A second admonition to Mr. Edward Bagshaw : written to call him to repentance for many false doctrines, crimes, and specially fourscore palpable untruths ..

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A Second

Admonition

TO

Written to call him to Repentance for
maoy falfe Do3rwes , Crimes ^ and fpe-

cially fourfcore falfahU tnitrmhs In matter of

fa&y deliberately publifhcd by him in two

(mail Ljbels ^ In which he exemplieth the

Lovc-killmg and depr.ivir^ Princ.pjes ofChurch-
liividers : and telleth the World ro whatmeu
are having, when thcv finfully avolA Com-
munion with tru? Churches nnd Chri^
itians, for tolerable taults.

With a Confutation of his Reafons for Separation

Written to preferve the weak, to refift thclDividing Tenvp-

tarions of the Imperious unskilful Clergy, to revive our

dying hopes otCdricori^, and to vindicate the Kon-

conformable Miniftcri from the unjuft iniputati*

oil of Schifmarical Principles.

V>y Rich:ird Baxter^ a long-maligned and re^Oed Etideavourer
of the Churches Unity and Peace.

LONDON,

Printed for Nevill Simmons , at the Three Crowns

near Hy/^.?r?/-Condair. 167 1.

THE

Contents.

Preface to thofe that are
inclimd to Prwcipks of
church Dizfifion and Sepa^
ration 5 containing twcntjf
caufes of that ftn^ andjome
Notices of ^r.Bagftiaw's two Libellt,
To Mr^ E. B, the grounds on which I go

in dealing with him,
why I anfwerhim contrary to mj former

pHrpofe.
Seft. I. Of calling him Brother: of k

middle voay, ^

SciS. 2. whether every untruth jbe a

lyef
Scft. 3, Of Scripture perfection^
Sed. 4. of the defgnofn/y Boo^.
^cd. dp 7. FFhether calling Dividers i$
A 2 Reptni^

The Contents.

Repent y &c. he to make them O'

dious ^
Seft. 8 . whether all they whofejin hriijgs

jMcid^cments^ mujl be hated of all and

killed^
Seft". 9? 10. whether I difcUimed atij

AUivemfs in the firji Ifar .<?
Scft. I $, whether I approved of Jetting

up Gromwell to be Prote&or .<? and

Jhch like .<?
$^&. :o. ^y Repentance publi/bed at

Mr. E.B. hk invitation^ in four parts.

of Mr» E. B. />// former defence of

me aguinfi the then Bifiop of Wor-

cefter.
Seft. 2 1 ,2 i . 0/ Cbriji} Temporal Reign^

and my judgement of it,
Scft. 24. whether I meant it ^ hecaufe I

dare not own any perJecHted truth.
Seft. 7 5 . whether I inveigh againjifuf

ferings ^ Offnfferers temptations.

Seft, 263 &c. His finfnl excuje of Va-

vafor Powells three pHblicl^ falje

Prophecies.
S eft. 295 &c. His (wholfome) accufati-

on of me as proud ^ I . For frying that

I pjtblickjy communicated : 2. For

faying that many have written againfi

mc^ that expcB clean contrariet from

me. 3. For rniting manyBookj.

Scft.

The Contents.

Seft. 51. of hk acchfation in general
aboHt Jpijiificution.

StSt. ^3. of the fating of the ^ejiiot^
ah out fiparatitg principUs,

Seft. 545 &c. Atany of his ptijreports
aboHt my jiating it.

Seft. 38. Hh firji Reafon for fep^ra-
lion examined^ v'Z. hccaj/Je every
Pari/b Church is part of a Diocefa/ie
church. Hovp far that is true or
not,

Sed- 39. His fecofiJ Reafony that a Pa-
rijh Alinifier is but afervant to the
Diocefan.

Seft. 40. His third Reafon : Becaufe
PariJI) idinifiers confint to ftlencing
and perfecution , hy open confent of
pernicious ftlence ^ whether there be
little difference betvpeen perfccntingy
andnotjharply reproving it^

Seft. 41 . His fourth Reafon 5 that Pa-
riJh Alinijiers enter finfuUy^ and by a
folensn Oath renounce their Chrijiian
liberty. AU fnncrs^ or pnful enterers
not to be feparated from.

Seft. 42. May not a true Church be cal-
led DefeBive and faulty.

St^. ^3. His further ^fofons. i,Tba$

we /{now not how elfi to preferve our

Chrijiian libtrtf. Whether allCkri-

A3 Jiian

The Contents.

fiian liberty myjl be maintained ?

and hovp ^

Scft. 44- 2. whether to be prejent where
things are ufed in Cods WorJIjip
tphich he commanded not^ be a fin .<?

Seft. 45- 3' whether ifwefeparate not
we fell the truth abont Chrijis Sove-
raignty .«?

Sed. 4«. His reafon from AftsiJ.rc-
torted.

Scft. 47. Hetaketh not Corruption and
Error as Juch without Impojttion to
he a Jufficient ground offeparation.
How he is hiwfelfan Impofer.

Scft. 48. ihe charge of Hypocrijie for
jpyning in what we approve not .<?

Seft. 49. That Chrijl called and de-
(tgned not his Church to he in/pure' and
n/ixt^ conjtdered.

Seft. 50. How far aChurch is to be fe'
" parated from^ for abetting fw.

'Seft. 51. His grand anjwer to the ex-
awple of Church-poUutiofjs in Scri-
j?/«rfj that they were fct led as to Of-
fleers and Ordinances rightly^ andfo
had a power to l^eep thenifelves clean y
&c. con(idcred. What Tower Mini-
fiers hap'e now. Whether the /igei
following the firj}^ did fall into an
yniverfilInn(iVcition^ and degenera*
. . ■ : ^''. . , i .. tion

The Contents.

lion in the Ejferttids of Order and
DoSrine^ and Antichrijiianifm .<? d77cl
fo Chrijt had no Church. ^ and woi no
Chriji ^ Whether Mr. E. B. />e 4
Seeker ^ and fiparate from all Chur-
ches^ as well as from all Parochial ^

Scd. 52. whither the necejjity offpa^

ration hecaufe of thefaid Vniverfal

degeneration in Effentials continue

fiill*, hecaufe wc are reformed from

Antichrifiianifhi but infome points /

Seft. 55. He granteth that neither Cor-
rnption barely^ nor Inspofttion barely
is a ground for juji feparation. But
Impofing Error with a firong hand^
&c.

Seft. 54. His vainanfwer^ intimating
that he is wifer herein than the Old
"Nsn-conformifis.

Seft. 5 5, Of Arminianifme ^ whether fo
pernicious as to exclude from com-
munion

Se£t. 5 6. Of Free will and its power to
receive

Seft. 57. His ignorant calumny
againfi me about Scripture perfe-
Ctivn.
Scft. 58. Twenty ^ejiions to him
about varioits Readings and Copies^
&c.

A '4 Sea;

The Contents.

Seft. 59« Of the Fojfibilitj offulvation
for fome called Papifi .^

S,c.^i'6^. His former Mntruth tha.t by
[ FIcfh ^ 7 affirmed was only meant
tie fitifttive Appetite 5 defended hjf
kirn Ly recitirg my words which ex*
frcfi) corfntc his calumny.

Sed.o Q . The Reafon rcndred hy 3ir.E.B.
7vhy he cajl away my Bcok^ ^^^3 ^^d
refufed to read tt ^ and yet is the
Jfidge of it 5 Attd my account of my
diffejJt lovg ago jrom his Latin flender
Vifcourfe again fi Monarchy,

Scft. 63. His report of Mr. Hetlcs^and
Afr. Cavvdrjs words againji mj
Saints Refi.

§cft*673&c. Afany more of hj^t Vn-f
truths,

Seft. 74. More of his ignarantQalnmny
al>0Ht Scripture perfc^ion,

Spft. 7 5, 765, &c. More of the Nature
of his Defences and Accufattons,

!§vft. 80. five Vmriiths delivered hy the
Letter pybhf^ed by him^ as written by
<i wo^m>tn af Wprceftcr 5 vpith my
fenfe of her cafe.

Seft. 81, &c; seven Vntrkthspubli/jed
by hi^i in his Brother Browncs Ie/-f
fcr ^ and the Confut^tiOft of th^ir
Cdhntnies.

Sed.

The Contents,

Seft. 94. ^^ E. B. his new fort of
Dipjonefiy charged on me ^ Secanje
( he faith ) J have afcefs to the Li*
cenjirs and Prejs,

Scft, 95. Whether it he culpable Vanity
to vptite on tht Sabbath after Dr.
Owen (^ as he thought »^

Scft. 97. Bis calumny of my Jtheijii-,
C4I arguing again ji the Divine and
f elf evidencing authority ofth^Scri-
ftures — — and as one of the worfi
fort ofHereticks^ that under the no-
tion of being € Chrijiian andaFrotc*
jiant do with my utmojl indujiry and
cunning labour to overthrow the
Foundation , and therefore am to be

RejeSed of alJ The cafe opened^,

and the rveakjwarned to tal^e heed of
them that would ignoravtly draiv
them to be Infidels ^ by fubverting
Chrifiianity^ while they thinly them*
fives the chief or true deje^ders of
it.

To

CD
&&&&&&&&&^^ &&&&&&&&&

To thofe Readers who are

moft enclined to the Princi-
ples of Church-divifion, and
cenforious unwarrantable Se^^
paration.

Knojv there is in Holinefs
a contrariety to fin i and
Heaven and Hell mufl final-
ly Jhcjv the difference for
ever : And to reconcile them
vi as unfoffible^ as to recon-
cile Light and Darl^nefs. I
knorv that it is the endeavour of every faithful
Minijier ofChrifi^ to ma\e this difference plain-
ly k^norvn^ and in VoBrine and Difcipline to
feparate the precious from the tile > and to
mal^ ungodly men k^ovp that they are ungod-
ly^ and to give to each their proper portion >
and to h^cp the Churches as clean as they can
by larvfnl means, I h^oiv that the ruine of
this purging and differencing Vifcipline^ U a
great part of th: lamentable rui le of the Chur-

chesy

{2)

chcs, and eccafjomth that fcandal to the Maho-
metan: and Heathens^ bccaufe of the n>ick^cd
lives ofChrifiians^ which is one ofthegreatefl
hinder ance J of thdr converfion : And that all
ChrijHans fiould ufe their utmoji skjU and
fower^ to recover Keligion to its primitive P«-
rity and Splendour^ and VifcipUne to the mofl
efcdual regular cxercife. And I i^otv thai
in mens private converfe there muft he a great
care what company tve ycnverfe nnth^ and cjpe-
daily whom rve tnal^e our familiars, A fid that
to be indifferent, and to intimate an equality
or Ith^ncfs of the gof^ly and the wicked, z;i do-
(flrinc, communion, aytd familiarity, U a no-
table fign of an ungodly perfin. And upon
thefe arxonnts^ I l^tow that when perfons are
ftervly recovered from ungodlinefs themfelveSy
they are very much inclined to fly from the
company of fnch^ as far as their fafety doth
require: And by this inclination and their ig"
jwrance^ they are frequently tempted to go ful^
ther from them in Church communion^ than God
alloweth them to do^ and inlicad of fcparating
from them in their fin^ to feparate from them
in their duty h and to feparate from the Chur-
ches of Chriji in his true worjhip-, becaufe of the
mixture andprefcnce of the bad.

And this they are drawn to^ i. J5y forgetr
ftng the Scripture pattern, and fiate of the
Churches even in the pureft age, and thinking
(?«/)/ »7;<it they defire, rather than what is to
be expc&cd pr done*

'2. » ^y forgetting the difference ^f/?rff« the
Church viiible , rr^fcA it alwayesmixt with

Hypocrites.

C 3 )
Hypocrites and offtndersy and the Church ihvi-
fihk n>kkh JhaJl all he fjved.
' 5. By forgetting the difference hetxpeen their
private familiarity , vphere they are choofers
of their company themfclves > and their Church
communion, inhere the Paftors are the Kulers
and Judges of the fitneft of the members* Or
elfe not nnderflanding that this ufe of the
Keycs, and judging of the fitnefs of the mem-
bers ^ it indeed the Paftors Office, and not
theirs.

4. By not coftfidering that nothing muft he
done by Vifcijline upon Offenders , hut in a
courfe of Church- Juftice, upon due Accufati-
ons, Summons, Audience, Proof and patient
Admonition : And not by cajHng out any ir-
regularly upon the exfeCfatim of every one
that mil fay that they are ungodly and fun*
dahus,

^^ By forgetting the great difference betn^een
joyning mth men in (inful anions, and joyn^
ing rrith them in their duty in vphich they
fheuld be encouraged*

6. By forgetting the great difference of
keeping in our own place and duty^ though
b.rd men are prefenty and going Out of our
place and duty to joyn mth them in fin

7. By forgetting that God mil have all
wens own wills, by Choofing, or Rthifmg,
to have more h^nd in their JVelfare or Mifery^
than other mens: And if they mikhooic^ the
fin Trill be their own.

8. By forgetting th At Cod hath not left the
Church at arbitrary liberty to judge any God-

]y or Ungodly at their flcafun y But hath
given us a fct itefi or Kule to judge them hy \
which u \_ their fober Profeflion of Confent
to the Baptifmal Covenant \ upon which the
Adult a>id their Infants have right to Bap-
tijm ■■) And being Baptized have Kight to
Church Communion in all the A^s rvhich their
Age and Undcrftanding fnakcs them capable
of: And it is Church -tyranny to refufe fuch
asJhcTV this Title, till they are openly proved
io forfeit it^ by Impenitency in grofsfin after
publick^ admoniti'M^ and due. means, 'this U
the truths and the method of Chrifis difcipline^
and the 'Eule of our Communion*

p- By fuperjiitious placing their Religion in
indifferent and undetermined things ^ and laying
a greater jtrefs en the words of prayer, than
there is caufe* Overvaluing their feveral out-
ward forms ^ cUprefftons and orders^ in the vpor-
fhipping of God : when inftead of provoking
each other to faith and fervency to Love and
to good yporkj^ they place more ofGodlinefs in
words and circumftances ( irhich God hath
certainly left free to every tnans confcience )
than God doth place in them : And one things
that he is irregular^ that frayeth without a
fetform^ andanotherthat he is ungodly ^ that
prayeth not by the Spirit , who ujeth a fei
form h when both do but fpeah^ their own iu-
^tx{x\Uo\\ arid ma]{e Laws aj^ Kiiles which
God never made. Superjliiioit and our own
additions in Religion f even in thofe that cry
out much againji it ) is the occafion of nwft of
. our Church'diyifwns. One fide fnppnfeth eve-

.rji

(5)

ry diforder or unfit exprejjton in free prayer to
be a greater fault than indeed it is : And that
its unlawful therefore to joyn with a Church
that hath no fet forms : Another party fup^
fofeth the forms in the Church Lyturgy to he
vporfe than they are i and that it is unlawful
to joyn in them^ or to receive the Lords Supper
when they are ufed. When as God hath nei-
ther tyedus to fet forms ^ nor from them j fave
only as unfuitablenefs to any particular fer-
fons may maJ^e one lefs edifying than the other :
And both free prayers, and fet forms, ftudied
prayers, and fudden prayers, are all the work
of man, ( as to mans part ) : and therefore
they muft needs be imperfe^ and faulty as man
is : And yet in both we may pray by the Spi-
rit^ even vpith the holy and fervent defires
•which the Spirit excitcth in us : And the Spi-
rit may ordinarily be a Spirit of fupplication
in uSy and help our infirmities^ in the one
way and in the other : And therefore^ though
I will not equall them { For J prefer fome
mens free praying before any formSy and I pre-
fer the Common prayers before fome mens free
prayers ) yet I may fay , that I will neither
Ajfcnt and Confent to every word in the one^
nor in the other ^ no not of any man that ever
I htard : Andyet I will not tal^e it for unlaw
ful to joyn with Churchy or Family-, or perfon
in the one, or in the other : yea^ upon long
experience y if I had fully my own choice and.
liberty^ I would ufe free prayer one fart of
the d.iy { or one day ) and a well compofed
form another part > becaufe I fee commodities

by

(6)

by both, and fuch incom'cmcHces of either vp^y
aloHBy as are^ if pnjjible to be avoided. But
vphen the Mind hath received a prcjndice againjl
cither way, by Educjtion^ Otjhm^ or fortner
dijiajleSy no reafon how clear Joevermll over'
come it , till age and experience do meJlow
green and forvre Spirit! ^ and teach them to
jiidge of things foberly and impartially , not
as others judge of thent^ but as indeed they
art.

10. j4nd men are much furthered in the way
of fcpardtion^ by forgetting vrh at good even hy-
pocrites themfeives^ may receive by thcitftatl"
on in the vifible Church : And that it is not
for nothing that the Great Malier of the Churchy
hath fi ordered the terms of admifjion ( upen
meer Profelfion of Confenr to the Baptifmal
Covenant ) and of Exclufwn ( upon proved
Impenitency in grofs iin after fufficient ad*-
monition and patience ) as that, multitudes
of bad men ever have been and mil be in the
vifible Church : 'Thjugh th'e regular flaiion that
fuch perfons fljould choofe^ till they come up
to finbere confoit^ is the pltce of Catechumens^
if they were not' baptized in Infancy^ and the
place (7/Penitents if they vpere , yet fuppofing
that they intrude further by a falfe profffi-
on-) yet God hath provided great advantages.^
in Church communion for their good^ and fe-
cured the innocent fram imputation of fm^ by
reajon of their prejence.

11. And men are induced to fcparation by
forgetting^ how tender Chrijl is of the rreaksli
of his members^ th.it are finccro-i <*^^^ ^'•''^^ ^^

bad

f7)
had rather many hypocrins were received, than
one true Chrijlian ^(hut out : For he hath d
day at hand, in which he will fepar ate the
"lares from the JVheat, and mU taks out of
hs Kingdom all things that offend, and them
that work, irnqnity. And they confider not
Boxp tmpo01e it is, tojhut out all hyPecritcs,
and not tojhut out rriany rvcak^ ones that are
fmere,

■^12. And it much wrongeth the,n that tky
forget what a Mercy it is^ that Chrijt hath n ft
inade the power of the Pajhrs or Church tube
arbitrary, m admifmts or cxclufio^s y but hath
iyedthem up to certain terms, and trefcrikd
io them whom to Receive or Rejea : And that
they confder not, j^hat confufwns otherwifi
n^ouldbe brought into the Church, and what
Church-tyranny men would excrclfe ; And hon>
the difference of mens Judgements, Interefls,
Temptations andPaffjonS, would ma^e almoft
as many forts of Churches, as there are indi^
vtdual Governours and Churches. And one
PPould make one meafure, and another another
meafure «f their communion.

13' And it greatly wrongeth fmh men thai
they never had right apprehenfion^ of the Na-
tuTCand great Necefllty ofV^myamonabe^
hevers, and the Churches of Chrijh Uey crv
out Truth itiurt not be fold for Peace, when
they neither kjtow aright what is Truth or
Vc^cc, But by Ttuth they mean their own
doubtful opinions , and by Peace they mean
ihctr own qmetncfs with men. JTe eafily con-
fcfs, that 0J?C2CG fignifieth dur freedom from
^ p^rfectition

f2)

ferfccHlion nr fiiffcringi-, or from the reproach
pfmcn^ the Icajl hnly trnth is to he preferred he-
fore it^ and more tcn.iclmfly held than it : But
2/ ^j- Peace, they mean the Unity and Con-
'cord of believers^ cr (f the Church of Gody
they fpeal{ dangerviifly^ and fupfofe a pcrnici-
€iij faljhnod^ that Gods Truth, and fitch Peace
or Concord, may at any time he feparated :
j^nd it is no rvifeiicr fpok^^t^ than if they had
faid^ A mans eye-ii^^iit or health is to be
preferred betore the Union of his foul and
body, or before the Concord of Head and
Heart, or before the conjundlion of his mem-
bers. When as non entis nulla t\\ afFedio.
Defiroy the Subjcdl, and you dejhoy the Acci-
dents. Withotft union of parts , the Church
is no Church i Dividing it^ is dcflroying ii^
A Houfe Of Kingdom divided^ cannot ftsind.
And when it is nn Churchy it hath no Truth a$
a Churchy n r any thing that dividers did con;-
tend for, ' An Integral member may rather
he cut (iff y than the tvhofe fhould perifh : Hut
n-hat member ivill fcparate it f elf from the
body? Or who but a murderer rpill on pretence
of curi'fig^ he a divider and diffolvcr ^

14. Andh rvrongcih thefeChri{Uans much
that they hok^ on the narroiv fpace of the
Churches about thcm^ and forget the ftate of
almnjr all Chrifis Churches in the whole n^crld^
rvhich are in a far rvorfe cojidition than our
Tarijh Churches are : nhich though it Jl)ould
drar^ no man to li}^ the Icafi imperfedion in
them or in himfdf^ nor to neglect any true re-
forming duty ^ yet vpould it maks a tender

Chri'

(9)
".hriflian rather trcmhlingly to return to Vm-
'erfal due Communion^ than to dare tofcpa-
ate from almoft all Chrifis vifihle body upon
arth.

1 5. And gazing all upon one fide , doth
na\e men forget^ how heinous an injury it k
0 Chrift^ to rob him of the greateji part of h'pf
Zhurches^ and to fay , that they are none of
lU : vphen they could eafily perceive that it
vould not he vpcU tak^n hy the King^ if they
hould fay^ that he is King of no more^ hut
hret or four Villages in the Land : And he
'hat can tak^ four parts, yea^ nineteen parts
f Chrifis Church from him to day, may tal^e
tvpay the fifth or the tvpentieth to morrov^^
ind fo may turn Infidels^ and deny Chrifi to be
Chriji : For no Kingdom, no King*

16, And they forget that as the Body mufi
have its due magnitude, as rceU as its come-
ly fcite of parts h fo vpe muft be zealous for the
Greatnefs, as tvell as the Purity, the Exten-
five as voell as the Intenfive grovpth of the
Church, And if Chrifis flock^ be little, they
difhonour it that vpould mah^ it tenfold lefs
than indeed it tsh Jer» 30. 19. And out of
them (hall proceed thanksgiving, and the
Voice of them that make merry : And I will
multiply them, and they ftiall not be few^
and I will gloritie them, and they fliall not
be fmall.

17. And the Pailidn that is handled in men hy

their fit firings, is very ftrong in conquering

their judgements j fo that too fevp in the trbsle

tPorld are foiind fofoher, as not to go too far

B 2 from

r ig)

fnvH thife they fuffir by \ unUfi it he timer o as
or temporizing omplyerj^ that yield to efcjpe
their fHrther jufferin^*

1 8. And men an jirsMfrely forgetful of the
experiences of thcmfelvcs and others : And
irvhen God hath let Iwfi the Spirit of divifton
to the confufons butb (f State and Churches^
and to the ruining of true Ktformaiiony and
to the rvofid and fcaudalous diffalution of ma^
fty particular Churches^ rvhere it hath come^
yetrvill n>t tnen undcrjiand or remember, but
fee as if they did Kot fee. Holland , England^
New England give them loud and lamentable
warmngs^ and yet they ml! not hear,

I p. And they th.it j^miv nhat man is in.-*
dced^ nijl net denyy hut that in very many^
there is fomethhg of that Pride ( rvhichfome
caU fpirituaF, but is ^^z? carnal J in mens in-
clination to feparati ;/. He that k^notrcth how
excellent a thing it U to be Wife, and Holy,
and H^ppy, 'v5 oft tempted to he defirous that his
6tvn excellency fljould appear^ and not he hid
by his joyning mth fuch as are tah^n for ig-
norant common men\ and fo rpould jiand fur*
1 her from the common fort ofviftble ChriflianSy
than G(d nould have him. And alfo form
ferfonSy rvho fhould find the Evidences of Gods
favour and acceptance in the life of Faith,
and Love, and Holinefs, do lamentably quiet
themfelvcs inflead of thcfe^ vpith being mem-
hers of Juch Jiricf fjcictics ^ as pr.fefs even a
feparaiing confpicuoushoUnefs*

2e. LaftJy^ But one of the greateft fnares of
fill is, that tven crnnot hear the Cenfrres of

thofc

(II)

thoft that are inclined to Separation. And
therefore rather than be accounted and called by
them Formalins, Tcmporiiers , Carnal, or
fuch likSi fhey will do as they do^ and turn
their zeal into fartial and unjufl ccnfurci^ of
the perfoHSy words ^ and outirard Modes and
CircumfljnccjofJVorfijij)^ ofihofe that they dif-
fent from*

[! ' ~ ^hefc and fuch other caufes ofDiv'tding in-
clinations^ 1 did ( upon the fpccial nccejjities
of the Churches f and fome of my own acquaint
unce ) lay open in a Book^ called the Cure of
Church Divifions ^ which made a great noife^
( as water powred upon the flames ) ■■, But
though pme upon mijundcrj\anding^ and fame
by guilt and tnterejl muttered much againji
if^ I never had a wird againji it privately or
publickjy in writings by way of Confutation
of any thing in it^ fave only a Libell ef one
that now cilJeth hlmfelf Edward Bagfliaw, a
man that I am not acquainted withy though I
have feen and fp^k^n with him, and though to
my trouhUy when his fancy led him that rray^
he unskilfully wrote for me againft the Bijhop
then oj WotcciUr. I greatly rejoyce that in
ihefe times of tryil^ fo fewof the Non-confir*
mable Miniliers are by fufferings and pafpnns
hurried into the dividing extream. If inju-
rier cr imertfi would excufe any fin^ I thinly
thin are few Minificrsin England, who have
■vf-DTC inducemints tn the angry feparating way
than I have. But fh all I therefore wrong the
Imth md Q?urch of Gody and my own and
iithiiTS fids I God fir bid.

^3 Brethren

(12)

'Brethren , it is none of my meamng to
difohlijie you from your ancient faithful
MinifierS' Nor yet to perfwade you t9
hear any infufEcient or intolerable man »
much lefs to commit your fouls to the ?a^
fioral care of fuch a perfin ; mr yet to
prefer a worfe before a better, n^ho may upon
lawf^al terms be enjoyed* But the things that
I pcrfwade you to^ are thefe : i. Not to en*
iertain falfe uncharitable dividing principled
in your minds ^ rvhich will breaks the peace
of all focieties.

2* If ygu differ abaut Infant Baptifm^ In"
depencie^ Common prayer or fuch li^e^ that yet
you v^iH not i^ink^ your differences oblige you
to deny Communion to all you differ from.

3. 7hat if you are fo finfuUy partial^ that
you cannot joyn in the fame Churches , you
would yet live charitably and peaceably in fe-
veral Churches*

4. 'that you vpould not fay any Church of
Chriji is No Church, becaufe it is not of your

form or mcde,

5. "that you rvruld not fay^ that Communion
.^r^ith any Church is unlanful^ becaufe their

external n^orflnppingform, is not of your fajhi-

eny or before you have proved n^hat you fay.

My advice is calculated to the Vnion and

peace of all true Churches^ and not thoje of one

form or mode alone.

,, ; And I note it as a confidcrahle providence

of Gody thv>-t I am dravpn in to defend the Prin-

. cipla of Love and Concord in thefe trying

iimcf^agahifi fuch anadverfary as Mr.Bag(haW|

(i3)
is. It hath of late been Godsivay to let m
h^QW the evil of Principles i?j» thnr cifeds o;i
the men that we have had to do wuh : ^j Ma-
lignant principles vpould riot have been fnf-
ficiently dijiafted by usy if they had not fhetvcd
themfelves in milignant pradices ^ So Di-
viding principles had never been fitfficicntly
kjtorvn in England, if they had not. mined a
Kcfoftnatlm^ filcncedfo many hundred Mini-
jlers^ and laid us in the dirty as they have
done. And if the Caufe of Dividers muji be
judged of by the defenders, I advifeyoH to
cmfider of thefi things follon^ing*

1. How many notorious falfe dochines he
hath delivered ?

2 . Hovp many other notorious Crimes in two
LibcUs he hath committed.^ Infpecial let every

fober perfon jndge^ whether Ignorance, Teme-
rity, Pride and high felf-conceitednefs with
malignant unconcealed calumny dj not only de-
file j but even conjiituie or maks ^^p his
Bookj ?

3 . What bitter enmity is here exprefi againfi
the ^ Trittciples of Love^ and Vnity^ and Con"
cord^ and feaoe^ and Sobriety it felf ^

4. How many fiore notorious untruths be
fljamekfly publijheth in thefe two Libells ?

5. How much he fight eth againfi Repcn"
tance, and fo with grofs Impenitency aggra-
vateth all his crimes ?

6. How li\e his own Spirit is to that which
Jm accounteth the Spirit of impolition and
. perfecution ? And how vehement he is againfi:
,thc fatne perfons as fuch are , and as impw

B 4 dently

/Gently flitndereth thcm^ and as bitterly and fro-
fiifcdly defigncth to ma}{C them odious ( But he
thjt profeffeth tn mak^ another odioUSy thereby
difableth himjllf from doing it, )

7. Whether ever in all your lives^ you fan^
two Libells rvritten againft another^ rvhicb ds
itot only jpcrform, but even attempt fo Ut-
ile^ and nekt to nothing at all^ to give any an^
frver to the Bookj he writes agjinft. Read
mine and read hU^ and I defe any thing but
tnad}i(fs it felf\ or blind partiality nr wicked-
iicf's^ to tn.ik^ aiy man ihink^ th^t he hath con-
jtitcd what I have written* I confcf! I ad-
mire at the mans infenfibility^ that doth n t
perceive^ how much he hath d>ne^ by pretend-
tng an Anf^'er^ and giving nme^ or worfe than
none^ to ma^e his caufe or hivnfelf comempti-
ble* Can aiiy man in his wits think^^ that he
hath confuted the Principjes of 'Concord which
ll/id dow>f in my VircCiions.

8. Whether Juch a man as this d) fhcw himr
jelf wifer than Dod^Hildcrfham, Arnes,Baine,
dnd all the old Non-conformijis according to
the importance of h'vf boafi / or whether he
give us caufe to believe thJt God hath revealed
\nore to him than to them^ while he himfelfcan
no better reveal it unto others ?

p. When I had fet down at lea\l thirty three
Vntruths which he deliberately dared to write
and puhlijh^ did yoti ever read, fuch a pittiful
xindicatlin ? lie hath not ffoken to any confi-
Hp-ahle number of them : And cf ihrfe few
ihtii fh fpe}i^etht(fy try if y^ru can find any
fc nfTvi>iti> 1^ tkahth hhifilf? Am yef 'be

frofeffeJ}

frofejfeth mt repentance fir any one of them f
Nay^ to open his Impenitency , he profeffcth
faljly that 1 cannot jujily charge him rpith any
ofthem'y and addeth in the I aft Lib cU forty
eight palpable Vntruths more ? Juft liJ^e one
that being accufed of ftvearing , Jhould forty
eight times ftpear that ht never fivare,

IC. Hon> far he froceedeth in his feparation^
and hovp far he rtfonld dran> poor unliable
fouls / It is not only from the Conformifts and
the Parijh Churches that he would have you
feparate^ and all in the vphole world that arc
vtPorfc than they i but alfo from all the Non-
conformifts in England, that are not better than
1 1 as his concluding Advertifement fully tel-
leth you. All of my mind and mcafiire are
unworthy of the communion of thU humble,
tender, credible man*

1 1. What means is there left in the world td
tkempl a man from the malignant calumnies
of this Judge of the Churches ? IVhen ht one
fentcnce he telleth you^ how much I have writ-
ten againft the Bijhops^ and in another that I
am in the fame condemnation with him^ and
yet in another^ that I dare lool^ no truth in
ihe face , that ■ bringtth faffering \ when
he ialkj of one point that all Chriftians are
I agreed in^ and dircdly bringeth none* And
ti?hcn he chargeth me with Atheiftical arguing
agaijift the divine and felf-evidencing ait-
thority of thcScripture, and therefore to be
Rejcdttd of all, as one of the worft fort of
Hercticks, that under the notion of being a
thriftiaii artd a Proteftant, doth with his ut-

IBOft

moft induftry and cunning, labour to over-
throw our foundation. ] JFhen I k^ow of
no one man living in this Age^ thst hath rprlt"
ten fo much ( / fjy mt^ (o well ) for tht
things in que(Hon ( Scripture and Cbrifiianity)
Of I have dmc May not thk man of modejily
charge Bifhnp Downame to he a Tapij}^ that
hath written fo much to frwe the Tope to be
Antichriji ? or fay any thing clfe thai he hath
UJitofay?

1 2 0 Both he not fix upon yon by fitch Lthclls
as thefe^ an odious reproach ? As if he would
per f wade the rvorld^ that you that he writeth to,
are fo partial^ fo biind^ fifi^f^ '^ truth^ and
to ymr orvn fulsy and fiich pernicious ene-
mies to peace , as that you will receive that
nrhich is'thus falfy faidtayou^mthout ever read-
ing rt>hat U f did on the other fide ^ or againjl all
the evidence that contradiCieth it^ and vpiU be-
lieve all thife vifthle untruths of hU^ without
any proof upon the bare ;report of fo rajk ^
man*

13. Whether following fuch men. and wayes
as thir^ is not the like lieji way in the worlds
not only to increafe the reproach of the Non"
conformijis^ and ma]^ them all thought of us
we d) of the §ljisih^rs^ and fo to continue fe-
verities againji them as a company of furious
unfici/hlc pcrjons ■> but alfi to harden men in-
in a contempt of Religion it felf

14. Doth mt God permit Juch a Champion
of the Caiife^ ofVivifony thus criminally to mif-
carrjy ihat [ym may fee that you are mt bet-
^i^r i-xaa th'ofe you ftp ar ate from ? Tou blame

them

ri7)

them for fuhfcrihlng erroneoufly or falfly \ And-
tchich of them hath put thirty tbrce^ and for-
ty eight vifible untruths deliberatly in printy
and Impenitentlyjiandf in them as your Cham-
pion hath done ? Voth not this fhew you^ that
you are not fe good^ hut that the Churches of
godly Pafiors are as rvorthy of your Communi-
on^ as you are of theirs ? If onefhould admo-
nijb one of your Church-memhcrs of one fmgle
deliberate avovped lye^ tvould you not call him
to Repentance ? And will you believe thk man
and foUorv him upon his bare vpord^ who hath
publijhed eighty fuch falfljoods ? Tet I am not-
one that thinks he lovcth a lye^ becaufdn^it is a
lye -i but one that is thus guilty through proud
overvaluing his orvn unfurnijhed underjiand-
ing^ and through an extraordinary Ra(hne(s
and want of tenderncfs <?/Confcience.

ICou have heretofore had better Guides^ and
you have better ftill : ( I never met mth two
Miniflers that approve his LibcU^ nor any but
Mr. Browne alone ) you have a more peaceable
Rule 5 And if you are Chri(iians indeed^ you
have a T e ace able Spirit ^ and a Saviour^ who is
the Frince of peace ( who hath prayed thst all
his Vifctpks may beone-i^ohxi 17. 21. ) and a
God who is the Cod of peace* Follow therefore
the Wifdom that is both Pure and Peaceable,
and not that from beneath^ which is earthly^
fenfual and devilijh^ and worh^th by envious
zeal and (irifc^ unto co'rfufion and every evil
rpjrk,. Jam. 3.14., 15, i6, 17.

(1?)

To Mr. Edward BAGSHAWi

ROTHER, it is not a lit-
tle troubkfome to me, and
will be troublefome to nia-
ny peaceable P.eadcrs, both
that thefe Writings fhould
pafs between us^ and that I
(hould nnention your faults
fo plainly as I do. But as I began not with
you, fo I know not how to let you talk on,
without betraying the peace of the Church,
the credit of tht Non-contormifts ( who are
by your felf obliged to difown you ) and
the (ouls of the weak brethren, for whom
Chrift dyed. And I am conftrained plainly
to name yqur faults i i. Becaufe truth con-
iilkth in (peaking of things as they are.
2. And becaufe my bufinefs is now to fum-
mon you to Kefentance > to which end the
-opening of your fin is neceflary. 3. And
becaufe thefe following Scriptures are my
ground, and your own word feem to me to
charge it on me as my neccffary duty, upon
dreadful penalties.

The Scriptures that I (et before me are
Lev* 19. ij* after mentioned, Rom. id, 17.

Mark^

C20 )

Mark^ them which cattfe Vividons and offcHccs
contrary to the doCmne tvhkh yon have ham-
ed and avoid them. Jam. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17.
'But if ye havi hitter envying (or zeal) and
Jirife in your hearts^ glory not ^ and lye not'
againjl the truth : T'his wifdom dcfcendcth not
from above J but is earthly , fenfiial^ devilijh-
For rrhere envying^ ( zeal ) andjhife vs^ there
ii confufwnand every evil rvork^-, &c. i Cor.

1. 10, 11^ If 2, 13. &^. I, 2,3,4. J°^^^ *7«
21, 22 0 Rom. 14. d?- 15. John 8. 44. When
heffeaketh a lye^ he fpeaj^th of h'n ovpn't for
he is a Iyer and the Father of it- Rev. 21.8.
^U lyers (hall have their part ^ &c, & 22- 1 5.
JVhufoevcr loveth and mal^th a lye* Pfal. 15.

2, 3. T^hut Jpeah^th the truth in hpf hearty
backblteth not with his tongue^ nor doth evil tn
his neighbour^ nor tak^cth up a reproach againjl
hys neighbour, 3 John p, 10. lv:>rote unto the
Church', Z?//^ Diotrephes rvho loveth to have
the prchcminence among them, rcceiveth w not :
wherefore if I eome^ I mil remember hii deeds
Tpphich he doth^ prating againji us nith malici-
bus rvords : And not content therewith^ neither
doth he himfclf receive the brethren-, and for-
biddeth them that roould^ and cafteth them out
ef the Church: Gal. 2. 11,12,13,14. I
withjhod him to the face ^ hecaufe he was to he

blamed, For-^ -—he mthdrerp andfepa-

rated htmfilf fearing them rrhicb rrere of the
circumcifion , and the other Jews dijfembled
likervifc with him •, infomuch that Barna-
bas alf) vpjs carried an>ay with their dijp-
mulatitni But when 1 faw that they

walked

(21)

rt^atl^dmt uprightly^ &c. -Tit. 3. 10, ii.

^ man that is an Heretic]^ after the firfi and
fecond admonition-, rejeCI

Your own dodrineis as followeth : pag.i.
It rviU be a favour if you lookjipon me as one
that neither defres^ (nor if you believe what
your felf have pprit ) defcrves fuch exprejJioHs
of your familiarity, Pag. 2. I hope you are
not to learn J that every untruth is a lye- — -
Pag. 1 1, 1 2. Ihere being little difference in the
fight of Godj heivpeen the perfecuting of brethren
our felves , and by not Jharply reproving it ,
feeming to approve of it in others. And I
hope you will fay as much againft approve-
ing your own iin as other mens. Pag. 14.
AU are commanded to turn afidefrom them
A Church which after admonition and difcovery
of offender Sy mllnotufe her authority in caji^
ing them out^ doth partaks of their fins , and
becomes as guilty as they^ and therein as un-
vrorthy of communion,

I cite Gods word as my Rule of fpeaking,
and yours as that which I may fuppofe (hew-
eth what you exped to hear.

All that I now defire of you is, to bring
your felf to fome impartiality in reviewing
the two Libells which you have written '•,
And if you cannot, yet condefcend to hear
the judgement of fome underftanding im-
partial perfons who have ferioufly perufed
your writings and mine : And hate not re-
pentance, and fet not your felf againft itj
and juftiiie not all the Crimes, falie Do-
dtiines, and eighty untruths, which your

two

f22)

two Libells do contain. And beg of God
itiore Judgement^ Hnmiliiyy Meckjteff^ Confi-
dcrateneff and tenderncfs ct Confcience : And
abufe no longer the fouls of Weak Chrifti-
ans, with fuch falfe Dodrine , which you
defend no better than \ have done. I reft

A defircr o'fyokr Kcp(Htat;ci
and Sobriety^

1^71.

Richard B^xten

i 2

A fecond Jdmonition to Mr. Edward

6ag(haw "written in fame hope of
curing his IMPE.NITENCE ^ or at
leaji offaving fomc of thoje in Lon-
* /(doDjNorthamptonfllire 3 and other
Counties^ whom he hath laboured ti
pervert, by FALSE DOCTRINE and
FALSE RErORTS > w^ichtendtode-
Jiroji 3 I. The Soundnefs of their
Judgements by dangerous Error,
2.7heir ChriftianLove3^2//<^ Unity,
ty Love-killing Principle-s afid Di-
vifions : ^,And their Chriftian Pra-
ftice,^^ ^njul Cenjures of ;and Sepa*
rations from the far greate^ part of the
VniverfalViftble Church ofchrift^ and
Communion of Saints^ and the public^
WorJIdip of God '-y and confequently td
the dejiru^ion of their own fouls ^ and
of the churches.

\

To Mr. Edward Bagfhaw.

HAving told you in my firft Admoniti-
on f • I45» that if you roriu any more
at ihe rates you did, I (hould give
j yoH the laft word, as not intending to

yfmeyou^ dCQ, I found my felf in a ftreight
C • when

(24)

when I read your fecond about my duty :

Though yoa trampled admonition under
your feet, and turn sgain and all to rend
me, I ought not to take you for a Swine or
Dog, and give you up as wholly hopelefs,
till there is no remedy : being under the
command, Lev. ip. ij, Jhau Jhalt not hate
thy brother in thy heart , thou (halt in any
•fpife rcbuf^e thy neighbour and not fnffcr fin
upon him ! And Charity forbiddcth me to
dcfert all thofe fouls whom you endeavour
to feduce, by denying them necelfary intor-
mation, andfilently tofulferthem to live in
all the tins in which you would enfnare them.
And yet I have been chidden by (o many for
anfweiing your lali Writing, as containing
fuch palpable Jcurn^ity^ impertinency and er-
ror^ that I am afraid of wafting my time ,
which I might better employ j and prefer-
ring a Iclfer matter before a greater : And I
exptd: youlhould charge mc as a breaker of
my promife : But of that you have your
ielf diichargcd me, it being conditional [^
you vprite at the rates you did^ 3cc. ~] and but
the expredion of my [ Intentions ] which I
may wtU alter, when your alteration calleth
Cor it : For. though you neither exprefs lie-
pentance.^ nor Atncnd the faults, of whicli I'
did admonidi you, yet you here attempt
fuch a Plea for Icparation, as you did not in
your former writing, where you feemed to'
cxpccl: that your bare affertions fhould be
believed » but now you pvetend to more ar-
g,umcntation : which therefore I (hall take'
intoconfideration. But'

( 2^^)

But ftilll perceive the unavoidable freights
nto which you cad: me in the performance i
f I mention your Error and Sin , you will
hink that I make you odious, and trample
pon your honour, and caufe your perfecu^
Ion, and llrengthcn your advcifarics : And
r I lilenee them all, I (hall leave you under
in, which is worfe than perCecution, and I
liall negk(^ the Ibuls of others, and I {hall
letray the honour of Religion, as if its fol-
Dwers were but fuch as you, and as if our
^aufe were guilty of all the Error and [m
P'hich you maintain. And if you are to be
dieved, if I do not reprove yovi^ I (hall hut
ittle differ from you : For you fay of ano-
her cafe , pag. 11,12. |^ Itherc being hut lit-
le difference in the fight ofGod^ &c. 1 And
vhat (hould I do with you, when youcaft
ne into fuch a ftreight ?

Why this I take to be my duty i. Impar-

ially rirft to confider of all the evil which

'DU charge upon my felf, that I may not be

ruilty of the tin of the times, which I am

onlhained to lament in others, that is, An

bftinate Enmity to Repentance j nor yet un-

hankfully neglect any help that God fiiall

ny way vouchfafe me, for the difcovery of

y fm. 2. And then fo to acquaint you

ith your errors and mifcarriages , as may

nd, I. To your repentance '■> 2, And to

ther mens prefcrvation 5 3. And to vindi-

ate Religion, and the faithful afflided Ser-

antsoiChiiii, againft the unjuft accusation

f thoftj who would make the world be-

C 2 Icfr

(26 )

lieve that your Cafe is theirs, and that their
principles and pradlices are fuch as yours.
4. And in all to prdcrve that juft efteenn and
love which I owe you, as one that I think
yet upright in the nnain. I love your xe^/
for that which ynu take to be the Truth :
I greatly love youi Fortitude oi mind ^ and
undauntcdnefs under lufferings, as fuch \ and
being fo much above the fear of man : And
I think it a thoufand pitties that you have
not I. A better Caufe, 2. A humbler mind,
and better acquaintance with your felf, 3. A
founder and clearer judgement \ 4. More
univerfal Charity ^ 5. More ienfe of the mif-
chiefs of finful divitions : d. And efpecially
more Sobriety and Caution, and lefs teme-
rity and heedkincfs of what you read, and
what you write •> and more tendernefs of
Confcience t;o ^void untruths t 7. And more
impartiality, to fee that evil in your fclf, and
thofe of your opinion, which you can ag-
gravate in thofe by whom you fuffer i and
8. Laftly, That you have not lefs Enmity to
KepCMtance, and that you taKe an invitation
to T^cfcntancc to be a malicious reproach,
and will not underftand why God recordeth
his fcrvants llns , nor will confider how.
much better it is that the:reproach of fin, do,
fall upon us, than upon our Religion, or the
Church ot God ^ and tnat we our felves con-
fcfs our fins, than that our adverfaries up-
braid us with Impenitent juftifying them.
And while you are fo notorioufly wanting
in all thefe things, the greater noife youri

fufferings

(27)

fufTerings make, the more injurious you will
be to the Truth, and to your brethren, and
the greater hardning to others : And Satan
will not only ufe you to the corrupting of
well-meaning peoples minds, and to the fup-
preflion of T^ruth , and Love^ and Concord^
but alfo to the reproach of fuffering it felf:
And while you cry out of perftcution, you
will prove a notable caufe of all our defa-
mations and afflidions, and a great temp-
tation to the adJors to juftihe what they do.
And now, on thefe terms, I (hall conlider
of your words, and help you better to un-
derhand your felf

Scd:. I. E. B. It mil be a favour if I look, on
you as one that defireth not any fuch txprejjiom
if familiarity^ ( as to be called ) Br other » ]

Keply. You may fupprefs your own Chari-
ty, but not mine : you may call me what you
pleafe i but I will call you what I think my
duty requireth me to do : ( As Optatus im-
tio tcWs the VoHatift.) My warrant is ubi fu-
pr^, Lev. ip. ly. & I Cor. 5. ii. /jf any man

that is called a Brother be — —aRailer And

2 ThefT. 3 14, 15. If any man obey not our
vpordby this Efijlle^ note that man^ and have no
company xfith him^ that he may he ajhamed : yet
count him not as an enemy^ but admonifh him ^
^ a Brother. But it is the Spirit or tendency
|of your Dodrine and principles, to renounce*
fraternity with all of Chrifts Church, that
are not likcr to your felf than I am.

Fag* 2n You tell me, that I (hew hovp much
C3 I

t am for a middle way^ if cither hot nor cnld^ for
it Inke rparm and neutral indifferency. ]

Krp/j'. I take your warning in good part .*
t daily beg of God, that the decays of my
natural fpirits and fervour by frigid age and
weaknefs, may not abate the true fervour ofl
my foul \ much lefs any abatement of the
eftimation of holy 'truth , the fcarch of
which hath been the unwearied bufmefs, the
( almoft ) uninterrupted pleafure of my life.
And fpecially that my love to God, and Hea-
ven, and Holinefs may not decay, which
Slas, was wofully cold, and little at the beft.
Bat I confcfs to you, that I am for a middle
way between fury and ftupidity^ frlde and
hafenefs^ fuptrftition and frofanefs^ the love,
of Anarchy and Jyranny, and many fuch like
pernicious extreams : And you remember
me of tht folly of my youthful ignorance,
in which I prefently fufpcded any man of
tepidity and carnal indirtcrency, who wrote
for reconciliation of Contenders, and for a
middle Conciliatory way, ( fuch as about
Arminianifm, Pet. Molin^us^ Vjhcr^ Vofpm^
T>avcnant , H.iU^ Prefion^ Fowcr , Crocm^
MartiniHS^ Camera^ &c, and fo in other
points. O Lord forgive the (ins of my igno-
rant unexperienced age.

5c6^. 2. E B. Ihnfe you are not to karn
that tvery untruth ii a Jyc,

J?.F. I fu ppofe your citation of John i.
62. 2. 21. is mif-printed for i John i. 6.
C^ 2. 21. The iirfl of which faith- . '■ -Ij

we

(29)

we fay thai we h,tve no fcUorpJhip mth him-,
and rpal}{ in darhncfs^ rvc lie and do not the .
truth. The other (aith, that [ No lie is of the
truth. 3 But do either of thefe {ay, that every,
untruth is a lie. Is it not enough to holcl
I. That every dellgriecl untruth which is p-
fitively voluntary is a lie : 2. And that every
rafh and carelefly uttered untruth, which is
frivatively voluntary ( that is, where the will
onnitteth its Office ) is a lie ? Sure, brother,
thefe many will be heavy enough upon you :
you need not contend by falfe dodirine, for
any more. And fuppoling that you are not
to learn how lingular you are in this afTer-
tion, is it any llgn of your humility , to
think that fo few Divines before you ( who
fo little avoid it 3 did know what a Lie is ?
If! had called you a wife, a calm, a fober
and charitable man, when I had no evidence
of the contrary, how can you prove that
this had been a lie ? You tell us anon that
Prophets, Nathan^ Samuel , and good men
have been miftaken ? And did thofe Pro-
j^hets lie ? You deny not that your Brother
Powel was miftaken i* And yet you would
not have it faid that he lied ? Let this go
therefore for your firft falfe dodbrine, when
you fay that every untruth U a lie,

Sed. 3 . E. B: p. 2 . Tou are not afraid to
dethrone the Scripture frem being a perfe^ Kule
Tar, I, p. ^p. 100, lOi.

K. B. Though all untruth be not a lye, I . ^ ,-
cannot lay, that this is none, 1 have no ^^^^ ^^^
C 4 fuchfaft. ;

(30}
{uch word or fenfe. \ maintain the Scrip-
ture to be a pcrfcd Rule, Co tar as it is a
Rule : Bat (o far as it is no Rule, it is no
perfed Rule. 1 do there maintain that it is
not a particular Rule, for a Watchmaker, a
Carpentejr, a Phyficion, a Mathematician, a
Malicion,e^c. to do their work by : nor what
Metre or Tune to ling aPfalmin, and fuch
lik§ 5 but only a General Rule for thefe.
iVnd becaufe you charge this on me as my
error, if I can underftand you, this is your
c t fecond falfe dj^rinc imply ed, that Scripture
falfe bo- is a particular Kule^ for the thin(is which I
ftrine.' there exclude \ And a third falfe doctrine im-
Third falfe ^/yf^^ that if it TV ere not fo^ it rf ere net aper^

which I can dilccrn, if this be not the fcrnfe
of them [ IVhofoever denyeth the Scripture to
he a particular Rule for the things inflamed by
IR. B. p. p9, ICO, 1 01. doth dethrone the
Scripture fom being a pcrfe6i Kule. But fo
doth R. B. Ergo your Major includeth the
two fore-mentioned falfe doctrines*

Se<ft. 4. E. B. 'the n^hole defign of your
'Bool^ vpas to wa}{€ your Brethren^ that have nut
your lititude^ and cannot reach the fubtilty of
your difli>}^uo;ts^ odious^ &c.
Second ^« ^' Here is a former falfhood juflified,

yaifhoodo and doubled or incrcalcd '•> i. It is falfe that
this v^as any dtfign of my Book. 2. But that
it was [ the while defign ] what man of So-
briety that ever, read it could imagine* 3. Yea,
and that thcfc brethren that I dcligned to

make

(so

make odious, wexefuch as have not my lati-
tude and cannot reach the fuhtilty of my di"
ftin^iofis*

Sed". 5. E. B. Many hundreds of foher^ im-
■partial i and unbyaffed perjony have carefully
read your Boo}{ as well as my felf^ and they
all make the fame judgement of it*

Jl. J5. 1 will not number tiiis with your i. Crime.
bare falfhoods : Whether many hundreds A flanker
have told you their judgement of it, who ^^^^^J^^eli^^
have read it, I know not : But contradidlo-
ries cannot be true on both parts. It is a
flander therefore of fo many hundred fuch
perfons which you utter : For if they wer.t
indeed foher, impartial^ tinhyiffedpcrfms^aiid
carefully read the Book^^ it is fcarce, or not; at
all poilible, but indeed a contradidion, T:hat
they (hould judge it [ ^^^ n^hole deft^fn to

maj^e my brethren odious that cznnot

reach the fubtilty of my dijiinUions* ~\

Sedl. 6. E. B. p. 3. Tou call fcparation a
crying fin^ nay the crying fm* and you (cru^
pie not to infinuate that all the judgements,
which in this Nation we do cither feel orfear^
were to he charged on fefar ation^ as the princi-
pal procuring caufe> ]

K. B. Here is your third falfhocd in mat- 3.Filfliood,
ter of fadl : There is not a word in the
places ( nor any where elfe in all my Wri-
tings, if I know what I have written ) that
chargeth all this on feparation, as^ the prin-
cipal procnririg caufe : But the contrary in

tlfe

(32)

the comparifon is oft and plainly affertcd,
and greater Caufes oft alligned : Nay, that
which ( without the comparifon ) I did
charge on fcparation, was in thefe words
conj&nd \_ Our uncharitable Divifinnj^ Alic-
itztioHfy and Separations are a crying fin ]
and not of feparation by it felf, or alone.
2. Crime- 2. And by your oppofition thereto, you
Juiiifymg f^em plainly to deny the finfulnefs of the
^n^under^ faid [ 'Vncharitahle VivifioHS^ Alienations ^and
JuJge- Separations : '] Which is a crime of heinous
mems. aggravation, to be committed and impeni-
tently (iood in, at that very time, when
uncharitable divifions have broken us (o
iDuch in pieces, and brought us all fo low,
and (ilenced fo many Miniikrs, and done
thit which our eyes have fcen } O dreadtul
obduratenefs ! that after twenty years fuch
doleful experience, we will not confcfs the
finfulnefs of our divifions ? Bat will (uiTer,
and be fiknced, and ruined, and die, and yet
not acknowledge that fo unnatural and per-
nicious a thing is a fm ? When the world
Tings of it ? When we lye weltring in its
fad cfitds, that yet we are juiiifying the
Caufe. Let not any prefume to go on in tin,
with a purpofe to Repent hereafter, when it
is (o hard a thing, to make men that think
us unworthy ot their communion, to Repent
of the very fin which they fuli'cr by, and
that in the very heat and continuance of thcit
fuiierings»

Sea:.

(35) ]

^ed. 7« E'B. p. 3. IVhat can ntal^ your
brethren more cdiow^ and more expofe them to
the peoples fitry^ and to the Rulers Kevcngey
than thus to maj^e them the Caufes of the Na-
tions Calamity ?

R. B» I. And is there not fin among us, Ctmc
even annong us alfo }. And are the fins of Taking a
fuch as we, no Caufes of our publick cala- Call to
mities ? And would you thus leave us all de* ^^P^""
fperate in Impenitency > May not we Re- jj^^-n^ ^j^ ^
pent i* and muft we not Repent, if we will w.ong,
be forgiven ? When we are freed from the
Condition of the Law of Works, is Repen-
tance become fo intollerable and hard a
Condition?* If we Repent not, (hall we not
all perifh, L«i^e 13. 3, 5. Do Angels rejoice
at a finners Repentance h and (hall we take
hinn for their enemy, that calls them to it ?
2. Is not Impenitency a greater Reproach to
us, in the eyes of thofe by whom we luffer,
than our Repentance would be ? And doth
it not exafparate them to fee men juftibe
unqueflionabk fin ? 3. What if God Record
even good mens fins, and tell a Vavid what
evil they (hould bring upon his houfe ? and
what a plague his numbring the people
brought on his Kingdom i, and fo of others?
Doth he hereby expofe them to be odious?
No, but by Repentance, would make them
amiable. 4. Is not fin odious whereevcr it
is found > And God is no refpcder of pcr-
(ons ? Muft we not loath our felves for it ?
It is he that finneth^ that makcth himfclf

odioiif i

C34)

odiot^ y and he that calleth him ioRepentancc^
would tak^ axi^ay his odioufitefs ( Tho'^gh
the fin of a penitent Munajfeh may caufe
the Captivity. ) And he that juiVifieth it,;
and tathereth it on Chnj}^ and the Spirit^ and
Religion, would make Chrill, and the Spirit^
and Religio}t^ and the Church odious, kit he
(hould be known to be fo himfelf. 5. And
do not mofl: good Minilters and people pub-
lickly confefs to God, that our own fins have
been the Caufes of our Calamities i^ Read
Mr. P,?^/'s Vox clamamU^ and Mr. 5/«/;e/ry's
Book, and judge accordingly of others?^ And
do you think that they thereby expofe good
people to the Migiftrates hatred or revenge ?
Or dare you charge them with hypocrifie, as
if they (pake not as they thought ? Alas
man, what dayes of Humiliation do you ufc
to keep, for the fins and miferies of the
Land ? Do you only confefs your adverfa-
ries fins > How eafily can fome raen Repent^
if it were other mens only that they were
to Repent of, C if the confeding of fuch
might be called ^x<^pcntin^. )Jdeofamiliarc efi
omnia fibi r emitter e^ nihil aliis^inquit Patercul.

Sed. 8. E. B. p. 5. If infeparatin^-

our fin is fo great, tJjat the place rphere we
live cannot be hcU inmcent^ hnt mujl fuffer
from the hand of God for our fal^es^ we are \
certainly a people who dcfirve to be hated of '
al\ and the Co nfif cations , Imprifonments and
Deaths^ which fome of us have already felt^
are no longer to be bewailed and grieved for as

fcr-

r35)

perfecutionf of the innocent^ hui father to he

rejoyced a}id gloried in as due funijhments

K, J5. Such iiulf may go down with thofe
that will fwallow all that feems to lift
them up. But i. It was not feparation from
forms of Worfhip only or chiefly that I fpake
of. 2. None ot us are Molutdy Jnnocefit^
but only comparatively, and jecmidum quid,
3. Here are two filfe Doctrines more im-
plyed. The hrft is, that they that fo fin as ^^\y^ p^ifg
is here defcnbed, (^ (erve to ^e hated of aU: Dcdrine.
For though fecundum quid fo far as we are
finners we arc loathfome, and deferve to be
hated, yet the iame perfon being in Chrfft
and pardoned and having the Spirit and
toagc of God, is amiable : And therefore
the Phrafe mult follow that which is predo-
minant in them ; And according either to
fitnefs or cujtom of Speech, you cannot with-
out talQiood (ay, that they deferve to be hated
of all '<i whom all are commanded fpecially to
Love. Did David deferve to be hated ofa%
becaufe his numbring the people brought
the plague? Yea, or Aaron that made the
Golden Calf ? Do you confider what you
write ? How that thus you make all ormoft,
or very many of Gods Servants, fuch af de-
ferve to be hated of all ? For how few are
they who do not fo fin, as that [ the place
where they live cannot he held innocent^ hut
ftmji fuffer from the hand of God for their
fakes. J For Chaftifements are threatned
to them, and to the (ocieties that they de-
file? And they are chal^ned of God, that

they

they may not be condemned with the world.
And how few can Cay, the place where I live'
is not rhe Icfs innocent tor me, nor fuifer-
eth ever the more for me ?

Doilrfne! '^* ^"^ ^^ ^^ /^'^ dodrine that Imprifon^
mcnis and Death arc due to all fuch : What
kind of Politicks would you write ? Muft
every man be imprifoned and put to death
( who makes the place not innocent where
he liveth, and hath a hand in bringing down
judgements on the Land ? God afflidethfor
what fin he pleafe : But Judges muft not
Harfg men, for all that God aifl deth the Land
for. But, alas, that you (hould reafon for
Impcnitency /

4^h.VinbIe

ii vi..L.ic S^^-P* E' ^- P* 3* L '^^^^^ ^^^^ attempt U
lalfhood. ^^ /^f ^ yo^i" f(^^f /^yw heifig looksd upon as an
eartieji andaBive tnj}fununt i,i the late Wars*']
K. B. This is another vilible falfliood in
matter of fad : Alas Brother , that you
fhould no more hctd what you read or
write P The queftion that I fpake to was on-
ly [^Whether I vpas as guilty in ftirring up
and fomenting that JVar as any one ivhatfo-
ever /* ] And is this comparative queftion
anykin to that which you now fallly father

on mer

jth.Vinble Scd. 10. E. B. p. 4. I muft confcfs your
Fa'fliood. /,^/^ j^i^ refohtie difdaiming any A^ivenefi in

that tfar^ didfo machjiaggcr mc^

H. B. This is yet more than the former :

Alas, have you cafe oif all heed what you

C37)
fay,and all common modefty in your reports ?
where did I ever deny any ABivencfs <* I ar-
gued thus : \_ He that never ntedled nith the
}Var till long after it rvas raifed ••, that never
fhoty flruc]^ or hurt any man "> that never vc^as
Officer or Common-Soldier , that never tool^
Commijjion to be Chaplain of the Garrifon
where ifvo years of the iVar I did continue^ hut
f reached a Ledure to them vptthout any Com-
mijjion > that never went into the Field Army^
till after Naisby Fight:^ and then vpent thither
hy the folemn Advice of an AJfemhly of Di-
vines^ ( many yet living ) twice ajfembled^
and that upon an open profejjjon to the Com-
mittee^ that my Kcafon and Bufinefs was in the
apprehenfion of our Common dangler from the
Army^ to difcharge my own Conference in dif-
\f wading as many of the Souldiers as I cottldy
from overturning the Government of the State
and Chnrch^ which I was fully fatisjied they
intended^ and that fpent his time among them
under their difpleafure in fuch worl^t Ifay^
that he that did thus^was not fo guilty ofjiirring
up^ and fomenting the TFar^ as were thofe that
firft raifed it^ and thofe that were Generals^
Commanders or Souldiers , and as thofe that
preached for it to the Parliament^ or as thofe
that went on in the many following JFars to the
end. And is there any thing in all this, that
faith, I was no way Adive in it ? My A^ivity
was principally in the City of Coventry^
which never faw an Enemy while I was
there : And it vvas in telling my opinion to
others 5 and twice going out with their

Soul-

Souldiers to the Siege of neighbour Gani-
fons 5 The reft I intimated to you before.
And this is it that I meant in the words oi
the Book which you recite. I askt you^
whether the Parliament, nor the chief Speak-
ers in it, nor the Earl ot EJfcx^ nor Cromivelt
did no more ? with more to that purpoie ,
which you give no anfwer to •, but defend
your faljhood with the addition of more

fuch ».\i(hoods, as if your deii^n in

writing, were pra<^ically to tell men , to
what boldncfs in finning mans vitiated na-
ture will proceed, it it 1> not feafonably re-* j
drained. Yea, as if you had quite forgot- :
ten what you were to prove, you iay,

4th Crime. Sedi. ij. E. B. p. 4. [ Nor do I delight fa
IjTipudent exfofe you to the fcorn of ynnr enemiesy and ta
Calumny. f}j^ pit ty of your friends, but I cannot heJ^ ff.]
ii. B, Reader, becaufe I have met with
fo ftrange a Judge, 1 freely appeal to thee, if
thou be hmfobev^ who it is that by this mans
Writings, is here cxpofcd to fcorn zndftt-
iy ? Whether I that fo fully difproved his
Calumny [ that I Tvas as guilty of ftirr'mz
up and fomenting the War as any rvhatfocver^
as that he hath not a word of lenfc to fay
in confirmation of if, or he, that with fuch
flran^e audacioufnefs addeth fuch falfhoods
as have not one fyllable in all my Writings
to countenance them , and taketh up ano-
ther charge againft me, that I holdh and re-
filittely difclaim any Adivity^ &c. J Did he
♦ruft that his Readers would fo far believe

him,

(39)
bim, as rather to venture upon the fcom and
nty which he would move them to, than
>nce to examine my Book, whether I wrote
Aich a word or not ? I confe(s too many of
lis own Spirit are like to dofo > and tobe-
ieve what fuch a man as this reportcth, and
:hink that he cannot be Co impudent, as
:hus infultingly to fay, that I fay thus and
:hus, when I never wrote or fpake fuch a
^ord. But what if he attain this end, and
)e believed ? Will it add to his innocence or.
^elicity to have his many hundreds live in the
in of lyittg and calumny^ and have no ex-
:ufe for it, but Mr. E. B* confidently wrote
t. Its a wonder that corrupted nature
hould be'lo eager to have companions in
in, when it doth but tend to its own con-
fufion ?

ill .

- Se6t. 12. E.B. p. 4. llou tviH not he

beholding to an /M of Indempnity , but ftand
\tpon your Innocency ?

. R. iB. Thefe are two more gtofs faljhoods 6i\\ i: >.a
n matter of /^£? : 1. I am and will be be-/*'^^^^'^* ,
lolden to the Ad of Indempnity, and write
ill this as under the protedion of that Ad.
i. I did not, I do not ftand upon my Inno^
:ency i nor fpeak a word of fuch impor-
tance.

- Sed. 13. E. B. Nothing but your hopes that ^.j^p^lfg.
«// ii forgotten as rvell as pardoned^ v^hich if hooi.
!>dt/?, could ever embolden you to fo peremptory

enyaU

D K. B.

K. B. This is another grofs falfhood :
Mt is fpoken of my heart, which he know-
cth not. 2. It is twice contradidled by his
own Pen. i. He even now (aid, that I will
not be beholden to an Adl of Indemfnuy^
dnd yet now he makes the h'rpe of Pardon
received to embolden me. 2. He rebuketh
me for the Icfs feajmahk Ketradatbft, of that
which now he (aith, not only that I hoped
it vpas fur gotten^ but that nothing but that hofe
could embolden we, 6cc. Why did \Retral}
that which I thought forgotten? Could I
think that Book forgotten which remaine.th
vifible ? which (o many Books accule
me of ? and one which he mentioneth
and wrote againfi himfelf ? and which
io many have publickly preached againft,
both formerly and of late ? Could I think
that part of my life forgotten, which all in
the City of Coventry , who thirty years ago
were at years of difcretion, may remember ?

Sedl. 14. E. B. p. 4. ToH' ask^mems^

ny malicious and enfnaring queftions.

K. B. That's another Falfliood : They
were not malicious : And another crime, to
take him for malicious.who calleth finnersto
necelTaty repcntance,in a time of Judgements,
with words of love.

Sed. 1 5. E. B. In your JFritings you do
inghly approve of that r^hicb rvas the vporjl fart
•^fthe QhangCy the fating nf 0/ Cromwell f(?
be ProteCfor /

R. Bi This alfoisnotoriouflyfalfe, as my lo/nKo-
Writings which have no fuch word, and as tf m u^
thofe that I convcrft with know Indeed Fa'diood
Oliver CromrveHs firft Troop did under their ^'^, * ^
Officers hands invite itie to be their Paftor^ ^ " '
which I refufed as difTenting from the way
into which I faw them entring, and not wil-
ling to leave my peaceable habitation at Co-
ventry^ where I had the fociety of very many
worthy Minifters,and leifure for my Studies,
and was out of the heats of War : And af-
ter he expoftulatcd with me himfelf for re-
fufing his defires : But the very firft hour
that I went to his Army , which was after
Nafeby hght, he having notice of my words
and intentions, from a friend of his of the
Coventry Committee, I was entertained by
the jeers of his moft intimate friends, as
one that came forfooth to Reclaim the Army^
and fave the Kingdom^ &c* And in a year
and halfs time while I Oayed among them,
he would never once fpeak to me v nor was
I ever at his Quarters, but kept atadiltance
as one of their adverfaries, and thofe that"
I had intereft in were difcountenanced fot '
my fake. And had riot a fudden bleeding
brought me very near to death,and feparated
me from the Army, ^out the very day that
they had their hrl\ open Confultation , for
the following Treafonable Changes which
they made , I had hazarded my life upon
their difpleafure, in the contradii^ing them,'
and drawing off as many from them as I
could, at the time when many did defert
D z them:

(40
them : For by the advice of a fecOnd meet-
ing of the Minifters at Coventry^l flayed with
them tor that very end, when I had peace-
able opportunity to have returned to my
former auditors ^ And I did openly and
boldly from that day until Cromtvells death,
declare to thofc that I converft with, that I
took him and his Army to be guilty of moft
perfidious Treafon and Rebellion, and him-
felf for an unqueftionable Ufurper. And I
never (pake one word to the contrary. And
being once before his death ( being at Lon-
don ) invited to fpeak with him, I cxpollu-
latcd with him, by what Right our Goviern-
ment was changed, and how he could prove
that all the people of England had loft their
own Right to their ancient Government,
and laboured to convince him that this'
change of ibix, and Injimment of Government
( which you charge me to approve ) was
an unjuft depriving the Kingdom of their
ancient and never forfeited right i till I ;
made him fo angry, that it was time to fay I
no more. But let us hear the proof of |
your accufation.

nth and Sedl. 11^. E. B. p. 5. Tc«— hugg and

iithFalfc- embrace the T'raytor. ,For yon greatly com-
^00 i ard ^^^^^ ^^^^ ahf*ird tooly 'the humble PetitioH and
Advice which vpas Croniwells Inftrument of
Government •, And you fay ofit^ A more exr
cellent Law hath not been made^ for the hapfi"
nefs of England concerning farliamentSy at
lenji fince the Keformation* ] ^j

K. F.J

f43)
K. B. Here is no proof at all of your
falfe accufation, but the addition of two
more falflioods, one expreft, and the other
intimated, i. That I hugM and embraced
the Traytor. Let the Reader judge by what
I have truly faid. 2. That I greatly commend
the Injlrument of Governmenty as making the
change and fetting up of Cromwell to be Pro-
ie&or^ when you could not eafily choofe but
know, that he that will but open my Book
where the words are which you cite, may
prefently perceive your fraud and fallliood,
I and that I fay not a word to commend or
j approve of that Injlrument as fuch , or as
making the change^ or as fetting up Crom-
j wf/?, or a Proredor, but only for this one
j thing, that ix. excluded Atheifis^ BlaJpbemerSy
Anti-Scripturiftsy Curfers^ Srvearers^ Vrun-
]{ardsy Denyers of Sacraments^ Prayer^ Magi-
jiracy and Miniftry^ &c, from being Parlia-
ment men. And is not this fallacy a di&o
fecundum quod ad di&um fimpliciter^ a noto-
rious cheat, and falihood ? Is this to approve
the fetting up 0/ Cromwell to be Prote&or <? Do
you think by fuch a rate of Reafoning as this
is,to be accounted a wife & faithful Teacher^

Sedl. 17. E. B. And of CromwcW himfelf ^^^^.^^^
( though he dyed in his finful Vfurpation^ Calumm-'
without manifejling any Repentance ) you ating inli-
give thisSaint-lih^ CharaUer in your Preface to nuation.
the Army ^'f he late Protestor did prudently ^&c,
R. B» I. In that very Preface againft the
, Army, this man might fee fuch words as.
D 3 thefe,

C 4+ )
thefe^rcprehending th^ Armies rebellions and
changes [] 7'he fabrication of an Injlrument of
t^aws mtbout a Parliament^ and many other
anions of thcfe times^ we dnuh not hut yott
will ere long repent <?/]]( having inftanced in
their other changes before ) and ipjpy Texts
cited to them, in which their a6lions are
condemned as heinous crimes. And [ the
hcji Govcrnours in all the world that have the
Supremacy^ have been refifted or depifid in
'England'] f It was not then fafeor necef-
fary to Name all, ) Aqd [ A Heathen perft-
cuting Nero muli he ohcycd^ not only for ivrath^
hut f)T confcience fak^. ] And among the

changes which I reprehended, are

£ Next this we had the Minor part of the

Hoiife of Commons in the exercifi of Sovcraign

Toiver^ the Corrupt Majority^ as ym caU themy

heing left out : And by them n-c had the Go-

vcrnment changed , Regality ( It was then

death tofay^ ihe King ) and Honfe of Lords

Mv Words being cafi of. Next thir we had nothing vifi-

10 the Ar- blc hitt a General and an Army : Next this we

my .icr:- jjj^ ^]j ^y^ whole ConjHtution and Liberties of

>-^'Oic. the Commonwealth at once fubverted -i Certain

men being cjUcd by the Name of a Parliament^

dnd'the Sovcraign porter pretended to he given

tbcmy that never were chofen by the people;

hitf by we know not whom ^ (fkch a fall as I

never heard or read^ that any King ^/England

ti?as pdlty of^ fince Parliaments were known-)

Next this we had a Prote^ior governing accord-

iug to an Injlrument made by —God

k^nows rpho* After this we had a Protestor go^
'v ■' vcrning

vernif^g dccordhjg to the Httmhle PaitloH and
AdvicCy ( and fworn to both ) : Andnorvrfc
Art Tfbeeled about agahu ]

Reader, did this man read all this, and
all the rell that in that Book, efpecially the
Preface and Conclulion, I then wrote ( m
the bitternefs of my foul ) againll the Ar-
my ? and did he believe himftlf^ or could he
pojjibly believe himfelf^ that I approved of the
fetting up o/Cromwelho be ProteClcr f If he
do really believe him(clf, How uniit a man
is this C who underftinds not humane lan-
guage ) to be the great retiner of the Church,
and to pretend to be wifer than the Old
Non-conformiils, &c. If he do not be-
lieve himftlf, how unht is he to feparate
from us for our finfulnefs, or to be believed
by the people whom he feduccth.

2. The words which he citeth , are only
in a Parenthehs, concerning which take this
true information, i. Men ufed to diilin-
gui(h between a tyrant quoad jits^ and a 7y-
rant quo id cxercitium : And 1 ordinarily de-
clared C^owwfZ/ a Tyrant ^«i?<;7(;/j«/, that i«,
anUfurper. 2. I never thought it laudable
to belye any man whomfoever, nor to make
his adions worfe than they are. I did not
dillike any good, becaufe Crompjfcll did it :
I will not renounce God , or Chrift , or
Rjety , becaufe that Cromwell profeiTtd-
ly owned them. All that was good in him,
was not made had ( as to the nature of the
thing ) becaufe he did it. I never cenfured
SulpitiHS SeverM^ Beda^ or any other Hifio-
D 4. rianSj

rians, for extolling the Chrifiian Piety of

Maximus^ while they call him a Tyrant, as
to Title. I will not tall out with God, or
Scripture, or Honclty, becaufc that Crom^
wfil/did fpeak well of them all. 3. Note,
that I fpake only of his Exercife of Govern-
mem^ and not of his Ktght^ which I ftill de-
clared to be Null. 4. And I inftanced what

his Frndence rvas^ ( before ) [ Hi^ frudent
Jhunning of Engagement f^ 3 that he put not
upon us any Oaths or Promifes of Allegiance
to himlelf. For he knew that we would
lefufe them, and thereby diflurb his peace.
It is known unqueftionably that Cromn'cUd'id
many things that were ( in their nature )
very laudable. 5. And I mentioned this.
( not as a praife ot him, but) as a Convi-
d:ion of the Rebellious Army, who thought
they might take down all Government, to
fet up themfelves, whom they could eafilier
believe to be good and godly , than any
others : And whereas they pretcndec^, that
it was (or ungodlincfs^ that they pulled down
their Superiours, I ftiewed them, that if they
could not believe that the King was godly,
nor the Parliament godly, nor the Minor
part of the Parliament ( called the B^ump )
godly , nor their Little Mock-Parliament
godly, yet they (liould not have fo accufed
CromrreH-, whom they cryed up, and fet him
up themfelves, and roagnihed fo highly as
they did. 6. And I meant this Commen-
dation of fome of his adions, as compara-
tive only, and better than theirs that pulled

down

r47)

down that which themfelves fet up. 7. And
yet, I thank you for calling me to review
thofe words, and do hereby declare, that I
do take them to be unmeet ( as (poken to
the Army that then had greatly provoked
me to grief; and that I unfeignedly Kefent
of them \ that you may fee I love not Impe-
nitence in my felf, any more than in you :
And I wi(h that they had not been written,
being fo lyable to ill eifeds ^ and it being
unmeet too much to praife even the good
that a tlfurper doth, left it take off the odium
of his Ufurpation.

Sed. 18. E. B. Sir could ym fay all tkisof^thSc 14th
him then , and do you thinks your partial ^^i^^od.
friends can iufiifie you novp^ vphenyou compare
him to the Tyrant Maximus, and mak^ him in
iffeCt to be nothing elfe^ but a Mnrderom and
a bloody V fur per ?

K. B. Here is two Fallhoods , one ex-
preiTed, and the other implyed. i. That
cxprelled is, that I mah^ him in effeU to be
nothing elfe but a Murderous^ &c» when I
never denyed any thing that was good in
him ', but have publickly , and in Print
warned our Lawtul Governours, that they
tempt not the people to dillike them, by un-
doing any good which he did. 2. The im-
plyed falftiood, that I fpeak worfe of him
now, than I did heretofore. Whereas the
truth is, that I fpake in the time of his own
Ufurpation I am confident twenty times
againft him, for once that I have fpoken

(ince

C4«)
fince his death ; Not that I changed my
opinion of him •, but that; it is fo crofs to
humane nature, to in-fult over even malefa-
<3:ors in their fufFcrings, efpecially when we
differ with them ( though by them ) and
when theii' adverfaries need no inliigation,
that I have not been able to judge it my
duty, to fpeak of that very evil, which I
and others fuffer by : But have been hardly
put to it thefe eleven years , between the
thoughts of open difowning thofe (ins of
felf-€XjltiH^ Vfurpers that have confounded^
us, and a lothncfs to encreafe the fuiferings *
of thofe that are underfoot. And this
laft prevailing , I have greatly by it dif-
pleafed my Superiours : And yet \c(i I
fhould harden men in impenitency, having
gently mentioned thefe Crimes, it difpleaf- '
eth fuch as are mod obliged to repent. And "
how ftrangely doth this man defpife his Rea-
ders, while he again maketh it luch a thing
in mc , to compare Cromcvell to Maximufy
whom ftill he loadeth with odious Titles >
when in my hrft Book I told him, p-^y^*
that Maximas by the Bijhops rvas accojiMted a
very religious ChrijHan^ and pretended that-
the Souldiers in England made him Emperoitr
againjl his rnlly and too\ part mth the Or^
ihodsx-t and greatly hjmured the Bijhops^ and
promoted Religion, and got a great deal of
love and honour : And in my Defence I told
him, that Maximus is by Hifiorlans made fi
gosdaman^ of himfel}\ that I more feared leli
many n^ould have m^adt me a praifer <?/ Crom-
well

(49) '

well hy the eomparifott. And I cited p* 142*
the words of Sttlpititts Sever us of him, Vir
imnl viu merito pT£dican6im^ ft ei diadema
non legitime , tumultuante milite imfofitum^
repudiate^ vel armis civiUbus abjimere licHtp-
fet^ &c. And the words of Eeda Ecclef. Hifi.
hi. c. p. Maximus vir jlrenutts & probus
atque Augufio dignm nifi contra fidem per ty-
rannidem emerfijfcty &c. Iniitus propemodum
ab exercitti creattts Imperatnr^ &c. But all this
is not worthy the obfervation of this terne-
rarious roan, who ftill puts this among my
unbecoming ufage of Cronnvel!^ when if he
had weighed what I wrote , I (hould have
rather expected that he would have accufed
JOQe again for overpraifing him.

Sed. I p. E. B. Js for your flattery to his j^thFalfe-
SoHj ivhieh I alfo charged you mth^ and you hood.
( with afirange^ but not to your felf unufual
boldnefe ) do deny^ &c.

K. B. I gave a full anfwer to this, which
no reply is given to : As if you were re-
folved to fay what your lift, and hear no-
thing that is faid againft it. As I told you
that I never faw him, nor ever had to do
with him, fave that when I (aw him take
part againft the turbulent fort of men, I
took it to be feafonable by that Dedication
to perfwade him to do good and not hurt.
So I told you, that your words oi^^Vedi-
eating a flattering Book^ to him ]] in common
fenfe do diftinguilh between the Book^ and the
Pedication * Whether the Dedication were
' flat-

fisttery^ I left to the Reader of it to judge,
and neither affirmed, nordcnyed it : But on-
ly affirmed [ that there is not one fyUable oj
his Son in all the Bookj^ but only in the Dedi-
cations. 3 Yet this man goeth on, and falfly
chargeth me to deny that which I dcnyed
not, and reciteth my words in the Dedica-
tion to prove that the Book^^s diftini^ from
the Dedication was flattery.

7th Self- ^^&' 20. E. B. Deny if you can the confe-

coiulemn- t^uencey that it became not you to blame the

irg ca- effe&Sj who gave fuch rife and encouragement

""^"y^ to the Caufe : I mean^ unlefs you repent oj

the Caufe v tx>hich it is evident you have not

yet done : And if I may not be believed in

this opinion of you^ Id.uht not hut the Biflwf

c/Worccfter Tril/i vcho for this very thing did

formerly accufe you of rehtHion : From vphid

charge-) he that defended you then , havtd

you to acquit your felfnon^ as rvrll js you can*'

R. K. I. Your [^ I mean^ unlefs you rt

pent'\ were none of your former words

when you fay one thing, you think to folvi

and avoid the charge of /jZ/^ac^, by faying

that you Meant another. 2. What you fai

is evident^ muft needs be a Calumny in you

I. Bccaule you have no Evidence of the Ne

gative being about my heart, which is tc

you unknown. 2. Becaufe your felf di<

before twit me with Ketra^ation, &c, 3.An(

did you believe your (elf that the Biihop o

Worcefiers words fo many years ago , arc ;

proof that J repent not now ^ 4. And ar

yoi

<5i)
^ou yet infenfible of your own partiality -,
that then you blamed that in the Bifhop
ivhich now you can freely do your felf>
Let your followers mark what Spirit you
ire of, if yovi are refolved not to know your
felf ? Do you not fee now that the man who
took it for fo great a crime in the Biftiop,
:an fpeak himfelf, i. Againft the fannie man,
2. With the fame accufation, 5, In the fame
manner. And is the fame thing bad in the
Bi(hop, and good in you ? The matter is, it
feemieth now to be your concernment to
rpeak it : Its like you would then have fepa-
rated from the Bifhop for it : And yet now
it is no fault in you ? O what-a blinding-,
thing is feljijhpartmlity ? And what rcafon
hath any man to doubt, but if it were in
^our power, you would filence me as much
IS any BiQiop would ? And will you not
yet fee that which you are fo angry with
me for telling you > viz. How much of the
very fame Spirit is in Church-dividers^ rvith
that which they moft condemn in others : Why
then do you not feparate from your felves f
5. But, though you may think its like
that you have me here in your fnares, I (hall
make this benefit of it, that you may fee I
am not fo great an enemy to Kepenting^ as
you declare your felftobe.
' I do hereby freely profefs, that I Repent
r. Of all that ever I theught^ faidy tr>rote^ or
did fmce I rpas horn , againfi the Peace of
Church or State 5 Againft the King^ his Ferfony
or Authority^ as Supream in himfelf or as De-
rivative

rivative in any of his Officers , Magjjhatety
or any CommiJJioned by him,

2. iTyat I Repent that I no more d'tfcouraged
the Spirit nfpicvifh quarrelling with Superiours
and Church-orders^ and ( though I ever dijli}{ed
and cppofed ity yet ) that I fometimes did toe )
much encourage fuch^ as vpere of this temper^
hy fpeah^ing too Jharply againft thofe things
which I thought to he Church-corruptions i and
was too loth to diffleafe the contentious^ for
fear of being uncapable of doing them good
( knowing the prophane to be much rrorfe than
they ) and meeting with too ferp Religious
perf^ns^ that were not too much pleafed with
fuch inveUives.

3. And I do Repent that I had not more im-
fartiaVy and diligently confulted with the beft
Lawyers that were againjl the Parliaments
Caufe C For I k*tew of no Controverfte in Divi-
nity about it^ but in Politic}^ and Law h ) and
that I did not ufc all pojftble means of full ac-
quaintance with the Cafe. And that for a little
while the Authority of fuch JFriters as
Mr. Rich. Hooker lib. i Ecclef. Polit. and
Bijhop Bilfon, and other Epifcopal Divines did
too much fway my judgement toward the Prin-
ciples of Popular Power ^ And feeing the Par-
liament^ Epifcopal^ and Erajiian^ and not hear-
ing when the IFars began of two Presbyteri-^
ans among them all, nor among all their Lord
Lieutenants^ Generalise Major Generalise or
Colonellsy till long after , I was the eafilyer
drawn to think^that Hookers Political Princi-
ples had been commonly received by all > which

I

C53)-
\Idifcermd fonn after uponfiriSer enquiry ^ to he
unfound^ and have my felf n>rUten a ConfutA"
Hon of them^ ready for the Prefs marty years
\ago.

4. And all the reft of my fin in this huftnefsy
vphichlk^orp not of particularly^ I do Impli-
citly and Generally Kepent of > and daily beg
of God ( as I have done thefe twenty four
years and more ) to give me a particular Con-
virion of themy and not to fttffer me to live or
dye in any impenitence^ hut fo far to acquaint
me with all my great and publicly fms^ that I
may openly confefs them^ and give other s vparn'
ing to avoid the lii^e. This is the Repen-
tance, which upon your invitation J pro-
fefs.

If you quarrel with it as not inftancing
in particulars enor^^ I anfwer you, that as in
the Revocation of the Book which you ac-
cufe, I thought it belt to Kevoh^ the n>hole^
( though not as Retracing all the clo(^rine
of it, J becaufd if I had named the particu-
lar pafTages, (ome would have faid I had
mentioned too few, and fome too many, and
few would have been fatistied i fo is it in
the prefent Cafe.

6. As to your Defence of me heretofore,

1. You know I never defired it of you, nor
gave you thanks for if. For though you
took my part , you underftood not my
Caufe, and therefore in the main deferted it.

2. I am not at all ambitious of fuch an
Advocate, i. Whofe Defence was then judg€4
by all that I heard fpeak of it, to be com-
mendable

(54)

mendable only for holdnefs^ and a handfomc
Efifiolary Style^ having little of judgemenc
or argumentative ftrengtb : 2» Whofe errors
and faults will difgrace the Caufe which he
defcndeth : 3. Who can blow hot and cold,
and when his paffion and erroneous intereft
requireth it, can change hands , and take
up his adverfaries work, and do the fame
thing in the main, which he accufed-
Threaten me not with fo defirable a defer-
tion.

As for the following infultations on fup*
pofition of the fufficiency of your fnare,
you fee now that it is to glory in your
(hamc.

i5th,i7th, ^^' 21. E.B. Tout mmtioning mth fo

18th, I pth, much /corn the doUrine of the temporal Reign of

and xoth Chrift^ rvhich you in ckrifton call the fifth Mo-

f (h d ^^^^^y T^^y -i and your endeavour to expofi

all that you thinks favour that opinion^ is ano*

ther evidence that you dare not look^ any truth

in the face^ rphich brings prejent danger with

it : no though formerly you xpere as earne^

and open an afferter of it as any

R. B. I fee but hve cxprefs falfhoods in
matter of fad in the(c few words : i. One
is, that it is Chnjis temporal Reign^ which I
call the fifth Monarchy way \ when as I have
no fuch words, nor meaning, but do my
k\iht\\tvt Chrifis'icmpralRdgn^ even that
now he is Head over all things to his Churchy
Ephef I. 21, 22. and that all Potper in Hea-
ven and Earth is given him^ Mat. 28. ip. and

at

C55)
all things are delivered into hU hands^ John
i^^*& ly. 2. that he hath power given him
over all flejh i and tf>at to this end he dyed^
rofe and revived, that he might he Lord of the
dead and living ; Rom. 14. p, and that he is
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. But whe-
ther he will Reigns thoufand years in corpo^
ral vifihle prefence on earth, I am not wife
enough to know : But I am afraid of thofe
opinions which draw down mens minds
from looking for a treafure and reward in
Heaven, and tempt them to exped great
things on Earth. But in this Age cuftome
hath taught men to diftinguifh between
thofe c^lkd Fifth Monarchy men, and meer
Millenaries. And by the former name, I
mean fuch as they that alTumed that name
have been, whom I will not defcribe, left I
fcem to imitate you, or offend you more than
needs.

2. Thefecond falOiood is^ that I mention
the Dodtrine of Chrifts Temporal Reign
viithfeorn and derifion \ when I only menti-
oned the vcay by Kvhich many of my ac-
quaintance came to hold it , and the argu-
ments which they ufed to defend it, with
fitty and diffent, but not Wiihfcorn or derifi-
on i much lefs that dodrine which he
^ameth.

3. The third faljhood is, that I endeavour
Uexpoje aU that I thinly favour that opinion \
when as fome of my mod intimate and ho-
noured friends favour the Millenary Opinion :
and I know how commonly it was owned

E by

I;-:-

C50

by many of the Ancients, and who doth not
honour the name oi Mt.JofMeadyDr.'lpyijfey
Mr. Baily^ Mr. Porter, &c. that did more
than favour it ? And when did I ever endea-
vour to txpofe fuch men ? ( its like you
rriean, unto fcorn, or iome ev'iL )

4. The fourth and notorious falfhood is,
that J dare not lon\ any truth in the facey
that brings prefent danger rvith it : when him-
felf faith, that lam in the fame condemnation
tfith them i which hath more truth in it in
a full fcnfe, than I will here open, left I fcerrv
to dilhonour my Governours. And though
I confefs that my Imprifonmcnt wa$ not fo
long and fharp as his, yet he can fcarce be
fo ignorant as to imagine, that he lofeth by
his judgement y fo much as I do by mine,
qtioad lucrum cejfanr^ & damnum emergens^
But his own Pen doth publifli him temerari<
oufly falfe : while he publiflieth me to have
been /ormer/y as carnefi and open an affertei
as any of this Opinion v and doth not cit<
one fyllable whereby I ever did revoke it :
And I here as openly declare to him and al
the world, that 1 am ftill of the fame mind
that I was in that point, and I am ftill rea-
dy to cxprefs my mind in the fame wordj
of mine which he reciteth. And while ]
openly own the fame words which he ac
counteth fo dangerous, and pretendeth thai
they alTert as much as any h judge whethei
lie be a man to be believed, that faith I dan
not look that truth in the face , which 1
openly own, or any other that brings prefeni
danger. 5, Th<

r57)

5. The next notorious fal(hood is, that
formerly I wof of earneft an afferter of it as
tny \ that is, of the Fifth Monarchy n?ay. As
tny ? Have I written for the Millenary Opi-
lion, as earneflly and openly as Mr. Me^^hath

3one > Have I- -I will pafs over late

:radticcs. Nay did I ever write or fpeak
)ne word for it ? But you (hall prefently fee
low he confuteth himfelf. But before I
eave this, T mult name tivo er three implyed
aljhdods in thefe words, befides the five ex-
*rejfed.

6. The one is, that the BoCtrine of the 'Tern- ^iik Falfe^
\yrAl Keign of Chrijiy brings prefent danger : hood im-
vhen as all Chriftians that I know of, do pv)<^J-
»elicve or hold his Temporal Reign : And as
or his Perfonal Corporal Vifible Reign^l never
leard of any Law againft any that held it,
or any danger that any man incurred, much
?fs any fuffering for holding it. I am per-
vaded, if Chrift came perfonaVy 2indvifihly
) demand it, the King himfeU would yield
p his Crown to him. But I mult confefs
>you, that if any man will call himfelf a
bliever of the Fifth Monarchy , and there-
3on will either deny the Authority ofRu-
^s that are bad, ( even if they were Inh-
pis or Perfecutors J or that they judge bad,
[ will deny to Iwear Allegiance Co the
ing, or will maintain that good men may
ize upon the Government becaufe they arc
x)d ( or think thcmfclves fo ) and that
fcaufe the Saints (hall judge the world,
ercfore they may dcpofc bad Governours,
1 E 2 and

and take their places, and fet up themftlvcs
under pretence of fctting up Chrift ^ I deny
not but fuch as thcfe may be in dar.g.r :
And I am none of them that will ownfuch
opinions, as knowing them to be no truthiy
but pernicious errors.
, P^,. 7. The other implyed falfliood is , that

hotd im- ^ ^^^'^ changed my opimon^ or the profeifion

plyed. of it in this point in queftion*

8,Sdf.con- Sed". 22. E. B. (^ For mt many years ago
tutarioa ^- y^ti told us ^that yoH were perfeltly neutral^ as
aiumny, ^^ the point ofChrifts vifihle and perfonal Reign
npon earthy and you did not k^orv which way
your judgement did mofl incline^ But the
'iheocratical Policy, or Divine Common^vpcalth
( vrhich is the unqueftionable Reign ofChrifl
upon Earth ) this^ all Chriftians are agreed may
juflly he fought^ and the temporal dignity of the
Saints which would undouhtcdly much hlefs the
world* ~]

R» B. I. You mifprint [ the temporal ] tor
[ that temporal^ ] and lb turn the predicate
into the fubjed:. 2. For [ as meerly neutral
as in almoji any point of fo great moment^
&c.'^ you put \_perfcaly71eHtrah'] 3. For
[^ I fcarce can perceive which way^ &c. ] you
put [^youdidnot kjtow.'] Yet I number not
thefe with your falQioods , but (liew you,
that you are ip habituated to Rajhnefs^ that
you (cldom icem to heed what you re-
port.
jjdPairc- 2. And can you wink fo hard, as not to
hood. (ce how here you openly declare your talfe-

hood ?

(5P) »

hood ? Do you prove me as eamefi and open
an ajfertcr as any , by citing words in which
I profefs to be ignorant ^ neutral and uncer-
tain ^ Will your follower!^ ftill believe fuch
an open felf-contradiding falfe accufer ?
Is Nmtralhy and Vncertainty the mo\{ carncji
and open ajjerting of a doctrine ? IF you fay
that you meant it of Theocracy •, I anfwcr,
review your words i you fpeak of Chrijls
T'emporalReign^ and of the Fifth Monarchy
rpay^ and fay [ as earnift and open as any* J
Was Mr. Mead, and Dr. 7'mffe but Neutral .?
Was Mr. Archer but Neutral ?

3. 1 ftill approve of all the words of mine
which you recite? What mean you then to
ttell me of a change?

j 4. And is it like that I take that to be dan-
gerous, which I fay that [ all Chrijiians arc
agreed of ~|

5. And do you not grofly wrong thofe
Rulers, from whom you think any danger or
hurt will come to us for fuch dodrine as this?
Who is there that will deny that ^ holy and
Righteous Government in tho hands of holy
and righteous men, vpould he a bleffing to the
T^orld ? and is to be vehemently diflred, and
fought by JHji and larvf'd means ?_ Will any
Chriltian charge this docfirine to be errone-
ous ? When it is m.uch of the fenfe of the
three firft and grcatcft Petitions in the Lords
prayer ? and when all Chriftians know, that
T^yranny, Ignorance, and Vngodlinefs are the
three conftituting materials of the Devils
Kingdom in the world, and that Tyranny is

E :: the

(6o)

the grand maintainer of Ignoranct and Vn-
s^odlincfs^ while the Heathen, and Infidel, and
Popifti Princes of the Earth, do keep away
the clear and powerful preaching and publi-
cation of the truth i and Turks ,Perfians,Indi-
ans, and other Mahometans, and all the Hea-
thens, do maintain Deceivers , and cail out
the Gofpel of Jefus Chrift.

Se(!i. 23. E. B. p. 7. Sir I hjvt been very
curious to enquire into the doBrine of the Fifth
Monarchy^ and mnfi of my Converft is with
thofe that do in Faith expe&^ and in Fatience
n?cut for fuch a time > and I never k^new any
of them^ ( horfever they are mif-refrefented )
carry the notion further than you have already
done.

K. B. I. And are you a man then that is
ht to make fuch a flir to divide the Chur-
ches, and to account your felf wifer than
all the Old Non-conformiils in thofe mat-
ters, when all your curious Enquiry into an
open matter of facfl ( what fo many per-
fons hold ) could do no more to (ave you
from miftaking it ? If you never read what
Jreyjjius^ LaUantiiis and others of old held *
If you never read what is written by
Mr. Nkad^ Dr. 7'mjfe^ Mr. Archer, &c. Did
you never read any Pamphlets within thefc
thirty years that fay more ? Did you, that
convcrfe fomuch among fuch, never hear,
what I that ib feldom converfe with thera
have heard fo oft, and feen offered me in
Writings, that 1 might have procured the

Print-

Printing of them ? Do you believe that none
of the Levellers , or thofe whom Oliver
CrownY^ fupprelTed Under the name oi Fifth
Monarchy mm^ held no more ? Did Vemur
and his company think you hold no
more }

2. But fo ftrange is your forgetful nefs or
your fclf-contradidting faculty , that you
need none to tell your Readers that you vrritt
umruths^ but your felf. Do you take no
notice, that all that is my words is, that
iuch a Holy and KighteoHS Government is dc
firable^ £i}:dmay ji^fily ^^ fought as all Chri^
jiians agree : But your profcdion is that
[_ mofi of your converfe is rrith thofe that do in
faith cxped it. And could you fee ro dilfe-
rence between fecking it^ and in faith cxpc
ding it. ^ I defire the convcrtion and falvati-
on of all the men I know , and I feck^ it
of God in prayer, and of as many of them^
|as I have fit opportunity, ( or out>ht fo to
do at leaft •, ) I deiire fheConverhon of all
the Kingdoms, and people of the worlds but
whether I may \n faith expVt it^ lam fo
ignorint that I cannot tell. I dcfire and fcek^
by prayer of God, that all the world may
have holy and juft Governours : but I can-
not boail of fo much faith or hope in this^
as thofe that you converle with. As proud
as I am, I freely confcfs my IgntDrance to
you. But certainly they that take it for an
Artich of their faith , do carry the Notion
further than I can do, whoprofcfs that I am
ignorant of it,whecher it be :x promifed tl^in^^
or not .? E 4 Seft.

14-HFaire- Sed-. 24. E. B. p. 7.- 1 Becaufe

°^ ,' ^^ W« dare not orfn any hazardous and perfe-
a calumny "^ , . , ^r i - r r -

repeated, cttteatruth j and you find it jar eajierm your

Notional Divinity to recant all that formerly

you were convinced of, than to bring your heart

to a xviUingncfs for Martyrdom* ~]

l^.B. I. You rpake of danger before 5 you
now add Perfecmion and Martyrdom^ intima-
ting that this is fuch a perfecuted pointy
which as far as ever I heard ( who live in
the fame Land, and have as hard thoughts
of ferfecuiion as many others have ) there is
not any thing true in your intimation.
Name the Law that is againlt the Opinion of
the dcfirahlenefs- of a holy Government of all
the world ? Name the pcrfon that ever fuflfe-
red for that Opinion ? Though thofe that
will relift or pulldown Governours, becaufe
they take them ( juflly or unjulily j to be
wngodly, may fuifer for it. Again therefore
to imply danger of Martyrdom , for that
which no man (that ever I heard of) fuf-
fered for, and to feign the avoiding of thatj
danger,to be tlie Chief Caufe of my recantin[^
or changing my mind or words, which I ne-<
ver recanted or changed , is a monftrouS
courfe of fidion and temerity.

2. Your talk oi Recanting all that former-]
ly I was convinced of'] implyeth more teme^'
rity and fallhood. Any man of humane
modefty would have thought [^All] too
bigg a word, when the inlTances produced
by him prove nothing. If yq\i refer to

the

r^3)

the Kevocation oi my Book^^ you (houldhave
opened your eyes, and feen that I profefs
not to Recant all the dodrine of it, though
I revoks all the Beok^, and wifh men to take
it as non-f crip tarn : And fure that faff age had '
no peculiar recantation.

3. But if Recantation be fo eafie to me,
rtmember that I pretend not to Infallibility ^
nor am altogether unwilling to Repent. As
for Martyrdom, I take it to be every Chrifti-
ans duty, yea, necelTary to falvation, to pre-
pare for it j that is, to deny his life, and to
forfakc all in true refolution, for the fake of
Chriit,and hopes of Heaven : But how far
my heart is brought to a willingne(s of ir,
though I am fure you know not, and there-
fore venture to fpeak what you know not :
yet I have no reafon to boaft , nor to be
klf-coniident, nor to be high-minded, but
to fear.

' Sed:. 25. E.B. Andthvi alone^ I take to he 25th and
the true cauft^ vphy fo voea]ily^ and fo unlik^ i5th Falfe-
a Minifler of the Gofpel you inveigh again^ noods,
f offerings. For you have never yet exptrien^
ced either the comfort or the cleanfing ofthem^
and therefore venture rajhly to fpea}^ evil of
what you k^ovp not i and rvhich 1 fear you
have neither courage nor affe^ion to venture
the tryal of: I fpeak^ it toyourjhame*

H. jB. I. Thus fm ufeth like a River to run
on,the longer the greater! Wonderful! that yoa
can believe the people that fear God to be
fo fottilhly credulous of all the falfhoods

tha;

C^4)
that you (liall tell them, as not Co much as
to open the Book which you accufe, and to
fee that you deceive them. If you will
prove that true which you fay, it muft be
by this argumentation : He that telleth men
that fufferings have their temptations as well
as profperity, and waineth men to fear and
avoid thofe temptations, doth weakly and
unlike a Minifter of the Gofpel inveigh
againft fuiferings ; But fo doth K. B.
Ergo

But the Major is falic, and therefore infuf-
ficient to fupport your falfe Conclufion. Let
the Reader but perufe my words, and if he
iind one fyllable of inveighing againft ftiffc-
ringsy let him bdicve you the next time,
and take you for a man that hath not quite
torfeited his credit.

Z* And what friendfhip to fin, and conti-
nued enmity to vigilancy and repentance do
you exprefs, when you were told an unque-
iHonable truth, and but warned of an un-
qucfiionable danger and duty, to reject all fo
fenflelly, and that with (uch falfe retortions.
Tell your followers, i.Is it falfe or true,
that fufferings have their temptations as well
as Profpcfity , and in particular to drive us
into uncharitablcncfs and extreams from
them that we fuffer by? 2. Are not you
and others that fuifer in danger of fuch tem-
ptations, and fin in fufferings } 3. Should not
luch temptation and lin be carefully watcht
againft? Is there any falfhood in all this ?
4. And is he ftt to glory in the cleanfingCtu't

of

3f fufTerings, that (ball falfly fay, that fuch
I neceflary warning is an inveighing againft
fufferings ? &c. 5. Do you believe that they
that turned Quakers in Prifon are gainers
by their fufferings? or they that lofe more
of their Lsve^ than of their Liberties ?

3. If I ntviir experierfced the comfort or clean-
fmg of fufferings^ I have caufe of great la-
mentation, as having fuifercd very much in
vain. I will not with Taui here glory in
my infirmitieSj but I (hall confefs, that they
greatly aggravate my tin, if your words be
true : For I have born the yoke from my
youth : (ince fourteen years of age I have
not been a year free from fulfering, and flnce
twenty two but few day es, an4 fuice 16^6^
( which is about twenty hve years, I have
had but few hours free from pain, (though
through Gods mercy, not intolerable. ) I
have had fufferings in Peace, and fufferings
jfour years in War: The Hrllyear I preached
:the Gofpel, my life was fought by malice
for my Minifkrial work, and dilfent from
others: The next place 1 came to ( where
I was after more bleft, and fpent my la-
bours ) the firft year I was hooted at in the
Streets, but lor preaching the Original fm
i and wz/cry of mankind (which this man
i feign eth me to extenuate, if not deny. ) The
li next year my life was fought by an armed
[I Tumult , and ftrangcly prcferved , while
others vs^ereknockt down in the Streets, but
for looking after my f i.ty. The fame year
my life was fought uioxc publickly, and I

was

(66)

was forced into a Garriion from my habi-
tation, throughthefury that ftill fought my
, life. And fince then, O what whoUome and

conftant fufferings have been meafured out
uttto me, almoft continually night and day.
I will fay no more, but that above all the
external diljpofals of my moft wife and
gracious God, I humbly, and heartily, and
daily thank him for my fufferings. But
furely this man is not fent or permitted to
write this in vain. Alas, my God, it cal-
leth my fin, my unfruitfulnefs to my remem-
brance / My cleanfiffg^ nor my comfort have
not been anfwerable to the (harp but graci-
ous helps and warniugs which thou haft (b
long vouchfafed me : It is true, too trtie,
that I have finned fo much under fufferings,
and been (o unfruitful after fufferings, that I
have little caufe to boaftof c/f^«//«g,and lefs
experience of comfort^ than otherwife I might
have had. But yet I have fo much experi-
ence as obligeth me to thankfulnefs , and
affuredly to number this faying with his Vn-
lo* Crime truths t\v3X he utters*, even the twenty fixth
Self-deify- in number , And I think the Crime of ufurp-
^"S- ing the prerogative of God, of knowing

the heart, (hould be repented of. Can any
of your followers themfelves believe , that
you that never faw me till of late years, and
never thrice fpake with me ( that I know
of) and that lived at fo great a diftance froir
me, and that were unborn when my fuffer-
ings began, and were a Child when I was ir
the greatert of my (uffcrings many years, ]

fa]

fay that you, fhould be able peremptorily,
without any exception to conclude, that [_ 1
never yet have experienced either the comfort or
the cleanftttg of them ] When you know how
much cleaning Peter acknowledgeth the ve-
ry Apoftates fometimes had, and even they
that are moft terribly cautioned , Hek 6.
had tafted of the powers of the world to
come. Some cleanfing and comfort even a
mifer^ble man may have.

4. As for your fear that I have not courage
or integrity enough to venture the tryal ^ I
thank you tor your warning, and (hall beg
integrity and courage of God -, But to Qdd
that ^o\xf(eak^ it to myjhame^ is bat to (hew
that you could hardly fpeak with any cau-
tion many fentences together : For yomfear
doth but fpeak your nncertatmy : ( and to
have pretended to a certainty were to pre-
tend to be a God. ) And why (hould you
think that I muft be a(himed of that which
you are uncertain of? I doubt you fpeak it
more to your own (hame.

Se(St. 26* E. B. p. 8. Toujhouldhavefiared nthCrime
the dead^ and not difturbed the duft ofmyfel- Excufing
lowfrifoner Mr* Powel, by reproaching his me- ^^^^ PP"
mory vpith fo ahufive and dtfgraceful a men- ^ Iv^^^^At
tion of him^ as if he vpere a falfe Prophet ^ and honour of
d^edby a deluding Sprit : For you lay tohU Gods
charge^ that many years ago^ he prophefied of Sp«it»
fome things vphich rpe do not yet fee fulfilled.

K.B. I. Though it was printed fince his
death) it was written before ever I heard

of

(6S)
of his death, and I think many Weeks be-^
fore he dyed. 2. You made it in a manner
neceflfary to me to convince you by fome
jnftancc that was near enough for your ob-
fervation ^ and do you blame me when you
have done ? 3. I named not Mr. Vavafor
Torvellh but only your Companion Siud fellorp
Priiontr j and its like you had more than
one, and few could know rfiat it was lie :
But you have difgraced him by naming him.
4. 1 called him not ^fdlfe Prophet v but warn-
ed you not thus to abule Gods people, and
bring reproach upon Religion^ by fathering
rafhneffes and deceits on the Spirit of God }
And have you fo little fenfe of the honouip
of God and Religion, as to be angry at that
Alas Sir, what would you have faid if I ha
told you how common this was in the Ar-
my i* To fet up and pull down, do and un-
do, own and diiown, as by the Spirit of
God ? If I fhould have told you of the fad
Inlhnces of Mr. Erhury , Mr. Saltmarjh , -
Mr. De//, Mr. If^illiam Sedgmck^^ ( who as
from God wrote one Week to the Army
againd their putting the liing to death, and
the next or fame Week wrote to them quite
on the other lide ^ and rhat fet London by
a Prophecy or Vifion on looking for the day
of judgement on a fet d^y, ) w fay nothing
of abundance iuchj belides Mvi^ jflutchinfoH
in New En'^Und^ ind the Ranters and Qua-
kers in oyr dayts. Can you have anv love
to fouls, and any zeal lor God and tor Reli-
gion, and not be grieved to think that G,ds

Spirit

Sfirit fiiould be thus reproached, and Infi-
dels hardned in a contempt of the Spirit, as
f it were but a fancy ! O wo to the world
jecaufe of offences !

5. You (hew more of the relids of modefty
lerc, than in moft that I have yet met with,
n that you do not deny the truth of what I
aid of him. But yet your intimations are
leceitful, as if his Prophecies had not been
thfilutCy but conditional^ or elfe not for the
7rcfent , but the future^ But the cafe was
:his, as learned and underAanding hearers
>vill yet teftifie ■, that at Clifton upon 'Ihame
n JForccjhrpire , (juickly after fForcefter
Fight, in his Sermon he faid, that He would
'■ ell them thefe things as from God , that they
fjould have no more King^ nor fay any more
taxes^ nor fay any more Jythes^ and laying
lis hand upon his Bible, he added [ And
his I have other rvife than from hence ] which
ihewed that the Scripture was not his Rule,
or all you accufe others of making it an
mperfccft Rule.

6* And do you not yet perceive your par-
iality and refpedt of perfons ? It ieemeth
^our duty to open the faults of the Prelats
md Conformifts , and to calumniate us
>Jon-conformi(i:s that diffent from you, and
\Q feign that which you think will ferve
^Qu for reproach. But if your companions
publick falfe propliecying be but mentioned
apon your own inftigation, you cry out of
bufe and difgrace to his memory. Sir, Was
It true or falfe ? it it be true, that thus he

did

(70)
did C wliich is mentioned as no rarity )
fhould you not rather take part with God
than him ? And if an Aaron will make the
people naked to their fhame, will not God
record it to his fhame ? Is not the honour
of the Spirit of God more tenderly to be
preferved than his, or yours, or mine, or
any mans ? O do not injure God , for
Man.

li'^'Grlme Sed. 27. E. B. p. 8. But I. May Hot a
Paralleling good man^ yea^ a true Prophet^ be fometime mi-
falfe Pro-^^j^f^ / Tf^as not Samuel /o , when he toof^
Wi^The ^^'^^^ fo be the Lords aHointed ? }Fasmtl^i'
Prophets ^^3" deceived , tt^hen he encouraged David to

words in build the Temple ?

Scripture. j^, ^. j. Yes, they may be deceived when
they fpeak in their ovpn names, and judge
by their orfn Spirit or reafsn : But do you
think they may be deceived when they pro-
phefie as from God. If fo, then what cer-
tainty can we have of the truth of any of
their Prophecies , if they may fpeak falily
to us in the name ef God ? 2. Will not
your followers think you yet fee your parti-
ality, who in one Page reproach others as
denying Scripture to be a pzrfzd. Rule, and
in another can thus feek to parallel Gods
Prophets, with one that ralhly in the Pulpit
prophefieth three falflioods together in the
name of God? Is it not Gods diredion to
us, to take him for a falfe Prophet who
prophefieth that which cometh not to pafs /
Every one that forctelkth that which doth

come

(^l )

come to pafs is not a true Prophet, Pf«f.
13.23. Bat every one that abfohueJy pro- '
phefitth that which doth not come to pafs,
is a falfc Prophet, D-ut. 18. 2C, 21, 22. *
But the Prophet vpluch (hall prcfume to fpca}^ a
vpordin my n.tmc^ which I have mt c^immtyid" '

ed him to fpe.ik^ ez'Cyt that Prophet (haU

dye, ( Mark whether God do judge as you
do. ) And if ih.iH fay in thy hearty hnrv JhaU '

«?f l^notP the rvord vrh'tch the Lord hath Jpok^tt,
vohen a Prophet fpeahcih in the name cf the
Lord^ if the thing foUotv not ^ nor come to
pafs^ thjt is the thing nmcb the Lord hath
mt fpok^n^ hut the Prophet hath fpokjn it pre-
fumptuoufly : thou jhalt net be afraid of
him*

Sedl. 28. E. B. 2. May not many Prophets i^.CHme,
truly foretell things to crme , and yet thofe Scrip:ures
things be a long time fufpended and delayed eluded,
becaufe of the fins of the people ? Is not this
condition to be underjiood in mofi Scripture
Frafheciesy cxpreffed ^ 2ach. 6. 15. And this
fhaU come to fafs , if you mil diligently
obey^ dec.

R,B' I. A Conditional fromife or pr editi-
on may be not only delayed, but never fulfl-
led(ib as that the thing (hall not come to pafs^
it the condition never come to pafs, 2. Pfo-
mifes are oftner to be expounded as Conditio-
nal^ thzn peremptory prophecies, when no con*
dition is exprciftii. But what words Can
nioie cxcludt: both Conditijns and Velayv^ '^-

\ than

(72)
than [^ I teV you from Gvd^ that you Jhall He-
vcr more^ &c. When i. They never ceafed
paying Tythes from that day to this : 2.And
their jTi^xf/ were then uponthenn, and I
think they believe not that they never paid
more. 3. And that we have a King his Sub*
jedts all acknowledge. Indeed the Jews
iay that the promife of the Meffiah is delayed
becaufe of their fins ', and by fuch pretences
what true Prophecy may not be perverted,
and falfe excufed >

As for what you fay of Mr. Towels Religi-
oujhefjy diligence ^ and rvorthinefs^ Ineverfaid
a word againfi it : And I defire to promote,
and not to cloud the true honour of his
name : And your calling that an unchriftian
calumny which you cannot deny to be a
proved truth, is but an unmanly calumny of
your own. Ar.d for your Prophecy of my
memory dying before mc^ I am not folicitous
of the matter •> let God do with my memo-
ry what he pleafc ; nor am I regardful of
your Prophecy, who defend falfe prophecy-
ing , being commanded not to fear fuch^^
Dtut. 18. 22.

i4Criir.e, Sed. 2^. E. B. T'he pride of your hearty
h^a ^f/^^^^^^^ by your n!ntings is fo apparent ^ that
and fcan-' ^^ cannot hut be h^nown and read of all men :
dal made to go no further for infiances than your lafl
a duty. Books , ivhat needed you have told the vporld in
prhtt^ that you ch^fe once on Eafter day to com-
municate in a very populous Church , purpofely
that it might be . the further k^own» Is not

this

C73>
thit like ihe Hypocrites to blow a 'trumpet he-
fore-i and to do your aUions that they may be
feen of men ? What other end could you have
in doing that fo puhlickly then^ or in declaring
it now^ hut a vain glorious hope^ that deubt- ^
ing and unfatisfied Chriftians might looh^ ^p°^
your example^ as their Pole-fiar , and accord-
ingly direct their courfe /*

K.B- I. As to the Pride of my heartj I Of Pride*
{hall firft fay this in general h that I am paft
doubt I have too much of it; As no man
is wholly cured of that odious vice, ib I am
one that have no eaufe to fay that I am per-
fed. But thefe things I can confidently fay,
I. That fo far as I am proud , I fin as much
againft my otpn judgement , I imagine, as
moft men alive do i there being few that
ever I was acquainted with, that have faid
and written more againft it than I have
done : I have had thefe thirty years and
more, more odious conceptions of that fin,
and a deeper fenfe of its commonnefs and
prevalency in the world , and the wofuU
mines which it makes in the Church and
State and fouls » and how frequently it
(heweth it felf even in men of great piety
and worth, than of almoft any other fin.
I have had fo many thoufand thoughts and
words againrt it, as make me much more
culpable, if I be proud* 2* And I (hall fin
as much againft my Confcience in being proud
as moft men in the world. As my Judge-
ment is fo much againft the fin, fo my CoH-
fcicnce commandeth me a very Lorp and
F 2 Conjlant

(74)
Cvnjlam relf-abafcmcTit : It tellcth me, that
whether I look to a corruptible painfull
flefti, or to an Ignorant underftanding, or to
a linful will, or to a fuiful and unprofitable
life, I have Co little to be proud of, as will
render my pride exceeding odious. 3. I do
evidently ice the odioufnefs of this fin in
others ; Were it not for Teeming to retort
your charge, I (hould fay, that though I
cannot as you do conclude ot the heart, yet
the ufual Eniigns of Pride ("with 'temerity
2ir\d IftjudicioMfmJSy Boldr.cjs and Blindnefs )
do appear to me fo monltrous in your Wri-
tings, above the fize that ordinary finncvs
ever fall to, as maketh me the more appre-
hend, how dreadful it is to give way to
pride in the beginnings \ And methinks I
fee as writtci! on the tront of your Writings,
BeH!t high- minded^ but fear* Therefore I
am Itill the more culpable, if I abound with
that which is To terrible a warning to me,
in your Telf, and other Tuch as you. 4. And
as I every day watch and pray againft it
( and it ever I kucw any thing of my k\i' in
the world, I am certain tlut 1 live in an habi-
tuate and ordinary appreheniion of my bafe-
nefs and unworthinefs, and of the utter va-
nity of humane applaufe ; To I hnd my Telf
partly glad that you tell me of my Pride,
that ( whatever you mean ) I may have one
more check to keep it under \ and if it be
amtlTcnger ot Sitan to buffet me^ I hope it
xvill not be in vain. 5. And I can allure
)cu, that thcTe Writings which fo cxafpe-

rate

r75)

rate you, had never come from nie , if 1
had not firft fo far conquered the cftccm
of man, and love of rcpiitarion as to be
willing to caft my (tit' upon reproach , and
to be much indirtcrent as to the opinion of
man ? For I was not (b ignorant as not to
forefee that fuch as you would take rhe de-
tedion and reproof of their errors for a
heinous injury, and be angry at him that
called them to repent, and would furioufly
fcatter the fetide excrements of their gall,
in revilings of flich as contradid them.
Methinks then you (hould fee, that I laid by
Tome Pride, when I cared fo little for your
good word, and expofed my felf fo readily
to your Calumnies,

2. And I muft tell you that though you
do as nwxqh to cure my pride, as almoll; any
mortal man that ever I had to do with, by
the way oi open demonftration of the En-
figns of it by your felf ( as the (ight of a
Leprofie would cure one that were in love
with it i ) yet you are too blame for 'Tempt'
ing me fo much to pride as you do on the
other fide, while you decry it : For what is
it elfe but an inviting and tempting a man
to be proud, to tell the world, that you
have nothing to charge him with to prove
it , but fuch lilly Calumnies as thefe of
yours ?

3. And yet I will fay, that I fee now that
a mans enemies may be moreufcful tohin^
than his friends: For I can hear that of my
Fride from you , which never friend by

F 3 Word

Word or Letter to my remembrance told
me in my life. The more too blame they,
if you be not miftaken.
The Rea- 2. But next let us fee your evidence or
^^X^!)^^ proof: Your firft is, [ What need I have
told the vporld^ &c, ] would you have an an-
fwer to your queftion or not } If not, why
do you ask it ? If you would, why did yoii
not take an anfwer when I gave it you \
por fo much as mention it , as if you read
it not, when you call for another ? Is it be-
caufe that yon remembred, that many that
read your Papers, will never read mine, and
(o will not know what I have faid , nor how
deceivingly youufe them? It may be fo :
But will that do your work, and hold at
la/1 ? If I repeat my anfwer, I (hall offend
my Readers , for writing the fame thing
twice, becaufe you take no notice of the
firfl. But this much I will return you now :
I. My ^voidm^ publick^commtmion for fear of
bringing more (uffering on thofe that fcru-
pled it, C and that fo many years together, )
was a fcandal and temptation to others, and
tended to make them think, that I held it
to be unlawful j as Peters Separation was a
fcandal to Baryiahas and others : And do
you think every man that avoideth fcanda-
liiing, is therefore proud : Are not humble
men bound to avoid fcandal as well a?
others ? If a man by many years forbearing
all publick Prayer or Sacrament , fhould
tempt others to thmk that he is againil
tberp ^ pr accounts them needleft , how

fliould

C77) ,^

ftiould he cure that fcandal, but by doing
that openly, and open pleading for it, which
he is fuppofed to be againft ^ Doth Paul
make fcandal to be the deftroying of ano-
thers foul, and a thing to be avoided on fuch
hard terms as he mentioneth, and do you
think that the open avoiding it, is to be
charged with Pride? How diredly do you
fet your felf againft the way of the Spirit of
God?

2. I had for the fame reafon become a
fcandal alfo to our Govcrnours, and to many
fbber Conformable men, who were tempted
by my omi(Iion,to think the Non- conform ifls
to be pievilh Dividers, who follow Parties
and Paflion, more than their own Confci-
ences ? And would any thing cure this fcan-
dal alfo, that had not been notified? Oris
the fcandal of fo many fuch perfons no evil
to be avoided*, nor their mif- judging of the
Non-conformifts to be cured by fuch as did
occafion it ?

3.IS not every Minifter ofChrift a pub-
lick perfon ? Should they hot be the Lights
of the world , that cannot and (hould not
be hid ? Is every man Proud, that is not
Mad ? Whether my Anions be noted ^ is z,
matter oi faB ? The queftion is not, whe-
ther I be fo rcgardable , as to be roorthy
notice ? but whether de faCto any do note
what I do ? And do you doubt of it ? Why
then do you write two invedives to cure
their cfteem of me ? Do you not perceive
here how your TPor]{^ contradicts your felf?
F 4 And

C7»^
Andmuft I needs, as iny duty, be fo mad,
as not to know thit any obCervc me, or re-
gard wh2t 1 do, for fear of being proud ?
You nnight as well make it a duty to go
f)akcd ill the Streets, left I be proud ii I
think that any one will obfcrve me. 4. And
are not Miniftcrs bound to teach the people
by Example, as well as byDo^rine? You
dare not deny it. And is that example,
which is unh^iorvH? Will you teach men to
fay againli Gods command, 1 muft not befo
Proud as to think that my example will be
obftrved or regarded ? God faith, i Tim,
l^'*''r2w Be'thou an cxatfipk of the believers in
rvnd^ in convcrfjtlm^ in charity^ in Spirit^ in
fii'fth, in purity : Muft none that think mean-
ly of themfclvcs obey this ? O but, you will
rcp^y, // nn this lik^ Hypocrite f , to do your
actirms t-.i he fccn of wen ? Chrift will have
us all to }tt cur. lizht fftjhie before men (not
with the Hypocrite to get their applaufe to
our ftlvcs , inu for their own good and
Gods glory J th.it they may fee mr good
^'or\j\, And glorifie our Father vrhich is i^
Heaven* O but faith Mr. Ba';fljjjv^ What
other e fid cm you have in djing thisy but a
vahi-^lorioits hope , that duubti'ng Chrijiians
n!(fy l<!ffk^ nn yittr example as their ?oh-ihry
f^^c And indetd will fuch a (corn of E. B;
dil< b^'ge all Clirilts Miuifters from obeying
their Lord, and allow them to live in open
icandal, fr fear of thinking it lawful to be
Exert fl try ?

5. Do you think indeed that you are not

noted

C7P)
noted your fclf ? Do you neither in Life nor
in your fufferings^ intend to be publickly ex-
emplary ? Do you not forbear the publick
Afjemhlicsy the rather that your exannple may
move others ? Thus ItiU a perverfe Spirit
condemneth it fclf.

6, If J)o[}rine and Example be the two
means commanded, by which Minifters mull
edihe the Church, is it not Pride as well to
exped that our tvordf ihould be heeded, as
our Examples ? And could an Atheift deal
more impudently and prophanely, than to
tell all Minifters, you are notorioufly proud
in expcding that all the Congregation fhould
take heed of what you fay ? Do you not
preach or talk to your own auditors, and
cxped observation ? What if another E. B,
were among them and fhould fay, How
proud arc you to expedl that we (hould all
rcgaid your words, as if you were our Yolt"
Jijr } Thefe are not meet Leffons for a fuflfe-
rer to teach the people.

Scd. 30. EiE, I looJ^ upon it alfj af a j^; 28.& .
ftrange piece of bojJiingy when y^u tell us ^ that 19. Vifible
nien nf all judgements have v^ritten againfl "n^ruths.

y H : // it indeed true that yon offend al!^

and pleafe nme^ artd can ym .glory that yoti
are jccoiinted the Ifhmael of the age ?

K. IJ. Ahs, poor man ! Is this Confcience
fcrupulous ot Coiiiniunion with us Publican.'^
and linn^rs } Here are no lefs than three
more viliblc VfUtuths thrull together. i. That
I fay; [ ^^^^ /^^c/; if all judgement j have writ-

ten

C 8o )

ten againfl me ] when my words are thcfe
[] JVhereas our diffcremet in DoCfrinCy lyorjhip
and Vifcipline have cHgaged men of feveral
minds in fnch JFriiings againj} me. '] Where
did I fjy, that men of the judgement of Pe-
ter or Paul, of Augjifihie or Profpcr , wrote
againft me ? Are thofe Infidels, Quakers,
with the &c, [ y^l!/] ? 2. That I glory that
I am accounted the IJhmael of the age
( which is intimated in the queftion ) or
hojil of mens contradiction ? Which is fo
notorious a falfhood, that I mention it only
as other mens contradi&ion of each other (^ho
blame me for contrary things ) and as my orvn
trouble^ I only told you, how impoffible it
is for me to pleafe all men, while men ex-
ped^ fo many contrary things of me ; The
Anabaptills are quire difpleafed with me for
writing for Infants Baptifm ; The Confor-
milh arc angry, becaufe I will not fubfcribe
that [ It is certain by Gods Word^ that Chil-
dren which are baptized , dying before- they
commit adujJ! fin , are undi^bteMy favtd ]
without excepting thofe that are vprongjully
baptized^ 7urkj^ Heathens^ &c. The Antino-
mians are offended with me for oppofing
their fubxrerfion of the Gofpel undtr pre-
tence of extolling free grace ; And others
are angry that I come fo- near them , as to
the ccifation of Mofcs Law. And fo it is
with all the rert. How vain therefore is it
to turn a Man-pleafer, when the task is as
impoflible as unprofitable. But O, faith
E. B, what zftrange hoaji is this, to tell us that

rnen

men of all judgements have written againft
you I That which I recite as my tryal and
trouble^ he falfly tells the world, I boafl of.
'; 3. The third known fal(hood is ( inti-
Iiiated ) that [ J offend all andpleaje none. 3
As if he did believe that thofe whom I men*
tioned ( even with an &c. ) were {_ all'] and
there were no others in the world ?
l'^'2.But befides thefe falflioods , he again
condcmneth himfelf for his accufation. For
I. If it be a matter oi Pride to declare that I
am tofitten againfl:^ why will this man ivrite
himfelf againfl me^ and tempt me to be more
proudj when he accufeth me of pride ? Is not
his Writing pabliflicd by himfelf?* Why then
will he publilh that which himfelf fuppofeth
to be my glorying ? and fo advance my re-
putation ? ( which tew adverfaries ever did
more effedually ) 2. And ii I offend all and
pleafe mne^ what need he be at all this la-
bour to fave men from being f leafed by me ?
But it is fatal or natural to men of his vice,
to have bad memories.

The former untruth he again implyeth,
\_ lou vpoiild he grieved for grieving them^
and not put it in among your triumphs , that
you had provoked fo many able vporthy men» ]
He that hath once ventured upon an un-
truth, may do it boldlier the (ccond time,
and may come at laft to believe himfelfi

As for the worthy Opponents whom he
nameth, i,I caii honour and love them as
much as he. without thinking them infalli-
ble : And I can diifer from them without

dir«

f82)

difaffedion. 2. Which of them is it that th<
man would have me grieve for grieving ;
Doubtlefs thofe that arc in the points con-
troverted of his mind / So kind is he tc
them or himfelf. It cannot be all , unlcC
he would have me , cither fay nothing 0:
the matter , or write contrary things tc
pleafe contrary parties. 3. And doth he
not differ from mod whom he nameth him-
felf, by his Separation ? And yet he ftick-
eth not thus to grieve many more than
them. '

I r Crime, SeS. 3 1 , '£. B, p* 9' [_ iVhcn Ifaid in one

Impuclen- of my excj^phnSy that I feared ym vpere not

cy !:i (2'fjpi^j^l lyj^ iJj^ d-Mrim of JtfjHfication by faith

tin^"*~ ^Ai>rc tvithnut rvoi\s^ injicad of anflvcr'wgdi^

rcBly^ and fat'^fying my fcruple ( which yon

might have done in few words ) you refer tne

to five or more Ireatifei^ which yon fay ym

have written on that fuhjecl.

K,B» I. Did you believe when you wrote
this, that this reference was a proof of my
Cf Juftifi- ^ride ? 2. Why would you no more regard
catiQji. your reputation, than to recite fuch a paf-
lageasthis? Will your Reader doubt whe-
ther you (hould repent of fuch things as
words of Impudency unbefeeming a man of
underftanding ?

For I. Was it modelly in you to divulge
fuch an accufation as this \_1 am afraid ym
4re mt found in the doClrine ofJnjHficaiion^
without reciting one word of mine which
you accufe, or telling the Reader or me any

reaion

I C83)

jireafon of your fears? 2. And could you expe^
Khat he that had written Co many Books to
.jdeclare his judgement in that point , muft
jvvrite part of another, to tell you what he
jholds, and confequently write as many, or
as oft as men (hall Co by their Fears invite
him ? 3. And do you not at that very time
prove mc proud for writing fo many Books,
when by this and other paffages you
call for an anfwer , that is, for more ?
4» Could you think that [] a few reords ]
would open a mans mind fo plainly, as many
Books can do ? 5 Could humane ingenuity
cxpe^ more from one thus llightly quefti-
oned, than to be referred to thofe Books,
which were purpofely written both to ftand
as a full Confeilion of my faith in that
point after other mens fufpicions, and alfo
to give the reafons of it, and to defend it
againft all thats faid againft it ? And could
I expedt, that he that will difdain to read
thcfe Books, will read another that repeat-
cth the fame things ? And (hall I write
more to remove his Fears^ who will rather
blindly vent them by calumny, than read for
his fatisfadion what I have faid > If you
have read them, why would you fay you
Fe.^r^ which (ignitieth uncertainty ? When
you might have come to a certain know-
ledge ? If you read them not, why would
you not ufe a vifible means to difcuG your
fears, before you divulged them ? And if
this way be right in the eyes of others,
what mad(. Dr. OiVt}iy and other Congregati-
onal

(84)

onal Brethren , admonifh your Brother
Mr. PorpeU for preaching openly ( almoft as
foon as he came out of Pri(on ) particularly
againft me and another ( then thought to
have been Mr. Nie, but he faid he meant
Mr, Tombs ) by dcfcription i and the de-
fer iption of me was [ He that is not found
in the VcCirine of Ji^Jiifi cation ] or to that
fenfe. And what made them threaten to
difown him if he would not ceafe fuch
wayes ? Did ever fober men go about with
fuch general accufations, and cxped: that men
anfwer to they know not what > d.But what
are the few words that would fatisfie you ?
A yea, or a nay ? What if I fay, ; Sir I think
I am fonnd in the doClrine of JujHficaiion^ am
lihink^you fpeak^evil of the things you k>ton
not 3 Would that have (atisfied you ?

i6 Crime, Sedf. 32. E. B. And in another place yot
Refiiling tell me that you have rvritten the better par
and re- ^y above fifty Bookj againfi the prophane^ th
proac ing J gyp J ^^d the Mahnmetans : ( I will not en
other mens •/ . r- r r r

l:»boursfor <\^tre to Tphat purpojes for 1 am very confl

thefervice dent none of ihofe did ever read rvhat yo\
of God, l,ave vpritten againfi them : ) But add to ihcj

a^\( y^^^ fever al other Trcatifcs^ your Book

rouis with ^^^ ^^ ^^ amount to as many Volumes as Tc

confidence llatus writ , concerning vphom^ and all fuc

in notori- \^nd oflFritcrs^ you once gave this true Ch^

ciis fajlc- Yader^ though ftnce you have mofi unhappii

forgotten it L ^ camot hut account all thoj

Tottatus'/ as impudently proudy who thinly tl

Tforld fhonld read nj bodies wor]^ but their.

Fr.z

r85)

Pray Sir read this p^jfage agaln^ and cam--
')are it vp'ith rvhat you have already writteny
and what as I hear you do yet further intend
to rr^ritc^ and then tell me in earneji vohat you

think^ of your felf-

R»B. I. Seeing our debates about Church-
dividing mull needs be turned to this. Whe-
ther I ana proud, I grant you the conclufion
that I am froud^ and what would you have
more ? 2. Your dudile followers that ne-
ver Taw *tollatus know not how you cheat
them by thefe words > and that you mea-
fure by Number^ and not by bulJ^'y and
twenty of fome of my Books, will not make
one oiT'efiatus^s for bignefs ; If you goto
number^ how many more wrote Origen ?
But a Sheet is not fo big as a large Volume
m folio, 3. 1 never accufed Jugujiine^ Chry-
fofiomy Calvin y Zanchy^ &c. as imitating To-
flatus i And I have not wrote fo much as
they. 4. The beft way to cure one that
writeth too much, is to periwade men not
to buy and read it, and then the Bookfellers
will not print it. And till you can do that,
you fee that all men are not of your mind :
And by what obligation am I bound to be of
your mind alone, rather than of manythou-
fands that are of another , and thole that
ftill importune me to write more ? Is it pride
only to differ from youy and to write
againft your judgement ? Or were not the
Fathers and Divines fore-mentioned, ( with
Rivet^ Chamicr^ Beza^ Luther^ &c. yea, and
Dr» Otften too^ proud, if large Writings be

Of muc!i
writing.

a fign of Pride. 5. When yon queftion to
what purpole it is to write Books againlt
the Prophane, and Jews, and Mahumetans,
that is, againlt Inhdclity, and to defend the
Chriftian faith , you lliew what a Guide
you are to the Church. 6* When you are
confident that ttone of the Prophane, &c.
did ever read what I wrote againft them,
either you believe your fclf, or not. If 70U
do, how unfit are you to hz believed of any
that know no better what is credible in a
matter of fad ? Could you think for in-
fiance, that my CaU to the VncoMverted hath
been printed fo oft, I think fome fcores of
thoufands , and tranflated into French by
Mr. Elints C as he faid he was doing J into
the Indian Tongue, and no frephme fcrfon
ever read it } You will take this very in-
ihnce its like for my pride, which you make
nccelfary to (hew your temerity and deceit*
But it' you do not believe your felf , how
much lels (hould others believe you >
7. Will no (cber Readers think that you kt
your felf to do the Devils work, againlt the
fervice of the Church of God, by fetking to
fiUncc us from mtting by your contumely
and fcorns, ( even from u^riting againlt the
P r oph ane ^nd Infidels) at a time when we
are by others lilenced from publick preach-
ing ? Let your confcience tell you, U I had
obeyed you from the firft, and never writ-
ten, whether the Devil or moi\ that have
made ufe of v^ hat I wrote , would have
ihankt you more ^ 8. Did not the Primitive

Teachers,

(87)
Teachers, ApoAles and others leave us their
Examples ioi IVilting^ "as"weTl"as' for FJcji/
Teaching!* And are they not two wayes of
predicating or publifhnig the iameGoipel?
And if fo, would he fcrve God or the Devil,
that would fcorn us all as Proud tor preach-
ing fo much, as the bell men 6^0^^^ And do
you not yet (ee how much you have of the
(ame fdcnc'iHg Spirit: which you profefs to
feparate trom ? lo. But your warning for
a review hath brought me to Repent of, and
Retradtthat paflage again ft 7'^(f^^;r/, as be-
ing too ra(hly uttered : Becaufe i. He wrote
when good Writers were more fcarce than
now. 2. Becaufe he might be willing that
other mens works (hould be preferred be-
fore his, and that his own (hould not be
wholly read, but partly perufed on particu-
las occafions. 5* Andit isunfeemly to re-^
prove induftry.

^

0 ' Nm

(88)

Non^ m come to the ^ejHon ufm aU thvs.

Sea. 33. Xniiamg of this ^eflion, Jou do

' ■ E.B p. io\ your felj grant fo much, that you.

fcarce leave any thing io be either difputedor^

The Cafe, ^T- B. Remember Reader, that my^Pro-
oflepara- feiTeddefign Ton the Title p^ge) is, i. " To
tion ! cc jnyjte all found and fobet Chril\ians, by
« what names foevcr called, to receive each
" other to Communion in the fame Churches.
'^2. And where that ("which is firft defuea-
" ble ) cannot be attained, to bear with
" each other in their diftina AfTemblies, and
"■' to manage them all in ChriRian Love,
3. And that under the hrrt head, I partieu
larly prove, that It pi laiwfnl to holdCommk
moH with fuch Chriftian Churches, as havi
pporthy or tolerable Paftorj, notmthftandi^
the Parochial order of them, and the Minifter.
Conformity and ufe of the Common-Prayer

^^^^- . , ^ /I.

This laft is the true ftate of the Queftior

which 1 afnrm •, with thefe two limitation:
or explications. That is, i.lhat itiilavpfu
jiatcdly to communicate as a member, withfua
a Parlflj Church, where m cannot confidcrati
confiderandis have Communion with a hette
upon lanful tcrmcs*

2> Ihat thofe that can have fiated Com
immon with a better, may yet lawfully com
thunicate fometimes with fuch a Parifh Church

as we may do on juji occafion rptth a Church
of Neighbours or Strangers rfhcre rve live or
come. Tea that we ought to do fp vphen fame
fpecial reafoHS (.as irom Authojrity Scan-
dal, &c, ) do require it, ^

Thefe are the furtim of my AflTertions,
Though my main caufe oblige me as much
to prove to a Conformlft that he, may have
Communion with a Church of Non-confo|L-
ipifts, yet I had no call to profecute that par-?
ticularly,as I had to the other, for tte rc^-
Xons which I rendred at large.

And this being the Cafe, judge now of thif
mans Dijfent and furious ofpofition^ whethet
fober people have teafon to regard it, whert
,he himfelf beginneth with this Confcffion^
that I fear ce leave any thing to he difputed ,;

or denyed. What honefty then is there in ^elf-eofi*;
his defTjials and disputes. demnition

S€6i:. 34.E.B. i,l[ou grant that m ^^e ^othsni.
,not to have Communion n>ith a Vlocefi^H^ i\^ n^\\
Church as fuchy and that we ^re nop to gspn Wptrpthj?
Diocefane B^Jhops ? ^ ,

R. B, Here are two more Wntrwihs ! J
only faid, that thefe are no part of our ^^f
K ftioH •> they arc things that I ajfert not s an4
«' that 1 meddled not with : And you feign m^
til to grant the Negative, when lonlyfty, I
i\ meddle not rvith it. I only fay, that I hoJd
no Communion nay (elf witli a Viocefafit
Church asfuch^ in that form, ^c» and th^l
Ji"! I perfwade no others to it»

i

G a SfiSt,

(90)

aJ & 3jd ^^^ 35. E. B. 2. loH allorp that n>€ are
li.tiuhs. Ttot tg hdve Communion with Perfectttors^ not
with fuch as have confented to ottr fiknc-
ing,

K' B. I never wrote fuch a word, but
•nly told you it was none of o7ir queftiony
and that I did not affirm it^ and that it is
none of the thing that I am perfwading
men to. And yet with this intimation
fag,p, that neither your ftlves nor I do
avoid Communion with all perfecutors i
feeing moll Parties have been guilty of it.
The Common-wealths men pcrfecuted mc
and others, fo far as to make Orders to
Stquelkrus, for not taking the Engagement,
and for not keeping their Farts and Thankf-
givings for the Warrsagainft Scotland *, And
yet I am not (o rigid ks to refufe communi-
on with all that did it, or confented to it.
My old fpecial friend did perfecute Mr. 5jw.
Fifhcr and Mr. Blake, when he turned them
both out of Shrewsbury^ from their Chur«
ches, labour, dwellings ' and maintenance,
even when the Plague was begun and the
people doubly fenfible of their lofs. And
yet I rcfufed not all Communion with fuch
as did it. Its like you know who perfccuted
Mr. Caughton^ Dr. T>rah^^ Mic.Nalton^ Mr. Ar-
thur Jachjon^ Mf. JVatfon^ Mr. Jen)qnsy &c.
-and Mr. I.ove and Gibbons '•> And yet who
Icruplcth Communion with them > Again I
tell you, I mention not thefe for rcpsach^

but

but only to kt us in (he impartial fenfc of.
thequcftion.

SecS, 3d. E. B. p. 1 1, All thU and more

heing granted^ Ifiarce fee vohat it is that yon
contend for ■

K. B. What eyes then have you that can-
not fee that which I copiouily and expiefly
fpeak ?

Sed. 37. E. B. From thcfe grounds fefara-
thn at this day may he eafily juftified.

K*B. This is the undertaking by which Blind fo-
you have drawn me to renew this debate, P^f% an«l
and therefore I (hall try your proof. ^aHa^y.

Sed. 38. E.B. Every Tanjh Church is fart
of the Viocefane : And if a Diocefant Church
as fuch is not to be Communicated mti)^ then
a Parijh Church as fuch is to he feparated
from > fince there is the fame reafon of the
pjrts as of the vphole : And you mufi find out
a nexp Logicl^ before you can frove^ that if
the rvhole he corrupt^ any of the farts are ckan^
and fit for our Communion*

K. B. The name of Logick is incongru-
oufly ufed in fuch an Argument, as is fo
palpably fallacious. A Varijh Church /lands
before us in three refpeds. i. As it is a
true Church of Chrifiians^ having all things
EjfentiAl in P aft ours and People. 2. As thefe
Chriftians live in the bounds of a Parijh*
3. As thisParith Church by the Laws of the
Land is fubje^ to the Viocefane^ and Co a
G 3 part

part of hU Viocefs* Both the latter arc meer-
ly Accidemal\ and it hath all that is ejfential
to a Church without them. As Mr. JacoB
inrtanceth in Ordination, and fo in Marri-
age i He thaf is marryed truly, is truly a
tlusband, though a Prieft or Ring or (ohne
unnecefTary accident was ad joyncd.

Your reafon is, i. Ridiculoufly fallacious,
2. And if all were granted, reachcth not the
Pafe.

I. It is Ridiculous, to argue. If a Vioeefane
Chnrch as ftich is not to be communicated
tvith^ then a Parijh Church as fuch is to he
feparatcd from, for the [ as fuch ] in the
Antecedent and Confequent denoteth two
feveral things : You fhould only have in-
ferred [then a P'arijh Church as part of a
Ducefane is not to he Communicated mth^
Which is nothing to the queftiori. And
tvhenyou fay that there is the fame reafon of
the Parts and pphole y T anfwer, that muft be
only as they are parts'-, but not in all other
alien rcfpedls. If a Parifh Church be to be
(di(claimed or not owned only as it is a
part of a Vincefane Churchy yet it may be
owned, 'i. As a true Church of Chriftians,
in its conftitutiono 2. And as a Parijb
Churchy limited by thofe bounds, without
jrefped to the Diocefane.

2« And if it were to be difbwned as a
Tarifl) Churchy that alfo is nothing to the
Qitllion •, For it may yet be owned for its
Cqnjiitinm parts as a Chrifiian Church <>

Uvili

(93)

I will (hew you your Argument in ano-
ther cafe. Suppofe that Ufurpers (hculd al-
ter the form of Kingly Government, and fet
up themfelves in another form, and fliould al-
low all the Independent Churches in the
Land, but fetover them Civil ofFic-ers in eve-
ry County of their own y and (hould make a
Law, that none (hall be a member ot a
Church that liveth not within hve miles of
the Meeting place.In this cafe, the Church is a
Church in its own Conftitution i and that it
is confirmed to a Parochial circuit, or that it
is under ufurpingMagiftrates is an accidental
thing, which doth not nullihe it. And if you
argue [ If the Vfurperj Commonvpealth as
fuch^ he not to be communhated rvith or owrted^
then the Church vohich is fart of it is ftot to
be onmed. Yes, as a Churchy but not as a
part of the CommoH-rpealth*

If Independent Churches were under the
Turks Government, they may be parts of an
Infidel and perhaps ufurped Kingdom, and
yet be true Churches and to be owned.

If Presbyterian Claflical Churches be fup-
pofed finful, and the Law faid that all the
Independent or particular Churches (hall be
under the feveral ClafTes, and be part of tho(e
Churches, the Churches will be true Chur-
ches neverthelefs. For, i. Perhaps moft df
them confent not to the Laws determination,
but only forbear an open contradidtion.
2. And in others of them the feofle may not
confent though the P after do. 3. And if
they do confent^ and it be their fin^ it will
G 4 not

(9^)
not nullifie the particular Church v being but
aq unwiirantabk Accident.

li VnherfiiUsv/tK'. as unlawful as many
Scparatifls judge them, yet Di. Goodmns
Church, e.g. in Oxford might have been
part ©f the Univcrfity, and yet a true Church,
zr\(\ to be difowned as part of the Univerfity,
and yet not as a Church,

If you were a member of ^n unlawful
Society, Army, Church, &c. You may be
difowntd as a member of that Society,
and yet not as a Chriftian, or as a Man.

Now would not the Boycs laugh at you if
you fliould rcafon thus; An ufuiped Hea-
thcuifh Kingdom or Common-wealth , as
fuch is unlawiul, and not to be communica-
ted with , A (Ualfical Church as fuch is not
to be comm.unicatcd witH > An Univcrlity as
(uch is not to be communicated with :
Therefore fuch or fuch a particular Church
as fuch is not to be communicated with,
^hich is a part of that Kin9,dom, that Cla|Ii%
that Univcriity ! E»B* a CI rii\ian is a member
of a Sociity which is not to be owned :
Ergo E. B» a Chriilian as luch is not to he
owned. VVhat more apparent than that the
tonftquent fliould be but this ? Jhcrefjre fuch
4 Chifrch jh~ hH not be onnid^ oi it ii a Tart
t)f fuch a Ki>igdorn^ Chfif^ Vniverfity^ 6cc.
which is a]! accidental to the Church.

So that here is a double Equivocation,
and more than four terms; i. [_ As fuch']
fpcakcth (aslfaid; one ciTence in the An-
t^(:tdcr't, ^nd anpther in the Conftqucnt.

2.Th^

f95)
25 The word [Commnnkaung] fpeaketh fe-
veral things in the Antecedent and in the
Con(equent, For to Communicate with a
Diocefane Church, \s x\oi xo Affemhk withit
in publick Wor(hip : For a Dioccfs (^in our
fcnfe ) cannot fo aflfemble : but it is to
own the Diocefane Relation, and PreJats.
But to Connnnunicate with a particular
Church in a Parifli, is to have perfonal
Communion in the Worfliip of the AfTembly,
So that this is your Argument if put in plain
words : ^If it be unlavpful to Communicate
with a Viocefam Church asfuch^ by owjuing the
Diocefane J and the relation to them, then it is
ndappftil to communicjte with a true f arti-
cular Church in a Parijh^ (or bounded Faro-
chially) in the Jjfembly Worjhip as it is fuch a
particular Church^which impart of that Diocefane
Church : But^ ficc] Anfrv, Yes, It may be
unlawful to communicate with \t as z Part^
and that by Vigcefane Commumon-hut not as a
trucChurch o(Cbriflians by aJJ'cmbly communion*
Or thus [_It vf unlawful^ e. g. to have com-
munion rrith the Army of Maximus, Crom-
wel, &c» as fuch : But many ChrijHanf are
pjrts of the Army nf Maximus, Cromwel,e^c.
%hcrffnre it is unUvpful ts have communion
.mth thofe Chrijii/ns : Bccauje there U the
fame rcafnn of the parts as of the whole.
A^f !• Chriliiaiisare not parts of the Army
as Chriltians, but as thofe Souldier.*-. 2. It is
unliwful to have Military Communion with
them as parts of that ,Army > but not to have
Chriftian Comipunipn with them as Chrifti-
an?. May

• May not even the fimple now eafily fee
( if you will not ) by what ignorant erro-
neous reafons you zealoufly labour to de-
ceive the people of God, to divide the
Churches ?

^>iefame ^^Q^ ^^^ £, g^ 2. A Parijh M'tnifter is (in

iviih^^an '^^^ ftation and office ) bnt afcrvunt of the

untruth. Dioeefane Bijhop , jwi therefore rightly called

a Curate^ and if rve may n»t orpn (as you

grant) the Bijhop^ 1 think^ it vpill necejfarily

follow J that hpf fk'^ftitute and curate hath no

reafoH to cxpe6f any refped from us-

K. B. The fame fallacy is fo palpable that

a fmall nrieafurc of reafon may dilcetn it.

whether a i. It is falfe that he is in that Office [But a

Paridi Ml- Servant'] The truth is, the Law makcth

niflerbe^ him not z fervant at all, but only an Ecck-

vjntto thefi^ft^^^^ Suhjed* But if you had faid. He is

Dioeefane. hut aJubjeCf^ it had not been true, if [But']

be exclullve of his other Partoral Relation.

For he is by the Law, the Prieft, the Teacher,

the R€(^or of that Pari(h Church in (ubor-

dination to the Bifhop.

2. But whatever he be by the Law of the
Land, or by thcB-ifhops will, the faithful Mi-
niikrs in Parilh Churches are by Chrijh own
Commifion^ the true Paftors of the flocks y
having all things dTcntial to that Relation.

3. But deceive not your Reader by inti-
mating, that I fpeak of a Parochial Minifteras
Parochial,(not g^a but qui:)¥oT Parilh Bounds
are but Accidents of the Churches : It is Chri-
fiianChurehesas fuchj thojfgh Farochial or (b

bounded^

nmiii^ that I fpdak of. A Chriftran PaH-or
jvith his Chriftian floek ( e. g. Mr. Gatakefy
Vfr. Msrfljall^ Dr. Stonghton^ Dr. Seamany
Vfr. Sed^Tvicks^ Dr. G(7^e:e and fuch like 3
[lo conltitute a true Chriftian Church,
though in Parifh bounds. And <:z/ /«c^ Pa-
flours they are the NJinifters of Chrift, and
not fervants to Diacefanes : And their fubor-
dination to Diocefans by the Law is but
accidental to their Paftoral office.

How many volumes of the old Non-con-
formifts give you this Anfwer ? And if you
have read them, why would you diflfemble
it, and give no Reply to it ? If you never
read them , is it modefty to defpife
them >

Sc^. 40. E. B. p. II. [If FerfecHtors are
not to be communicsted mthy nor fuch as have
confenied to our filencing ( t^hich you alfo al-
loTv) (though I could rrijh you had proved it
better than by the obfcure & diffutable exam"
tie of Martin ) then I thinks very /err, if any
of the Farijh-Miniflers , but muft even upon
that account alfo befefarated from v ftnce either
by open confent, or elfe by an Vndoing and
Ferniciousfilence they have all made themfelves
guilty of that grievous fm : Inhere being hut
little differenee in the fight of God^ betvoeen the
ferfccuting Brethren our fclves^ and (by not
Jharply reproving it ) feeming to approve of it
in ctherso

JK.» Bo

(9^)
R. B. I. Your repeated miftake of my
[^allomng] that which I only meddle not mthy
but exclude from the queftion, or oppofe
not, I pais by, 2. Every one that is by re-
mote cowfequence gHtlty of our fikncing doth
not cnyifent to k. Other wife You, and I,
and all the filenced Minifters in England do
confent to it. For he is blindly impenitent
that will deny that we are any way guilty
of it.

3. You do but cover one open fin with
another •, even fcparation with uncharitable
(lander of many hundred godly Conformable
Minifters, whom you accufc of this confent.
I know fcarce any one of my acquaintance
whom I take for a faithful diligent Paftor,
and whom I peifwade men to hear, but they
are grieved at the heart for the filencing of
fo many and fuch. I hear fome complain
of it privately, and fome lament it publickly,
and carneftly pray that God would reftore
them y But 1 never heard one of them
own it.

4. I plead nor for Vndoing^ Pernicious fi-
lefjce : I think too many arc deeply guilty
by it : My teitimony in this cafe is vifiblc
among the Writings whofe number you
prove me proud by, But if you make this
a proof of the duty of fcparation, you will
make mad work of itt jor, |. You know
yot mens opportunities to fpeak : And
where there is no opportunity, there its no
duty. 2- Yon know not who hath fpokcn
their diffcnt plainly and who not. It may

be

C?9)

be fome have done it in the Convocation : It
may be feme have done it privately, and Ofrepro-
fome pnblickly already in due feafon. And I'J^,^^'^;
we arc not to expect an account from them ^f ochen.
of all that they fay. 3. To whom is it that
you would have all the Countrey Minifters
(peak againft our (ilencing } To thofe that
did it they have no accefsj and they are
out of hearing. And muft they needs
talk to the people of their fuperiours adibns,
and fpeak againft them behind their backs ?
4. If we know that one, two, twenty have
(poken or written plainly in reproof of a (in,
are all the Minilkrs in the Land bound to do
the fame over again ? Muft they all leave their
flocks UD come up to London to do it } Or
mu(t they every One puWifh his reproof in
Print ? 5. All (ilence, ot not-reproving is not
a fecming confent : much lefs in Gods (ight
little diSerent from ferfecution. Were all
the Churches in the Empire Perfecutors, or
i to be fcparated from, which did not reprove
the Emperours for bani(hing Athanafiuf^ and
\Chryffiom 2nd fuch others > Of all the (i-
! Icnced Minifters in London or England^ how
(mall a number is there that have \_Jharfly
reproved^ the filenccrs > And perhaps they
that have done it moft (harply may have
been more Qiarp than did befeemthem.

To condide Readers, mark here by this Narrow
reafon how few you muft hold communion 9*^*""^ii'!
with in the Land 01 in the world, if you "^^"*
will be the Difciples of Mr. Bagpjan> i Away
froraConformifts and Non-conformifts that

have

C 100 )
have [^Jharply reproved'] perfccutors. Thu
is the way to be able to guefs at the name:
and numbers of thote that by his rule yoi
inuft Communicate with.

5. But what if they have Jharply reprovec
this one (in } you cannot piove that thej
ihemfelves have done fo by all other fins .
Even you your felf have left fome unrepro-
ved : And will not the want of the fl^arp
ftprmn^ of other fms as well as of perfecu
<tion, nnake your communion withfuch un-
lawful

6. 3ut at the wofft^ 'ttnt repfsving can be
'bvit,a particular i|n ? , And it is not every par-
ticular, (in that maketh Communion un-
JlajwfuJ^

. |7#,And have you lirft admoniftedthem of
ihatiin, ^pd trycd .all thefe Minifters whe-j
-ther they be penitent?*; Yea or ever heard
(them fpjcak for themfelves ? Or do you re-
jediV£i«^. i^. 15. and make to your felf
and followers a new Law, that whomfoever
(you (hallCMfpedl qr accufe pf iin^ you muft
alfo feparat£ (rom ?

8. But by this jule of yours, methinks
few if any (hould be liker to be accepted in
your communion than my felf, if reprovvtg
perfectition would ferve turn. And yet even
I alfo am lejcded by you, as being not vpife
or ^5o</ enough to communicate with fuch as
you, but as one of the v/orft of Hereticks to
be, rejected of all.

p. But

(Id)

^. Bat I befecch you give your Readers Mr. b^-
Icave here to remember, if you will not, ^-'^^/'b-
that your own doctrine impofeth it oti me as rlf ^/epi^ve
my duty, to Reprove you Jharply as I have him (harp-
xlone y while you teach the world, that it is ly^ left I be
but little diiferent in the fight of God^ to ^^^g^''^
perfecute, and not fliarply to reprove it, and ^^^ ^^
fo difown it. For if it make the fins of my
fuperiours mine, if I do not par ply refrtme -^y^

them^ and make me almoft as guilty as *hey,
i fhall not be innocent if Irepnve not ym
(harply, when it is to me that you diredt your
words. And I had rather be thought too
Jharp^ than be guilty of all the crimes and
fdjhoodsoi this your Script, efpecially when
you arc th$t,a^puter of , my , 4^en<:e your

•' Se6t.4i.E.B. £iiff/)i, admitting there ate
fome trvrthy and able men^ amon^ the Varifh
iMini^irs ( which far my own part I believe
never a nhit the more becaufe you affirm it:)
tyit ihif tp^ mufi fay^ that their fin is great dn
fnbmitting to . fo undue a way i)f entering ikto
fhe. Minijiry % and therefore we both forbear
cter felvesy and.i^arn all others not to h^r
them 5 becaufe we cannot thin}{^ our LordChrifi
ever fent fuch Jo Preach in hUname^ who di~
reClly and by a folemn Oath have renounced
their ChrijUan^ liberty under pretence of F reach-
ing Chrift > and are indeed nothing elfe (as to
the whole difcbarge and cxercife of their office )

hjntftrvants of men in^nfjUnt with being

fervantJ of Chriji,

K.B.

C roa )

K. B. 1* Either you think there are fame
worthy able men among them^ or you do
not* It you do, why (hould you be fo ma-
lignant as 10 queftion the aflcrtion of it, and
fo loth to grant it ? If you do not, how un-
fit is fofalle and malignant an accufer of the
All (inners brethren, to be the condudter of fouls, or the
b/fepara- Hiftorian of the * age, that will not i{ftow a
ted from, thing lo publick and notorious.

2. As for your not believing roe, no men
arc fo hardly brought to believe the truth
from others, as they that are eonfcious of
ordinary falftiood from themfelves*

3. I think I could prove their fin as eifc-
^ually as you can : But mail: we fcparate
from all finners / or from all that (in in
their entrance into thi Mimflry ? And .why
not as well from all other fins of equal great-
nefs } Do you warn all others not to hear
your felt ? Or do you yet take your felf ifo
be no finner > orno great finner } What if
the Presbyterians think the Independents
way of entrance to be undnf I And the In-
dependents think fo of the Presbyterians?
And both of the Anabaptifis > and the Ana*
baptifts of them both,e^c. MulVthey all there-
fore warn all men not to hear each other ?
Mr. Nye thought not fo, when he wrote for
fuch hearvng publick Miniflers. Is it ht for
the Author of two Books of Calumnies and
bold Untruths, befides falfe Doctrines and
other Crimes, to fay \jtheirfin if greaty Sec,
and therefore vpe both forbear our filves, and
warn all others not to hear them f~\

4. Moft

, 4' Moft that I fpeak of did enter into the
Minillry. in the Presbyterian or Indcpend^t
way heretofore, and do but contimic on the
terms which Idiflent from as well as you.
How then can you fay they unducly enter into
the Minifiry ?

5. Did you know before you wrote this ^
that all fuch as we perfwade men to hear,
have by Oath renounced their Chriftian Li-
berty ? what Oath is it that you mean? If
you mean the Oath of Supremacy or Alle-
giance, unkfs Popery be Chrillian Liberty,
we know of none fuch which tbefe renounceo
And I know of no other Oath, except that
of Canonical obedience in licitis & honefliso
And for that, i. I find not that the Ad,
or Canons do impofe it on thofe that come
for Ordination j (nor am fo well skil'd in
the Law as to know by what Law it is
doneO 2* I know that men have been or«
dinarily ordained without it. And to
iuch your reafon for feparation is .vain^
3. Mr. Bradjhaw and other old Non-con-
formiiis were wont to fay that they obey-
ed the Diocefanes, and fo did promife them
obedience, only as they are the Kings Officers^
deputed for the exercife of that Ciidl or Co-
ercive porver which Magiftrates have in Caufis
called EcclefiafticaL And what Liberty doth
^hat give away ?

4. But ilippofe that ' you are the
wifer man^ and that thofc that arc more
ignorant do miftakingly think .thae^j^^,^
Canonical obedience, and the , ^^th jj^r^fj'^i^
H ( wiA

( 104)

• ( wirh that of Supremacy ) to be their duty,

. and no renouncing ot their Chrillian liberty ?

Is. it not taKe dodtrinc to conclude, that

Chrill never lent out any that had as great

a tin as this > what none } when he fent out

Judas liimfelF, who was fir ft a Thief and

atter a Traytor ? Do you think then that

Chrili ever fent out Lyars, Railers, furious

Church-dividers, falfe accufcrs, &c ?

j4thFa;r- ^. Ihjt indeed ihey are nothing el fe^ as to

hood and ^^^ ^^^^i^ difchjrge and exercife of their office^

but the fervants of men^ is another llandcr

and untruth. He that isafervant of Chrift,

and a true Paftor of a Chriftian Church, and

a found Preacher of the Gofpel, and an helper

of believers faith, and a lover of the peoples

-fouls, and a diligent upright labourer for

mens i'alvation, is lomething clfe than a fer-

vantof man ( even in the difcharge of their

Minifterial office.) But fuch are many of

the Coniorimable Miniikrs ; Ergo

Prove if you can that Dr. Prefton^ Sihbes^
Stoughton^ IFhittjksr, Mr. Boltotf^ jyhateieyy
.GJtaksr^ Fower^ and all the late AflTembly
fave eight or nine at moll (being all Confer-
milis ) Tvcre nothing el fe but the fervants of
njcrf, and not at all the fervants of Chrift,
Your Father thought otherwife of Mr. Bolton,
and perhaps they were both as wife as you.
Prove row that Mr. Gurnal^ Mr. 'frap^
Dr. Lightjcot^ Dr. ^F4%r,Mr. L^wg/y, and
-many o'vhcrs that I can name that are wor-
thy men in Lriin and round about it> are
nothirg elfc but the ieivants of nncn ? And

will

( 105 )
vrill it not be as hard to prove one to bf . a
fervant of Chril^ who fcrverh Satan by
fjlfhnod and malice^ and calumniating Chrijis
Churches and Scrvantr^ as thofe that are
thus the Tervants of men.

Se<^. 42iE B* For the rjuejlion ?V not ftff 'fi'Faf*
you wcjl^iy and injigni^cantly word it) whf "^*^»
ther a Vefe^ive^ f^^^^y^ ^^^^ Chnrch may or^
dinariiy (or at Uifi fometimef he ]pyncd mtb'^
But whether a dcftUive^ faulty-^ imfofing
Church Vi not to be feparatcd from,^

K. B» I. You begin here with another
untruth : I was the Ihter of the Q^ielVion,
and did not referr it to you to Itate it;
I cho{e that quelFion to difpute which I
thought Htteft : Therefore to tell me that
is not the quejUon^ which is the quejiion^ if
untrue»

2. We have here another taHe of you?
infolency : To call thenn Magifterially [j^^^fk^
and x?f/5^«i//c<j«^ 3 words, which you defigu
not to examine, nor once notihe to the
Reader, wherein the fFeak^efs or Inf^^mfi*
cancy IS, nay which we fuppolc you in the
next fentcnce ufe your felt, exprtfly in all
the words fave one, and implicitly as tp
that : For Defective and faulty are words
that you condefcend to ufe ; And when you
fay £a Church] you muft mean a Church
that hath Truth of EfTence, or elfe you fpeak
equivocally or contradiction. And may noC
a True Church ht faulty and Defe^ive ? where
then is the inllgniticancy of theie words ?

H 2 ^*And

5. And as to the Predicate, Is there adif-
fertnce between the QotiViGBSy whether fuch-
a Church may be joyncd with ? and whe-
ther It muji be fcparatcdfrom I It' there be, I
will put the qutliion as hath kaft ambiguity.
I mean [fuch reparation, as confiOeih, i. In
holding that fuch a Church may not be joyn-
ed with. 2. And as con iilkth-in a priva-
tive nor-joynifjg, or retuling Communion
as unlawful. J It you mean any thing elfe,
you talk nor 10 me, and to my queftion.

4. But is all the (hefs oi Icparation laid
Upon the word \Impfmg^'\ I undertook to
prove that the Parifli Minilters that I fpeak
of, do not Impofe upon the people, unkis.
oftklatsng be imp(;ling : As Stparatiftsthem-
feiv'ts in.poic their own Words of Prayer
upon the people that are to joyn with,
them •-, It being the Miniflers office to word
.his Prayers and praifes, he impofeth them
pn x\\Q people : And all other circumllances
in which the Piltor doth and muil guide
the flock ( as what Chapter Avail be /tad,
v^'hat Phlir, Mceter, Tune, Time, dr-c. )
I think the Scparatids impofe. And I know '
not that the Minilkr whom I hear doth im- '
pofe any more on me : Therefore by your
own lule , I ■ am not bound to (cparate
fiom this Parifh Church, becaufc it is.
no Imjfing Church. It is Impofcd on,
but it doth not Impofe that I know
of.

i

' Cio7)

Se(ft. 43. E- B. Jhis rre affirm J i*Becjufe:^^T:^^f^
n>e k^ovp not horp dje toprefcrve our ChrijiiapdoSirin^s
Liberty {which it is an indifpenftble duty to ^^ i fti'rfK
maintain ) but by feparating from thofe that ^'^y-^* '-'
wuuld unduly taks it from US' ^^'^

R.B, Thefe unWerfal terms' not limited
not expounded diXt: io be taken univerially ^
And fo here. are two falfe do(^rines j one
that it is indiffmfible duty to maintain all
our Chriftian liberty^ and the other that we,
kitop^ not hofv elfe to maintain it But if loY
this Liberty^ you mean but fome fort of //-
berty^ and not all, you (hould have diftin-
guithed, if you would not deceive. And if
by £ rvt ]\norp not ~\ you intend only a Con-
fellion of your own ignorance^ that would
be no proof of the point in hand, becaufe
tiiat may be true, which you knorv not. 1

I. There is a Liberty called CMijUan, be- J^j.whc^^
cauk it is elfential to Chriftianity i (as to be ^h^»: Jf is
freed fron> the Covenant of Works, and ?p°J^'^^ ■
from the Guilt and Reign of fin, and from duty ro
the power of Satan, and the (tate of enmity maintain ,
againft God, 6'c, ) 2. There is a Liberty j^^ ^'^^
called C/7ri/?w« , becaufe it is procured and jji^Jrty^oR'
given us by Chrift, though not elTential to what?'
Chriiiianity j (^ as to eat of .this meat or that,
flcfli or heibs, to be free from the obfervati-
on of certain dayes, and Culloms, and Cere-
monies, not finful in themfelves.J 3» There'
is a Liberty called ChrifliaHy becaufe Chrifti-
ans have it in common with all other men,
or with many ; ( as to marry or not niar-,
H3 ry,

ry ^ to live in this Countrcy, or that \ to be
tree from opprefllon^ injuries, llanders, per-
(q cutioti) when they can. )

And wc mult (i lit inguill^ of the vfox^lQur']

that is^ we mult (hew how far this Liberty

is Ours indeed.' I. It is one thing to be Ours

NeceJJarily, or as you iay Indifpenfibly^ and

another thing to be ourt when we can get it^

keep it^ OS ufe ii, without a greater lofs than

it will compenfate , or a greater hurt to

others^ It is one thing to be onrs in funda^

tHentjl rights to be uled at ht tinaes, and

another thing to be ours^ to be alwayes ufcd,-

Inkc 14. ^^op. I. The Liberty which is effentiai to

i8. our Chrillianity or Godlineis , is indifpcn^

Ifa.^i. I fji^iy fy )q^ maintained and C3«:ercilcd ^

a Pet. 2 qJ ,

Att.ii.l6. ■ ^^<^f* 2. All degrees of the fame liberty
£ Tim. i. muli be maintaincdjas well as the efTentials v
'^- that is, we mull labour to be as free as we

\^^^''^' can from all the decrees oF lin, and mifery/;^
Keb. z. 14, ^^'f we cannot here have what we would.
If. Vrop, 3. There is a Liberty to ufe certain

•^^^^•4 ? 9. things as Ihtedly or ordinarily Indifterent,
If. t. whicn IS none ot Ours ( to ufe them J m fe-
}^iu8. 325 vera] Cafes, which take away the IndilTe-
3^' rcncy , (as in ca(e of fcandal, or greater

Romans 5. \^^^^ iq Others or our felves, or of the re-
''^ ' ' Ikaint of jult authority. }

Prop. 4. The fame muft be faid of for-
bearing things indilfcrent.

Frop' 5. Our Liberty from perfecution,
opprelfon, injuries, llandcrs, mull be pati-
ently let go 5 45 being none of anrsy when it
- ■' can-

flop)
cannot be kept by lawful means, or without
a greater hurt, A^s 22. 28, &c. -:^

Frof. 6. But our Liberty in either-of thefe*^
three laft mentioned Cafes, ought not caufe-
lefly to be taken from us by others , nor
muft be caufekfly call away b^our (elves v.
'nor (bould we yield to falfe Teachers, whO'
would deceive the Churches, by telling them
that they are under Divine Obligations^ when
they are not i and make them believe that
things lawful are uyilarvfuL, and things indif-
ferent are mceffary^ Gal 2. 4, 5* CjL 2. i5,
18320,21,22,23. Aasi^- iCor,y. 21^22'

The third Proposition is it that I am to
prove. And Tattls becoming all things to
all men, to fave fome, a Jew to the Jews,
his (having his head, his circumcifing iimo-
thyy with the reafons of it, his refolution to
forbear the eating of fle(h, rather than of-
fend the weak, and his perfwading others to
do the like, do fully prove it. He main-
taineth the Chriftians Kight of Liberty againfi
falfe Teachers •, but he maintaineth not the
Exercife of it, when he had reafon to let it
go : For Liberty is not necejftty^ i Cor. 9, i.
Am I not free ? 4, 5. Have we not power to
eat and to drinh^ ? Have we net power to had
ahoftt a Sifter^ a fFife^ as well as other Apo-
flies ? 12. If others be partakers of this power
over yotty are not we rather ? Neverthelefs we
have not ufed this power , bnt fuffered aU
things left we Jhottld hinder the Gofpel of
Chrtji. — ^15. But I have fifed none of theft

things-^ ip. For though 1 be freefr^om all

H 4 mm^

(no)
fnot^ yH have I made my felf fervant to ally
that I might gain the more : And unto the
J etf^s I became a Jerv^ that I might gain the
Jews \ T^o them that arc under the Law, as un--
der the LaWy that I might gain them that are
under the Law : 'To them that are without
the Latv , as without Law^ that I might
gain them that ar^ without L^^* T^o ^^^
weaj^ I became as weah^ , that I might gain
the we a]^: I am made all things to all men^
that I migln by all means fave fume* And

this I do for the Gofiels fake — See i Cor*l,

8.13. Rom. 1 4.2 1. It is good neither to eatftejht,
nor to drink^wine , nor any thing whereby thy*
hrotherjhcmbiethy or is cffendtd^or k made weak*^

Chnfthimrclf faith, Matth. 17. 26. I'hen'
ere the chiLiren free : notwithftanding left we
jhould offend:, go thou. Sec, and give them f of
me and thee* ,

I Pet. 2. 1 5. As fre^^ (that is, as fuch as
by Chrifi are freed from true bondage, but
not from ord'er and fubjedion, and there-
fore [] not having or ufing liberty for a cloak^
of malicioufnefs, but as the fervants of God,'
No man hath liberty to be unruly ox hurt full,
'■■ ■ Fvom. 7' 5. ijT her husband be dead, Jf^e is
free from that Law > and yet may give away
that freedom. ^ •

Yea, of the- very liberty from the Jewjfli
Law, the Apoftle faith. Gal. 5. 13. For ye
have been caUcdunto liberty ( q-d* therefore \tt
not falie Teachers pcrfwade you that you are
bound to that which you are Treed (xom)only
ufe not liberty for an occafon to the fiejh^ but hy^'

Love

(Ill)

Love ferve one another ] q. d, in the tx'
ercifi of this Liberty you muft do or not do
the things you are at liberty in, as may do
moft good, according as the Law of Love
requireth, and not as your own carnal inte-
reft and lult inclinethyou : For all theLatv U
fulfilled in oneivordyiH this ^ Thou (haltLoz/e
thy neighbour as thy fe If.

.. I Cor. id. 25, 28, 29, 30,31. JFhatfo-
ever is fold in the Shambles eat, asking no

quejlion for confcience fak^ But if any man

fay unto yoUy 'this is offered in facrifice to
Jdolsy eat not^ for his fal^ that fjei^^cdity and ,
for coftfcicnce fak^e ( Thus our liberty is not
to be exercifcd againlf Love : for we have no
liberty to hurt our brethren ) 29, Confcience
I fay^ not thine orvny but of the others: 'thus
others by weaknefs^ and confequcntly Rulers
by authority may relkain the exercife of our
liberty ) For rvhy U my liberty judged of ano-
ther mans Confcience ? that is, Not that his
Confcience is the Rule of my Right, or his
judgement taketh away my title to liberty i
but his intereft and tlK Law of Love, do
take away my Right of ufing my liberty to
aiiothers hurt. 3. Fer if I by grace be a -par-
taker ( that is, lawfully according to my
Chriilian liberty ) why am I evil fpoks^t of
fW that for nphich I give thanhj^ C that is, it
IS a fault in thofe that accufe me of fin, when
I do that which is lawful, in it felf , ab-
ilraded from the Confcqucnts or fcandal ) :
Whether therefore yc en or drinh^^ ( which
are things indilfcrent as to the kind ot

food J

Cm)

food) orn4)atfiever ye do ( how lawful in it
felf foever ) do all to the glory of God ( For
the intereft of the End muft guide and re-
train you in theufe even of things in them-
felvcs indifferent : For no man hath liberty
to dilhomtfr God, nor to hurt another, ( nor
to difobey juft power. }

I befeech you therefore while you promlfe
men liberty^ be not your felf, and make not
them the fcrvants of //if, 2 Pet. 2. ip. And
take notice that Liberty muft be diftinguifh-
ed as to Kight^ and as to Vfe i And that the
ufe muft otten be dcnyed, and not main-
tained.
4>^z.wh:- 2. Let us next (ee Whether there be no way
ther rhcre 2/»t feparation in eur Cafe^ to preferve our li-
hutVlrl^^'^y ^ Pj«/ hath here (hewed yo« another"
iion,To"'^3y • '• % dodrinal defence to defend it
preicrve againft fahe Teachers, that would do^ri-
ourChri nally bring US into bondage. To maintain
againft fuch as you who add to Gods Laws,
that we are not bound to do that which is
not commanded, or to forbear that which
is not by God forbidden, though you fay
we arc. 2. *Za ufe our Liberty as it tendeth
to Gods glory and mans good, and difufc it
when it crofTeth thefe, ( but not deny our
right, ) This is the Scripture way of preserv-
ing it ;• and not to think that we have no
way to prcferve it, but by doing hurt, or
croifing Love by Church-divifions.

3. No falftiood is a juft defence of our
CHriftian liberty : But to fay, that a true
Church is no true Church, or true Worftiip

is

ft;anlibcr
tv?

is no true Woifhip, or that it is not Lawful
to communicate where it is lawful, is a
falfhood. Therefore it is no juft defence of
our Liberty.

«

Sed.44. £• B. p. 12. 2. Being prcfeHt
pphere thofe things are ufed in the IVorjhip of
God^ rvhich God hath not commanded^ this trould
involve us in the guilt and contagion of them :
nor do we believe ( however n>e have your
TPord for the contrary ) the Lord mil other-
vpife interpret it i fittce he hath fo jiriUly charg-
ed HSy to ksep far from a falfe matter^ and not
to partak^e in other nuins fins,

K.B- Here are two more falfe dodrines
intimated : i. That to u(e things in the 8. Falfc
Worfhip of God which he hath not com- ^o^nnf .
manded ( without exception J is a fin.
2, That being prcfcnt where they are ufed, ^'J^jl^
involveth us in the guilt.

Where note, i. That it is not Part of the
Worfhip^ but things ufed in the IVorJhi^^ that
he fpeaketh of. 2. That I proved the con-
trary to both thefe at large, and the man
faith only that he hath my word for the con-
traryy and giveth not a fyllable of anfwer to
my twenty inftances, and many undenyable
rcafons to the contrary. Doth he not cither
highly efieem his own reafon and authority,
that thinketh it (hould be leceivcd, if he do
but fay the word, without attempting to an-
fwer whats faid againft him: or elfedoth he
not greatly defpife his own Readers and fol-
Ic^wcrs, in taking them for fuch credulous

dudile

dudlile' fouls , as will take his bare word
without expeding any rcafon from him to
confute what is (aid on the other fide > Or is
all this on prtrumption, that hisP^e^der will
not know what I have faid ? Sermon NotcSy
Mcetcrsj 'tunes^ frintcd Bibles fas printed )
and divided into Chapters and l^erfej , the
ivords of a Sermon or Prayer, the particular
Method^ Cups^ 'tables^ &c. are ufcd in the
Worfliip of God without any particular
command, or any command for th'vi^ rather
than f/)^^in cafes of indifferency : And yet
all thefe are not therefore unlawfi J.

And I proved that all Miniikrs, and Fa-
milies lin in Gods Worlhip, and yet that it
is not tlierefore lawful to feparate from
them all. If you your felf fay that you (ay
nothing in preaching or praying but what
is commandcd.you, and that your Worfliip
hath no fin, you deceive your felf, and the
truth is not in you. But if you think it a
dw for any to hear you, or have communion
with you , why do you not plainly tell
your hearers fo > To keep far from a falfc
matter, (as from writing falfhoods by the
dozens ) and not to partake of other mens
fins, is one thing *, and for Children to tell
their, Fathers, or People their Paftors, we
murt. not worfhip God with you, becau(e
mForms^ JVords^ Method^ you do (omething
not commanded, yea, bccaufe through error
you do fomevvhat tinfuK is another thing.

Cii5)

St(5t. 45. E. B. Laftly^JFhatever prttencu
may he ujcd^ for the kecfmz, of Peace^ yet ( to
ffeak^ firi&ly fa its Po fatUfle Confcience .)
Peace is but ill bought^ if rve r^ufi purchafe it
at fo dear a rate as the lofs of truth : And
this truth concerning the fole Soveraign Forver
of our LordChrifi in appointing all matters of

his IVorfhip is a point fo necejfary to be

maintained^ and fo utterly inconfijhnt vpiththe
fuppofng that any thing is to he obtruded
pphich he hath not commanded^ that we dare not
alow our fclves in the pra&ice of any thing
which may prejudice that fundamfntaL

K»B. I. How oft have I anfwered that Whethc:
faying zhout felling Truth for Peace;^ and muft "°^. ^^P'"
hear it again in the old confufion without p^reTudicial
any notice of what hath been faid. See my to a funda-
Treatife of Infant Baptifm on that point par- mental,w\
ticularly. Do I fell thirty three Truths, ^^j^^^^^^"
when I read thirty three untruths in your ^^'^'^"^^*
Writings ? Do I fell Truth, if I thould hear
you preach or pray erroneoufly , and impofe
your confufed prayers on the people ? or
innpofc this or that Metre or Tune on them in '

iinging ol: Pialms ?

2. Here you fay [^Matters of Worjhip'\
before it was [ in IForJhip* "] And even the
word [ Worpip ] is taken fo varioufly, as
calls for explication , before we determine
whether man may appoint matters ofJFor-
fhip : For if you will call f putting off the
Hat 3 and reverent geftures, in particular,
aiid S^ctxes, and Tunes, and the Method and

words

rrordf of the particular Prayer or Sermon, by
the name of Pror/hip , then man may ap-
point if.

3. It is an untrue fuppofition , and but a
begging of the queftion, that our prefence
with any thing obtruded unlawfully, is a
prejudice to that fundamental of the Sove-
raignty of Chrilt. All men that (in do fin
againit his Soveraignty : And all that ob-»
trude any thing unlawfully, tin againft it by
that obtrullon. But if you obtrude a ra(h
and palTionate prayer on the people, or an
erroneous or diforderly prayer, or an ill*
compofed Hymn or Pfalm, their prefence is
no approbation of your error, nor denying
of Chrirts Soveraignty.

Do you, or can you believe and make all
your followers believe, that the Synagogue-
Woifhip , and the Templc-Worlhip were
kept (b pure, by the Prieils, Levltes^and Pha-
rifees in Chrilis dayes, as that there was no-
thing of humane Tradition obtruded? Or
nothing but what God commanded ? Can
you believe this ^ Or can you believe that
Chrilt was not ufually or often prefent
there? See Luke 4. 16, At N^iircth rvhen
he hjd been brought uf^ as hU cufiom n?^, he
vpent into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day
-— — And of Paul its faid , Adls 17. 2.
As hU mxnmr was^ he went in to them^ and
three Sabbath dayes reafoned-> < Or do you
believe, that Chrill was alinner ? and that he
conrradidcd his own Soveraignty ? What/
and yet be a perfed: Siviour? Who is it

now

(117)
now that pxtjudkcth fuftdamentallf ?

Sedl. 4^. E. B. And we judge rce havifuf-
ficiem poarrant from what the Jpolile/ did in
a lik^e cafe^ A^s 15. 24. For if t bey reproved
fuch Of preached up €trcumcifiott and other Le-
gal Ceremonies^ at that day^ when as the Apo*
jUes had given them no fitch Commandmenty
faying of them^ that they fubverted or foiled
the fouls of the Difciples^ then may we affirm
the lik^ ofthofe men mwy who in things equals
ly indifpenfihle^ do aQ with every whit as lit*
tie authority y from whom on that very account
r^e thinly it our duty to feparate*

R. B. I. The authority of the King and
lartpful Magiftratcs is more about the Circum-
ftantials of Worjhip ( as whether Ahiathar
(hall be High Prieft, &c. ) than the falfe
7'eachers was about that dodrine.

2. The Apoftles do indeed declare that -jhe Cafe
they ftnt thtm not to preach, or not fuch^^^^i ij.
dodrinc : But thats not the thing on which
they lay the great accufation , but on the
falfe and ^mWiwg dodrine which they preach-
ed. Chriftfaithofone that caft out Devils
in his Name, and followed him not. Let him
alone > he that is not againft us, is for us ;
And Mgfes wi{ht all the Lords people were
Piophets; But thcfe falfe Teachers would
have made the keeping of Mofes Law to
be ncaffary 10 falvation : And can you prove
that the Miniikr doth To, whom I ufe to
hear^ Do all the Parifli Minifters do fo?
Canypirieeno difference between one that

faith

fii8)
faith, I'he Lan> or Cannons command m^ to ufe
this Surflicc or Form as an indifferent
. thing y'^ and one that (aith [_ Except ym do
this or that^yoH hreak^Oods Law and cannot he
faved I Except you fefaraie from all Parijh
Churches^ you fin a^ainji God^ and frcjudice a
fundamental ? Sure it is one thing to fay,
God faith tbis^ ox hinds yia to this^ or forbids
ynuthis? and its another thing to hy^ 'the
King, or the Bijhop faith it.
Achi^. 3- And what is it that keepcth you from

agnin^ the feeing how ftrongly you contute your felf?
Sparatilb. Js theie a word in Ac^s 15. to forbid all
Church communion with thofe that taught
even this fubverting faUe doctrine!* How
-many Texts be there that intimate' that the
•Churches long ( without a prohibition)
held communion with the erronious judaizing
Chriftians? Till they grew obltinate.and grew
up to a Herefie , and were, the Separaters
themfelves, and did fubvert the Gofpel and
faith of Chriit. But yet prove that fuch
doctrine is held by our Pariih Churches, and
I will leave thtm : Do not the Indept^ndents
olfer to fubfcribe the Dodrineof the Church
ot England .? Sure then they think its Dodiri^
nals to be found,

Se(5t. 47. E. B. By two Arguments you la*
hmr to defend your irregular rvay of Com^
mnninn: I. T^hat in the Primitive Churches
there rpere many cnrruptions ^ rvhich the Apnillt
ruritcs againil^ butd*thnot advife any hecaufe

of them tojcparatc^ But I anftfcr It U not

corruption

tc/rriipiion or error barely ce}ifidered a^Jlich^ ihii
f^e account to be a fufficier.t gronnd of fep4'
ration : But the Impofing of that error mrfy
an high hand^ and making a juhmiffion to it
^ at leaji in our praciice and otitrvard ohfer-
vance ) the very conditim of CgmniHniun :
Ih'vi rve fay^ is a thing rrhich neccffitatcs m to
ma]{e a feparation^

K. B. Mirk that yea diftinguifh not of Mr. Bar^
Corruption or 'Error , nor except any , but ^/J^^^'s too
what is Impffcd, And when I had anfvvered -^^^^^^^fn-
all this io tully, why will you deign to ^ith a!i
confute a Book, while you difdain to take Heretlck^
notice what it faith f^ ^"^- -m:

1. Who would have thought that you are ^"*^ ""^'
fo much loofer in your communion than we

are? I will fepiratefrom that Church which
in the elTential matter ( fajtor^ or all th^
flock^) after admonition retaineth fuch Cor-
ruption and Error, as is diredly contrary
to any eflential point of Chriitianlty, though
they impofe it not on others : But by thcie
words it (eems, as fcrupulous as you arc, you
would not feparate from Hereticks or Un-
godly ones, if they do not Impofe their He-
lielie and Impiety !

2. How oft have I urged you to prove,
that our publick Pari(h Minifters whom I
advife men to hear , do Impofe any more

than you your felf do ? By chooling what His dwrt
Chapter to read, you impofe on the people Imp^^i^.,
to hear that Chapter then or none ? By
chooling what Place, Hour, Method, Words.
yej. Matter, and Metre, Tune, &:^ you im-
l pof^

Cl20)

pofe upon the people to joyn in all thefe, or
nor to have communion with you therein.
And fo our Teacher doth by reading Com-
mon-Prayer and wearing the Surplice, im-
pofe on us to hear him fo reading, or to
Itay away. But he maketh no Laws ; he
commandtth us no Cercmony;They are com-
manded by others, and not by him : And it
is not in your own practice of any thing for-
bidden of God, that 1 advife men to have
communion with fuch j but only in Gods
true Worflnp^ though in the circutnjiances or
manner the Minilki" himfelf, fay or do fome-
thing that is foibidden •, as every Teacher in.
the world doth, though not in the fame de-
gree. It is one thing to fuhmit to be pre-
lent at the Worfhip, which the Paftor per-
formcth in (ome faulty manner : And ano-
ther thing wilfully to do evil your (tlf, or
to approve of his tailings or your own. r

Sedi. 48. E. B. 'lo which I add only tbiSy
that hjircvcr the prefenting our bodies at a a
IFurJhi'p 'tvhich roc do not ino'ardly approve of\
may render us excitfahle^ andjujiiftc us among
mcn^ yet nre are fme it mil not in the fight of
Godivho hates hypocrifc'

li. I>. Though you.confound, I mufl di-
ninguidi the ellentials of the Worfhip from I
the circamllance?,and outward impcrfcclions ^
in the manncr.I do inn^ardly approve of the mat-
ter or fublhnce of the Worfliip which I joyn
in, in the main \ and labour to pray with
my heart when I joyn in the Common-pray- f

cri^'

ri2i)

chough I confent not to the mjuich^*,^
bod^ HOT to the defers. And when I hear A
ri'an in//'^e ^r^j/cY ufe confulion, diforderjUn-
ecmly words, and when I hear one man ^°f"^J^
Irop the error .ot an Arminian , or a Lu- pj. p^^^.^,^,
herin,anothcr oF an Antinomian, another of who joyn-
h Anabaptii}, another of a Separatifi, &c.m ^'^ vv:t!a
lis prayer , I do not imvardly approve of ^"^ ".^^^'"
nat error or duorder, anymore than or the vvorfiiin
iefcdsof forms : And yet if it were hypo- which he
rrifie to be prefcmt, I would joyh with no approvsth
nan living. Can all your hearers inwardly "^'^ ■•
Improve of all that you fay , if you preach
md pray but as yea write ? If they can, its
:ime to pitty them. And are they Hypocrites
^Ife for joyning with you ?

Se6t. 4P E. B. p. 14. i. this is dear in Sclf-ccn-
Serif ture^ that our Lord Chrift ( rvho was him- f^*-^'"^^^°"'
^elf holy andfeparated from [inner s ) did ne-
ver call or defign his Church to he an impure
mixt body of holy and unholy mthoiit any di -
Hn^ion-i hlended and hudkd up together , hni

to be an holy feparate people-"^'"'' -and

\o depart from untight eoufnefs*

R. B. I. Remember Reader, (for he ml!
Hot remember ) that but even now he told us,
that it is not Corruption and Error barely at
fuchy that is a fufficient ground of feparation^
without Impofition : And now here is nothing
but Mixture ot Holy and Vnholy. Reconcile
thcfe if you can.

2. Chrift that was perfc^ly fcparatcd from
fmners^ had yet orduiary communion with
I 2 ilnners

(122)

iifiiiers in a iinful/^r culpable manner of per-
formance ( unUk trie Jews were all perfed)
Ther(.fore"our feparaijon muft be fuch as
Chrilh was, in our mcafure.

3 . Lnpnrity^ and unhol'mcfs^ and fin is not
the Matter of Gods CaU^ or dcfignment either
in the Church or out \ but of his Pcrmijjtan J
But Communion with thofe Churches which
by permiiiion h^vc fin and impurity in them,
is a commanded thing. And they that muii
^, , depart from iniquity^ mult not alwayes de-
no Church P^'^f itom the worihipping AfTembly where
may ht fome unrighteous perfons are. Your argu-
communi^' rnent, if it be any, muft run thus : Chrifl
catL \vit.i ^^-^ never call or defwn his Church to he an im-
(ii.i. , fure mixt body of hty and unholy. The Fa-
ChrKc riff-j Churches ninch you perjrrade us to com-
ca!ed xrA mufiiint with^ are impun mixt bodies'. Ihere-
.^^'f'^^f'-^cihe Parifh ChMrches are fuch as Chri(i ne-
ver called or defign'id them to be. Suppofe we
grant you the. Conclullon : Whoever isi
a tinner is fuch as Chrill never called
or dcfigncd him to be. But your QjieAi-
.on intimatctfi that you would argue thus.
[^Whatever Church is fuch asChriii did not
^cjII it or defign it to he^ is ngt' to be communi-
cated nit h: But all the Parijh "Churches are
fuch as Chnjl did not call or defign th^m to

te ., E'go The Minor you provc^iyhat-

'cvi'r Church if an impure mixt body of h dy and
it i holy, ^c. is fuch as Chrifldldnot call or de-
fi(^n ihcm to be: But the Farifh Churches are

« /^/^/'

Buc I anfwcr you jjj. A Church is no

Church

i

Church that npatits the Ejfcinials required by
Chrift : But he that will not communicate
with Church or pcrfon that wants the rerfc-
dion whkh X^htii\ calleth them to^ fhall com-
iDunicate with no Church or pcrfon on
Earth.

,;;»^. The word [ mlxt "] is ambiguous , and
implyeth a double ad j one of the Impure
part^ and that Chrift dciigntth nor, but tor-
biddeth : the other of the holy^ who joyn
with fome that are unholy i* and that in
fome Cafes Chrift commandet{>,and did pra-
dife himfdf.

3. JVithout dijHnciion indeed it ftiould not
be : for Difcipline is appointed to diftinguifti
regularly.

4. Take home the argument, and try- it
on your felf. [ ^^h at ever Church U fuch as
Chrift did not call and dcfign it to bcj is not to
he communicated trith : Ettt a Church that
hath an erroneous Treacher , or an erroneous
fmful people U fuch as Chrift did not call or

fleftgnitto he: Ergo- And will you then

Communicate with any in the world, or any
with you ?

Sed. 50. E. B. p. 14. 'though through the
Corruption of men and negligence of Church*
Officers^ many ungodly prophane Formaliftsand
hypocrites did ( and daily do ) creep in '•> yej^,\
there U a (iriii command given to put fuch
out of the Churchy and turn afide from them
If fuch are to be withdraripnfrom^ then

if any church n>hich is adm&niftjed concerning
. I 3 tk'm

ri24)

them fifciU ftill maintain , ahett and cnunU"
nance than, that Church is defiled^ and unfit
id be communicated with ^ I Cor. 5. 7. EcckC
^» i8» Heb. 12. 15.

K' B. I. It is only grofs finnerSj after juft
Admomtion upon proofs that are to be putt
our. TliC Officers ought not to do it with-
out proof. 2. Have you or others rightlyi
Admonifhed every Pari(h Minifter that you
call us to feparate from, and convi(^ed them.
upon proof , vyhen you have heard them
fpeak for thtmfelves ? 3. And who gave
you aiithoriry To to examine other Pallors,
being but a fmgle perfon? 4. We eafily grant
for ( and carncdly defire ) that true Church- Ju-
'^^$ ftice fhould make a diiference : But in cafe
the Officers do not their duty, it is none of
the peoples duty to feparate therefore, have-
ing done their own part, except in thcfe
cafes: i. That the Error or Crime be fo
great, as to be inconliftent with ChrifHanityy
or Church CGmmn^non* 2 ..That the Church
do not only negled: it, but deliberately Own
riiat Vjror or Crime in its aggravated Ihte, as
it is fo inconhlicnt with Chriltianity or
Comiimnion \ Not only being confequential-
ly guilty of it, ( as the beft man may be of
the moil: heinous (in of another, by fome
gmiffion of his duty to cure it ) but making
it thdv prjfrfjiim or VraVticc. 3. That this
be donc,not 1^y fome particular members on-
ly, but by an ^iTential part of the Church,
that is, either by tjie Taftor^ or by the main
body of the people. 4. That this be fuVy \
( ' :' frovedy

ci25;

prdvedy or (b noiarious as to need no proof.
5. That they be impenmnt herein after due
admonition : When thefe five things concur,
It is a duty to feparate from a Church as
Jnfit for Chriftian Communion. ( And in
lower cafes it is a duty to f refer a Bettety
ivhenwecan have it. )

But its much higher ( or lower rather )
that you go : You fay [ A Church which af- j©. palTc
fer admonition and difcovery of ojfenderSy wHl dodrine.
not ufe her authority to cajl them out, ~\ This
^Tiay be by mif-information on the (inners fide,
Dr by meer negligence, as in E/j's cafe, and
may be a great fin, and yet not the fame in
kind, as that which (hould be cenfuredi nor
fuch as will unchurch that Church, nor
make its communion unlawful to the in-
nocent.

As to your proofs, the Texts you cite are
all written to the whole Churches as Chut-
:hes,who are bid fttt them arpay^&cS3ivc that
to 'iimothy.^znd Rfi/.2. which is to the Church^
RulerS' And it folio weth not , that if a
Church, or Church-Rulers who have the
power of the Keyes, are bid to reject or
caft out, or not fiaffer an Heretick or wicked
perfon , and to have no fellowfliip with
them, therefore every member is forbidden
to have Communion with that Church in
Gods Worlhip, unlefs they caft fuch a one
out. I did by many Scripture inftances, Kev*
2»& S' & I Cor* 1 1, e^ 1 5, &c. prove the
contrary, to which you give no anfwer.

5. Let all fober Readers note how few in
I 4 the

r 12(5 }

the world we (Ivall have communion with ox^
your term?. How certainly you will turn
all Churches into (kite and bitter envyings,
confufion,' and every evil work. For Kailers
and Covetous anr.ong the reft, are thole that
murt be avoided : And if any nnernber of
the Church fliall think that one Railer, or^
one Covetous perlon is kept in unjuftly ,
away they niuli go, and condemn the Church
as unworthy of Communion. And who
\-{\\\ not think that read your Book , that
you would be one of the iirft accufed of
KailtHg <' Yea, how few even of the Ihidcft
fcparating Churches are they, that negle<fi
not Difcipline upon fome one perfon ? It may
belt may be a rich or powerful man, that
will perfccute or divide the Church if he be
cad out ? Is there no Gathered Churches
(as they are called^ that have one Kailing
iVdman ht^ dx on.e Covetous ferfon?

6, But Sir, our qucliion is not only of
the Communion of Members , but alfo of
jrr^iJi^fr/occafionally and rarely : And what
call hath a ftranger ;o try the Difcipline of
another Church ? Or what opportunity hath
he to know all their members crimes, and
toadmoniili them ? Why may not I in my
travail communicate with a Church whofe
members and Difcipline I know not ? At
kalt all Paiifli Churches have not been thus
admonifhtd by you.

Scdl. 51. E.g. p. 14. L4iy, Which mil
fiil^y anjmrihe jcmi^ley It is ts be conjidered^

: i that

r 127 }

that t%£ Frimitive Churchef wire fetlcd hy the
jipt files ^ and conftituted according to the Vi"
vine -pattern , having all the Ordinances of
Chriji ^ and true Officers rightly eftablijhcd
amon^ them h fo that though many fcandaloits
fins did hreak^ out , and were vifihle among
fome of the members^ yet a poiver rvas flill
retained in each Church for the keeping them-
f elves pure by cajiing out offenders \ whereby
they were kept to the inftitution and orders of
Chriji^ without any univerfal innovation or de-
generating in thofe Effentials of Order as well
as VoCirine^ which they fell into in fhe ages
after 5 and when Amichriiiianifm ( which w^s
then working ) did manifjlly (hew it f elf not
only in rejeding truth ^ 2 ThefT. 2* but in im-
pnfng err or ^ Rev. 13. id, 17. then was fepa-*
ration made neccffdry.

2x. E. Pvcadcr, this confufed huddle of
words it feems is the thing he trufTeth to (Ps
a fuUanfwcr to the fcruplc. But i. If fuch
Churches are. to be communicated with, as
yet retain all the Effentials of Office^ Order and
Doarint^ then thole are to be com.municated
with, that are now in queftion : But the for-
'mer fcemerh'herc intimated by himre]f,That
our faid Cluirches have all fuch cflentiais, is
thus proved. Whereeier there are true
Paji&rs and a Chrijiian floc]^ related mutually
as fuch ^ receiving the holy Scriptures as fuch^
there are all thirtgs cffentid to a true Churchy
fir Office , Order and JMirlne* But it is fo
k^ith the Parijh Churches inquefiion : To ftay
here to write a r.uticular proof of the vali^

dity

dity of the Minifter , Calling, any fuffchcr than
to put the accufer it Jie can to prove, that any
cflential pait is wanting ( whether in ^«j-
tificatzQiiy Ordination., or Gonfem ) would be
vain, it being dont fo largely by the old
bioji-conrormifts.

2. But is there n Tower retailed in fuch
Churches to cafi out offendors ? Anfw. Yes »
A Power divine, or given by Quill. Re»
member that (as I have proved Pi/p. Oi
OrdiHJt. ) men are not the Makers of the Of-
fice of the Sacred Minilky , nor the Meafu>
rers or Givers of the Power i but only the
Choofers of the peribn that (hall receive what
Chrilt by Inftitution giveth, and the Minille-
rial Inverters of the perfon in that power-
Therefore,

Whoever receiveth the Office of a Paflor
recciveth the power of the Keycs, to take in
and cart oat ( Tliough not arbitrarily nor
ungoverned by hinr){elf J Bat theParith Mi-
kiilters ( or very many of them) now in
qu^rtion do receive the Office of Paftors;
Therefore they receive the power of the
Keyes to take in and cart out.

If you fay that the Bifhops intend it not
in ordaining them : I anfwer, i. It Tufficeth
that Chrijt intendcth it, who is the only
maker and giver of the power : The Book
of Ordination maketh them folemnly Cove-
nant to give faithful diligence alivayes fo to
Mimjier the Vodrine^ and Sacraments^ and the
Vifcipline of Chrifi as the Lord hath com-
mandcd^ 6cc. And to teach nothing as requi-
red

(129)
red of neceffity to eternal falvation^ hut that
vphich they are ferfwaded may be concluded
and proved by the Scripture^ as containing all
fuch necejfary doEirine : And to be ready reith
all faithful diligence to hanijh and drive avoay
all erroneoMS and ft range dMrines contrary to
Gods word : And to ufe both public}^ andprl"
vate monitions and exhortations as well to the
ftck^^as the whole : And to be diligent in prayers
and reading the holy Scriptures^ and infuchftu-
dies as help to the knowledge of thefame^ laying
afide the ftudy of the world and the flejh* And
that they wiU he diligent to frame andfajhion
thimfelves and their families^ according to the
doCirine ofChrift^ and to make both themfelves
and thcm^ as much as they cany wholefime ex-
ample s to the flocJ^j &c. And till lately the
faid Book recited A^s 2C. 28. to the Presby-
ters at their Ordination.

And the Canon 26. faith [ No Minifier
(hall in any wife admit to the receiving of the
holy Communion any of his Cure or flocl^ ,,
which be openly known to live in fm notori-
ous without repentance , Belides what the
Kubrick faith to that purpofe.

And now ( though I think this one of the
greateft fores which you have touched ) yet
judge whether even the Laws and Canons
concede no Power to the Minifters.

3. But if they did not, the Fower of Office
is one thing, and the Liberty ot exercifing
it is another : We have ?ower isom Chrilt to
preach ; and if we htfilcnccd and our liber-
ty retrained by mcn,that proveth us not to be

no

(no)

no true Minifters. If you mean that no
Chiirch is to be communicated with where
the Paftor is hindered by men from the full
discharge of his Office, you miftake, and can
never prove it.

4. They that voluntarily negled their Of-
fice .(* without hinderance by the force of
tiicn') are more to be blamed than thofe that
are fo forced. But in the Primitive Chur-
<:hes Difcipliiie was lamentably negle(fled
voluntarily ;, as appeareth in the Ca(e of
V[\Kii\ of the feven Churches, Kcv- 2. & 3.
for which they are threatned by Chrift , and
intho. Corhnhiai^s cafe: yea, corrupted by
fuch as Viotrophcf. And do you think that
the Church that bath Fowcr to do well, and
Will not, is therefore to be communicated
with becaufe it can ? that is, bc^caufe it fin-
nethnot through difability, but negligence
or wilfulnefs >

5. But the Core of your erroneous reafo-
ning is behind j you fay, they were— —
vpiihout any Vmvcrfal innovation or degenera-
tingin thofe Effanials of Order as rpell as do'
lirinc vohich they fell into in the ages after^ Sec.
An Vnivcrfal degenerating in the Effentijh
even ofDo^rhie and Order tno^ is a big and a
fad word : And the time pointed at by you
being fo early, if I canunderibnd you, you
do C as the Seekers) unchurch the univerfal
Church of Chriil. For if it Vegefferated
Vniverfally in the Effentijls of do&rihe ^ it
Vniverfalfy apofiatized from Chrijlianity : For
where any Fjfential part- is loli-, the EJfence

and

( i3^ J

and juftName is loft. And I befeech you, u.^read^
let not raflinefs or palfion blind you to over- ful falfe
overlook the dreadfulnefs of this Do- ^o<ftnne.
drine. Read and

1. IfChrift had then no Church (as he ;^^'^J„^
had not, if the EJfential degeneration was Vni- of fepara-
verfal ) then he was no S^ing of the Church tion.

on Earth, no Lord, no Teacher, no Saviour ^^; ^^''^'*
of the Church ^ no InterceiTor for it in the ^j^j^,^'
Heavens ? And do you not then dethrone
him, and deny him indeed to be the Chrift ?
What, a Head without a Body .<? A King with-
out a Kingdom ?

2 . So you will make all Gods Promifes of
his Churches perpetuity , as built on the
Rock, againft which Hell Gates (hould not
prevail, and of being with them to the end
of the world, &c. to be falfe and fail. And
if the whole Church failed, and the Promifes
made to it, what particular foul can truft
Gods Promifes.

3. If all the Church apoftatiied, how {hall
we know that Apoftates did not corrupt all
the Copies of Scripture that are come down
to us ?

4. And then the Article [ I helieve the ho-
ly Catholic}!^ Church ] would have been a
falfhood or error.

5. And then there could be no Baptifm,
no Sacrament of the Lords Supper, &c.

<5. And then there muft be New Apoftles
with Miracles to make a new Church. And
thus we have Mr. Williams dodrine, whofe
Story I recited in my laft Book.

(13^

Se6t. 52. E. B. p. 15. [ 7his majfity of
Jefafation n'hich began then cojitinttcth jH\}^
fince our Churches^ though reformed from Pojfe-
ry ( that is^ frsm Antichriftiamfm ) in fome
poiftts^ yet are not reftored to the primitive
ptttcrn and parity* ]

K. F. I. Whether by [^our Churches']
you iiiean only the Parip Churches o^ godly
Minijiers^ or alfo All the Proteiiarj Churchesy
and all other VniverfaVy through the world, I
am not fure : But as far as I can eonjedlure
by your words you mean i All. Becaufe
you rpeak of them as in a Continuance in
part in the Vnivcrfal degeneration in Effenti-
als \ And you fpeak of them as avoiding Po-
pery but in part, and call them [ our Chur-
ches^ ] and mention no Church in the world
here that you own as a true Church ( and
whether any where in all your writings I
remember not* ) I confefs I pretend not
to know the mind of To carelefs a Writer by
any words , but very plain ones : But if
this be your mind as it feemeth to be, you
Would do well ( being fo bold a man )
to tell the world your mind more plainly :
And you that think that no Truth is to be
Cold C as you call it ) for Peace, let Inde-
pendent?, Presbyterians, Scparatifts, Ana-
baptills, &c. know it, if indeed you think
that all their Churches are to be fepara-
ted from , as well as the Parifh Chur-
ches. If this be your mind, .1 i'jppofc you

are

CI33) "
are but a Treacher to Auditors your felf, and
rjnot a F aft or to any Church. He that thinks
no Truth fhould be concealed for fear of (uf-
"ering, (hould not carry it in darknefs and
diflimulation to the Pallors and Churches
about him^ if really he believe them to be
no Paftors or Churches, or not to be com-
municated with. But I think that you bet-
ter deferve to be difowned by them, than
they by you.

Certainly few or no Froteftant Church,
that I have known, will fty that it is refiored
to the frimitive pattern and Purity in degree.
T that therefore be your meaning, you do
leparate from all the Churches in the world.
But if you mean not, in Degree^ but in
Effence^ I ftill challenge you to prove that the
Churches in queftion want any thing EJfen-
\ial \ or need a Reftoration to that which they
never loft }

Se6i:.52.E. B. p. 15. [So that more may
he faid for feparation norp (vohen rvholeChur-
vhes are out of order and corrupt) than could be
at that time when corruption had infe&ed only
barticular members, ]

R.B. I. Is it now come to that > Is it
the number corrupted that muft decide the
:are ? Who can tell where to hnd this Pro-
ieuf ? fometime it is the mixture of holy
and unholy : fometime it is not hare cor-
ruption without Impoption : And now it is
the numbers corrupted^ (whole Churches :)

And in the next fentcncc ^^ ycu (hall (cc

what ?

what ? zAsiht whole Church any thing he-
lides rthc i^jrHcfdur member f ^ \s there any
other matter? or any /jrwi bcfides the KeU-
iion oi the particular rnctnbcts ? 3. I chai-
Jcngc you if you can to prove any corrupti-
on in the Churches in ^ucllion, which is not
ironfiftcnt with the cfTence ? I know not io
xnuch errour or harm, m the people of the
Church that I now joyn with, where I live,
as Taul chargeth on the Corinthians or Ga-
lathians : ( Though I fuppofe the primitive
Miniftry and gifts more excellent than any
of -ours.)

Mqreof • Si:d. 53. E. B. [For if is mt^ as I fd'id

theCaa-es y^f^jre^ Corruption barely^ no nor Impofition

rion ' barely^ that is a fufficient ground fir any to

feparate ( For rrhere Jome leffer crrours are

held hut not Impojtd i or npherc only nccejfary

things are impojed, we Jhall not forbear Com-

munion*) But irhen errour is once impojed^

and hy aftrong hand forcibly maintained {not-

ivithjiandiHg aU admonitions and endeavours

of reformation^) here rve mUji fcfaratc or coft^

lent to Jz/z.-T"" -

Kf £. Better and better : Here jt is grant-
ed that neither Corruption barely^ nor Impofi-
tiGH harely^WiW juliihe (cparation. But by Ccr^
ruftion and Impofuion barely feemeth to be
iTiC'dnz inch forma liter quoad adum^ without
including the dc;mec of the matter. For it
is expounded of [_Lcjfcr errours'] held and
not Impofed -i or ot nccejfary things Imp fed,
S J that if it be Impojtd en us to fForfhip

God, it will not prove us no Chrl/lians ' we
are beholden to you for this clemency.
And if we (hould miihke a point of Gene-
alogie or Chronologic it will not unchurch
us. This is foniething.

2. Well, but what is the crime th&t
makcth our Communion ^inlawful } [ n^heti
errour is once imfofid, 8cc.] fo then ( if you
canfpeak fenfe) any errour In^pojedmll do
It. What if ic be Impofed on the Church
to u(e a Tranflation of the Bible that hath
lome errour in ( And is thefe any with-
out?^ Muft that Chur(:h needs be (eparafed
from? And yet thcTThurch that ufed the
lame Voluntarily C^nd therefore more fin-
tully) jsnotto be fcparatcd from? What if
crroneoufly it be impo(ed on the Church to
rneet at an inconvement time or place ? What
if fome flaw or errour in Chronologie or
Jimller matters were in their impofed Con-
feUion, which the Pafiour erroneoufly fub-
kribethto? It feems an hifaUibte Imtofiyjg:
Church may be communicated with, and no
other. But do you not kiiow that there is a
Mimjierial as mU as a Magijiratical forcim
Impofition ? Every Paftour that fpeaketh at
by Commiillon from Chrift, Impofeth fome-
what on the people! He Impofeth dodrine,
md Method, and words in prayer, and
:imes, places, utenfils, orders, metres, tunes
IS aforefaid. Muft all thefe be Icparated
torn ( that is almoft all the Pallors in the
A^orld \ ) And is there no remedie ?
S- But perhaps you lay all the ftrefs [on a
^ jhong

ftro^g hand and force ! ] U fo, prove that
your Mimjhrial Impofition of crrour in your
Prayer or Condud, doth not make Commu*
nion unlawful h and yet that forcible impo*
fition doth ? As if Voluntary reception made
Icfs the (in ! Prove that the Church of the
Jews was nullihed whenever any errour was
impofcd by authority ! Or when the Phari-
fees then in power had corrupted it in Chrifts
time by force. If this were your meaning,
then feparation could fcarce be Lawful, till
there was a Cenftantine^ a Chriftlan Empe-
rour, who ( being not infallible ) might
force or impofe fomething amifs, whereas
you before talk of an early nniverfal failings
neceffitating feparation. It feems then that
no Countries are fo unhappy as thofe that
have Chriltian Magiftrates, who being falli-
ble, impofe fome errour: And that in all
the Ages and Countries that have Heathen
or Inhdel Rulers, (notwithftanding Church
Corruptions not forced) Separation is a fin.

4.But I would fain know,whether it be the
ImpofittGn ^thzt nulliheth the Church,or makes
Communion unlawful,or only the obeying that
Impofition > If it be the Impofitionythen a Hea-
then Prince niay nullifie the Church at plea-
fure.If it be only the ohcdie7ice^thcn^ i.Muft it
be once obeying or continual ? What \{ Awtltan
or Vhclefian forbid Church-affemblies : will
once obeying them nullifie all the Churches^
or make their Communion unlawful >
■2. Why will not obeying a Minifier or de-
tC'ivcr make it as unlawful as obeying -a

King?

( nl >

King? 3. why doth not the doing it rpuh--
out conjhaim (as is faidj make it as unlaw**
ful as obedience ?

5. Is it the King and Parliament, or the
Bifiiops whofe Impofitions have this fad
effect ? If the former, then (as is faidj i^
was 300 years after Chriii, before reparati-
on was lawful. If the latter, then it is not
force only that doth it •, And Independent, oir
Anabaptift orPresbyterianPaflors may Impofe
as well asBiOiops. For the Biftiops difclaih)
all coercive power in the Church, ( as t
have (hewed to Dr. Moulin*)

St6i» 54. E. B. Jhe fecond Argument is th^
examfle of the former Non-conformi(is , rphoyoH
fay were all againftfyaration^ &c.

K. JB. Here you cite a paflage of Mr, Hih
derjhams^ that the authority of man is not
to befet againft Gods^ and that vpe may \m%9
mote than thofe that went before us^ ^c»
And did not I tell you fo my felf ? who dit
fenteth from you in this ? Bring your proof
from Scripture againft them and us, and we
will hear you. Or give us but good prOof
that you are a wifer and better mah than
they, and are better taught of God, and
we will yield this by-reafon from authority*
But to bring Mr. Hilderjhams acknow-
ledgement of Gods authority above mans^^
againft Mr. Hilderfhams arguments againft
feparation, and his perfwafions to comc to
the beginning of the Churches prayers, and
to imply that you know roOre than thdfe
K 2 worthy

worthy men, when you give the worfd fo
little evidence of it, doth prove the good-
nefs of your caufe as much as it proveth
your humility or felf-acquaintance.

Boafling Sed. 55. E. B. p. 17, 18. {_ the former

'iinox^rxt * non co7ifnrmiih held Arminianifme fo funda^
mental and dangerous an crrour^ &c. Bnt you
do not only ffcak^ fjvourably of it^ hut alfe
Proudly tell M that you art confident^ not one
of mjny hundreds^ who fpea}^ againji Com-
muninn rrhh ArminianJ^ do underfiand whai^

Arminianifme W As if plain Cbrtjii'

ans could vot eafily come to know it.

K. B. I. As under Church'tyrants all is
Schifme^ which contradicts their Schifme s fo
with fome men all is Proudly fpoken which
contradideth their Prj^f,and fuppofeth them
to be hut half as ignorant as they are.

2. Were all the Non-conformiils of one
mind about Arminianifme ? Was not Armi"
«i«x himfeif againft Prelacy and Ceremonies ?
and many of his followers ^ Who were the
great Antiadiaphorifls in Germany^ but lUiri-
cus-i Amfdorfitis^ GaUus and other Lutherans?
Is not Mr. Dury a Non-conformift who
hath forty years laboured to brmg the Lu"
theram (who are as far from us as Armi^
muf } and the Calvinifts to Communion f*

3. Who would be at the labour to read
over the many Volumes that are written
about Pre-determination, Free-will, Con-
curfc, and Grace, by which fuch Ignorant
fouls as I, cannot to this day tell what they

' '- mean.

(139)
mean, nor in many or moft points wherein
they diflfer, when this man, and his plain
followers (Women and Boy(Sj Co ealily
know i,t I But like the Pope that can In-
fallibly expound the Scriptures, but is fo wife
that he will not do it. Le Bla»k^, and ma-
ny more might have fpared their pains of
right ftating the Controveriies, if they had
this mans Key. I never yet met with the
man that could but make me wellunder-
fiand, what it is that is meant by Free-wiU^
nor what by the Vovpet which they difputc
ofi to do good, much lefs open all theiy
meanings de fcientia media^ de Comurfu pr£-
detertmnmons^ &c. But here's one can eafily
tdl us all. But I warrant him he will not.
Some men ( alas, and feme Treachers ) will
be vp'ife^ and bumble, in defpight of JVifdom
and Humility \ and Chrifiian^ in dclpight of
Love, Unity and Peace.

^' Sed. 5^. E.B. p. iS. His or^n Fne-mll
hath not the leaft fon>er to receive the things
of God,

K.B. I. What not fanmfied Free-mil/
2. What ! net a 'Receiving ehediential forrer /
A receiving power is 2i pajfive forver C as it i$
ftridlly taken. ) Hath a free-agent lefs Pow
er to receive Grace, than a marble to receive
the engraving of the work-man>Doth no man
ever receive Grace > Or do they receive what
they cannot receive ? Hath a man no more
Receptive Tower than a block or ftone? I know
its faid [ 'the natural man Keceiveth noty &c.]
K 3 that

C 140 )

^!iat is, Vndcrflatnleth nof, hcficveth not ^ and
• lo'jetb not in jhifu Coffipfifo : But its never
faid, thit l^Our free mil hath not the leaji
fowcr to receive.^ Bat I have faid fo much of
this, and the next point ( the badnefs of na-
ture 3 to which he givcth not any anfwer
at all, that 1 wonder that the man thinks
that one that is all tongue and uo earcror
tyesy is tit for credit or humane converfe.

fi!.TaTe Sedl. 57. E. B. Tm^ J<^f^ii^ Hk^t ^re not

tiodnne afraid to jj}'y Jhc Scrfture tells lu not fuffici-

a.Kl^ perni. ^^^j^ ^.^j partknlarly irhich Bookj in it fdj

are Canonical^ nor that the viriouf ^Ke actings

are the right, nor whether every 'text be brought

to us tincorrnpted,~]

K-B, I. And by implying your afTcrtion
of the contrary, you become a falft Teacher
of pernicious dcdrinc ', As if you deligned
to iii^ke men Jcfuits or Inhdels, by renounc-
ing, the Scriptures, as foon as they hnd, that
thefe things are not fufficiently there done
aTid thence to be proved, without fubor di-
late tel\imonies.

^, Why do not you five fuch as Dr. J»
lieignoJds^ Chamier^ and others their great
labour, and prove out of Scripture it felf,
xyhich of all the various readings mentioned
by '^eza^ Capdas, and others, and found
in various Copies, is the right ? and fo
©f the rell >

SedJ. 58. E.B. So that in efe^ you da
T^lvs ibc Credit of tbc Holy Scrlprtrts into

. ^'. .: .' the

the truth of Church-hifiory rphicb words

are fo contrary to the true Protefixnt dj- S

Urine-^—fo fully agreeing with the dulfrine of
thejefuitt^ &c.

R.B, I. As to agreeing with the Jefuits 36th iVa^
fully, &c. all that know their Writings^ ''"'^^'
\inow it is ^n untruth. 2. True Protcft ants
uiually fay the (ame things that I do.
Though you may meet with Tome few like
your felf that do not. 3. I have fully open-
ed in the Preface to the 2d, Edit. (kc. ot my
Saints Kefi^ how ambiguous that word [Ke-
folvinginto'] is, and how far your faying is
true or falie. He that cnquireth what Latps
are in force in England^ muft diftinguifh of
thefe twoQueftions, i. iVhich are the Larvs?
which are the Statutes in force ? what words
are falfe Frinted^ and nhat right f what Co-
pies mqjl perfeU ? And, 2. What Authority
are thefe flatutes of?

The Authority of them is all refolved
into the Authority of the King and Parli-
ament. But we that are not fo wi/e as
you, muft be beholden to various Copies, , .
Records, Printers, Lawyers, to know ^h/^^^^
which are the Statutes in force ? and whe- Reading
ther any words be falfly Printed •, And if anduncor-
wefindfomany hundred various Readings ''"P^^* °^
as be in the Bible, we cannot know in every ^j^^^Xz^
one which is right, and which is wiong, fufficienrly
by the bare infpedlion of the Book it known by
(•^jf; the l^ht of

And, if you have any confidering faculty pture^"'
kft, and your fret-PfiV hath the leafl pomr to lion: ?
K 4. Tfctive

(142)

rtctivt am truths or ftop ypu in your crrour,

rne-thinRs thefe c^uetlions (hould force you
in)'o yourwitts.

^. I. Shall he that by the Boo\ nlotie can
rcfolve all thefe doubts, fee it in the Onginal^
or only in 'trarjlations ? If in the Oii*
ginal,

2. Shall he fee the Autographs ox only the
%'aHfcripts ? or Impreilions }
■ ' 3. It the Autografhs be not to be feen,
but only 'Ira>ifcnptSy hath God promi fed
ftncn'tfig infallibility to all the Scribes and Vrin-
UTS in the world,^ of to fume only^ or to
none ?

4. If to aji\ where is the pronnife ? If to
fowe^ how (hall we know them? If to nom^ 1
piay they not all erre }

5. When many Copies fo much differ as
they do, is it not certain that feme of them
erred ?

. d. Can all Women and Unlearned perfons
'or Minilkrs, judge by the Original Jran-
fcrlpts who undcrfiand not the Original
^tongues?

7. Mufihethat fl^all be certain /f^ j// the
various Cnficsy or will it ferve turn to fee
fome one (^nly ?

S. If he mud fee all, who is he or (he in
the woild that can be certain? If ^hcy mulf
Ice many , who knows horp many and
Which ?

^. If they maft fee bat one Copy, how
{hall he know that it is the I'rueji Copy that
Mkthinrohis hands, and that all that diifer

froin

( 143 )
from that arc falfe ^ Go not corrupt Copies
com^ to other mens hands > Why then might
they not do fo to his ?

10. How can he judge of the various
Readings of all th? reft of the Copies, whic^
he never faw? '

11. If a fraftflatioH will fervc him tp judge
of the various readings in the Original^ are
they not in the Tranflation fore-jvidged of to
his hand >

12. Is any man InfaUihle in 'tranflatingi
Is there a promife of Infallibility to them >

13. Do not the Tranflations differ ?

14. How (hall men know which Tranfla-
tion is truel^ > ( when none is perfeft >}

15. Muft he {cQall Tranflations that fliall
judge ? or will one ferve ( as aforefaid )
And how fliall he judge of thofe he feeth
not?

1 5. Is It hy Infpiration fton\ Heayen, fuch

as the Prophets had, that the true Reading

muft be k^owH ? or to ordinary ( at leaft

fanctihedj Reafon by evidence in the Text it

(elf? If the former, none but Prophets can

know if. If the later, you can prove it to

a Rational or fandihed man, from fome in-

trinfick evidence. For inftance fuppofe a

man never faw but two Printed £ngli(h

Bibles, and was never told which is right

by others, and in one is Printed, Heb* 12. 2.

he i^defpifed the fame] viz* the Crofs^ and in

the other [bedejfifed thejhame^ fforfotwo

of them do diftcr : ) how (hall h^ prove

which Printer erred ?

17. Do

Ci44)

17. Do all the Men and Women that arc
Godly adually know the true and uncorrjpt
copies and readings, by the Book it (elf
without mans, teliinnony ? Or what is thi?:
name of that one Man or Wonnan in the
World that you know, who without ever
hearing it from man, could tell all the true;
readings from the fa lie, or could tell that th6 :
Canticles or Ecclefiafief or tl^e Book of Jona^\
were Canonical, and that the Book of Bj-
rnc]^^ Wifdom^ and T^ttls Epiftle to the L^a-
dictans^ and Clemens to the Corinthians^ were;
not. Do you know his name, that ever
^new this by Reading the Bible only, with-
out being cVer told it by any ? If not, and if
it.be fme qua non to mens receiving ot the
^ible it felf, that fomc one brings it to their
-hands j judge ho\y wifely and fairly you
deal with poor fouls to talk at luch aconh-
dent and yet confufed rate.

And, 18. Let me ask you one queftion
more ^ Is it neccfTary to Salvation that men
be able to read ? Hath God promifed it to
all or molt that fliall be (yied > Faith Com-
eth by hearing, as the moj^ordinary way of
old : And he that will' Preach the Gofpel
to moft Nations under Heaven, mufi Con-
tvert naore than can read, or but a few. And
-if you Preach the Gofpel to a Congregation
that cannot read, do you recite all the vari-
ous readings in the Hebrew and Greek to
them? If not, can they judge of that th.y
never heard ? If you do., are they ever
fhe wifcr as to kitow of themfelves

which

fH5)
which of them is the right ?

ip. Eut if you fay that you fuppofe not
only Grace but great Learning and Study
to difcern thefe things, how conneth it t6
pafs that the nioft Learned, Studious and
Godly men do ftill fo much differ about
the various Readings ? (as L«i. CapeVuf,
Vfher , Hctnfms^ Bootius , Ve Vieu^ and
others. ) And how come the Churches in
the Ages next the Apoftles to leave out fo
many Books of the Canon as many of them
did, while others received them ? And L»-
ihcr^ Althamar and others, to fet no more
by Jamts'^ Epiftle than they did i^ And fo
many Godly men long, and yet, to receive
much of the Apocrypha ?

20. How durft you that fpeak fo hardly
of the Jefuits, honour them fo much as to
make your filly ones believe, that their do-
iftrine in this is no worfe than mine, when
* in fo many Books, I have left that at large
which may confute you ?

And you ( wifely ) ask me to tell you
vphether I irill tak^ th^ Jefuits into my Com-
muninn^ bccaufe they hold the fame with
the Arminians with whom I will commu-^
nicatc ! fo they hold the fame with all Chri-
ftians, that there is a God, and a Chriftand
^he Scripture true ? But it is not for this that
r renounce their Communion, but for fomc
things elfe. Will you communicate with
pone that holdeth anything (yea any er-
xbur) which the Jefuits hold ^ Or did you
dream that the Arminians hold all that the

Jefuit?

(H6)

Jtfuits hold > Or did you dream that the
Arminians hold all that the Jefuits hold >
Sir, I am afhamed to fpend time upon fuch
triflings ?

A Jamc Sedt. 5p. E. B. lie former Non-confor^

deceitful ,„^jjj. thought there rPOf no foffibility of falva-

r^Omie, Po^f^^ ^ ^^Pil^ ^^^ y^^ ^^^^^ that yon

Cruel ' ^fff^^ ^ot the honour of thU Orthodoxnefs,
judging K. B. It is confutation enough of fuch

millions an accufer to recite the words which he ac-
unknown ^^^^^^ Vfh\Q\izxt{Vnlefs youdoC M Mr.^Ct-
Without a ,. , , , .1- jx-^i ^ ^, . ,,

Q^ll km$ dgth to make it geod j be fo charitable to

all the miUiom elfe among them^ of not ta caU
them Paftfif, except they praSically hold the
mifjl pernicious ofhmns of their Councils and
Divines. I confefs I affeCf none of the honour
of that Orthodoxnefs rvhich confijietb in fen^
fencing Millions and Kingdoms to Hell vt>hom
I am unacquainted mth.^ So that I diilin-
gu\{\\ of Papiiis properly fo called who pra- .
dically hold all the Popifli errours, and
Nominal Papifts that call themlclves fi^ch or
are called fo by others, vvho know not or
pra^ically hold not Aie pernicious part of
their errours ; Thefe latter I rcfufed to un-
dertake to judge to Hell, and confcquently
to damn all in France^ Spain^ Italy^ Germany ^
&c. who are c^/WPapills. And if this ac-
cufer be more valiant, and dare damn them
all, 1 do not wonder that he dare damn me
for not damning them : For he that can
eat and dig^It an Ojve, will never liick at one
• crumme ^noic. But he fliould not be alfo >

fo

(147)
b ctuel to the Reader as to put hiit to
ead my words twice over, bccaule he dil^
nembers them, to make them feem to have^
bme loathed fenfe.

Sed. ^o. E. B. p. ip. fhe former Nan-
'ormiflj faid^ the filth of nature cannot be fuf-
Hciently fpok^n of? ^^Butyou^ 6cc.

K. J5« I. when you tell us in what com-
mon Confcffion of theirs they fayfo, I (hall
try whether you fay any truer than in the
reft. 2t Reader, I anfwered him on this
point before, by no lefs than twenty inlhn-
ces, proving that Nature may be too ill
fpoken of. And he faith nothing to any of
them, but fings over his old fong again.
Is not this a iine man to difpute
with >

Se^, 6i. E. B. I Jhall conclude n>ith men" 18. Crime

thmng one thing more : I affirmed that by ^^^}\^^^

Flijh you had told us [ypas only meant, the l,^^"!^^*

fenfitive appetite ] this you reply is an un- openly

truth and a meer fi^ion, for you never faid your fdf

fo. Sif^ you had need have a good memory , <^ectftit.

for you have tprit many Buoks > in vphich as ^^* h^P*

-^ . . . J 1 truth im-

containtng many vpords, there cannot zvant njyg^i,

much fin and vanity. And indeed had you
meditated finally upon a quarter of vphat you
have jFrit^ you could not be guilty of fh
jirange forgetfulncfs. For in your Premo-
nition to the Saints Reli you have thefe very
words, [ Many thinks that hy Flejh is meant
only Incijvcllifig fin v rfhen^ alas, it h the

fenfitive

(148)

fmfitive appetite that it chargeth us ia
fithduc •, 3 ^0^ n'hich you quote^ Rom. 8. 3,
4, 5, &c.
. 11. B. You bee;in comforubly, with a pro-
mife to Conclude ', but you proceed fadly.
I. Is not the inforence as firong againft
many rperds in your Freaching as in mine
and oihtT mens n>ntings^ that in many ppordj
there cannot want much fin /

2. You proclaim the aggravation of your
fin, when you fpeak for nneditating ftridt-
ly on what we write. Can you heap. up
untruths in Book after Book, and commit
all theCe Crimes, even when you have jhiU-
Ij meditated what you write? Do you fin
lb ftudyedly and deliberately, and yet will
you not Kepcnt ?

3. Reader, if ever thou wilt pitty a poor
felf-conceited troubler of the Church, pitty
this poor man, who here openly tells thee,
that either he underftands not common fenfe,
or elfe takes no heed what he faith, but
bringeth a new untruth to juftihe a for-
mer, even into the open light, and tri-
umpheth in his adt. He telleth you the
charge which he undertaketh to prove i
viz,' that I have written, that f by Flejh U
only meant the fenfitive appetite.^ He now
undertaketh to prove that I faid fo, in the
Fremon* to the Saints Kefi ( which is ano-
ther Vntruth ) becaufe 1 faid [ Many think,
that by flcfh the Scripture meaneth only
cur Indwelling fin^ rphen^ alas^ it is the inor-
dinate fenfitive appetitt which it chargeth

us

(HP)

«/ tr fuhdite,'] Here he firft leavcth out
£ev.:r.i words, efpeciai^y the word [^inor-
din^te ] bccaufe he read not the later Edn
tioiis -, And yet he put in the word
£ fl>f/y 3 which the Printer in the laft Editi-
ons hath kft out, and which openly (hew-
eth the falftiood of his charge. Is it all
onr to fay, that [by llejh is meant not only
lndn>elling fin^ and to fay It w not meant at
all .^] Do you think he took any heed of
the word [ only ] when he wrote it ? My
bullnet^ ( not in the Premonition as he
mif-reports, but in the Epijile ) was to
prove the (infuhiefs of fle/h-pleafing^ and
that when the Scripture bids us ftthdm the
fkfhy and maJ^e no provifion for ity dec, if
doth not only mean, fuhdue the habits of
Indwelling fin in the underftanding and n>ill^
and maks no Provifion for them^ but alfo
that we muft prevent a^ual fin byfnbduing
the fenfitive appetite unto reafon , and
ruling it by faith, and that even Original
and habitual lin it felf confifteth partly in
the Imrdinatenefs of that Appetite i And
here I implyed. this proof from the No-
taticm of the Name, q,d. [If the (in to'
be iiibdued be called Fh(h ^ then t!hc
Fi-^fhly u.pptt*te is not wholly to be ex-
cluded *, for there is feme reafon why iin
is called Fkih^ rather "than Spirit, And
vj-cii can the reafon be, but that i. The
ferilirivv appetite it felf is Inordinate^ and
fo part of the feat of fin \ end 2. The
undcrftatiding and will are enflaved to the

fcnfe

fcnfe or flefti, and are vitiated with a finful
inclination to ferve the flefli or fenfe it
felf : And therefore he that readeth in
Scripture fuch paflages as require us to
fubdue iht flcfhy he muft not deceive him-
felf by thinking that it is only Indvpelling
fin ( that is in the fuperiour faculties ) that
is meant by flefh, and that thefenfitive appetite
is not here meant at all. When as i. Original
fin it Jelf is partly in the fcnfitive appetite iAnd,
2* JHual fin is to be refifted by fubduing
the fenfitive appetite to reafon, and bringing
the body into fubjedion as well as Indvpell-
ing fin to be extirpated. And if the Name
of Fleflj be put upon Indwelling fin^ from
the Flejhly intereft and Inordinate appetite,
then furely this it felf is not wholly to be
excluded, as no part of the fenfe of the
word Flcjh in Scripture. And when my
words plainly exprefs this fenfe, with what
face could this man, not only put other
words upon me, which were none of my
own, but alfo another fenfe, and a fenfe
clean contrary to the words ? And this
to juiiifie a former fal(hood i And this
after that in divers Writings I have fully
and plainly difputed of Original (in as it
is the corruption of the JuperiQur facul-
ties'^ and in divers Books about Conver-
fion (hewed the neccffity of the cleanfing and
renewing of thole faculties ! And here the
word [(>«/>'] was before his eyes, a confu-
tation of his calumny ?

Sea:.

•-. Sc(fl. 62. E. E. And indeed Sli\ th^i--}
'may confcfs a fccret to you-^ this very Ts^jjU^
of yours jj looked on 0s fo coikeltedaitd
fmgular, and tnany years agoe it gave me
fo great ^ffeitcer, that I thren? arpjy yoW"
Bffok^ upon, it^ ayid never would read it over^
Oi not thinking it pojjihle that one vpho
erred in the very entrance in fo fla'in atruth^
rpjs able to injlruH me in any thli'g that r^a$
n'orth my l^orving,- • ,

K. B. I. The Book was ' written about
twenty one or twenty two years agoe, and
you are a Young man yet : You flirely
begun very early to be paii poUIbilky of
being taught any' thing by fuch as L Is
this only ro declare your hunnilify s* br
that you fpeak evil of the Books which
you nev.er read ? and that y.ou are the
^tteft man to be the accufer Of
them ? .

2. It may be there was fome earfy ap=
tipathy between our judgements. For
I will corifefs fuch another fecret to youj
That about twelve years ago a Latine fmall
difcourfe came to. my hand as famed to
be yours, againft the Species of Monarchic
cal Government , and the arguments againft
Monarchy in it feemed tq me fuch po6r
injudicious fiend er ftuif, that ( though I did
not as you caft away the Book till Icawe
to the end ) it was one occailon of my.
v^riting the twenty Arguments againft
L - dV

Democrafie , which I put into the Book
which I have revoked ( my Polit,

Jph ^)

3. Do you not tell the world how fit
a Champion you are for any truth or
reformation , who when you read £ not
only indwelling fin "] expound it [not at all
Indvpelling fin^ ] and then glory that you
cafl away the Book as that which could

not polfibly teach you .And are you

not by this time an excellent Scholar and
a very wife man, if you did fo by all your
other Books ?

Sed. 6^. E. B. p. 2^. I am much con-
firmed in that judgement of your BooJ^^fmce
a ferfon yet livings and one worthy ^f ere-
dit^ acquainted we, that n>hen the learned
and judicious Mr* Herle had read that cry
td'Uf Book^ of yours, he told him, It had
been happy for the Church of God if y&ur
friends had never fent yon to SchouU
Mr. Cawdry had the fame opinion of it i
And another perfon as knowing in the Myfle-
rie of Godlinefs as either of them told a
friend of mine, that nottvithjianding the noife
about you, you rvould end in flefh and
blood,

K. B. J. A worthy queftion ! What a
Book is which you never read \ I wil
help you out, and mend your caufe. You
difpraile it that never read it i and you
name fome that read it and difpraifed it i,

And|

(153)
And I that wrote it am far from praifing
it. Therefore I hope you are gratitied »
and who will now contradid you ?
C Though I confefs for my own part, I
think I (hall not think my fclf fit to tell
the world in Print what any mans Book
■is, at the fame time when I confefs that I
never read it : But yow may poffibly ;iVoid
that way becaufe it ib mine* )

2. But hethit employeth you (hall miisJ
of his defign, of engaging me againft the
names of Mr. Herle and Mr. Carvdrey^ 'and
againft your unnamed perfon ; It is iuSi-
cient to me that I honour their names,
and abhorr all motions contrary to the
Laws of Chriltian Love i But 1 was not
bound that they (hould love or honour
me, and if they did not, that is not my
fin : But if my fin defer ve it, I have farr
greater accounts on which to be difplea-
fed with that (in. And I do with hearty
willingnefs hear the Propheiie of him that
told your friend, I vpguU end in flcjh and
bloody to awaken me the more to the ne-
ceffixy fear and vigilancy, kll his Prophe-
(ie (hould prove true. But whether thefe
llories be true or not, it little concerneth
me to enquire. If they be not, I pray^
name not the reporters or witncffes.

L 2- Sfd,

Ci54)

Scdl. ^4. E. B. Tou have promifed me th
you iviUmake no Reply- —

Ri B. It was but conditionally [_ if y
TPritc at the former rates. ] And your alt
rations ( by venturing to dilpute for fep
ration ) hal/e declared me not obliged. Ai
becaufe I iear you Were by thofe wotds e
couraged the more to all your untruths,
will promiic you filence no more, though
purpoie it. I have done this that y(
might have a fecond Admonition to Rcper
and the flmple may not believe your muli
plyed falfhoods ; But now, he that will 1
hereafter deceived by you, let him be d
ceived.

Sedl. ^5. E, B. 20. When you n^rite ne
I intrcat — ■ -i.l'hat you mil be Jhoi
2. And fipnficajn.

R, B: Your Counfel is Prudent Sir, b
all men cannot attain to your exadtnefs ai
fignihcancy ! Nor will I follow your Rule t
I fee better cfftdsof it. Nor pretend Bj
vity for leaving a Book almol\ wholly una
fwered, which I pretend to anfwer as y
do ; And I will better (hew that I undi
ftand common Englijh^ before I call to oth
iox figmficamy*

Si

(155)

Std[. 66» E. B. I. 'that yau mil not mi-
^ahe the thing you rorite about , hut labour
ilearly to underfland the qucflion.

il. B. But i will not undertake to mak^
^OH under ftand it.

Sect. 6j» E. B. r>0 not ramble and talk^ofs^- ^19-
Nature as itisTure^ v^hen yon jhould rrmei^'^ ^^^Jj*
zhoHt nature corrupted, imp )e .

K. B. I. Renaember that it is not you but
[ that am the Pvefpondent, and had the ftate-
^ng of the Queftion. Here therefore are
iwo more falihoods intimated, i.That the
guefiion was only about Nature as corrupted*
'2. That I fpake of IV^^^^^re as pure, and not
iS corrupted. For the queftion put by me
,^vas about Nature as Nature '•> and that men

ould not fo fpeak againft the corruption^ as
o d'](\\onour Gods part J Nature as Nature,nor
ret as it is corrupted^ to make it worfe than

is. So that I fpake not of it as Pure '■,
)ut I fpake of it both abftradedly as N^-
ure^ and alfo as corrupt.

Sec3:. d8. E. E. Do not difcourfe about Free-
vill at large^ n>h en you jhould only handle free"
yiU in the things of God.

K» B» This implyeth another Untruth, 40. Un-
:hatl did not fpeak of Free-will in the things truth im-
if God. To forbear the breaking of fome P^y^"^*
pf Gods Laws, and to do fomewhat com-
manded are the things of God : I (hew that
L 3 men

incn have fome free-will to forbear Mur-
der, Adultery, Theft , Treafon , Perjury,
Verfecution, yea, and writing falfhoods. If
not , why do you cry out of Perfecution,
Silencing, Atheifm, when men have not the
lead free-will to forbear them / Why do
you refufe the imputation of your own Un-
truths, if you have not the leaftfrcc-fvillto
forbear them f Your words were \_ Norv xre
fee (me firm rcafon to deny the leaft allorvance
of frec-JviJl in the things of God , fincethn\e

that hold it in ayiy degree -]| The Synod

of Vort taught other Dodtrine : And fo doth
Mr. Fenner in his Book o^mlful Impenitence.
And in the ftcond Sheet of Mr. Vods fayings,
when one had been rcftrained from (wear-
ing at Dinner by his prefcnce contrary to
his ufe, he took occafion to (hew, that men
ca^t d) more than they do^ and can forbear mort
evil than they forbear,

4r. iTn- Sedl. <5^. E. B. And hecaufe many Tmfef

t: ut:\ ^ nc' firs of Cbrijiianity are ignorant and injudici-
tonoui. Qus. do nnt thinks that therefore you dirvell to
, cat! Chnltians^ confidcrcd as Chrijiians fo^'jChefi

are ei-vknt and afpjrettt Sofhifms vphick
abound in your lajl Treatife.

K. Ji. Thefe are deliberate written words:
And it all this be the meer h<fl:ion of youi
brain ;, If I have not one fyllable that harj-
any fuch importance •, Nor one word in m)
Pooks have the leaft (hew of fuch a thing
Nay , if the clean contrary be moft openlj

ancj

. (157)
and plainly exprelTed in them, and yet ra-
ther than confeis your former falfhood, you
fear not before God and man to fecond it
with this moft immodcft additional forge-
ry, which hath no Cloak > let your Reader
judge, and let your Confcience judge at laft,
whether Repentance was your duty. He
that faith Chriftians conlidered as Chriiiians
^re ignorant, injudicious, &c, layeth his
charge on Chriftianity, more than on the
men : Had you no way to hide your former
falfliood, but by this impudent forgery that
I fpeak againft Chriftianity it felf ? Hid not
Repentance been a better reparation of your
proftituted honour, than this.

Se^. 70. E. B. Do not love tojumhk ab"
Hrd and infignificant Phrafes together ; as to
fay \_ A defedive^ faulty^ true Church. "]

R. JB. Reader, if thou exped that he
fiiould tell thee, the abfurdity or infignifi-
cancy of any one of all thefe words, thou
imuft not put him to fo much condefcenfion,
jbut take it on his word, or rell unfatish-
Icd. Whether DefeUive^ or faulty, be infigni-
ficant words, or whether no Tr«e Church be
idefei^ive^ndfaultyy if you believe him, per-
haps you may hear in his time.

L 4 Seft.

(I5S)

Sed. 7 1 . E. B. T'o mention a Political^
Spiritual., ConfiitHtive Head. ' ' ' '

K. B. More wildom llill ! which of thefe
Wifdom is the Bon-fcnre ? Is it that the Pope pre-
iTr'^kTs^^"^^^^ to be a Political Head? Confult
dark. " P* Lud* Moulins Juzulum Caufa , and all
Goldajius his three Volumes, with Charmer^
^ivct^ JFhitah^r^ Blondel^ and all that write
againft hirp. Oris it that he claimeth to
be diSfintttal Bead' or Governour? Then all
his own defenders and all our oppofers of
him wrong hirn, till Mr. Bagjhanp came to
morm' this laiiguage : Or is it bccaufe he
claimeth not to' be the Confiitutive Headcf
the Church ? Ask all thofe Papifts that fay
it is Effcniial to a number of the Church
to be'iubjedto the Pope. Reader, Is not
this man Uncharitable , that will neither
give us his leave to uie our old words, nor'
teach us better b but intimate that we
(gcak nonfenfe, and he, can fpeak better if
lie would ! We have hitherto been ufed to
^all a Ggvcrned Church a Political Society .^ as
diltind: from a nicer concourfe or com-,
jmunity ot Chriftians. And why nbt ? " if
^cAif conpe from -^^Auf : And if God hath
prepared for them a City ^ whofe God he 13
not afnimcd to be" called , Ht^.' 1 1. 16.
And if it be well faid , PhiL i. 27. Ubyov

Ph'l < "'^'i;^ n l^.ayyiUs r^i Xp*5-tf rroM <££,^i. : And

. ..J.- . |£ ^^^^ P6litical Coiiverfations 70 ^Q\hdfixa.,\
bs in Heaven, why may not a Church , at '

Icait

, ri5p)

aft fuch a one as the Pope doth claim, be
ailed a Political body or fbciety ! Or at
eaft, why may not the Pope be faid to lay
uch a claim? We have been ufed to call
hat Government Spiritual:, which isdone by
he Word and Church Keyes^ and confequent-
y the Governours Spiritual ? And why
nuft this be non-fenfe now ? We have

been ufed to call that Governour a Confti-

iutive Headj without whom the (bciety is
ot ejfentiated in fpecie^ as a King in a King*^
om. O unkind Teacher, that will leave

us all in this ignorance , and not vouchfafe

one word to help us out.

Stdc* 72. E. B. And do not thinks to ex-
cufe your felf from nriting Non-fenfe^ ^y fay-
ing you meant a thing ohje&ivcly^ and not
Ifuhjcdively.

KrB. Nay then I defpair of fcaping non-
fenfe! If the Ohjeii and the Suhjea muft
needs be all one, and ii fenfe in the Pook
or argument, ^nd fenfe or reafon in the
Reader be all one, I am not the hrft that
Was deceived : No nor if it be all one to
fay ToH under jl and not the fenfe or reafon of
my argument , and £ you have no fenfe or
reafon* ~\ But new Lords new Laws.

Sed:. 73. E. E. And do not make Philofo-
phy ridiculous as yoit do when you ttU us^
Jhjt our ads of knoxving exterior things arc
ris FbiLfphcrs a^m^ chjedively organically

thou^

though not efficiently and formally. Sir I ani
fure no wife man talkj thus > and if Philofo'
fhers doj its time rve left them^ &c.

K. B. When you once begin to fay you
are fure^ and no vpife man is againft you, I
begin to think you talk more ignorantly
than when you feenn to douht v I will not
prophane a point fo little underftood by
you, and G) much fcorned, as to difpute,
it with you. Enjoy your ignoiance and
fcorn.

Sed. 74. E. B. Lafily^ When truth is to
he examined^ and the nature of a thing firiCxly
to be confidcrtd^ do not argue againft it from

fime ill confequencc asivhat you defperate-

4i.llntruih [y j^y.gg againji the Scriptures being a ferfeci
Rule^ which foundation of faith and praHice
you labour to overthrow^ by tragically infifling

OH the confcquences that will follow -Sir

this in the end will bef.und perfect folly and
madncfs \ therefore leave it in time^ left the
Lord reprove you^ and you be found a lyar*

K. B. I. Alas, That your Pen could write
the lail word without the more prevalent
rebuke of your Confcience ^ After fo many
Untruths } yea, and when in the fame pa-
ragraph you are renewing the fame fin ?-
in faying I deny the Scripture to be a per-
fedt Pvule , when I ftill fay, [_h is a perfid
'B.ulc fo far as it is a Kule !

2. If you intend fenfe and truth, your
argument iiiuft run thus [ He that faith the

Scripture

Scripture is not a particular Rule, com-
manding the thing in particular, but only
a Generjl Kule^ for the Metre and Tunes of
Pfalms , for the dividing of it felf into
Chapters and Verfes, for the hour and place
of meetings, for the choice of a Text to
preach on, and words and method of Ser-
mon and Prayer, for the naming or deter-
mining the Perfon that (hall be a Paftor,
for the form of Pulpits, Tables, Cups, &c.
yea, for the making of a Clock, or Watch,
or Hour-glafs, to meafure the time by, or
for building the Houfe to preach in, &c. He
that faith thefe are not determined of parti-
cularly in Scriptt^re, but only under the Ge-
neral Rule of doing all things to Gods Glo-
ry, to Edihcation, decently and in order, ^c,
this man doth deny Scripture to be a per-
fed Rule, and laboureth to overthrow the
foundation of faith and practice, and prove-
ing what he faith by the ill confcquences
that elfe will follow, will in the end be
found in perfed folly and madnefs , re-
proved by God, and found a lyar ; But fuch
a one is K. B. Therefore.d^c] Reader, if this
be found dodrine, if after all Gods warn-
ings of the danger of Levity and Ignnant
pride^ thou canft yet receive fuch exrors and
rtvilings , as a defence of the foundation^
thy cale alfo is to be lamented.

3 . when Vcf. par, i. pag. pS, &c. I had
fully defcribed the opinion which I reje-
cted, and had given in fifteen reafons againft

( iSi )
i<, what doth this eafie confident Difputer,
but inflcad of offering an anfwer to any
one of therti, calls kperfe^ filly and mad-,
mfs fo to confute it by ill confequences ^
Coth this difputing fatisHe any fober en-
cjuirer after truth ) Doth he not reproach
his followers in the eye of the world about
him, while he thus openly feeraeth to ex-
pe<fl, that they will rell: in luch realbnings
or rtplyes asthefe ? And really if we prove
againlt the Papifts, that though they direftly
deny not Chrifl and his Office , yet that
fuch Cpnfcquents will follow upon divers of
their errors, will this man that talketh fo
niuch of Antichrifhanifm, fay that it is per-
tedf foUy and madnefs to charge fuch confe-
quents upon them ? If I prove that any
opinion doth confequentially deny God, or
the fouls ip^imortality, or fubyert all our
fai^h 5 do I deferve no better an anfwer
than that ? this is my ferfe^ filly and mid-
neff^ and I (hall be proved a lyar» What need
is there of learning, reafon, fobriety or mo-
defly to enable any man to difpute and feem
Orthodox at this rate ?

Sed:. 75. E. B. Xm nuy fee by this brief
tjlle , hon? eafie it is for me to defend my

fiifr.

R. E. O wonderful blinding power of

^If-conceit !

Std.

(i63)

Scd[»y6. E. B. p. 21. It is not a kjfening

of your Reputation that I mainly aim at : much
lefs at the advancing of my own upon the r»-
ine of yours. But I thought the truth of
Chrid worth my vindicating : And tohen I
faw that your name did ftand in the way of

it —'the whole defign of this Letter is

( as to others ) to perfwade all to loo]^ upon
you , not only as a fallible , but a mi^aV^n

man

K. B. I have long ago done wondering
that iuch men as you can deliberately, choofe
and ufe fuch means, when once they have
dared to intitleGo^ and \\\% Glory to their
falfe doctrines : For what is it that they
will not think lawful to do for God and
'truth ? If (bme ferve hitn by k^illing his
fervants, no wonder if others do it by Jlan-
dering them, and perfwading all to feparate
from them : And if they fay [ Rom. 3. 7.
If the truth of God hath more abounded
through my Lye unto hvs Glory^ why yet am I
aljo judged as a finner ? ~\ But God and
Truth may be better ferved by truth. But
faljhood murt by falfhood be upheld. But Sir
my Reputation is at your fervice for an ho-
nelter ufe i, but feeing it was but for the de-
tirud^ion of Chriftian Love and Peace that
you deligned.to make a ftepping-ftone of it,
try/ whether you be not ilipt befide it into
the dirt.

Sea.

(1^4)

Sed. 77. E. B. I thought it my duty to
reprove you^ and to fet your fin ( and er-
ror herein ) in order before you

K. B. I iiave much more fin than you
arc aware of, which all fuch invitations do
call me to renew my forrow for, and vi-
gilancy againft : But when I once take the
• Principles of Chriftian Love and Vnity for
fin, and the principles and pradlice of En-
mity and Vivifton for my duty, I (hall then
2.yo'\d fin zsfwfrlly and lamentably as many in
this age have done.

SeA. 78. E. B. If you mil fliU go on ,
and under pretence of rcriting for Love , do
n>hat yoH can to h^ef up a mixedy diforderly^
perfecuting and imferfih Church- St at e^ leave^
ing us no hope nor pojpbility of reformat

tion

K. B. I. This is another implycd Un-
43. Untruth ^^^^j^^ ^^^^ j j^^^p ^p ^ perfecuting Church-

Statey when I have written fo much more
than you againft it : yea, that I dj rrhat I
can to do it •, as if you thought that we can
do no more evil than we do , and our
power were as fmall to fin as you make it
to be to good. But you will find at laft
that fparating from Churches for mixture^
and imperfidion , and fuch diforder as we
have now in queftion, and to cloak this
with flandcring tiie honeft Conforming Mini-
ikrs with Ferfecution , who lament it in

others,

(others, and never pradife it ( though I
am not one that take them to be blamelefs )
this will prove a greater hinderance to Re-
fornnation than a fober peaceable Chriftian
converfation will be.

2- And thus unskilful builders do pull
down ! Did our Separations and Church-
divifions thefe fix and twenty years lall
paft promote our Reformation ? Wonder-
ful ! That men can yet take that for the re-
forming way, which hath deftroyed Refor-
mation, and brought us into all the con-
fufions we are in ? Will all this experience
teach us nothing ? I will ccafe wondering af
the words, Luke id. ^i» If they hear not
Mofes and the Profhets^ neither mil they be
ferfrvaded^ though one rofi from the dead. ^
And do you not know how yur erronious
reafonings 2X1^ fradices do occaiion men even
to fcorn at your talk of Reformation j^ and
if we did not ditown you and renounce
your errors, ana mif-doings, the Non-con-
formifts were like to be expofed to common
derifion for your fake, and accounted a fort
of men at enmity with fobriety and peace >
and multitudes were like to be hardened by
you into greater evils and enmities than I
will name. And can any ignorant Moun-
tebanks more mortally and pcrnicioufly
pradife Phyfick, than you thus pradife the
Reformation of the Churches ? Which are
wounded and torn by fuch Reformers ?

Sed.

44 Untruth Sed:. 7p. E.B. My mlfcalling you Lean

ed^ Judicious^ Mortified : — is indeed t\

only ( untruth ) r^hich you canJHJilyckarj^
me Tvith

R. B. Alas Sir, is that fin fuch a jeftin
matter? Wii) you end asyQu begun? Whe
you faid you had done, will you not hav
done writing untruths? When you haven
other matter for Vntruths , will you mal^
. this another, to fay that no one of thirt
three which I named to you,, can be juftl

charged on you ? Ask any fober imparti;

man who hath read your Book and min(
whether you have cleared your fclf of an
one of them, or fpoken any thing that ;
confiderable and probable to fuch a pui
pofe ?

Sed.So. R. B. 2^.Mt.Bagfhaw havin
done, begins again ro call rae to recant ur
feemly abuies of Mr. Brorvn^ and one that
Book prefaced by him is written of: An
he reciteth both their Letters. As t

Mrs. ■ Letter, I give her this accour

of my thoughts of her and the Book thai
written of her : i. That I make no doub
but all the holy truth which Ihe hath learned
all the mortihcation of lin , and reformat]
on of life, all the faith in Chrift, and Lov
to God and holinefs, which is in her, are th
true fruits of the Spirit of God, and he i
a wretched perfon that will afcribe thefe ti
Melancholy : 2. And I doubt not but in ;

Me

[ejancholy diftemper, as S^n .iiqdeth ]]
IS, advantage for fome ipccj^l temptati-,;^!
IS, Co God can make his advantages
> further the fandification^ pf , fi|ch ,a - n I :
lul. -, _.-r ^{ ^ v«^ '•^'*-'"^

3. But h^thzt^mthmQ that Ba^
id would have we ignorant tbV Melanch<9-.^\
^ had a great hand in her faftings, ten^- .^:
tations and feveral conceits, -there men tK.
ned, and this after my experience of mul-
itudcs in thp. Jike. condition, yea, when I . '^-M*'
m ftill wearied pat Vith the Cafes of fuch,,,^
rom time to time, doth put , an utter im^At
•pflibility upon me : For if my Ignorance
lerein would gratifie fuch, it is pot in my ,
>ower to be igjiorant whe|^',I.will : But \,,^
:an bear with it in,others. .J.\> ^^, .\,

^^Therefore her words [^ If this he the ef-

m of Melancholy ] go on an untrue fuppp^v

It-ion. I have told you what w-ere the et-

fedrs. And her forrow that [_ I ^/w/o^k^.j, tintmrh

f/eriVi>/^ .J the. eff£(fts (he mentioneth, isthCjofMrs. —

pffed of svotft than Melancholly, as beings

fotinded in her ««^.r;eik , . . , /^

Next this :WQman accufech me with.allj
:hpfe following ?/«^r«t^ J. j

I. 'That Brother Browne n>as the Author. of z Untruth.

}b4tBookc

Jnffv^ Not a true word : I only (aid^ that
It was publijhed by him^ as uncontrolled fame
iffirmed\ ] but not that he was the Author:
can find no fuch word in my writings :
M If

If VO(lba\i, Mi hie vvhdfc: 'Mi cfoA tift^
his l&pm\thd6^ fii^lheW thariie .^as oht of

the Tnmjhers F-' --^**/'' ^^^ '^^'^^ ^^- c

Mr, Baxter. -'^'^

'>^tpr;fafre kgaft Vl^ My-rarf [ itn«r

is, As Are wi^ paffihg by in the ftteet, h^t <

prT0on upon"'mt (\ tt>^h I coUld ^o^ OtthtH'
to;hechnfe W^ Jo Hfrrrpei^Bh^'^ii^driii (f

'i#/f/^. FalfBagaitt i Iha^ rtG fuch wbif^r 1
tK4t' oUe^hn/' ntj iS'dhkdir'h^' ai>^ itftpreffkn
oji Ber^ biit'bfiFy of the^fiiwf, that ^/<^fif i
the Sermon was done fit eoUld hardly fsibe^^

crying out.

\ Anfw» Anoth^ miftake ': 1 faH o'lfily,
{^fijtwcm home 'a ih'iing(itferf)H K ^efolifeU^
Cthat is, did rejiflik ^ fvf^^a^^^^^
(he went h'orh'e chshge'd l^e-deriyietfe hoti^&i
her t err ours were lonrtc ch^ttge- : T*hatlhe-i
^efblved for d holy life, heir 'Tclf aiid her
Book profefs , But whether as foon as (he
went home, oir how ttjany di^c^ after^ I r
neyer undertook to tell ! But how could (ti6
he Convciftcd without rcf6lving of a holy
li!c>

f 169 )

5. I'hat Brother Browne inflmlied me in
the fifth Monarchy principle J i^heress he then
ifpofed it.

Aiijip. I fiicl [_ Mr. Brcrvne and others
mre her Inftru^ers^ who vpere very zedons
^or the noay called the fifth Monarchy^ and
having infifudcd her in thofe opinions^. dec.
[f I did miftake here I recant my errour j
But I will tell you my grounds, i. That
he others were of that opinion as they deny
lot, fo I have heard no others deny. 2. At
he publifliing of that Book, fame fpake the
]ime of Mr. Brorpne and of his companion,
|. The Book doth plead for that opinion,
|.. His Epiftle is before the Book asaPub-
ifhing appUufe of it. 5. He profefTeth
hat opinion to this day. And all thefc ap-
pearances might induce fuch a judgement of
Hm. But if he took it up between the
ktftion, and the publication of the Book,
n what day or week, it is none of my bu*
ne(s to declare : He better knoweth thofe

mfelf-

[_ 6, That I impofed ahftinence upon my 5tK lln-"
If as to meat ( when 1 vpould gladly ^^^'^^'
we eaten httt dttrfi not^ becaufe I appe-
nded I had no right to the Creature be^
Ig out of Chrifl ) This is all faife and un-
he > and I am afionijhed that Mr* Baxter
%Hld mth fo much confidence affirm theft

ngs.'j

M 2 AnfpF*

C 170 )

AnfrV' I. The good Woman underftand-
cth not that ftie contradifteth her fcif :
She did not impofe ahftinence on her felf ',
but (he durjl not eat for the reafon here
given : that is, She did not impofe ahfii"
nence on her felf^ but Jhe did impofe it
for fear upon this reafon. Thefe untruths
and nonfence in a Woman are more ex-
cufable than in her Teachers : Why doth
She render a Keafon why She durft not
ear, if by that fear and for that reafon
(he did not impofe abftinence on herielf?
Did any other impofe it , or (hut hci
mouth ? Is not that our own doing
which we give a reafon of, and fay thai
we did it through fear ? Doth not hi
that giveth a Thief his Purfe, confent him
felf to it, and make it his own ad t(
fave his life ? If (he knew not what (h<
did, why is (he angry for being though
Melancholy, ( which is many a Godly per
fons cafe ? j If fhe did know, why dot!
(he f alily call it an untruth, that (he impofe
it on her felf ? By this tafte you ma
(ee that even in well-meaning people th .
fame principles will oft have the farr
pradices, when here are five untruths j .
this (hort Letter, and four at leaft of h
accufation of my words are vifible ui
truths. ^

But I would know of Mr. £. B. or hcj
whether it be true dodrine, that one 0
&f Chrift Jhould not eat^ becaufe they ha

m rights and whether almoft to confumc
her ^If with Famine was well done } If
fo, tnuft all wicked men do Co ? If it be
falfe dodrine ( as undoubtedly it is ) 1
further ask, whether it was the fpirit of
God, or Satan that was the Author of
It > I hope (he dare not father fin and
falftiood on Gods Spirit : And if it was
iemptatioH of Satan ( as it was ) I
ask whether to yield fo far to a Tenapta-
tion (b nnuch againrt the light of Scri-
pture, nature, and felf-prefervat'on, in a
cafe fo plain that common people know
the errour of it, and to proceed fo long
almoft to famiftiment in that errour and fin,
I fay, whether this (hewed not fome flaw at
that time in natural underjiandma and reafon-
ing as well as in grace ? If it did ( as fure it
did; what could it be lefs than Melancholy ?
And I hope it was never the mind of
Mr. Jordan^ or Mr. Brorpne in that Book,
to father this opinion or practice on Gods
fpirit. I doubt not but God thus oft
tryeth his own > but it is as little doubt
but that he oft leaveth them under Me-
lancholy as the Tempters opportunity and
'advantage. And its pitty that poor foul^
ihould be angry with thofe that know their
'cafe, better than they themfelves, and truly
pitty them.

M 3 Sed.

(172)

St(^. 8 1. R. B. I come now to Mr.
Brotvncs Letter •, wherein I will ^;iot
reckon it fas it is J with his untruths,
that my [ mo lajl T'reatifes give great oc-
cafton to the Adverfaries of 'truth and Th-
rity to ref roach and Blafpheme God and his
people ] For the man fpeaketh as his ill
caufe and principles have made him think.
And that this is no more than fome of my
Vifcipks have fitggeftcd to him^ whether it
be true or falfe 1 know not. What men
that I have been eleven years driven from,
may be drawn to by cruelties on the one
hand, and feducers on the othcy, I can give
no account ot at -this diftance : Let them
anfwer for thtmfclyes.

The firft untruth I charge him with is
that I have uttered may faljhoods cf him-
felf and others. The cafe is anon to be
tryed.

Scd. §2. Mr. Erovpne^ P« 27* \_Hou> the
pre fait Conformijh can he cxcufed from fome
degree of Idolatry remains to be better pro*
vcd^ •

K. B. An anfwer to what I faid had
been more congruous than this put-
oif. And that you take it for no Railing
to call ahnoft all Chrilh Churches on,
Earth (even the Preformed) Idolatrous/
and yet take it for railing to be told
that you fo accufe them ignorantlyj rafii-

;Iy ati4 rejf-p^ijiceitedly, doth, but (hew the
iWindipg pi^vv^er of fdfijhH^fh:-^^ dividit^
pimj^le^^ \^en ther^ js foyaft.^ flifp^rit^,
iu In the matter of tijre cfux'ge. 2|. And ui
^fh^perCofli^ph^rg^d. .":

k , Jha^ yoi^r Brother fjg/)^«p hath as yop
^11 it, now 4^cek'ed yo^T^: ep^epmou a.na
Wf9%ed ^jf c<^«yf, that is, hath been f^in
to leave his untruths unjufliiied, I fupppfe
you cannot ^ny i« conlifience with ypyiur
own expr€ffion% _ ^ ...^,:;jii

Seft. S|. Mr.^rowne* p. 28. £ /«^fei fir^ id Un-
i« *n?o line J there are no lefs than two Vn-- ^^"^^v
trnihs fublijhed to the rporld conctrning me ■:
the firjlU that lam the Author and Pub"
lijher of that Boo^ , which is a^rmed by
him againfi fhe mpfl notorious evidence in the
World to the contrary : 'the Author
Mr* Timothy Jordain' . ., / . ■ and all that
I did Bw, being defired to write an Epifile
p?herein I acqua^int the Reader that I am
not the Author of ity jbut only did joy ne in
teftimony to fgffifie what was recprded in the
^nfui^g T^reafife was true*

K. ^. Reader, wouldft \hou think it
poflible for a man that voluminoufly ac-
^ufeth the Churches, and chargeth them
^ith Idolatry, ^nd had read my detec^i-
3n of his Brothers Untruths, to face men '
iown with fuch words as thefe that I
^y that which I never faid 1 1 have many ;
\vp^ts over read ipy ow^i v/prds, and I
M 4 can

OV4)
'tin find ifio fyllable of What he faith, that
•1 affirm' fiirri to be the Author of ihkt
'Booh^'- I only faid [the Fubiijher ] and he
addeth [^thtAKthor] as^ may prefently by
the Readers eye-fight be convi^cd. I £iy,
'^Tublifhcd by Mr. Browne as is uncomrn'
ledly ajfirmed*'] And is not this aKo a
jra(h and c^reVefs man, that no better heed-
ctli whathe readeth and what he writeth ?
And doth he not here declare himfelf a
Fubli/her of it, when he cofikflcth he put
an Epiftle to it, to joyne in ^efiimofty^
that what was recorded jvas' true* And is
this Printed Epiftle and Tcftimony no Pub-
lication ^ ^-'^^^"^ *^^* v>ti U^',;H.rV --v-

Scd. 84. Mr. Bovfine* 'the fecond utftruih
//, that I am wtcontrolledly affirmed fo to
hcy rvhen I believe he had never a fecond in
the vporld that either rpill. or can af-
firm it, ('^^'^ "»^>

K. B. Here are two more falffioods",
I. That it is an Vntruth that I faid of
him. 2. That I faid it was uncontrolledly
affirmed that he was the Author. But thai
tie was a Tuhlijher you have now his own
"ConfciTion of his Epiftle, which I had
fed , and Mr. J*9jcph Bak^r gave me the
Book, find told me it was publiftied by
^r. JordaiHy and Mr. Brorvne, and this re-
port I oft after heard, and it never was
controlled to me ^ which is all that lean
teafonably mean my [^HncontroUed.^ ^^\
■'■ ' :■ ^ ■ how '

how is it poflible for mc to knov; what is
faid of him to all others, in every diftant
place and corner ?

Se<9:. 85. Mr. Broi^ne* As for the Book^ it
felf and the matter of ;M contained in it^
I never yet met voith any judidotts fohtt
Chriftia: th.t had ferlonfly prujtd it^ tfho
dur(} advintiiirc to proa ^' me either of the
whole or any confiderahle p rt of if, that it
was an effeG of Mtlanawly,
^r Ji. B. Who talkt of the n>hole ? But ^
'what part you will call cnfJerable who
knows > Is not this a concellion that fome
fart is (o judged of ? And muft your Ig-
ttorame of fuch matters as Melancholly
have fo great influence into your Divinity ?
But you may fay true, For moft now adayes
converfe with few but thofe of their own
tnind. And the Book is not to be got in
any (hop that 1 can hear of.

^"•'Sed. 8<$. Uu Browne. Whether this de-
crying of experiences^ this flighting the vtforl{^
of Gods ffirit in the foul^ the crying out
that thefe things are hut the effeds of Me-
lancholy^ he not the ready way to maJ^ all
fufernatttral Convcrfion derided^ and the

rvhole myfterie of Godlinefs contemned

confider .

K. B, I. Here is imply ed a fourth Un- 4th Un-
truth, that I decry experience s^ and the reft "u^**-
here mentioned. 2. Alas, muft the poor

Church

Ci^u*cb ©f Chrift have Cuch mifcr^bh
Cjuidfs, th^t buil4 h^Y ^4 fiubW^^ ^^^c
think if it be burnt the Church muftfay:
I tell you fir, fuch ra(h and Ignorant Teach-
ers, a^ your Writings (hew you to fcie, arc
the men that do fo rpuch towards the v^-
ty fame e/fcds which you feem to fear,
even to tempt nicn to detide all ruperpatur^l
/converfion^ as that I fc^^ce know a tppre
ipowerful way.

If you heard one man fay [ Satan as ^
Angel of Light ftirrcd up the Qi^ak^rs to
pretend Miracles, Prophefies and fpiritual
raptures, purpofely to tempt the World
to Infidelity, by perfwading them tl]at ^hc
Spirit in the Prophets and Apoftles was but
the like ] And if you heard James Naylor
lay, £ Your calling the Spirit in us a vain
Imagination or deceit^ is the rt?ay toperfjvade
men that the ffirit in the Prophets and 4poiiUs
vpas hut imagination and deceit '•> } Wbich
of thefe two fayings would you believe ?
I take the cafe which I fpjfke of to be the
}*ke.

I tell you ftill, that all the T'wS and
Goodmfs that your Book mentioneth truly,
was wrought by the fpirit of God. But
if men will make the world bcheve that
tmy falfe doGrine^ or any fin^ or any falfi
(xpofjtion of Scripture is of the (pirit, gr tha^
their unproved Impulfes which 3re not
agreeable to the word , but are ?i^^inft it
or befidcs it, muft be.believed to be of God,

and

nd will defcribe thefe as Exftrienas and
yods way of Converting fouls, their Igno-
ance will as cife6tually ferve the Devil to
ring true Converfion and the ffirit into
:orn, as the dcrifions of a Drunkard will
lo, if not more. It is no new thing for
latan to deceive as an Angel of light, and
lis Miniftcrs as Minifters of Righteoufnefs.
^nd if you know not his wiles, cxpe<^
lot that we (hould all concurr with you
n expoiing ffirituality and holimfs to the
corn of fuch as now abhor r it, or as of
ate have taken fuch advantages againft
hofe that are better than them-
elves.

Sea.87. K.B. Whether you ioftruded
iier in tho(c principles you know beft:
[f you deny it, I retradt it. That you
were very zealous in them is paft doubt h
but juft the day when you began, whether
before thit Book was begun, or before it
was finilhed, or when, I leave to your
pwn report,

Se<S. 88. Mr. Brorvnc* Indeed it is novp

my Opinion that there is a glorious ftate of
the Church yet to come^ before the laft end
of all things^ xphen all OppreJJion and Op-
freJfoHTS Jhall ceafe, and every thing of man
fhall he hid down in fuhferviency to the In-
Itereji of Chriji^ and the Kingdom of the World
^all become hif*

Ko B.

CI78)

R. B, Amen ! It is my earttefi VeCtre as
well as yoHfj i But Defire and Bf />/ are not
all one. The Prophefics th^t you fuppofe
foretell all this, 1 thought lalnr^oft ui^der-
ftood thirty two v-^rs zgoQ ^ but fince I
perceive I did not : But i coutr d;d not
that which I do not underftand, n^r nt-
vcr did. Who will plead for Oppreffion >
And what Chrirtian defireth not the great-
eft Holinefs and Rightcoufnefs ia the
World } I freely confefs my Ignorance in
the point, whether on this fide the general
Refurredion, there (hall be {o perfe& and
univerfal Righteov^fnefs as you defcribe, as
th^All Opprejfton fhall cejfe. My greateft
Hope is in the three Petitions of the Lords
Prayer, 'thy Name he Hdlovoed^ 'thy Kingdom
Come^ thy vpiU he done on Earth as it is in
Heaven : And I am fure this will warrant
my defires. And I the better like thofc
Opinions of a perfed age, becaufe Hope will
fet men upon praying tor it. But as I de-
teft all Rebellions againrt juft Authority on
pretence that they are not truly Godly, and
all fetting up mens fclves on pretence of
fctting up Chrift , and uling unlawful
means on pretence of good ends, fo I am
afraid of being tempted down from the
Heavenly Hopes and Comforts, by looking
for more on earth than is indeed to be ex-
pcded.

. Sta,

i .

r 179 )

Se(9:. 8p» Mr.Brorpne* p* 2p. [Ht tells us
firji that Jhe was fuddenly moved to come ts
hear him Preach^"' • ^

R. B. Ameer untruth: as I have before ^^^ ''^«"
(hewed. Ifaidnotfo. "^^^•

Se6l:. po. Mr. Browne* 'that Jhe had fuch
cottvi&iofts from his Sermon ( for fo he feems
to intimate, ) &c.

R, B, Untrue again : as is before (hew- ^^^^l":
ed : Nor will your feeming falve it. *^"^^

Se^. pi. Mt, Browne. l!hat Jhe dejired to
f^eak^ with him is another untruth*
K. B» Of that Khali fpeak anon.

Sed.p2. MuBrowne. 'that Jhe did imfofe
on her felf ahfiinence from meat

K* K. Here he contradids himfelf as (lie
did, and faith pe durji not eaty and yet 7^h Un-
falfly chargeth me with untruth for (aying ^^"^^*
the fame fence.

Sed^. P3. Mr. Browne* Lafily^ She nevei^
fell in fo among the j^aksrs as to be one of
them i though it is true that through the
power of I'emptations Jhe was fomewhat encli-
ned to them.

K. B. Here he untruly intimated that I
faid more, who never faid fo much > but
only that (he thought they lived ftriftlyer
than we, and fell in among them. And

now

(iSoJi

now Reader I Qiall again tell thee my rea-
fons for all that Ifaidof her.

Mr. Jofeph Balder then Preacher in fFor-
cefter ( a man of unqueftionable Prtnlericc
and Credit , now with Chrift ) told me
all that I have faid of this Woman, a«id
that (he had not been at Church of a long
time before^ and was palling along the
Streets, an4 was fuddenly moved to go in
to the Church at Ledrure time j and that
(he was ftxuck as aforefiiid at the hearing of
the Text, and before Sernaon was done
could hardly forbear crying out in Church i
and that (he had on the conceit of their
ftridnefs fain in among the Quakers i and
been often at their meetings ^ but hearing
them fpeak againli Scriptures znd Mirtifiers
was troubled, and thought that they fpake
that which -her experience would notfuffer
her to confent to ; and that (he was hke in
theie perplexities to fall into great Melan-
choly, and her body alfo to be weakened by
the troubles of her mind, and that through
his motion or perfwalion (lie was defirous
to fpeak with me : I had no reafon to de-
ny belief to. him : When I came next to his
houfe the Gentle-woman came to me, and
he and (he together repeated the fubftance of
all this again, and (he fpake not a fyllable
againfl it : And fpeaking a few words to
di(rwade her from the ^aks^s in hafte, I
never faw iher more : The (aid Mr. BaJ^r
cold me after of all her fad and Melancholy

abftinence

C iSi )

iftinence and weaknefs, and of Mr. Brmme
id Mr. Jatdams frequency with her i
nd (hortly after (hewed tne the Book, with
^x. BroTvnei l^\d\t to it^ and told me that
Kich they no^V thus quarrel wi^h^ that
[fi Brotpne was one of the publifhers of it,
id was for the dodrine in it. Though I
fecrned by the Book that (he her felf was
ken ^ith that point. Thefe things I
hg heard aflirrtied and confirmed^ iand ne-
t contradi^ed till this day, and now you
;ar that the tiM^ng ©f Mr* Brgn>ftes Opi^
omnd endeavours^ is all that they can fey
ly thfiig againft thcrtifehnes. : And thus
uch 1 thought tneet to fiy agwn(l theit
fii Dfioafidns on ^hts %-dcca(ionv ...v (.- .

Sed. ]P4j^ K. Bi rf . 3©^ I have not yet --n (7^,^
>oe \^h Mr. Ba^an> : He comes on 'i'^^J^'' :
^kt in i Poi^fcript with inor^iiUntcuths;
fid iir(i he tells ^ou hbW little comnlen-
ittDiiit is to my honeftj/ to havejtt fuckeafn
'^fs''nmt9 the LmiiftTDrnd iPrefi that, he
m^WtHi two Books ^bj^re andtber jna» caM
ipiife^ fheett -^

A^vfilA. l^evcr Ipake with thfeldccnfel, 4rth Ua-
»faw him •, Andif i^ither . t>f;diofe tw^ ^'^^^ ^^
ooks^vereLicenfed fivhen he wrote this
ificifk) is not this iiiil a fearkfs hdedlefs

2. Is not Honefty atnong thcfe fnen.be- ^.£5^^'
)me a word of a new (ignification ? And ^f"^"^"y*
ft any wonder if our dijhonefiy make uS

unworthy

unworthy of their Communion, when oui
bonefty is queftionable for the Licenling of
our Books ? If it be a fign of difhonefty
to do any thing which our Rulers will but!
allow of, it may next be diihonefty to fpeak
any thing that they think worthy to b^
believed, and to Preach the Gofpel if they.,
do but allow it. And may not your ho-
nedy be as reafonably queflioned becau(e
you are fuifered to Preach ? Sure the Li-
X cenfers are notfo bad men, as to prove all
difhoned whofe Books they Licenfe ?

Sea. ^5. E,B. m lafi Boe^ about tki

Sabbath'—'^ might have been rphoUy Jpdredi

J)r» Owen having ptdicioufly and accurately

' handled that ^eftion before him.']

Envy and r. 35, i. xhc Wifdom from, abbve is

partiality. ^^}jqj^^ partiality zttd- withdut hyfocripe.

Was it a blot on Dr. O^eni honefiy that hii

Books ^re Licenfed ? O forgetful xn^ :\

2. Who m?ide the Law, that no nian mufl
write on a fubjeft after Dr. (9»?c» .? was
Dr. OwotH to be blanfie^ for needlefe i work^
becaufe he wrote on the Sabbathi-aftei

•^; ' ;^; Dr. Bound, Dr. Tomg, Dr. tmjfe^ Ms, f:am,
Mr. Bifietd^ Mr. Shefhard^ and many nnorei

3, Mine was Written and in the Pj:eisbefor<
Dr. Omks was abroad! : ( Though I had
before feen Mr. Hughes his accurate Treatifi

^ thjit then came out.;

A < rr.:

Sea

Sc&.p6. E. B. His hfi Book about the

Sabbath doth make f) full a difcovery nf

Mr* Baxters ^irzV in plcadi^igfor Saints dayesy
' that is^for will-vporfljif, )

R* B* I. Remember, Reader, that it is ^."P^'^-^.
myonfnBook^^ and not /;j/j that difcovereth
my fpirit. Fetch thy judgement of it thence
and fpare not. 2. And if thouHnd caafe to
put down the Commemoration of the Pow-
der-plot or fuch other dayes for fear of n^ij/-
worfhip^ do not therefore renounce all fct
houres for fscret and family-prayer and Le-
Unres , it being equally will-wor(hip to ap-
point a fet hour as zfet day, which God in
Scripture hath not appointed* '

Se(5. py. E. B. [_ And in Athd{licaUy ar-i
guing againfl the ^ Divine and felf-evidencing '^'f^" ''^^'
ftMthjrity of the holy Scriptures (which he doth
for many pages together ) that henceforth I
hope he mil no longct he a Snare^ hut juftly
he Rejc^iedof all. as one of the worji fort of He*
retickj y fincc under the notion of bung a
Chrijiian and a Proteftant^ ^ he doth tfith hU ^ 47th Llij-
utmofi indujiry and cunning labour to over- truth.
thron>' our foundation^ in that he puts the ere-
dit of Script tire on the 'truth of Hiftory^ and
^denies any certainty hut what may be ga- ♦49thUiT*
thered from that : which dangerous do&rine I ^^tith.
could not but warn thce^ Chriftian Reader^ as
^thou lovcji thy peace and comfort^ as well as
the tr}{th of Cbrifiy that thou wilt diligently
N beware.

ri84)

beware of And I mujl lexve it to ihee to
judge , nrhethcr ih.it Conformity which fueh
a pcrfjn pleads for^ ii not jujily to be fu*'
fpc^ed.

K B. Here are three mare v'fible ««-
truths in poirrt of fa;^, i. That I argue
againiUhePiz/f^e Authority of the Scripture^i
yea or the fclf- evidencing either > which I
have written for at large in three fevcral
Treatifes. i. In the 2d Pirt of nny Saints
Rd}. 2' In a Book called the Unreafona-
blenefs of Inhdelity. 3. In nny Keafms of
the Chrijlltn Kdigion^ moft fully ; but never
wrote a word againft it. 2. That I do
with my induftry and canning labour to over^
throtv ortr fnifjdation : Hath this man written
more for the foundation than thofc three
Books ? 3. That I deny any certainty hut what
may be gathered from the truth of H'tftory :
For which he citcth not one word in which
I ever faid fo, nor can : But the contrary is
legible in the foifeciced Volumes, at large.

As to the matter of his Accufation I will
not here write another Book, to tell men
what I have written in the former : Read
my own words, even thofe he accuCcth, and
my Treatife for the ChrilVian Religion, and
judge as yon fee Cau(e i But for them that
will believe him to fave them the labour
of reading it in my own Books, as if ano«
thcr man were liker to tell rightly what I
hive written than the Books them-
(elves, ■ I leave them to judge, and do

as

as they are, and as fuch men lead
them.

And how far Tradition or H'ftory, ^or
Humane aide and Teftimony is neceiTary
to our Reception of the Scripture, I have
long agoc opened at large in the PiCface to
the Iccond part of my Saints Refi, and
(hewed you that Dr. IFhitaksr, Chemnitm^
Davenant^ f.ok Birimiptf and other Pruce-
ftants ulually fay the fame that I do, and
thit otherwiie by rafting away fitch fabordi'
Hate meant ^ Proud-ignorance and picvifh
wrangling will cut the throat of faiih it
felf, and undermine the Church of God.

Reader, i will conclude alfo with an Ad-
monition as my Accufer doth i As thou
lovtft Chiiftianity, Scripture and thy foul,^
take heed of thofe Ignorant defiroying-defen^
dcrs of the Scripture, who would tell the
Inridel world, that they may continue Infi-
dels till we can prove, that the Scripure
alone by its own light-, without humane
Ttftimuny, Hiftory or Tradition, will bring
it felf to all mens hands without mans
bringing it, and will tranflate it felf, with-
out mans trandating it, or in the original
tongues will make all English men, and all
that cannot read at all, to underftand it i
or being tranflated will tell you fufficiently
which is the true tranflation *, and where the
Tranflater failed ^ or will tell you among
many hundred divers Readings which is the
right, and which Copy is the trucft, and
N 2 which

vvhicli particular .text is imcorruptecj, of
rightly Liar.lbted ? lor inlhncc, whether
it (lioald be in Luke ij.^y* a«/urt or 'w]*^//^,
when it is <a']afjLii in Matth. 24. 18. and Beza
faith, In mto exemplari & aptid Theophiladfum
Scripum eji^ 'r]a(xj^ id eji Cadaver ; ficut ai-
am in noKnuUvs codicibus tejiatur filegijfe
'^rafntii \ Videtttrq't h£c leDio magis acco-
toiidata^ &CC. Hundreds of fuch may be
named.

And believe not thefe men till they can
name you one man that ever knew before
fome man told him, by the Book alone whe-
ther Ejiher and the Canticles were Canonical,
and the Book of IFifdom and FaHls Epiftle
(0 the La}dic<eans Apocryphal > and kneW
what was the Icnfe of the Original Text,
and what Copies, and Readings, and Tran-
ilitions were true, and what falfe ? Yea or
that knew theie particular Books were the
fame that the Apofiles wrote, without altc*
ration, till lomc one told it themi^

Would not that man reduce the Church
into kfs than one (ingle perfon, who would
have no man believe the Scripture, nor take
\X for Gods word, till he can do it without
any help of man, or humane Hiftory, or
Tcitimony or Tradition ? But of this I put
him twenty Quefiions before.

It (hall now fufticc to tell you this much
nf the plain truth, tliat fuch furious faUc
Teachers as (liall take the forefaid courfe may
not utterly fubvert your fairh.

The

I The Scripture snd Chriftian Religion taken The %]f-
I together as one frame or Body, hath that in it ^yi^cncing
felf which may prove that frame^ and all the sf L
tffential parts of our Religion to be ot God *, what it is*
And the true proof of the Divine Authority
I of the Scripture, is by the evidence of the
fpirit V not a new Kevelation of the fpirit $
jBut by a double Imfreffion ot Gods ovpnimagt
made by the HolyGhoji^ one upon the Scri-'
pure it felf^ The other by the Scripture in
Its continued efficacy on Believers fouls :
And boththefe Innages are the ImprefTes of
the Trinity of Divine Principles, even of
the Porver^ IVifdom^ and Goodncfs oj God \
which are unimitably done in both. This
is the true proof that Scripture is the word
of God.

But this proof excludeth not but fuppo-
feth the Miniftry and Tcftinciony of man as
a fubfervient help and means \ even to bring
it to us,'to tranllate it, to teach us how to
know both the fewfe and verity of it, and
to teftihe which is the true Canon, Copies,
Reading, Tranflation, &c. And they are
ignorant fubverting deceivers and deftroyers
of your fouls, who would feparate the
Word^ the Sftrit and the Miniftry which
Chrift hath conjoyned as necefTary together
for your faith : and that would calVout fub^
(ervient helps as unneccflfary under pretence
of the fuihciency of the Scripture. As if
Tr'wting it were needlefs, becaufe Scripture
is fufficient of it k\^.

And

fi88)

And the fore-faid felf-cvidcncing Light ifc
not fufficient without humane help and Tcfti-
mony to make you know every Canonical
Book^ftom the apocryphal, nor to know the
irueji Copies in the Original, nor the righteji
readings^ nor this or that particular verfe^ to
l>e uncorrupted ^ nor the tranflation to be true,
nor this or that to be the true meaning of the
Greek or Hebrew word > nor that the Mi-
nifter readeth truly to the unlearned that
cannot try it by his own skill, nor read him-
f elf. And he that would make the contrary
fuppoficion to be the foundation of your
faith, would deftroy your faith, the Church
and you.

Fojlfcript.

REader, fince the Writing of this, two
things have fain out which make it a
more difpleafing work to me than it was be-
fore i And I am forry that Mr. Bagjbaw
made it f)ece0ary. The one is, that (as the
currcPit report faith) he is again in Prifon,
for Rcfufing the Oath of Allegiance ; And I
naturally abhorre to trample upon a fuffering
perfon (which hathcaufecl me to fay fo lit-
tle againit the Armies and Sedarian mi(car-
riages fmcc tlieir diflblution and dejection
in cc;R-,parifon of what I did before in the
time of ihcir profperity,; The other is. The

Printing

Printing of the Life of Mr. Vavafir Paivel^
Which hath fo many good things in it, that
I fear left the mention df his falfe Prophecies
C extorted by Mr. Bagfhaw^ who firft pub-
liQied alio his name as the Author of them )
fhould abate their exemplary u(e.

But yet I muft give this notice to for-
reigners and pofterity, that they muft not
judge either of the JUDGEMENT or
the SUFFERINGS of the Non-con^
formifts by thefe mens : It is not for refuting
the Oath of Allegiance that they arefilcnced,
and fuffer as they do : nor do they confent
to the words which conclude the life of
Mr. ?on>tl^ I'hat fince fuch a time he haib
learnt that rve muft pray fer our prefjnt Ru-'
kis as finnerjy hut not as Magijirates. No
man can truly fay that fuch Doctrines as
thefe have been proved againft any confide-
rable part of the Minifters that are now caft
out, or that they were dcpoled and filenced
for fuch things, feeing they commonly take
the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy.

And how far the cjedcd Minifters of Scot-
land are from the Principles of Separation,
Mr. Browne a Learned Scottifli Divine hath
(hewed in the Preface of a Learned Trcatife
Newly Publilhcd in Latine againft JFolzogim
and Velihufiusy C even while he faith moft
againft receding from a Reformation O
overthrowing the Tenents maintained by our
two or three Englifti Bron>nes^ which former-
ly were called Bron^mfm^.. ( Though the

&mc

( ipo )
fame mans numerous rcafonings againfi the
derivation of the Magiiiratcs OtHce from the
Power of the Mediator, t waite for Icifurc
to refcll. )

FINIS.

ERRATA,

IN the Conrencs Page i, Sfft. 24. for m^n-^t, r. Yc^
cut. Scd. 5. p. 5. afcci a'^, 2ddch:e. Epiff. b. 4
1.27. for^;;^fj r. ^id. p. ^i,'L 2. T,rvrkin<>:s fh:w
p. 45. ]. zi. for ^^■V'?^^? r i/ziii/. p.S^. 1. 1 5. r. and byMr.E-
Hot. p. pj. ]. u tor !- or firmed ^ r. confined,, p. 100. 1. 1. 1
hivtnot, p. 105. 1. ii,i^n- dtf^rCi r. ifff/^>/£. p. i^o. ]• ^
for>'(».'-^ r. f/;:i^'. p. 14^. w/of i)/<f th: twofrjlllms (repccitcd^
p,lSi.l. i^ kto:cajio/!s^r. (K^'fitmS' lefs litieral «'
raursarcp2(lby.

BU T I have one thing more to Advertife
the Reader of, that I was too blame to
believe Mr. Bag/harv in his recitation of my
own words, in his fag* 5. where he faith
that [ of Crommll himfelf , though he
dyed in his (inful Ufurpation without mani-
tefting any repentance, I give this Saint-like
Charader in my Prefi to the Army, The
]ate Protedor did prudently, pioufly, &c,
ixercife the Government.] Having noted
that I fpake againft Oliver a few leaves
diftant, I too rafljy believed Mr. Bagfhapo
diat (his palTage was fpoken of him too^
But upon perufal I hnd it is moft notorious
that I fpake it of his Son, when the Army
had brought him to a relignation, which any
man may fee that will perufe the place.
Hereafter therefore I will not fb haftily be-
lieve fo common a .in what he wiriteth

of the mol\ vifible fubjecft, of myfelf or
others.

V