AN ANSWER TO A LIBEL ENTITLED, A COOL CONFERENCE Between the cleared REFORMATION AND THE APOLOGETICAL NARRATION, Brought together by a Well-willer to both; Wherein are clearly refuted what ever he bringeth against the Reformation cleared, most humbly submitted to the judgement of the Honourable Houses of Parliament, the most Learned and Reverend Divines of the Assembly, and all the Reformed Churches.  
By ADAM STEVART.  Amb. lib. 5. de Fide. 
Si taceamus consentire videbimur; si contendamus verendum ne carnales judicemur.  
Imprinted at London, 1644.   

TO THE READER.  
COurteous Reader; I pray thee excuse some of the most material faults, fallen out, partly by my absence, partly by an accident that befell the Copy, and to correct them as followeth.  
PAge 3. line 8. read neither should he have feared a suppression of his book, p. 10. l. 11. deal all that parenthesis, ibid. p. l. 20. deal because, p. 11. l. 9 read and those who interest. p. 16. l. 24. for but so, r. and so, p. 19 l. 26. r. for it was, 1. it was, p. 22. d. men, p. 25. l. 3. r. Answ. 1. ib. p. l. 5. for how, r. 2. How, ibid. p. l. 8. after the word Communion add all that followeth.  
3. Either this Well-willer pretendeth to play the Naturalist or the Divine: If the Naturalist, he knoweth not well the nature of the Northerly wind, for ordinarily it bringeth not black, but fair weather, and scattereth the clouds, as he might learn of all Naturalists, ab Aqualone aurum, from the North cometh gold, i.e. golden or fair weather, job 37.22. The North wind driveth away rain, Prov. 25.23. If he play the Divine, and allude to Scripture, I must say to him as Christ said to the Jews, Ye err, not understanding the Scriptures; for there it signifieth either the Spirit of Christ, as in Salomons Song. And then he must pray with the Church, A wake O Northwind, and come thou South, blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out, Cant. 4.16. Or God's people who were Northern in respect of the Philistines, who were their enemies; so we must be God's people, and the Independenters (whom this Well-willer opposeth to the North) their enemies; or the Babylonians who were septentrional, or Northward, in respect of God's people, Esay 41.25. and so he esteemeth us to be God's enemies; if so, how hold they us for one of the most pure Churches? but what ever it signify, it can never signify the Church of Scotland, but in a very good sense. Pag. 27. d. us, p. 28. for Heb. panegr. r. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Scripture, Heb. 12.23. l. ult. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 29. l. 8. for vomit r. ye vomit, p. 29. l. 30. d. of myself, p. 43. l. 27. for two read five, p. 35. l. 29. after the word narration, add all this that followeth.  
Only I pray the Reader to consider these men's craft in going about to sow the seeds of division betwixt the civil Magistrate & the orthodox Churches, in making the world to believe that they grant him more than the maxims of Presbyterial Government will suffer them to do. For, 1. They tell not wherein: 2. Whether this power be Ecclesiastical or Civil, as for the Ecclesiastical they cannot give it: 1. It being only a Ministerial power to serve, & not Magisteriall to domineer with, or to be given away by proxy, to whom they please. 2. If they give the Magistrate any power, what can it be? is it to preach, to teach, the power of the Keys to Excommunicate, or to attend upon the sick and poor people? and as for the civil it is not theirs, but His Majesties and the Magistrates, as is the constant tenet of all the Orthodox Churches, who hold the Civil power incompatible with that of a Pastor or Doctor of the Church.  
3. If they grant the Magistrate more power than our Churches, how is it that they acknowledge the King's Patent in New-England for nothing else but in matters of State or Civil Government, and God's word only in Church Government?  
4. He and they also hold the same rule in Old-England, and therefore I pray all men only to consider if this be not rather a gulling of the Civil Magistrate, than a proof of what they say.  
5. I wish him to answer whether New-England depend of Old-England, and whether they think the King and Parliament have power to change Religion and Church Government there?  
6. Whether they both have power to do the same here against God's word?  
7. Whether the Parliament have done well or not in calling of this Assembly of Divines, to judge of matters of Religion? As for us, the constant opinion of all our Churches is, that all Civil power belongeth only to the Civil Magistrate, and none at all to the Church. 2. That the Civil Magistrate hath an extrinsecall executive power about Religion to maintain and reform it, in case of corruption, and that according to the precedents in Scripture; Neither did ever any good Christian Prince assume any more to himself.  
Neither doth it any way lessen his power, that it is only extrinsecall; for to be intrinsical or extrinsecall signifieth not any quantity of greater or lesser power, but only the manner thereof; for an extrinsecall power and influence, may be greater than an intrinsecall as appeareth in that of the efficient and Material cause, for the first is only active, and yet extrinsecall; but the second merely passive without any action or efficacy at all and yet intrinsecall.   

PErlegi tractatum hunc, in quo nihil reperio quo minus cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur.  
JA. CRANFORD.   

BEfore I begin the Refutation of this Pamphlet, it shall not be amiss, that I apologise for myself, for refuting a Book already sufficiently refuted of itself, and by that very same Book, whereof it intendeth the refutation: I will therefore here declare unto the Christian Reader how I came to undertake it; how unwilling I was to do it; upon what reasons I was moved thereunto. The truth therefore is thus: That some days after the publication of this book, I happened to fall in company with some men of quality that were reading of it, and after the perusal thereof, it was the joint wish of them all that some answer were drawn up unto it. A few days after that, I chanced to reencounter with some of the same company, and some others very well affected to Reformation, who after sundry discourses fell upon the same Theme again, some of them saying that it would do well that the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland would answer it. Where some of them desiring me to deliver my opinion, I replied several times (as occasion required) in substance that which followeth; That it might seem strange to others if men of such gravity and learning, and much more of so eminent place and employment, representing the whole Nationall Church of the Kingdom of Scotland, should stoop to answer every idle Anonymus Pamphleter, peradventure some Anabaptist, peradventure some Donna Catherina (it may be of purpose) put upon the Stage, to make them ridiculous, if they should acknowledge such inconsiderable persons as a considerable party. Besides this I told them, that I thought the Author of the Book was a man very illbred, and imprudent, and that for many reasons; and among the rest, First, because he being (as it seemeth) but a private man, he will needs be begging of a quarrel with the Scotch Commissioners, who never offended him, nor (for any thing that appeareth) knew not whether he was inverum natura, or not. Secondly, and if he pretend that they offended some of his Sect, viz. the five Authors of the Apologetical Narration; then seems he yet unwiser than I took him to be, esteeming so highly of himself, as if he were abler to answer for them, than they for themselves: so judge not wise men, much less this wise Parliament, for then haply it had made choice of him to have been a Member of the Assembly, which yet it did not. Thirdly, they are of age, very able men according to all wise men's judgement, and therefore it seemeth more fit that they answer for themselves; and so much rather, because neither they depend of him, nor he of them, nor any of them one from another; or all, or any of them, from any superior Ecclesiastical power; but every one of them standeth for himself. And finally, if they had offended those five venerable persons, or their Sect, in apologizing for the Government of all the Orthodox Churches, and namely that of Scotland, whereof they be Commissioners, (howsoever no offence appeareth) 1. yet offended they them not in particular: 2. Neither took they them directly for parties: 3. Or their Apologetical Narration formally to refute, no more than they five took the four Commissioners for their formal party, or the Discipline of the Orthodox Churches, or that of Scotland formally to refute. If this Anonymus Divine had imitated the prudence of either of them, he would have appeared wiser than now he doth; neither should his Book needed to have been suppressed (as it is) in nature of an infamous Libel. Hereupon I was desired to set upon the work myself: Whereunto I answered, that hardly could I do it, not knowing who was the Author of it, or of what Sect or Sex he might be. They taking this my answer for a merriment, which I gave them in good earnest, replied, That it could not be a woman, since the Independents permit not them to write Books: but this satisfied not at all: for howsoever the Quinqu' Ecclesian Ministers admit them not to judge of controversies in Doctrine, or in Ecclesiastical censures, yet is it but a particular opinion of those five, and of some others; and however they admit them not to such acts, yet may it be doubted whether they permit them not to write Books of Divinity. Afterwards they would willingly have persuaded me that it was no Anabaptist, since he was an Independent, and disclaimed them, and spoke contemptuously of them: But that proved no more satisfactory than the rest: 1. For howsoever all Independenters be not Anabaptists, yet all Anabaptists, all Sectaries, and Heretics at this present about London, pretend to be Independents. 2. That the Anabaptists here in London for the most part agree with them in all things, save only in delaying of Baptism till the time that the parties to be baptised be of age sufficient to give an account of their faith; and in rebaptising such as are baptised in all other Churches, save those of their own Sect, as I have heard of themselves. 3. Sundry of the Independents also hold them for very good men, as they declare to the people in their Sermons, what ever they writ to the contrary. 4. Many of them also hold the Anabaptist error very tolerable, which is (it may be) the cause that so many daily fall away from Independency to Anabaptism; and that not without just cause: for if the Independents stand to their own principles, and hold no men to be Members of Christ's Church, or visible Christians, till they be able to give account of their faith, and of the motions of grace that they feel within themselves, what need they to christian those that are not visible Christians? Wherefore delay they not Baptism as the Anabaptists? and that so much the more, since they refuse it to some of the children of those of their own Sect. However they esteem their parents to be very godly, and that only because they were not churched, or received into Church Covenant with them before their death. Some other reasons were alleged, which here I omit. To be short, I was entreated again to answer the Book, which I promised to do, if the Author could be discovered; whereupon they did what they could, so did I also, but could not certainly discover him. In fine, I suffered myself for some particular reasons to be persuaded by them. Only before I enter the lists with him, since the Author will needs march under a veil, and conceal himself, I shall pray the Christian Reader and him both to excuse me, if without any respect to his person, I refute his Book as it deserveth.  
Whatever he be, for fear lest good men be deceived under pretext of his pretended piety, with so many of his Abs, and dear Brethren, I pray them to observe in him, or at least in his Book, his great weakness, yea (if I may by his permission say it) his great wickedness in these points following. 1. He would make the world believe, that the Scots Commissioners acknowledge some defects and errors in their Discipline, p. 1. which against the known light of their conscience they will not reform. 2. He falsifieth the Covenant, in adding some words to it, which corrupt the sense, p. 1.3. And that to extenuate his perjury infers, clearing and expressing those equivocations and mental reservations which before he concealed, p. 4. he denieth that the Synod gave any thanks to the Scots Commissioners for their Reply to the Apologetical Narration, or rather for the cleared Reformation, p. 3. which I submit to the Synods judgement, whether there be not an Act of theirs to the contrary of what he saith in this point. He will persuade the Reader, that the Synod only voiced them thanks for a two penny Book which they gave them, as if that grave Assembly had nothing else to do.  
I might note many more untruths; if he had had any prudence he might have learned the contrary either in the City, or at Westminster Hal: but the Scripture must be true, The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, 
Ecclesiast. 10.15.  because he knoweth not how to go to the City. 
Prov. 12.13.  The wicked is snared by the transgression of his mouth. And this I pray the Reader to examine, and not to suffer himself to be misled by any prejudicated opinion of his apparent piety, his smooth style with his sweet Brethren, but to examine all things, and to retain what is good, and to consider, that a man so bold and adventurous, as to propound in face of this most honourable and wise Parliament, the venerable Assembly of so godly and learned Divines, and of all the world, so many, so palpable untruths, must needs be very passionate for those opinions, which with so blind a zeal, and so little care of his credit he maintaineth here, and may be no less passionate in other things then in this. As for the reasons and motives inducing me to refute this Libel, they were not any stuff the Book contained, or the least fear I had that it could work upon any rational man; nor set I upon it with purpose to offend any man, no not the five Independent Members of the Synod; yea, nor so much as the Author of this Libel, (who has so highly offended all the best Reformed Churches) for never any one of them offended me; neither is it their Act, neither believe I that they had any hand in it; or if they had any, they avow it not. And as for the Author, I can not offend him wittingly, since I know him not, and this I hope would excuse very much the offence, if any should be: nor indeed ought he to take offence at this Answer, since he dare not own the Book. Now if he be either a wise man, or any ways gracious, I suppose he ought rather to thank me for such an ingenuous reproving of his wicked calumnies against the whole body of the Reformed Churches; for, A reproof (saith the Wiseman) entereth more into a wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool. Besides, as I conceive, it is an act of love: for as a Father saith, 
Aust. Epist. ad Mate.  Magis amat objurgator sanans, quam adulator dissimulans. Neither can such indignities well be endured by any man, that knoweth how handsomely to cast them off, especially when they are published in Print, and that because of the imminent danger thereby of infecting the weaker sort of people, not only that now are, but also of the posterity to come. For, as saith the Roman Philosopher: Vitia transmittis ad posteres, 
Sen. de Morib.  qui prasentibus culpis parcit. But if he should be so fond as to think that he has done well in what he has done, yet shall this Answer have some effect upon him: for as Gregory saith well, 
Greg in Past.  Protervos tunc melius corrigimus, cum aequae bene egisse credunt, male acta monstramus, ut unde adepta gloria creditur, inde utilis confessio sequatur.  
As for me I can truly say, my principal aim and motive was God's honour, the vindication of the Protestant Churches, and especially that of Scotland from this man's vild aspersions, and to give contentment to good people, who I am afraid may have beeno deceived with the glorious pretext of this man's piety; and particularly, that I might comply with the desires of those my worthy friends that moved me hereunto. And so come I to the Title of the Book, which is,  
A cool Conference between the cleared Reformation and the Apologetical Narration, brought together by a well willer to both.  
Here it is to be observed, 1. That this Book carrieth with it no Approbation by those who are ordained by the Parliament to licence the printing of any Books: From whence it may be inferred, that in so contemning their Laws and Ordinances, and afterwards in maintaining, that Independents (of whom he pretendeth to be one) give more to the Civil Magistrate, than the principles of Presbyterian Government permit them to do; that this is done, and that said in derision of them both, and by a man no wise minded to practise what he saith or professeth, by some Nostro damus of whom it is said,  
Nostro damus cum verba damus quia fallere nostrum;  
Et cum verba damus, nil nisi nostr a damus.  
Or rather done as the Soldiers did to Christ, who bowed the knee to him, saying, Hail King of the jews, and mocked him, & spit upon him. He giveth them much Paper-honour with much real disgrace, and will live as Independent upon all Civil as all Ecclesiastical authority.  
2. It is to be observed, as I said before, that the Author taketh no proper name to himself, but only is described by a common name, which is more ordinary among beasts than men. For as men's individual Natures and Persons are signified by proper Names, so are all beasts ordinarily represented by names common to the whole Species, if you except a few tame beasts: so here there is no individuum signatum for to own this Pamphlet, which maketh some judicious men to think, that he found himself conscious of what I have said, or am to say; and therefore went cunningly to work in not owning it, for fear of some castigation in stead of confutation.  
3. That this Authors common Name here is a Good-willer to both, whereupon at first, before that I had read over the Book, I wondered much what sort of creature this could be, what Hybrida and Amphisbaena in matter of Religion, bred of so opposite Species, having its heads in so opposite parts, carried by so contrary motions, towards so contrary ends, viz. of Dependency and Independency. But afterwards in running it over I found no such thing answerable to the Frontispiece, neither in matter nor in manner. For it ye consider the first, it is nothing else but an intended justification (howsoever with little success) of the Apologetical Narration, and a senseless arraignment of the Reformation cleared: If the second likewise, his expressions, which be evermore we, us, our, etc. testify most evidently, that he is a formal party. Truly he willeth the Commissioners so little, and his Quinqu' Ecclesian Ministers so much good in this cause, that he would make the world believe that the one party saith all, and the other nothing at all. But what ever good ye will them, pardon us if we give you no credit till they be brought together, and it be seen what each of them can say for themselves. In the mean time I pray the Reader to take notice how this man in the every threshold furnishes us with so evident an argument of his weakness, in that, intending a disguisement, he had no better contrivance, then by his own pen so shamefully to bewray himself. Alas poor man, that professing here so much truth and honesty, thou shouldst thus foully betray thyself to be neither true nor honest. He endeth his Book in an extraordinary way, with an etc. intimating something of the Book behind, and afterward Finis, assuring us of nothing behind; as if his only aim were to contradict himself, and so to try our patience, and his own party's credulity, how fare the contrary party will permit, or his own admit such palpable untruths, both in the beginning, and in the end of his Book. Ecclesiast. 10.32. The word of a fool will swallow himself: The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. O what a shame in this Prophet that professeth such piety, that the lying spirit should so prevail in his mouth! 1 Reg. 22.22. If it please the courteous Reader to go along with me in the Examen of it, he shall find him no better in the midst, so he shall have him (by God's grace) completely like to himself in Principio, Medio, & Fine.  
5. The Title or Inscription of his Book is A cool Conference. The Author might have said, A very hot and cool Conference, for it is so hot for the one party, that ye may esteem it a burning coal, or fire of zeal for it, howsoever without knowledge: igneus est illi vigour & terrestris origo. But for the other it is so cool, yea so cold in its behalf, that he may be judged to be ex frigidis & maleficiatis, or this his discourse to be dropped from Diacaldius, Driswerus, Nosedropensis, who wrote de frigidis meteor is Nive; Glacie & Grandine. Neither can it ascend to the supreme Region of the Air, or produce any effect upon great spirits.  Nec faciles motus mens generosacapit. 
If it work at all, it must be in the lowest Region thereof, and upon very weak brains, who will not hearken unto the truth. But not to insist upon the Title of the Book, I come to the Book itself.  
In the first page, because the Scotch Commissioners say, We are neither so ignorant, nor so arrogant, as to ascribe to the Church of Scotland such absolute puruy and perfection, as hath not need, or cannot admit of further Reformation.  
Ans. I am assured, that there is no man that professes Christianity that can find fault with this humble and most modest expression; and yet this wellwilling Pamphleter sets himself to jeer at it, as a golden peace signifying-speech, as if dropped from the mouth of some chrysostom, or conceived by some Ireneus. But it is no new thing that men of golden, and peaceable spirits, such as chrysostom and Ireneus, should meet with enemies, such as theirs were: for chrysostom had adversaries who had ferreum os, aeneam frontem, plumbeum cerebrum; and Ireneus had his, who were every whit as busily cudere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as he could be cudere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
2. Upon this he groundeth a latitude of Religion, as I believe, greater than that of Noah's Ark, to receive all sorts of clean and unclean beasts: but we desire to know of what latitude he would have it; if it shall receive Brownists, Anabaptists, and the Independenters of New England, who interest all the people, yea women too to judge in matters of Religion, and in all Ecclesiastical Censures whatsoever.  
3. Under condition of his latitude of Noah's Ark, or rather of the Regions of the world, he assureth us of their Good will according to the Covenant, wherein they swear to endeavour the preservation of the reformed Religion in Scotland, in Doctrine Worship, Discipline and Government, against our common enemies; the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline, and Government, according to the Word of God, and the example of the best reformed Churches; And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion, Confession of faith, and form of Church Government.  
But here we see no latitude nor condition.  
But the Pamphleter to show his wit and skill, and how cunningly he can draw the guilt of perjury upon himself, has recourse to a Gloss of Orleans, and some mental reservations, whereby he strangely tortureth the Covenant against the Text. He telleth us that the Covenant only saith, the Reformed Religion in Scotland, that is, or shall be; and till further Reformation we will preserve it against our common enemy. But never a word in the Covenant of the Reformation of the Religion in Scotland, that is or shall be; and till further Reformation. This is an addition to the Text, yea a mere falsification of the Covenant. The Covenant speaketh only of an endeavour of the reformation of Religion in England and Ireland, according to the word of God, and the example of the best Reformed Churches, whereof it presupposeth that of Scotland to be one, 1. since it sweareth to preserve it; Neither could the Covenanters swear to preserve it, if they thought it to be deformed, for that were to swear to maintain deformity in Religion, etc. 2. And this may further be confirmed, for endeavour is finis intenti sed non adepti; of a thing intended, that as yet is not existent, but to exist; but preservation is of a thing already existent, and supposed to be. 3. Because it is so expounded in the thanksgiving of the Assembly to the Scots Commissioners for their Book. Neither for all this believe we that the Reformed Churches, and namely that of Scotland cannot err, as the Romanists attribute unto their Church: But the question is only whether or no they do err, and wherein? if in that, that they will not receive the Independent Anarchy, and papality into every particular Congregation, in permitting their particular Consistory compounded of one Minister, and two or three ruling Elders, to judge so many hundreds of persons, who will not suffer themselves to be judged by any, yea not by the whole Christian world: If in this, or any other thing they err, they profess themselves ready to be informed, and afterwards reform. But because they are fallible, and may err, to conclude therefore that in every thing wherein they differ from Independenters, Brownists, Anabaptists, etc. they do err, and so to quit their Religion, they are not such fools; for by the same reason we might as well conclude our Brethren should quit their Tenets, and come to us.  
P. 2. Apol. Ah dear Brethren: Here he calleth us dear, and sweet Brethren: but this Doctor had need of a Doctor, for his palate is so feverish and vitiated, that he relishes bitterness in the sweet expressions of those whom he calleth sweet Brethren; and his conceptions are so far disordered, that he applieth to the Apologists what the Reformation cleared saith of ignorant and ill-informed people only; and doth not apply that, which justly he might have applied to them in the following words, viz. the misrepresentations and indirect aspersions of others, who do so commend, etc. and this distinction appeareth clearly by those particles (mistake of some, and misrepresentations of others.  
This well-willer telleth us, that wise men are silently intentive, expecting disputed positions from the Assembly.  
Ans. And why not ye also, since in the last disputed Position ye carried away so great glory. If good Cato say true, Virtutem primam esse puta compescere linguam, truly ye had the chief of all virtues, and that in a most high degree, yea in gradu heroico, for ye troubled the Assembly very little with any Reply to what they answered you. But will ye, our Well-willer, either give us, or let us give you some positions upon this Subject, that we may receive of you some edification in particular at least, if we cannot have it in public. Here I offer you a man to discuss whatsoever positions you please, in all points, wherein ye descent from all Protestant and Christian Churches. And since you put us in mind of it, let me tell you, some have been very desirous to have had some access to some of your Ministers, to the end they might have received some edification of them, and have known their opinions, but found them evermore inaccessible; so desirous were they, it should seem, to hid their opinions. As for your Prodromus, which ye say hath not deserved to be whipped, if the Parliament permit any of the Assembly differing one from another in opinion, to present their judgements with their reasons unto the Houses, you cannot judge it a crime, etc.  
Answ. This is already answered by the Author of the Observations and Annotations upon the Apologetical Narration. 2. This Proposition is conditional, and whoever hath the least tincture in Logic, knoweth, that conditionalis propositio nil ponit in re, nisi positâ conditione. 3. And if the Parliament permit it not in this your foolish fashion, what will you say? 4. What if very wise Parliament men already say, that if in the General Counsels every one that differed in opinion one from another, had written books one against another, they should rather have been held for Counsels of fools then of wise men. 5. And if it be so, (as you say,) wherefore I pray should not the Scotch Commissioners have written against your Apologetical Narration; since they differed in opinion from the Apologists, and so much the rather, being that they were calumniated by them.  
He complaineth also of their bitterness; And I on the other side wonder at their patience and meekness, that they have so little gall against Innovators, calumniating the government of all Protestant, yea of all Christian Churches, except their own Conventicles, as destitute of the power of godliness, and as Papists, and Lutherans, defaming them with nicknames, as Calvinians, etc.  
P. 3. He asks the Authors of the Reformation cleared, if they think that the Elders of the quinque Ecclesiae be dark?  
Answ. Who these Elders of the quinque Ecclesiae can be, I know not: I have read in the Revelation of the Angels of 7 Ecclesiae; in the Council of Trent, de Dudithio Episcopo Quinqu' Ecclesiensi, and of a Town in Hungaria named Quinque Ecclesiae, at this present under Mahomet, and by the Turks named Porsheu, and by the Germans Funs-kirchen; but of any Protestant Quinq' Ecclesian Elders, I never heard or read of before this: Neither know I what he can mean by them, but the five independent Ministers of the Assembly, whom hitherto I never heard designed by such a name or title; and if these be they, I answer, that the Commissioners say not that they are dark, but those who in the dark are afraid of that which they know not. Now light may be in darkness; Neither can he apply this to these Presbyters or to himself, unless he find in himself there be conscia mens.  
The Commissioners add (for explication of themselves) and suffer their affections to run before their understanding.  
The Well-willer replieth: Are we not moral men (voluntas vult, ut intellectus intelligit) to understand first, and affect after.  
Answ. Master Well-willer, if your affections may be judged of by your actions, certainly they are so independent, that they will not be tied, according to the rules of Philosophy, to depend upon the understanding, 〈…〉 understand first, & to affect after: and we can tell you, S 〈…〉 from Scripture, that if a man be not a very gracious (I say not a moral) man, he will readily understand as he affects, rather than affect as he understands.  
2. That maxim of Philosophy striketh not at all at the Commissioners expression: they say that their affections run before their understanding, and not that their will runs before their understanding: Now will and affection be two things; the one in the Reasonable soul, the other in the Appetite; unless with the old Philosophers, as Aristotler elateth of them, 
l. 3 de Anima, cap. 3. tex. 150.  ye will confound mentem cum sensu, and consequently voluntatem cum appetitu, & so make man's soul mortal, as the late Author of the Mortality of the Soul.  
2. Or if ye take the affection in a more large, but less proper signification, as it signifieth also the inclinations and movements of the will, than they understand not thereby the consulted, deliberated, & advised, but the rash inconsiderate, precipitate, and indeliberate actions of the will, otherwise called the first movements of the will motus primo primi, qui omne judicium rationis antevertunt, which attend not, but prevent the judgement of reason. i e. the deliberation and examen of the understanding; And in these movements it is certain that the affection goes before the understanding; for in such movements the sensitive appetite which is led by the sense, misleadeth the understanding; not formally, but objectiuè, in so far forth as drawing with it the fancy or imagination, whose phantasmata or images determine the understanding in its judgement, & it being so determined, suddenly without any moral deliberation determineth the will; but so the will is said to affect without judgement, i. e. without that deliberative judgement, which is necessary to your moral man, or rather to the moral actions of his will: and in this sense the Poet said, Scilicet insano nemo in amore videt. Boetius the Martyr: Quis leges det amantibus? major lex amor est sibi. And Seneca: Quod ratio poscit, vincit; at regnat furor, Potensque tota ment dominatur Deus. So Aristotle: Qualis quisque est, talis ei finis esse videtur, neque eadem videntur amantibus & ●dio habentibus. So should you have taken this judicious expression of the Commissioners. 3. Item, the will in actionibus suis imperatis, whereof some be acts of the understanding, must go before the understanding; for the understanding must command, before that the understanding can obey. 4. The Actions of the understanding, that are not involuntary, but voluntary, or willing, must follow the will, for voluntarium belongeth first to the will, and by the will to the other faculties. 5. Original sin also, ill habitudes, customs, and violent passions, hinder the will from following the understanding, and make it some times to miscarry against the light of the understanding. 6. Albeit the will in its movements presupposes necessarily some judgement of the understanding, yet this judgement necessarily presupposed, moves it not necessarily, for it may be as well moved and directed by another judgement, (that moveth it not) to the contrary action, whereunto it is not moved or directed, as it is this or that judgement, that actually moveth and directeth it to this, or that action in effect. 7. And if you believe that the understanding moveth the will necessarily, then in our Regeneration it should suffice, that the understanding alone should be renewed, for it should necessarily draw the will after it, which cannot be, since Scripture inculcateth no less the renovation of the will, o● Heart, than that of the understanding. 8. A man's Regeneration should consist in Faith alone, without Charity which likewise cannot hold; for howsoever a man be justified by Faith alone, without Charity, yet is he not regenerated by Faith alone, without Charity. 9 A man being endowed with intellectual habitudes, should not stand in need of Moral virtues to perfect the Will; but to be, as you call it, a moral, or rather a good man morally, it should suffice to be prudent; and so moral virtues should have their seat in the understanding, and be nothing else but Sciences, opinions, or prudences, which was the opinion of Socrates, universally blamed by all Philosophers. 10. And finally, howsoever the Will is evermore ruled by some judgement, yet that final judgement, that ruleth it, or that judicium ultimum, and practicè practicum, that ruleth humane actions, dependeth of the Will, as the Philosophers and Schoolmen both hold. And so much touching this quarrel, which you here begged with your vain Philosophy, so much condemned by S. Paul.  
P. 3 §. 1. Wherein, say you, hath appeared this preposterousness toward you, whiles the Apology smiles upon you, and sweetly calleth you and Holland by name the more reformed Churches? Do you give them one such a kind word in all your Reply?  
Answ. Here it seemeth, that this Well-willer would paction with the Commissioners for an interchange of Commendations: but they have already answered, that they cannot praise you, but so far forth as truth will suffer them, p. 2. §. 2. Neither do they deny, but the Reformed Churches Discipline may have need of reformation, as their faith, that is still growing from faith to faith; but from thence it followeth no more, that it is erroneous, then that their faith is so. And here it is to be noted, how closely this original sin in arguing evermore à Posse ad Esse, sticketh to this as to all other Independenters bones. Let him show, wherein either the Scots, or other Orthodox Churches need Reformation: Let him prove, that their Government is but a contrived Episcopacy; that it is such as maketh all Reformed Churches unworthy of Independenters' communion; that their own Churches are endowed with such a Seraphical perfection, and ours so corrupt, that they dare no more communicate with us, than the Pharises thought they could do with the people: item, that there is no subordination in Ecclesiastical Judicatories; That men are not Church members, before they be admitted by a Church Covenant distinct from the Covenant of Grace. If that he can do this, it will be more to the purpose then all these ridiculous exclamations and complaints: We desire arguments, and no compliments.  
P. 3. S. 2. Not to make, etc. This is very dangerous, and may breed, if it have not already, as many Sects of Epheticts, Scepticts, Aporeticts, and Pyrrhoniens amongst you, as were in former times amongst the Philosophers, no less destructive of all faith and settled Ecclesiastical laws, than theirs were of all Sciences; and therefore both so justly branded by the Apostle, 1 Tim. 3.7.  
There is one thing more, that maketh the Apologists more confident of their candour, in that their Apology received so great an Approbation from so pious and learned a man, etc.  
Answ. How confident the Commissioners may be of their candour, and ye should be of yours, it were better to hear it of the Assembly then of you, since it is more to be believed in this cause, than ye in judging of yourselves. And as for that Approbation, it was but from one man. 2. It was not approved by the whole Assembly, as was that of the Reformation cleared, which was approved by that same very learned man also. 3. And he by that very approbation did solemnly condemn your Apologetical Narration. 4. Neither approved he the substance, but some circumstances of your Apology, viz. its modesty, etc. wherein he might be very easily deceived. Item, your Communicablenesse, hoping better of you than appearingly he will find; and compatibleness with Magistracy, which hitherto is not fully proved. 5. Whether he approved all that ye presented to him at first in your Book, yourselves know best: if not, we have not as yet your opinion, till according to exigence of time, etc. you give the world a second edition of it, and then ye may tell us news of your candour. 6. Neither could he judge of your candour, since he could no way judge of your heart, & consequently whether your writ was consonant to your words, and your words to your heart. Besides all this, in that Approbation he declareth his aversion from yours, and inclination towards the Presbyterian Government: So as this man's brain seemeth of a very strange temper, in citing for him, that, which is so directly against him.  
As on the other side, though the Assembly voted you thanks, yet was it only for the Books you gave them not for the Reply, as it was expressed (to that effect) in the Vote, if observation fail not.  
Answ. This cannot but be most untrue: 1. for the Assembly voted them no thanks for the books, till all the Members thereof had read & considered the same, & were extremely well satisfied with the contents thereof. 2. He would make this grave Assembly very ridiculous, (to say no more) if it had nothing else to do, but to employ so much time in voting thanks for so small a matter, viz. for a twopenny book. 3. If it be so, wherefore voted it not thanks for the Apologetical Narration, which was a great deal bigger, and sold 6d? 4. Here according to your judgement, it cannot escape the blame of great ingratitude towards the Apologizers, whereof ye will do well to admonish it. 5. For fear your observation fail you, I pray you look the Act, and afterwards you cannot (if you have any candour) but in imitation of S. Austin disabuse the world by some book of Retractations, which here you abuse by this your false observation.  
And thus far I came with my reasons grounded upon some general, but very certain relations, concerning the Assemblies speech, in giving thanks to the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland for their Reply to the Apologetical Narration: but since this my Book hath been ended, upon more particular information I add these following reasons. 8. The Assembly in thanking them for it calleth it a very learned and pious piece, which is not a praise of two sheets of paper and a little ink; but also of the matter it containeth. 9 It was there said, that it is very useful for this time, when the Assembly hath vowed and covenanted to come as near as they can, in the Government of this Church unto that of other Reformed Churches, and namely of that of Scotland, taking evermore God's Word for their first pattern and infallible rule of direction. 10. They are thanked for it, because it refuteth some unworthy aspersions, that some have fastened upon the Government of the Reformed Churches; now who can those be, judge you Sir. If here the one be thanked, I may probably say, the other getteth little thanks for his pains. 11. The Assembly rejoiceth at the washing away of those aspersions, yea unworthy aspersions, as they are termed by them. 12. The Authors of such filthy aspersions were there said to affect ways of their own: now what can be those ways that be their own, since they are not called Gods ways, judge ye again? 13. They are paralleled there with Bishops, being both two opposite enemies to the Government of the true Reformed Churches, the Bishops saying, no Bishop, no King, and the others, that the Reformed Churches gave not the Civil Magistrate his due; which I interpret to be, as if the one said, a King cannot be without a Bishop, and the other, a King cannot be with Presbyterial Government. 14. Because it was there said, that it was necessary to vindicate the Churches of God from so unjust imputations. 15. Because the Assembly like wise men commended very highly the sincerity, gravity, and ingenuity of the Book. 16. Because the Synod declareth, how it acknowledgeth itself very much beholden to the Commissioners for the vindication of their own and other Protestant Churches. 17. It is called a temperate and seasonable vindication. 18. The Assembly saith in name of all the Churches of this Kingdom, that they desire to keep with them all and that of Scotland a more arct Communion and uniformity in the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. 19 The Assembly declareth there, that they had a very high esteem of the Church of Scotland. 20. It commended also the Commissioners for their judicious and grave discourse in the Assembly, which contributed much to the foresaid Uniformity with all the Protestant Churches. And all this I have deduced at length, not only to refute this untruth, but many others, heretofore and hereafter, which this unworthy Pamphleter casteth upon the Commissioners, yea upon all our Churches, to kindle a fire of Division betwixt the Civil Magistrate and them, in these most calamitous times, when both Church and State are in combustion already. But after such evident untruths, he addeth, if observation fail not: Here he seemeth to make us believe, that the Author of this Pamphlet is one of the Members of the Assembly, or that some Member of the Assembly has dealt treacherously and perfidiously with the Assembly, in pinning upon them such an Act, flatly contrary to their formal expressions, (for none but some Member of the Assembly could make any such observation) But of this I will say nothing, it being a matter of higher concernment. I believe rather that the Author of this Book is minded, in principio, medio, & fine, to be like to himself.  
P. 4. §. 1. We read nothing else but of the Independenters admirations (which Philosophers call the daughter of ignorance) and some of their thoughts and judgements, as if they were giving an account of their Creed: as p. 2. we read nothing but Interjections of lamentation, ah, oh, etc. of holy and gracious men: whereas we crave some quias, ergoes, or other rational Conjunctions; whereunto we cannot better reply, than did Scotus to a Doctor of the Sorbone in Paris: This Doctor when he could not answer Scotus his argument by Reason, said evermore, Respondeo cum Sancto Doctore: Cum S. Doctore, replied the other, si sanctus oret pro nobis, si Doctor, respondeat ad argumentum: so we to you; If those men among you be holy, let them cry, ah, for their sins, and pray to God for God's Church, but let Doctors propound and answer arguments: but this man reasoneth not, but giveth out Sentences, as if he were some judge of one of the Benches. You do but imagine and fancy whatsoever you say in this Section of your imagination of the Commissioners extr ajudiciall and eccentrical Act: your acts may rather seem Eccentrical secundum quid to London, and concentrical secundum quid with Oxford, where, me thinks, they have more regard a great deal to your tender Consciences, then to those of the Commissioners; Neither can any mortal man hinder so independent imaginations. It hath been already proved, that you have given the first, second, and third blow, and in your Apologetical Narration you threatened yet another: your judgement is utterly erroneous, in thinking that this was intended to disunite the Presbiterians from others, i. e. from Independenters (since no others can well be thought upon, all other Orthodox Churches, and all the Synod being no other) for their intention is altogether to unite you with them. Neither are there, for any thing we know, any that disunite you from them, or them from you, save yourselves only.  
P. 4. §. 3. This well willer is very impertinent in proving against the Commissioners, that Visibility and Succession are not essential notes of a true Church, which they, I believe, never thought, I am sure never said. And yet I must say, that howsoever visibility be not essential to a true Church, yet it is essential to a true visible Church, whereof we all dispute here. And howsoever of a true Church we cannot infer visibility, yet from true visibility we may infer a true Church.  
P. 5. §. 1. He blesseth God, that God hath made a Rehoboth for the Scots.  
And God willing we shall be fruitful in the Land as Isaac, and we pray God he and his be not as the Herdsmen of Gerar, even striving with our Herdsmen of Isaac. If we have a Rehoboth, wherefore will ye not drink of our Spring? wherefore (to use your terms) will ye not jump with us? or if ye will not, ye may be gone as Lot with your Pastors, and separate yourselves from Abraham and Isaac.  
Ibid. Who can hinder the winds, if they blow, and bring black weather from the North, or West?  
Answ. No true English hearts have made any such judgement of the Northerly winds these three years last passed. How much trulier might it be said of a few donatistical spirits, with their Vbi habitas amica mea in meridie? that trouble their mother Church, esteeming all her children unworthy of their Communion.  
Pag. 5. §. 3. Ye come up me thinks somewhat lamely with your Catalogue of Prophets. 1. For only ye have one Brightman, and yet none of yours, he is of ours; for he preferreth the Scots Church, constituted of Parochial, Classical, and Synodall Assemblies, before all other, or at least postpones it to no others. 2. Neither in exposing the Prophecies of Scripture according to Scripture, can he be said to have had the gift of Prophecy, since his expositions were not infallible: for so every true Minister of the Gospel should be a Prophet.  
As lamely came ye up with your Martyrs. 1. For when you call it a civil death or Martyrdom, the word Civil is terminus diminuens aut alienans, which diminishes, or rather transfers it from a proper to an uncouth or improper signification; as the word dead, when I say Peter is a dead man, for a dead man is not a man, i. e. a living man, in making it a civil and improper death, or Martyrdom; ye make it less than that of the Presbyterians, which was real: And so indeed it is, for we find you evermore in all the story flying real Martyrdom, rather than attending it. 2. It is also a maxim in Logic, that à termino diminuto vel alienato non argumentamúr ad eundèm terminum absolutè acceptum: So this your argument must be captious in arguing, that ye die a civil death, or are civilly Martyrs. Ergo, ye are Martyrs. It is no better than to say, There is a golden Calf: Ergo, there is a Calf.  
P. 6. §. 3. I say, to receive and practise some things universally received in the Reformed Churches, and not to receive or practise others, but either to reject them openly, or cunningly to profess that ye retain your judgement, seek for further-light, or doubt as the Ephectici, Sceptici & Pyrrhonii, sufficeth not to make you parts of the Reformed Churches. 1. For by the same reason the Donatists should have been parts of the Orthodox Churches of their time. 2. Item, the universal Reformed Church in respect of its external form is a totum homogeneum, which may be attributed in recto to all the parts or particular Churches thereof, which could not be, if some particular Churches differed in so many practices from all the rest. As for your instance of the Church of Scotland, that the Commissioners say, it may receive further Reformation; that may be understood in moribus, sed non in morum legibus, in manners and practice, but not in Rules of Discipline touching practice. Or if it be taken of Rules or Laws, it is not in the Rules or Laws that concern the essential or principal integrant parts of Discipline, but things merely accidental, as they expound themselves, by the example of faith, which the best Christian in the world may have, which evermore is perfect essentially, and according to its integrant parts, in respect of its extension to the principal parts of its object, how ever it may be imperfect, quoad entitatem intensivam; and extensivam accidentalem & ratione partium minus principalium: so their Ecclesiastical Laws may ever better and better be put in execution, and augmented extensiuè, in respect of the accidental and most inconsiderable parts of its object, according to the exigence of time, places, and other circumstances: But read the Text and ye shall find, that it saith no such thing as this Doctor would draw out of it.  
P. 6. §. 4. To excuse themselves in calling all Orthodox and Reformed Churches Calvinians, the Well-willer employeth all his wit, Rhetoric, and Philosophy. Here he beginneth again with his Ah; censures the Commissioners for complaining of this nickname put upon them, and would feign persuade them, that it is ad honores, and consequently, that they are bound to thank them for this injury they have done them.  
Answ. But 1. we have Saint Paul expressly condemning such names. 2. They who accept of them, he calleth them carnal. 3. And willeth us not to accept of any name, but of his in whose we are baptised, viz. Christ's. 4. For as he argueth us to be named Cephaists, Paulinians, or Apollonians: so may we to be called Calvinians, Lutherans, etc. is to make a Schism. 5. Because all the Orthodox Churches have evermore refused it. 6. And only their enemies, Papists, and Lutherans still pinned this name upon us as opprobrious. 7. Since it is put upon us against our will, it cannot be good for us, at least in our estimation. 8. For even good urged upon a man against his will is troublesome, and a burden to him. 9 Besides all this, we have the testimony of Saint Hierome, quoted by the Commissioners, who with us taketh Saint Paul's part against this Doctor. And hereupon cometh in according to his ordinary custom his lamentable exclamations, his Ohs thrice reiterated, Oh unhappy conjunction; Oh heavy application; Oh coal black terms. Those be terms of Rhetoric, but not of Logic. I like better of a quia, then of your Ah, oh, etc. he will neither depend upon Saint Paul, nor upon Hierom. But he will neither depend upon Saint Paul, S. Hierome, nor any reason, but will argue against all, 1. That it is to distinguish us from more corrupted Churches.  
Answ. Saint Paul forbiddeth such names of distinction, and Saint Hierome saith; that it distinguishes the Antichristian Church from the Church of Christ. But if ye will needs be distinguishing us, name us on God's name by the names that we accept of, as by that of Orthodox, or Reformed Churches, which our common enemies refuse us.  
2. Ob. It was used to decline the word Presbyterian, that less offence might be taken.  
Answ. It is not necessary to name us by either the one or the other: and yet were it better to name the Protestant Churches Presbyterians, since this name is taken from the form of their government.  
Ob. 3 I is a name of honour.  
Answ. We desire not such honours as are forbidden in Scripture, and that with such a violent courtesy are urged upon us.  
Ob. 4. Papists disgrace not themselves in calling themselves Catholics: Ergo, No more do the Apologists in calling us Calvinians, since they be such themselves.  
Answ. I deny the consequence, for the Catholic Church is a term of the Creed, Heb. Panegyris.  
As for yourself ye may take what names please you best, yet desire we you to take none that be forbidden in Scripture: Neither heard we ever that ye accepted it before this present, and that as we conceive to excuse yourselves, rather than that you have any great mind to it yet.  
Afterwards P. 7. the Doctor calleth this expression or reason of the Commissioners Coloquintida, or Colocynthis, q. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Dog's meat, but of what Dogs I know not, but of such as accept of such names; if it be dogs meat, than the Apostle and S. Hierome have given you dogs meat. This injury and dogged answer striketh no less at S. Paul and S. Hierom, then at the Commissioners: if Colocynthis be quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because it serveth for a vomit or purgation for the belly, to purge all petuitous, bilious and melancholious humours, we pray God it may work well upon you, and that this be the last vomit against the Reformed Churches. If it be applied outwardly, it killeth the fruit, & abortum parit: utinam vobis abortum p●riat; I pray God again it may cause you abortiveness, and make you cast your unhappy fruits, before they come to maturity.  
Yet, as if in revenge, you ding the words of [Separation] and [Brownists] against the Apologists, as if you had forgotten, or di● intent to misapply what you had said in the next line afore quoted out of Hierome.  
Answ. Te frustra Augurium vani docuere parents. Sir, you are no good Diviner, for it is not the Apologists, but the Brownists, whom they call the Separation, as appeareth most expressly by their own words: The Separation may be well allowed to be called Brownists. This therefore is but a mere calumny that ye pin upon them, to the end that thereupon ye may bewail and lament your condition and great oppression before the people, which take your words upon credit: but the more to blame a great deal you are, that so ordinarily deceive their easy credulity. And truly if ye could quit this kind of reasoning, the rest of the matter you stuff your Book with, would be found very weak. And yet I must say of myself, what elsewhere I have ever said, that ye are really Separatists, since ye separate yourselves from the Sacramental communion of all other Orthodox Churches, esteeming them unworthy of your Communion. So by this time any one may see, they want not memory in what they say, but you judgement to understand them, or honesty at least to relate faithfully what they say. Having so dealt with them for want of some other Encomiast, he setteth forth the praises of his own virtues, viz. his great patience and mercy towards them. Were it not for patience, nay that would hardly do it; were it not for reverence of you and your Nation, a home answer would be shaped to such a misshapen misprision. But to love is to live.  
Answ. 1. Your patience, Sir, is very weak, yea scarcely in gradu continentiae, since it can hardly so command your choler and desire of revenge against a pretended and so imaginary an offence. 2. So surely must be your other virtues, and consequently your Reverence; for there is a necessary connexion betwixt them all, at least in gradu temperantiae, under the which they cannot absolutely have the name of virtues. 3. Reverence is a virtue, whereby we give honour to virtuous persons, and fear to offend them, because of their virtues, merits or dignity: If so, I pray what Reverence is it, so to calumniate them as you have done? 4. Or if they be such as you have represented them to be, then can they not be the object of Reverence, and so this your Reverence is no real virtue. 5. As for the Reverence ye carry to our Nation, I will but put you in mind of the good esteem you have of it; as being very windy and unlucky for English men. Your words are, Who can hinder the winds, if they blow, and bring black weather out of the North or West? If it be such, it cannot be thought worthy of any Reverence: so this, you say here, cannot be said, but in derision of it, unless you be content to give a lie to yourself. But what ever be your judgement of your own Nation, or of ours; We thank God that they have such esteem one of another, that you cannot much further or hinder it. As for myself; what Erasmus Roterodamus saith of his Holland, that I may apply to our Scotland. Terra mihi semper & celebranda & veneranda, ut cui vitae hujus initia debeam: atque utinam illi nos tam possimus honestamento viciss●m esse, quam illa nobis non est poenitenda. Our Country, Sir, is an honour to us both, I pray God none of us be a dishonour to our Country. And as for you, I may say, that when your Country and the Church of God therein (as many of your Countrymen, very good Christians and Patriots say) had most need of you, ye left it and neglected it; and at this present, when it standeth in no need at all of you, ye return again unsent for, to vex the Church of God, and to hinder Reformation in it.  
6. I answer: in matters of so high importance, so holy men as ye pretend to be, should make no distinction of persons, nor distinguish betwixt the Greek and the Schythian: all should be to you one in Christ; To love indeed is to live, if your love be such as it should be: but sometimes amantes sunt amentes, and their love is rather a dream then real, when they dote more upon their own fancies more than upon truth: Credimus an qui amant, ●n qui sibi somnia fingunt.  
He addeth, that we must not set our houses on fire to roast our own eggs. Answ. Who doth it now in matter of Religion, but the Independenters? Vestrorum causa malorum vos estis.  
P. 8. §. 1. We are glad that as ye disavow the rest, so ye do this, that ye intended not to touch the Church of Scotland, in saying that ye had no Commonwealths to rear. Only this we say, that if ye say true, that then it was impertinently put in: And as ye say, it might better be understood of those of New England, who had the King's Patent for what they did in Policy, as God's Word for Church Government. Only here I observe, that you acknowledge the King and his Patent, only in Policy, and God's Word only in Church government. Now I pray, than what more give ye to the Civil Magistrate, than other Reformed Churches in the point of Church Government? And as for Policy, no Reformed Churches ever meddled with it, that I know of.  
P. 8. §. 3. If ye thought it not a blessing of God, or some good worthy of thanksgiving, not to be engaged by education or other ways to any other of the Reformed Churches. This discourse must be very impertinent, in bringing this for a reason, that your Discipline is good, or better, then that of all other Reformed Churches; for afterwards ye bring yourselves in as spectators of all Churches and Disciplines, being of none yourselves, but in abstractione pracisionis.  
Neither say the Commissioners absolutely, that the Apologists were left to their own private thoughts to be moved by, but ex hypothesi, that they were not engaged to other Churches; and truly no reasonable man can think but they were so, since they say that in looking upon all Governments they were simple spectators; so that this Doctor for this extravagant sense, so repugnant to the text, may be thought to have been Graduate at Orleans.  
And since this Well-willer his profession is to live to love the Commissioners, I shall only note by the way what a rare and curious expression he has found out to declare it by, viz. that they are men of a better spirit than the venomous Spider of envy. They are bound to thank you Mr. Doctor of wellwilling, for this pretty compliment ye pass upon them.  
P. 9 § 3. As in all the rest of his Book, so here he goeth very cunningly to work, evermore omitting what is most material in the Commissioners Book. He answereth not a word to the number of Church Officers, or to their justification against the aspersions laid upon them for Lay Elders, or their accusation against the Independents, because of their Laymen Preachers and Prophets etc. All this he passeth over by a Doctoral privilege, hic & ubique terrarum tacendi. Only he scratcheth at the proof they bring for Presbyteries, Classes, and Synods: but refuteth it not; no more than he doth the Arguments brought by Master Rhetherford, Guelaspe, and others, taken from God's Attributes, as 1. from his Goodness, 2. Wisdom, 3. Justice, 4. Providence, 5. from the nature of the Church, etc. Item, from the Law of Nature, 6. from sundry inconveniences. 7. From the order established in the Church of the Jews. 8. From the practice of the Church in the times of the Apostles. 9 From Christ's institution in the New Testament. 10. From parity of reason or proportion betwixt a Parishional Session or Consistory, and six or seven persons in the real Church thereof, and a combined Presbytery, as ye call it, and every one of the Churches; peradventure two or three or ten thousand Parishional Consistories subject thereunto. 11. From the ends of the Church, 12. her Conservation, Peace, etc. whereof ye may happily hear more within a few days. In the mean time I pray you answer to what is written, and not to elude such arguments with tales at Assizes, Wooll-packes, Canonshot. Bullets, Batteries, and terms of military Discipline, wherewith we are not so well acquainted.  
P. 10. §. 3. Here it seemeth that this Doctor would excuse the Apologizers, in saying that they give more to the Civil Magistrate, than the principles of the Presbytertall gevernment will suffer them to yield. As if it were rather said by way of retaliation and in anger, then in truth, because (as he saith) the peace-plea calleth them Independents. If it be so, 1. their passion is worthy of the others compassion. 2. But this should not have made them to offend all the Reformed Churches, and especially their Benefactors in the Netherlands, which are all Presbyterians. 3. All comparisons are also odious, especially amongst men well bred. 4. And yet howsoever they hate the name, yet they love dear the thing signified by the name, and will depend of no Ecclesiastical Judicatory, yea (as the Author of the Observations and Annotations showeth clearly) not upon all the Churches of the world; and yet will that their Congregations depend of themselves, who yet will depend upon no men in spiritual power or authority.  
But the Doctor saith, If upon a gross error of another Church they (viz. Independent Churches) dare exercise only a non communion with it, than there is more left for the Magistrate to do, then when you have excommunicated it.  
Answ. In excommunicating a private person, or a particular Church (when it can be done with less hurt to the Church than is the good included therein) it leaveth all to be done by the Magistrate, that God has ordained him to do, viz. in political government. Non auferet mortalia, quiregna dat coelestia. Neither requireth the godly Magistrate, our King or this Parliament any more: but ye are importune who will give him more than he requireth of you, or then either God or the Magistrate hath commanded you. The French say of such men, Il est valet du Diable, ilfait plus que commandement. I will not here insist upon your impertinency in denying the name of excommunication to non communion, and that great pride in not submitting the judgement of five or six (some times) idle, yea (oftentimes) wicked felllowes, to the judgement of all the Divines and Churches of the world, in case they should dogmatise and sustain the most damnable heresies of the world, and yet unto their judgement, however so contemptible a number, ye will submit the judgement of all their Congregation, amounting peradventure to the number of many hundreds, (it may be) better men than themselves. Neither is it enough to leave it to the Civil Magistrate; for his power is not spiritual: God hath given an intrinsical power to the Church, sufficient for its spiritual end: the Civil Magistrate may be a Pagan, an Antichristian Christian, an external Christian, but an inward enemy to the Church: he may be negligent in his charge, etc. and is it credible, that in such cases God hath instituted no Discipline or Government to take order with offenders? But of this I need not to say any thing, this evasion being so well, so evidently and briefly refuted in the Commissioners own words, which I pray the Reader to consider, p. 21.22. if it please the Reader, he may have sundry reasons against this opinion in the considerations and Annotations upon the Apologetical Narration. It is an untruth also that the Doctor presupposeth here, viz. that a Classical Presbytery is made up of many Ministers and Lay men in the Kingdom of Scotland or among other Protestants; And false again, that their Assemblies are made up of persons partly Ecclesiastical & partly civil, or that they there rule persons partly Ecclesiastical, partly Civil: we say that there can be no such persons; for howsoever one person may have one charge Ecclesiastical, and another secular or Civil, yet is he not therefore a mixed person, neither be these several charges mixed, but distinguished in him, since of the two there resu'teth not any third Charge compounded of both, as in mixtions: but he exercises them both distinctly and severally, in such a fashion, that the one never concurreth to the function and operation of the other. By the same reason it should follow, that the divers faculties of the soul, as the understanding, & expulsive faculty in a man, should be mixed together, since they be both in one soul, as the most part of Philosophers hold. When a Statesman sitteth as a member of an Ecclesiastical Assembly, he sitteth no ways as a Statesman, but as a Churchman: neither judgeth he a State-man or secular person in quality of a Statesman, or of a secular person, but in quality of a member of the Church: So they judge not of civil matters formally, as they are subject to the Civil Magistrates authority, but materially & in so far as they are subject to a spiritual formality, or conduce to a spiritual end, under the which notion they belong not ordinarily to the Civil Magistrate, or per se & intrinscce, but per accidens & extrinsece. as all Orthodox Divines of the Reformed Churches do teach. But this is not all, for sundry of the Independents have told us, that the Civil Magistrate, according to God's Word, cannot punish any man for matters of Religion, how abominable soever his opinions be.  
P. 11. and 12. the Doctor will not answer, because he hath not the Books at hand, and so shifts over the argument: What he saith of Aerius, who held out against Bishops, as our Reformed Churches do, is not to the purpose: No more is this, That Counsels may err. Afterwards he telleth us, that French Ministers (as Anonymus as himself) and the French Discipline is for the Independenters, but proveth it not; but supposeth that we should take it upon his word, which we may not at any hand do, till we see more candour and sincerity in his proceed. As for Merellus and some Ministers of the French Church, excommunicated for their erroneous opinions, or ill lives, and afterward assaulted the Discipline whereby they were sentenced, if they have any such for them, we envy them not such brethren.  
Because the Commissioners, p. 18. of the Reformation cleated, maintaining the fidelity of the Reformers of the Scottish Church, say, that they deserted not their Churches, nor carried away Churches with them, nor did undergo any voluntary exile, but thought it a great spoil after that they were sentenced to exile to save their lives, and to live with very small means, fare from any friends to comfort them. This the Doctor applieth to the Independenters, of whom the Commissioners do not speak, but of their own Ministers: But since it is his pleasure to do so, I must say that hence it followeth, that their exile was a far greater suffering than that of the Independents: 1. for it was involuntary; but the more involuntary that any afflictions be, the greater they are; and the more voluntary they be, the least they be; for, poena debet esse molesta & involuntaria; but that which is voluntary, is not troublesome. 2. That of the Independents was accompanied with many friends and worldly means: so was not the other. 3. It may be doubted, if Pastors for their personal or particular persecution may fly, without actual compulsion, and the public consent of their Flock, since they are not in the Church in quality of particular, but of public persons, and Heads of the Flock; Neither can that Text of Scripture help him, viz. When they persecute you in one place, fly to another; for that is said of particular, and not of public persons: or if it be said of the Apostles, as to the Apostles, it holdeth not in particular Ministers tied to particular Churches, for they are tied to their particular Churches, but so were not the Apostles, who were equally bound to teach all the Churches of the world, according to that saying of Christ, Go teach all Nations, Matth. 28.19. and so could never abandon their flock. And as for his Answer, that they heaped themselves for a reserve, to assist the Church at their return: I must say they were very provident in foreseeing such an extraordinary case, and prudent in preserving of their persons, whereas the others sacrificed their lives for Christ's truth.  
Pag. 12. §. 3. and p. 13. §. 1. & 2. the Doctor saith nothing against that which the Commissioners say, and so approveth it: he applieth it to the Independenters, and denieth that they esteem so of Excommunication, viz. that to limit the censure of Excommunication, in matter of opinion, to the common and uncontroverted principles, and in the matter of manners to the common and universal practices of Christianity, and in both to the parties known light, is the dangerous opinion of the Arminians and Socinians, openeth a wide door and proclaimeth liberty to all other practices and errors which are not fundamental, and universally abhorred by all Christians, etc.  
To this he answereth with complaints, and saith, that there is no argument here: But in this Laconic discourse there be more arguments than he seethe. The first is,  
Arminians and Socinians opinions are not to be received.  
But to limit Excommunication in matters of opinion, etc. is Arminians and Socinians opinions.  
Ergo, It is not to be received.  
The second is:  
What openeth a door, and proclaimeth libertle to all other practifes and errors, which are not fundamental, is not to be admitted.  
But to limit Excommunication, etc. is such, Ergo, it is not to be admitted.  
The third is:  
An opinion universally abhorred by all Christians, is not to be received.  
But to limit Excommunication, in matter of opinion to the common uncontroverted principles, and in matter of manners to the common and universal practices of Christianitle, and in both to the parties known light, (viz. of Nature or of Grace,) is an opinion universally abhorred by all Christians, Ergo, to limit Excommunication, etc. is not to be admitted.  
4. The Doctrine that tendeth to the overthrow of the Reformed Religion, is not to be received.  
But to limit excommunication, etc. tendeth to the overthrow of the Reformed Religion, Ergo, it is not to be received.  
To these Arguments he answereth not formally, neither to the matter nor to the form; and no wonder, for he could not observe them. Only to the end he may seem not to have answered nothing at all, he telleth us, that Pagans and Infidels do not practise: But how is that to the purpose? since in all the Commissioners Discourse there is not one word of Pagans or Infidels. 2. He answereth that Papists, Prelates, Socinians, Arminians, Brownists, and Separatists, do not hold some common truths with Christians. But to what purpose he saith this, I know not: if it be to prove, that they may be excommunicated, we deny it not; but say, that to hold such an opinion, is Arminianism, Socinianism, etc. i. e. an Arminian or Socinian opinion, whereunto he answereth not. Again, by Socinians, Arminians, etc. either he understandeth those who are not borne in the Church, and who profess not our Religion; or those who are borne in the Church, and profess our Religion: If the first, they cannot be excommunicated, since they are not, nor ever were of our communion: if the last, it is true, they may be excommunicated; but that is not the question: but whether this be not Socinianism and Arminianism, viz. to limit Excommunication in matter of Opinion to the common and uncontroverted principles, and in matter of Manners to the universal practices of Christianity. Item, whether this openeth not a door to all other errors and practices, as they say?  
After this, when he can answer nothing, he returneth unto his ordinary lamentations, that they are compared to Infidels, etc. But the Commissioners serve not themselves of bare comparisons, as ye use to do, but with solid Arguments, which prove you clearly what they say: neither are ye compared by them with Separatists, but I prove you to be such, for separating yourselves from the reformed Churches Sacramental communion; neither are ye compared with Brownists, etc. for conforming of Church Government with Scripture, as ye pretend, but for perverting of it against Scripture; wherefore all these your complaints are nothing else but calumnies, that ye cast upon the Church of Christ, evermore sophisticating with your captions of non causa ut causa, according to the ordinary custom of your Sect.  
And I pray this Doctor, what if a man become brutish, and have the light of his understanding altogether corrupted, so as to deny that there is any sin against the light of Nature? shall he not be excommunicated for it? shall his ignorance excuse him? is not his ignorance a sin, and especially when it is concomitant or subsequent to some other sin or action of the will? when he has procured it to himself, or when he used not moral diligence enough to chase it away? shall, or can the ignorance of the Law, or of his duty, which he is bound to know, excuse him, or free him from excommunication? Is not that Socinianism, Arminianism, judge ye Master Doctor? and answer not with complaints, & lamentable Interjections, as if you would rather be pitied then bound to prove any thing ye say; pay us not with generalities, and Individuum vagums, but signatums. Answer I pray you to the point.  
All the authority that this Master Doctor Well-willer can bring for himself, p. 11. and 12. is a Morellus, and some other excommunicated Ministers in France, which yet he hath borrowed from the cleared Reformation.  
As for that which he saith, p. 13. §. 2. that a Bishop is a Presbytery contracted; and a Presbytery a Bishop diffused: 1. It is but one of the Separatists ordinary jeers against Presbyterian Government. 2. They prove it not. 3. The Commissioners answer it, p. 25. 4. And if it were so, yet Presbyterian Aristocracy should be admitted, since it is God's ordinance, but nor Episcopacy, since it is not God's ordinance. 5. Amongst the Helvetians, if one man should go and contrive into his own person all the authority, which is diffused amongst all the Rulers there, think you that they would endure him, or rather not put him to death, as a Tyrant and a Traitor, according to his demerits? The very contrivance of authority into one person, which God hath diffused in many, is unjust and tyrannical in God's Church.  
But the Doctor objecteth, that in forbearing Excommunication (I believe he understandeth the greater) they leave more to the Magistrate than the Presbytery doth.  
Answ. This the Doctor saith, but proveth it not: and therefore we deny it with the like facility that he propoundeth it: our reason is, because when a man is excommunicated, the Civil Magistrate ceaseth not for all that to punish him civilly: for the Presbytery by excommunication exileth or casteth him out of the Church society: notwithstanding which he remaineth in the State society: and if his sin be against the State, and deserve it, the Magistrate may exile him, and cast him out of the State society, or of the Kingdom, but not out of the Church, no more than the Church may cast him out of the Kingdom. As for your comparisons in saying that it is not an English heart that speaketh so, it is but a sophistical evasion, seditiously to elude their argument, whereunto you cannot bring so much as a probable solution: so you grant what they say. Neither is our dispute here about English, Scots, or French, but about Christian hearts and consciences: It is a shame to an English man to be Author of Schism in his own Country, when Strangers employ all their endeavours for union and peace, both in Church and Commonwealth. But this I leave, and pray you to tell us what ye give more to the Civil Magistrate than we? whether it be an Ecclesiastical or Civil power, and wherein? whether to judge in matter of Doctrine or Discipline? Remember, Sir, that in speaking of New England, 
P. 8.  you give them nothing else but God's word for Church Government, and the King's patent for what they did in Policy; and tell us if ever they followed the Kings or his Counsels directions in Church Policy. Item, tell us whether it is the Civil Magistrate, or the Church Officers part to erect Church Government, and to make the Laws thereof; to judge according to the same, and to put them in execution & c?  
Here he telleth us also, or objecteth, that Excommunication hath need of better grounds than men's sinning of simplicity or ignorance.  
Answ. So the ignorance of Jesus Christ, and denying of his merits should not incur the sentence of Excommunication.  
He objecteth, that the punishment of Excommunication for small faults will make the punishment at last small in the eyes of men.  
Answ. It is true, but is it the doctrine of the Reformed Churches that it should be inflicted for small faults?  
But to clear more this matter, two things are needful to be expounded: the first is, what the Independents understand by great sins? the second, what they understand by the parties known light: thirdly, what by Christianity: fourthly, what by common received practices of Christianity: fifthly, what by the Church?  
As for the first, a sin may be great either quoad essentiam, or quoad entitatem, according to its essence or entity, or as it were its quantity. That sin is said to be greater than another according to its essence, the species whereof degenerateth most from the divine Rule of God's Law, such as be the sins, that are greatest in regard of their object; so it is a greater sin to offend God then man, because it includeth in itself a greater objective deformity, than the other. But a sin is greater than another according to its entity or quantity, that has greater extension, intention, or duration, i. e. more parts, more degrees, and of a longer continuance than another: By extension, or more parts, I understand either objective, or formal parts, viz. when a sin is committed against more persons as the sin committed against twenty is greater than that committed against two; or has more material objects, as when one stealeth more money, viz. two pound, it is a greater fin then to steal two pence: So it is a greater sin in respect of the formal perts, or acts wherein formally sin consifteth, if they be taken in concreto, when a man returneth oftentimes to the same sin, as he who stealeth ten times is a fare greater sinner, than he that stealeth but only once.  
In respect of the intention or degrees of sin, that sin is greater than another wherein there be more degrees, as when it is committed more willingly, with greaterliberty, with greater violence, with greater knowledge; Item, by him that hath greater helps of grace, or of nature to resist it, and to produce the opposite effects of virtue. Finally, that sin is greater than another in duration, that continueth longer: So a sin may be greater than another quoad essentiam, and less quoadentitatem, or essentially greater, but entitatively or in quantity less than another: and on the contrary greater than another quoad entitatem, or in regard of its quantity, but not greater essentially. For example, if a man sin against the precepts of the first Table, in not loving God with all his heart, & be sorry therefore; and against his Father, not only in not loving him as himself, but also in abusing him willingly, and offering him violence without any remorse of conscience, the first sin is greater essentialiter, but the last is greater entitatiuè: so some Schoolmen say, that faith is more certain than any natural science quoad essentiam, but that natural sciences and the habitudes of natural principles are more certain quoad entitatem: and this distinction being observed, it may so fall out, that a sin that is greater essentially may not deserve Excommunication, and that which is less, deserve it: so that this Maxim of the Independenters will not hold universally.  
As for the parties known light or knowledge, it is either Speculative which of itself directeth not the will in its practices or actions, as to know that there is three Persons in the Trinity; or Practical, which directeth the Will in its actions, in dictating unto it to do good, and to fly evil: This is either General, as in general to know that good should be done; or Particular, as when it dictates that this good should be done; and then either it is Practical in part, or imperfect; or altogether, absolutely, and perfectly; which, when the thing that is to be done being well examined according to its substance and all its circumstances, it dictates, that it should be done here, in this place, by me, in this time, notwithstanding this opposition, etc. and this ordinarily in the Schools is called cognitio practicè practica, a knowledge practically practical, i.e. altogether practical. Now I desire to know of which of these several sorts of light, or of knowledge of the Party, this Doctor speaketh, otherwise we cannot understand him?  
In the 3. and 5. difficulty, we wish that our Brethren would declare unto us, whether by Christianity and the Church they understand all those who profess, Christianity in name, or those only who profess it really and in effect; and then; whether all those who hold their fundamentalia or Essentialia only; or if they will them not to stand in mere fundamental points, but also require that they pass unto their Superstructories, and how fare? item, that they would distinguish between their fundamental and superstructory points in Doctrine and in manners; for this is the whole foundation and ground of this their debate: otherwise all that they say is but so many evasions, and we cannot know wherein they descent from us, or what they would be at. Item, whether by the word [Church] they understand any Church or multitude that lays claim to this name? or the true Church? or the pure Church? and than whether pure in their Fundamentalia only, or also in their Superstructories?  
As for the 4. Difficulty: Common received practices in Christianity, are of as large an extent as Christianity or the Christian Church, and may signify practices common to all Churches either nominally or really, or common to the only real and true Christian Churches, either in fundamental points only, or also in Superstructories, or common to all pure Churches only: The Doctor then, and his Sect, to the end they may be understood by us, whom they oppose, must clearly expound us what they mean by these words and expressions.  
But to cut off all sort of Sophistication, and to bring them to the point, I will press and urge them more closely in this fashion: Either our Brethren in this point about Sin and Sinners, who are the adequate object of Excommunication, agree with us, or disagree from us: if they grant the first, what needeth all this dispute and contentiones they fight but with their own shadow, if the second, let them show us wherein we disagree; and either we shall give them sufficient satisfaction, or render ourselves to the 〈◊〉, in case we be gone astray from it.  
But to generalities we cannot answer. Neither is it Christianly done by pretended Reformed and Reformers to cast such general filthy aspersions upon all the Reformed Churches, when as they can particularise nothing at all: The Lord lay it not unto their charge in that great day when all such captions and sophistications shall be in no request.  
There be two main objections, which ordinarily the Independents propound against the Government of all the Reformed Churches, and namely of that of Scotland. The Commissioners from pag. 2. §. 2. to the end of their Book propound them in as great force as possibly they can have, and dissolve them both so strongly and evidently, that it is a wonder how this Well-willer had any stomach to reply. The Doctor also bringeth them from p. 14. §. 2. to the end of his book, where he travaileth so slenderly, to justify them, that he seemeth willingly desirous to be condemned: only rather then to be thought a desertor of the cause, he would rather answer impertinently, then to quit his Brethren.  
The first argument put in form, will be thus:  
Where there is or may be exhortation of partioular Churches one to another, and protestation of one against another and the withdrawing of Communion one from another, (especially when the Magistrate interposeth his power) there the Authoritative power of Presbyteries and Synods is not necessary.  
But in the Church of God or Militant Church, there is or may be exhortation of particular Churches, etc.  
Ergo, In the Church of God or Militant Church, the Authoritative power of Presbyteries and Synods is not necessary.  
The Assumption is certain.  
The proof of the Connexion of the first Proposition may be thus:  
Where there is a sufficient remedy, and no less effectual against all offences, than the Authoritative power of Presbyteries and Synods, or of Excommunication, there an authoritative power of Presbyteries and Synods, or of Excommunication is not necessary.  
But where there is, or may be Exhortation of particucular Churches, etc. there is a sufficient remedy, and no less effectual against all offences than the Authoritative power of Presbyteries, Synods, or of Excommunication.  
Ergo, Where there is, or may be Exhortation of particular Churches, etc. there is no need of the Authoritative power of Presbyteries, Synods, or of Excommunication.  
They prove the Assumption here, for he who will or dare condemn the one, will not care for the other, unless the Magistrates Authority intervene.  
Answ. The Commissioners answer 1. that this Argument supposeth an extraordinary Case, which hath never fallen out in the Church of Scotland, or any other Reformed Churches, except those of the Separation, who propound the Argument, viz. the pronouncing of non-communion or excommunication against a whole Church, and we hope such a case never shall fall out. Now laws are made for cases that be ordinary, and not for these that are extraordinary.  
The Doctor replies, that they speak not one word to extenuate the Authority of Synods.  
Rep. But in depriving them of their Authoritative power, which is their form, they extenuate their Authority yea they destroy their essence; for without an authoritative power, they sit in quality of private persons only, or of Ministers gathered together by chance, or otherways, and not in quality of Synods; or rather, as the Commissioners answer most judiciously and clearly, In this Exhortation, etc. there is no more to be found then one particular member may do against another, which yet is acknowledged to be insufficient for removing of offences, unless the Authority of the Church of which both of them are members, shall intervene.  
The Doctor replieth, that besides Exhortations, Protestations, and non-communion, they professo themselves ever to submit, and to have recourse to the Civil Magistrate.  
Inst. This profession of submission is either voluntary, depending of their own free will; or by necessity of obligation, whereunto they are subject by Law: If they chose the first, it is no more than a number of Watermen, Tinkers and Cobblers may do of them-selves by a particular convention. 2. It is not juris divini, as they pretend their Government to be, but humani, depending of their own fancy. And to profess themselves to be willing to have recourse to the civil Magistrate, it is not at all to the purpose, but most absurd: 1. for that power of the Clvill Magistrate is not intrinsecall, but extrinsecall unto the Church: but we speak only of the power that is intrinsecall, and proper to the Church; and so must our Brethren also, if they will speak rationally. 2. In so doing, they make the Civil Magistrate Judge of Ecclesiastical controversies in Doctrine and Discipline, and Head of the Church, etc. which cannot hold when he is an Infidel, an Antichristian, etc. whereof see more in the Commissioners answer, and in the Observations and Annotations upon the Apologetical Narration. 3. In so doing, ye make the Churcle power subordinate to Civil power, which cannot be, for subordination is betwixt things of the same kind or sort; but such are not Civil and Ecclesiastical power, which are opposite, or rather contradistinguished or differenced one from another, as things destinated to or different ends, the one spiritual, and the othertemporall.  
2. He complaineth that the Commissioners call [them] these of the Separation, unless withal they expressed they meant the separation from the Prolates ways, as Scotland and England now do.  
Answ. Yea, but they separate themselves also from the Sacramental communion of all Christian Churches, yea of all the Reformed Churches of the world: And (if it be true, what we have read in the letters from New-England) from the communion of one Church with another amongst themselves.  
3. He saith, that such a Case may fallout amongst us, with swasmes of Anabaptists and Antinomians.  
Answ. That cannot be; for they have no Communion with us, and therefore cannot be excommunicated by us. 2. It may easily fall out amongst you, for the Anabaptists, as we have already showed, are your own, and not ours.  
4. He says, that the Commissioners suppose more in their second Answer, viz. that two or more Churches may mutually pretest and pronounce the sentence of non-communion one against another.  
Answ. This Doctor is either very dull, in not conceiving of this clear and solid answer of the Commissioners; or else very malicious in disguising of it; for the Commissioners argue here upon a Case, according to the Independenters' Hypothesis, which cannot but be ordinary amongst them, according to their Discipline: and howbeit their Churches be very few, and have been a very short time in rerum natura, yet it hath fallen out amongst them in New England, and they have had the like Case in the Netherlands, according to their own Relation: but in our way and Discipline it cannot fall out amongst us; for if two Parish Churches have any difference, they submit themselves both to the Colloque, or to the Provincial Assembly: if two Provincial Synods or Assemblies differ, the Nationall Assembly judgeth betwixt them both; so that this Case cannot fall out amongst us: and it is a practical principle, that par in parem non habet imperium, since neither of the equals are subject one to the other; and such are all Parish Churches amongst themselves, Classes amongst themselves, and Provincial Synods amongst themselves.  
The Doctor by a Doctoral power jumpeth over the 3. and 4. Answer, with this worthy and most Laconicke reply, viz. This same reply sarveth to year third and fourth answer. Which, whether it be truly said, I remit it to the Readers judgement.  
The Commissioners fifth Answer is, By what probability can it be made to appear to any rational man, and indifferent mind, that no authority shall be as valid as authority against the obstinate; that via admonitionis and requisitionis is equal with via citationis & publiea authoritatis? There cannot be so much as trial and examination of the offence without authority, unless the party be willing to appear: that persuasion and jurisdiction, that the delivering over to Satan, and thereby striking the conscience with the terror of God by the authority of Jesus Christ, which hath the promise of a special and strong ratification in heavn, and any other Ecclesiastical way whatsoever, which must be inferior unto this, and depend only upon persuasion on the one part, and free will on the other, can be supposed to be like efficacious. No man will say, but in civil matters it is one thing to have ado with our neighbour, who hath no more authority over us, than we have over him; and another thing to have to do with civil power, which hath authority over both: this solution I have written over in the Commissioners own words, because it is so significative, so strong and evident, that it dissolveth all the frivolous Replies of this good Doctor.  
The Doctor hence supposeth 1. That there is no authority but Scripture-authority, (by Scripture-authority I believe he meaneth that instituted by Scripture, otherways Scripture authority is the excellency of Scripture verity, which binds us to believe it, because of its Author, which is God) 2. He supposes that to be most valid, that convinceth and conquers actus elicitos, the mind, rather than that which doth only manacle and constrain ●●●us imperatos, the outward carriage: then makes his quaere thus, Is the way of admonition, protestation, and non-communion no authority?  
Reply. But here the Doctor is mightily mistaken, both in his Authority, and in his Actus eliciti, and Imperati. 1. For every thing that is said in Scripture, howbeit its verity be grounded on Divine Authority, yet giveth it not men an authority or authoritative power; for what authoritative power is given to man or Angel by those words, In the beginning God made the heaven and the earth? 2. Neither doth every admonition in Scripture made to men, arm them with authority, as that place of Saint Paul whereon the Doctor buildeth his authority, Give no offence: for it commandeth not an authority, or authoritative power to be exercised, but an act of obedience to be practised. Item, no public power or authority, but a private duty, because it is common to all men, which cannot be said of Ecclesiastical authority.  
Likewise that other passage, better a millstone were hanged about one's neck, and he cast into the Sea, then to offend a weak brother. Item, that we were better not to eat flesh, then to offend, etc. All this is said by Divine Authority in respect of its truth, in so fare as authority signifieth an excellency or dignity in this truth, for which it should be believed, because of the excellency of the Author, who is God, who cannot err, by reason of the infallibility of his knowledge, or verity; or lead others into error, because of the goodness of his will, or veracity: but to say that these passages signify any authority, whereof we speak, i. e. either power to judge, to command, or to inflict spiritual punishments, no reasonable man can think it, that knoweth what power or authority meaneth. 1. For the acts of power are either imperative, or executive, or some other like, whereof none is here expressed. 2. These sentences are all merely ●●●ntiative, which formally are not authoritative, or of power. 3. Authority belongeth rather adfacultatem, actum, imperantem, quam ad elicientem; as this here. 4. The acts of power pierce, of themselves, belong to the will, and not to the understanding, as these here expressed. 5. They are not expressed by Verbs of the Indicative or Optative, but of the Imperative mood; not in this fashion, this should be done; oh, that this were done; but in this; do this: whereunto sometimes are annexed promises, in case of obedience; sometimes comminations, in case of disobedience; after which followeth the performance or execution, viz. actual recompense, or punishment. 6. If an admonition, a protestation, or a non-communion be authority, than every beggar hath this authority, yea as much as all the Churches of the world, as it followeth upon the Commissioners Argument, who say, that every neighbour should have it who hath no more authority over us, than we over them.  
The Doctor also is mightily mistaken in limiting actus imperatos to the outward carriage; for many of the acts of the mind, will, and sensitive appetite, are imperati, as when I will understand, or willingly understand, when I will myself to will, and in virtue of that will I will. Item, when I will apply my appetite to good, and command it to do good. No less a fault is it in him to take actum elicitum in the same latitude with the actions of the mind, for some of them are merely eliciti, & others merely imperati.  
We grant you that to be most valid that convinceth, and conquers actus elicitos, i. e. (as ye take it) the inward actions, rather than that which doth only manacle and constrain actus imperatos, the outward carriage. But we deny you that Ecclesiastical Discipline, much less your admonition, etc. can do it, for that is a work of God's Almighty power only; he only who created all things, can create new hearts in us, and he only who knoweth men's hearts can persuade them: the voice of the Minister only soundeth externally in our cares, but God's Spirit to the heart. Neither is it the internal, or nearest aim of Discipline or Church Government to work upon, or rule the mind, which is not known to the Church, or Church Governors, but to procure the external peace of the Church, which may be obtained, the mind remaining still unconvinced. Aliud est, esse bonum Christianum, aliud, bonum civem in Ecclesia.  
The other Objection is, That by this authority and order of Government, one Church hath power over another, which is contrary to that liberty and equality Christ bathe endowed his Church with, and is no other but a new Prelatical dominion, set over the Churches of Christ.  
The Commissioners answer, denying that by their Government any particular Church can judge another; but that the whole Representative Church in virtue of its aggregative power judgeth of them all, which they illustrate very prettily and judiciously by examples taken from the parts of a man's body, the Members of a Parliament, and Towns and Cities. Neither is it a Prelatical domination, as they calumniate it, for that of Prelates is extrinsecall to particular Churches, as being enclosed in their Metropolitan Church, which is extrinsecall to the particular Churches, as not compounded of any of their members per se, particularly called thereunto: but that of our Presbyteries and such like Ecclesiastical Senates is intrinsecall to every particular Church, being compounded of their organical parts, or Ministers, in virtue of their general vocation, and particular mission, admission, or election particularly called thereunto. But here I pray the Reader to consider the Commissioners most clear and judicious expressions, which being compared with this well-willers reply, will sufficiently refute all he saith.  
Our Well-willer replieth: Sure your Laws do impose, that one Congregation shall be subject to the Elders (suppose) of twenty Congregations; And the Authority of nineteen of them is as Collateral.  
Answ. Note here fallaciam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a captious Argument, whereby he proves one thing for another, that which is not in question, for that which is in question: viz. an Authority that is as collateral, in stead of an Authority that is collateral; which is an Epidemical sickness in independent Divinity.  
2. I answer, that the Elders of particular Congregations, who sit in Classes and Synods, may be considered two ways: 1. Materially, as men, who are Elders: 2. Formally, in quality of Elders; and then again, either 1. in quality of particular Elders, tied to such a particular Church, in virtue of their particular Mission, Admission, or Election, made by such a particular Church; or 2. in quality of Elders in general, called to feed the whole Church, in virtue of their general vocation; which again as the Author of the Observations and Annotations told you, may either be considered in actu signato, when only it is signified to belong to their Charge, before they exercise it, or in actu exercito, when in virtue of some Mission, Admisson, and particular Commission they may exercise it.  
If the Elders of particular Churches be considered materially only, they are not so much as formally Elders: If 2. formally, in quality of particular Elders, tied to a particular Church, they have not power to read any Church but heir own particular Church. And in this sense it is an untruth, that any one Congregation is subject to nineteen or twenty particular Congregations. Yea, they are so far from this disorder and confusion, that the Pastor of one Congregation cannot preach in another without the consent of that particular Congregation, as the Rules and Laws of our Ecclesiastical Discipline may 〈…〉, if they be considered. 3. In virtue of their 〈…〉 ll v●●●●ion they have power to rule the Church in general, and may actually do it in Synods, in acta signate, if they be considered precisely, before their particular mission and commission, and in actu exercito, i. e they may exercise it actually after their particular commission, their mistion from their particular Representative Church, and admission into the Representative or Collective Body or Association and Representation of many particular Churches, whether Clasicall or Synodall.  
Master Well-willer replies, that the Congregations every one chose their own Officers to rule ever them in the Lord, but not to rule ever themselves, and others.  
Answ. 1. What is Well-willer understandeth by Congregations, whether Ministers alone, of Ruling Elders alone, or both together, or men, or all men, women and children, and in a word, all the members of the Church, I know not. Neither doth he express his mind upon this point. Only I must say, that being once in company with some of their Preachers; I heard some women maintain stoutly in presence of the Minister, without any contradiction made by him, that women also had power in Ecclesiastical Assemblies to judge of Controversies of Religion, and in matter of all Ecclesiastical Censures.  
2. I answer, it is one thing 1. to call a Church Officer to his charge, or to give him his vocation or calling: 2. another to send him into the charge, or to give him his mission: 3. another to admit him into the charge, and to elect him or choose him. The first is an act of the Church officers who examine his life and Doctrine, and afterwards give him his Ordination, in the name of the whole Ministry. The second is an act of those who send him, and sometimes is done by the Ministers in a Colloque, or a Synod, which give him his Ordination; as when he is sent to feed a particular flock; sometimes by a particular Church, as in some particular Commission to a Class, or Synod, but in the name of the universal visible Church, as ye see in the Assembly at Antiochia, in sending some Ministers to the Assembly at Jerusalem. The third is an act sometimes of particular Churches, as in the admission and election of their own Ministers. Sometimes of a Colloque and Synod, as in the admission of the Members thereof, as in that Synod at Jerusalem. And here to avoid all Sophistications of our Adversaries, note that I speak here only of the visible Church according to its visible form, and consequently of the visible and extern Vocation, Mission, Admission, and Election of Ministers: so I say every Church chooses, i. e. elects its own Ministers, but it calleth them not, nor sendeth them; It giveth them not their general Vocation nor Mission into the Ministry, but that is an act of the whole Church, which in actu signato belongeth to the whole Church, but in actu exercito, according to the exigence of time and places to particular Ministers, not in quality of Ministers of particular Congregations, but of greater consociations, in a representative body of many particular Churches. So a Minister in a Synod hath power of God by the whole visible Church to judge, rule, and feed many Churches, positis ponendio, & ut poni debent; so as nothing thereunto requisite be wanting, but all ordered as it should, viz. if it be by consent or election of his particular Church, and he be admitted by the Class or Synod whereunto he is sent, etc. as it is ordinarily practised in our Reformed Churches.  
Master Well-willer replieth again, That Episcopacy is as intrinsecall to particular Churches, as the Presbyteric, since Bishops are chosen by the people at their instalment, where customarily people are allowed to make any just exception.  
Answ. I deny the Assumption, viz. that it is as intrinsecall, and that for the reason brought by the Commissioners. As for that which he bringeth for confirmation thereof, viz. because they are chosen by the people, I answer 1. It is not enough they have their Election from the people, but they must also have their Vocation and Mission from the Church in the name and authority of Christ, which they have not according to this Well-willers own Tenets. 2. Because the people can make no Church Officer, and principally Ministers, since they have not the abilities to judge of their learning and gifts. 3. In choosing of an Archbishop it is not morally possible that all the people can elect him, and especially when he is a great Archbishop, or a Primate over a whole Kingdom, for all the people cannot well meet together. 4. And howbeit they could meet, yet could not their consent and voices easily be gathered. 5. It were a ridiculous thing in choosing of him to seek the consent and voices of every idle and ignorant fellow, yea of women, that are of the people. 6. Neither is it enough to choose a Bishop, to make any just exception, for that is not to elect him, but to hinder his Election. 7. Neither is this ordinarily practised. 8. And Master Well-willer to the Bishops here confesseth in the next line, that it hath had little success.  
But Master Well-willer confirmeth it out of that ordinary passage of Hieronymus, To avoid Schism one of the classical Presbytery was chosen to be as Chair man.  
Answ. 1. Such a Bishop is not an English, or Papist Bishop, but a Moderator of the action, or a Master of the Chair, which will not make up a Bishop, in so fare as a Bishop is distinguished from an ordinary Minister, for ye yourselves pretend to have your Synods, which cannot be without some Moderator, Precedent, or Master of the Chair, and yet ye deny that ye have any Bishops, or Episcopal Government. 2. Neither are Bishops annually. 3. To be short, Master Well-willer bringeth us here no real, but imaginary Bishops, in the Kingdom of Utopia, viz. that are only Masters of the Chair, annual, etc. 4. Item, whose Chancellor, Archdeacon, etc. were Parishioners. 5. Their Chancellors are not ordinarily Ecclesiastical, but Laymen, as ye call them, who nevertheless judge of all Ecclesiastical Causes, which ye ordinarily blame. 6. Neither have they Vocation from God, as ye confess. Neither are they chosen by all the Churches that they rule and feed, if any food they give, and feed not themselves with the fat of the people.  
You are also too bold Master Well-willer, to say that the people formerly have been as willing they should reign as ever any people were in your Kingdom to have the Presbytery ever them.  
Answ. We can show you hundreds, yea thousands, who have cutled their Government both in England and in Ireland; and what hath been the good will of the Scots towards them, they can best tell themselves, as having felt it these four or five year's last passed. But as for the Presbyterian Government, ye have never heard the People murmur, much less rise up against it. 2. But if it be so, that ye have found them so sweet, what needed ye run away, and desert the Church here? They did compel Ministers and Churchwardens to do many things against their conscience, and in case of refufall did ordinarily undo them, as we can produce many examples both in England and Ireland, yea of the Independenters themselves, before that they spoke this way, in despite of the Reformed Churches. The like of this cannot without singular impudence be said to have been any where practised by any Scots Presbytery. We grant you, that it is not the people's consent only, but if according to the Word that makes a Government lawful. But wherefore may not a congregational representative Church as well choose men for Classical Assemblies, as for Synods? What pattern have you for the one rather then for the other? To all this according to your usual custom, ye say much, but prove little or nothing of what is in dispute betwixt us: many books ye make, but little to the purpose: And now when ye can do no better, ye can yourselves most desperately on the Bishop's side, to maintain their cause, when ye are yet too weak to maintain your own.  
This Well-willer, in the end of his Book, wishes that the Commissioners golden speech be written upon all their actions, viz. That those that are most averse to Presbytery, if they allow no matertall difference in Doctrine, Worship, or Practice, might enjoy their peace, and all comforts of their Ministry, and Profession under it, without controlment of that Authoritative power which they so much apprehend.  
And thereunto replieth, We have (saith he) been of late made to fear the contrary, by the reports of some (not of the meanest rank) rf your own Nation.  
Answ. No godly man, that knoweth what is Presbyterian Government, can doubt of it; for according to the rules thereof, 1. no man is compelled to be Actor in any thing against his own conscience. 2. If you will be under it, and allow no material difference, etc. without doubt the Synod and all Orthodox Churches will cherish you, and assure you of it.  
But if ye will ever live in Panic fears, and be so witty as evermore to find out new matter of jealousies to vex your own souls, and make you to live in such a perpetual diffidence, all the forces of the King and his three Kingdoms is not able to hinder it; ye must trust in God, and admit of such security from your Brethren as morally ye can have: If this do not the business, we know not what to advise you.  
As for that Anonymous Countryman of ours, who he can be, and if any such be, and whether his discourse with you could give you matter of just fear, we know not, and therefore forbear to answer: Only I wish seriously on your behalf, ye would do nothing against the glory of your God, the weal of your Country, or to the breach of charity with your Brethren, who so much desire to live in peace with you all. The peace of God be with you all. Amen.  
FINIS.