A CENSURE OF That Reverend and Learned man of God Mr. JOHN COTTON, Lately of New-England, upon the way of Mr. Henden of Bennenden in Kent, expressed in some Animadversions of his upon a Letter of Mr. Henden's, sometimes sent to Mr. Elmeston.  
2. A brief and solid Exercitation concerning the Coercive power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion, by a reverend and learned Minister, Mr. Geoge Petter, lately of Bread in SUSSEX.  
3. Mr. Henden's Animadversions on Mr. Elmestons' Epistle Revised and Chastized.  
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for JOHN STAFFORD, at the sign of the George near Fleet Bridge. 1656.   

Mr. Hendon's ANIMADVERSIONS On Mr. Elmestons' EPISTLE, Revised and Chastised.  
I Will say little to your Preface, but leave it to the discreet, judicious, and godly Reader, to examine and censure as he finds cause. Only I desir● that the Reader may know, that it is but your vain Surmise, that my other Answer to your Letter (as you intimate in the beginning of your Preface, and hint elsewhere in your Book) was the joint-labour of sund●y Neighbor-Ministers concurring with me. Touching which I 
Pag 94.  can truly say, that not any of them, no not the neer●st to me knew much of it, I am sure saw not a line of it, until I had sent a Copy of it to yourself. So far were they from contributing their midwifery to the Birth of it. There was but unum ad unum, according to the 
* Erasm. Chil. 2. Cent 2.  Proverb. But this is the overweening confidence that you have of yourself, that l●k●Miles gloriosus, the braggadosia soldier in Plautus, you think me too weak a man to grapple with you: and indeed I boast not of my abilities. What I am, I am by the grace of God alone, whom also I thank for that small mite of Learning, human or divine, that I have. But as St. Augustine saith, so say I, Ego parvas vires habeo, sed Dei verbum magnas habet; I have but small strength: 
Cited by Mr. Burg. vindic.. leg. in the Preface Orat. post Mich. 1573.  but the Word of God and the Truth have great power. And as the learned Doctor Reynolds, Bonam causam vel infans sustineat, mala vix Cicero patronus sufficiat. A very Babe may uphold a good cause, but Cicero himself is fierce a sufficient Patron for a bad. It savours of the like arrogant spirit, that you would have my Answer to you come forth in the name, and with the united forces of all our Ministers. What is this but some spice of Goliah's termagant spirit, who did defy the whole Host 
Chiliads 1. ●ent. 5.  of Israel? and more than an Herculean courage, of whom the Proverb is, Nè Hercules quidem contra duos, Hercules himself would not take on him to deal● with two. Methinks I hear from you the brags of that flattering Parasit● to his Braggadosi● Master, that he, Hostium legiones difflavit spiritu quasi ventus folia, 
Plaut. Mil. glor.. Act. 10. Scen. 1.  that he had blown away legions of enemies with a blast, as the wind doth leaves. It may be for all this your boasting you may have your hands full of one ere we have done, as the Braggadosia Dares in the Poet, had of aged Eutellus, who upon encounter 
Virg. Aen. 5.  with that aged Worthy, notwithstanding his insolent boast and challenge, was fain to yield him up the Bucklers upon Aeneas timely advice, who saw it like else to go ill with him saying,  
Nonne alias vires, conversaque numina sentis? Cede Deo.—  
dost thou not feel a strength above thine own,  
And God against thee? Unto God sit down.  
But leaving further to meddle with your Preface, I pass to your Animadversions, where you tell me, that my Epistle comes galloping in, &c. Whereto I say, That I was never noted among my neighbours for a Galloper, but one that usually rode a sober pace: The more unlikely is it that I should turn Galloper in my age, or that my Epistle should come galloping in, and that upon a wooden Horse, who could not sure be very free of motion, but as he was drawn by others strength. But howsoever thus you j●●re at this not wooden story, as you scoff, but a pleasant poetical fiction, yet the application of it to your opinion and practice, about an universal toleration in Religion, doth so fully meet with you therein, that it makes you kick and lash like a Jade nettled in the breech. It is a vile and lewd perverting of my words & meaning, to say (as you do) that liberty granted to tender consciences in Religion, is by me compared to this Trojan Horse: For I speak plainly of an universal toleration of all ways and consciences in Religion, and that not as established and owned by the State (as some did calumniate me) (For I knew, and know that there was an Act made against ranterism, that they had declared themselves against Arrians in condemning Mr. Fry his book; and against Socinians in ordering the Cracovian catechism to be burnt, for which their zeal for Christ and his Truth, I bless the Lord, and wish, that from all God's people they may have their deserved honour) but I mentioned it only as a thing pleaded for, taken up by the headstrong practice of too many, which is sadly evident to the World. And is there no difference between such a vast toleration, and a just liberty granted unto tender consciences? If men will be blasphemou●Mahumetans, execrable Arrians, and Socinians, idolatrous Papists, gross Arminians, wretched soul-mortalists, fantastic Seekers, &c. Are these to be tolerated as men of tender consciences in Religion? Such only have been counted men of tender consciences in Religion, whose mistakes have been in matters indifferent, or at least in points not fundamental, of an inferior allay, carrying themselves in an humble and peaceable way, and not struggling to make parties and rents in the Church; with whom much patience is to had, and to whom due liberty is to be granted. But surely such as err in matters fundamental, or next to the foundation, and pertinaciously persist therein, after due pains taken with them, to inform them in the truth, and convince them of their error, yea, and also openly profess, and spread them abroad to seduce others, are far from men of tender consciences, unless Drunkards, Adulterers, Railers, &c. be so also, with whom heretics are coupled, Gal. 5. 20. Tender Consciences and true Grace may meet in one subject, and none indeed are truly of tender Conscience, but such as are truly Gracious.  
But what spark of saving Grace can be in such, whose minds and consciences are possessed and corrupted with damnable errors and heresies, as Peter calls them? It is but censorious ignorance which you manifest in taxing me for the use of this poetical fiction of the Trojan Horse; nor is it utterly unsuitable to the majesty of Divinity (though in this my Epistle I treat of no special point of Divinity) especial●y in controversial writings to make use of poetical fictions, or Poetry, when as the Apostle in his preaching and writing, did think the speeches of Heathen Poets suitable enough to his most serious D●vinity, as appears Acts 17. 28. 1 Cor. 15. 33. Tit. 1. 11. where he doth allege them: And say that this is but a Fiction, yet is is a rule among Logicians, that feigned ex●mples and similitudes serve to illustrat● as well as tru●, Ficta similitudo parem vim habet veris, A feigned sim●litude is of like force with the true; Exemplorum, saith another, non est 
Ramus dialect. lib. 1. cap. 21.  exquirenda veritas, sed solum rei propositae declaratio aut convenientia. The truth of examples is not to be looked to, but only the declaration 
Zabarel. de mente bumanâ. cap. 8.  of the matter propunded & their fitness for it. It is also but a poor soarling to carp at a wor●, that upon mention of this poetical Fiction, I call, by way of allusion, our Church our Troy: Sure I am that it is an expression which a thrice noble author, for B●rth, Honour, Learning and Piety, thought it not unfit to use, namely, Philip Mornee, Lord of Plessis; At whom to carp would sooner bewray much audacious folly in you, than any 
In his Preface to his my●●ery of Iniquity, not fa● from the end.  whit asperse his wisdom and gravity. And touching your farther descant upon this name, it is a wild and rovi●g conceit, that Rome was built by any roving Trojans, when there were more than four hundred years between Aeneas coming into Italy with his Trojans, and the building of Rome by Romulus and Remus; when the wandering of the Trojans was ceased, yea their name lost, and 
Buchol. in Cbron.  extinguished, though some of the race might remain though swallowed up by other nations, and under other n●mes. 2. Wher● and by whom Rome is called a second Troy, if you had showed, I should have been beholding to you for that piece of Philology: For I confess ingenuously, it is not within the compass of my memory. 3. It is a wrong to ou● Church in England (now as it is) to call it Hierarch●call, when it was of that frame, the good Party groaned under such Lords as an heavy burden, and it hath now clean cast them off, and changed its face and form into a Church ministerial; your petty Separation comes nearer to an Anarchy, than our Church-state to an Hierarchy. Last, It is a wonder you tell us of, viz. of a Christian Church ar●sing out of the ashes of a Pagan City. The Proverb is, E. squilla non nascitur 
Chiliad 2. Cent. 3.  Rosa, The sweet Rose grows not out of the strong scented Sea-onion, much more unlikely it is that a City of God should arise out of a Palace of Satan: You love, if not all devou●ing words, as the Prophet speaks, Psal. 52. 3. yet all biting words. But if you mean (as some speak) of a noble Trojan, Brutus arriving in England, that Englishmen are descended of old of the Troj●n B●ood, that hath been counted the honour of the Nation, or if any blemish be in it, it reflecteth on you, yours, and your company, as much as upon us or any other.  
Concerning Troy's dis●olution, I speak not of the Metitorious Cause that did procure it, which was (as you say) their retaining of that Strumpet Helena, but of the Active Cause, which by fire and sword did lay it wast, which were the Grecian Captains hidden in that Horse, and the other G●aecian Army joining with them. And for a●y such accu●s●d thing to be found amongst us, we are as free by God's grace, and so shall be, and far from any such spiritual H●rlotry, as you are in this your censure of u● from Christian Charity. But whatsoever be amongst us, I see not but that you allow, and would bring in amongst us as provoking, and evil, and a more filthy Harlot, than was Helena, viz, an universal toleration for all Religions. For Helena, though she lewdly forsook her Husband Menelaus, and ran away with Paris, yet as long as she lived she was fair and honest toward him. But this Harlot-Toleration doth allow men liberty to commit spiritual Fornication, with any false Religion, and at pleasure to give a bill of Divorce to the old, and take up a new. That liberty (which I yoke, you say, most unfitly to the Trojan wooden Horse) what is it but an universal Toleration for all ways and Consciences in Religion? Which Liberty (say you) is a precious jewel, bought for men by the invaluable ransom of Jesus Chris●. In which words I doubt you are little aware what you say. What hath Christ shed his blood, that men might have liberty to deny his D●ity, to reproach the Scriptures, to be Arrian●, Socinians, Papist●, and to be what they please in point and profession of Religion? I trust you abhor to affirm such thing●. And yet such horrid consequences must needs ensue thereupon, if the liberty, which I so comp●re, be the jewel so purchased, since I manifestly speak it, and that only of such an universal and general toleration. And such as will so say, may as well say, that Christ hath shed his precious blood to procure men a liberty to whore, swear, and be drunk, as to be of what way in Religion they please. Gross ways in false Religion, and foul Errors and Heresies, do tend as much to the dishonour of Christ, and damnation of men's souls, as such foul and gross sins. It is true what you add, that by Christ we are redeemed from vain traditions and human thraldom, to be a free and willing people in Christ's service. But such a liberty comes far short of that vast liberty, to be of what Religion we please, and to be tolerated therein without any control from the Magistrate. You spitefully and falsely charge me, as defaming our noble Patriots about their honourable endeavours, and prosperous success● in preventing the overflowing of Popery, promoting the Gospel, repressing Tyranny, or procuring us any just Liberty in the State or Religion: For the which I bless the Lord, and honour them according to their most worthy deserts. But such a vast and wide liberty (as I speak of, and you also must mean, if you answer to the point) viz. a toleration for all ways and consciences in Religion, as Christ never purchased for us, so cannot I acknowledge, that the State doth allow it, however sundry plead for it, and usurp it. And therefore you do more reproachfully defame them, to make them Patrons of such a wicked Liberty, than I, who deny them to be so. But whether it be usurped only, or whether it should be established (which God forbid I should) I would never write upon such a Liberty, or the procuring of it, as you say I ought. This is the finger of God. That can never be the work of God● finger, which is contrary to the word of his mouth. I do● not complain of such a toleration, as in particular destructive unto us, but as to the welfare of the Gospel and Church in the whole Land; which sad effect it would as manifestly tend unto, as a general Pestilence, in which infected persons were permitted to walk abroad among the sound, to the destroying the health of a Nation, and making the disease the more general and mortal among them.  
In which estate of Religion, though we have, and might have, more liberty than heretofore under the Prelates, and were to be thankful to God and Man for our liberty to serve God in his own way. Yet no good Christian but must needs take it to heart, to the great abatement of his comfort, to see as much liberty granted to error, heresy, Idolatry, &c. as to Christ's own saving Truth, and that such abominations to Christ's open dishonour, and the damnation of souls should have free course and passage. I know not well what you mean by a Worldly power, whose Prop our Church should need. The civil power of the Magistrate, especially in a Christian, is unfitly so nicknamed: For it is an Ordinance of God, and no● merely of the World, and aught to be employed for God: It may degenerate into a mere worldly power, in the hands of pagan and profane persons, when it is exercised only about worldly matters, with a neglect of Religion, yea perhaps against Christ and true Religion. But if by it you mean the civil Power, I doubt not but that our Church, as a true Church of Christ, can stand without that prop. But this withal I give you to know, that even Christ's true Church and Religion, though it can stand without such worldly support, doth yet the more flourish, spread and lift up its head● when the civil Magistrate doth undertake the protection, and doth countenance it not only against Persecution, but also against contrary Schisms, Heresi●s, and Idolatry. It was some benefit which the Lord did mean the Church should enjoy by the civil Power, when he did promise that Kings should be nursing Fathers, and Queen●nursing 
Isa. 49. 23.  Mothers thereunto. Where let it be noted, that the promise is made unto the Church, and not to all ways in Religion, though heretical and Idolatrous, as if they should have equell protection and countenance from Kings, Queens, and supreme Magistrates with the Church.  
And what benefit the Church hath by the protection and support of the Magistrate, as our England may sufficiently witness, where Religion did more flourish in the free and open worship of God, and the number of professions of Religion under the reign of Edward the sixt, blessed Queen Elizabeth &c. the one whereof was even in his younger days a nursing Father, the other all her days a nursing Mother to the Church; then in the days of Queen Mary, a cruel S●e p●dame and persecutor thereof. So if we take a survey of States abroad, certainly we shall perceive that the Church and Religion doth prosper better in Geneva and its territory and among the Helevetian Protestants, where one way of true Religion is maintained, than in Polonia, such States wherein this mingle-mangle is tolerated.  
Next, you would have me remember, that the Primitive was built not by Power, but by the Spirit, That by the Spirit Christ 
Zech. 4. 6.  went forth conquering; That the Stone dashing, all opposers was 
Revel 6 2.  cut out of the mountain without hands; That God's people are a 
Dan. 2. 34.  willing people, and never act nobly but out of a principle of love. All 
Psal. 110. 3. and 47. 9  this I do desi●e to remember. But what is all this to prove an 
2 Cor. 5. 14.  universal toleration of all ways and consciences in Religion, which was the thing I insisted on as the main root of much mischief amongst us? What? cannot the Church be built, nor Christ conquer by the Spirit, nor Daniels Stone be cut out of the mountain without hands, nor God's people be a willing people, nor act out of love, unless such an universal toleration be allowed, and it be left as free for men to be Atheists, Mahometans. Arrians, Pap●sts, heretics, and Sectaries of any kind, as well as to be true, sound, and orthodox Christians? This is a mystery you had need to open to us, how such a toleration doth conduce any whit to make the Gospel the more powerful in converting, or God's people the more free and willing in believing and pro●essing.  
But it seems you muster up these forces against all coercive power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion.  
But first, There was no need to fall upon this controve●sie, if your intent were only to plead for some due liberty for tender consciences, that dissent in lesser matters, and that in a modest, meek, and peaceable way, which I did not gainsay, who only bent my speech against this miscreant and universal toleration.  
2. If you intend to argue against all such coercive power here is committed by you ignorated Elenchi, you argue not against the question as it ought to be stated, which perhaps you conceal, that your arguing may be the more plausible among your D●sciples, and other simple and well-meaning Readers, but such as do not well understand the state of this controversy. For you know which you should have let your Reader know (which one thing understood, would have cut the sinews of most of your Reasons huddled together about this in your Preface) that we do not say, that the M●gistrate hath power to comp●ll any man to believe the gospel, or to comp●ll such as are strangers from the Faith, to take up the profession of it. But we affirm,  
1. That the Magistrate may and aught to prohibit his Subjects now in the days of the Gospel, the open exercise of Impious and Idolatrous worship, the open profession of ungodly Errors and Heresies, yes, also of rash and uncharitable rent● from the true Church in his Dominion, and the open neglect and profaning of the Lord's day.  
2. It is in his power, and it becometh him to command them, yea, even such as be strangers from the Faith, to attend that worship of God which is naturally moral, as to hear the Word read and preached, that they may be convinced of their false Religion, instructed in the true Faith, and converted to it by the Lord's blessing coming in upon their hearing, and others outwardly professing the Faith, might be confirmed in it, and converted in the Inner man to a real and powerful profession of it; and also to join in prayer and praising God. It doth not impeach this assertion, that David did not cause the Edomites, Moabites, and other Idolatrou● Nations, conquered by him, to renounce their Idolatrous Worship, but did suffer them in it; nor did send any to teach them God● Law, or constrain them to attend it. The Lord in those days had confined his worship and covenant of Salvation only to the people of the Jews, and would not have it made common generally to other Nations, except to some few Proselytes that came in, but had shut them out from this Covenant; wherefore David was not obliged to any such c●re of them, nor had any warrant to send any to teach them God's laws and ways: but now under the Gospel there it no such r●●●raint; but as God would have all men to repent, and his Grace is free for all Nations: So supreme Magistrates, had they any Heathen under their power, they were so as above to exercise their power, to put down their Idolatry, and bring them to God's worship. But this is to be taken in by the way, That mere force is not to be used, but instruction and teaching to inform in the truth, and to persuade the will ought to go along with power, that they be not driven as Beasts, but led fairly along, as men of reason and understanding.  
3. For such Subjects as have been baptised into the faith of Christ, and so have given themselves to the profession of it, the Magistrate may and aught to provide against their renouncing of the Faith, and falling to heresy and Idolatry, and for their submitting to means of being further taught and built up in it, and holding forth the profession of it, as otherwise, so especially in frequenting the worsh●p of God.  
Last, The Magistrate may and aught, by his Authority, not only give way to the profession of the true Religion, and some way to countenance it, but is bound to provide that God's Word be preached by faithful and able Ministers, that they be encouraged and well maintained, and to command the practice of God's worship in all points by God's people:  
Now your Scriptures make not against this Assertion thus explained: For they chiefly intend the inward conversion, and work of Grace in the heart, which is only the work of the Spirit, and to which the civil power cannot reach; nor do we allow him to meddle with it, as if by his laws he could work it. They concern not these outward actions mentioned, which may be reached and regulated by the civil Power. And though inward Conversion be the sole work of the Spirit, yet doth it not exclude the use of outward means, which do either more directly conduce or occasionally make some way for that work.  
1. It doth not exclude the preaching, hearing, or other use of God's Word, by which the Spirit worketh Faith and other saving Graces in men: Nor,  
2. Doth it exclude the exercise of Church-censures, which avail to keep men in the Faith, and an holy Conversation: Nor,  
3. The command of the M●gistrate (so far as hath been said) to restrain men from Idolatry and heresy, which cannot but hinder the work of true Conversion, and to command the attendance on the Word preached, and other means of instruction, whereby men may be brought under the shadow of the holy Ghost, that he may work on them.  
But to touch upon your Scriptures more particularly; for that of Zeeharie, I shall desire the Reader to wait for the clearing of it, until I come to a passage in your Book following, where it is again alleged, and will be more fitly examined: To that of Rev. 6. 2. it is but your single conceit (as you affect to be an odd man by yourself) that by the white Horse whereon Christ is said there to ride forth conquering, or the Bow in his hand is meant of the Spirit: It is an expression not to be paralleled, and sense not well sounding, to say, That Christ doth ride on the Spirit, or carry the Spirit in his hand: It is the more general and genuine sense to understand it of the preaching of the Gospel, according to that of Psal 45. where Christ it bid to ride forth, verse 4. as on an horse, which is there expounded his truth, and furnished with sharp arrows, verse 5. to pierce the heart of his enemies. Now the preaching of the Word doth carry forth Christ, as it were, on Horseback, in the view of men, and out of it, as a Bow in his hand, doth he shoot his divine Doctrine, Promises, and Threats which pierce to the heart of men; and by it he did, and doth conquer the world. The preaching of the Gospel hath its ●fficacy indeed from the Spirit going forth with it; which conquering power of the preaching of the Gospel, and of the Spirit the command of the Magistrate, as above declared, doth no way hinder, but promote rather, as tending to bring men within the road of that white Horse, that they may be conquered by his Rider, and brought to his Obedience, and within the reach of his Bow, that his arrows may pierch their hearts with godly sorrow for sin, and make them fall down unto Christ. Subordinata non pugnant, saith the Logician, Things subordinate fight not one with another, but 
K●kerman. System. log. l. 10. sect. 2. cap. 5.  are subservient one to the other. For the Stone cut out of the Mountain without hands, Dan. 2. 34. it doth indeed typify Christ and the Church his kingdom. And as he, concerning his human nature, was framed in the Womb of the Virgin Mary, without any procreation from man, and set up as King of the Church by God alone, without man's concurrence, so his Church and kingdom was first set up by God's only power and authority, and not by that of Man; but so that outward means were and are also used by him, and all is not done by the immediate power of God, without any use of means, as at first the world was created by him. For there are Ministers employed to preach the gospel, Magistrates set on work to countenance and defend it, and by their authority to set it up in their countries, professors raised up to hold it forth in their lives, to suffer for it; bu● these means are so used by the Lord, that the whole work and success of it appears to be from God's power and blessing alone, not at all from man, as hereafter I shall more largely show, and so is cut out, as it were without hands. It is manifest, that in the overthrow of those mighty Monarchies figured and set out, Dan. 2. the Lord did use the power of the Sword and Armies; and I believe that you think that Christ this Stone doth so now, and will do the like in dashing to pieces all the mighty Opposers of his kingdom. And therefore all things that are done toward the advancement of this kingdom, are not wholly done without hands or external means: And why then may not Christ also use some hands or external means, in some things that more directly tend to the setting up and maintaining his Church and Kingdom? whose success and efficacy yet is not from themselves, but wholly from Christ's power and spirit, and so effected, as it were, without hands. For Psal. 110. 3. and 47. 9 which say, That God's people must be a willing people; and 2 Cor. 5. 14. That they act not nobly, unless out of love. How doth the command of the Magistrate, as it is above laid down, hinder them in God's service to be a willing people, or to act out of love? For if they command good and lawful things, the command doth not hinder their willingness in the doing of them, but encourage them in it, as knowing that they shall do them with praise and approbation. If they restrain them by their command from evil things, men ought not at any time to be willing to do evil, but rather should willingly be restrained from it. And it is better that against their will they be restrained from evil, than that they be permitted willingly to rush into it. It is also an Antinomian misconceit to think that nothing is done willingly, and out of love to God, which is done out of obedience and respect to a commandment enjoining or prohibiting it. 2. God's people were to be a willing people in his service, and to act out of love under the Law also as well as the Gospel. For there must be a willing mind● and working out of love before any thing will be accepted: And yet 
1. Chro. 29. 9 Deut. 6. 5. 2. Cor. 8. 12.  Abraham is commended, that he would not only exhort and persuade, but out of his authourity command his household to 
Gen. 18. 19 2 Chron. 14. 4.  fear God; and Asa likewise, that he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God, and to do the Law, &c. Which course of theirs, had it hindered the willingness of those that were commanded in God's service, or their acting out of love, it may seem strange that those so godly persons should pract●ce it, stranger that it is recorded to the praise of both. 3. It is as much required that men should be willing to abstain from foul sins against the second Table, and to do the good duties of it, and that herein they should act out of love; about which yet you allow the Magistrate to make laws to r●straine men from Murder, Fornication, Theft &c. and to cause them to be sober, honest, and just. And how then doth this willingness, and acting out of love, hinder Mag●strates from making meet laws in matters of Religion? Last, Nothing can be spoken more punctually than that of the Apostle, concerning Servants, that what they do in the Master's service, they should do it heartily and willingly. Notwi●hstanding, 
Eph. 6. 6, 7. Col. 3. 23.  surely you will grant Masters that authority over Servants, as to lay their command upon them, to do them just service, and to punish the neglect of it. Willingness to do good, and acting out of love, is nothing hindered, but may be promoted by the command of Authority. It is true, that if a thing be done only out of obedience and respect to man's command, it wants its acceptance with God, but it is good in itself; and though an human command may give some occasion to the doing of it; yet a godly person will do it also, yea, and more out of the love of God, and to show his ready obedience to him. But here we have a criticism cast in by the way, viz. that the Hebrew Text carries it to signify voluntaries, as well as willing people, as if, forsooth, there were some great and observable difference between these two words; when the one is but our common English word, the other coined out of the Latin, and are both the same in sense and signification. Next, we have a silly cavil about the Errors named, as coming out of the womb of an univers●ll toleration. Nay, say you, they were long extant before such a toleration was granted, and so that could not be a womb to breed and bring them forth.  
Answ. 1. It is more than we know that such a Toleration is yet granted: If it be, show us the act for it. It is and hath been indeed long pleaded for, and practised.  
2. For those errors and Heresies, I speak not of their first rising, which was heretofore in foreign parts, and those perhaps where too much way was given for such a Toleration; but of their int●uding, spreading and multiplying in ou● Land. Concerning which, if we look back unto the writings and practices of some later years, it will appear, that if the one were not extant before the other, that yet like two bad weeds, they grew up together, and that this Toleration, did if not give them their first birth, yet confer much to their growth and enlargement. What then becomes of that clamour that I have here non-plussed all Logicians, as denying the cause to precede the effect, and am one unworthy to be disputed with, is denying the main principles of Reason?  
Good words, I pray you, be not so eager, but let me in cold blood argue the matter with you. If I were palpably mistaken in 
Nè saevi magne Sacerdos.  the rise and beginning of these things (which you have not proved, but barely ●ffi●med) the mistake were only in my calculating the time of their Nativity, not in my denying that logical axiom, Causa est prior effectu: If this axiom were alleged to confut● me, I should as readily receive the axiom as you; only the question would be which of these were the cause, which the effect, and which was before the other, whether that Toleration, or these Errors and Heresies in nature and time: I may here then return you some of your own language, that my intellectuals (as you jeer) were not so much disturbed with any heat of passion against S●ctaries, as your brains were taken with the whirligig out of your eager humour to carp and snarl: What follows is more serious. If errors arise (say you) not carnal but spiritual weapons must beat them down.  
Answ. I grant that spiritual weapons, as preaching, conference, Church-censures and prayer, are the most proper and effectual for this work, as more directly tending to inform in the Truth, convince of Error, and persuade men's hearts and minds, and such are first and most to be used in this case. But by your leave no these only: Spiritual weapons must be used against sins against the second Table, as preaching, admonition, Church-censures to convines men thereof, to restrain them and bring them to repentance. But if these alove should be used, such sins and sinners would not so fully and effectually be repressed, as when withal civil laws are made against them, and such punishments prepared for them: So here spiritual weapons alone may be too weak to beat down Errors and Heresies, and keep them from breaking out, and spreading abroad. But if with these spiritual weapons the carnal (as you in some scorn call them) viz. the prohibition of the Magistrate, and some moderate punishment be added, they will do good, as otherwise, so to make erroneous persons the more seriously to consider of their ways, whether they be right or wrong, and the more ready to receive the truth manifested to them, which otherwise out of pride and self-conceit they will reject: It is too well known that most erroneous persons are of the nature of the Servant Solomon speaketh of, who will not be corrected with words, though he understand well enough his Master's mind; yet upon b●re words he will not answer, nor be brought unto his duty; So is it with these persons for the most, let them be never so fully convinced, let the truth be never so clearly manifested to them, so that they cannot put it off but with gross shifts; yet for all words and spiritual weapons, they will not yield to it, but of haughtiness of spirit persisi in their errors, and be oft more pertinacious and turbulent in their way.  
Errors and Offences you say must come according to the Scripture, to manifest the approved, and to make Truth's victory the more glorious.  
Answ. If they must be, and that by God's permission, &c. must they therefore be suffered to go on without control or contradiction? If so, it is not lawful to oppose them with spiritual weapons, viz. Freaching, Writing, Conference, Church censure, &c. For in so doing we shall go against God's providence and permission, who will have them to be, and that for good ends; and it is in vain to think thereby to repress them, since they must needs be.  
This permission then, and necessity of them, doth no more exclude the use of the civil Power to restrain them, than of spiritual means: And if, notwithstanding the same, there be place l●ft for the spiritual weapons to repress them, there m●y be also place for the civil power in right order and manner against them. But what are these Offences that Christ saith must 
Matt. 1●. 7.  needs be? They are not only Errors, Heresies, and false Religions, but also other foul sins against the second Table, as Murders, whoredoms, Theft, &c. which as is the corruption of man's Nature, and the streng●h of Satan's and the world's Temptations cannot be avoided, but do break forth, and must needs do so, and that not without God's permission. What then? must there be a free Toleration of these Iniquities? or must spiritual weapons only be used against them to repress them? we should then surely have a woeful world to live in, which is now too too bad notwithstanding all good Laws against them: And if notwithstanding this necessity and God's permission, Magistrates may, yea ought (as herein I presume you will concur with us) to make laws against such enormities, and infl●ct civil punishments on them, the like necessity and permission of Heresies and Errou●s in Religion, is no sufficient reason against the use of the civil Power by laws and Punishments to oppose them. There is no more force in such a reason than because it is appointed for all men to die once, and so men must needs die, Some should argue, that 
H●b. 9 27.  therefore it were not lawful, or at least it were in vain to prescribe rules to preserve health and life, yea to make laws against murdering men. For might some say, To what purpose serves such ado? Men must needs die, and all these rules and laws will not prevent their death. Nor will the ends for which Errors and Heresies must come, viz. to manifest the approved, and make truths victory the more notable, conclude for a free toleration of them. For if in that respect they must be l●● go free without control of the Mag●strate, neither should they be opposed or suppressed by spiritual means, as which in the restraint of them would hinder the manifestation of the Approved, and obscure the victory of Truth. Besides, as other foul offences against the second Table fall out by divine permission, so are they permitted amongst other, even for such ends as errors and offences in Religion are, viz. to manifest such the more as are just, sober, chaste and innocent, upon grounds of good conscience, and to make their righteousness● and innocency the more conspicuous. And if all such wickedness were left free without fear of humans punishment, doubtless in the midst of such a wicked liberty, the righteousness, Innocency, and honest Conversation of those who did live justly and honestly, would be the more eminent and notable. If there were no punishment for whoredom, Theft, drunkenness, &c. it would make the Chastity, Sobriety, and Justice, of such as kept themselves from those and such like Vices, the more famous and praiseworthy. What you say of the Mystery of godliness, that it rays out with the most perfect beauty by the clear discovery of the deepest mystery of In●quity, may be as truly said, that in such a bad state of things, if it should be, the splendour of true virtue and Innocency would ●ay forth with most perfect Beauty, by the discovery of the foulest practice of reigning iniquity. The more freedom there was in Sodom for all filthiness and wickedness, the more did Lot's righteousness and innocency appear. But yet, woe to those M●gistates, that in their dominions should suffer all wickedness of that sort to go unpunished, and not restrain it by just and severe laws, that forsooth the honesty and righteousness of men truly good▪ might be the better tried, and the more manifest. And truly Magistrates will never have comfort in granting a free course to errors, Heresies, and all ways in Religion, in their respective countries, upon such pretences, that the found in the Faith may be the more manifest, and Truths conqu●st the more glorious.  
And here I think it not amiss to insert this Observation, 〈◊〉 upon search it will be found, that Errors and Heresies did a●●se more easily, spread more swiftly, continue longer in the first three Centuries after Christ, where the Church wanted the authority of the civil Magistrate to put them down, than afterward when the Emperors had entertained the Christian Faith, in whose times they arose not so often, and were much sooner stayed and repressed by the Edicts and laws of Emperors, that were found in the Faith, and did oppose them.  
This may ●ppeare by davaeus his second Table upon Augustine, De haeresibus, where he showeth what Heresies did arise in every c●ntury, of which the three first centuries were most fertile, where are reckoned up more than sixty several Heresies; the other next three centuries afford not many above forty, and the most of them did arise and flourish under profane and heretical Emperors.  
Obj. Truth in a free passage may come in, as well as heresy.  
Answ. 1. But Truth surely will come in more freely, where the passage is stopped against Error and heresy.  
2, In such a free passage Error and heresy in all likelihood would most prevail, as being more suitable to our corrupt nature: Mala herba citò crescit, A bad weed grows apace. And naughty weeds will overrun a garden sooner, if they be not plucked up, than good herbs and flowers replenish and adorn it.  
3. This makes no more agai●st the use of the civil power, to repress them, than of spiritual means, and Church power. For if Truth in such Liberty may come in, as well as heresy, why should there any opposition be made against heresy by spiritual weapons? and why should not every way as free a liberty be left for one, as for the other?  
4. It may as well be alleged against all civil laws to repress any other wickedness: For why should anysuch laws be made, when in a free Liberty for men to live as they list, righteousness and virtue may come in, as well as unrighteousness, or any other kind of Vice?  
Obj. Christ is as potent to' prevail in Light, as the Prince of darkness in Delusions.  
Answ. Must we therefore depend upon Christ's immediate and almighty power, and working without use of means for the spreading Truth, and restraining Heresies? May we nht as well say▪ Why should there be any preaching, any writing, any praying or disputing against Heresies? Christ is potent without such means to prevail in light. Nay, may we not also say, Why should any laws be made against Murder, whoredom, Theft, Slandering, &c. for God is as potent to maintain righteousness, Peace, Chastity and Truth, &c. in such a liberty, as Satan is to work unrighteousness, uncleanness, Envy, Lying, &c. But if it cannot be expected that Christ should put forth his power to maintain such virtues, where there is such a neglect of means, as that no good laws are made against the foulest Vices, so surely it may be feared that Satan will there more prevail with his delusions in Religion, than Christ show himself powerful in maintaining truth, where no good laws are in force to repress Heresies or to uphold Divine truth.  
Obj. Truth may thus be shut out, and Compulsion hath proved a direct enemy to the Gospel.  
Answ. It is true: and so hath Preaching, Writing, and Church. censures, helped to shut out Tru●h, and been made direct enemies to the Gospel. But that hath been not in the right use of them, by preaching and writing for truth, and just censuring scandalous and erroneous persons, but by the abuse of them in turning them against the truth and professors of it. And if this co●rciv● power (which in harsh language you delight to call Compulsion) exercised in matters of Religion, have obstructed Truth, and been an adversary to the Gospel, that mischief hath not sprung from the nature of the power which is good and lawful, but from the abuse of it by seduced and ill affected Magistrates, who have misemployed it. And it is a gross paralogism, from the abuse of any thing, to blemish or extinguish the right use of it. And if you would clear your eyes, and look abroad, you may see that it hath oft helped to maintain Truth, and prop●gate the Gospel, witness the godly Kings of Judah, who did thereby put down Idolatry in their land, and bring their people back to the true worship of God. witness the first Christian Emperors, who by it banished Pagan Idolatry, and promoted Christian Religion. witness Protestant Princes of late in England, and other countries, who by it suppressed Popish Idolatry, and set up the preaching of the Gospel, and countenanced the profession of it. Last, Compulsion of the Civil Power hath oft been an instrument of Tyranny, and exercised to hinder justice and righteousness, as Solomon showeth▪ And yet indeed 
Eccles. 3. 16.  it is not so easily and oft used against Justice, and other ●uties of the second Table, as it is against the Gospel; For that there be more principles of civil righteousness, and care of preserving peace and man's outward welfare, left in man's nature to direct thereto, and check unrighteousness, than of Divine truth in Religion, of which there are left but some general notions, that there is a God, and that he is to be worshipped; but nothing by any such principles do they know of the particular manner of his worship, much less any thing of the Gospel. And if notwithstanding this abuse of civil power, or compulsion against righteousness and tra● quility, commanded in the second Table, it have its right use, and that to b● a low●d about civil matters of that table, there may be a right and lawful use of it in matters of Religion, though by the abuse thereof, it shut out Truth, and be oft an enemy to the gospel.  
Obj. To what way do you so eagerly labour to engage the Sword of the Magistrate? to your own or to some other?  
Answ. This is nothing but the sp●tting of your rancour: For where do I mention the Sword of the Magistrate in my Epistle? What are the words that I use to engage the Sword of the magistrate against any Religion? All that I do, is but briefly to decipher and complain of that mischief that hath come of an universal toleration of all Religions, & that not as avowed and allowed by the State, but by you and others cried up and usurped.  
2. We take not upon u● to prescr●be to the Magistrate any way in Religion, which he should establ●sh, but advise him specially to have recourse to the Word of God, which is a sure and clear rule; out of which he may learn● by diligent search and prayer, taking also the advice of godly and learned Ministers, what is the good and right way, which he himself should embrace and also commend, yea, and command unto his Subjects.  
3. A● under the Bishops there was a power practised which was tyrannical, whereof you also, a● well as other, did complain; so now also in this multiplicity of religious ways, set on foot, some courses must needs be erroneous and schismatical, in which company you and your party march with the foremost.  
Obj. Neither you nor any other sit in the chair of Infallibility, and so have no power over the conscience, which none can have but an unerring Law.  
Answ. 1. Whence are these loud words concerning our Infallibility? Our speech is not of our power, but of the power of the Magistrate.  
2. If the Magistrate may not make laws in matters of Religion, because he is not infallible in his determinations, upon that account you may as we●l abolish his power about laws in civil matters; For in those he may mistake, though not so oft and foully as in matters of Religion, and enact things not only heavy and burth●nsome unto his people, but also unjust and unrighteou●.  
3. There is an infallible and unerring rule, viz: the Word of God, by which the Magistrate i● to be direct●d in making laws: And so far as he keepe● close to that, his determinations are infallible, and to be observed.  
4. The matters that he commands in Religion ought to be the manifest precepts of God, or evidently consonant to his Word; and then though as being the command of the Magistrate, they do not absolutely bind the conscience; yet as God● L●wes, they have power so to do. It is then a vain surmise, to imagine that the Magistrate in making such laws, doth encroach upon men's consciences, as binding men by his mere authority unto the observance of them, and that under p●ine of damnation, when as he doth only command external duties of Religion, to which men by God's Law are bound in conscience: A● for example, the sanctifying of the Lord's day, public attendance upon the Word, and other natural worsh●p of God, and forbidding what is manifestly forbidden by the Word, the open professing and publishing of Error and Heresies, and making unwarrantable Schism● in the Church, and that only under some temporal penalties and rewards.  
Obj. Suppose you and others were infallible, yet neither you nor any can create belief in the hearts of any that are contrary-mind●d  
Answ. This Argument proceeds upon a false supposition, ●● if it were affi●med, that Magistrates should compel men to believe and repent, and in case they do not, were to punish them, which before hath been declared to be otherwise. The Magistrates power doth not enable him to meddle with those inward and spiritual actions of the soul, but only to regulate the outward in life and conversation.  
It is some marvel to me, that you that are so acute to ●spy mysteries by others unseen, see not the weakness of this and of many your reasons; For it is not in the Magistrates, or any man● power to create in men's hearts the principle of true love to their neighbours, nor any of those gracious habits of inward cha●tity, temperance, meekness and contentation, &c. who yet by Laws order some outward actions of those virtues, and forbid the actual sins contrary to them, as railing, quarrelling, fornication, riotous drinking, theft, &c. And why then in like sort may he not make laws about external acts of Religion, to enjoin the exercise of them, and forbid the actual contrary sins, though he have no power to create and infuse faith itself? It is not in vain for Ministers to preach, though they cannot create Faith in the hearts of dissenters; nor for Magistrates to command hearing of the Word, though they can infuse no faith into the heart, the outward means are rightly used, where the inward effect can be only wrought by God. As there is no need of the creating any new principle in the heart of man for doing these things wherein the Magistrate doth command, which is only the abstaining from outward evil acts, as the not venting or openly professing Errors, Heresies, and Blasphemies, or the doing of some external duties, as to join in God's public worship, hear the Word, and such like. To perform which, that power and freedom, which by nature they have, is sufficient.  
Obj. The Apostles in Church-affairs were of infallible spirit, but yet claimed no such power, but endeavoured to draw men to faith by the cords of love▪  
A 1. Here is the same mistake which was noted before, as if it were affirmed, that Magistrates might compel infidels, or any, to the Faith of the Gospel: As for Church-affairs, and any other matters, I trust you know that there is a wide difference between the Apostles and Church-officers and Magistrates, and the power committed to them both. The power of the first is only spiritual and ecclesiastical, and doth allow them no other means to reclaim men from Idolatry, heresy, or any sin, and to win them to the obedience of the Gospel, but spiritual, viz. the preaching of the Gospel, and Church censures.  
2. But the power of the Magistrate is such, as doth furnish them with authority, to lay commands on men to urge them to what is good, and punishments to reclaim from evil. It is no wonder then that the Apostles would not intrude into a power, which was not given them▪ which yet Magistrates may use as their proper right.  
3. The Apostles did not put forth any coactive power against the foulest sins of whoredom, drunkenness, Theft, &c. to pun●sh them with bodily punishments, or to urge men to Justice, Temperance, Chastity, but only by words and exhortatione dissuaded from such sins and persuaded to the contrary vertue●. If therefore Magistrates may not in Religious affairs go● beyond this practice of the Apostles in the use of their power, neither may they use their power for the punishment of sins against the second Table, or by laws encourage to the moral virtues thereof.  
Obj. All human Weapons can only force the outward man with a violent and preternatural motion, &c. which soon turns again, when the constraint is over.  
A. 1. It is not the proper effect of human & Magistratical commands to force menby a violent motion, but rather tends to move them to a ready & willing obedience: such violent and constrained obedience comes not from the command, but from the indisposition of the commanded parties, who are ill affected to right and truth.  
2. That motion which is unto good, and from evil, though somewhat forced, is more natural unto man in his right estate, and more agreeable to his right end and duty, than a most free and willing motion unto sin and from good.  
3. Forced motions are used for the common good in other things, and that without blame, and so may be here in some things, and in the order above prescribed. The State doth force its Subjects by pressing, and such like ways, to serve them in their Wars; Servan●s are oft compelled, will they, nill they, to do their Master's work; Children to do their duty to their Parents. So by Law-courses untoward Debtors are constrained to p●y their debt●. Now these motions are such violent motions, as here you except against, and such as would soon cease, if the constraint ceased. But who complains of any wrong herein done them, since the things they be constrained to be just and equal, and for the common good? And what lets, but that some constraint with wisdom and moderation may be used in religious matters, since it is a thing most just and righteous, and for the common good, both civil and spiritual, that Idolatry and heresy be suppressed, and that the people do attend the preaching of the Word, and God● service in praying to, and prayising him?  
4. The motion may at first be violent, but afterward become very voluntary; what a do is there at first to bring a Bullock to the yoke, or a Colt to the saddle? when at length the o●e willingly comes to the yoke, and draws in it, and the other as willingly hears the saddle and his rider. It is oft so that a young Scholar for a time is forced to school; but being a while entered, and taking some l●king of learning, goeth to school very freely and willingly. So may it be, and o●t is, in these matters we treat of.  
But last, This makes as much against all correction of children, and all law-making about matters of the second Table, as against coercive laws in Religion. For there they force children and men with a violent motion, as much as here: and it utterly impeaches the courses of the godly Kings, Asa and Josiah, in their reforming of Religion, as taking such courses as could only force the outward man with a violent and preternatural motion, who yet are for such their practice praised in the Scripture.  
Obj But the Gospel naturally begins with illightening the understanding, then persuading the Will &c. and the sum of the Covenant is to write the Law in the heart.  
Ans. This Argument, as some other before, proceeds upon a false supposition.  
1. It surmiseth, That such magistratical commands and penalties, by our opinion, serve to work inward grace in men's hearts, and for their conversion, when we teach that they are only to order the outward actions of man.  
2. It surmiseth, that they oppose and go contrary to the work of the Gospel in men's conversion, which is utterly untrue. And the course, which by those that plead for the Magistrates power in this thing, is commended to the Mag●strate, is by you wittingly dissembled and concealed, to make their doctrine the more harsh, and to set the fairer gloss upon your large discourse, concerning the order of the Gospels working; therefore to deal fairly, you should have let them know, that we do not say that the Magistrate's command should go out alone to force subjection to it, but that there should go with it all along the preaching of the Word, and all good means of instruction, to reclaim from ●●rour, and instruct in the truth, and persuade to the obedience of it. It is their mind that men should be dealt with as reasonable creatures, and led by reason and persuasion, and not as bruit creatures, only forced with goads and whips.  
2. This course is far from opposing the Gospel's way, as that it directly tends to further the working of it, that the Lord thereby, according to his Covenant, may write his laws in his people's hearts. The end of it (as was said above) is to bring men to the hearing of the Gospel, and attend upon it; without which it can never work either to the illightening of their understanding, or the persuading of their wills. Moreover, for the Covenant, which is, That God will write his laws in the heart; this writing, no doubt, is meant of the whole Law, that of the second table as well as that of the first. What then, may not Magistrates make laws to regulate men's actions in duties of the second Table, as against the foul sins against it, because God's Covenant is to write these in the hearts of his people? And if this writing such laws in men's hearts, evacuate not the Magistrates legislative power about such duties, why should it take away the Magistrates power to make laws about Religion, and the duties thereof? The like may be said concerning the Gospels illightening the mind, and persuading the will, which concerns not only the mysteries of the Gospel, and matters of Religion, but the works and duties of the second Table; to the right performance whereof there is need of the illightening of the mind, and persuading of the will; about ordering which, yet power is granted to the Magistrate. Farther, Why go you not on to urge this farther with Familists, and Seekers, and the like, against preaching the Word, and such other means of edification, as vain and useless, since God doth promise to write his laws in his chosen's hearts and minds, without mentioning any such external helps, yea addeth, that they shall no more teach one another, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall know every one the Lord from the greatest unto the least of them. Jer. 31. 33. 34.  
Obj. This was the method he Apostle followed, 2 Corinth. 3. 22.  
Answ. Here is a plain change of the Question; For the question is not, what method the Apostles and Ministers may and aught to use for inward conversion; but what course Magistrates may follow in outward matters of Religion, Aliud est 
Chil. 7. cent. 1.  sceptrum, as he said, aliud est plectrum; It is one thing to sway a sceptre, and to carry the temporal Sword, which cutteth the flesh, and another thing to manage only the sword of the Spirit, viz. the Word, and Church-discipline, which only meddleth with men's spirits. Another manner of power for making laws and assigning Punishments, i● annexed to the temporal sword, than to t●e spiritual.  
2. What answer hath been given to the former Arguments, may serve here, namely, that this course doth not thwart the Apostles method, but doth promote it.  
3. That that writing mentioned by the Apostle, which was by the Spirit, and in the fl●shly tables of the heart, doth concern the duties of the second table, about which the Apostle makes many exhortations in this and his other Ep●stles, as well as duties in Religion; wherefore the Apostles method excludeth the Magistrates power no more from meddling with matters of the first Table than of the second, and permitteth him equal power in them both.  
Obj. You endeavour by a contrary course to constrain the body to what the heart opposeth: And then, if whatsoever be not of Faith, is Sin, your course is contrary to the Gospel-order, and destructive to men's souls.  
Answ. This Argument seems not to be your Helena (as you call an Argument of mine) but your Achilles, as a strong Argument is sometimes called Achilleum argumentum, as which in this Question seemeth to be of the most force and strength. But I answer, that it is not contrary to the order of the Gospel, nor destructive to men's souls, by civil laws instruction going along, and being also used to restrain men from Idolatry, and publishing Heresies, or to command them to the necessary and natural duties of God's worship, though it be against their mind and persuasions.  
For first, The Gospel doth not allow that men's erroneous consciences and persuasions should be their rule or guide in Religion, or any other way, but only the Word of God.  
2. The Gospel doth nowhere allow unto men the practice of Idolatry, or the open profession of Errors and Heresies:  
3. As Christ hath appointed that his Gospel should be preached to every creature; so all men are bound when and where it is preached, to be ready to hear it. It is therefore more contrary to the Gospel, and more destructive to men's souls, to suffer them without restraint to continue in Idolatrous worship, and heretical ways, than to restrain and compel them according to the abovesaid order.  
Obj. But whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin, and men may not be compelled to sin.  
Answ. It is true, that whatsoever is not done with a due persuasion, that it is right and lawful, but against such a persuasion, and with a doub●ing conscience, is sin to him that shall so do it, but is not always so in itself, nor to him that shall command the doing of it; but may be a most just and necessary duty, and very justly commanded to be done.  
1. There are things merely indifferent in which to enforce men to practise against their consciences, is against Charity, is a breach of Christian liberty, and an abuse of Magistracy. For there is no breach of any command of God, in doing or not doing such things, and God may be honoured and acknowledged both in his doing or not doing thereof. Rom. 146.  
2. There be matters of less moment in Religion, and circumstantial points of Discipline, or so, in which, who so dissent, and carry their dissent in a peaceable and humble way, are much to be born with, and no hard measure is to be put upon them.  
3. There are main and necessary, but external duties of Religion, negative and affi●mative, and some such as oblige all men even by the law of Nature; which to command men to observe and restrain from the contrary evils, though it go against their minds, is no sin in the Magistrate.  
For first, The doing of the one, and the neglect of the other, are manifest and palpable sins, are sins per se, and in their own nature. To suffer which would reflect upon the Magistrate, to make him guilty of the sin, who hath power to restrain it and doth not. 1 Sam. 3. 12.  
Secondly, The sin that arises upon the doing necessary and main duties, or not doing, according to the Magistrates command, comes, ex accidenti, by accident, not by the nature of the thing commanded, which is not only good in itself, but also a necessary duty; nor by virtue of the command, which commands nothing but a thing manifestly good, and a necessary duty; but by the ill disposition and erroneous persuasion of the person doing or not doing. And if the enforcing of necessary duties must be forborn upon this account, that some sin by accident wil● ensue thereupon, how can Ministers lawfully call upon men to pray or hear God's Word, since wicked men in such services will rather by their ill doing of them, offend than please God? Moreover, Magistrates in making laws about such weighty matters, are not bound to look to particular men's consciences and opinions, but to have an eye to God's Word, commanding or forbidding this or that. Men's opinions and consciences are secret, and not always openly known, God's Word is open and manifest: men's Consciences are divers, quot homines tot sententiae, so many men so many minds; God's Word is uniform and the same, men's Consciences would be a weak and uncertain rule for him to go by, God's Word is sure and certain: And if men's Consciences accord not with laws in such main and manifest matters, made according to the Word, it is their sin and error, and in such case the Magistrate ought indeed to take order that they may be instructed and brought to the knowledge of the truth, and so willingly submit unto it. But if notwithstanding they will persist in Idolatrous, heretical, and openly schismatical ways, such wholesome laws must not give place to stubbornly erroneous consciences, but they must submit thereunto, or do justly suffer the appointed penalties.  
Further, It is plain, that in sundry cases men may be compell●d to that, in doing which they sin through their own default. It is the duty of Subjects to serve the State in their wars, willingly, and out of ●●ve to the publ●que good; of Servants to serve their Masters willingly and out of love to them; of Debtors to pay their Debts willingly, and out of love to justice. Which things if they do not, or will not do, they are justly compelled ther● unto, though in doing it there is sin committed by them, in doing that upon force and grudgingly, which should be done by them out of love, and with a ready mind. I may yet add, that this dart, such as it is, may be as well cast against Church censures, as against this coactive exercise of civil Power. For it may easily fall out, that men in the Church, for fear of the censure of the Church, and especially in case of deposition from their pastoral Office, and so the loss of the maintenance they have thereby, may dissemble their errors, and subscribe to Truth, even against their conscience: A notable example of it is in some Arrian Bishops, Eusebius of Nicomedia, & Theognis of Nice, who for fear of losing their bishoprics, upon the decree of the Nicene Council, against Arrius and his Complices in dissembling manner against their conscience subscribed to the decree of that Council, against that damnable heresy.  
If then no courses may be used upon which men may be driven to act against their consciences, and so sin, neither can Church-censures, nor deposition of H●reticall teachers be put in practice, upon which such an inconvenience may ensue.  
The conclusion than is, that it is not lawful to compel any man to do that which is directly, and in itself sinful; but that a man may be compelled by lawful authority, without any fault of theirs, to the doing of manifest and necessary duties, though in the doing thereof he sin, and that only by his own default and evil disposition.  
Let me yet tell you, that a man doth sin much less in doing a necessary good work, upon command against his misinformed conscience, than in a willing and witting omitting of it. And that whensoever the conscience is awakened, it will more sting for this last than the former, ab●ut which we have seldom known any to have been troubled in mind upon doing it: And that the Magistrate must needs sin in suffering such a witting and willing negl●ct of a manifest necessary duty, but can never be proved to have sinned in commanding and urging men to duti●s manifestly good and necessary.  
Obj. We read of none in the New Testament who commanded all to worship save the Beast. Rev. 13.  
Answ. 1. We read of none in the New Testament that were punish●d for whoredom, Incest, Perjury, False witness bearing, drunkenness, &c. What then? may not these with your consent be punished by the civil Magistrate? all the sons of Belial would much applaud you for such a toleration of wickedness, which this your pleading doth as much countenance, as an Universal toleration for Religion.  
2. It had been fair play to have written out the whole text, that the command was to worship the Image of the Beast, and receive his mark in their right hand, or in their forehead. Rev. 13. 15, 16. Such compulsion doubtless is detestable. But what is this against compulsion to renounce the Idolatry of the Beast and all other Idolatry, and to worship God in his true worship? To which things we read, that the godly Kings of Judah, Asa, Jchosaphat and Josiah compelled their Subjects, to their praise and commendation. The fault is not noted to be simply in the course of compulsion, but in the object of False worship, and open profession of Popery, to which he compelled.  
And thus have I cleared our bark from those dangerous shelves, upon which you made account to wreck us, and have brought it safe to land. Now it follows:  
Obj. It is conceived that you (Presbyterians you mean) are in this a part of the greatest and most deceivable schism, that ever came into the world.  
Answ. A foul and lewd reproach, but fit enough for your wide mouth.  
Thus indeed the Papists did judge of us, and so do still, who condemn the reformed Churches of a wicked schism, in departing from them, and them most, which went farthest off from them in that, as well in D●scipline as in Doctrine, with whom you and yours symbolize in this accusation of us. But as one saith, Non eadem est sententia tribunalis Christi & anguli susurronum, The Sentence of Christ's righteous judgement, and of whisperers in their corners is not all one.  
Next, after some pretty many lines follows a volley of sl●nderous reproaches, in matching classical government with Episcopacy: Whereas that was a Lordly government of one over a whole D●ocess; this is only a brotherly combination of many Ministers and ru●ing Elders; to manage Church affairs by common consent, and that as much as may be, according to the Word of God.  
2. As if we did take authority to adjudge all beside ourselves to be heretics, schismatics, &c. and did seek by human force to captivate others to our wills and canons, and were beneath a legal Spirit in dealing worse with others than we would be deal withal. All which are but the lashings of a nettled Jade, that kicks and ●●ings his heels at random, at those that are about him.  
For first, Who is there of those that I name expr●sly, that you will have the face to excuse from the blame of an eroneous Sect? Which are Arminians, Antinomians, soul-mortalists, Antisabbatarians, Seekers and Anabaptiss, with rigid irreconcilable separatists? Or where do I speak of captivating all others to our wills? Our Independent brethren here you gloze withal, and struck them; for which yet they have little cause to con you any thank: For in your book you soundly box them. N●xt follows a blazing of the conscientious Piety and State-Fidelity of your party, and some others, with a plen for an Universal Liberty. To which this is all that I will say, that where those things are found (of which you boast for yourselves and others, which is no great 
Proprio laxesordet in ore.  modesty) as they deserve their due respect and encouragement, so they may not, nor can serve for a just plea to countenance any error or erroneous course; nor can challenge any other liberty than will stand with the leave of God's Word for the Magistrate to grant. And if any laid out their dear lives to purchase this vast universal Liberty for themselves and others, they spent their lives to no good purpose, and with small comfort to themselves. When we and many other peaceable Christians were under the prelatical yoke, what Liberty would have been grateful to us, appeared by the writings and Petitions of Non-conformists in those days, which was an ease from the burden of Subscription, and sundry Ceremonies superstitious, and plainly superflaous, without any endeavour to break off communion in the public worship of Prayer, Hearing, and Sacraments, wherein they were willing to join, much more without pleading for a Toleration for all ways in Religion, an abomination by them abhorred; or derogating from the Magistrates power to command in matters of Religion, which they did then (as now) unanimously maintain, and your Sect did eagerly oppose. When we are guilty of that calumny which you falsely charge on us, we shall need your jeering advice: But in the mean while I say with the Poet.  
Loripedem rectus derideat, Ethiopem albus.  
Let the straight foot jeer the polt-footed man,  
And the fair face the Ethiopian.  
To go along with you, after you have smeared your paper with some foul over flowings of your gall, in charging upon me Fopperies, opprobrious dealings, &c. without instancing any particulars (which is but deceitful dealing) you school me for taxing your way for a Sect and Sch●sme, and assay to inform me better 
Dolo●e agit qui versatur in generalibus.  in the nature of these. A Sect (say you) is a Rent; a schism is a cutting off, or dividing from the truth. Answ. It is not worth the labour to make much ado about words; but it will not be amiss to let men see your ignorance in some things, wherein you would seem to be acute. A Sect therefore cannot rightly be Englished a Renting; It comes not from any word that signifies to rent, but is derived (as some) either à secando, which is to cut, whence is sectum, secta, and so sectu, is as it were, a part cut off from others, or from the truth, to which they should stick and adhere, by which course there is a dividing into sundry sides, according to that of the Poet; 
Soinditur incertum studia in contraria vulgus.  
The inconstant people do themselves divide  
Into contrary parts from side to side.  Or (as others) à sectando, which signifies earnestly to follow, noting a company which doth stiffly follow some opinion or party, with a resolution to cleave thereto. A schism is a Greek word originally, and comes {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, which signifies to cut, or cleave in two, and as it were divide one from another, and is translated Mat 9 16. Mark 2. 21. Luke 5. 36. rather a rent than a cutting off, because in an old cloth patched up with a new piece, it is not meant that thereby one piece is cut off from another; but that therein when it is worn out, the breach is made the wider.  
2. Not is it rightly said, that a schism is a cutting off, or dividing from the truth, but rather a dividing of minds and affections between men, and a breaking off from Church communion between those that agree in the truth of the Gospel. This by Divines is usually laid down to be the difference between heresy and schism. Heresy stands in the entertaining and stiff maintaining false and perverse Doctrine; schism is the practice of an unlawful and undue separation from a true Church: One may be an heretic, and not a schismatic, as if a man denying some prime Article of Faith, do yet adhere to a Church confessing the true Faith: And one may be a schismatic which it not an heretic, as if a man soundly holding all the articles of the Faith, will not yet communicate with a true Church is God's public worship. Schismaticum facit (saith another) communion●● dir upta societas, The breaking off from Church-society and communion doth make one a schismatic: Of which who is more guilty, you in your way, or we, can be no question; when as you display this course of Separation, as the chief banner of your company, in defiance of all Church-society. It is true as you say, that truth newly springing is often branded with the black coal of a Sect and heresy. And it is also as true, that Error, when it cometh abroad, is wont to disguise itself under a counterfeit habit of Truth, the better to in grati●te herself with unwary persons. And from whomsoever you should hear such language touching your way, that it is a Sect or schism, it may be plain, but no soul language, to call a Fig a Fig, or a Spade a Spade. Next, for some touches given your company you are shrewdly passionate, and kick and lash very wildly. In Ovid's Verses taken up by me only in way of allusion, there is nothing can be found by you but scurrility, ribaldry, and the language of Hell. Alack good man, that a verse or two of witty Poetry should be taken in so ill part by you: But this is nothing but the cynical arrogance and churlishness of your spirit.  
The truth is, it was such a pretty picture of your gadding and r●mbling company, that you could not see it so lively set forth with patience. And if a verse or two out of Ovid be the language of H●ll, what language use you, who allege a verse of his? but I wo● to little purpose; in the margin of your Book, pag. 78. Morte cadunt subit â per mutua vulnera fratres: For the scandal of Ribaldry cast in my teeth, it is true that that wanton Poet was fain to excuse his looser Verses elsewhere used; for which he was justly blamed, with these words;  
Lasciva est nobis pagina, vita proba.  
Our writing loose and wanton is,  
My life is honest for all this.  
But for my part I have not in all my days (which are not a few) been upbraided with Ribaldry in speech or writing until now by you. And what is the ground of this foul crime? a Dist●ck which I borrowed out of Ovid, in which, as he elegantly, and as far from Scurrility and Ribaldry, as you are from Modesty in so charging them, describes the flocking of the Thehan's after the Orgia, as they were called, the worship of Bacchus newly brought amongst them; so I by the same set out the rambling of sundry amongst us, after your new-set-up way and course of Religion. Both which courses, as in this flocking of people after them, they do agree pretty well; so you may know, it is far from my intent for matter to compare the worship you use, wherein is some exercise of the Word, and prayer to God well intended, though the manner and end in the way of Separation, and other ways, cannot be justified, with the profane and impious Orgia of Bacchus: But for the Verses, Latin or English, let the chastest Susanna read them, and I dare say, neither her chafed ear shall hear, nor eye espy any tittle that hath the le●st show of R●baldry: And unless you can show plainly in what words this R●baldry lies with which you defame me, you do but proclaim yourself a foul-mouthed railer to all understanding men. As for the free doal you make among your hearers, of what you have freely received, if they understood themselves, they have little cause to thank you for it, who for bread cast stones amongst them, that is, intricate matters which they cannot bite or understand; or for wheat give them chaff, that, is light and unprofitable stuff to feed upon. And if you mention this your dole to blame the Ministers, which receive and requ●re due maintenance for their labour. I trust you know, and will yield to it, that Christ hath ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel: And if your free receiving your gifts bind you to a free 
1 Cor. 9 14.  giving, why do● you not as freely spend and bestow your tempocall means upon your hearers and followers, which I hope you will acknowledge to be as freely given you, as your spiritual gifts? I desire not to derogate from the preciousness of your Saints, if so they be: Nor can you with all your painted language excusethem or yourself from that instability I charge on them. If Paul justly charge the Galatians with this inconstancy, that 
Gal. 4. 14, 15, 16.  once they did reverence him as an Angel of God, yea as Christ Jesus himself; but afterward, upon their giving ear to false Apostles, who turned them to another Gospel, did slight him, yea counted him as an enemy, how can you and many of your company, free yourselves from the like blame? who not, many years since, acknowledged our Ministers the true Ministers of Christ; heard them gladly, followed them earnestly, confessed the spiritual good you received by them; but now, not only for sake them, and I doubt, against your consciences, disclaim the comfort and conversion wrought in you by their Ministry, but load them with the foulest reproaches you can, as calling them Priests of Baal, and Antichristian, &c. What in me is invective language, gall, vinegar, and cruel gall of asps, as all these you fi●de in Ovid's harmless Verses, had been in you (as you speak in your paper to me) but an abstersive to clear up my dim eye sight. But whatsoever fault be in my language (of which let the Reader judge) truly it must lie upon myself alone, and not be charged upon any other, who had no hand in it.  
But it is as far from any of these bitter things, as from Scurrility or Ribaldry: some salt perhaps there is in them, with which your galled back cannot endure the rubbing. We in our way challenge no Throne or kingdom to ourselves (as you scoff) Our desire and endeavour is only to set up the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which while you seek to darken by your foul Errors and schismatical courses, we cannot but make it matter of sadness and grief unto our hearts: And for your matching us (which is your constant course) with Antichristians, and charging us with blaspheming God with them; let all Christians take notice of your Spirit, and the Lord rebuke you for it. There is no gault, no vinegar, nor venom of asps in such language, because your.  
Concerning your passage of outward Jerusalem, figured by Hagar, with its application, it doth no more concern ut, than all others, who maintain stated Churches, and oppose you as well as we do in this your new way of mere separasion.  
2. To answer more particularly, there are Externalities of divers sorts.  
1. Such as are merely legal, and are by Christ abolished. It was the Jews of that outward Jerusalem, st●ff standing on these in Paul's days, and that as still to be continued; and as necessary to Salvation, that made them such enemies to those that walked in a free Gospel-walk, free, not I ween (as you seem to intimate) from all externalities, but from those legal ones, and as urged by the false Apostl●s.  
2. Such as are grossly Idolatrous and Superstitious, as most among the Papists.  
3. Such as are merely human, and of man's invention. And it is so commonly, that such as stand rigidly on those exte●nalities, prove enemies to such as desire to walk in a Gospel liberty.  
4 There are externalities that are of Divine Institution, as constitution of visible Churches, official Ministry, Sacraments to be duly administered, Church-censures, upon which to stand rigidly is no fault, no● any counterfeit holiness. It is only to stand upon Christ his order and ordinances. And the Primitive Christians walked not in any freedom from these, but in a willing subjection to them.  
And if you now, or any other, in your course of separation, shake off these Externalities, as you term them, of Christ's Institution, they are not children of a Christian, but of a carnal and licentious liberty: and their ●ime at Spirituality is merely counterfei● and deceitful. For the outward Court rejected, Revel. 11. 2. it is not (as you would have it understood) the ou●ward state of visible Churches among Protestants, but the visible and outward state of the Romish Church, as hereafter shall be more fully cleared; which is indeed a Mother that doth enslave her Children.  
Now toward the end, somewhat you have a mind to say about your first Letter; where first, for the report given out about your Letter, and my not coming to conference with you, I have given some answer in the beginning of my Reply. The other matters about some mistakes in some words and quotations; there is no such wrong done as needs any exp●stulation on either side. For there is no advantage taken upon any such matter to the prejudice of either cause. And if it should be done on either side, it would prove but a cavil; and redound to his discredit who should make it. If some places of Scripture by you alleged, were omitted by me, for haste or by oversight, you know thatyou had an answer to them from another reverend man by my procurement, which I sent to you, though you pleased to take no notice of it; and I shall, I trust, God assisting, give answer to them all in due time.  
But now for a Conclusion, There is a capital crime, or some deep plot charged on me: Your Book, say you, is not dated at the beginning according to the usual manner. At the end of your Epistle it bears date August the 18. now it came not out until December, near four months after: whether this be double dealing, to make the Reader believe that we were ●ardy in our Reply, is best known to your own conscience: Answ. It is wonder that here you did not make a O yes, and as he call our, harken O people every one of you. Here is, no doubt, a weighty matter to cavil at, and to charge upon a man's conscience, as if I 
1 Kings 22. 28▪  were by when the book was in printing, and gave any order about its dating: It is dated as all other books be in the beginning and as your own noting, the party for whom it was printed, and the year when it was printed, though not the month, nor day of the month, which is is not usually noted. 2. The long distance between the date of the Epistle and the Books coming forth may show indeed (and that is the plain truth) that it was long ere I could prevail with the Stationer to undertake the printing of it, and the slow going on of the Press.  
But it seems that you are very jealous of your credit, and would have the world take notice of you● ability and readiness to write and answer: In which point I shall not co●tend with you. I did in my book, toward the end, acknowledge, and still do, that I am but of a dull apprehension, and slow motion, and now somewhat the slower by reason of my age, having fulfilled the 77. year of this mortal race. You, for me, shall go away with the praise of this swiftness. It shall suffice me, if after some p●odding and longer deliberation, I can at length find out the truth. In which case yet I wish you to take notice of the Proverb, that Tardus aliquando celerem assequitur, He that is but slow, may at length overtake the more swift of foot.  
I will conclude with a story of Melancth●n, who in a disputation with Errius, a Popish Sophister, being urged with a subtil● argument from him, after some demur about it, said, I will answer it to morrow. Oh (saith Errius) this is not for your credit, if you cannot answer extempore, out of hand, and presently. To whom Melancthon did reply, O good Doctor, I do not seek mine own credit in this business, but the truth: To morrow you shall hear me. Thus I had rather suffer in my credit for dulness, than prejudice the truth by my too hasty swiftness:  
Qui dicit quae vult, audiet quae non vult,  
Whose humour is to speak what he doth please,  
Shall hear what will afford him little ease.   

A brief and solid Exercitation concerning the Coercive Power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion, by a reverend and learned Minister, Mr. George Petter, deceased, lately of Bread in Sussex.  
Qu. WHether the Civil Magistrate by his authority may compel men to do● any thing against their conscience in matters of Religion, or in the worship of God, as, to come to Church, and there to hear the Word preached.  
Answ. The Magistrate being ordained of God to be custo● utriusque tabulae, both may and aught to use his authority, in compelling those under his jurisdiction to the due performance of all external religious duties commanded of God, and required in the first table of the moral Law.  
1. But Rom. 134. He is the Minister of God for the good of his Subjects, that is, to procure and provide for their good and welfare. Now the chief good of his Subjects is their spiritual good, the good of their souls: and how doth he provide for this, if he suffer them to neglect and omit the duties of God's worship, and the ordinary means of their salvation, and do not compel them to perform and to use the same?  
2. But 1 Tim 2. 2. One end for which we are commanded to pray for those that are in authority, is this, that we may under them, and by their means, lead our lives in all godliness. Whence it follows, that it is the Magistrates duty by his authority, to provide that Subjects may live under him in all godliness. And how can he be said to do this, if he do not by his power take order that they may duly perform the main duties of piety commanded by God?  
3. That from the example and practice of some of the religious King● of Juda, 2 Chron. 34. 31. Josiah made a Covenant to walk after the Lord, and to keep his commandments, &c. and he caused all in Jerusalem and Benjamin to stand to it. So 2 Chro. 15. the like Covenant, by the authority of Asa, was made by his people, ver. 12. They entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers, &c. and that whosoever would not seek the Lord, &c. should be put to death, &c. This was a compulsion in an high degree.  
4. That, If a Master of a Family may and aught to compel his Family, yea and Strangers too, coming or being in his house, to the outward sanctifying of the Sabbath, at least to keep them from profaning it, as appears by the Fourth commandment: then may a Magistrate do the like, according as is read of, and commanded in Nehemiah, cap. 13 15▪ 16, &c.  
1. Obj. If the Magistrate compel his Subjects to do things against their conscience, or which they in their consciences are persuaded to be unlawful for them to do, than he compels them to sin.  
Answ. Here it is to be considered, from whence this persuasion in the Subj●ct doth proceed; If from an ignorant and weak conscience, as in such as have not had the means, or no sufficient means to teach them, and inform their consciences right touching the lawfulness of the things enjoined, than I think such persons are not to be compelled to such things, till they have been first conferred withal, & better instructed & informed of the lawfulness of those things enjoined by such as may be presumed better able to inform them, than they can inform themselves: Yet here this caution is to be added, that when such duties of Religion are enjoined by authority of the Magistrate, such ignorant or weak persons are not rashly, or of their own heads, to withdraw their obedience by refusing to conform to the duties enjoined, but they are first in all modest and humble manner (and that speedily) to propound their doubts and reasons of their refusal, and to desire satisfaction therein, from such as are in authority.  
2. If on the other side the foresaid persuasion do proceed from an obstinate conscience, as those that have had the means of teaching, and have been sufficiently convinced of the lawfulness of the things enjoined by authority of the Magistrate, and yet do obstinately persist in refusing to do them, than the Magistrate compelling them to outward conformity in doing the duties enjoined, doth not compel them to sin, but useth the means to reform sin in them, by punishing them for their obstinacy, thereby to reclaim them from it, and from their contempt and neglect of God's ordinances.  
Now this the Magistrate may and aught to do: For Rom. 13. it is said, He beareth not the sword in vain, and is therewith to punish evil doers; but surely they are evil doers, who do wilfully even against the light of their Conscience●, refuse to be conformable in such duties of Rel●gion and Gods worship as are enjoined by the Magistrate. These are {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, self-condemned persons, Titus 3. 11. The Magistrate in this case doth not cause such to sin, Nisi per accidens; vide Pet. Mart. loc. come. clas. 2. c. 2.  
Obj. Faith and Religion are not to be forced, but to be freely and voluntarily taken up and embraced, according to that of Tertullian, ad Scap. cap. 2. Nec religionis est cogere religionem, quae sponte suscipi debet, non vi. It is not according to Religion to compel men to Religion, which ought freely to be taken up, and not per force: And that of Lactant. Institut. lib. 5. cap. 20. Religio cogi non potest, verbis potius quam verberibus res agenda est. Religion cannot be forced; the matter is to be effected by words rather than by stripes. To such purpose Amb. lib. 5. Ep. 30.  
Answ. To compel men to conformity in outward ex●rcises of Rel●gion and of God's worship, is not to force them to believe or embrace Religion, but only to compel them to the external use of God's Ordinances, which are the means to work Faith and Religion in them, and to move them in time (if it be possible) voluntarily to believe and embrace true Religion.  
2. As for those places of Tertullian, Ambrose, and Lactantius▪ That Compulsion that they speak of, is of Christians toward Heathen, or of Heathen toward Christians (as may plainly appear by perusing the places) and not of the Christian Magistrates compelling of Christians under his Dominion to the outward exercise of Religion and Gods worship established. It is one thing for the Heathen Emperors, or their Deputies, to compel Christians to embrace Paganism; or for Christian Magistrates to compel the ●eathen (who have been brought up in Paganism, and never had yet the means to instruct them in Christian Religion) to believe and embrace Christianity before they have had sufficient instruction therein: And another thing for Christian Magistrates to urge, and compel such subjects ●t have been brought up and instruc●ed in the Christian Religion, to outward conformity in the public worship of God, established by lawful Authority.  
Obj. This is the way to make men Hypocrites, when they are compelled to the outward worship of God, wanting in the mean time inward Piety.  
Answ. The scope of the Christian Magistrate, in using such compulsion, is not to make men Hypocrites▪ but by this means to move them to do that afterward willingly, which for the present they do by compu●sion, as Austin saith of the Christian● in Hipp● (where he was Bishop) That they at first taking part with Donatus and his F●ction, were after moved by the severe laws of Christian Emperors, reigning in those times against the Don●tists, to forsake Donatus and his followers, and to embrace the Catholic Doctrine of the Church, and so in other cities also. Se●Aug. Tom. 2. Epist. 48. where he doth at large ●andle this question touching the M●gistrates power in punishing heretics: Of which Epistle of Austin, Zanchy says that it is Insigni● epistola, sed prolixa, a notable Ep●stle, but very long. See also the same Austin, Tom. 7. Operum contra epistolas Petili●●i Donatista, lib. 2. c●p. 28. &c. 84. and also in his 50 Epistle, in which places he treats of this question touching the Magistrates power in punishing heretics. In the former of those places, whereas P●tilian complain● of the Emperors forcing the Donatists to the Catholic Faith by persecution, Austin makes this answer to him, Non persequimu● vos, nisi quemadmodum veritas persequitur falsitatem, &c. We persecute you no otherwise, but as Truth doth persecut● Falsehood. And again, whereas Petilian boasted that the Donatists did not compel any to the Faith; Austin answers thus, Ad fidem quidem nullus est cog●ndus invitus sed perseveritatem, imo●er miseric●rdiam Dei, tribulationum flagellis solet per●idia castigari. Num quid quia mor●s optimi libertate voluntatis ●liguntu●, id●o mores pessi●i non legis integritate puniuntur? S●d tamen ma●e vivendi ultrix, disciplina pr●postera est, nisi x pr●cedens belle vivend● doctrina contemnitur, that is, No man truly is to be compelled to the Faith against his will, but through, the severity, yea through the mercy of God, perfidiousness is wont to be chastized with the scourge of tribulation. What I pray, because good manners are chosen by a free goodwill, shall not therefore bad manners be punished by sound and wholesome laws? Notwithstanding, that Discipline, which is the revenger of evil living, is preposterous, unless when the precedent instruction of well-living is despised. To which may be added that of Austin contra epist. Gaudentii Donatistae, lib. 2. cap. 17. Quod vobis (Donatistis) videtur invites ad veritatem non esse cogend●s, erratis nes●ientes scriptur●● & virtutem D●i, qui eos volentes facit dum coguntur inviti, Whereas it seems to you Donatists, that none are to be compelled to the truth against their will, you err not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, who maketh men willing while they be enforced against their will Zanchy in 2 praeceptum. cap. 15. de imaginibus, Thes. 4. handles this question, where thus he expresseth the sum of what he holds concerning it; Augustini sententiam sequor, Piu● magistratum posse pro authoritate sibi a Deo tradit●, & ver● etiam si viderit se posse▪ suâ authoritate ad ecclesi● adificationem uti, ex officio debere subditos suos a malo ad bonum & a superstitionibus ad verum cultum cogere, tempore tamen commodo & ●edo ad ●inem consequendum utili prudenter observato that i●, I follow the sentence of Austin. That the godly Magistrate may according to that authority given him of God; and truly also, if he shall see that he can use his authority to the edification of the Church, that he ought, out of duty, to compel his Subjects from evil to Good, and from Superstitions to God's true Worship; notwithstanding wisely observing a convenient time, and such a manner as shall be profitable to obtain his end. This Assertion he farther explains, and proves more at large: In one case he holds that the Magistrate is to forbea●e this coaction, at least for a time, viz. Si apertè viderit res tal● esse loco ut si sua si●●● pli●iter velit uti authoritate ●mnin● casura sint omnia in pejus & in totius ecclesi● eversion●m supersedendum fuerit atque in aliud tempu● d●fferendum negotium, &c. Tu●c certe re●inere debet gladium in vaginâ, & curandum est ut gladio duntaxat Spiritus, quod est verbum Dei— ●ollantu● ex animis errores, &c. — Pertinet huc Augustini co●silium de supersedendâ excommunications in Africa adversus ●b●ios●s, qui cum omnes fere tales essent, excommunica●i ●●● potexant nisi tota ●cclesia dissiparetur. Then Zanchy adds, Sunt tamen quaedam mala tam gravia, ut graviora contingere non possint, ut publicae blasphemiae in Filium D●i, publicae Idololatriae, &c. Ad haec certe connivere nullo modo potest aut debit pius magistratus, ●tiamsi ruat mundus: That is, If he plainly see things to be in such a condition, as if he should absolutely use his authority, that all things certainly would become worse, and turn to the overthrow of the whole Church; there must be a forbearing, and the business is to be deferred unto another time.— Then furely he ought to keep his sword in the sc●bbard, and to t●ke care that errors should be removed out of men's minds only by the sword of the Spiri●, which is the Word of God.— H●therto appertaineth Austin's counsel about the forbearing— of excommunication in Africa, against Drunkards, who, when almost all were so, could not ●e excommunicated, unless the whole Church were dissipated. Notwithstanding some evils are so heinous, that worse cannot happen, as public blasphemies against the Son of God, public Idolat●y, &c. Certainly the godly Magistrate by no means can or aught to con●ive at these evils, although the whole world should fall on his head.  
Bucan lee. come. 49. quest. 33. An Magistratus debet coger● quenquam ad credendum?  
Resp. Non potest indore fidem aut cogere mentem, sed cogere locomotivam ut audiat veram doctrinam, & media quibus exitatur fides promovere debet, &c.  
Quest. Whether the Magistrate ought to compel any man to believe?  
Answ. He cannot put faith into any, nor constrain the mind, but he can force the loco-motive faculty, that a man may he●r true Doctrine; and he ought to promote all means by which Faith is excited and stirred up.  
Alsted. cas. conscient. cap. 17. cas. 8. Princeps tutâ conscientiâ potest in ditione sua permittere liberam religionem, non quidem it a ut ampune quisque colat Deum arbitratis suo; sed ut bonum autonomiae, sive libertas conscientiae concedatur iis, qui in fundamento salutis conveniunt, & non nisi circa ritus & leviores quasdam questiones in negotio religionis dissident. Sane si potest h●c efficere citra pacis publicae perturbationem ut omnes. & singuli subditi eandem religionis formulam amplexentur, utique nihildebet facere reliquum ad summam diligentiam hoc ut obtineat, verum quia saepenum eroquè unitatem religionis in rempub introducere conantur funditus evertune rempublicam, & unitatem civilem scindunt, non temere princeps hic quicquam audebit; A Prince may with a safe conscience permit Religion to be free in his Dominion, not so indeed that every man without punishment, may worship God according to his pleasure; but that the benefit of Autonomy, or liberty of Conscience, or a Self-law, may be granted unto them, which agree in the foundation of Salvation, and differ not in the business of Religion, but about some rites and certain lighter questions: certainly if he could effect it conveniently, without the disturbance of the public Peace, that all and every one of his Subjects should embrace the same form of Religion; truly he ought to leave nothing unaslayed unto his utmost diligence, that he might obtain it. But because oftentimes they that endeavour to bring into the commonwealth the unity of Religion, do utterly overthrow the civil Unity: A Prince will not rashly dare to atttempt any thing in this matter. But B●za is more strict in this matter, whose words in his Book de puniendis haereticis; are thes, pag. 143. Magistratûs officium est, vel externae pacis jactu●â, si aliter non potest, verum Dei cultum in suâ ditione, redimere; It is the duty of the Magistrate (if it cannot otherwise be done) to purchase in his D●m●nion the true worship of God, even with the loss of outward peace. Wolfangus Capito, in a Book written by him, de jure magistratûs in religione, hath these words, as they are cited by Beza in his Treatise de Haereticis à Magistratu puniendis, p. 149. Pius princeps populum pro virili ad verbum Dei audiendum & ad hoc ut vitâ & moribus illud exprimat, adiget severâ authoritate, hoc est anim adversione legitimâ; A godly Prince will, according to his power, enforce his people to hear the Word of God; and to this also, that they express the same in life and manners, with severe authority, that is, by lawful punishment. Mr. Perkins in his Treatise of Callings, Tom. 1. operum, pag. 741. writeth thus, That the duty of Magistrates wherein they do commonly fail, is this, that they use not the Sword for this end, to urge men to the keeping of the commandments of the first Table, to a practice of pure Religion, and to the keeping of the Sabbath day. This is the duty of the Magistrate, who b●ares the sword, especially for the good of men● souls. See also Dr. Cudworth's Commentary upon Gal. cap. 6. printed with Mr. Perkins Comment on the five first chapters of that Epistle, as a Supplement to it, where (upon the 12 vers● of that 6 chapter) this question is propounded and answered.  
Magistratus legum severitate retine●it populum in ordine— qu●ad auditum verbi, orationis communicationem, sacrificium laudi●, & Sacram●ntorum celebration●m incunctanter ac religi●●● frequentet— vigore legum & virgâ disciplin● animadvertet in mores subdit●rum ●mnium— co●●c●bitq●e non solum adulteria, scortationes, ●brietat●m, furta— quod & Ethnici Magistratus faciunt, sed & impi●tat●m, blasphemiam h●reses, sacrilegiae, Ecclesia contemptum ac desertionem. Mu●culus loc. come. de Migistratu, pag. 431, & 432. The Magistrate by the severity of his laws, aught to keep his people in order, so far as that they do frequent diligently and religiously the hearing of the Word, joining in P●ayer, the offering of praise, and the celebration of the Sacraments— he ought to correct the manner● of all his Subjects, by the vigour of his Laws, and ro● of Disciplin●, and he shall restrain not only Adulteries, Whoredoms, drunkenness, Thefts— which Heathen Magistrates also do; but also Impiety, B●asphemy, Heresies, sacrilege, the contempt and forsaking of the Church.   

Mr. John Cotton's Animadversions upon Mr: Henden's Letter to Mr. Elmeston, heretofore printed & published in his Book to Mr. Henden.  

Mr. John Cotton's Letter to Mr. Elmeston, sent with the following Animadversions.  
Reverend and dear Sir,  
IT is indeed a busy season with me to return due answer to sundry Friends, who expect the same by this v●ssell. But because your Letter is not only yours, but a voice from the Lord Jesus, in which h● calleth me to bear witness to the truth (for which end he came himself into the world, John 18. 37. and sent his servants) I durst not ●mit this first opportunity of returning answer to the scruples which your Letter enclosed. If when you have perused the same, your judgement con●ur therein, you may please to communicate them to your Christianfriend: If otherwise, reserve them by yourself. Be intrea●●● to accept the labour of my love from your fellow-servant, and cease not to pray for me whose businesses are more than my days. The Lord Jesus be still the staff of your age, and perfect his work in your heart and head till he trans●●te you to his heavenly kingdom in Christ Jesus: In whom with ●●arty salutes to you and Mrs. De●ly, I take leave, and rest,  
Boston the 18. of the eighth month. 1651. Yours in Brotherly love unfeigned, JOHN COTTON.   

My Letter to Mr. Henden, when as I sent him a Copy of Mr. Cotton's Animadversions.  
Good Mr. Henden,  
such was my desire to be satisfied about your n●w Way and Principles, and to inform yourself and followers about them, that I sent your Letter wrote to me to Mr. Cotton to New-England, and by Letter requested his judgement thereupon. In which thing, according to his courteous disposition, and desire to give witness to the truth, he hath condescended to me, and sent me in writing his censure upon your Letter; which I received but the last Saturday, and having transcribed a Copy of it, have here sent it to you for you and your Disciples to peruse, and thence to receive better information about your course. It may be, that truth commended to you from a place so remote, and from so learned and godly a man, will sooner be embraced than coming from a neighbour and ordinary friend, as commodities brought from far countries, as China, or so, are of more esteem with curious Gentlewomen, than what are homebred, according to our English Proverb, Far fetched and dearly bought is good for Ladies. There was, you see, a mistake in your quotation of Isa. 65. for 56. which I observed not but upon the receipt of your last; upon which occasion I could say nothing to it; and Mr. Cotton here doth somewhat miss of your meaning. What now I send you, in writing, I shall shortly make more public by printing. And if notwithstanding all this, you will wander still, and mislead others, I can say nothing but what he did; Si vult hic populu: decipi, decipiatur; If this people will be deceived, let them be deceived; for who can hinder them that will not be undeceived? So, I rest,  
Decemb. 20. 1651. Your loving Friend, JO. ELMESTON.   

Certain Errors noted in the Letter sent to you from a Christian Friend, whereof you desired my judgement.  
THat the foundation of the Beast consisted in an usurped power of 
Error ●.  Church Discipline, footed upon man and his will without the call of God.  
If the Beast be Antichrist, than he is contrary to Christ in all his anoynments, by which he is Christ. Now Christ is the anointed, not only King of his Church, but anointed Priest, and anointed Prophet also.  
The Beast i● Antichrist, therefore not only usurping a Kingly 
Answ▪  power over the Church, in Church-Discipline, but also in usurping the anointed Priesthood, in suborning to us other propitiztory and meritorious Sacrifices for Sin, and other Mediators of Redemption, as likewise in usurping the office of the anointed Prophet; in giving us Apochrypha-rules of Faith, and advancing himself to be Judge of Controversies.  
The call of God in our time is only for Separation and Rewarding, 
Error 2.  to wit, rewarding evil upon Antichristians.  
The Scripture acknowledgeth no calling only for Separation and rewarding Evil (both which are but detestations of sin) but 
Answ.  requireth also the practice of the contrary virtues. Beloved (saith John) follow not that which is evil, but that which is good, 3 John ver. 11. Depart from evil (saith David) and do good, Psal. 34. 14. Cease to do evil (saith Isaiah) and learn to do well, Isa. 1. 16, 17. There is no commandment of God fulfilled submitting to the Negative part only (in forbearing what is forbidden) without performing the Affirmative also, doing what is commanded. The second commandment is not fulfilled in abandoning or punishing human or Antichristian inventions, without establishi●g and observing Christ's own Institutions.  
The places of Scripture alleged to prove that all the Calls of God in our times, are for Separation and Rewarding, are misinterpreted, and misapplied: In Rev. 18. 46. the very phrase of coming out of ●abel, implieth not only a terminus à quo, the place from whence they should come, but Terminus ad quem, as Rev. 12. 12. (a time contemporary to the other) come up hither, to wit, into an heavenly and pure estate. That place Rev. 15. 8. doth no● argue that there were no visible Churches, nor Members in them, till all the seven Vials were poured forth on the Antichristian state, but the contrary rather. For all the seven Angels, that is, all the Instruments and Ministers of God's wrath, against the Beast, came out of the Temple, and such a Temple it was, as was opened, that is, was visible, cap. 15. 5. and therefore there was a visible Church-state, before the pouring out of any of the Vials. As for that which is said, No man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven Plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled, It is not understood of Christians (who were in the Temple before) but of Pagan Nations, whose conversion it retarded by the smoke of God's wrath against Antichristians; which yet, nevertheless, hindereth not the conversion of a Sprinkling of some Jews and Pagans, but only any large or numerous conversion of them. The places in Rev. 19 7, 8, 9 and Isa. 62. 5. do expressly speak of the conversion of the Jew● unto Christ in a Church Estate: And their Espousage or Marriage to Christ doth not argue his divorce from the Gentiles, for the coming of the Jews will not infer a rejection of the Gentiles, but rather their resurrection and provocation to farther zeal, Rom. 11. 12. 15. Much less will these places argue, that there is no visible Church-marriage from the apostasy, till this time of the conversion of the Jews. For beside what hath been said of the open and visible estate of these Churches, out of which the seven Angels came, it is evident, that during all the time of Antichrist's reign, the woman and her seed were nourished in the wilderness, and there persecuted of the Dragon, and his Vicegerent the Beast. Rev. 12. 14. to 17. Now the Woman is the Church, and the Seed her Members; and their wilderness-estate doth not argue them invisible; For the Church of Israel in the wilderness was visible and goodly, even in the eyes of Pagans, (Numb. 23. 9 and 24. 5.) yea so visible were they, that the Dragon and Beast could see them, and persecute them, yea and make war against them. Rev. 13. 7. The two witnesses are said to be two Candlesticks, Rev. 11. 4. and allegorical Candlesticks are ever in St. John's Divinity taken for visible Churches. In the Canticles before the return of the Shulamite (that i● before the coversion of the Jews) Cant. 6. 13. there were sixty Queens and eighty Concubines, besides one precious Spouse above them all, Cant. 6. 8, 9 Now Queens are Churches in Marriagecovenant.  
The Scriptures alleged for the restraint of the Spirit from breathing on Churches and Ordinances after the Primitve times, do not argue an Abolition or Cessation of all Churches and Ordinances, but at most a corruption and pollution only of the most of them, when yet in some Churches the Ordinances were preserved in due purity, that the Saints walked in them as Virgins, in whom was found no guile nor fault, Rev. 14. 4, 5. The only Text that seemeth to look a contrary way, Rev. 7. 1. doth rather bear witness to this truth: For the four Angels that restrained the four Winds from breathing on the Earth, Sea, and Trees, they did not execute that charge until a stronger angel than they had sealed all the Servants of God in their foreheads, even twelve times twelve thousand, ver. 2. to 8. which argueth, that all the times of the Antichristian apostasy (though it lasted twelve centuries of years and somewhat upwards, Rev. 11. 3.) yet there never wanted in any century, at least, twelve thousand that worshipped the Lamb in spirit and truth, by the virtue of the spirit breathing on them in their Church-fellowship, as there wanted not 7000. breathed on by a still, small, soft voice in the sorest Tyranny of Jezabel, and deepest apostasy of Israel, Nor do the places quoted for the returning of the breathing of the spirit at the brightness of Christ's coming, speak of Christ's future coming, but of the coming past and present, save only that of Ezek. 37. 9 which apparently speaketh of the Jews, and the Spirit breathing on them in their future conversion, and not of Christians. That of Isaiah 32. 15. is most fitly accomplished in Christ first coming; as likewise that of Ps. 97. 4. That other place of Mat. 24. 27, 28. showeth only that the Gospel shall shine forth from the East to the West, as from Christ's time ●o this it hath ever done: the Gospel still spreading itself westwa●d unto this day. In all which time, if any inquire where Christ is, he telleth you, wherever the Eagles (that is, the clear-sighted, and high-soaring spirited Christians) are gathered together, ver. 28.  
The third Error discovereth in his distinction of Gospel-ordinances, and his exp●ication and application thereof: We conceive, 
Error 3▪  saith he, that Gospel-ordinances are of two sorts; 1. Such as are founded more immediately upon our spiritual union in the Covenant of Grace, as Ministry, baptism, the Lord's Supper, Prayer, Profession. 2. Such as are footed upon Church-stating, and appert●ine to the officials, as Ordination, Confirmation, Excommunication, Admission, Absolution, &c. The fi●st of these we say the Gates of Hell never prevail against them, as Teaching, baptism, Bread, Wine, Prayer, Profession▪ &c. But the second sort, to wit, the keys (deemed essential to officials) were not always truly used, &c.  
This Distinction and the Explicat●on and Application thereof, is not sound nor convenient. 1. Ministry, baptism, and the 
Answ▪  Lord's Supper, are essential to Officials, and more essential too, than Admission, Excommunication, Confirmation, Absolution: For these may all of them be dispensed by an Homogeneal Church without Officers. But Ministry, baptism, and the Lord's Supper, cannot be dispensed without Officers. Christ sent forth none to administer baptism and the Lord's Supper, but such Officers as he sent forth for the Ministry of the Gospel. 2. The Gates of Hell prevailed as much against Teaching, baptism, Bread, and Wine, Prayer, and Profession, as against the power of the keys: For as the keys were not always truly used, so neither were any of the rest. Teaching was corrupted with many fundamental Heresies and Errors; baptism with many superstitious Ceremonies and undue Power; The Bread transubstantiated into the Body of Christ, and the Wine into the Blood, and both transformed into a propitiatory Sacr●fice for the Quick and the Dead; the Wine also taken from the People; Prayer was perverted into the Idolatrous worship of Angels, Saints, Images, and publicly offered in a strange tongue: And profession of Christianity degenerated into the profession and pract●se of Antichristian Idolatry and Superstition. Greater abuses than these have not prevailed upon the keys. True it is that the former sort of these were soone● purged from sundry gross Pollutions, than the exercise of the keys. But two things would be considered:  
1. That a● all the former Pollutions were no● brought into the Church and Ordinances at once, so neither were they purged ou● at once, but by degrees. And why may we not perceive the keys to be at length purged and scoured, as well as all the former?  
2. It can never be proved that in the da●kest times of the Antichristian apostasy, the Ordinances of Christ were any of them wholly polluted in all the Churches, no not the power of the keys. For the promise of building the Church upon a Rock, against which the gates of hell should not prevail, was given to such a Church, as to whom the power of the keys was given expressly, Mat. 16. 18, 19 I know not what place (there was a mistake in the Letter, quoting Isa. 65. for 56. which is the cause that Mr. Cotton's answer is not punctual to that allegation) the Author alludeth to, when he saith the name (of the keys) was foreprophecied to be everlasting, yet the hand or keys, held forth by the hand in the interpreted place, is not so specified, Isa. 66. 5. but was wholly resolved in the Pope, &c. which is as unsafe as the former. For in that place, Mat. 16. 19 where the keys are pr●mised, the power and efficacy of them is given also. To thee will I give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven (there is the name) and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt lose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven; there is the power and efficacy of the keys; which though the Pope and his Ministers perverted and abused, yea, and exercised another Key, which he received from the bottomless pit; yet it is very unsafely said, That the power of the keys was wholly resolved in the Pope, and that there was no other face of Officials, but amongst the Papists in Luther's time, and that the visible Church, the foundation of these failed, and only an elect s●aled number remain●d. F●● it is evident, and in Story, yea, and in the Revelation also, 1. That the s●aled number was a visible Church represented to John under the resemblance of two Candlesticks, Rev. 11. 4. discerned and seen not only by John (representing the faithful, Rev. 14. ●.) but also by the Dragon, and by his Vicegerent the Beast, who persecuted the Woman and her seed (that is the Church and her Members) R●v. 12. 13. to 17. and cap. 13. 6, 7. The Church visible to malignant persecutors, was doubtless v●sible in itself, and in its Members one to another. 2. It is evident that in Luther's time, and many ages before the Waldenses lived, and when Luther came, wrote to Luther and to Calvin also, who not only kept Church-assemblies amongst themselves, but exercised the power of the keys among themselves; How then can the Author of the Epistle say, That there was not any face of Officials, but among the Papists in Luther's time? What could be spoken more eff●ctually to gratify the Papists, and to confirms their boasting, that either the Church of Rome was the only visible Church upon the face of the earth, or else Christ had no visible Church upon eath for above a thousand years together? It is a very slender and lean evasion, to excuse the rooting out of Ordinances for having any being upon earth, to hold they have a being in the Scriptures of truth, and in the minds and desires of the faithful. For we might as well say, Babylon hath no being upon earth, but is burnt down with fire, and the New Jerusalem is come down from Heaven, because so it is in the Scriptures of truth, and in the minds and desires of the faithful. If we do (as he saith) in this our return from Babylon, carry (as the Israelites did of old) the vessels of the Lord along with us, why should we be afraid to officiate in them? We dare not, saith he, officiate in them, because we are as yet within the territories of Babylon, and so shall be, till we have passed by the sixth vial, over the River Euphrates. Rev. 16. 12.  
Answ. There might be some colour for this, if the Churches of Europe, and of the Western America, were in Scripture-phrase the Kings of the East. For they that are said to pass over the Riv●r Euphrates in that sixth vial, are expr●sly styled the Kings of the East. But sooner shall a man draw East and West together, than prove Christian Churches to be the Kings of the East, or that we are still in the territories of Babylon, till we have passed by the sixth vial over the River Euphrates: yea suppose we were still in the territories of Babylon, yet nevertheless, though the Jews of old did not perform Temple-worship within the territories of Babylon, (because that worship was confined to the Temple) yet we in the days of the New Testament (where the worship of God is not limited to any place) the true worshippers may worship the Father, even in the midst of Rome. And so did the Waldenses, and other of our godly forefathers within the Roman territories. The mention of the sixth vial putteth me in mind of an wholesome warning delivered in it by Christ, and that to the Saints of this age in a special manner, Behold I come a● a thief (not to the last Judgement which is no yet▪ but) to rob men of their garments of their former profession. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and men see his sh●m●. Rev. 16. 15. AMEN.   

Mr. Cotton's Letter to Mr. Elmeston, upon his writing back to thank him for this labour of love in imparting unto me his judgement upon Mr. Hendens Letter, and my signifying the slight account that Mr. Henden made thereof.  
Dear SIR,  
I Thank you for your last Letter, of March 5. 1651. whereunto I woul● have returned you a large Answer, but that God having lately afflicted me with an Asthma, I find, stooping to write somewhat painful to me; which distemper, though (I thank the Lord) it doth not yet silence me from public Ministry, yet it keepeth me within the town, that I cannot go to neighbour towns to hear, else I had gone abroad to have joined this day with the Indians at Natick (about 20 miles from us) in a day of Humiliation, wherein they intend to give themselves to the Lord, and to the worship of Christ in a churchway. It is a wise dispensation of the Lord that when many Christians with you, and with us too, fall off from Christ's Institution and Ordinances, that now God should stir up poor Pagans to seek after the same. But so it was in the days of old, Acts 13. 46, 47, 48. and 28. 28. As for your Neighbour, I do not expect the Word should convince him, till the Spirit convert him more from himself, and persuade him: I do not easily believe his saying, that he had met before with all the things presented to him, but self is self-ful. I should spend time in vain to run over the particulars of his notions, unless all his grounds were laid open in them. To cut off some sprigs when other lie hid: The best help for such is the prayer of faith, to him that toucheth hearts as well as judgements. If God return him not, I fear he will fall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and greater ex●●bitances, till he be filled with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 way, and hav● enough of himself. But the Lord Jesus rede●●● him. I comm●nd my affectionate love to you, and you to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 grace, in who● I rest, desirous of your prayers, and yours in 〈◊〉 ●●rly love,  
John Cotton. Re●●●● this 12. of the 8. 1652.   
FINIS.