A Christian and Modest Offer, Part 3
3. Iuſt Conſiderations moving the Miniſters to make this offer.
MAny of the Miniſters having by reaſon of their Depoſition from the publike Miniſterie more cauſe, occaſion, and leaſure to ſtudie theſe controverſies then before, doe find that the more they wade into them, the more they are confirmed in that truth for which they ſuffer. So that howſoever the intendment of the Prelats hath been by their rigorous extremitie of affliction to make them to force their conſciences, againſt conſcience to yeeld, that ſo they might rejoyce in their fleſh; and though the Lord hath ſurrered their rod (to the further hardening of their hearts) to ly ſo heavie upon ſome of his ſervants that they hauehave put forth their hand to injquitie, yet otherſome by this meanes are ſo far from ſhrinking from the profeſſion of that truth which by their ſufferings they hauehave honored, that the more they hauehave ſuſtayned for it, the more (by the mercy of God) they ſee the glorious evidence of it. And therefore in honor vntounto that heavenly truth they can do no leſſe, then in the feare of God make this offer vntounto the greateſt enemyes therof.
2. This cauſe, which the miniſters profeſſe and witnes vntounto by their conſtant ſufferings, being (as they are perſwaded in theire very ſoules and conſciences) a divine & ſacred truth; and being notoriously reviled and blaſphemed as a helliſh error by the mouthes of the prelats & their favourers (one ſaying that he damned the diſcipline to Hell frō whence it came; Vaghan his Con…orie in uſes. Powel de diap. pref.others publiſhing in print that Chriſt is not the Lawgiver of his Churh; all generally calling our doctrine and opinion in this cauſe, Schiſme and Haereſie, yea Treaſon and Rebellion; they having receaued this grace from God not only to ſee the truth heerein, but to ſeale and confirm it by their ſufferings, thinke it a moſt bounden duty that they owe vntounto their Lord and maſter Ieſus Chriſt, whoſe Miniſters and Servants they are, by all good meanes to iuſtifie the ſame; yea though they neither had ſuffered nor ſhould ſuffer for it. Much more now, when as by the providence of God, they hauehave in themſelues, their wiues, and children, ſuſtained & indured ſo heavy things for it: And a more honeſt, moderat, Chriſtian, and religious defence or Apology they cannot yeld vntounto it, thē by making ſuch an offer as this is, to the avowed enemyes thereof.
3. It is notorious vntounto all the world, what indignities, ſianders, falſe accuſations, and calumniations, ouer and beſides the other Legall proceedings (as they are pretended to be) the Prelats and their adherents in their privat ſpeeches, publike ſermons, and writinges, lay vponupon thoſe Miniſters that hold & maintaine this cauſe, proclaiming thē to be Obſtinat & Refractarie perſons, Enemyes to the King & State, Notorious & manifeſt Schiſmatikes, Turbulent ſpirits, Chaplin wel in … Conſidetions.Contemptuous and diſdayning the Authoritie of their lawfull Gouernors, preſumptuous and wilfull Contenders with the Magiſtrat, Impugning his authority in thinges indifferent, and Soueraigntie in Eccleſiaſticall cauſe, Falſe Prophets, Members rent and cut of from the Church of God, Runawayes from their Miniſtery, ſome ſtanding vponupon theſe points of difference not for conſcience but for carnall reſpects, ſom becauſe otherwiſe they knowe not how to be maintayned but by depending on that faction, ſom to gratify their benefactors & patrons and to pleaſe their friends, ſom for diſcontentment and want of preferment, ſom for giddines of innovation, ſom for pride of hart and ſelfeloue, ſom for hatred of order, and reſtraint of their libertie, ſom for ignorance, yet willfull, becauſe they will not knowe the ſtate of the queſtion, ſome to retaine the opinion of conſtancy, &c. Now it being the duty of every Chriſtian even for Chriſts ſake and the Goſpells which he doth profeſſe, to cleere his innocencie againſt ſuch falſe and impious ſlanders; much more is it fit for the Miniſters of the Goſpell, being thus wickedly traduced, ſo to do. And therefore they think themſelues bound in conſcience to make this free and voluntarie offer vntounto their Calumniators; the very propounding whereof is ſufficient to all honeſt and iuſt mindes, that do not willfully ſhut their eyes againſt the truth, to cleere and free them from all the aforeſaid ſlanderous imputations.
4. The Chriſtian and mercifull diſpoſition and inclination of the Lower houſe of Parliament, and of ſundry of the Nobles of the Higher houſe (who in a holy Commiſeration of the Miniſters diſtreſſed eſtates, and in a certaine knowledge both of their honeſt liues and converſations, and of the good they hauehave done in their Miniſteries, and of their peaceable and duetifull behaviour to all in authoritie, hauehave been earneſt and zealous ſuppliants for them) hath been shamefully traduced by the Prelats; as though only through the incouragements & hopes repoſed in them, and for this cauſe ſpecially, that they might not be diſcredited and diſgraced in their indeavours and intendments for Reformation, the Miniſters did ſtand forth: Whereas by theſe preſents all the world ſhall know and underſtand, that the cauſe for which the Miniſters doe ſuffer is ſuch, as (all due thankfullnes and ſervice reſerved to the Honorable and Chriſtian indeavour of the Parliament) though God ſhould (which we hope he will never permitt) ſo far forſake that High and Honorable Court, as in ſteed of being ſuppliants for the poore Miniſters, they ſhould joyne with the Prelats in making the moſt rigorous lawes againſt them that might be (even to bloud) yet the Miniſters, by Gods good grace, ſtand reſolved to hold and maintaine their ſaid profeſſion. In witnes whereof they publiſh to the view of all men, this offer as a teſtimony of their confident reſolution in the ſaid cauſe for which they ſuffer.
5. There is ſuch indifferencie in this offer, and it ſtandeth upon ſo juſt & equall grounds, that it ought not to be refuſed of any Chriſtians, no though made by Iewes, Turks, Arrians, Papiſts, or any other Heretiks whatſoever: Much leſſe when it is made by Miniſters conſtantly profeſſing & ſhewing themſelues willing and readie to ſubmit themſelues in all things to the written word of God; and who in all matters (except in theſe Controverſies of Religion, wherein yet they agree with moſt of the Churches that hauehave made a ſeparation from Rome) are as obedient to the preſent State, and as unblameable in life and converſation as any other of his Majeſties ſubjects.
6. Divers of the aforeſaid Propoſitions are ſuch, as that if the Miniſters ſhould not conſtantly holde & maintayne the ſame againſt all men, they cannot ſee how poſſiblie (by the rules of Divinitie) the ſeperatiō of our Churches from the Church of Rome, and from the Pope, the ſupreme head thereof, can be juſtified. And therefore for aſmuch as in theſe controverſies the Papiſts and the Prelats goe hand in hand, the ſaid Miniſters doe in like forme and maner make the like Offer to the Prieſts and Ieſuits, promiſing their reconcilement unto that Sea, if they can either by Arguments pull them from the foreſaid Propoſitions, or can anſwer ſuch Arguments as they ſhall propound in the defence of them, in maner and forme before ſpecified in the Offer. And therefore it both ſtandes the Miniſters upon to make the aforeſaid Offer, and the Prelats (except they will hauehave all the world to judge them to be frends in heart to Popery) to accept of the ſame.
7. The Doctors of Oxford in their anſwer to the Petition of the 1000. Miniſters, and G. Powell in his laſt booke undertake the anſwer of whatſoever can be objected in theſe cauſes:…ook. pref. …g 25.26. and M. Hooker in his Preface before his firſt booke of Politiks, propoundeth unto the Miniſters that ſeeke Reformation the very like Offer and forme of diſputation: Which bookes were publiſhed with the ſpecial approbation of the Prelats. Wherefore the Miniſters having been in ſuch a maner chalenged, they can doe no leſſe then make this offer; which cannot be refuſed of the Prelats, but they will be judged of all the world to offer that which they will not performe.
8. The Biſhop of Rocheſter with the conſent, and by the direction (no doubt) of ſome of the chiefeſt Prelats, hath now lately publiſhed his Sermon preached in September laſt before the King at Hampton Court; the maine drift wherof is to proue that the office & calling of Dioce ſan Biſhops, in preſent cōtroverſie, is a Divine & Apoſtoli call Ordināce: Beſids, in his epiſtle to the Miniſters of Scotland, prefixed before the ſayd Sermon, he profeſſeth that if there ſhall an anſwer be made therunto with modeſtie and learning, nothing ſhall be more welcome, And that to avouch & make it good that the ſaid Epiſcopall calling is unlawfull, were a labor worthy the travell, and of the Prelats much deſired. Wherfore ſeeing the Prelats themſelues do offer to bring this cauſe to a publike triall (& it cōcerneth us in England alſo no leſſ then our brethren in Scotland) & ſeeing by this courſe & order heere layd downe, this queſtion amongſt the reſt will come to be far more exactly tryed, then by any other way hitherto thought on, the Miniſters hauehave juſt cauſe to tender this Conference; nothing doubting but that the Prelats will willingly accept it, eſpecially ſeeing they ſeeme ſo much to deſire it, and in all reaſon it is like to put an end to all theſe controverſies, which hauehave ſo long troubled the peace and quiet of our Churches.
9. Since the Miniſters late troubles, there hauehave been many bookes publiſhed in Print againſt them, contayning many ſhamefull untruthes and abuſes, wherin great violence & wrong hath been offered to Gods truth; many groſſe and Popiſh errors hauehave been divulged, and many impoſtures uſed, onelyonly to deceaue the ſimple, and to blind their eyes, that they may not ſee the truth of the Miniſters cauſe; which the Miniſters take themſelues bound in conſcience to anſwer. But being not able partly by reaſon of their povertie, partly by want of meanes of Printing, partly for other difficulties, to publiſh, ſo ſoone as is requiſit, ſo many anſwers (except they might hauehave leaue from authoritie) unto ſo many great bookes as many of them are: They hauehave judged it meet (in the meane time) to make this Offer, wherein if they prevaile & gaine the cauſe, they make no queſtion but they ſhall hauehave all other particularities yeelded, and ſhall ſaue that other labor.
10. They hauehave warrant thus far from his Majeſtie, both in his booke called Basilicon doron; where he willeth them to preſse by patience and well grounded reaſons to perſwade other men to like of their iudgments; and by the Proclamation of Iuly 16. 1604: In which the Prelats are required to doe their uttermoſt indeavour by perſwaſions, Conference, Arguments, and all other wayes of gentlenes and louelove to reclaime the Miniſters; which being as yet not done by them, can not be performed by a more direct and indifferent courſe, then by accepting ſuch an Offer as this is.
11. By direction from the chiefe of the Prelats,Conſid. p… G. Powell hath publiſhed, That his excellent Majeſtie, as he loved theſe Miniſters dearlieſt of all others, ſo he ſought the more earneſtly to reclayme them by ſome correction. So that either the Prelats heerein hauehave offered his Majeſtie open wrong in proclaiming his ſpeciall favor to the ſaid Miniſters, or elſe they are not to doubt, but in the abundance thereof he will vouchſafe to thoſe poore diſtreſſed and chaſtiſed favourits of his ſo much grace, as to command that this Offer may be accepted, and by his Royall aſſent to confirme the ſame.
12. The Apologeticall books which the Miniſters hauehave been conſtrayned from time to time to publiſh in defēce of their Perſons and Cauſe, can not come to the hands & ſcanning of thoſe powers, that next under God are moſt able to relieue them. And therefore for the cleering of their innocencie and the juſtifiyng of their cauſe (which is indeed the cauſe of God) they are cōſtrayned to make this publike and ſolemne Offer, by meanes whereof it may come to paſſe that all men may take notice of the goodnes of the cauſe, and of the groſſe wrongs they hauehave ſuſtained and indured for maintayning the ſame.
13. His Majeſtie ſignified to the Committies of the Lower houſe (Supplicating on the behalfe of the Miniſters) that before mercy there muſt goe a ſubmiſsion, and that if they looke for mercy at his hands, they muſt acknowledge a fault. This is that which they deſire; If it can be proved that they hauehave offended his Majeſtie in the leaſt thing, they deſire no mercy till they acknowledge a fault, and ſubmit them ſelues for the ſame. But it is (no doubt) far from the heart of ſo Royall a Prince to require either Confeſſion, or Submiſſion, wherther is no tranſgreſſiō. For their owne parts they are perſwaded and reſolved, that that truth for the profeſſing wherof the Prelats proceed ſo ſeverely againſt them, is moſt behoofull for his Majeſtie, his Crowne, and dignitie, and the whole State: And that in yeelding heerin in unto the Prelats, they ſhould make a breach in that dutie, which by Gods law every true hearted and loyall ſubject in this kingdome oweth both to the King and State. And yet if they be in an errour, there can be no more direct and likely courſe uſed to bring them unto a ſubmiſſion for the ſame, then to hauehave theſe poynts freely debated by the acceptance of this Offer.
14. When the Miniſters conſider the dayly increaſe of Papiſts, their treacheries and conſpiracies, their inſolent bouldnes, the continuall broaching of groſſe and Popiſh errours, what litle moleſtation the Papiſts hauehave by the government of the Prelats, yea what favour they find ſecretly and under hand, what reſiſtance was made to the Lawes intended to hauehave been made againſt them, eſpecially by ſome and thoſe not the meaneſt of the Prelats, what light matters are made of their horrible Treaſons and damnable opinions, what litle execution there is of the lawes againſt them; they hauehave reaſon to feare, that before they are aware & as it were in a dreame, (if the raynes be in this maner left in the Prelats handes for matters of religion) the neck both of his Royall Maieſtie and of the whole State ſhalbe brought under the yoke of the Pope that Antichriſt of Rome, and his diveliſh jdolatrie. And therefore in a ſerious mediatation of the beſt meanes to prevent this great & imminent evill, which lyeth working in a myſterie, they cannot thinke of a more direct courſe then this open and profeſſed Oppoſition unto the Prelats in the foreſaid Propoſitions; wherein if they ſhall prevaile, they ſhall not onelyonly giuegive a deadly wound to the Prelacie it ſelfe, but to the accurſed Religion of Rome, from which (at leaſt, if it be held to be Iure divino) it receaveth both breath and life. For who was ſo ſimple that ſaw not, that at his Majeſties firſt cōming to the Crowne when the Prelats hangd downe their heads in ſuſpenſe & feare, the Papiſts hearts were as dead as ſtones; and that the very firſt Proclamation againſt the Miniſters in behalfe of the Prelats, revived the Papiſts againe: And that ever ſince with the increaſe of the grace, favour, and authoritie of the Prelats, the hopes, bouldnes, and nombers of Papiſts hauehave increaſed. And therefore howſoever the Prelats may mocke children and fooles in imputing the Miniſters; yet any that wiſheth the confuſion of that Antichriſt may with halfe an eye ſee, where the true cauſe is. And therefore they ſeeing this (except they ſhould be wilfull traytors to God, their King, and Country) cannot but make oppoſition unto the Prelats in approving the Propoſitions aboue ſpecified: wherein if they be in an error, and the Prelats on the contrary hauehave the truth; they proteſt to all the world that the Pope and the Church of Rome (and in them God and Chriſt Ieſus himſelfe) hauehave had great wrong & indignitie offered unto them, in that they are rejected; and that all the Proteſtant Churches are Schiſmaticall in forſaking Unitie and Communion with them.
15. The former Propoſitions are ſuch, that there will not be found (as we are verily perſwaded in our conſciences) any one Conformable Miniſter in this kingdome, except he be a masked Papiſt, that will refuſe to Subſcribe to any one of thē, if ſo be it would pleaſe the King and State by Law to urge them thereunto under ſuch penalties as the Miniſters are urged to ſubſcribe unto the Articles deviſed by the Prelats. Yea, we are out of all doubt, that the Prelats themſelues (if it were preſſed upon them by the King and ſtate vnderunder paine of deprivatiō from their Biſhopricks) would not ſtick to avouch vponupon their othes, that the Ceremonies and Subſcription, for which the Miniſters ſtand ſuſpended and deprived, are wicked and vngodly, & ſuch as no good Chriſtian ought to yeeld vntounto. Nay, if the caſe ſtood but vponupon the ſauing of their Temporaltyes thereby (which elſe they ſhould looſe) we doubt not but they would with heart & hand ſubſcribe to any one of the aforeſaid Propoſitions. Sith therefore it is more then cleere, that they hauehave Offered plaine violence vntounto the Conſciences of all moſt all the conforming and ſubſcribing Miniſters; & that even contrarie to their owne conſciences they hauehave proceeded againſt their poore bretheren, becauſe they will not by conformitie & ſubſcr…ption renounce the truth contayned in theſe propoſitiēs; can any blame the ſaid Miniſters, if hauing not only the ſaid truth on their ſide, but in likelyhood the Conſciences of the Prelats alſo, they make ſuch an Offer as this is?
15. It is agreeable to common ſenſe and reaſon (and the Biſhop of Chicheſter hath ſome ſuch thing in his Lectures vponupon the Commandements) that doubtfull actions ſhould all-wayes giuegive place vntounto thoſe that are out of all doubt & queſtion. Seeing therefore no good Proteſtant ever doubted, but that it is lawfull enough in it ſelfe to adminiſter the word and ſacraments in common and ordinary civill attyre, to adminiſter Baptiſme without the ſigne of the Croſſe or any ſuch like myſticall rite, and to vndertake a Miniſtery (being called thervnto of the Church) without the authority of a Dioceſan Prelate, and without any ſuch ſubſcription as is required: and ſeeing the conſormity and ſubſcription required (againſt which the Miniſters doe witnes) hath been ever called into queſtion ſince the firſt appearance of the Goſpell out of Popery, & concluded and determined againſt, both in the profesſion and practis of the greateſt lights of this age, and of ſo many Reformed Churches; hauehave not the Miniſters juſt cauſe (they deſiring nothing which is of it ſelfe vnlawful, & ſuffering for nothing but for the refuſall of thoſe things which hauehave ever been in Controverſy, whether they be lawfull or not) hauehave not the Miniſters (we ſay) juſt cauſe to make this Offer, and to cleaue conſtantly vntounto that which all men grant to be lawfull, vntill by ſome ſuch indifferent meanes as this is, the contrary matters, bejng ſo doubtfull, ſhall be proved to be lawfull.
16. It is notorious vntounto all the world what damnable and impious imputations the Prelats and their defendors hauehave laid vponupon Calvin, BeZa, and all reformed Churches, raking vp calumniations againſt them out of the writings of Allen, Parſons, and other traiterous Papiſts, notwithſtanding Biſhop Iewel and Biſhop Bilſon hauehave moſt cleerly in their writings againſt the Papiſts detected the falſhood thereof. And ſeeing that the Papiſts hauehave gone about, ſince the diſcovery of that late deteſtable plot by gunpowder, to iuſtifie their abominable Treaſons, Conſpiracies, Rebellions, Periuries, and Equivocations by the doctrine of the worthyeſt Proteſtants, taking iuſt advantage thereof by the ſlanderous writings of the Prelats againſt thoſe of our owne religion; And further ſeeing that the intent of the Prelats therin was to make all the Miniſters, that conſent in iudgment with thoſe perſons and Churches which they hauehave thus traduced, odious and vile in the eyes of all men, as perſons in clined to perilous conſpiracies, Treaſons, and Rebellions; there being no other ground, nor any colour of all this, but becauſe together with other Churches they holde the foreſaid propoſitions; howſoever in a late Reply vntounto the Papiſts the matter be pittifully ſhifted of: yet ſeeing theſe heavy proceedings againſt the ſaid Miniſters are a kinde of confirmation of the aforeſaid imputations, it ſtands them vponupon by this Offer to cleere themſelues, and to detect the vnchriſtian and vngodly wrongs which the Prelats hauehave don to ſo many worthy perſons & Churches.
17. VponUpon a ſerious conſideration how the hand of God hath been vponupon many of thoſe, who, hauing formerly imbraced this cauſe, hauehave ſhrunk from tre truth maintained in theſe propoſitions; how ſome of them hauehave evidently loſt the grace and power of their gifts, ſome growen to be idle, neglecting both privat and publike dutyes, yea profane and ſcandalous in their liues and converſations, ſom aſhamed to ſhew their faces in the preſence of any who truly fearing God hauehave knowne their former cariage, ſom languiſhing and pining away till they hauehave died, & that within few dayes after their yeelding, ſome poſſeſſed (as it were) with a continuall fury inceſſantly vexing & tormenting them,FR. MAR and thruſting them into continual ſtorming & raging in the pulpit aginſt thoſe that doe not as they do, all of them falling to the maintenance of moſt groſſe and Popiſh errors, and none of them reſpected allmoſt by any, but cōtemned & ſcorned even of the Prelats themſelues, as thoſe which were either hypocrits before, or hypocrits now; The Miniſters hauing receaved this grace from God, not only to ſee and acknowledge this truth, but to confirme it with their ſufferings, hauehave thought it more then needfull to make this Chriſtian Offer, for the ſtaying and ſtrengthening of ſuch of their brethren, as are otherwiſe in danger to fall after the ſame maner.
18. In as much as all the profeſſed and notorious Atheiſts, Papiſts, Blaſphemers, Adulterers, Drunckards, & infamous perſons in this Kingdome, are together with the prelats profeſſed enemyes vntounto the Miniſters in this cauſe, and hauehave been from time to time the ſpeciall inſtruments of all the troubles which hauehave befallen them for the ſame; can any man lay any iuſt blame vponupon the Miniſters for making this Offer, now, when as the Prelats hauehave by their late proceedings giuen ſuch cauſe to all the wicked and profane of the land to clappe their hands in Triumph over them?
19. It is well knowen in thoſe Countries where the ſaid Miniſters hauehave liued, eſpecially to the Townes where they hauehave exerciſed their Miniſtery, that, according to the proportion of their Livings and maintenance, they hauehave kept as good hoſpitalitie, given as liberall intertainment vntounto others, and as much relieved (to their power) thoſe in want, as any other Miniſters whoſoever; whereas now a great part of them, with their wiues and children, are forced to liue vponupon the beneuolence and devotions of others. Which lamentable and miſerable aſtate of theirs, the Prelats and their Adherents are ſo far from pitying, that they take occaſion the more to ſcorne & deride thē, yea and to inſult over them for the ſame: they being not aſhamed both in the Pulpit & in Print falſely to affirme, that by this meanes not only the outward eſtate of the Miniſters is bettered, but that they hauehave voluntarily and of ſet purpoſe left their Miniſtery, that they might liue in this maner vponupon the ſweat of other mens browes, and by Contributions inrich themſelues. Though therfore the many & great meanes, which the Miniſters hauehave vſed both to prevent theſe proceedings, and to be reſtored to their places againe, are ſufficient to lay open the ſhame of theſe malicious & ſpitfull calumniations; Yet they have thought it meet by this Offer to make it knowne unto all the world, that they are ſo far from affecting ſuch a courſe of life, that they ever hauehave been, and are ſtill, moſt willing to doe any thing (but that, the doing whereof may procure damnation unto their ſoules) for the keeping or recovering of their former places, from which they hauehave been thruſt; to the end that they might eaſe their Chriſtian friends of thoſe great burdens, wherewith ſince theſe late troubles they hauehave been preſſed, in yeelding reliefe unto their extremities.
21. The Prelats are now come to this height of Popiſh injquitie,G. Powel Adiaph. c. 2. ſect. 7.8.9.10: that they are not aſhamed to hold & maintaine, that they being the Church, are in their Canons and Conſtitutions alwayes directed in externall thinges by the ſpirit of God; and that therefore whatſoever they decree is more then Humane, yea even Divine; and that the true Church allwayes depends upon the word, ſo as it cannot poſsibly ſwarue from the ſame; and therefore all her Traditions are holy and divine. And this Church of Prelats (profeſſing themſelves to be aſſembled in a ſacred Synod in the name of Chriſt, and directed by the ſpirit of God,Canon 13 and Excommunicating all them that ſhall ſay the contrary) hauehave in their ſaid late Synod decreed, that all who ſhall affirme, that either the Ceremonyes in Controverſie are ſuperſtitious and unlawfull, Can: 6, &or that the Government by Archbiſhops and Biſhops is not Apoſtolicall and lawfull, are to be excommunicated ipſo facto. Now ſeeing that not onelyonly the Miniſters ſuſpended and deprived, but many thowſand others in this Kingdome, do affirme and maintaine theſe things, they ſtand all by vertue of thoſe Canons Excommunicat, and ſtanding in that eſtate (if juſtly) are by conſequence in the caſe of damnation, yea ſo as (dying reſolutly in theſe poynts) they muſt needes be damned everlaſtingly. Either therefore the Prelats ſhall ſhew themſelues to be Antichriſtiā, and that in a high degree, in ſending without any mercy or compaſſion ſo many thowſand ſoules, with the daſh of a pen, to Hell, it being in their power to keepe them out; or exceedingly preſumptuous, in denouncing ſuch a ſentence againſt thoſe whō they cannot but know & oftentimes do confeſſe, to be the true ſervants of God; or at the leaſt it ſtandeth them upon diligently to uſe all good meanes for the recovery of ſo many ſoules out of Hell, eſpecially then, when, by ſuch an Offer as this is, they hold up their hands out of the pit, deſiring to be pulled out.
22 Laſt of all, the Propoſitions being ſo plainly and diſtinctly layd downe, and ſo directly oppoſite to the profeſſion of the Prelats; they having alſo ſo often diſgraced the Miniſters for their paucitie, and povertie of gifts and learning, and ſo often vaunted of the multitudes of great learned men on their ſide, and by that meanes having far greater choyſe of ſufficient and able men then the Miniſters hauehave; and being better able to furniſh them with all needfull helps to ſuch a worke, and the poynts in Controverſie ſo neerely touching their Iurisdiction, ſtate, and dignitie, which is ſo deare and pretious unto them; alſo the Offer that is made unto them being ſo equall, juſt, and Chriſtian, if they ſhall refuſe to yeeld unto the ſame, & in ſteed thereof afflict the perſons which humbly make this Offer unto them, they ſhall therein proclaime to all the world, that in theſe their proceedings they hauehave ſinned & doe ſinne with a high hand and malicious heart, (contrary to knowledge and conſcience) againſt God and his Divine truth: and therefore are to be judged to be at the next dore of committing that unpardonable ſinne, which the Prelats, in the time of our Saviour Chriſts being upon the earth, in the like caſes committed. From which if it be the good will of God (notwithſtanding all the evill which they hauehave done againſt theſe poore ſervants of Chriſt, and the Churches of God committed to their charge) they pray carneſtly that they may quit thēſelues, and that, upon their repentance in this life, they may attaine unto ſuch a crowne of glory, as they in their conſciences are perſwaded is layd up for ſome of thoſe, whom they uſe now living in the world as Heathens & Infidels.