Letter Entreating a Friends Judgment, Letter

Letter Entreating a Friends Judgment · Letter

p. 3A ſhort Letter, modeſtly intreating a Friends judgement upon M^r Edwards his Booke, he calleth an Anti-Apologie: With a large but modeſt anſwer thereunto.

I Muſt begin complaining; Alas (Sir) how doe you diſparage your own judgement, when you doe hearken after mine? But it is a friendly error, I muſt pardon it; and more, I will grant your earneſt requeſt alſo. How can he chooſe, but yeeld to you, what can be yeelded, who are all for Truth and Peace, purſuing it with all your might; Now Bleſſings be upon your head, (and the head of yours) who have laid-out your ſelfe and all for God: He will returne (for man will not, nay indeed power is wanting, though will more, he cannot) all your labour of love, worke of faith, patience of hope ſeven-fold into your boſome, Amen.

But, Sir, me thinks you and I are Inſtruments now meerely paſſive, you, in the motion to this undertaking; I, in the undertaking; wrought upon both, by a power, and counſell, higher and better then our owne; I conceive it ſo in you, by what I heard you ſay, you had concluded upon between your ſoule and God. I conceive the ſame of my ſelfe, becauſe I never thought of this, nay my mind was wholly averſe from ſcribling, till I thought of your Letter, and then I could thinke of nothing elſe, and was reſtleſſe till I had anſwered you. Surely (Sir) there was an hand here more then humane; a ſtronger motion on our ſpirits, than ſelfe can make; A bond, which is more binding and engaging then the bonds of men are, Gods Cauſe, with his Legacy to the world, Truth and Peace. And now all is engaged, body, ſoul, spirit, judgement alſo, that is little or nothing indeed; But He p. 4can uſe it, and direct it, Who uſeth the ſmalleſt things to great purpoſe. Ile waight upon the Lord; as He ſhall communicate unto me, I ſhall give-back unto you, even from His own hand: For I thinke it is the deſire of my ſoule, willingly to offer my ſelfe with all the powers 2 Chro 17. 16.2 Chr 17:16of ſoule and body firſt unto the LORD (Indeed I would not have … Cor. 8. 5.my ſelfe, or them at my owne diſpoſe for all the world) and then my judgement unto you. But firſt I ſhall ſay ſomething by way of preface; Doe not be jealous of your friend now, that he will give any, the leaſt libert, to his pen, to aſperſe perſons or their opinions touching the way of Government, now in agitation and diſpute: Or that any word ſhall reflect upon the Scots whom I honour; no people in the world more, with my ſoule: And am perſwaded they ought ſo to be honoured, for they are come-forth carrying their lives in their hands, willing to lay their lives downe for their friends: A greater love than this has …o man: Surely here is a love more then humane, for it is as ſtrong as death, the Lord returne it to their boſome in Spirituals, for Temporals are too meane a returne for ſuch Adventurers. It is alſo as far from my thoughts, as it is out of my power, to aſperſe their way of Church Governement: I think honourably of that alſo, as be-commeth. Nor ſhall you make judgement by what followeth, that I am for the Independency (as I foole have called it) nor for the Preſbiterie neither, and Governement that way. I profeſſe unto you, Theſe words are ſo toſſed to and fro by ſuch ſimple ones as my ſelfe, that I cannot tell what to make of them, or which way to take: And yet can ſee the way cleered before me, the Church way paſt all queſtion, for there the Scripture is cleere: when yet, where it ſpeaketh out cleerly at the firſt ſight, for Preſbyterie; me thinks at the ſecond view (and that ſhould be, as our ſecond thoughts are, the wiſer) it ſpeaketh all for Independency. So that I have not underſtanding enough (the Lord be a light and help unto it) to tell my ſelfe for what way I am, unleſſe for both, as they may both lead each to other, and meete in one. I am perſwaded in my heart that ſo it will be; they will accord, meete and kiſſe each other. Not that I can thinke the difference to be ſmall, about which there is ſo great difference: nor the way of governement eaſily diſcernable, ſith ſo many quick-ſighted men are prying thereinto, yet cannot find it out. But this is the ground of my perſwaſion; becauſe the ſeekers after this way, doe, I hope, ſeeke Him, That makes a path in a wilderneſſe p. 5and are fully reſolved to continue ſeeking; and in their diſquiſition here, to keepe themſelves cloſe-up to the clue of the ſacred Scriptures: and to ſhut-out paſſion, which, a Noble Schollar (of large underſtanding the Lord fill it with himſelfe) calls nothing: for ſo much as there is of paſſion, in the Diſpute, ſo much there is of nothing to the purpoſe. The very beſt Miniſters in the world are jealous over themſelves in this matter, and as watchfull. They are zealouſly affected towards Church Governement in a Church way; their zeale may goe-forth at the diſpute about it, and paſſion may get in. Then Reaſons, like a bad hound, ſpeeds upon a falſe ſent, and forſakes the queſtion firſt ſtarted. Sir, you are at the end of my Preface, now to my undertaking; The Authour firſt, then to his Epiſtle, and ſo to the Booke, and ſome reſolves thereupon, and then an end. The Authour; you are pleaſed to Name him, ſo will I for honour ſake: But before I come at him I will reach forth my hand unto him, and my heart, for theſe ſhall never goe ſingle. My heart is towards him, and to God for him, That the Lord would ſhine upon him, and his gifts, that ſo neither he nor they may runne-out any more to waſte; as perſons and graces doe, which doe not promote the Glory of God, and the ſalvation of ſoules: Now I am come to him, I ſuſpect my ſelfe and my loving reſpects towards him, leaſt they carry me beyond my bounds in his commendation. Truly I cannot tell in what one thing the man is wanting to make him compleat, except in Charity; that is a great exception, and ſome ſay he is ſo wanting therein, that he has no charity at all, yet that is the everlasting grace, and compleats all: yea ſome doe not ſtraine to ſay, he is a man of a malignant spirit, and he hath ſhewed forth openly nothing elſe (he muſt be content to fall under cenſure.) Truly I think they ſay not well, and ſo good he thinks himſelfe, he cares not what they ſay (and there he may be too careleſſe;) But for my part, I would rather I could ſay, he is a man of an excellent ſpirit, but then my love tranſporting me, I ſhould ſay too much: Yet this I muſt ſay; he is very high in my thoughts, (not a whit higher in others account) almoſt as he is in his owne: and he hath improved his growth not a little within theſe foure yeares; for then he was matched by, he knoweth whom: (ſurely the Lord would have had him accounted that as a ſpetting in his face) and now he hath attained to that height in the eyes of all the learned, that he is too tall a match for a woman. Good man! (Indeed the beſt have their p. 6failings) God hath left him to himſelfe, as he hath ſaid of his Brethren, To try him, that he might know all that was in his 2 Chro. 32. 31.2 Chr 32:31heart. And now all know it, I thinke, better than himſelfe, for palam eſt, It is all abroad, and in every mans eare and eye, what was in his heart ſo ſecret there this ſeven yeares upon my knowledge. And here I could tell the Reader ſomething from thence, from what I know; more what I heard from an excellent Maſter in Iſrael, and his beſt Diſciples in Hartford. But I muſt not doe that my ſelfe, which I muſt reprove in him, for I never ſpake with him about it, neither alone nor before others. Nor would I, for a world, render Gath and Askelon debtors unto me, Briſtoll and Oxford: God forbid, That I ſhould give the Philiſtines there matter of rejoycing: or the uncircumciſed there, cauſe of Triumph. Whether the reverend Authour of this Anti-Apolog: hath not more rejoyced the Adverſaries to the Truth, than edified her Friends in their moſt holy Faith, requires his moſt retired ſerious and ſaddeſt thoughts; That ſo he may, as he may ſee cauſe, give check to his buſie pen: (in his zeal for God and his cauſe, he hath given his word, he will not ceaſe writing) lest, while in his zeal for the beating-out and clearing the Truths of God, and the way of his Servants, he darkens thoſe Truths, and layes ſcandals in the way, whereby to grieve the Brethren, and rejoyce the enemies to all Righteouſneſſe. And then the more paines he takes, the more worke he makes for repentings. The Lord be a Light and Guide unto him now, That his after-labour may be a labour of love; and his worke, a worke of Faith; Then may he be patient in hope, That he ſhall ſee the travell of his ſoule. So I would beſpeake him now and aſſure him, That neither his Perſon nor his Graces have one graine the leſſe waight in my eſteeme, becauſe he is for the Preſbyterian-way: So are they, and they the moſt the ſavour of whoſe Graces are now, as is the ſavour of the ſweeteſt oyntmeut all over the Houſe and houſhold of God: for they are for That way, whatever we call it, which they are perſwaded is the way of Chriſt. And the Searcher of all hearts knowes my deſire touching him, is, 1. That he, for after time, may give no occaſion to thoſe with-out to blaſpheme; or to them with-in, To thinke, he is againſt the ſtrictneſſe and purity of the way of Chriſt. 2. And that not one drop of the Anointing he has received from the Father may run-out in vaine; but that in his purſuance after peace, he may maintaine the peace of the Church, by all meanes, Keeping the p. 7unitie of the Spirit in the bond thereof. So much to beſpeake him and his patience, while, for my friends ſatisfaction, I give judgement of his Booke in the ſame order as it lieth. The Epistle firſt; It The Epiſtle and purpoſe thereof.is well compact, a ſheet compleat, and anſwers M… Sympſon ſheet for ſheet. Yet, M^r Sympſon his ſecond Poſition there, ſtands unſhaken upon its Baſis of Truth; That, for a ſon of the ſame Mother to divulge the faults of his Brethren, is not brother-like, but quite beſide the Rule of the Word, and way of Gods holy ones. M^r Edwards ſaith no, and argueth the negat: tels us in what caſes the Brethren have divulged the faults of their Brethren: But that was not to the caſe in queſtion; for it was not the caſe between his Brethren and him; As, I ſuppoſe, every man will ſee that hath The Booke and frame thereof.read the Apoll. Narr. and his Booke againſt it; which I did read next, a ſheet or two, and there about I brake off; for there, me thought, I met with too common and unbecomming language, agreeable Even to our interiours we owe the duty of a good language.to a mans own ſpirit, which, like fire, cannot be, but it muſt break forth: and ſo diſagreeing to That ſpirit we ſhould breath after, that I caſt downe the Booke with ſome diſtaſte, and then fell a dipping, here I dipped, and there I dipped, a ſnatch and away, as they ſay, the dogge does in Nilus; and for the ſame Logicke, a dog hath, becauſe there are ſerpents there, ſuch biting things. Indeed I diſcerned quickly the frame of the Booke, and the ſpirit of the man heated above its due proportion in ſuch matters; and that my beſt way was to dip and away; and ſo I haſtened to the cloſe of the booke the laſt leafe, wherein the good man ſummons This Church, and That, and a third (and all are but one) to come at his call, and to doe as he bids them **Nullum tam grave ſcel…s, quod non ad judicium prius quim ad poena… venire debet. Luth.Truly, (Sir) I could ſmile to ſee how the maſters of their Aſſemblies ſtirre now, like a mountaine, which one man, very imperiouſly bad come unto him; the mountaine moved like it ſelfe, not a foot; Well ſaid the proud man, if the mountaine will not come to me, I will goe to the mountaine. I wiſh heartily it may be ſo here; but if that cannot be, a brother cannot give forth to his brethren his right hand of fellowſhip: yet let them have a place in his heart; and then let him keep his ſtation, and let his brethren alone in theirs. Hitherto I have told you may manner in reading large volumnes, Efix upon the Beginning and the End, ſpeeding curſorily through the reſt, dipping here and there: which is as much as is ſutable with my time and diſpoſition, and may ſuffice, whereby to give judgement; for he that reades p. 8but a part, may judge of the whole, I meane the whole frame of the Booke, and carriage of the buſineſſe. I ſhall not meddle with the doctrines there, not with the Aenigma's, and hard queſtions; They are not to my purpoſe; beſides, The cauſe of Truth ſhall not ſuffer in the weakneſſe of my patronage. I ſhall undertake him there, where Truth ſhall maſter us both; and blame him for that, he will ſay himſelfe is blame-worthy. Notwithſtanding I ſhall lightly paſſe over perſonall matters, but ſo, as they will, whether I will or no, ſtick upon him, who hath ſo urged them againſt his brethren; and ſo extremely marked what might be done amiſſe; yet I ſhall remit him to the ſentence of Scripture concerning theſe matters alſo, there to ſtand or fall to his owne Maſter: I dare not judge his intentions neither, It is cleare againſt Maſter Perkins golden rule ſo to doe; We must deale Upon the Gal. 5.Gal 5as tenderly there, as with the apple of the eye; A rule quite broken to pieces now adaies. Truly if I might judge, I ſhould judge his intentions to be good **Ampliandi ſunt ſavores.. Nor ſhall I judge his Affections, they might be boyled-up to a degree of heat, we call zeale; And then for that, we call paſſion, the fire of that zeale; The Lord is judge betwixt him and his Brethren. I ſhall onelyonly touch upon the frame and ſtructure of his Booke for the preſent; And this onelyonly I ſhall ſay, It renders him a good Schollar, but of too quick Invention; he had his places and helps in a readineſſe, and hath found-out all, that needed be found-out, and an hundred things more. And ſure he was at coſt for it; … hath made it his worke theſe ſeven yeares, and more, by prying into a way he meant not to walke-in; and into boſomes of Paſtours and Teachers, and Diſciples too (moſt ungratious towards their gratious Teachers here and beyond ſeas) with whom he meant not to Secreta domus & deinde timeri.agree: but to ſerve his turne there to know the wayes of the houſhold; and knowing ſo much, he thought he might befeared, There is his Invention; he has wandred through thoſe places, and found ſuch helps, which are not to be found but in his own Topicks & Rhetoricks. And having gathered his Simples, he is as happy for Compoſition. He is moſt blame-worthy for his Elocution, and Action there; for what was told him in darkneſſe, that ſpake he in light; And what he ſhould have heard in the eare firſt, (that is) privately, he publiſhed, as upon the houſe-tops. But what ſpeakes he out ſo loud, that all both neare and further off muſt heare it, as they muſt a great Bell long a Raiſing, but being up, City and Countrey rings of it; what ſayes he with ſo clear a p. 9voice? No more but what wee might know before, and the Apologiſts may confeſſe, That they are men; and, though walking in a Church-way (which ſhould be every mans walke) may yet ſometime walke as men, ſubject to the like-paſſions, as the Anti-Apologiſtand we ſimple ones are ſubject to: Alas! Men are men, Angels indeed they are by office, not by nature; That old leavened thing will put forth it ſelfe in the beſt; and ſurely they are beſt, who are moſt ſenſible thereof. And for their writings, Hominem olent, as one ſaid, ſurely their very treaſure may ſmell of the veſſel, an earthen veſſel, Levit 6. 28. Anſw.Lev 6:28and that could not be cleanſed with water; which teacheth us a great leſſon, how to think and how to ſpeake of men, the very beſt of them, and of their works? that which is beſt, or nothing at all. I may contribute more to this anon.

This ſhall follow now, which is ſo cleare in the Booke we have in hand, that the R. Authour hath picked-up all the ſcatterings of Gods ſervants, made them his gatherings; What the ſervants of the Lord abominate, (ſure) and caſt-out for refuſe, this he hath taken into his Booke and makes account of it, as of a treaſure; He hath adorned his booke, he thinks, with the blotts and blurres, ſuch as may be found in the beſt mans life: Alas! If a man ſhould ſet himſelfe, as he hath done, to ſpie-out (not as King Joſiah did, which is every mans duty, what idols of jealouſie are ſet-up in the heart, and in the Land) but what are, or were the carriages of the Moſeſſes there; he might obſerve miſcarriages even in them, though the meekeſt men upon earth. So in S. Peter too, after that he had made that great profeſſion of that commanding affection, Love to his LORD aaJoh. 21.John 21, and appealed to his Lords knowledge therein; yet after all this, behold a great miſcarriage bbGal. 2.Gal 2. yea, and in S. Paul alſo. What ever that thorne in his fleſh was (there are too many gueſſings at it, but) what ever it was, there it had not beene, nor had that meſſenger ſo buffeted him, if he had not 2 Cor. 12.2 Cor 12beene raiſed a little too high in his own thoughts; And ſo much, and more, he ſayes of himſelfe, but no man elſe beſides himſelfe. Surely there is the ſame boundary for our words and actions (which give a mould to our thoughts, and makes them legible) the ſame boundary I ſay, which is ſet to our thinckings; Whatſoever things are true; Phil. 4 8.Phil 4:8and ſo forth) till wee come to that, which ſhould bound our thoughts, even touching our brother) thinke of theſe things; What things? whatſoeverthings are honeſt, juſt, pure, lovely, of good report; p. 10If there be any virtue, any praiſe, think on theſe things, let theſe bound your own thoughts, yea and your thoughts alſo touching your brother; It is not ſo cleare in the text, but it is according to the practiſe of all the godly, that ever have been or are in the world. When for juſt reaſons they were to ſpeake of themſelves, then they ſpake the very worſt they could, rather the moſt they could, to throw downe themſelves and exalt God: Matthew the publican, Paul the perſecutour, ſaid they of themſelves; but none other beſides themſelves. And as their words were, ſuch and ſo ſutable were their thoughts. But when theſe are to ſpeake of their brethren, then you may reade their thoughts in their words; Whatſoever things are true, honeſt, juſt, pure, lovely, of good report: If there be any vertue, any praiſe, they thinke, and they ſpeake of thoſe things. Jobs, and Jeremiahs impatience, not a ſyllable touching that matter; you ſhall heare of the patience of Job. Whatſoever things are lovely, of good report, if there be any virtue, if any praiſe, this you ſhall heare from the tongues, and pens of good men, for they thinke on theſe things. And indeed it is according to a notable rule in Heraldry, I can but point to it aa…n Guil. Herauld, pag. …63. See Childes Portion, p. 94.; But it is the more notable, becauſe it is according to the rule in the word; the mind of God, and of all His people. I humbly conceive now, (let my betters give their judgement) This Rev. brother hath gone cleane thwart to this rule: for, whatever things are, (I will not ſay, untrue,) diſhoneſt, unjuſt, unpure, unlovely, of bad report; If any errour, … ſwerving from the rule, if any diſhonour, he thought of theſe things, and hath ſpoken to all the world, that will heare them. A great tranſgreſſion ſure! what? have his bretheren delivered no truths? nothing honeſt, nothing juſt, nothing pure, nothing lovely, nothing of good report? what? not any vertue in them? not any thing praiſeworthy? ſurely if there be, (but no man makes it a queſtion) he ſhould have thought on theſe things.

A.

So he doth; he exalteth them very high, and praiſeth them in fine ſtraines of Rhetorick.

B.

He doth indeed, he lifteth them-up high, that he may throw them downe with a witneſſe; he praiſeth their learning, and I know not what; But Sir, there is an art of praiſing, ſo to praiſe men, that thereby a man may ſharpen a reproach, make it enter, and ſtick the faſter. Such an art there is.

A.

The ſame may be ſaid of you, that you have the ſame art, to p. 11commend a man for his gifts, but with ſuch an exception, as ſhall diſgrace him the more.

B.

What I have ſaid, I have ſaid heartily; his gifts are of pretious account with me; that they may be of the ſame uſe to the Church of God, I ſhall tell him how juſt my exceptions are in his commendations. I remember Cicero, writing to his brother Qui…tus, wiſheth Ep. …. Cap. … Te non p… (quantum in me eſt) cum exceptione … &c.that he could heare him commended without an exception. It is my deſire alſo; but ſo, ſaith he, I cannot heare; All ſay of you, that you are a good man; but all ſay you are an angry man: ſo much I muſt ſay; The Anti-Apolog: a good man no doubt, but a man of no good ſpirit ſure; a great deale too haſty, and too eaſily ſtirred, This ſhall be concluded from the premiſes, as the reſult of all, that went before; That he hath not ſhewen forth GODS Spirit, but his own ſpirit in his Booke. That is the point and thus I cleare it; He did omit a Chriſtian duty towards his brethren, before he put forth his Booke; He ſhould have ſpoken with them before; firſt more privately, then more publikely, and have kept-in his Booke longer. I take it from Gods word, the Rule of charity alſo, ſo he ſtood bound to doe; to convent his brethren in a private way firſt, before he ſet them upon the ſtage before all the world.

A.

No, That rule is to be underſtood of private offences; Had the Apologiſts offended M^r Edwards, only, he had dealt with them according to his Scripture-Rule: But they had given offence to the whole Church of God.

B.

How will that appeare▪ for the queſtion muſt be underſtood here of their perſonall failings, in their converſe, and walking amongſt themſelves, or before others: And touching theſe matters ſo neerely concerning the good of ſoules, and the bands of brother-hood, He ſhould not have taken-up matters upon truſt from heare-ſay that common lyer; but in imitation of the Lord his Maſter, have ſeene firſt **foreign &c. Chryſoſt in Gen. c. 18.Gen 18and well underſtood, by private communication with his brethren, whether things were ſo or not, according to the cry that came to his eares: ſurely he ſhould have convented his bretheren firſt, and ſhewen them their perſonall failings, whether ſo or not, or ſuch as they were reported to be? whether they would own them, and appeare in juſtification of them; and then, when it was made apparent, that his brethren did not walke uprightly according to the Truth of the Goſpel, then he might alſo have appeared againſt them as he p. 12hath done, and done all according to rule; whereas now, omitting this Chriſtian duty, of conferring with his brethren firſt, he hath tranſgreſſed his rule, and hath done all he hath done, neither decently, nor in order.

A.

His brethren had the very ſame obligation upon them, to have dealth with M^r Edw: firſt, and with the Aſſembly of Divines, before they put forth their Apol: Nar.

B.

I take it, under correction, No: no reaſon imaginable, why they ſhould apply themſelves to M. Edw: They tooke the way was preſcribed unto them by the Aſſembly of Divines; they applied themſelves to the learned and judicious Licencer of Books, M. Herle, who, they knew, had appeared for the other way of Church Governement, but in a moſt orderly way, that Truths might be beaten-out and cleered; and the bands of the brother-hood kept intire and ſacred; To him they applied themſelves, for his judgement upon their Apologie, firſt before they put it forth, which, what it was, appeareth now as viſible as the Apologie doth; and is a reall and full juſtification of the Apologiſts proceeding touching that matter, That they did as much as the Aſſembly of Divines could expect they ſhould doe.

Secondly, I humbly conceive, that they ſtood bound to give ſatisfaction by way of Apologie to all, eſpecially to ſuch ſimple ones, as my ſelfe, all over the Land; we judged nothing before the time, but indeed we were offended to ſee ſo many pillars ſhrink away from our houſe ready to fall upon our heads. Indeed we did expect, and, … in manners we could have ſo done, we would have required an Apologie, for their ſo departing from us in ſuch perilous times. But we had it without asking we thanke them, the fulleſt and cleareſt that ever was penned, I thinke; as for other matters of an higher debate, M. Edw: might have left them with his betters, to whoſe conſideration and judgement, they were modeſtly tranſmitted.

Hitherto I have ſet downe, as I have conceived, M. Ed. his faults of omiſſion. His faults of Commiſſion are greater; he is ſharpe, harſh and bitter towards them, who were ſweet, gentle and meek towards all, as Ambaſſadours for peace, and lovers of Truth ought to be. But ſuppoſe there had been ſome harſhneſſe or tartneſſe in the Ap. Narr. and that it had ſome ſpeciall reference to M. E. himſelfe; ſuppoſe ſo; yet he, having done as he hath done, hath tranſgreſſed the Rule, and p. 13gone contrary to the examples of all good men, not tranſported with paſſions (as he was) in dealing with their brethren. The Rule was ſet downe before, and will be repeated afterwards: I'le ſhew here, what others have done, whoſe example is very imitable. Eraſmus had written a book to ſerve as a Buckler, whereby to ſafeguard the Truth, for it was called Eraſmic. foreign. Melanct: (Eraſmus his good friend) turnes over the book, and ſayes of it; That it was not Eſt is liber planè aſpis.Clypeus, a buckler, as the word imports alſo, but a very Aſpe, a ſtinging Booke. I conceive, Mel. meaning to be ſo by that which followes; I cannot tell, ſayes he, what Luther will ſay to this Booke; ſomething ſure he will reply; and if ſo, I ſhall entreat the man by all Scripture Obligations, That, what he ſaies may be with brevity, Per omnia ſacra breviter, ſimplicitèr, & ſine convitiis diſputet.in ſimplicitie of heart; and without paſſion; no bitterneſſe there, none at all. That was Mel. adviſe, and that was his owne practiſe, as we ſhall heare anon. I will record M. Calvins practiſe next; Luther was a man of an excellent ſpirit, The Lord had heated it for thoſe cold times. But many times there were the workings of his owne ſpirit; theſe wrought, and put forth ſometimes; and once he was a little more eager then was comely againſt Calvin. Well, ſayes Calv. Ep.Calvin, Luther may ſay what he pleaſeth of me, he may call me dog, if hee pleaſe; but I muſt call him as I have ever accounted of him, a pretious and excellent ſervant of the Lord, ſo Calvin. M. Ainſworth, though dead yet ſpeaketh for our inſtruction, He was a man of a cleare judgement in the fundamentall Truths of God; differed only from his Brethren in ſome circumſtantials, which were controverted moſtly betweene him and M. P. his neighbour: and very calmely ſtill by M. Ainſworth, That no difference might appeare in affections; and ſo being able to maſter his paſſion, he was ſtill maſter of the Diſpute. M. P. fals upon M. Ainſ. in another buſineſſe; faulteth his tranſlation of Moſes 5. bookes, That ſometimes he uſeth the Hebrew word in the line, ſometimes that in the Margin: And this he ſo forceth againſt M. Ainſw. that it did appeare plainly, that the greateſt differences between them were cauſed by the contrariety of M. P. affections towards M. Ainſw. M. Ainſw. thought himſelf engaged to make Reply to M. P. which he hath done, and left out all perſonall matters, as if he had not been concerned therein not at all, (for the Glory of God was not) and fals upon the point, payes that, and cleares his tranſlation before the eyes of all the learned in the world. p. 14A good example to teach us how to manage a diſpute. M. Dury ſhall be the laſt, an excellent Man, and as good a pattern to write by: for he followeth Truth and Peace decently and in Order; and ſheweth us all the way, how we muſt purſue after it alſo, if we mean to overtake it: how? ſo, as we ſhould rather breake all our bones, then the peace of the Church. This man hath had the fight of the Apol. Nar. hath throughly peruſed it, doth appeare now in print, That his judgement cannot fully cloſe with it; layeth downe his grounds of diſſenting, telleth us his well digeſted thoughts about it, communicates his light to his brethren, by which he walketh; Intreateth his brethren to ſhew him their light; Parſwadeth all to come-up cloſe to the light of Heaven: So he maintaineth the brother-hood, and maketh their bands ſtronger. That is his aime and the bent of his ſoul all along. And how well becomming a Son of Peace, all this! I could never, ſaith one, divide my ſelfe from any upon the difference of an opinion; or be angry with his judgement for not agreeing with mine in that, from which, perhaps, within few dayes, I ſhould diſſent my ſelfe. This thruſt in it ſelfe, while my thoughts were upon M. Dury, and the way he hath and doth take to compoſe the fewdes and angry diſſentions betwixt brethren; by ſhewing forth this ſweetneſſe of ſpirit, as one that would give all men to know, That a good cauſe needeth not to be patronized by a paſſion: but can ſuſtaine it ſelfe beſt of all upon a temperate diſpute.

A.

M. Ed. ſpeaketh onelyonly Argumentativè by way of diſpute only; and that he might cry victoria, he made the Arguments the ſharper.

B.

Very well; but he ſhould remember Melanct. rule. We muſt every one diſpute ſo, That Truth may have the victory and charitie the triumph. Though I am at a loſſe in my diſpute, ſaid he, I would not looſe my patience and fall-out with my friends: for then the Adverſary will be a gainer, and the Cauſe will be at a loſſe. A ſweet ſpeech, if it could ſinke downe into our hearts, it would perfume our ſpirits, our tongues and pens alſo, which have not been dipped only, but ſteeped in vinegar and gall: It would teach us, to Reaſon aaDesputare nō rahire, Eraſ. Ep. Latrant non …oquuntur. Cic. Brut. p. 161. in fol. S…ridet non loquitur Cal. ep. 339. O… eſtor cauſapugnet, non contumel…i…, Debem… enim charitati, &c. Ep.out our caſe like ſober men: not rave like mad men. Ile proceed a little further that I may propoſe Phi. Melanct. (with whom, as with Luther, the Anti-Apol. is ſo well acquainted) for his and our Imitation. I pray you heartily, ſaies he, Let Truth contend in its own ſtrength, p. 15and with its owne weapons; not with yours, they are commonly▪ contumelies, and nothing elſe. We are all debtors to charitie, which, I pray from my heart, may be kept inviolate; and untouched, Amen. Yet this Ile contribute more, That Man is not fit to be a Champion for Truth, who cannot Anſwer ſome Adverſaries with ſilence, and maſter ſturdy and boyſterous Arguments upon his knees. This was Mel. manner; his Adverſaries, rather Truths Adverſaries, infeſted him, like Waſpes, he overcame them with patience, ſaying nothing bbSee Childs Portion, p. 84.ſometimes, and when he replyed, it was with ſuch ſoftneſſe, that his words fell like ſnow; with ſuch meekneſſe and modeation, as if his words had been dipped in honey. It may be replyed here.

A.

What will you inferre from all this? No more, but what will be granted, That the Anti-Apol. has not done all things decently and in order; not keeping ſo cloſe to his Rule, nor following the example of his betters. Men are men: every man hath not the ſame ſpirit; nor one of an hundred ſuch a ſweet ſpirit as Phi. Melanct. had. The Anti-Apol. has done very well in the judgement of the beſt learned, and beſt men in all our City; for ſo I heare.

B.

Very ill ſure. And that I may cleare it to every mans underſtanding, Ile make a ſuppoſition, and upon that a queſtion, then you The Suppoſition.ſhall be able to give judgement on M. Edwards booke: Suppoſe, That my ſelfe or ſome other man, having the ſame ſpirit M. Ed. has (elſe he could not doe it) ſhould write againſt five of his brethren more or fewer, who are for the Presbyterian way of Government (I confeſſe I doe moſt unwillingly make mention of Preſbyterian and Independent, I am perſwaded all the good and choice men are for the old-way, Odi…ſta diſſidiorun nomina. Lu….the way of CHRIST and his Apoſtles: for that way they are in the deſire and travell of their ſoules: But I muſt ſpeake with the vulgar, and to their underſtanding) ſuppoſe, I ſay, That I could pick out, five Miniſters, accounted Brethren now, and are, I ſuppoſe, heartily now for the Preſbyterian way of Government, and ſhould bend my pen againſt them; I would not uſe the places M. Ed found in his Topicks; nor take the helps he met with in his Rhetoricks: (i. e.) I would not help my ſelfe with private Letters; I would neither quote them, nor Heare-ſay, not I; nor would I uſe Satyres and Invectives, though ſuch Rhetorick finds the vulgar-eare more open then Logick (reaſon) does: I would uſe none of all this; I would deale more candidly p. 16then ſo, and more becomming a Chriſtian, and a brother; Thus I would doc; make a Narration onelyonly and declare things which I ſaw and heard, and not another for me: There I ſaw them bow at the Name of Ieſus: There cringe a little before wood and ſtone; and there I heard them ſay one piece or cantle of their Service too; I heard them read that (thrice accurſed) Declaration againſt Gods holy day alſo, that I did: I did ſee them give forth their Righthand of fellowſhip for the eſtabliſhing of evill, and overthrow of good. I ſaw them contribute their purſes, (and then they would their bloud too; for money comes from us, like drops of bloud) To ſtrengthen the hand of violence againſt the throats of their deareſt Brethren, the Scots. Underſtand me, good Reader; I would rather my fingers ſhould rot from my hand; my hand from my Arme; my Arme from my ſhoulder, than that I ſhould imploy my hand in ſuch a worke. I would only give thee to know, how fruitfull the **Greeks and Latines all conclude, That no Theame or ſubject is more fruitfull, for it has all the matter to work-on that our nature can give forth. every ordinary man can ſhew cloquence here; but the heathen man cals it a fierce kind of Eloquence, Truci eloquentiâ Balbus promptus adverſus innocentes. Tacit. An. li. 6.Theame or ſubject matter is, and how a mans owne ſpirit could enlarge and dilate upon it, very readily. But, to my Queſtion now; how wouldeſt thou eſteeme ſuch a booke, ſo fraught and ſtuffed—as aforeſaid (for indeed my ſtomack riſeth at the very thought of it) with the failings and fallings, and now the repentings of Gods ſervants (I hope) how wouldeſt thou eſteeme ſuch a thing, ſuch a worke, for I cannot call it a booke; how wouldeſt thou account of it? or of my ſelfe for making ſuch a foule piece of worke? Ile anſwere for thee and againſt my ſelfe firſt, doubtleſſe if thou mighteſt have thy will, thou wouldſt have me marked with D upon my forehead, that is Devill; for though I would urge nothing againſt my brethren, upon report of Heareſay, or from Letters, thoſe ſilent interpreters between man and man: yet I might accuſe my brethren of thoſe things they have repented of, and God, for ought I know, has pardoned; and then thou wouldſt call me a Devill, an Accuſer of my brethren. And thou wouldſt wiſh my mouth ſtopt, and never licence given to my Pen any more. So thou wouldſt have me dealt withall. 2. And for the book which I could make, it would be ſure an abomination in the eyes, ears, hearts of all the beſt learned all over the land: And to thy ſelfe alſo a very loathing, like thy vomit, or ſome ſuch lothſome thing. Why then thou canſt make judgement of the Anti-Apol. that is ſuch an abomination, and worſe, for worſe can be, and is M. Ed. his booke, which now I had done withall, but that I hope to get honey out of p. 17it, a great deale of uſe before I make an end. And firſt, I ſhould ſhow the miſchiefes; this contrariety to the rule, contradiction in words, ſtrangeneſſe in judgements, alienation in affections, have cauſed to the Church of God. But all this ſhall be ſhewen in a Parable, with which I ſhall cloſe-up my Anſwer.

Now, Sir, you can, by this time, tell your ſelfe, why the moſt cryup M. Edw: book? 1. Becauſe the moſt are beſt pleaſed to ſee brethren ſtand at a diſtance, or at a bay: or comming neere hand, to ſtrive and fight each with other. 2. Becauſe the moſt love the broad-way, and would walk in it; and are full of hope now, that this contention about the way ſhall enlarge their way, and make it yet broader; but they will be deceived; for whether this or that way, it is the way of CHRIST, that is contended for (by our choice men) paſt all queſtion. 3. The moſt doe ſhut their eyes againſt the light, and hate the truth of God. Vox populi non eſt vox Dei. If the moſt ſay it, and it be touching the great things of God, I ſhall doubt, nay I ſhall make no queſtion of it, That GOD ſayes it not. If my writings any of them, ſaid Melancthon, (and they were all for God and His truths) were pleaſing to the moſt, that ſhould diſpleaſe me moſt of all: ſo as I ſhould teare them, or throw them into the fire. I know how the moſt reliſh the things of God well enough, and with what eyes they ſee: The moſt have the leaſt diſeerning into the things of God, God knowes.

A.

Why but all the learned, and good men too cry up his booke.

B.

For what? ſurely not for his Invention, neither his Topicks there, nor his Rhetoricks; his Compaſition indeed is pretty good; his Elocution, or that the Orator calls Action (the All of an Orator) that is all ſtarke nought, in the judgement of all the Learned ſure. But let the Authour have all his dues, and let his Booke be called a Booke, becauſe the moſt ſay (but they know not what they ſay) that it is a good one. For any further reſpect unto it, then to call it a Book, (having ſeriouſly conſidered the generall frame, ſcope and tendency of the ſaid Booke) I know not how to give it; nay I verily beleeve, that every good man will mourne over it upon theſe following conſiderations.

1. Becauſe this Booke is to the heart; it comforteth thoſe, that ſhould not be comforted, the Devill and all his ſervants. (Let not the Reader be offended at this expreſſion, it is very poſſible for a p. 18good man to doc and ſpeake that, which may comfort (as he and they can be comforted, the Devill and all his ſervants.) Oh how glad the Devill is at the ſight of ſuch a Booke as this, which flieth at the face of thoſe, he purſueth with deadly hatred! He is called Satan an Adverſary; A Devill too, an accuſer of the bretheren; If any man now will take the Devill his office, accuſe the bretheren, divulge their faults, oh how the Devill rejoyceth at this, how glad his ſervants are! Be the accuſation true, or be it falſe, that matters not, the bretheren are accuſed, the Devill and his ſervants laugh. An Iſralite ſtrives with an Iſralite; oh how pleaſant a ſight is this! It will pluck back and hinder the Great-worke in hand as once it did, thinks the Devill, then he laughes, and huggs this hope; and are not all his ſervants as merry? ſurely the Devill and his ſervants are dancing now (for joy) now he ſees thoſe ſtruck at, whom he hates heartily; and thoſe doctrines oppoſed, which are the very deſtruction of his kingdome. Surely no good man will help to make the Devill muſick; then, ſure enough, he will not make ſuch a booke, as this, for this is muſick for the Devill. You tell me you mourne over it; I beleeve you, and that every good man mourneth with you; but he that hath given the offence, much more muſt he m…urne: God will make him elſe: Howbeit, becauſe by this deed thou haſt given great accaſion to the enemies of the LORD to blaſpheme bb… Sam. 12. 14.; You know what followeth, it is pat to our purpoſe and you can make good uſe of it, and enlarge your ſelfe upon it ſweetly. You can put-in a caveat alſo for your friends, never to let any words paſſe from the tongue, or ſcribble from the hand, which may comfort the Devils heart, or the heart of his ſervants. I will contribute this hither now it is in my mind; I went two yeares ſince to a neighbour-Church, where I heard the S. Scripture was expounded, (then it is read indeed, when the ſenſa is given) the expoſition being almoſt ended, there came a note to the good Miniſter M. Cooke, that one (whom I need not name) would, with his leave, fill his Pulpit that morning; he had good leave; upto the Pulpit he went, took his Text, ſtayed by it a while, and allthat while ſpake very well to the purpoſe; Then he fell upon his Service booke to juſtifie the formes there; and then after his manner. I mention this for this reaſon, which is to my purpoſe: When I went downe the middle part of the Church, I obſerved ſome adverſaries there to the power, but cloſe friends to formes of godlineſſe; p. 19And to tell you the truth, I liſtned as I went by them, to heare what they ſaid; and truly what they ſaid was with full expreſſions touching the laſt part of his Sermon, which was quite parted from his text, Heterogenius, cleane of another nature: but becauſe it was connarurall, and complying with their ſenſe, oh how it pleaſed! I concluded at that time, What is pleaſing to corrupt nature, cannot be pleaſing to God. You muſt conceive the reſt, and ſo fill up the firſt conſideration, why the godly cannot approve of that booke. Approve! God forbid; They muſt approve things that are excellent, theſe things will Phil. 1. 10.Phil 1:10be judged to be reprobate, upon a ſecond conſideration.

2. Becauſe this booke, and the like to this, ſaddeth the hearts of thoſe, that ſhould not be ſadded. O quàm …ucundum? how pleaſant, how aimeable a ſight is it to obſerve brethren live like brethren, in unity. Ecce quam mutuò ſe diligunt, ſaid Tertullian touching Chriſtians of old; See how they love one the other, what ſweet agreement, complying, bearing and forbearing each of other! O this is to the heart of the Righteous: But the contrary, as at this day, ſaddeth their hearts; ſee how they biteand devoure each other! this ſaddeth the righteous who ſhould not be ſadded. No good man is glad at this. And now you have the reaſon alſo why the feweſt cry it downe; the feweſt men are the beſt men in the world, for they walke in the narroweſt path; and what the feweſt cry downe you will not cry up. And yet you will cry; I underſtand the reaſon very well, becauſe you follow Truth and peace: they that ſo doe, muſt give cleare evidence, that ſo they doe, by mourning over all that, which runneth not bias only, but croſſe and thwart to Truth and Peace, as ſtand the two Poles North and South.

Well (Sir) for ſo it is, or God will make it ſo; You are not diſcouraged foreign. Hom. God lifteth His enemiesup, that He might caſt them downe the lower: He caſteth downe His friends, that He might raiſe them up the higher.at all this; nor can you faint in your mind. You know whom you have truſted, Him, that never failed His people hitherto, and never will; Him, Who brought light out of darkneſſe at the firſt, doth ſo ſtill. Life out of death, doth ſo ſtill. Glory from the Croſſe, doth ſo ſtill. Hath wrought the greateſt things by the ſmalleſt inſtruments, nay by croſſe inſtruments, doth the like ſtill; Did ſo at Yorke, did He not? He raiſed His friends there, begirting the City; throweth down their ſpirits, their ſtrong-holds too, and confidences alſo, gives all theſe into His adverſaries hands; their hopes thither and their hearts deſire, and the prey into their chaps; nay they had ſwallowed it down: p. 20Then the Lord aroſe, it was his time, ſnatcheth the prey out of the enemies teeth, maketh him vomit-up all his hopes, throweth him on his face, there leaveth him to wallow in his own blood; And away his ſervants march, but the moſt croſſe way that ever was heard of, For God maketh His ſervants win a City by looſing it; They are come to it again, and have taken it, but they counted it loſt firſt. Certainly (Sir) we have not read a ſtranger matter in our Chronicles. But we ſhall read the like in Irelands Chronicle ſhortly, for we heare of it already; I give but a hint and away, I goe onward; And I pray you let us entreat our friends to follow-on, and ſeek the LORD; to ſet their hopes on Him; For He is the ſame ſtill, He changeth not; As He hath wrought, He works ſtill, we ſee, for he maketh croſſe wils, croſſe lines, and croſſe wayes, ſerve His will, and come direct to His line, and way in a moſt cleare and direct tendency to the Butt and White of his glorious—I cannot tell what to call it, but that it is, what was before time was. Oh Lord! who would not truſt Thee with all their croſſe wils and croſſe hearts, that are in our world, a world of them! Theſe are in God His hands, where can they be better? Croſſe and crooked they are, God will turne them right and ſtrait, thence to draw forth (1.) His Glory, whether they will or no. (2.) Yea, and his ſervants Glory alſo, (3) And the Glory of their Church-way, the way of Chriſt, His Apoſtles, and Diſciples. I pray you let us looke over this againe, weigh and ponder all this with all our hearts, and all our ſoules. 1. Croſſe wils, and lines, and wayes muſt advance God His Glory; Paſt all queſtion it is ſo. In all wherein the enemy doth proudly, God is above him bbExod. 18. 12.Exod 18:12. The flouds have lifted up their waves, and ſo forth (that is) The enemy threatneth every houre to ſwallow-up the Righteous. But the LORD on high is mightier than many waters, then the mighty waves of the Sea **Pſal. 93.Ps 93(mighty Adverſaries are meant here) And what of them? Theſe only daſh againſt Jacobs Rock, and break themſelves, and exalt the Name of Jah, Jacobs God; but they muſt ſerve His Providence firſt, for theſe mighty flouds muſt ſerve to bring in flouds of Honey and Butter (i. e.) the ſtrongeſt Conſolations to His Church. But I paſſe over this, how the Lord doth ſerve Himſelfe, and His people by the men of violence, as not ſo pat Pſal. 140. foreignPs 140to our purpoſe now, I take it this is, for we are upon croſſe wayes, and croſſe-lines, and theſe drawn by the proſeſſed ſons of the Church. Eraſmus hath a pretty expreſſion, Many, that goe for the beſt Catholiques p. 21(Romes ſheep) are but Cacolyck…s, the worſt wolves: And Multes habet pro Catholic…s Cacolycos; pro Evangelicis Diſa…gclos. Era…. Ep. Dominus omnes ref…get in ſuā gloriam. V…t Chriſt us arcano ſuo conſilio ſcenas rerum bumanarun, & li. 25. …p. 20.thoſe, that goe for Evangelists, good Meſſengers, are but Dyſangeliſts, bad and harſh to Gods beſt Servants, God knoweth. But ſaith Eraſmus, Let GOD alone with them; He will …ould and frame their wolviſhneſſe, and rage, and their—All to his Glory. The Lord Chriſt raighneth, and turneth about all things by ſecret wayes and counſels, ſo ordereth and diſpoſeth all the Scenes and Acts of humane things; Let the Lord alone with theſe evill ſervants; They ſhall doc their Maſters good will while they doe their owne naughty wils, and ſo work-out their Lords Glory. That is the firſt point, the LORDS Glory; His ſervants Glory alſo, that is the ſecond.

2. Theſe croſſe ſpirits, lines, and wils, the Lord will uſe them all as inſtruments to magnifie His ſervants. How? By afflicting them. A ſtrange way of magnifying! Yes, it is Gods way: The direct way he took with Job; He ſuffers the Divell and his ſervants to lay load upon Job, to preſſe him downe even to the Dung-hill. I know it was very farre from Jobs thought then, when ſore afflictions were upon him, That God ſo viſiting him, did then ſo magnifie him: yet ſo it was; nor had he had the honour to be ſo magnified in the world (as a grave Divine ſaid lately) now as he is, had he not been magnified by afflictions, upon everlaſting record in Gods word, a man of ſorrows there; This was the way the Lord tooke to magnifie his ſervant Job. The ſame He takes to magnifie all his Servants, by affliction, ſometimes from the hand of violences, ſometimes from the ſmitings of the Tongue. Indeed the beſt ſervants of the Lord have need of rough meanes, a Thorne in the fleſh to pluck them downe; To let out their foreign.nature, the pride thereof (which is all one:) And to lay them low, ſo to exalt and magnifie them; Its Gods way ſo to work by pricking Thornes and grieving Briars. What a good God doe His people ſerve, Not the Olive onelyonly and the Vine, thoſe fruitfull Trees beare fruits and ſweetneſſe unto them; But the Bramble alſo, the briar and the thorne, all good to them; theſe yeeld ſweets unto them. In very truth, Theſe can gather grapes of thornes and figs of thiſtles. By theſe low and baſe things, God doth magnifie His People even by their Adverſaries, that is the ſecond point; The third is.

3. Croſſe wils, and lines, and wayes muſt advance and illuſtrate the Glory of the Church-way, the way of Chriſt and His Ser…: All the forementioned, croſſe men, their wils, lines and wayes ſtand-in p. 22Gods light a little, and obſcures His way (I will not call it mans way) but He will remove them with a witneſſe; and then, His light, and the Glory of His way ſhall ſhine-out the clearer, and more Glorious, the more it was obſcured and eclipſed by the interpoſition of the earth, the ſons there, forementioned. We would all be reformers of the Church (an eaſie work that, we thinke, though we never thinke of reforming our ſelves;) and we would all reforme in our own way: As we ſimple ones have a ſtrong fancy, we can ſave the Church: ſo are we as ſtrongly conceited, That we can Reforme the Church too, taking our own way touching that matter: Now bleſſed be God, He will not let us be our owne ſaviours, for we would deſtroy our ſelves; nor our owne Reformers, for then in ſtead of a Reformation, we ſhould make as horrid a deformation as ever the Archbiſhops, and Biſhops made. Say againe. O bleſſed be His Name! As He will ſave us by himſelfe: ſo will He Reforme us by Himſelfe, and in His owne way, that He will. He will uſe His ſervants, choice inſtruments in his hand, and make them glorious there: They feare Him, they ſhall know his ſecret aaPſal. …5.Ps 5. They will doe His will, They ſhall know of His doctrine bbJohn 7. 17.John 7:17. They aske the way at his mouth; He will ſhew them the way, and His people ſhall walke in it. And for them, that ſtand croſſe to this way, and walke perverſly, even they ſhall helpe to give glory and luſt…e to this way; that is the point. Indeed, I could enlarge upon it; Ile give the ſumme of it in briefe: Now we have divided tongues, and cloven hearts, and our language is confounded, for the ſame reaſon, as once it was, for we have abuſed the unitie of one voice ccforeign, &c. Chryſoſt.: But God will uſe all this to bring His people to a unity againe, of one love, one faith, one way, one heart, one judgement; and then, they will be all of one lip, Amen. Let God alone; He will work-out His glorious will by theſe croſſe wils. God will make a method of all theſe croſſe wayes; By all theſe croſſings and thwartings this way, and that way: The old way, the way of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles ſhall be beaten-out, and cleared to the eyes, and eares, and hearts of all his people. Amen.

And now having taken ſome honey out of the ſtrong: I proceed, and according to my propoſed Method, I come to the Reſolves, and firſt touching the Author.

A.

It is reſolved, that the Independents, as we call them, never met with ſuch an Antagonist before.

p. 23B.

Well, be it ſo, though it be but a conceit, and their Reſolve, who, perhaps, are reſolved too, That the higheſt ſtarre is not greater then the Moon; nay, does not exceed in quantitie, or qualitie, their great candle on their table. Let him alone in his conceit, if it be his, and his friends in theirs. The ſervants of the Lord will follow peace with all men, but not ſeeke peace with him, becauſe he is Angry **Ab iratis … perspicuè pax petitur augetur …odium. C…. de Juvent.: yet will they not count him an Adverſary, but call him a brother, and they will thanke God for him: for God will work out His Glory by him, and their Glory alſo, as was ſaid before. A man that would underſtand all his faults muſt have a true friend, or a true enemie, one or both; It was the ſaying of the Ancients. Theſe Servants thanke their Lord, they have both, True friends and true enemies; But againſt all expectation, the enemy doth the moſt good; he puts moſt honour upon them, he helpes to magnifie them; We, their friends, magnifie them too, but in a wrong way; We may magnifie them ſo that they may magnifie themſelves more then their office▪ The enemy magnifies them ſo, That, God may magnifie them alſo, and they their office: A wide difference, but this alſo was hinted before.

Secondly, It is reſolved touching the Booke that it cannot be anſwered; that none can anſwer it but the Apologiſts, one or more, that is ſtrongly conceited: but they will not; firſt out of policie.

A.

There are faults amongſt them, perſonall faults, not a few; The Booke declares ſome, the Rejoinder more, and the menaced Letters will ſhew forth all, and more. There are alſo faults in their way of Governement all along, and ſtrange ſlips in their Apol. Nar. For which, if they be wiſe, they will make no Apologie.

B.

I know they are wiſe, what they will doe, I know not ſo certainely. I doe know their power more then ſufficient for that work, I know alſo what expectation there is to gaine their wills to make Replication; And I know how often their Adverſary (Brother I would rather ſay) calleth them unto it, who hath Reply, Reply as often repeated as Homer hath foreign. They will reply never the ſooner for that, but for the zeale of their God, Glory of His Name, Honour of their profeſſion, they will make anſwer I think; And truly I thought I had the very Idea of the Anſwer in my head, but let it vaniſh like a fancy; how can my ſhallowneſſ▪ comprehend what Anſwer ſuch men will make? …e do… what I am able to doo. p. 24Weaken the Reaſons, or ſhew them to be no reaſons againſt the Reply, but all for it; And firſt in generall, I ſay that Politick reaſons are of no account with them, who are all they are for God, and all to advance His Glory. In this caſe, they cannot conſult with fleſh and blood. The glory of God, and honour of their profeſſion requires the caſting away all politick reſpects, when the glory of God comes to be reſpected; ſerious thoughts thereof unties the ligaments of this ſelviſh-frame, takes a man to pieces; dilates him out of himſelfe, and, by decrees, reſolves him into Heaven; he hath no politicks now but what become a Citizen of Heaven.

A.

But the beſt way is to let things alone as they are that they ſpread no farther.

B.

Spread farther: Their Brother has ſpread the nakedneſſe of his brethren ſo far, that charities mantle, though ſtretched forth as it ſhould be, like the Heaven **foreign. Chryſoſt, … Act. Ap. cap. 21. Hom. …. co., is ſcarce able to cover it. But as they cannot doubt, ſo they cannot feare the ſpreading of it.

A.

The Apolog. began the quarrell, now let them ſit downe quietly and take what comes of it.

B.

The beginning of ſtrife is like the opening of waters. But who began? he on whoſe ſid… are hard words, angers firſt weapons aaSalv. Funeſtam Religionis diſcordiam alibi priue cepiſſe hic priue deſiiſſe. …rat. Epolon.; him who ſmites with the tongue. I will not crave judgement in ſo cleere a caſe. Ile wiſh, though it be too late, as I have heard ſome did lately; That the ſaid diſcord about Religion and that way of worſhip had begun in ſome other Country before, and ended here firſt. So in the generall; Now to the particular Reaſons; their perſonall faults firſt.

A.

They have many;

B.

Yes, who hath not? And where is the man that hath the feweſt? But who hath told me and you of their faults? Hearſay; and he hath told a great many lies: Then let me adviſe thee as I would my own ſoule; Take up nothing upon his truſt, eſpecially againſt a brother.

A.

Their own Letters are on the file againſt them.

B.

Not their own Letters ſure; I am perſwaded not one of the five ever vouchſafed a Letter to him. But if ſo, I know what I could ſay; And indeed I can hardly ſpare him there, for he hath not ſpared the dead, John the beloved Diſciple, now in the boſome of his Maſter; he hath dealt worſe with that Saint, then the Devill would be dealt withall, why haſt thou diſquieted me to bring me up aaSam. …8. 15. He that has read the Book, knowes the meaning o… that.; If he hath p. 25any other Letters, they are ſome diſciples Letters, and if they proove treacherous, none ſo bad as they; As we dare not beleeve heareſay; ſo we muſt not beleeve falſe Diſciples.

A.

But they cannot deny their faults, I meane their perſonall failings in point of practiſe.

B.

Cannot! This implies no more an impotency or weakneſſe in man, then it doth in God, Who cannot deny himſelfe God be bleſſed, that His ſervants cannot doe that, whereby to diſhonour God, though they might thereby maintaine their own honour and reputation in the world. I have concluded then; they will not deny their faults; if the Adverſary can make proofe of theſe things, he urge…h againſt his brethren (I am perſwaded in my ſoule, he cannot, but if he can) then they can give glory to God, and confeſſe their ſin, and take ſhame unto themſelves. Si quid indignum Eraſmo, as Eraſmus ſaid Si in Scripto quidquid indignum Eraſmo oſtenderis, oſtenſum protinus jugulabitar. Sed ſi quid haeretic… Ep. l. 25.of himſelfe; I will undertake for them, as he promiſes for himſelfe, doe but ſhew it them, what they have done unbeſeeming their profeſſion, and they will pierce it through, and their hearts will ſorrow for it. But if any hereſie then, ſhew them that, and no ſooner ſhowne, but they will ſerve it, as Moſes did the Aegyptian, kill it preſently, and take ſhame to themſelves for it, What? Maintaine a ſinfull practiſe, while yet they maintaine a Church-way, and haereticall doctrine in that way! God forbid: I demand then, can their adverſary ſay he would (in a Church-way privately firſt) have told them of their faults in practiſe, but they would not heare of them: And ſhewen them, by a light from Heaven, their miſtakes in point of Church-governement, but they would not ſee them? Let this be ſpoken-out, and let not their faults be ſpared; have any faults in their practiſe been ſpied out? I am confident they are as willing to heare it, as their friend hath been to proclaime it: and as willing to caſt ſhame upon themſelves, as he hath been to caſt it upon them: And for their way of government; They may not walke therein every man with a right foot; Theſe Church-men may doe ſome things as men, and unbecomming a Church-fellowſhip; But this they can ſay, that, touching the eſſentials conſtituting a Church (for we doe not pry into the ſcatterings of any one man, or more, or all there) in theſe, if they are deceived, the ſacred Scripture hath deceived them: ſo they can ſay, becauſe in the integrity of their hearts, they have opened their mouthes wide to their God, and reached forth p. 26their hands to him, that he would take them by the hand, leade them in the way, and keepe them to it, up cloſe to the Rule; thus they can ſay in the integrity of their ſoules: And that they have ſought knowledge; ſought her as ſilver, and ſearched for her as for hidden treaſures: And that they have done in their ſearch and ſcrutiny, as they that dig for gold, they caſt away much earth: ſo they have, upon due triall …m. Alex. foreign N… ho mini eſt hominem vincere: …ed bonum eſt …mini ut cum veri…as vincat vole…em, quid, &c. Aug. … …aſc. Ep. 171.of examination, thrown away what ever, that was, not agreeable to the rule of the Word, and ſo they went on their way rejoycing. Now if any man can ſhew them from the ſame Word, a more excellent way let it be examined without paſſion, and they will embrace it. They doe not contend for victory, but for truth; It is not good for a man to conquer a man: but it is good for a man, that the Truth may conquer him with his good will, for conquer it will.

Laſtly, For the Apol. Nar. as the Apple of contention amongſt us. True it is, that two of our brethren have put it into a ſtrange pickle, and would put the ſame take upon every mans palate, that he might reliſh it as they doe. I cannot well tell how far circumſtances, qui…, quid, cui, quando, quare, ubi, may vary and alter the taſt: And yet I will not give away my judgement in my taſting things of that nature: And muſt profeſſe ſtill, That, though it be ſo and ſo aſperſed, yet it reliſheth as ſweetly with me, as any humane invention ever did except our laſt Covenant. Truely I doe thinke it like Manna in this one thing, which, ſome ſay God fitted to every mans taſte, and yet ſome did ſtrangely diſ…liſh it.

A.

Who can reliſh this I pray you? They call themſelves exiles.

B.

Call themſelves ſo! They were ſo indeed and in truth: Reader I cannot ſay a little to this, and, indeed, it is not ſo fully to my ſcope: yet this i'le ſay: As ſure as by the patience of a good God, I breath in His aire: ſo ſure I could cleare this even to M. Edw. himſelfe; that theſe his brethren juſtly call themſelves exiles.

A.

Voluntary and willing, if not wilfull exiles he ſayes.

B.

He ſaith what he pleaſeth, and ſo he hath a contradiction in terminis. No man, that may live in his Countrey, and enjoy quietly all the ſweets there, with Goſpell liberties (take that with you,) will leave his Countrey willingly ſure. No, theſe brethren were forced-out: their perſons forced, their conſciences forced, &c. but i'le ſay no more.

A.

They make an Apol. for themſelves, and therin a motion to p. 27the High Court: and is that well reliſhed thinke you.

B.

Yes truly, I thinke very well reliſhed, That they ſhould take liberty to make a motion, and ſpeake for themſelves: It is no more than what is permitted to Church-robbers, Traytors, yea and Sorcerers too; All theſe, ſayes one, are permitted to make a motion, and Sacrilegis & proditoribus vene ficis. Lact. Lib. 5. cap. 1.ſpeake for themſelves. Are they ſo? Then give the ſame liberty to the faithfull ſervants of the Lord, to make a motion, that they may be permitted to ſerve their God after the way, which I and you, ſimple ones, may call hereſie: But they are perſwaded, that in that very way, they worſhip the God of their fathers, beleeving all things, which were written in the Law and in the Prophets.

A.

If it be ſo reaſonable a motion, why is it not granted?

B.

I profeſſe unto you I cannot tell, but I can tell, that you and I muſt ſhew more manners, than to aske more queſtions touching this matter. It is a reaſonable motion, ſo we are concluded: It is committed to the higheſt Judicature in the Kingdome, there we leave it, and ſo an end.

A.

Not yet; you muſt remember there is one reaſon more out of their politicks, why they will forbeare to make anſwer; Becauſe it will but widen the difference, and lay-open their Church-way to more open ſcandall.

B.

I humbly conceive none of all this can be, but the contrary. It will cloſe-up and heale the difference: And cleare their way to all unprejudiced beholders, or give them cleare knowledge that thoſe brethren are (a little) out of the way: And this anſwers their ſuppoſed politicks, why in policie, they will not make reply.

A.

2. It is reſolved by ſome, They cannot make reply through weakeneſſe.

B.

But I can never beleeve that; I hold it as feoſible a thing, as any thing that has been done this many yeares: and a work alſo of quick diſpatch: for I ſuppoſe, 1. That all perſonall things ſhall be caſt away; Wherein they have failed in point of practiſe they will thanke him for telling them, all that; and be carefull with all their care to correct it. Moreover they have a good God, to goe unto, the Father of mercies: And for the people of God, the Church ſhe is the mother of mercies. I remember Luthers words here, in the very like eaſe: I have much ignorance in me, about matters of God, and have carried things negligently ſometime, but my ignorance the Church will p. 28beare with, and my ſaults ſhe will pardon, for ſhe is the Queene of mercy; Ignorantiam meam, &c. See Childs Portion p. 38.and nothing elſe but, &c. Theſe perſonall matters therefore touching theſe brethren, ſhall not blot paper, theſe ſhall be tranſacted in the cloſſet, betwixt God and their ſoules.

2. What things may be unjuſtly urged againſt them, (which ſure are very many) they can heare with ſilence, and beare with patience, ſo be, the glory of God and honour of their profeſſion be not concerned therein.

As ſurely all this is concerned, when things which the Apo… knew not are taken-up upon truſt, and urged againſt them, and yet they ſhould make no reply whereby to reprove him to his face.

3. And for their reproaches, as Melanct. ſaid in the very ſame caſe, Their Lord Chriſt will give them ſtrength to beare for him **Valeat E…ci…, & tradu…at nos, & triumphos agat de parvu…s; ad id genus calu…arum ſatis animi praeſtabit Chriſtus, &c., Who bore away the curſe from them; they can ſuffer for Chriſt, and goe away rejoycing: More than all this can I beare for Chriſt, ſaid he, ſmitten with the tongue in the ſame manner: None of all this neither ſhall blot paper, no, It is ſpread, as the Kings Letter before the LORD; He will anſwer it by Himſelfe.

4. Touching M. Edw. his walkings in and out; his ſcatterings here and there, not a word of that; let him and his friends lay open their own nakedneſſe, they will not: And ſo now the Anſwer is in every ma…s judgement, cut ſhort, by twenty ſheets: Now for the worke, and body of the Anſwer, I can ſay nothing to that; only I am perſwaded in my heart, that the Spirit of the Lord is with them, the ſecret of the Lord is revealed unto them, becauſe they ask it, as the moſt comprehenſive bleſſing **Mat. 7. 11. Luk. 11. 13.Matt 7:11Luke 11:13: They obey from the heart, and ſo they feare Him, and doe His will: ſurely they ſhall know of the doctrine aaJoh. 7.John 7: for they can profeſſe that they hated mans inventions, all along in his willworſhip: and that they never leant to their own wiſedome; they abominated that, in their ſearch and enquiry after Truth; they followed the moſt unerring patterne, and when any ſparke of light was communicated to them, they deſired no more but to ſee the cleareneſſe of Heaven come along with it, and then they followed on to ſeeke the Lord: And knowing the terrour of the Lord, they would perſwade with us, ſimple ones, in this, That we would feare to kindle a fire of our own; to compaſſe our ſelves with ſparkes: for this is the judgement of the Lord in that matter: walke in the light of that fire, and ſparkes which ye have kindled. This ſhall ye have of My hand, ye ſhall Iſa 50. 11.Isa 50:11lie downe in ſorrow.

p. 29Thus, Sir, I have for the ſatisfaction of the ſimple Reader (it is great reaſon he ſhould be ſatisfied) removed the politick reaſons, which were reſolved upon would with-hold a Reply to the Anti-Apol. and cleared in paſſage, how able work-men we have for the work, how eaſie the work is, and how quickly framed and raiſed upon the Advantage ground of Truth: Whether theſe ſervants of the Lord will apply themſelves, or their Anſwer to M. Ed. that I cannot tell, I think not. They cannot ſure thinke him worthy of an Anſwer, who has done ſo unworthily. But the people and Church of God, they are worthy. And now, what will this man doe with his Rejoynder and Letters? Rejoyne … what will be Rejoyne to this, Thou ſhalt not raiſe a falſe report hhExod. 23. 1Exod 23:1? Or to this, Conſider of it, take advice, and ſpeake iiJudg 19. …Judg 19? Doubtleſſe the man will put his Rejoynder and Letters both to ſome private ſhame or open pennance.

Now, Sir, I have done with the Reſolves, and will not queſtion how I have reſolved you; but reſolved I am not to withdraw my hand here: Let it be my fault, hardly perſwaded to put my pen to paper; as hardly drawne to take it off: But let it be my excuſe to, That I am very deſirous upon your intimation, to give Reſolution to thoſe that deſire it, touching theſe grave Queſtions:

Q. 1. What a Church-way is? Or, What it is to walk in a Church-fellowſhip?

Q. 2. Who they are, that may, in the judgement of Charitie, be thought walkers in that way?

Q. 3. Who they are, whom we may judge, and without breach of Charitie, to be cleane out of the way?

Q. 4. Their Qualifications, what they muſt be, to whom the Lord will ſhew the beautie of His way? When this is done, I ſhall tell you a ſhort Parable, make a ſhort uſe of it, for the keeling of our ſpirits, and uniting of our hands in mutuall fellowſhip, and our hearts unto God, and then I have done indeed. To the firſt (for I haſten) What is a Church-way, or to walk in a Church-fellowſhip? that is the queſtion to be reſolved; and not whether Independency or Preſbyterie be the way of Church-Government; nor what the Miniſters muſt be, or how to be ordained. Ah Lord! I might run my ſelf into a maze here quickly; nor what Elders, and Deacons; nor how they muſt be qualified. None of all this, this is the bare queſtion, Q. 1. What is a Church way? or, what is it to walk in a Church-fellowſhip?

p. 30A. I humbly conceive it is this, To ſtand charged to watchover each other in their way; To give an account of their way; To beare each others burthen; To ſupply each others wants; To partake of each others graces; To doe all things as becommeth a Communion of Saints, alwayes doing or receiving good. This is the Reſolution in ſhort to the firſt Quaery. The

Q. 2. Whom, may we conceive to be walkers in this way?

A. I humbly conceive, Thoſe, who have moſt diligently asked after this way, moſt frequently, and fervently prayed, Lead us, Lord, and hold us in this way; And, if Leaders (unto others) then they prayed in prayer for grace to lead unto Chriſt, and to command for Him, Who is given a Leader and Commander to His people; Grace to labour in his Word and Doctrine; accounting thoſe ſpirits beſt …. …5. 4.ſpent, which are ſpent in that ſervice; Wiſdome to underſtand this ſoul-craft, how to win ſoules; and to lay out, and ſtake themſelves, all they have and are to thoſe ineſtimable commodities; They, who could never comply with croſſe men, in as croſſe a way, no never; rather let Libertie go, ſweet Countrey farewell, and friends adieu, now we muſt ſhake hands, for we cannot reach them forth in fellowſhip with abominable men, and to their ſervices. They, who kept their garments, and their Lords Word even where Satan had his throne: Theſe are walkers in the way: People alſo, who are not pretenders to it, but burning and ſhining lights in it, examples before others, ſo to win thoſe, that are without, unto it. Theſe are walkers in the way; whether Independents or Presbyterians, we doe not regard names, theſe are walkers, and with a right foot. And here I cannot exclude any by including theſe five, I might ſay fifteen, the more perſecuted with the tongue the more preciſe walkers in the way: ſo I have reſolved the ſecond Queſtion. The

Q. 3. Who they are, whom we may judge, without breach of Charitie, to be quite out of the way?

A. It is not my conceit, it is my knowledge: (1.) They are out of the way, who are not in it, within their owne houſe, I meane, quite out. They that cannot guide their owne houſe, cannot guide the Church … a Church way, that is a reſolved Caſe **1 Tim. 3. 5.1 Tim 3:5. (2.) And they, who are oppoſites to this way; out of the way ſure all theſe: for they are enemies to the way. (3.) And they, who complying with croſſe-men to Gods way, did thoſe ſervices, ſerved thoſe idols, read thoſe bookes, p. 31publiſhed thoſe decrees, did this; though the greateſt abomination; neglected that, though the great charge of ſoules; gave forth their hands to that, the establiſhing of evill: And to that, the throwing-out of good: All theſe things, one whereof, had been enough, but all together hath now kindled the fury and anger of the Lord in our Cities, Jer.and ſtreets, and they are waſted and deſolate as at this day. Theſe miſchiefes theſe have done to their Countrey, and land of habitation, by their compliance with abominable men, in all theſe or ſome of theſe things before mentioned. And have theſe men been humbled for all this? This muſt be more enquired into, what Miniſters have done, who are Commanders and Leaders unto others; have they been humbled for all this? If they have not, not taken ſhame to themſelves for all this, Then the word of the Lord ſpeakes to them (cuttingly) ſharply, That the Patterne of His Houſe ſhall not be Tit. …. 13. foreign.ſhewne unto them, for ſo ſaith the Lord. Let the Wiſe, and the Diſputers, and the Scribe hearken to the good Word of the Lord upon the Reſolution of the fourth queſtion, which is,

Q. 4. What their Qualification; what manner of perſons they muſt be, To whom the Lord will ſhew His way or Pattern of His Houſe?

A. I humbly conceive, and that it is undeniable, That they muſt be men, that feare God above many. There are many ſecrets in this way of Church-Government, and ſome Mazes there; This for one, which we call Ordination: A man can never find his way out of it by the …lew of his own reaſon. Other Mazes there are, and ſecrets, Aenigma…s and hard Queſtions: Myſteries alſo, but this is the comfort: God will lead by the hand, open his ſecrets **Pſal. 25…Ps 25unto all them that feare Him, and from the heart obey …, as before pointed at, for He gives His Spirit to all ſuch. 2. They muſt be humble men, ſuch as lye low, as the valleyes, men aſhamed as Ezra and Nehemiah were, aſtoniſhed when they confeſſed over their owne ſinnes, and ſinnes of their Fathers. To ſay all over againe, They muſt be aſhamed of all that they have done; eſpecially in Gods Houſe, and about His ſervice there. If they have gone beyond Melancthon his rule, bearing with thoſe Ne deſerat… Eccleſia propt… ſervitutem, qu… ſine impietate ſuſtineri poſsi. lib. 1. ep. 107.things, which could not be borne without impietie, they muſt be aſhamed of all that; if they have complyed with the Biſhops, and their ſervices, firſt, and ſecond, They muſt be aſhamed of all that; if they have anſwered their unlawfull commands, for the eſtabliſhing of evill, p. 32and throwing down of Good, for the ſtrengthening the hand of the violent men, and weakning of the Godly, yea the murthering of a Righteous people; if ſo, they muſt be aſhamed for all this; if they have ducked and cringed when time was, ſo ſerving the time, they muſt take ſhame for all this, and all that they have done againſt the Lawes, and Ordinances of the Houſe of their God, before that the Lord will ſhew them the Pattern and Lawes of His Houſe. Till this ſhame be taken by them, as publiquely in Gods Houſe, as they were a ſhame unto the Houſe, God will not be enquired of them concerning His way of worſhip there. Their diſputing about a Church way ſhall not profit them that live not in an Holy way. They that do my will ſhall know my Doctrine ddJoh. 7. 17.John 7:17: They may eagerly purſue that way and aske after it; they ſhall not find it, for they are not in a capacity of finding. They may ſit long, and doe little, They may aske, knock, ſeek, and find nothing, but their own findings, never find the Lord or his way, till they goe forth of their own way weeping and lamenting after the Lord, and over their ſinnes, whereby they have gone aſtray from Him, when Iſrael went aſtray after their idols: Till Ezek. 44.Ezek 44this they doe, nothing they can doe for Gods Houſe, in expectation of acceptance, ſo the Lord hath ſaid, nothing ſhall be done, till this be done, till they have taken ſhame to themſelves for all that they have done, or ſuffered to be done, when they might have hindred it: And then take ſhame for all this before Iſrael and before the Sun (for ſo open their revolt and going aſtray was.) I know they, who ſet their hearts to ſeek a Church-way, who deſire with deſire to have ſhewen unto them the whole houſe of GOD, the faſhion thereof, and the goings-out thereof, and the commings-in thereof, and all the farmes, Ordinances and Lawes thereof; They that expect ſuch a Revelation, ſet their hearts to what the Lord God hath ſaid; He will never ſhew them the Pattern of His Houſe, who have done against the Ordinances, Lawes and Statutes of His Houſe; yet have not been aſhamed. But are they aſhamed for all the diſ-ſervices and diſhonours they have done to Gods Houſe? Then it followes, Son of man ſhew the Houſe to the houſe of Iſrael. They have caſt ſhame upon their own faces, for all their So they may find more favour then did the Prieſts of old.abominations there; They ſhall ſee with open face the whole Houſe of God open before them (i. e.) This is the Law of the Houſe, theſe the goings-out, and commings-in, and theſe the Formes, Ordinances, and Lawes thereof; all ſhall be ſhewen to theſe humble people; they ſhall p. 33look upon all with open face, whereas before they had ſo done, humbling themſelves and bearing their iniquity, they might ſit as men hood winkt: The Scripture preſſing upon them all this, is as cleare as any in the whole book of God. I leave it in their **Ezek. 43.Ezek 43boſomes.

Now they have heard what God hath ſaid to them; they may conſider what they have ſaid to us, That we muſt be humbled for the idolatries and bloudſhed in our firſt Queen Maries dayes. And all the Reaſon in the ſacred word for this, That we ſhould be called forth to weeping and mourning now: for doubtleſſe the Lord is viſiting now the ſinnes committed an hundred yeares agon; And yet we doe not anſwer their call; We doe not come-forth with our hands upon our loines: Why? Surely becauſe we doe not ſee them (our Miniſters ſome of them) laying one hand upon their mouthes, and the other upon their loynes, breaking their owne hearts before us, ſo teſtifying their exceeding ſorrow for all that they have done in Gods Houſe, To turne us away from the right-ſerving the Lord there. We profeſſe in the eares of God, Angels and men, we never accounted a Table an Altar, nor did we bend there till we ſaw our Paſtour (in name) bow and cringe there firſt. Nor did we idolize the ſacred Name, till we ſaw him put off his cap. Nor could we thinke it ſo much as a civill or decent manner, To riot and dance upon the Lords day, till our Rev. Miniſter, (ſo he would be eſteemed, though he did reverence neither God nor man in a true manner) told us, That it was the day, which the heathen, in honour to their god, dedicated to the Sun, and therefore we might, by the ſame reaſon, ſanctifie the ſame day with a Taber, and a Pipe, or after a more heatheniſh manner: Ah Lord! ſurely we could not have beleeved this, had not our Miniſter preached even ſo unto us, and ſhewed us Statute-law for it: Ah Lord! ſhould not they be aſhamed for their Doings? ſo miſerably ſeducing a poore darke people as we are? We humbly conceive, That, though we are in a great tranſgreſſion, yet not the firſt or the chiefeſt therein: Therefore we expect that our Miniſters, who went away farre from God when Iſrael we…t aſtray, which went aſtray away from Him after Ezek. 44. 10.Ezek 44:10their own gods, ſhould beare their ſhame firſt, and their iniquity before all the people. And, oh that the Maſters of our Aſſemblies, the chiefe there, would preſſe-on this great work of Humiliation, and be Examples unto others in this matter, as Ezra and Nehemiah are Examples unto them; even theſe could ſpy-out that, whereof they were p. 34aſhamed; and ſite …ſ…onied before their God. Surely they that in ſeeking ſeek after Gods-way of Government in His Church (for what hath the Church to doe with mans-way) theſe goe forth weeping over their own wayes. They that look to be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royall Diadem in the hand of their God, theſe muſt be an humble people firſt; They muſt lye-… before their God, bearing their ſhame for all they have done againſt Him. The …, They that are indeed lovers of the Truth, and ſeekers after Peace, do know aſſuredly, That they cannot have what they ſo dearly love; nor find what they ſo earneſtly ſeeke, till there be a bitter lamentation taken up for all that hath been done, even by the Children of the Kingdome againſt Gods Kingdome, and Royalties thereof, His Truth and Peace. Surely this is the way; In the feare of God, ſo to doe, then matters would ſlide on, The ſecret of GOD would be with you, Truth would be revealed, Peace would be given, for it is the Churches portion. Their Lord Chriſt hath bequeathed it to His people.

But how doe His people thruſt it from them? how do they divide themſelves one from another; and ſet themſelves one againſt another; and preſſe one upon another, as if they would devoure one another? ſo doing as much, and working more effectually their own ruine, then the Adverſary does, or can doe? Surely we ſhould be aſhamed for all this; And for theſe diviſions, ſtrong prayers ſhould bee put-up, That we may not throw down our ſelves with our own hands; Nor thruſt that further off, which we ſeeme willing to put forward with all our hands.

O! if ever, now sure it is a pleaſant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ecce quam ſe m… diligunt! never did you ſee a more pleaſant proſpect, then when you ſee Chriſtians bearing-up themſelves like vine branches which beare-up one another, all cleaving faſt to that, which beareth-up them! Now that the enemy rages, let not friends rage againſt themſelves; The Adverſaries are joynted, ſhall we be diſ-joynted? platted together like thornes they, ſhall we touch one another like nettles? The enemy is reſolved upon the queſtion with one conſent; Come let us put out the light of Iſrael. Be we reſolved, that we will joyne heads, and hands, and hearts to magnifie God, and our office, ſo to exalt the light of Iſrael. The enemy ſayes now a confederacy. We muſt not ſay a confederacy, as if we were confederate, to caſt ſhame and reproach each upon other. The enemies are confederate againſt us; It teacheth us how we ſhould be cloſe with our God, and with our ſelves, ſhut up together as with a cloſe ſeale, That all may be ſaid of us, as it Job 41. 15, 16, 17.Job 41:15Job 41:16Job 41:17followes in that place, and is ſpoken of the Leviathans ſeales.

To perſwade to all this, I will tell the Parable where with Beſſarius would perſwade all Chriſtian Princes, to hold together and joyne all their forces againſt their ſworne enemie (who was ſingle with him, plurall with us, The Turk and the Pope) The Parable is this, The Wolves and the dogs were marching on-ward one againſt the other, purpoſing to joyne forces next morning. The wolves, that they might the better count their own coſt, and know the ſtrength of their Adverſaries, ſend forth a Maſter-Wolfe as their Scout (by which name I will call him.) The Scout returnes, tels his Generall with his Captaine, and fellow ſouldiers, That indeed, the Dogs, their enemies, exceeded them in number, many more. But, ſayes the Scout, no cauſe of diſcouragement at all, for an obſervation I made touching our Adverſaries, which is this; The Dogges are not p. 35one like another, a few Ma…ives there be, but the moſt are little Curies; which will make a noiſe, and barke at the Moon, and be … at their ſhadow. but that which comforted me moſt of all, and may put courage into you, was, I obſerved them matching along, as if they were more offended with themſelves, than with us; not keeping their ranks neither, but grinning, and ſharling, and biting, ſometimes tearing each other, as if, they would ſave us a labour. Maſters, ſaid the ſcout, march-on reſolutely, confidently; our enemies are their own en…mies, enemies to themſelves and their own peace; they bite and devoure each other, we ſhall devoure them ſure; they ſhall be bread and meat for us. This is as ſoon underſtood as read, I need not expound the parable; nor doth Melancthon, from whom I took it: he gives a very ſhort exhortation upon it, but of infinite uſe, therefore I will enlarge it. Brethren, ſayes he, I beſeech you by the mercies of Chriſt, ſhew mercy one to another. By the kindneſſe of Chriſt, be ye kind; by the bowels of Chriſt, ſhew that you have bowels; by all Scripture obligations, and bands of the brother-hood, live like brethren; be of one mind, and then ye ſhall know the mind of Chriſt. Be of one judgement in the things of God, and ye ſhall eſcape the judgement of the world. This is as poſſible ſure, as it is Chriſtian-like. Two men, that had the Devill in them, lived in one place, and did agree, becauſe they had the ſame ſpirit in them both. Cannot you do ſo that looke to live in one Heaven? and doe profeſſe, that Chriſt lives in you, now you are upon the earth by His Spirit: Surely if you have the Spirit of Chriſt you can live together on the ſame earth, keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Amen. And yet I have not done; We will take the Apoſtles admonition too, If there be any conſolation, Phil. 2. 8.Phil 2:8&c. for we ſhould proceed in the Chapter, where we ſhall find the ſtrongeſt bonds to bind us to the peace, and good behaviour. But if we are ſuch children of Belial, we will caſt away ſuch cords; yet they that l…ve Truth heartily, and ſeeke Peace earneſtly, may be grieved (as Sir you are) and offended, but not diſcouraged it all that; for conſider firſt; Truth is the ſtrongeſt thing upon earth, we all ſay, and as its ſtrength is, ſo it ſhall prevaile (we all know) and get the victory at the laſt, which ſhall be the more glorious, the more it is oppoſed. They that ſee their faces againſt their brethren like flint; and their words as hard as ſteele, ſhall strike forth ſome ſparkes of Truth by this contention, whereby to give more luſtre of cleareneſſe thereunto: Truth will be a gainer by all a… laſt.

A.

I but, while Truth is purſued, …eace is loſt.

B.

Yes, and that may be by our own fault; and it is but the Peace of the world neither, and what wiſe man ſetteth his heart upon that. The Peace of God is perfected (that is the ſecond conſideration) by all this in the mouthes and hearts of His children. Let them looke to the keeping of Truth, it is not poſſible they ſhould looſe Peace or themſelves: Becauſe thou haſt kept the word of My patience; Rev. 3. 10.Rev 3:10(that is, the word of Truth, not kept but by thoſe in whom patience hath a perfect work,) I will alſo keep thee: See there! If we keep; God will keep; we His word, and He us from the houre of temptation, which is now come upon all the world to try the inhabitants there. A ſweet promiſe! I will conclude with the words of Luther upon the like ſubject, perſwading the people by ſetting up a faithfull Miniſtery, to advance Truth The Sea (of Rome) of our trouble riſeth high ſaith he, The floods lift up their voice, (that is) our adverſaties are mighty. What are p. 36their wills and endeavours now? They will take▪ Truth from the earth: [Eye… when you ſee ſuch ſtirrs, and tumults, the cauſe of God is in hand, His Truth maintained, hence all our trouble; never any thing but Truth was ſo oppoſed.] But (ſaith Luther) beare-up againſt wind, and tide, ſtormes and tempeſts, and feare not your ſtanding; we may be as feareleſſe as our Rock is; and our Rock feares Pe…ra noſtra non pallet ad tonitrua, & …ulgura non …etuit, &c. Caelum ruat fiat voluntas tua. Luth. 2. vol. p. …74. Nec … hoc, nec mirum, ſt Princeps m…n… d…viet. Quid aliud ſaceret. Pſal. 2.Ps 2not the rage of men, nor roare of the Devils; they roare now, and their ſervants are mad, upon their Idols, and with rage. It is neither ſtrange nor wonderfull; the contrary had been ſo; If the Prince, and Princes of the world, did neither roare, nor rage, now, now that they ſee their Kingdome is in danger, that had been a wonder indeed, a marvaile in Heaven, What would you have them doe? What, but like themſelves, roare and rage, and make tumults? But he not diſmaied at all this, but encouraged rather. Reade Chriſtians, (ye that are Chriſtians indeed) reade and obſerve what ye reade, That God laughs now▪ and ſhall His ſervants cry now? No, God forbids it; they muſt be merry now, and being merry, they muſt ſing high, the 46. Pſalme, and at every full point, a Selah. God is our refuge and ſtrength, Selah: A very preſent helpe in trouble. Selah. Therefore will not we feare, though the earth be removed: and though the mountaines be carried into the midſt of the ſea. Though the waters thereof roare, and be troubled, though the mountaines ſhake with the ſwelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, (whoſe floods are butter and honey, ſtrong conſolations) the ſtreames whereof ſhall make glad the City of God▪ Selah. The floods are liſted up, the floods have lifted up their voice (when ye have theſe repetitions, you have a great obſervation before pſal. 93.your eye) The floods lift-up their waves; Be not afraid (at all this) remember the LORD, Who is GREAT. The LORD on high is mightier then the noiſe of many waters: the mighty waves of the ſea (that is) He is a Rock. This Rock anſwers Neh. 4. 16.Neh 4:16all Objections; The Rock of Ages bbIſa. 26. 4. foreignIsa 26:4, in Him is everlaſting ſtrength: A ground ſure and ſtable, whereon to build everlaſting confidence. Let us doe our duty▪ fall cloſe to our work, keepe cloſe to our Rock, ſtrong in Him, through the power of His might. Amen.foreign

Thus, Sir, I have given Anſwer to your Letter, with ſtrong deſire and endeavour all along, to render it ſutable to the good word of God; to the rule and method of Charity there; to the example and practiſe of Gods beſt ſervants there and every where; and beſt agreeing with the ſweetneſſe of your ſpirit, wholy ſpent in the perſuance of Truth and Peace: Now the God of Truth and Peace, leade us into all Truth; give us peace by all meanes.

Amen.

Sir, I am Your moſt affectionate Friend, and, indeed, obliged ſervant, for your faithfull labour and unwearied paines in the worke and ſervice of the Goſpell. HEZEKIAH WOODWARD. From my houſe in Aldermanbury 12. Aug. 1644.