had an excufe nd refuge from death by the Law of Mofes^ ou will allow every man that killeth ano-- ler, or that hurteth, beateth, or flandereth ^ c 0 c J n „ aM ou, this much excu(e as to fay, I had no namuimen lore liberty of will to do otherwife, than as bad as he , have to hate felicity as fuch: Or I could can name, will , 0 more do otherwise, than your pen can no * h r acc , lh f*^ | Uear writing when you move it. JJ^ ^

And out of this Section of your judge- f car 0 f fl aa . lent of humane nature, I ask you, 1. Do der> I 3 you

you not tell the world here the reafon why .you write To vehemently againft my Principles of Love? What wonder if you fhould hate all men perfe&ly whom you count natural, and fo perfe&ly evil > 2. Do you not tell the World, that your purpofe is to fpeak as bad of all us and others whom you account natural, as your tongue can poifibly fpeak, and to take this for no flan-dcr, but your duty i feeing you think, you cannot fpea\had enough df corrupted nature , as the nature of every man nov> is? Do you not here tell us, that how bad foever yoi (hall fay of us, you never do or can faybac* enough ? But why are you (b angry witt f me for being and doing (b bad, when Ihav< no freedom to be or to do better, any mar than the fire not to burn ? Yea, when yqi inferr all mens natures to be incurably evil and therefore defperate > feeing it was , capacity of holynefs which I aflerted, whe with fuch abhorrence you contend againi my words.

EXCEPT. XXXIII. p. 19. Anfwem 1 1. To be a furly, proud pofejfor is a mildc accufation far than your laft. 2. But wh

fhould a Treacher think that a man mu fpeak againft no fin which he is guilty himfelf?

EXCEP'

*

E *35 ]

EXCEPT. XXXIV. Anfmnd. i.I imderftand not what you mean by faying £ Ifibey perfecute any, they contract a guilt upon all>j If you mean on aU tbe.pt9pk, tnen you think yott are guilty of perfecuti-on : If you mean on all the Magiftrjtesjhcn the Innocent , even Obadiab that bid the Prophets are guilty of perfecuring them. What guilt a publick pcrfons fin bringeth on a body politick as fuch, is a cafe that I mean not to difpute with you.

2. You adde, \}Ve thinly tbey do a very ill office to Magistrates that infwuate, it is poffiblt for them to perfecute fome^andyet be innocent .] Anfrr. If you intimate (as you feem plainly to do) that I have Co done, this is your 26Vntrutb. 26tb. Untruth, and worfe than ameer uti-itruth.

EXCEPT. XXXV. Anfmred. 1. To h it follow that becaufe lawful feparation is not from the fame uncharitable fpirit, that perfecution is, therefore unlawful feparation is not >

2. You force me to confute you by In-fiances which yet you abhor to hear. You ^iay [ Terfecutim in fid cafe cm confji rpith love>~] Do you think your felfthat'all the whether no Common-wealths-men, the Anabaptifts, perfecution the Separatifts, the Independents, or who- can confift ever, that had a hand in the order for {e- withLeycf queftring all Minifters, that kept not their I 4 daicf

daies of humiliation and thankfgiving foi the blood of Scotland, had no love at all remaining? Or that none of this was per-(edition? Nor yet the ejecting of che.mfhat refufed the engagement ? Nor yet the im-prifonment and banifliment of the London Minirters, and the death of Mr. Lave and Gibbons ? To pafs by the Scotch war it felf and, alj the reft. Do not the Seftaries think that the Presbyterians did or would have perfecuted them ? And did not the Presbyterians think that the Se&aries perfecuted them ? Do you think that in the Contentions, with the Ttonatifts^thc Novatians^nd ipany other profeflbrs of ftri&nefs, the parties that perfecuted hadtt? Lavt y .and fo no true grace remaining? Truly, brother*! like perlecution as little as moft men living do, and have written more againft it than you have donej ( forgive this pride) But I cannot be fo uncharitable as to condemn all £he [cdis, and parties, and perfons, as utter-ly gracelefs that have been drawn to per-fecute one another* When I confider how, few (e$ts in the World have efcaped the guilt > and how far pievifhnefs and feeming intereft hath carried them. You know, I fuppofe, that the Munfier Anabaptifts them-(elves, did not forbear it. The Lutherans have oft perfecuted the Calviniftf> And the Arminians in Holland thought that the Cah vinifts perfecuted them, and denied them liberty of Confidence: Even the New England godly Magiftrafes and Miniftersartf

ac-

accufed of it by the Quakers and the followers of Mrs. Hmcbtnjm and Goriin.

And I would you knew what fpirit you are of, whether you have none of the fame fpirit your felf > Would you not have hindered the Printing of this Book of mine, if you could have done it ? And then would you not have hindered me from Preaching i the fame thing, if you could have done it > -And i< not this to filence that Teaching i which is againft your judgement ? Is not I that fpirit, which hath all the vehement Glanders and revilings which your book aboundeth with, and which earnejily frayetb | God to rebuff *»e, of the fame kind think you, as to uncharitablenefe, with the persecuting fpirit ? And is this in you incon--fiftent with all Love ?

3. It is your 27^. Untruth, that (after many virulent exprejjions) lam forced to con- 2 7VntrtUh* fefa &€. My conltant expreilion of my judgement, and true ftating of my fenfe, is no t forced Confefjion] of any thing: Much lefs did I ever confefs that no perftcution can confift \frith Love* but have even there faid much to evince the contrary.

EXCEPT. XXXVI. Anfiperellput ten Qjeftions to convince men of the fin of that ieparation which I fpeak againft: And all his anfwer to them, is but this, [He as\s many quefibns about Cbunb-Cmmumon :

But

But befytows the Proverb, and let that anfaer binu] Jtnfn>* But is this impartial enquiring into the truth? Or is this kind of wrkiug fit to fatisfie fober men ?

EXCEPT. XXXVII. Anfoered. Your zlVntrmh z$tk Untruth is next, [He taketh it ill that m Jhould thinks the Church of Chrifi to confijl but of a fevo^ When I have no fuch word or fcnfe * but my felf profete there to believe it* and only contradi(3: them that would rob Chrift of almoft all thofe Few, and make them incomparably fewer than they be.

You adde, [But when befaies^ the kliefqf thk is the next way to infidelity 7\AnfeX\\WL$ %9 Vntrrtb. y 0Ur 2 ptb. Untruth y I faid no fuch thing i OP the fewnes j on ]y admoni(h you to oblerve that your of Seiicwi* abufive leflening the number is your way to Infidelity i And! proved it, which you pafs by; He that can believe to day, that Chrift came to dye for no more in all the World, than the Separates are, is like very (hortly to believe that he is not the Chrift, the Saviour of the World, and the Lamb of God that takes away the fins of the World.

When you adde that £ Icaft reproach on the mrdof God that affirmcth this exprefly^] it is but another of your untruths, and an abufe of the word of God.

ExCEPTo

EXCEPT. XXXVIII. Anfwcrtd. When I tell you of fbme that have run through all (efts, and turned Infidels, yoi^ ^ 0 y ntrm y a adde another Vntrmh, that I thus reproach * a whole party with the mifcarriages of form ftm unlefs you mean by a whole party, all that are of that opinion which.1 confute : For all the Separatists are not for it. And fo what ever opinion in the Wotld I (hall gain-fey, you may fay that I contradiA a yrbok Tarty, that is, the Party that holdeth that opinion. But, brother, doth every one reproach you, that telleth you of your dan-

ter, and would fave you from infidelity and ell? If the common people (hould tell you that you reproach their whole party, when you preach to them of the tendency and effe&s of fin and error, you would eafi-\y fee the fault in them. Your talk of a fro~ filmed Conference I forgive : But if you muff: not be told of the dangerous tendency of an unfound do&rine, left you feem to be reproached, you will leave your felves in a fad condition, when your cure is rejefted as a reproach.

EXCEPT. XXXIX. Anfwertd. Very good. Yoh grant that [ If the fame fpint be rejhred to the fame words, they will be as good at they were at the beginning* ] But, what

tirit was that, brother, that firft took up £ forms and words that now we fpeak of?

It

C Ho ]

It was not only a fpirit of miracle^, tongues, or fupernatural infpir«flfon. Why do you fay then that [ no man canrejlore the fame Jpirit to them, and we cannot believingly expett that God will do it<> becaufe we have nd . promife for it 2 It was but the fpirit of Illumination ajid San&ification h And have not all Chrilts members this fame fpirit ? Judge Whether the by %x>m. 8. p. iCor. 12. E^.4. 3,4,5, to fame fpirit may id. You have here then by confequence ^ not be reflortd gi ven up your w h 0 j e cau f e# You grarit that

ftnnl aaC1Cnt L If the fame fpirit be rejlond which firft ufed the prayers^ and refponfes and praifes of the Li-turgie-> it is very true, that they may be ufed now: But the fame fpirit is in all the truly faithful \ Ergo, by all the truly faithful they maybe ufed now. J

EXCEPT. XL. p. 20. Answered* You fay, [It is unbecomingly done in M/\J5ax-ter to compare Cromwell to th$ Tyrant Maxi-mus, who dedicated a flattering boo}^ to his

f0K.]

Anfw. 1. Maximus is by moft Hiftorians made lb good a man, of himfelf, that I more feared left many would have made me a praifer of Cromwell by the comparison. 2. He is called a TyTant, becaufe he was a Ufurpcr^ And do you think that Cromwell was not fojwhcn hepull'd down both King, Parliament, and Rump ? Nay, Maximus was chofen in England by the Souldiers at a time when pulling down and fetting up by

Soul*

Souldiers was too common h and when his DredecefTors had little better Title than him-Iclf: Therefore I pray you judge not too •oughly.of Maximus: But Cromwell did lsurp at a time when the cafe was bther-vifei Our Monarchy was hereditary by he undoubted Conititution and Laws of he Land*, and our Parliament by an A& vas to lit till they had diffolved themfelves, md he had by Iblemn promifes obb'gcd timfelf to thef Parliament as their fervant, md had fought againft and kill'd the King, imong other things, on this pretence that iefought againft his Parliament,and would lave pulled them down > which thing he ifluany and finally did himfelf. Sir, GocHs lot well pleafed with the justifying or pal-iating of thefe things,, though men may ie tempted to do it in faction, and for a dt-ided intereft.

3. It is publickly known that I did open-y and conftantly fpeak the fame things all he time of CromrvtlPs Ufurpation: Why hen is it tmbtcoming now ? Among other faces, fee my book of Infant Baptifine> pag« 47 to 152. and 2d£, 270, &c. Where the >affages fpoke with caution are yet fuller lan all thefe that difpleafe you: If Crom-r^ZTs party endured me then, cannot you ndure me to fay one quarter as much ow ?

4. What if I had done otherwife > Shall ich a fuffering Preacher as you teach us 11, that its unbecoming to Repent ?

5. That

%iVntrnib

Maximus lm-peratgr T^m-pub, gvberna

[ 142 ]

5. That I dedicated a flattering tx>ol{ to hvi finals your 31JJ. Untruth. For commonf fenfe here will diiccm that you diftinguifh, between the BooJ^ and the Dedication* Ancf two books at once I* directed to him. The vU*merit ™* 1 ^°°^ s were one'againft Popery, and thfc pr£iundus,fi mh ^ a 8 ainft the E n g^ ifll Prelacy, and^Re-. $i vet diadem* ordination, and the impofing of the Litur-non tegitime gie and Ceremonies *, And there is not one t muituante pliable of hisfon in all the book, fave in that Dedication. Nor did I ever fee him, fpeak to him, or write to him elfc, nor heai from him. But only hearing that he.-was dilpofed to peace, and againft fuch turbulent Church-deftroying waies as you hen

mllite wpofi-tum repudiate, vel amis csvi* Mwt abftinere licHijfet ; fed mzgnum lm-

JS5 «K' $** te>}&»$* \™i ^ the . n «> « r s<

nee fine amis him to do that which was right an< ptuit teneri: juft. Snip, ftverm V'Mlog.yiif.i

:

EXCEPT, XLI. Anfmrei. Havin

V'tTceU 1. my *** f been bred U P undcr fome Tut0r ' t\ 9 . MwiduV and with acquaintance, that kept up a re vir penmi & putation of great learning and wifdom, U p obus atq\M* crying down the Puritans as unlearned fe gufto digmsy j 0ws ^ w hen themfelves were more unleaxne *famm\ldem than I will here exprefs, on the by I <ai per tyrannidjem tint I had kpownfucb-> and alfo that the: emerjijfet, &c. were fome fuch now, who having chm wits that cannot feel fo fine a thfed, nor a capable . of mafiering difficulties, do cenfu what they underltand not; And that ma. that Jhould be confiiouf of the didnejsdnd i nor ami of theirfumbling^ Hnfi(mijhedbr<

ba\

Invitus prope-modum ab ex* ircitu creates twtertttr, &{*

C'43]

have no way to kftp up the reputation of their rrifdonty but to tell men, 0 fetch.a one bath dangerous errors, &c. ] To this he faith, that if Ben. ]ohnCon or Kudibns had writhe—but for Learned Mr. B. mortified Mr. B. judicious Mr. Baxter* to fall into Juch levity, mil I hope warn alljotakg beedhow they overvalue them-felves Jcjl God in judgement leave them to themselves, as he hath evidently done thii poor man, & a And he concludeth with an invitation of me, [_to afecond and more feafwable re* tra&ation. ]

Aifrv. I heartily thank you for your pity, and for any zeal of God, though it be not according to knowledge And tor my retractation, I fuppofe you would have called it a third. You quarrelled not with my fofpenfion of my Aphorifms of Juftificati-on. Andforrnyretra&ationof my Political Aphorifms, I have no more to fay to you and others of your mind, but that you would better confixlt your own peace and other mens, and your innocency too, if you would meddle with your own matters, or with that only. which concerneth you.

And to conclude, i. I unfeignedly forgive you all the revilings and other injuries rf this your Book.

\ % 2. I intreat yon to reviewrwhat is againft God and his Churchy againft. Faith, Love, and Peace, and to repent of it in time.

3. Ibcfeechyoutogiveover this pernicious flattery of Profeflbrs, and daubing oyer their ignorance, injudkiowfaefs, pride, ttiddiviiions. V I

4* I intreat you to be more impartial towards dlffenters, and let not your Judgment be blinded by your paliions.

5. To help you to impartiality, I befeech you confider how you tempt the Bifhops to think it no harm, tofilence men that bold and do fuck things as you have vented and done in this book.

6. I befeech you to that end, better to ftudy yourfelfy and to know what manner of ipirit you are of. Befides all the intimated Untruths, here are 30 or 31 grofs Untruths in matter of fad: which I have fet before you. For my felf, it is not the leaff part of my Non-conformity, That I dare not lie, by publick Declaration to fay, T Af~ ftnt and Confcnt where I do not. Now fhall a man aggravate the crime of fuch things as thefe, and yet do what you da himfelf ?

7. I do folemnly profefs to you, that I! feel no malice againft you, much lefsa defirct of your hurt in all this that I (ay which is againft your Judgment, but an unfeigned love to you, and tendernefs of your perfcn.

8. Laftly, I again proteft againft the injufticeof any one that (hall charge your Opinions and Mi/carriages on the Non-con-formifts h when I know not two Presbyterians ormeer Independantspf your mind y though too many fo galled in England, have inclined to unjuft feparations. And we are no more concerned in the opinions of them that are not Proteftants, though they alio go unde* the nanje of Non-conformtfts,

than

than in tte opinion > of the Papife, who aje called Recufants.

And to Conclude, I allure you.that if ] >u wrK any more at the rates as you hate done in this Antidote, I Hull give you the lafr word, as no; i itendmg to confute you, if you (hall maintain that Light is darkhefs > nor plead any more a caufe againft you, which needeth not much argumentation as to fober judgements, but as to interefts, paf-fions, and byailcd wills, which are Other-wife moved than by truth and resfbfl, and have but one eare -5 And I fear not to encourage you before-hand by telling you, that you (hall fee that I have (bmewhat elfe to do. For it is a truth that I tell you with grief, that he that will take out of your xx>k, 1. All the falfe do<5trines. 2. All the grofs untruths. 3. And all the impotent revilings, together with the profefled end 3r defign, to undeceive them that have a good opinion of me s will leaye fo little, is may contained in a very narrow room; And he that feeketh in it for any thing that avoureth much of Judgement, Repentance, Love, Unity, or Peace, muft have other yes than mine, or be difappointed.. And wondet not at that, when the found Prin-j iples of Love, Unity and Peace are the »lungs that have-call you into this difplea-t ure, and which you write againft. For i vhere ever the Principles of Chriftian Love j iftd Peace feem intolerable, there are fiich % ontrary principles as will bring forth con-K trary

trary effe&s, which will prove indeed in-. tolerable in the end.

•As there is nothing in this World which God cloth defign more gloriouily to mani-feft and magnihe than his LOVE, and nothing which he fo much obligeth mankind to, especially Believers, as the LOVE o\ Him and one another, fo there is nothing which the great enemy of God and mar doth fo much hate, and feek to extinguifh; lighting by many forts of weapons neithej lagainfl: fmall nor great, in comparifon o Divine and Chriftian I/O V E. And hi common way is to prefent the pcrfms to u as VNLOVELT, or Odious, whom h Would have us hate. And as their own pre dominant Carnality and Impiety doth giv him full advantage with the ungodly, t( make firft that Holyncfs which is contra I ry to them odious, and consequently ho)\ ferfons, and God himfelf; fo with thofe thai really Love. God, the Tempter tindeth th:| double advantage to make their brethrej ieem odious to them.

i. The great wcatyefs and error of the] judgements, fometimes about the Things if difference, and fometimes about the PerfoA through tmacquaintednefs j whereby, eithcl through miftake of the Caufc or of tl I Man, theyeafily deny or extenuate all til amiableGoodnefs which is in him > and thirl that the Love of God, and of Truth ai]j Godlinefs obligeth them to halt their bnj ther, as a fuppofed enemie to both. And yj

wh : !

/tile they openly declare to the World, an /: trfath t and a rrjnt of Love^ and a dcfire Dinake theperfon feem orfiw/x to others, y their obloquy, detraction and back* iriiig i ; 'ijes they make themfelves be-K ■,-. tfiat all this is indeed no cffe$ of Ha-\:■! rr Milieu but of Lrae,becaufethey can till fay, that they delire unfeigncdly that lie nun were of their mind andway^wlndi i call a defiring of his Converilon and Konvi&ion, and of hiscrra and the Churches ood. And thus not only the hereticks of istime, but. the very Jews were Lovers of aply and of other Apoftles: No doubt but icy defired that which they thought was icir Convex fion and their good > And what atred lb great that may not haVe fuch 3 >irer *, not only a feigned pretence, but a 31, though erroneous deiire. Gardiner and fnncr expreft the like, and no doubt, did

ially with the Martyrs had been of their

rincU And no doubt, but many that wifh'd w iis, thought they witVd but the perfonf i id the Churches good. The burning 2eal V/hieh hath fo much depopulated much of . le World , was in many a zeal of God> IHty not according to knowledge. He that

in transform himfelf into an Angel of jkfo, and his Minifters into Mimjlcrs of A }g}ncoHfnefs and freeGr,tcc^ no doubt, can

lach them to perfecuie men in Love, and " n > excommunicate them in Love: To revile II thers in Love, to hinder the Preaching of

le Gofpelin Love, to a(fli&, or to V'rAdt ,v ic Church in Love, K 2 Alas,

Alas,hotf much is the serpent too fubtile tor the underftanding that trufieth toitfett and is not illuminated and guided by -tin (pirit of Light and Love: How eafily can h< hide from us, that in our brother which wj (hould Love, and magnihe and multiply hi faults into odious crimes, and transform hi very virtues into vices, and his rightel judgement into errors. In this, brother, thank God that my principles give me ths advantage of you, that I think you not od t out, but weak.

2. The other yet greater advantage th; Satan findeth, to kill the Love of moft, SELFISHNESS* one filfijh m thinks that he may well account him k and odious^ who is againlt his worldly weal and honour \ And another thinks him k and odkufi who is again!! his Learned or JR UgtoHs reputation, and would dete& his i norance or vice. Another thinks him U and odious ', who is againft his Opinions^ \ the words or manner of worfliipping Gq .which he is confident are belt \ And he til hath once differed fpiritual pride to extj his own underjlanding and his piety, make that fo far the meafure of his o| fures, that all (hall be thought fo far! fwerve from Truth and Godlinefs as ill fwerve from him. But if we-{hould/;/[ much by others, and that for a caufe whl we take to be the caufe of God, hi eafie is it for felfijhnefs to Air-up thofe J J fions 0 which (hall blind our undertfandirlp

fo tar as t< i fee no good at all fearce in them that we furter by, or to extenuate all that is Lovely in thenn yea, to think hardly of almolt all others of their judgement zx\dparty y for their fakes : And it we think we may jnce call them Persecutors., yea, or but fuch i$ Conform to the Pcrfectttors rvaics, wc think t juiiityerhalmoit any thing which we fay )r do to make them odious: As thofe on he other tide chink they are juftiried, in alt Jiat they fay or do, againft men, if they an but call them Schifmaticks.

So far are men from Loving their enemies y

md bitting them that eurfe them, and doing

ood to them that hate them, and praying for

hem that dcfpigbtfully ufe them, (or falfely

ccufe thent^) and perfecute tfam, that they

*e hardly kept from bating thofe that Love

wtm, and atrfwg thofe that blefs them, and

prting thofe that would do them good, and

llfely accullng and defpigbtfitlly uting and

vfecuting thole that pray for them: And

et left they (hould not be flattered in their

in, and that yet they may judge themfelves

ae children of our heavenly father, they

all do ali this as Ads of L we, to the Church

od Truths and to the perfons fouls ^ and

r nil Love them, as is faid, with a hurting a

i wiling, a Jlandering, a curfing, and a bating

i id malicious Love

h O that the God of Love would pitty and Undeceive the felhih and pajjionate fort of jrofefTed Chriftians! and teach th m in aow what manner of fpirit they are of/ O K z thar

that he would rebuke the evil fpirits t are gone forth! The fpirit of Covetou neis and Pride / Of Hypocrifie, and Religious Imagery! Of Self-conceitednefs ! Of Malice and Wrath / Oj: Back-biting anok Falie accufmg, before that both Cbrijiianity and Humanity be .turned into L>tvilifme, (2. Tim. 3.3. (ftwifioAoi,) and earth be more conformable to Hell! O that the fpirit ot Light would make us of one mind, and the fpirit of Love would mortifie both mens malignant and religious pafions:, content i nefs and malice^ and caufe us to Love dm Neighbours as our felves ! That as the envious and ftriving wifdom -troiii beneath. Hathcaufed Confyfity, and evay evil n ^ Co the w'tfdom from above, winch i* jirjl pxre and then peaceable, gentle, and eafie to be in tre4ted 7 might bring forth Mercy and gooc fruits, without>:■. partiality and bypocrifie > thor we might cdifie the body of Chrijt in Love (Epb. 4. 16.) and fruftratc the hopes of tb enemies of our peace, who wait tor our to tal difTolution, and triumph already in ou Divifions, (when it is their own Mill whicl grindeth us into powder,) But God- cai make their Oven to bake us into a onor Chriiiian and falubrious Contiliency, (tha I may ufe Ignatius his allegory,} but it mal he iirft by fermenting us with wifeiqnc Love j and then we (hall be Lovely in hi light, and the God of Love and Feace will b with us, 2 Got. 13,11. Amen.

IOS7

C '5' 3

TOSTSC^ITT.

THat the Exceptor may yet further be convinced that it is not any Party of men called Independents or Anabaptist as fuch, that I here fpeak againft v As I did in my oppoled Book declare that I thought them both,and all others that hold the foundation, and difclaim it not by Herefie, or wicked lives^ to be fuch as the Churches (hould receive into their Communion > and that it is their duty to hold Communion in the fame AfTemblies, notwithftanding their difference^ and^that it is not the Opinions which denominate them, that lrvritcagaivfi\ but only the Love-killing and Dividing principles which are among them> which make them fly with cenfure and alienation from their brethren that are as meet for Church-Communion as they 5 and oft break them into pieces among themfelves *, fo do I yet again here* declare the fame* And not only fo, but that if it were in my power, when their Communion with others cannot be procured, they (hould yet be toltratccTm their jcp.iration it felf^ and enjoy Communion Bvith themfelves alone, in their feparated Congregations, under the Laws ok Peace, 1 being not tolerated to turn their preaching 3 or worlhip into a reviling and reproaching of the Orthodox, to the-deftruftion ot' [j Chriftiin Love : And I (hould not doubt K 4 but

[ mil

but the Communion of the OrtbodtW Churches maintained in Conjiant Synods , together with the fpecial Countenance of the Chrifti-an Magistrate, and the daily experience of p. lievers (which would liill make the aged fort forfake them) would fufike better than violent fcverkies to rtprefs the evil, and to give victorious Truth opportunity to do its proper work.

And to (ilence this calumny yet more, I do renew the Erofaiion which I have often publi(hed, that my own opinion is fo much tor Independency ,as that I think,jio Church is made, by God, tp be a Ruler to other Churches , under the name of a Mother Church, or a Metropolitan?, or Patriarchal, but that all theli are humane forms i And that Councils arc not the proper Governours of the particular Pallors* but are for Communion tf Pa\lors and Churches dircSly* by. way of Confutation , Confent and Agreement \ (As I have heretofore declared, that Bithop Vfocr profefTed his judgement to pie.)

Though I confefs that the Yaftors in Council are ftill the Guides of the people^ zs well as firigly at home, and by their Confent lay a jhongcr governing obligation on %btm > And that the General Law of Vnity and Concord doth confiquently bind the feveral Rafters* tp concurr in all things Lawful, (Confidcratis confi dcrandis ) withthe Contenting Churches-

And even Djr. .Hammond is fo? Independency

dency fo far as to f ) ,that [every fttfh reMar jrffcmbly ofChrifiians under a-BiJhop, Jncb or Timotry was ; an Oeconomus fa over then by Cbriji, Wff tbe Church of tbc LivingGod. j Though \\£ adde fucka^ain every larger circuit under the Metropolitan, &c. ] Yet he conteifeth, (_ And fitch all tbe particular Churches of tbc whole World* confidercd together under tbc fupream head , Chfiji Jejlts^ I difpenfmg them all by himfclfand adminijirbtg them feveraUy, not by any one Oeconomus > but by tbc fever at Bifihps , as inferiour heads of unity to tbe fever al bodies, fo conftitutedby :> fcveral Apojiles in their plantations, each cftfem having an k^oii/ahx, % fever.al dijiinB comniijjicnfrom Chrijl immediately, andfubor-dinate to none but the fupream Donor orplene-ptentiary. 3 Sc far he, on i Jim. 3. 15. c.

To tnis do but adde what Bifhop Bilfon of fubje&ion largely fheweth, and other Bifhops as well as he, that Metropolitans and Patriarks are not of Divine but humane inititution, ad accidental to the Divine con-ftitution of Churches j And alfo what Ignatius faith, of the Unity of Churches, and defcription of a Bi(hop, that [ *to every Church there was one Alt tr, and one Bifhop mth the Fresbyt:rs and Deacon^ | and io every communicating fady, or Congregation that had an Altar, had a £//&«/>, (as Mr. Mede on this ot Ignatius ftftweth', ) and then you will fee how tar Independency is owned by others as well as by ne.

And for further iilcncrng the «U mnv,

fct

[ ml

let it be noted, that the Churches in New-England are commonly called, Independent^ Congregational, and yet they are againft Separation*, and do find by experience that Separation is asperillous a thing to Independent free Churches, as it is to Bio-cefane Churches^ and fomewhat more, Becaufe they ufe not outward force to preferve their Unity, and becaufe one fingle Congregation isfoouer diffolved by divifion than iiich a thing as a ViocefaHc Church is. And therefore no men fhould be more willing to iupprefs Dividing Principles and Paflions than the Independents, both becaufe they are moft charged with them, and with all our Se&s and Confufions, and becaufe they are not the leaft in danger of them..

And that the New-England Churches are againft the Separation which hath been commonly known by the name of Brow-nijme-y I will give you thele following evidences.

i. Even Mr. Robinfon himfelf, a part of whofe Church began the Plantation at Plimoifthy though he was one of thofe that was called a Scmi-Jeparatift, yet hath written for the lawfulnefs of hearing in our Englifh -Conformable Parifh-Churches; And in his Letter to his people in New-England (in Monom Memorial) he hath theie honeft obfervable paffages.

[How imperfetf and lame is the #ork of grace in that perfon who wants Charity to cover a multitude of of ernes? —•* Neither are

you

yon to be exhorted to this grace only upon the otmmn grounds of ChrHiianity, nv tb.it perfons ready to takg offence, either ti Charity to cover offences, crrtifdom </ weigh humane frailties \ or laftly, aregrofs. though clofe hypocrites, as Chriii oitr Lord teaebctb*, Mat. 7.1,2,3. As indeed hi my own experience^ few or none have been fnmd which jooncr* giw offence than fab as cafily take it, neither have they ever proved found and profitable members in focieties who have nourished this touchy butnour.^ To theie he addeth fperial Rcaibns from themfelves.

Mr. Browne accufing the Minifters as being Separatilh, and would be Anabapiiis, &c. The Minifters anfwered, that Tfeey were neither Separates nor Anabaptijis, they did not feparate from the Church of England, nor front the ordinances of God there, but only from the corruptions and diforders there , &c.

cc Old Mr. mifoti Paftor tff Bojion, be-" ing defired by all the Elders of the Chur-" dies aflembled at his houfe, that (on his

\ cc dying bed; he would folemnly declare to u them, what he conceived to be thofe tins, cc which provoked the difpleafure of God cc againii the Countrey, told them, that he u had long feared thefe fins following as u chief among others which God was

. "greatly provoked by, 1. Separation. u 2. Anabaptiiine. 3. Conhifmc* wh:-i "people rife up, as Corah, againlt their Milliliters and Elders, as it they took too

" much upon them, when indeed they do "but Rule for Chrift, and according to " Chrift > yet it is nothing for a brother to " ftand up and oppofe without Scripture " or reafon, the do&rine and word of the "Elder, faying, I am not fatisfied, &c. " And hence if he do not like the Admini-" ftration, (be it Baptifme or the like ) he cc will then turn his back upon God and his " Ordinances, and go away, &c. And ( faith " he) for our negled of baptizing the chil-" dren of the Church, thofe' that feme call "Grand-children,I think God is provoked " by it. 4. Another I take to be the making ^ light ofi and not fubje&ing to the Autho-" rity of Synods, without which the Chur-" ches cannot long fubfift. And fo for the " Magiftrates being GaUio like, not caring " for thefe things, or elfe not ufmg their " power and authority, for the maintenance " of the Truth and Gofpel, and Ordman-c c ces % &c f MortMh P- 133-184.. And among the Poems there recorded of him, this 19 part,

* c Firm ftood he 'gainft the Familift " And Antinomian fpirit ftrong *, " He never lovM the Separatift, " Nor yet the Anabaptifts throng, " Neither the Tolerators ftrein, " Nor Quakers fpirit could he brook, ^ c Nor bow'd to the Morellian train > " Nor childrens right did over-look, p. 1 86.

And

And, Tag. i£5. in the Poems on their fa* mous Mitchell it followeth*

" The Quaker trembling at his thunder,

"fled, " And with Caligula refum'd his bed: " He by the motions of a nobler fpirit " Cleared men, and made their Notions

" fwine inherit. " The Mmijler Goblin by his holy flood u ExorcisM^ like a thin Phantafma ftood: " Browns Babel (hatter'd by his lightning,

"fell, "And with confufed horror packed to

" Hell. " Let not the brazen SchMmatick afpire, €c Lot's leaving Sodom-, left them to the fire.

But the fulleft evidence is the work of the Hop-England Synod, 1662. who determined of two great points of Church-pradtice, ftras greatly tendeth to reconcile them to all the moderate Presbyterians, and other peaceable Chriftians. The one is 2. ( 'that Members of the vifible Chitrch according- to Scripture, are confederate vifible kelievcrs, in particular Churches,and their Infant-fced,that is, Children in minority, rphofc next Parents-, one or both, arc in Covenant- iThe Cafe of Chriftians that are of no particular Church is not here medled with). 3. And that [Jhe Infant-feed of fitch rvhen grown up, are perfonally under the Watch^ Difcipline, and

Govern-

L *5S ]

Government of the Church"]. 4* 7W thefe adult perfom are not to be admitted to 'full' Communion-, meerly becaufe they are and conr ihiuc members^ without fuch further qualifi-cations as Hit Word of God reqnireth thereunto. 5. That Church-Members ivho were ad* mitt ed in mimrity, underflanding the dofirine of Faith, and ptblkkly prof effing their Affent thereto $ mt fcandalous in life, and fohmnly owning the Covenant before the Church, wherein they give tip themfelvesand their Children to the Lord, and Jubjetl themfelves io the Governmentof Chrifi in his Church? their children arc to be bapifed*"]

As to the points themfelves, having written a Treatife on the fubjedt, (tinder the name of Confirmation) and therein di-ftin&ly (hewed my Opinion in reconciling terms, .(though it may feem ftrider than thefe -propositions, and more inclining to the diflaitefs in fbme things) I (hall fay nothing of it here. But by this it is vifible, that the NewEnglattd Synod do not only exclude the practice of Gathering Churches out of Churches (which was the great conteft in England between the Affembly and the Congregational patty) *, but they provide that not fo much as any particular perfons that were Baptized in their Churches in Infancy,(hall be made Church-maxibtxsdenovo (unlets by removing from one Church to another), but (hall be accounted members till they apoftatize noto-riouilv or are Excommunicated: And fo'

(hall

. ill their children aftqr them faceted by the way of Eaptifm into* the Church, M I they will have no other.ordinary Chinch r bat Eaptifm. And fo gathering Churches pf Baptized perfons wilf Ceafe, ulcfs it be in a ravelled ftate, when the c Id Churches beingdiffolved, believers are : unbodythemfclvesanew. And Mr. Davenport and a few more, feeing that by this way their Churches would fall into the way of England and other Churches, by a fucceffion of Members growing up from Infancy (and not by making them up of new Adult otter m, as the Aqabaptifts do,) did Pppofe himfelf by writing againft the Synod, which by fome of thenris largely Anfwered : Wherein they tell us that there were net ten in a Synod.of above feventy that did in anytlringVotc on the Negative, and not above three againft the third Propolition, which carryeth the Caufe. They frequently difclaira Separation : They cite Allen and Shephard p. 33. as advifingfor the .Reformation ot fuch Churches as our Pariihes, that they be acknowledged trite Churches* and then called to Repentance and Reformation, and a feled number of thofe that agree to it, being fit tor the facrament, &c. to be admitted, and go in the Congregational way, pug. 42. they cite Cotton, (HJh • of Chit. MerH.-p.p2. faying, [Neither am us doth irregene ration ahue k>eep any fj Cburcb-fellowjhip with us, unltJY it be accompanied with inch friths 4? 0 t • : ?n* / *

Ions*, and de convincingly manifeji irregenerj-iion.~] They prudently tell us, p. 45. that \jfbe Lord bath not fet up Cbi&ches only tbat afer*> old Chrijiians may keep one anbthtr warm while tbey live^andtben carry ajraytbe Church into the cold Crave with them when they die > hut that tbey might with all care and advantages nurfe upjhU fuccejjively another generation of JubjeSs to Cbriji) &c] And that t Wt may be very injurious to Cbriji as well as to the fouls of men, by too much jiraiteniug and narrowing the bounds of his Kingdom^ or viable Cbuirch on earth.'] Citing Fariws, (in Mat. 13.) faying, [In Church-Reformation it is an Bbfervahle truth jbat tbofe tbat are for too much firittnefs^domore hurt than profit the Church.] Abundance more to the fame purpofe I might colled*

And feeing they take children growing up, to be members under Church-difcipline according to their Capacities, Let it be considered foberly, whether this doth not intimate to us, that Difcipline it fclf fnuft not be exercifcd with the hurtful rigor that fome expedt? For I would intreat the ridgeder fort, if they are Parents, but to tell me, at what age, and for what faults,and for want of Grace, they would have their own children excommunicated ? And when they have done, whether they will alfo proceed to a Family Excommunication of tnem for the fame caufes >

They adde a iixth Prop, for thcBaptizing of the Children of thoje tbat by death or extraordinary

Q

k

C **i 1

traordinary providence

hindered from publicly

and yet have given the

meat of Charity to look ** th-

andfuch as had they been called thereto would

have fo aded-

And they adde a feventh Propof. that

[The Members of Orthodox Churches bei found in the faith\ and not fcandalons in life, and prefenting due tejiimony thereof, thefe occasionally coming from one Church to another > may have their children baptized in the Clmrch rvbitber they come, by virtue of Communion of Churches > But if thy remove their habitation, they ongln orderly to covenant and fib-jeci themfelves tuhc Government ofChrifl, in his Church rehire they fettle their abode, and fo their children to be baptized: It being the Churches duty \ Communion^

fo far as they arc regularly capable of the fame.~]

So that they provide for the reception of all meet perfons. But the chief thing obfervable is that in Propof. 5. Where the Qualifications or Defcription of a juft entitling Profeifion is laid down,a> confiding m no more than thefe four thmgs, 1. Vn-derlianding the doclrine of Faith. 2. The

tublickJPrnfcffim of Affent thereto. 3. Not to

3e fcandabus in life. 4. And folemnly own-mg the Covenant before the Churchy rvherein dxygivcnp themfelves and their children be-

l ore ti 1 1 requ - other proofs

>f Retiencrju:'i; , nor any parricuhr ac-L ant

count how they were converted *, nor what further figns of it they can (hew.

And, for my own part, I never diflented from thofe called Congregational, in Eng-land, in the two great points from which their Churches are denominated, viz* %4 That regularly they fliould confift but of fo many as are capable of Perfonal Communion, which tfeey call a Congregation. 2. And that this Congregation is not jure Vivino under the fpiritual Government of any fuperior Church, as Metropolitan^? atriarchaU &c. But my chief dif-tent from them hath been, in their going beyond Independencyi and too many of them coming too neer to Separation, I. By making other tearms of mens title to Church-, member-fhip, than thefe here recited by the New-England Synod, and then the under-* Handing, fober profeffion of Affent and Cojifent to the Baptifmal Covenant is. 2. And for their gathering new Churches in the {everal Parishes, as if there had been no Churches there before, and the members not gathered by them, were not the fub jeds of any Church-Difcipline j neither the Children nor Adult.

And the reafons why I have ever 'diflented from them in thefe points, have been thefe. '

I. Becaufe I find that the contrary was the way of Scripture-times and all antiquity. And that the ApolUes ftill received members, upon a fudden and bare profellion

[ *?■}

ot belief and content to the Baptifmal C6-i nant, with the penitent renunciation Qt .h, the World, and the Devi!. aM all Ages', ilnce have held this courfe, and made Biptifme the Church-door^

But I fliall heartily joyn with any Brethren that will endeavour herein to fav: the Church, from that ftate of Imagery and dead Formality, which Papitfs and all Carnal Hypocrites have mortified Gods ordinances, and unfpeakably injured the Churches by, and are ftill working every ordinance ofc God that way: All good men fhould labour to recover Religion and .,Christian profeffion to an underfianding ferioufnefs.

I will here infert the words of a moil: Learned and High Prelatift, to /hew you that whoever is againft this Gourfe in Pra-&ice, no fober men can deny it in principles : Eldersfield of Bapu pag. 48. marg. {jVpon [core of like reafon mwbeteto, and for Juch after-tryali may have been taken up in the. Christian Church that examination which did fft the Conftancy or rather Confjhncy of thofe tpat had been takgn hiyoung, to theirprefamed grounds, that if they wavered, they might be kitowHand difchargcd\ Or if they remained confiant, they might by Impaction of hands receive what the common name of that Ceremony did import, of their Faith (at leaft a fign of) Confirmation: Vafques hath from Eraf-mus (in the- Preface to hit Paraplirafe on the , Qofpcls) a word of moji wbolfomc, grave, and L 2 prudent

.pudcnt advice, that thofe who were baptized young, when-they begin to write Man, fbndd be examined^ An'rat.um habeant id quod in CatechiiiiiO Jpforum nomine promilTum fuit? Qji>d fi-ratum non habeant>'cib gc-..clefi^jiaiiiididione libcros manerc, in 3part. ■ 'lbom. Pi/p,i54> To. 2. C.i. , 2. : If they did -then Jland to what their Sureties had primed 'for them. If '/nvtytbey fo'.'uld be difcarded: Moji nece(fary !•• and of unimaginable benefit') iBut not it it be turned into curfory Imagery J Such a fcrutrny. would .Jh.akf off thoufands of rotten bypxritc^ and-purge.the Church of many fuch -Infidel-believers, (or P ro fffws\)upon whofe dirty faces a little holy water was Jprinhlcd when they kgexp not what it was ',but they no more mini the true S.antli-fication appertaining, than Turfy or Saracens, (who JlpaU rife up in judgement a^ainjl their wafted filthynefs,) Or than thofe of whom St. Peter, [It is happened unto them according to the true Proverb, I he dog to hk vomit, and the wafloedfwine to wallow in the mire-fj Such Difciplineof awakened Rcafon is that which the World groans for, (And groan it may for any remedy that the fgrmal Hypocrites wiJJ either apply or endure.) That men, would become Chrijiians! 0 that the truth of faith, and the pewtr of true Chrijlian belief, might be feen in the hearts and lives of tbfe, that knowingly put the nccl^in Ghrijtsyoak %: \ So iar Eldersficld.^Scc alfo Dr. Patrick^ ot Baj> xifme. Ex. Hammonds words I have rccit icd after my Treat, ot Conhrmajipn j> They

are

L *s' ]

/ery Worthy e& confideratloiv Eiit to this digrelhon,

2. Myfccond realon whyIdifTenr from

1 ill that will have Other TYaims of Church-entrance than Baptifme, and a ftriiter exa&iori of a Title to membership than a profeffed Affent and Content "to the tearrtis of that -Covenant* is becaufe, if in our very Church-title and Cdnititution we forfake the. Scriptural and primitive tearms, we are liable to the exceptions of all diffenters, and cannot juftirte our felves againft their accufations *, "nor well anfwer them that fay, It is long of us, and not ef them, that they communicate not with us.

3. Becaufe we (hall unavoidably injure many of Chrifts members, and keep thofe out whom he will own, and would have us own*) to the great injury of him and them.

* 4. Becaufe we fhall leflen and weaken the Church of Chrift, which is already fo fmall, and'fo be injurious to it.

5. Becaufe we fhall be alwaies at uncertainty, on w T hat tearms to go : For if once iVe leave Gods prefcribed tearms, we fhall never know where to tix: But every Pa- ■ (tor will examine as he pleafe, and form "uch Covenant-tearms as are agreeable to he meafure of his own private judgement and Charity; And even among Congregational men, we fee already that the :earms of mens Titles do vary, as the Pa-- L 3 ftors

ilors (or Congregations) differ in point of iiri£tnefs.

6. And this layeth a certain foundation for perpetual diffentions and divifions -, when there are no certain tearms of Concord : And there is no Union when we depart from Chrifts authority. And it is not in vain that Chrift -himfelf prescribed a form of Baptizing-, And if all his Churches iince the Apoftles daies, liave brought us down -that Creed or thofe Articles of Faith, ^nd form of Baptizing ufed univer-lally among th^m* New waies,and various waies,('even as various as mens degrees of prudence and charity) will never be the tearms of the Churches Unity.

7. And I am very much the more confirmed againft this extream by my long experience. Having made it much of my work to know the minds and lives of all the people of the great Parifh where I lived, and fince<that, having converfed with many of the inferior ranjfo both for cftate,' and profeffion of piety, I have found that there is much more good in a great number of thofe, that are not noted openly for fpe cial Proieffors of Religiouihefs, than I did before .believe.* For no man is ufually noted now for Religious, in this Ihidler fenfe. 1. \Vhofe knowledge hath not fome readi-nefs of expreilion, in conference, and ir prayer. 2. And who doth not come U privat^ meetings, and affociatehimfelt wkl the ftricfer and forwarder fort of Pro

feffors

[ '*;-]

feflbrs. But there are abundance of things which may hinder fome ferious weak Christians from both thefe. Dulnefs of natural parts, and want of good education, and ufe, and teaching, and company, may keep mens parts and utterance very low. And fome young Chriftians for want of former ufe, at their firft true Converfion, cannot fpeak fenfe, m the very fundamental?, which yet they have a faving fenfe and knowledge of, (but are like Infants,) and their prayers have little better expreifions, than Abb* Father, and the unutterable groans of the fpirit.

And fome n^ver had the opportunity of profitable company J* And fome are hindered from fiich converfe by bafhfulnefs*, And fome by poverty and bufinefs, or di-fiance '•> And fome by the reftraint of Parents, Husbands, Matters, S:c. And fome by ill company, and fcandall, may have a prejudice againft thofe Religious people who are neereft to them •, who yet may be real lovers of Chrift. Having found in many called common people more knowledge (though not beter utterance) than I expected, and more trufi in Chrift > and more defire to be better, and love to thofe that are better, and more willingnefs to be taught ( crowding in publick or private when they have a full opportunity, and affectionately hearing the clofeft pfeachingj I am grown the more fearful of wronging Chrift 3 his Church and them, by number-L 4 ing

ing-fach with thofe that are without, when they are Baptized perfons, that never were proved to have apoftatized, nor to have lived impenitently in any tin fo grofe^asthe back-bitings, proud-cenforioufnefs and di-vifions ot too many Religioufer people are.

8. To which may be added the fad experience of this age of the dreadful miscarriages of the more noted fort of Pro-feffors, turning Infidel?, Ranters, Quakers* Socinians, Antinornians, and too many fcandalous in lifesand fuch as have deftroyed Order,Government./llnity, & Reformation, when there was fcarce an enemie able to hurt it much betides themfelves; Which is nodifhonour to the Profellion of Holy-nefs, much lefs to Chrift and Holynefs it felf '-> Bu.t it feemeth to me a notable rebuke of our common over-valuing the meer Tarts and utterance i and extemporate performances of the people, and of Minifters flattering fuch Profeifors, and over-looking all of Chrift which is in many, that have had no fuch helps for gifts and utterance as theyi

2. The fecond Point in which the New-England Synod agreed was, the ftated Con-fociation of Churches, and ufe of Synods, And herein, faith the Defence, p. pp. there appeared no DitTent or diffatisfa&ion in the Synod. Where they adde alfo (as to the point of Separation,) [}Vt never faid npr thought-* that there Jhould be a with-

drawing

drawing frdm other Churches upon differences. "*

errors cnr. offences., of an inferiour and dubious nature*, yea, though continuedin: ire are far enough from hafynefs or harjhnefs in that matter*being pofefted adverfaries to a fpirit of finful am rigid feparation.]

And that Apoftolical man Mr. John Eliot^ hath printed a draught for ftated Synods, (for Counfel and Concord, which is their proper ufe,) which will go far enough to fatishe moderate men in that point, and faith- ixiore fpr £ich Synods than ever I faid.

2. Having faid thus much of the Judge-* ment of Congregational men in New-Engr land againfi Separation, I fhall adde fome-what of the fecond Aflertion, lhat it concerned the Congregational Party, as much in point of Intercft, to he againfi it>> as any fort of Menwbatfoener. i. Becaufe their Churches have no other bond of Concord (here) but voluntary Confent h And if that break, they are dilfolved. 2. Becaufe their members being ufually neither fo lon> as to be ignorant of matters of Controverfie, nor fo high as to be able fclidly to Kefolve them, are molt like to be quarrelfome, and tall into divifions. And honeft people that have a zeal of God, and for Truth and Unity, and not knowledge enough to guide •it fteadily, are liker to contend and trouble .one another, than either they that are more carelefe, and have lefs zeal, (and therefore -like, fwme will Leave fuch pearls to any, that

will

r t *7° i

€ will take them up,) or they that have found

knowledge to guide their zeaL 3. And the power which too many of them give the people, over the Pafters and thenjfelves, will do much to increafe thefe divrfions, and caufe their diflblut ion.

And that this is the fenfe of New-Eng-landy appeareth, 1. In their banMhing Ly-fordiitRi and the two Brmnes after, left they (hould be divided about the Prelacy and Liturgie. 2. By their common judge-ment agaiaft dangerous Toleration. 3. By the Hiitory of Mrs* Hutcbinfons bulinefs in Sir Henry Vane's daks. 4. By the Hiftory of Mr. Williams bufinefs. 5. And of Gortons. 6. And of the Quakers of late > All which I (hall lay no more of, but only tran fcribefomeof the words of Mortons Memorial, about Mr- Williams, p. 78, &c.

[In the year 1634- Mr. Roger William? removed from Plimouth to Salem, He had lived jtbdut three years at Plimouth, where he was well accepted as an afliftmt to Mr. Ralph Smith then Pajior there 1 But by degrees vent tng of divers of his oxen lingular opinions-, and feeling to impofe them aftn other \r, be not finding fuch a concurrence as be expe8ed r defred his difrniffion — forefeeing that he would run the fame courfe of rigid Separation and Anaba-ftifiry as Mr. John Smith the Separatifi at Amtterdam had done, the Church confenteo to his difmiffton'i and fuch as did adhere u him were alfo difmijfedj or removed with him : er not long after bm } to Salem.—-But he bating

u

in one years time filled that place with principles of rigid Separation-, and tending to Ana-bapiiiry'y the prudent Magijirates of the Maffaciuifets jurifdiclion,fent to the Church of Salem, defiring them to forbear calling him to Office i which they not hearkening to, was & caufe of much difturbartce* — He being in Office, proceeded more vigor oufly to vent many dangerous Opinions, as, That it is not lawful for anVnregenerate man to pray \ nor to takg an Oath i and infpecial, not the Oath of Fidelity to the Civil Government h Nor was it lawful for a godly man to have Comxnunion, either in Family-Prayer, or in an Oath, with fitch as thty judged unregenerate- And therefore he himfelf refufed the Oath of Fidelity , and taught others fo to do. Alfo that it was not lawful fo much as to hear the godly Mini-ficrs of England, when any occafiondly wen* thither h and therefore he admonijhed any Church-members that had done fo, as of hey-nous fin* Alfo he fpaty dangerous words *gain;l the Patent which was the foundation if the Government of the MafTachufets Colony* Alfo he affirmed that the Magiflrate had nothing to do in matters of the Firjl Table, but only the Second : And that there fhonld be a general and unlimited toleration of all Religions : And for any man to be punijhedfur any matters of his Confidence, was Perfecution. — Staying at home in his own houfe, he fent a Letter, which was read in the publicly Church-Ajfembly^ to give them mtice, That if the Church of S'alem would'n.tfepa?ate z not only

from

Hail not this man brought the Catholick-Church into a little room*

£ ft* 2

front the Churches of England, but the Chitr* ches ^/New-England too.; he would fcparate from than* ■'The mm ; 'prudent and fit ft ! i of the Church being amazed 'at his way? c • nn yield to him: Whereupon he never came to the Church-Affembly more? prof effing fepar a ti* onfr^mthem a.c Antkhrijildn: And not onhy fo? but he withdrew all private Religious com-muniohfrom any that Would hold Communion with the Church there- Infomuch as that he would not pray , nor give thanks at meals with his own Wife? nor any of his Family? becaufe they went t<) the Church-Affemblics. Divert of the weal\trfort of the Church-members? that had been throughly {evened with bis Opinions? of which number were divers Women that were zealous in their way? did by degrees fall off to him: Infomuch as that he kept a Meeting iu his own houfe? unto which a numerous company did reforty both on the Sabbath day and at other times? by way of Separation from? and oppofiiionto the Church-Ajjcmbly there: Which the prudent Magistrates undemanding? and feeing thingj grow more and more towards a general divifwn and dijlurbance'-> after all other means ufedin vain? theypaffed a Sentence of Banijhment- a<jam\lhim? out of the Maflachu-iets Colony? as againji a dijhtrber of the Peace of the Church md Commonwealths After whichMr.WliMhmsfatcdownina place cal-led Providence— -and was followed by many of thcMemhersoftbc Church of Salem, wb) did zealoujly adhere to him? and crye& out of the Perfecution that was againfi him: Some others

alfi

'73 ]

■thcr parts. They

hadn't been there long t g:thei\ n r%-

. • A U try, re-

'itcingthe Raptifmwhich they hid jeedied

'in their Infancy , and taking up an nher Bap-

But if-

<fl!f and t didnnpudth.it there that could admi^ijier : their laftBaptifme v?a$ a nullity as mil as their fir:: : And therefore U . lay doivn xH? and t wait for the coming

of new Apofiles : Andfo thcydifjnlved them-felves^ and turned Seekers s keeping that one Principle, T.hi mejhmdd hazefih.rty

to rrorfhip G-d, according to the light of >- trrn Confidences } hut othoi^ife-not-owning any Churches or Ordinances of God, any where upvi earth.'] So far (foe Hit} i v.

To which I addc, that this man was one of the great infhuments after all this, of fnblirnating*the Englhh Separation to the fame height-, and gratifying the Papiits by raiting np the fed: of Seel^rs^ who faid, that both Scripture, Miniiiry, Church and Ordinance lo;t. And had they not

now broken the Church fu(fici and

made it fimal!enough^ when they had made jt none ?

k)d forbid that I fhould trap ;ny

of this with a dcinc tpbriug i on

mens pcrfoiv^ bat or our

dear

[ *74 1

dear brethren that are in danger, to '-profit by the warning of other mens falls.

For to this end was the Scripture written hiftoritally, with the falls of the Saints inferted in it.

The fame Hiftory , pag. 139^ 140. thus defcribeth Mr. Thomas Dudley a Principal Founder and Pillar of the" MaffachuJJets,\ and often Governour, dying 77 years old, j that [His zeal to order appeared in contriving, good Laws, and faithfully executing them on ■ Criminal Offenders, Heretics and Vnder-minersof Religion: He had a piercing judge-ment to difcover the Wolf though cloathed with a Sheepskin,—"} Theft following are the conclufion of a pious Copy of Verfes found in his pocket when he was dead.

Let men of God in Courts and Churches

watch, OYe fuch as do a Toleration hatch. Left that ill egg bring forth a Cockatrice, Topoyfonall with HerefieandVicc. If men be left, and other mje Combine, My Epitaph's, I dyd no Libmim.

( But this is no excufe to them, that Tolerate not men to obey the Laws of Chrift.)

To thefe I may adde that (though many Prelatifts utterly miftake, and think that it is the Minifters every where that are the chief Leaders of the people to Separation, yet ) both in New-England and in Old, the

people'

people are fo much proner to it than the Minifters, ( except a very few,) that if it were not for the wifdom, gravity, (lability and authority of the Minifters re-itreining them, the matter would be other-wife than it is. As this Synod of Ne»-England (heweth you their ftability and moderation, fo do the choiceft of their Pallors ftill ftand firm againft all extreams, and hold the people in that Concord which they have. The excellent fervice of Mr. Mitchell in this kind before he died is predicated by all. I will not recite all the complaints I heard from Mr. Norton* mouth, againft the feparating humour of many people, and their danger thereupon*, nor the many Letters to the fame purpofe,which many worthy men thence have fent over to their friends, and their particular lamentations of the cafe of Hartford , Bqjion^ &a which I have had the fight of; which folly teftifie that they are no promoters of thofe waies.

The fad cafe of the Bermudas I before mentioned; Sad indeed, when in fo difci-plinM a Plantation, one Minifter fhall turn away the greater part from Church-Communion, till they become aliens,—. And the reft whom he gathered as the only worthy perfons, fhall fo many turn Quakers and fuch like, till Religion between both is, —alas, how low (as their late worthy Minifter fore-named teftifyeth.)

The diflblution of the feparated Churches

cs

[rj6 ]

ches of the Englifh in the Low Countreys b their own divisions, is a thing too well known to be concealed.

From all which I gather, that it is the In tereit of the Congregational Church themfelves, as much as of any others, to joyn with us for the Principles ot Chriftiun Love, forbearance and Unity > and againft the Principles of alienation and diviiion : which is all that I am driving at.

Obj. But the.Churches 0/New-England* wonld.not joyn with a Church that Jbculdufe •the Common-prayer in that worfbipy nor in the Sacrament.

Anfa. Nor I neither ordinarily if I were with them, and in theis cafe y who have liberty to worfhip God in the moft edifying and ferious, and prderly manner that' they can. And yet were I in Armenia, Abaf-fia, or among the Greeks, I would joyn in a much more defective form than our Li-turgie, rather than in none. And thatkhis is the judgement of many New-England <Minifters, (to joyn with the Englifh Litur-gie rather than have no Church-worfhipO I have reafon to conjedure, becaufe in their forefaid Defence of the Synod, Fref. pag. 4,5* They profefs themfelves to receive their principles not from the Separatifts, but from tfye good old non-Conformijis, to whom they adhere, naming Cartwrigbt, Ames-, Pa-vgits^ Parker, Baines, Fox y Vtaring, Green-bjpi r &c* And I need not tell thofe that have read their writings, that the old non-Co nf or mijh

Couformifts did fome of them read the Common-prayer, and the mod of them judge it lawful to joyn in it: Or elfe Mr* Hilderfham y Mr. Kick. Rogers, &c. would not write fo earneltlv to men to come to the beginning, and prefer it before all private duties: And Perkins was for kneeling at the Sacrament: And Mr. Baines his fuc-ceffor in his Letters writes for Communicating kneeling at the Sacrament, and an-fwereth the objections.

But though I write this to give them the due honour of their moderation and fober judgement, yet not as making them or any men our Rule, in faith or worship.

Obj. Therefore the Churches of New-England reprove not feparation from a Com-mon-frayer Churchy though they would, have none fepjrate among themffhes, becaufe there U no juji Caufe.

Anf. i. The former anfwer may ferve to make it probable, that they would joyn with them as Churches, in cafe they had not better to joyn with on lawful tearms. 2. And their own expreliions fignifie that they take the EngliCh Parifhes that have godly Minifters, for true Churches, though faulty. 3. And thofe that I now write for fcppot forget, that they gathered their Churches by feparation out of our Parifh-Churches, when there was no Common-prayer nor Ceremonies ufed, nor any difference m wqrlhip found among us, that I M kuow

[ '78 ]

Know of \ And that in New-England it felt', the Principles which I deny, do too of procure fcparation '. from thofe Churches., that have nothing which moderation and peaceablenels will think a fufficient caufe of fuch disjunction.

4. And it is well known that the name of a Separatijl and Brovoniji was hrli taken up here in England^ with relation to thefe Parifli-Churches where they had the Litur-gie and Ceremonies as now* Therefore they would fpeak equivocally in difclaiming Separatifts and Brownifif^ if they meant not fuch as the word is firft and commonly uied to fignifie. 5. And if that were not the fenfe, a Separatift might be faid to be agairift Separation as well as they in New-England* For Came or Johnfan would be againlt feparating from their own Church-. cSj,or from any which they judged as fault-lefs. 6. It was the Parifh-Churches that had the Liturgie,and were accufed to have pi Antichrijiian Errors (in them and the Church of England which they belonged to) which Mr. H. Jacob the Father of the Congregational Party, wrote for Communion with againfl: Francis Jobnfon^ and inrefpedfc to which he called thofe Separates againft whom he wrote > The fame! may fay of Mr. Eradjkaw^ Dr. Ames^ and other non-Conformifis.) whom the Congregational brethren think were favourable to their way. 1 And if the old Independents (as well as the xeit of the non-Conformjlf) accounted

c mj

m Culpable Separates tint hen wrote for fcparation trom the P.;-(for Viocefane Churches I I mcJJ;e not with,) then we h

ifon to think ' that thole New-Brethren that diiclaim the Se-were of the inind of thefe Se-paratifis themfelves, or that they differed from the old Independents herein, when they feem rather to be of inch healing principles and temper towards the Presbyterians, (as in my opinion) tlley have in their Synodical Conclufions made up almoft all the breach; And therefore are not to be ac-^ counted more for feparation than the old Congregational Divines.

And that you may fee that the Magi-ftrates of New-England are of the mind of their Payors in the Synod, and take the youth to he wider the Ministers Charge, or at leaft that I may hereby exprefs my giadne& for this work of their great prudence and Chriftian zeal, and call thofe my brethren of the Minirtry to Pvepentance, who did negle& this work of perfonal Inftruftion, while we had liberty to exercife the Pafro-ral office ■<> and alfo that I may yet remember diem that are filenced, what abundance ot good the Law yet alloweth them to do, by this courfe of going from houfe to houfe.and of Catechizing11.. :u G&

ing we are retrained to no members under id-years of age,j I fay for thefe reafons^ I (hall give you as my Conclufion,the Order M 2

of the Govcrnour and Council of the Maffacfmfets in New-England to all the Elders and Mimfters in their Jurifdidtion, for Catechizing, and private labours with all the Families under their Charge* Dated at B<ftoH, Mar. 10.1668.

-*>m*"iii ■ ^1 <irm

TO

[ mi

To the Elders and Minifters of every Town within the Jurif-di&ion of the Mafacbufets in New-England:

The <jevernour and Ccuncil fen da h greetings

Reverend^ and Beloved in the Lord>

WHereas we find in the Examples of holy Scripture, that Magiftrates ( have not only excited and commanded all the people under their Government, to feef^ the Lord God of their Fathers^ and do the Law and Commandment) 2 Cro. 14.2,3,4. Ezra, 7. 25, 26,27. but alfo ftirred up and fent forth the Levites, accompanied with other principal men, to teach the good knowledge of the Lord throughout all the Cities of Judah\ 2. Chron. 17. 6,7,8, p. which endeavours have been crowned with Gods bleiling.

Alfo we find that our Brethren of the Congregational Perfwafion in England have made a good Profeffion, in their Book, entituled, A Declaration of their Faith and Crder^ Pag. 59. Sc&. 14. where they fay, That although P afters and Teachers ft and efpecially related unto their particular Churches y yet they ought not to tiegleU others living M 3 within

within their Tarochiat Bounds^ but befides ttitir eonjiant public 1 ^?'reaching to them^ thy ought toenquife after their profiting by the word;in-jrrufling them in , and preffing upon them (whether young or old) the great Vaftrhte-s of the Gofpeh even perfojtally and particularly^fo far of their ftrength and time mil permit.

We hope that fundry of you need not a fpur in thefe things, but are confeiencioufly careful to do your duty : yet forafmuch as we have caufe to fear, that there is too much negled in many places, notwithfianding the Laws long linse provided therein > We therefore think it our duty to emit this Declaration unto you> earneftly defiring, and in the bowels of our Lord Jefus requiring' you to Be very diligent and careful to Catechize and Inftrud all the people (especially the Youth) under your Charge, in the Sound and Orthodox Principles of Chrifti-an Religion ; and that not only in publick, but privately from houfe to houfe, as blefled Paul did,^frr 20. 20. or at leaft three^oiir, or more Families meeting together, as ftrength and time may permit, taking to your alliftance fuch godly and grave perfons as to you may (eem moft expedient. And alfo that you labour to inform your felves, (as much as may be meet) how your Hearers do proiit by the Word of God, and how their Converfations do agree therewith > and whether the Youth are taught to read the EngHJh Tongue: taking all oc-

/ qafions

ikons to apply liiitable Exhortations particularly unto them, for the rebuke of thofc that do evil, and for the encouragement of them that do well.

The effe&ual and confiant profecution hereof, we hope will have a tendency to promote the Salvation of Souls, To fupprefs the growth of Sin and Prophanene(s, To beget more Love and Unity amongft the people, and more Reverence and Eiteem of the Miniltry, and will alTuredly be to the enlargement of your Crown and flecom-pence in Eternal Glory.

Given at Bofton the icth. of March, i£<58. by the Govcrnour and Council^and by them Ordered to be Printed^ andfent accordingly*

Edward Rawfon, Seem,

FlSViJS.