A just Account Upon the Account of truth and peace, given-in by Brethren, lovers of and fellow-helpers to both, wherefore they must open their matters to the view of the world, speaking them, in their respective places, as upon the housetops, which else had been spoken in darkness privately, and as in the ear.  
They take away the righteousness of the righteous from them. Isa. 5. 23.  
Every day they wrist my words, Psal. 56. 5.  
Which they that are unlearned and unstable wrist, as they also do other Scriptures, 2 Pet. 3. 16.  
We are made manifest unto God, 2 Cor. 5. 11.  
LONDON; Printed according to Order for Henry Cripps, in Popes-head-Alley. 1656.   

TO THE READER.  
WE are angariated (we make bold with that Persian word, our English being so short in our seeming to express the enforcement that lieth upon us) compelled, as one was to bear the Cross, or as a tired horse to go his Stage: so we to putforth our matters, as we intent to do one after another, for others to judge betwixt us and a Minister of Mr His persuasion in Reference to the Discipline of God's House, free Admission of all to all Church-Communions; It is possible, and but after the manner of men, and more ordinary with such as we are, to judge amiss of our own performances, too partially and fatherlike (for libri quasi liberi, books are like children) we overlook their faults, or we deal too tenderly with them, as others may too rashly and rigedly. Therefore, as things now stand, the world must judge betwixt us, or as many of them as are fitted with patience to sit out the hearing of so mean matters, as they are acted by us, as mean as the meanest, and may be presented to their eye and ear in their order and respective places; Mean we say as acted by us, but in their relation to the house of God, the Church of the living God, the management of matters by the Stewards there, they may appear to be matters high and Glorious, just according to the manner they are managed, if after the due order, then high and glorious, if otherwise, then low and inglorious.  
Now be not discouraged, Reader at our meanness, though so mean we are as thou canst think us. We would gladly suppose thee a blessed man; the bent of whose Spirit is such, that he cannot stir or make the least motion against the Truth. And then it is a blessed comfort to this blessed man (to thee, if thou be he) that though we should put forth our strength, not ingorantly only but wickedly (which through grace is as far from us, as we would have that to be, which is an abomination to us) against the truth, yet we shall never prevail against it, which undoubtedly will be the great Conqueror at last, & is gaining every day lustre and Glory by our most inglorious actings against it. Questionless, it is ventilated winnowed and purged by the blast of men of corrupt minds upon it; surely it is cleared from the dross (which would cleave to it) passing through so many heated hands and fiery mouths, as so many fining pots, though intended by man utterly to extinguish and consume it: oh the glorious advantages truth hath gained all along these fierce and perilous times, while error sat in state, or as we may say in its Throne, like to be, as might be conceived by some, a perpetual Dictator against it; It is the Lords doing, is it not marvellous in your eyes?  
But to stay thee no longer, we come to our case, which, in brief, is this; we were desired (so we would rather say than charged or commanded, we should be judged else to walk by a fancy in the matters of our Lord) by a Minister of the same persuasion with a world (but argumentum pessimum turba, commonly the most are worst) of Ministers, to give our reasons for our dissent from him in point of free admission of all to all Church Communions upon account of their infant Baptism; As also to the declaring against the observation of the day we will call, because we would be understood, Christmas Day, in reference also to forms of prayer, and in special to the Lords prayer; and four Queries thereupon; These four Treatises, (for so we have digested them) with three Epistles, together with an introduction holding forth by way of preface, the way of Christ with His people, and their walk with Him, by the guidance of his good Spirit in the directions of His Word, these, we were saying, we sent to the said Minister one after another, as we could take a transcript of the same; some two months after he returned us the Epistles, Preface, and first Treatise of Baptism, with some exceptions against some expressions or passages in all three; whereunto we thought ourselves bound, upon the account of truth, to make some Reply, whereof you may be judge, if please you; For truly our Humours, or our principles, the one or both are so contrary, that though we are bound to judge ourselves, yet neither must we nor will we be judged in our matters, though indeed we think them to be right, and well agreeing with the Word of God, if that said Minister fixed in Mr Hs way, and firm to his persuasion, be in an error as to these matters.  
Quickly after the receit of this our Reply to his exceptions, as aforesaid, he returned, together with that Reply, the three other Treatises (all he had or would receive from us, whereas there were three more in our hands, in a readiness for him) with so much heat as might argue his spirit somewhat discomposed. Notwithstanding though some might think here was some offence given in returning our Papers, we expected no more than we do the return of our waters where they neither ebb nor flow, yet truly there was no offence taken, they were received, and little regarded by us, having, as we said, a transcript of them.  
Some three weeks after, the said Minister asked one amongst us whether we had looked into our papers he had returned to us? answer was made, no; he bade us look into our Treatise of prayer (wherein our endeavour and care was to be studiously curious) and there we should see what his son had written. We did, as he desired, and quickly found his sons handy work for some leaves together, as pleased him, or him that appointed him, false glosses, unjust constructions, the blackest lines did that young man draw-over ours in many places; and, at length, downright blasphemy charged he upon us. Whereat we were startled a little at present, not because the son of that Minister charged us so deeply; for he was, as some say, very youthful till of late, when the hands of the Presbytery were laid upon him; what change was wrought upon him at that time, or since that day, they should know, who live near him, hear his Doctrines, and see his practice; But youthful he was, as is said after the manner of young folk; and then as Paul said, all in him, or done by him was childish while he was a child: so happily in the next step of our life which is youth, he that is a youth thinks as a youth, speaks as a youth, acts as a youth, all in him, or done by him is youthful, that is, subject to miscarriages and mistakes, therefore we, as we were saying, regarded little what the son said speaking of his own, nor can we think it strange, that a youth should act like a youth (every age of our life having something peculiar to its self.) But this we think strange, That the son charged our book so in the presence of his father, and where two learned and pious Divines, as is meet for us to judge, were present at the same time, whose names we shall mention in the ensuing papers. You have heard our case, we will detain thee no longer, when we have added this, That having offered our matters succeslesly to that Minister, returning them with such a— castigation (as the like, we think, hath not been heard or read) though we were charged by him to give him our persuasion, and the reason thereof, in reference to the matters aforesaid, we find ourselves constrained to make our matters public; which we do the more cheerfully, being confident of this thing, That there is nothing here, or in that, which may follow after, which is against piety or charity; for we had rather our bones should be scattered like chips about the hewing-place, than that our pen (which hath the advantage of the tongue, more hearers) should as others do in this scribbling age scatter error and wickedness among the people, as the Scorpion its poison.  
We trust the Good Hand of Him (our only leane-to, and that leads into all truth) so far, as that we hope you shall find Truth all along, and managed in our measure, as becometh sons of truth, and fellow-helpers of the same; This Good Spirit direct your heart to the love of Christ, which only is constraining to love Truth and peace; and to keep both as thou keepest the apple of thine eye, or thy chiefest Treasure. Amen.  
In the Name and by the appointment 
10. 5. 55.  of their Pastor, HEZEKIAH WOODWARD.   

SECT 1.  
TRue is the Proverb, Sir, The beginning of strife, is, as when one lets-out water, stirred quickly, not so quickly stinted; so like water it is of a spreading nature; or as like unto fire, which may break-forth from a bramble and devour a Cedar. There is no such fear of our fire, as you are pleased to call it, though being now let-out, it may spread like water; and so it shall do, if we can help the spreading of it, That it may appear, how and where it began, with the rise and original of it, how it was raised, yea forced: From whence you may learn and study to be quiet, and meddle in your own matters, walking peaceably in your own way, so pleasing in your own eyes; And not meddle with others in theirs, fully resolved from the word of God to be the way of Truth and of Holiness.  
Surely it had been no contemptible point of your wisdom, and might have argued good Discretion, " To have left this contention, before it was meddled with, which to render according to th'original, you may better skill of than we. Only this we would say as to the stirring in this strife again, That we did not use lightness, nor did we purpose according to the flesh, never more to meddle therein, for so we said to you in our last, intending it the last you should ever have from us, either by Letter, word, or otherwise, in reference to those matters under Debate. For as we said then," To what end? we had given our opinion as you willed us, and there might have been an end. We have experienced this Truth," That Error is as binding upon the Conscience, and as strongly embraced by the affections as Truth is, binding of us, and Embraced by us, not in the name of an Error, but of Truth; And men are therefore wedded to and in love with their own Conceptions, because (how monstrous and hard-favoured soever in themselves, yet) nothing is more beautiful in their eye, than they." No man, saith the Apostle, ever hated his own flesh, but loveth and cherisheth it: The flesh of our minds (such are all false principles and positions) is more loved and cherished by us than the flesh of our Bodies. A light intimation (we proceed in his words upon job 22 verse) or only the appearance of a probability, will amount to a proof against either persons or doctrines, which we like not; But the clearest Demonstration will hardly raise a jealousy against what we like.  
You have given, Sir, we fear, a very sad experience of this very thing, For how stubborn and unmoved are you from Mr H s: his error in point of admission of all (filthiness all over, and wallowing therein as swine in the mire, admitted notwithstanding) to all Church-Communions, the Lords Supper and all, Though the strongest winds of Truth have breathed, yea blown hard upon it.  
That you might not be willingly ignorant of this very thing, and withal to show our dear respects unto you, we told you, That four Worthies of the Lord had Encountered with Mr H s: about the premises, and with as much ease, (to phrase it as one doth) and with like success, as the fire doth the dried stubble; and yet he stubbornly holds to it, for aught we know, we know you do, remaining in the same mind with him, that foreforne man (Generally we think deceived by the Godly all over the Land) as a Mountain unmoved to this very hour. We know not which is worse, but leave it to you to judge," Vnsetlednesse in the Truth, and an Easiness to let it go; or tenaciousness in an error, and an hardness to let it go. Nor do we know well, which is worse, a readiness to take up hard thoughts of our Brethren, or unreadiness to lay them down; only this we know, Were the laws of Zeal for God observed, and of Love to man, you could not, as we think," Despise the day of small things, or the least breathe, or faintest endeavours of any, how mean and weak soever (as babes in Christ use to be) enquiring after Truth, and that old, but now forsaken way of holiness; Ask the way to Zion, with their faces thetherward, saying, Come— etc. Ier: 50. 5. And did you observe the Law of Charity to man, it would cause you to examine every ground of suspicion against a Brother twice, before you did indeed suspect him once: And you would rejoice in any appearance of his innocence, whereby you might discharge your own Spirit of all suspicions concerning him. These words, we hope, will not be as wind with you, though ours are and have been to this time Therefore, as we said, we had sorborne to speak, nay we do forbear to speak more unto you, unless you happen to light on it, but forbear to speak we may not, we cannot, for thus it was as you very well know.   

SECT. II.  
YOu would needs point us to something, your Son had written (for that Title better becomes us, though Child better befits him) in our Treatise of prayer, as if you would have us take special notice thereof, which indeed we have done, for so a providence cast it, else we had not looked into it, having a Transcript of the same: but upon your motion, you telling us, where we should find your son's hand, we quickly turned to it, and found as you said, taking, as you willed-us special notice thereof, Not because your Son did write it, but because you his Father suffered him so to do, against th'old and known rule of Civility, as Scholars would say, and of all good manners too; which you could not have suffered to be done (it is our persuasion) had you not had a vile account of our Pastor, who was chief, if not alone in that work: See! when a father contemneth a man (but what is the Contempt of a man, suppose it little or much? or how small a thing is it with him to be accounted vile in another's eyes, who is, we hope, yet more vile in his own? but) see, when a Father vilifieth a man, his Son (indulget sibi latius) will vilify him much more, and venture (so arrogant and bold youth is) to pass judgement in those matters, which he understandeth not so well now, as he, whom your Son so rashly judgeth and dealeth so— as some would say withal, as to say," He blasphemeth, understood them before your Son was borne. But all this argueth your high Confidence, That the Truth in those points, to which our Debate relates, is on your side. Be it so, though it be but your Confidence, the same with Mr H: yet to charge us, our Pastor specially so deeply for maintaining the Contrary; You giving a Charge to speak our minds, and to make them legible in those matters, is, as some have said, but one peg at the most below impudence. And this is all we will say in this place, telling you what some say, and haply they would add, though we forbear. Only we would leave you, after you shall have heard more, to pass sentence on yourself and your son for this behaviour. We will turn aside from this a little, and return to it at the last, so soon as we have taken-in three or four things first, for so you have thought fit, we had almost said to face us, yea to force us.   

SECT. III.  
WE, as we were saying, fully intended to cease the strife, sigh it hath proved such a thing, and to leave the Debate with Him, the Judge of all the world, and" knows the hearts of all men; who will, we hope, show you and us in His own best time; Who hath spoken much, and in desire and Endeavour as much to purpose; who hath said little in Comparison, and yet less to the matters under hand. And yet should you be able to put off all with that old putt-off (whereto some thing will be replied anon after) multa dicit, nihil probat, The man speaks much, and proves nothing, or nothing concludingly, and so folly is with us, (for your charge of Blasphemy, yours, which you suffered to be charged, is too high) why yet, supposing all that, The error is on our side, and Truth on yours (which were strange, if not impossible, you sideing with M His: and driving-on with him in the same way) Notwithstanding, we faint not in our minds, For our matters are humbly committed to th'only wise God, Who is able, and we are Confident He will, make emprovements out of folly (on whose side soever it be) and give advantage to His Truth, by the breaking-out of Error, and falsity; As it is one of the highest acts of Grace, (so one of us have read) in man, to render good for evil: so is it one of the highest acts of power to draw good out of evil. Upon this God All sufficient we wait. He always hitherto hath extracted the clean thing of His Glory (as one saith upon Daniel) out of the filthiness of Man's sin; our Confidence is, He will do so now, He brought light out of Darkness at the first," marvellous in our eyes, not" hard and" difficult to Him; By His Grace we will Trust Him, He will make a blessed, yea a Glorious method of these Cursed Confusions, caused by Mr His: in His house; and, notwithstanding all is said against it by learned and godly men, maintained by you. 2. And Sir, That we may tell you our boastings in our God, our hope being set on Him, This good is come of it already; which we will call a good blessing, we mean of this Debate, in Reference to" free Admission of all to all Church-Communions, upon account of their Infant Baptism only, without making so much as a profession of their Faith and repentance, your Brother's conceit: We were saying, This good is come of it, That we are abundantly satisfied as to the Negative, hearing it as clearly made out unto us from the word of God, as if it had been written with the Sunbeams: And by the help of His Grace, we shall hold unto it, while life is held within us, being the more confirmed, if more can be, and our foot more established in that way, by that little or nothing you have said against it, (for you have said all for Mr His: and not a word for the way of Holiness) so as neither yourself, nor all the men of your way and judgement, though so numerous that they fill the Countries (no good argument of their goodness, or the straightness of their way) can be able to draw us aside from this way God hath pointed us to, leadeth us in, and you called us forth to maintain, notwithstanding the shocks against it, scorn and blast upon it, and upon us for the way's-sake; not more able, we were saying, to draw us from it, than ye are able to remove a mountain from its roots, or stay the Sun in its Course, or blow it out with a pair of bellows. So strong is Truth, and so strong are all they that by the good Hand of their God are established therein.  
We add this more, This Truth, you accounting it an Error, and of the latest Date, called us forth to maintain, how weakly soever maintained by us, as you say, and we do not gainsay, shall be glorious notwithstanding (for it needs not our patronage) in the eyes of the Lord, and of His people, when your lose and more than airy Tenet against it, The same with Mr His: shall be for an hissing unto both; To use worthy Mr Palmer's words. Though yet you are pleased to call it, This Truth avouched by us, we mean, The sickness of our fancy, a Novel thing, never heard off in the world till now of late years, and had died in the vessel, had not we broached-it, or set it a tap, as we may say in the place we livein; To that purpose you speak, and so Ironically, if we can understand you.  
3. But, Sir, to let these scorns pass with contempt from us enough, if not with as much sorrow from our hearts for you; Is it possible, That you a Master in our Israel, and a Steward in God's House, should be such a stranger to this Thing," The way of Christ with His people, followiug on in His steps? No more. Yet, Sir, we take leave to ask you, why would you put yourself to all the cost of time and Spirits in returning your Answer to such a light and Frothy Tenet, which might be brooded upon some few years since, but hatched but a few months ago? Had any of us been as youthful, frolic, and venturous as your son is, twenty to one we had written Blasphemy anent those very words: but blessed be God we are better taught, and have not so learned Christ.  
4. But indeed, Sir, however you may be informed, or wholly mistaken in your information, your Answer was not desired, therefore not expected. It was enquired only whether Mr Owen (of whom we had heard," he is ask the way to Zion with his face thitherward; therefore we enquired whether he) had any sight or knowledge of our papers, or intimation about them. Only so, which might argue us more careful than we now are or see cause to be about that matter. Yet be it known unto you, we would rather hear three words in Reference to our matters from him, or any other of those fix we addressed ourselves unto in our Epistle, (so be they be not of your persuasion) than three thousand words from you. And we more than hinted our Reason wherefore in the same place; Therefore Sir, you might have saved yourself that labour, had it pleased you, for we know full well, what manner of answer we should have from you of the same persuasion with Mr H: and paceing or driveing together as friends in the same way. And Truly Sir, we think it a little strange, that you could imagine, that we could put any account at all upon any answer from you, in the same way with him, so often mentioned, unless you had some hope to bring us over to that way, which so many find without seeking.  
5. We applied ourselves to those worthy men, your good neighbours and friends, as we are informed, the manner of peaceable men is to do. But seeing it pleased them not, as you say, neither th● one nor th' other to meddle in these matters controverted betwixt us, lest, as the Proverb is," They should take a dog by the ears, being of the same mind, as may be conceived, as one was, who said," he always hated two kind of studies," Studium partium et" studium novarum rerum; Now our matters are novel say you, for it was never heard of in the world since the world was till now adays, (1) That all grossly ignorant and studiously wicked (the chief head of our controversy) are not to be admitted to the Lord's Supper. That is a novel Tenet, an yester days fiction; so also is this, (2)" They that have received Christ must walk in Him, even as He walked, That a Gospel's light should be adorned and beautified with a Gospel's life, a walk or conversation as becometh the Gospel of Christ. (3) That the stewards in God's House, should look well to this, before they admit to Gospel Communions. (4) For that every man is guilty of all the evil, which he hath power, and a call to hinder; A beam from our new light all this, which made not the least glimmering in our world, till of late, some months or few years ago: You may pardon this digression. We return to that we were saying, which was this, That sigh it pleased not those much honoured men to meddle in these matters, we are well pleased, though, we made tender thereof unto them; and not displeased, much less discouraged at all, That it is refused, for possibly the controversy must not be taken-up in so silent a way.  
6. Besides, which is our Confidence, and makes us humbly bold, we have a God in Christ to go unto, who is our Prophet to speak to us as well as our Priest to speak for us; our Oracle as well as our Advocate, He will take us by the hand, and teach us how to go, so long as by His grace with us, we beg nothing more earnestly of Him, and find it in our hearts to be as unwilling to tread one step (wand'ring sheep though we are) out of His way, as is a wearied traveller to go out of his; And possible also we had not stood so fast in Him, with our eye so fixed upon Him, and our-foote in His way, as now we do, and through His grace shall do (which loves to strengthen His weakest ones, To magnify His own power in them, and with them, when theirs is 
* God loves to show the world what His strength can do in a weak creature, as well as what His Grace and Me●cy can do for a sinful creature. 〈◊〉 Caryl on Job 6. 11. 475.  gone) had we not from our first footing," the way of Holiness, and all along to this Day felt many shocks, and as many contempts, contumelies and reproaches cast upon us, and the way, no man standing by us the while, no not a man of Name for learning and piety. And which is almost as bad, but God will make all good, and even this best of all, You that are a steward in God's house, and should, like a good steward, take them into your bosom, whom your Lord and Master is pleased to take by the hand, that is," To give special help unto, you are so fare from doing this, That you do little less than maintain a war against them, (we mean all them all over the Land that desine to walk with a right foot, according to Gospel-order in Church-Society: For what are we, that we should complain in our own behalf) which exceedingly gladdeth the hearts of the wicked, who ' love to have it so, and so their hand is strengthened mightily, and their foot established in their own way of sin and Death.  
But what though, and things stand thus? God is in the midst of His people, He stands by them, and will strengthen them, and in His own time, best for His people, He will raise them, they shall not still lie in the Dust of Debasement: His Jewels shall be made-up, which now lie as in the mire trod underfoot, which is permitted, and not barely so, and no more, for God's permission is a" providence, and that is" active, to drive His people out of themselves, from putting any 
* Self Dependence looseneth from God. D. Preston.  confidence in the flesh, That their hope may be set on Him (which is setleing) Who raiseth the dead; For commonly so it is, The more we have of the creature, the less we have of God; because the fuller sight we have of the creature, the less we look after Him, not apprehending out needs of Him, who fills all, measuring-forth to all as pleaseth Him, and is All in All. O that we did not cast so much about us for a look of favour from a man of high degree, and could more look unto God for His favour, who looks after His people, following them with His eye upon them, Psal. 34. 15. that is" will deal well with them, Jer: 40. 4. and best of all at the last: We Trust the Lord is every Day instructing us to this Discretion, so as we shall be daily less in ourselves, and more in God. And then" let the weak say, we are strong. And they that are strong out of Him, O that they did know how weak they are; or if strong their strength will be their Confusion.   

SECT. iv  
SEcondly, There is another thing we would speak unto a little, that we may give satisfaction to others, for you can receive none from us, and we as little from you.  
You enjoined us to give you an account of our way, why it is not the same with yours, which is the same with the man so often mentioned.  
This now we have done, according to the Talon, or two mites rather, the only wise God hath entrusted us with, in all" Godly simplicity. And now you return to us again and again; That we have said very much, but little or nothing to purpose, or concludingly. And That another might have said much more and to more purpose in four lines, than we have done in four Treatises; And so say we too; for there is such a natural power in our hands, that we could have said very little, and yet less to the purpose.  
But yet Sir, we will not blame your little, nor should you, we think, so much blame our much; Only we take leave to tell you our Pastor's words (for though we do not, yet you and he stand upon a level, That he was young, and now is old, yet from his childhood to this very day, still versed amidst papers all his days) he never saw so much thronged together in so little roomth, so little and so much; so little to the heart, he believes of every truly godly man, so much to the heart of the wicked, who love to have it so, even as men of your way and persuasion would have it; Justifying Mr H: in every line, and reproaching the footsteps of the Lords anointed, we had almost said, in every word, relating to that Controversy. The one cannot be without th' other; he that doth th'one, doth both;— That's all we were ordered to tell you, but from hence we will conclude in our own behalf.  
First, That it is not the muchness that displeaseth, but that it is much against the grain of our spirits; And then be it little or much, it is all one, it much displeaseth. But suppose that much, which is spoken, is much after the grain of our Spirits; why, though there be not a grain of Salt in it, Yet, how pleasing is it! as wine and strong drink is to the palate of our bodies, and as greedily taken-in as Mr His: Books are (to the heart of all the most vile and abominable in the Land) or as that grass is to sheep which rots them. More and more of that, which is sweet, said Chrysostom's hearers, as he tells us, more and yet more of that, though it " choke us; when a little of that, which is Crosse-grained to us, as Truth is, doth not a little displease us. It is not how much or how little, but how it goes with or against our Spirits, This renders it much or very little displeasing. So we are concluded. And  
Secondly, Thus we would conclude also; That, though All you and we have spoken is but in words, yet we doubt not, and you may hope the same of us, Your Ear and Endeavour was to speak more than words, else they are nothing but wind; And then, as one saith, He that hath spoken but one such word, hath spoken too many by one. Yet  
Thirdly, In reference to a multitude of words charged upon us; we grant that, there may be plenty of words, but scarcity of matter, and there may be plenty of matter in few words: Some have the skill of it to speak much in a little, to contract, as it were, the Spirits of a point in to a few words, and so can give you much in a little a large matter in a narrow Compass. But could we skill of this thing, we would not show it in our matters, which tend to inform them, that are as weak to apprehend, as hard and slow to understand, as we ourselves are, not able to apprehend that, which is couched and drawne-up so close together; Much may be spoken to us in a little, but we understand but little in much: All are not able to" drink Spirits; but must have them infused into, and incorporated with larger discourses and particular demonstrations. We, as all they that are the same with us," Babes in Christ, must have" line upon line, and precept upon precept, that is, a multitude of lines and precepts. In a word, Better The Grammarian should blame us, than that the people not understand us, was the old saying, and may plead our excuse, as was hinted in our Epistle to you; whence it was That when you expected our Answer in seven lines, we could not do it in less than seven Treatises. And yet we expect not our matters should find acceptance for the muchness or length thereof, nor yours perhaps, for the scantness or shortness of it; You and we must subscribe to this Truth in Reference to our matters, Right persuasion proceedeth not so much from the Power of the speaker, as from the disposition of the hearer; if he be averse from that he hears, or his ear be forestalled, speak you much, or speak you little, it's all one, you had as good speak to a mill-post, and bid it move and turn to you. And so much to that Objection.   

SECT. V  
THere is a third thing you mention to us, wherein we would give you what satisfaction we can, before we come to that wherewith we will conclude.  
3. Our Pastor is invited by you to tell Mr Ford in a Letter to him, his exceptions against some passages in his book for Infant Baptism, that he may clear them in his next impression, which we wish hearty he may do, if possible to be done  
Sir, we will not guests at your Reason, why you desire our Pastor to deal with your Brother by Letter; You know, Sir, he always declined this Contest, nor could he be persuaded to have meddled in these matters, but that we were questioned by yourself about them. And so, he standing in that Relation unto us, he could not do less than what he hath done, and do his duty; so then to proceed, You may remember how fully and clearly we dealt with your Brother and yourself in this matter.  
Thus it was, to repeat things again, so soon as our Pastor east his eye upon the 78, and so forward to th' 83 page of your brother's book, he saw clearly, That the Tenets your brother holds-to there are the pillar and ground, " Free Admission of all to all Church-Communions beareth upon: The very Tenor it holds-by; whereupon we saw it clearly our duty (for we were questioned about it, and not our Pastor; so what he undertook and hath done, it was upon the account of Truth, and for our sakes) after we had done our work, in order to your satisfaction, to return unto it again, and to make a distinct Work or Treatise of it. And hereof we gave you and him intimation in our Epistle to you, and in that other to him, and his fellow-brethrens, as also in our first Treatise, by an insertion there. And all this, that we might do as becometh all things according to the Gospel's Rule, and right order; we made tender of our book again and again, that he might have the fight of it, for we would rather offend ourselves, than him or yourself, or any good man. But upon what account, he and you best know, it was refused; And so after two month's expectation, and then a flat denial, together with somewhat more you wot off; We ceased, as in point of good manners, it was fit for us to do; for what could we say or do more? Indeed we know not; we saw our papers that were sent, returned with contempt and more, (They might far the worse for their Author, For the counsel is seldom loved, if the Counsellor be not, though yet Truth is lovely, what ever the Speaker be) The other three we prepared, we offered and ye refused them; We say again, what could we do more? and being fully resolved, we have done full-up to our duty; our Pastor willed us to tell you farther, That whereas he purposed his said books, and that said Treatise (the sixth in order) should see the light not before the Author thereof be carried to the place of Darkness, That then his books may speak for the way of Truth, fellow-walkers therein, and helpers of the same, so monstrously opposed now adays; and for the vindication of that, he 
We are taught to vindicate our Credit, when the Truth is wounded through the sides thereof.  accounts better than riches, when his body must be laid in the place of Silence; For why may it not be hoped, at least, why not endeavoured, That when his body is laid to sleep in the Dust of Death, his Name may rise from the Dust of Debasement? however the will of the Lord be done.  
But so he intended and fully purposed in his heart then, and not till then to send that and other Treatises abroad into the world. But observing some signal providence, This (1) That Mr His: plead for free Admission etc. should be so pleaded for by a Minister of the Gospel, and Steward in His house, a leading man and a Carrying man with the most of the professors in the County he livesin; And this after four Worthies of the Lord have stood up in the might of God against him, speaking so much and so clearly from the Holy Scriptures to that point of non-admission of all, that it had been enough to stop the mouth of the Devil 
Preface to B. Cat: p. 68  himself, which one said of an eminently learned and godly man asserting the Truth against gainsayers. (2) And nextly to say the least, and as little as can be," The defaming of many Ministers and people round about him. (3) And which pinches and presses yet more, if more can be, your pointing us to your Son's handiwork in his Treatise of Prayer, specially the Lords Prayer, where he chargeth the Rev: Author with Blasphemy upon Blasphemy, here one and there another, and there a third; for this and that, and the other: But (4) specially for Truths-sake, and the way of Holiness, which, as is conceived, suffers much herein, through the spewings, you have given too just an occasion to be cast thereupon, he will endeavour his utmost to give all, that will, a sight of all that is written, making this Assuance withal to his Reader; First, That how evilly-soever he is spoken off and dealt withal, yet he can do nothing against the Truth, but in desire and endeavour, all, he possibly can, for it, the promoting of the same in the hearts and lives of God's people. And (2) That they, who are helpers together with him of That Blessed thing, shall be helped by him to the utmost of those abilities his Lord and heavenly Father is pleased to Communicate to him. And he is persuaded, That This God Whom he hath Trusted will, as He hath done hitherto, so to th' end, help both him and them; And in the last place, This he added more, That rather than he would, in the least grieve the Least of the Lords little ones knowingly, he would his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth rather, and his pen to his Finger's ends; That his hand should fall off from his arm, and his arm from his shoulderblade. We come now to the fourth and last, and Then we have done.   

SECT. VI  
4. SO we give you, Sir, to know, That our Pastor with ourselves have taken full notice, as you willed us, of your Son's handiwork, in the Margin of that Treatise our Pastor hath written about forms of Prayer, and in special the" Lords-Prayer, whereof you were more than an occasion, or causa sine quâ non; we have as we were sayiug well observed your Sons Charge of blasphemy there. And Truly had it not been your Son, whom we have known so well, we had wondered at it. Besides he is but young, a youthful Man; Yet these words may fit very well; An evil time sure, sad things are coming," The Child shall behave himself proudly against the Ancient; and, which aggravates the fault, we think, the Son shall do this, the Father standing-by, and giving allowance to it, and which might, in some men's thoughts, heighten it to a Crime, the father of the Child a Minister of the Gospel, allowing his Son so dealing with his fellow-Minister, and little less than boasting of it, if not glorying in it, when it was so done. Your own acknowledgement, Sir, Mr Ford and Mr Owen with yourself were at your Son's Elbow, at least he was within the sound of your words, which were these," Take heed, Son, what you writ, that it be no more than what you can Answer," I'll warrant you for that, said he: Say we; should you have taken his warrant, being so youthful a Man and known so to be? Say you, for we make bold to question you about this matter, though were we as much above you in place, as we are below you, we would not be so bold with you, as you know who was, when the Child offended in the presence of the Father, he excused the Son à tanto if not à toto, and laid all the blame upon the Father, and gave him a box on the ear, withal suffering the Child to do a thing so unbecoming in the presence of the Father. So we return to you, and This only we would say, Inquire we pray you at your Oracle (we mean not yourself, for if we counted you an Oracle, as, you say, we did, we see, we were mistaken; Yet because we think we did not, we will not ask pardon) we pray you inquire of God's Word, That Oracle, whether you, being the father of the Child, should not have seen what the Child had written? Supposing you had so done; It will be supposed also, we think, that for" Blasphemy, you would have Commanded him to have written" Error; Yet that would have been too heavy a Charge too, upon these words, against which blasphemy stands charged," That the Lords-prayer is a dead letter, for had there been a Spirit of life and quickening in those words, commonly said with the speed of a good Clerk by Ministers of your persuasion, way, and judgement, what a grown and Tall-man in Christ had your Son been by this time of the Day, being taught this prayer in his Cradle, by your own Confession, using it upward all along, and at this very day saying it now very Clarke-like in the Pulpit; so tenaciously he holds to that, the manner of us all, he had learned in his Cradle. And Truly Sir, others may think you yourself had made clearer Demonstrations of the good Spirit speaking in you, had the words of that prayer been Spirit and life unto you, having said it so often in our hearing at th' end of your own; Well, Sir, but if this be so as your Son saith," The Lord's prayer is a quick'ning letter, and he that saith contrary" blasphemeth, than you do well, and your bounden duty (as we Countryfolk say) teaching it your Children; yet our persuasion is from the premises, so from this also, which follows, That it cannot be as your Son saith, That this said prayer, should be Spirit and life, while yet the most vile and wicked persons in the world say it every day, for few say any other, and most solemnly on the Lord's day after you, when you say it. We commend your Son to your care and good counsel, he stands in great need of it: And we pray for you, That you may stand in God's Counsel.   

SECT. VII.  
BUt these two things we are Commanded to tell you, and so an end of this matter.  
First, That had an elder and wiser man than your Son charged 
Ab ineunt aetate suâ lusil in art? dialecticâ nunc in sacris scriptum insanit.  our book in that manner, it would have reminded our Pastor of one he hath read of some where, who, when he was young made himself merry with his Sophistry, and afterwards when he waxed old showed himself mad in Divinity, and so sported with the sacred Scripture also.  
Secondly, That you never stirred the Coals till now; yet do we not now, much less have we so done, show the least heat, which you call fire against you, or your Son, whether our bowels are not stirred with compassion over you both, the Lord knows. Though yet against those black and horrid do in God's house, we have declaimed with zeal not enough, yet, we hope, that which was, was according to knowledge: So also against the Observation of the Day commonly called Christmas-day: Against this and th' other, since you have raised us like an huge Bell, we will make the Sound thereof, our cry against it, and free admission of all, go forth through the whole Land, as the Sound of Mr His: Books have done; we will do our Endeavour, and the Lord God do what is good in His own eyes; for if this may prove a damnable opinion in the issue; That all are to be admitted to the Lords Table, how notorious soever for their deboysery. And this also, That the Day should be kept holy, which hath not the Lords Sanction upon it, Then we see not but that there may be a damnable silence (which is the thing in question betwixt yourself and us, and will fall into consideration in its respective place) in those who should oppose them. Every one must give account of his idle words; and a Minister for his idle silence, saith that worthy man Mr W: Jinken.  
We have given our persuasion also touching forms of prayer, and in special resolved some Queries about the Lords Prayer, not so much as blameing, much less Censuring or judging them, that use forms, or that form of prayer at the end of theirs. We have given the reasons of our persuasion, why we think it not so comely; When we have your Reasons for your do in that and other matters, which we will not be so bold, as you might be with our Pastor, so much as to entreat of you, possibly we may be of your mind in these things, but we think it no easy work for you to give us any thing that hath the shape of Reason, thereby to make such proof of your do in Reference to those matters underhand, that they are ordered according to the mind and will of your God.  
We will conclude with a few words to those Ministers that sense with Mr H● and walk together with him in his way in point of Church-Administrations; (1) That some wits will adventure to make a fair cover, even of the very sacred Scriptures, for the most deformed and grossest errors among which we do reckon this, relating to free admission of all to all Church-Communions. (2) And that a sad account will be given of that time, and of those parts, which have been laid-out in the patronage of such matters, that lie clean Cross to the grain of Truth. For it is as sinful (to use that learned man's words upon Job) to sew 
Job. 11. 530.  fig-leaves, or make fair pretexts to cover the nakedness of our opinion, as of our practices, Therefore he that can receive it, let him receive it. Prov: 30. 32. If thou hast done evil in listing-up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil (or maintained evil) lay thy hand upon thy mouth: Speak no more, never be an Advocate in a bad cause, though it be thine own. When our errors are shown us (as these have been in Reference to free Admission by four, as was said one after another, we should not open our mouths, unless it be to renounce and disclaim them— But we have done.  
And that we may be still doing, and be sure to do our duty, let us pray each for other;" The Lord deliver us from Evil: The guidance of our own Spirits, as bad and worse to us, than is that of the world: And give us a sound mind, whether the body be sound, or unsound, no great matter, The sound mind is all, the Mind that was in Christ, and is in all sound Christians. And this labour of Love and work of Faith is but full-up to that lovely rule," Whom we Reprove openly, we should pray for secretly.  
AMEN.  
FINIS.