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Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 
 Princeton Theological Seminary Library 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/disputationatwinOObark 
 
THE 
 
 DISPUTATION 
 WI^CCHCOM'B, 
 
 November p. i 6 5 3. 
 
 Together with the Letters and Te- 
 stimonies pertinent thereto. 
 
 Wherein is offerd fome fatisfa&ion 
 [ in feveral points of Religion, vix. 
 
 Of Church-Government* 
 
 Of Ordination ofMiniflers. 
 
 OfRgceiving the Sacrament 
 
 Of Forms of Prayer. 
 
 QfHoly Times and Places, md 
 
 foms other Que ft ions. 
 • 
 \>iffHtandi f&brietas Ecclefiarnm medicina. 
 
 LONDON, 
 
 Printed for William Lee at the Turk's 
 Head in Fleet fir eet 1 6 $ 4> 
 
iMMMi&Jtitii 
 
 
 To the ^Reader. 
 
 Eing intimate with th£ 
 Refpondent, he eafily 
 Communicated to me 
 his papers, and I da 
 as freely communicate 
 them* Gentle Reader*' 
 to thee. This more publick and more 
 large Edition, which wa* earneftly de- 
 fired by fome judicious men, it is ho- 
 ped, will the more conduce to cftablifli 
 the warring minds of many good pea* 
 pie, long diftra&ed between the love 
 they yet bear to the Reformed Religion 
 of their Fathers, and the importunity of 
 fome new men , that under colour of 
 further Reformation, would draw them 
 from the Communion of the Church, 
 A % whers- 
 
wherein they have been born and bred. 
 It is true. Reformation is a fair colour: 
 buc how they can be call'd Reformed, 
 that cry (town alL forms, I underftand 
 not. Their great Errour is the cafting off 
 with fuch contempt the lawful Guides, 
 and the folemn fervice of the Church. 
 And this they do of their own heads; 
 For it is clear by the Order of the State 
 Nfiv.iz. That the Minifters of the 
 Church of BngUndy and the good peo- 
 ple adhering to them, ought to hold 
 cheir s s Affemblies without difturbance. 
 ; Wellthen, let the new men allow us 
 equal liberty with themfelves, remem- 
 bring that we live in a free Common- 
 wealth, and with-all, that our Do&rin 
 confiftetha great deal better with the 
 Civil Government, and honoureth the 
 Magiftrate more than theirs. This the 
 Refpondent alfo doubteth not to make 
 further appear, together with the law- 
 fulnefs of his Order and Miniftry, i f 
 the Opponents do go on 5 but he ho- 
 pcth they have done with him, and 
 
 that 
 
that he may return to a half-Printed 
 work, upon which he beftows his (pare 
 time for the fervice of his Country, be- 
 ing a Tranflation out of H. G. of the 
 Right of War andFeace. Reader, if thou 
 beeft one of the Separation, Return in- 
 to the Bofom of thy Mother: if thou 
 haft obtaind Grace, be faithful to the 
 affli&ed Church of England^ continue 
 in it to the End. Honour thy Profeflji- 
 on, with a juft, a fober, a godly conver- 
 sation, and Farewell 
 
 Thy Servant^ 
 N. N. 
 
 *December. \6, 
 
 A 3 
 
 The 
 
The Preface. 
 
 Hat the patient Reader may fet 
 the fir fl Ri[e of this Difputeir* 
 tween Mr. Baf kfdale of Sudcky, 
 and Mrttdmz of Wiaeheombe, 
 •we muft return into the memory 
 of that time 9 when 9 not long after Mr, Heltnc 
 his coming to that Church , he Ae fired the aid 
 of his neighbouring (JfyLinifters to preach in 
 their turns a Lecture there. Mr. Barkfdale 
 was of all men mo ft ready ( being the near eft 
 neighbour ) to co-operate in a work tending to 
 the benefit of that old Town; and I have heard 
 him fay 9 he fkould be very unminifnll ofthg 
 good example of his Father and eldeft Brother ' 9 
 that are gon before ,if he fhould not in his way 
 alfo ftudy the good of that place of his Birth z 
 and it is Poverty only 9 which like an armed 
 man keeps him off from being an eminent Bene- 
 fatlor there. He had the more hope of this de~ 
 fign 9 becaufe Mr. Helmc was then lookt upon* 
 not only bythofe of the Parifh that brought him 
 thither, but by others too 9 even thofe ef a con- 
 trary 
 
irary I tit ere ft, as a man diligent in his, calling 
 charitable to the poor , fair -condition d in his 
 behaviour , and moderate in point of religion. 
 So that * as yet, the people of all forts heard him 
 gladly. Mr. Barkfdale was the more confir* 
 med in his good opinion of his Moderation, ha- 
 ving in familiar conference heard him much 
 commend Mr. Baxter and his -writings, a man 
 indeed -worthy of much commendation, ejpec tal- 
 ly for his great love and ftudy of the Churches 
 Peace. God direU him and all others in 
 the right way unto it. Well , the LeEture 
 began , Mr. Collier of Blockley ( one 
 whom <JMr. Barkfdale profejfeth to honour for 
 hisChriftian temper , and the lovely Graces he 
 hath observed in him^being the fir ft preacher $ 
 and, 1 remember; before he came, Mr. Helme 
 entertaindthe Hearers with expounding of the 
 beginning of the 1 22. Pfalm, I was glad vvh^n 
 they faid unto me, Let us go into the houfc 
 of the Lord. Which fudden exercife of his was 
 fo well approved by CMr. Barkfclale , that fomt 
 dayes after (being a little given to the Mufes 9 
 becaufe of his daily converfation with fome 
 young gentlemen-Scholars that live with him) 
 ~he lent Mr* Hdme this following Anagram \ 
 
 miMius 
 
HELMIUS. MELIUS. Mail. 37. 51; 
 
 Heltnius adpopulum vicinos dicer e Fratres 
 Vultne ? 'Ttocere pot eft Jpfe four,? melius, 
 
 Qui bona,^fti bene )am docuit ,meIiora docebit 
 ( Ni fuerit populus non mclior} melius. 
 
 The next turn was ajpgned to Mr. Barkf- 
 dale 9 who brought with him his friend Mr, 
 Towers , and obtained leave for him to preach 
 in his ftead. One of. his reafons was , that he 
 .might (hew Mr.T. to his friends in that place ', 
 iwd bring him into acquaintance with them, 
 Tor if you know Mr. B, you know him to be a 
 lover of all learned men 3 and 'very glad of any 
 opportunity to ferve them, either by himfelf ,or 
 by commending them to his more able friends . 
 tJMr. T. having learnedly fupplyed the place , 
 the chiefeft of the Auditors after met at an Or- 
 dinary : where Mr. Htlmeftgnified his diflike 
 of jo much Greehjn a Sermon,and ofthePreach- 
 ers concluding his prayer with the Lcxd'SjUjing 
 this phrafe before z> 3 meekly kneeling upon our - 
 knees. This laft cenfure was nothing pleajing 
 to the company. 5 who were all well affected to the 
 Orders of the Church, and particularly a Mini*- 
 fter of note in thefe parts, Mr. M . a little man, 
 but full met all, fell (bar ply upon Mr. H. What » 
 
 faith 
 
faith he , reje& the Lords prayer I I come no 
 more into your company. And I thinly ■ he 
 tv & as good as his word. Mr. T. foberly fa/'d as 
 much as was fit for the time and place in defence 
 cfhimfelf ', to the content of the worthy gentle- 
 men and the reft pre fent. Mr. H.de fired, that 
 any man of a different mindfiom him , would 
 fend him his t bought s in writing. And this 
 was the occafion of 
 
 The fir ft Letter of Mr. B . to Mr. H. ' 
 Junii 13. 51. 
 
 C I R , My refpe^s remembred , I take leave 
 to trouble you with this Paper, fearing kft 
 theDifcourfe that part on fuefday create lome 
 further unneczflary dilpure. Fcr preventing 
 whereof, it will be good , I think , to mark 
 what is the meaning of both parties. I con- 
 ceive, 'tis this : You lay by the Lord's prayer, 
 not as if you did not hold it to be a prayer 
 lawfull , yea and commendable to be ufed in 
 the prayers of the Church (fo the Divines of 
 the Aflembly call it p* 1 8. 19. of the DireSo- 
 ry;)And you would have people know,ihat we 
 may pray very acceptably, though not in thofe 
 very words. And fo, whereas it is conceived 
 fome have fet up that to the difadvantage of 
 other prayers , or perhaps been a little fuper- 
 
 ftitious 
 
fHtious in honouring the former , you would 
 bend the flick the other way, and by omitting 
 for a time the ufe of the words, ( though you 
 keep the matter ftill ) teach people to regard 
 rhe fenfe as the onely thing. Wherein you are 
 not, I think ,oppofed by the other fide , who 
 hold the prayer to have been uied, by Chrift's 
 appointmentjby theDifeiplcs,and fit to beufed 
 by us: (How can this be denied?)yet do not de- 
 ny but the words may lawfully be omitted s aDd 
 the fenie kept. And furely , it were a very 
 great rcftraint of Devotion to confine it to 
 any Forms whatfoeyer ; my particular necef- 
 fities being not particularly provided for by 
 the forms of any other. Which neceffities yn 
 my heart may much defire to open to God* 
 And the like may be faid fometime of a Con- 
 gregation j So that , as every Chriftian mufi: 
 labour to exprefs himfelf in private ( beyond 
 forms; ) fo every Minifter muft endeavour afc 
 ter the Ability to deliver to God the needs of 
 bis people , as the exigent (hall require. And 
 the exigent doth not always admit of prepa- 
 ration. Toeonclude* we gladly ufe the help 
 our Lord , and his fervantsthat havegon be- 
 oreus 3 have afforded us -We value their pray- 
 ers , and ufe them; We do alfo after their pat- 
 terned agreeable to them frame other pray- 
 ers for our ufe; And yet after all prepared 
 
 prayer, 
 
prayer* the Chriflian Soul muft be allowed 
 her fudden ejaculations and extemporall af- 
 ecnfions to the Throne oi Grace. What would 
 you have more , &c» 
 
 The Anfwer given to this letter was civil! , 
 and fo was the Reply ; but netther is found. 
 Only Mr. BarkldaJe remembreth ? he fent Mr. 
 Medes Diatribe with his next letter, and com- 
 mended fome of the difcourfes to Mr. Heime, 
 who anjwerd, that Mr- Mede lived in the time 
 of the Prelates , and no wonder if he didferve 
 that time ; wherein purely he miftookjhe Ge- 
 nius of that excellent fcholar , whofe learning 
 was accompany ed with e quail integrity, as the 
 l\eader may finde by his Epi files and life,Jlnce 
 publified. Mr. Helme his conclu [ion then was , 
 that he would avoid controverfies f and preach 
 Chrifl unto the people-^ Andthmfar all was fair 
 between him and Mr* Barkfdalc, and fo it con- 
 tinued till Mr. Helme began more and more to 
 alienate him f elf from all neighbouring tJA&ini- 
 fiers , except fome few more fuitableto his own 
 mind , with whom alone he gave out he would 
 fupply the Lecture; And accordingly , when ano- 
 ther came to preach , he denyed him , and tool^ 
 t%e pulpit htmfelf , and, there deliver'd fuck 
 things, which cccafioned 
 
 Another 
 
Another Letter of Mr.BixkCdak to Mr. 
 Heime. CM^H ^6. 52. 
 
 Vine at Veritas ! Vivat Char it as I 
 
 Q I R, I much commend what you faid well 
 of brotherly union and love, but cannot a- 
 way with this new bufinefs of feparation.Fra* 
 ternall Admonition alfo I much defire mould 
 be more pra&ifed , but fufpenfion before Ad- 
 monition I cannot aJlow of. CJearJy, my opi- 
 nion is, notwithftanding all that I have heard 
 from you and your Brethren , that Miniiters 
 are not to be condemn'd by you for adminr- 
 firing the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in 
 their Congregations, though mixed. And for 
 the proof hereof I do humbly tender unto you 
 and yours thefe following Reafons ». which I 
 fhall be ready to enlarge and prefs more Lo- 
 gical!}^ if it bedefired. 
 
 i % Becaufe of Chrift's precept, Do this in 
 remembrance of nae . This remembrance 
 fhould be frequent, and not delayed from year 
 to year, on pretence of unpreparedneft. 
 
 2. / argue from Chrift's example. As he 
 wafhed the feet of Judas among the reft, fa 
 (if you will hear the Sxpofitors antient and 
 recent of be ft account) he admitted Judas to 
 the Sacrament : though he well knew his 
 
 nnvporthimfs $ 
 
mworthinefi, and Minifters do not know the 
 nnworthinejl of thafe they admit, but hofc 
 the befi, upon their prof effion. g 
 
 3. From the Apo files words, Ye ihew 
 forth the Lords death : The Lord's death is 
 fhewtd forth to the Ear of the unworthy Hea- 
 rer, why may it not to theEyealfo of the Re- 
 ceiver, though tn the Event he prove un- 
 
 4. From thofe words of the tApoftle, where 
 he faith, The word is the favour of death to 
 fome. ret the danger of that mufi not hin- 
 der Minifiers from preaching in mixt Con- 
 negations 1 and therefore the danger of the 
 nnworthinefi of fome Receivers mufi not hin- 
 der the adminifiration of the Sacrament, 
 
 5 J allege the example of the Affiles, 
 who upon proton of Faith Baptised whole 
 multitudes, and no doubt communicated with 
 them 1 although it appeared after that they 
 were not all right. :■ ]■ 
 
 6. St. Paul, direBmg tys Spiftles to mixt 
 Congregations, calls them all Saints, b.ecauje 
 of their holy calling and profeffion : and thoje 
 that are Saints in reputation may be ad- 
 mitted, d . , 
 
 n In the Church of Corinth were ma- 
 ny diforderly perfons (befides the incefimm 
 /erfon) that vert admitted. And i^ox^iu 
 
Where he blames their camming together for 
 the wor[e, he forbids them not to come toge- 
 ther, nor doth he cheeky the CMinifier,and 
 forbid him to offer the Sacrament* but, faith 
 
 he, Let a man examine himielf," and fo. . 
 
 Neither doth the unworthy eat damnation to 
 the xMimfter, or any other, hut only to him- 
 felf. Nor is the Cup of bleffinf turned by the 
 MiniBerihto a Cutoff oyfon : {God forbid fuck 
 language of yours, ) but the unworthy Recei- 
 ver of the cup of bleffing lofes the bleffin? 
 through his unworthinefs 4 
 
 8. As the word becomes the favour of death 
 to the unworthy, fo are their prayers abomina- 
 tion; yet you both receive them to the Word,anA 
 ]oynwith them in Vraye^andyoujing Ffalms 
 with them, namely the ipo. Vfalrns , We arc 
 his Rock , he doth m feed , &e. 
 
 P. ^^heWordisaqmckningOrdinance % 
 jo the Sacrament is a quieting Or dinance ; F or 
 tt ts always accompanied with the Word, Nay 
 without the mrd 'Us no Sacrament. If the 
 Word without the Sacrament , may quicken 
 thofe that were dead* much more may the mrd 
 Mhthe Sacrament. Chrifi is the Bread of 
 life, both to give life, and to maintatnlife. 
 
 „// 1% J° U d ° ' I f f 'tP f e > a dmit Children of 
 'llChnftianparents (upon their defire andprl 
 fpon) to the one Saerament \ why do jo* not 
 
admit the parents themselves Ukewife to the 
 other} 
 
 11. Ton have no power to receive ace u fa- 
 tions and proofs of Witne ffe s , without -which you 
 cannot give fentence ; andwtll you condemn and 
 
 fufpend y or excommunicate , before you have try- 
 ed y or upon hear-fay > Qjuis eric innocens? 
 
 12. You fay you make a fe far at ion in the 
 (fhurch 9 not from the Church ; as if it were 
 law full to make a feparation in the Church. A 
 feparation in the Church is a rent of the 
 Church , is offensive , and faddens the heart of 
 many pious, difcreet, and charitable perfons ,that 
 however they like you other wife , cannot joyn 
 with youin your by-way. 
 
 1 3. We muflr not deny the worthy, and keep 
 from them the means and pledges of 'grace , be- 
 caufe of the unworthinefs offome, 
 
 1 4. $/4s we offer ^he Covenant to all,fo mufi 
 we offer the feal to all , that do outwardly fub- 
 mit to the Covenant. 
 
 Sir , I will add no more atprefent : theiu 
 Arguments thus briefly fet down , you m 
 eonfider of impartially. I have left a margin 
 for your Annotations , anddeftreycu touo'. 
 what you allow, and what you difli ke , and lv 
 return my paper; that I may endeavour to fa- 
 tisfy you > fo far as it becomes one that is a 
 friend to you, and to the people among whom 
 
 you 
 
you are Minifter. I muft not end , till I have 
 
 ( as I think it my duty ) admoniQit you to re- 
 
 ! view the Meditations you deliverd yefterday, 
 
 | and in your fecond thoughts judge,whether it 
 
 he right and charitable to preach, , 
 
 1 . That the Rites and Ceremonies of the 
 , Church were heretofore impofed as neceffary^or 
 | e quail to Gods Law. See to the contrary in the; 
 
 ■preface to the Liturgy 3 of Ceremonies- , why 
 Ifbmeare retained. 
 
 2. That a Church of Saints might fiftee^i 
 I years ago be ft be gathered out of excommuni- 
 | cate perfons. 
 
 %• That God will add, to your feparating 
 j Church fuch as fhall be faved t • £ as iffalvation 
 I were not to be hadelfwhere.'J 
 
 4. That Liturgy hath done much hurt a* 
 \ nong the people. [ Remember the fallacy oftion 
 I caufa pro caufa.] 
 
 s $. That the Mini ft ers that joy n not with, 
 you, hardenpeople in their (ins, and favour their 
 wickednefs. 
 6. That the Apoftle fteaking of withdraw* 
 from dif orderly walkers, forbids to eat the. 
 zv-ent with them , though they were not 
 ^ {, mmunicate. [ They might eat familiar If 
 with Infidels not with the brother offending^ 
 i Cor. j. ] Herein I cannot fubferibe to youc 
 do&rin^hough in any office of love I am you*,, 
 fervanc. fe' foftfcffai 
 
YOU were a little troubled ,mc thought \ 
 with that Text, iCor. 5. concerning not 
 eating with the offending Brother ; and you 
 held itlawfull to eat familiarly , ( or at the 
 common Table ) with him , but not at the 
 Holy Table. Your reaibn : becaufe it was law- 
 full fo to eat with Infidels. Sir, you arc twice 
 miftaken ; for it was clearly permitted to 
 keep company and eat with Infidels, though 
 not with the brother. Read the place. And 
 the Apoftle doth not fpeak of eating the Sa- 
 crament.but common breado A Chriftian muft 
 be fo far from familiar eonverfe with fueha 
 brother , that he muft not fo much as eat 
 with him;— T$o,not to eat. He muft avoid 
 his familiar company, left he partake in his 
 J(in* whom he knows to be covetous , a railer s 
 a drunkard , &c. But , if they both chance to 
 meet at the Lords Table ( the offender being 
 not under publick cenfure of Authority) there 
 he may accompany him in that good Action, 
 and not be polluted by him ; for the Action is 
 good , and the inward unwortbioefs is, this 
 own guilt, and hurts not another. The end of 
 this Averfation from the offending brother is 
 for his good , for his converfion ; h* »M-e*»sy 
 % Th. 3, 14. That he maybe afliamcd. The 
 
 end 
 
end of my Admonition to you , is that you 
 may not be aftiamed , but in the moft han- 
 fome way you ean , amend your error , and 
 no longer rail f about 
 
 the Holy Table, and V^ s f^ A ^ 
 c i J i_ *i P* 78. My Brethren a there 
 
 fright the people m fometousbesoftbel<m 
 ft ora i t. and Sttpei ftition on you. Ton 
 
 . \now what a f acred thing 
 was made of the Communion^Table^ when the Ray I was a- 
 bout it. Now I pray, think bow you refine And fpirituatixt 
 your oldfuperfTition* by putting afpiritual rail about the 
 Sacrament , when you debar fojor [inner s from coming thi- 
 ther. Let us take heed, there will befomething of the Pba- 
 rifeein thefe fpiritud-proud hearts of men j then will fa 
 fitting a raylftil about the communlon-Table* 
 
 Mr. Barkfdale expected Mt.Helme fliould 
 now mew himfelf an example of meeknefs in 
 accepting brotherly Admbnidon , which he 
 had commended fo much in his Sermon » but 
 found it other wi/e • for , neither was the pa- 
 per returned according to his requcft t nor a- 
 ny Anfwer at all , but the ietter was tficwed 
 to his party, and from one of them Mr.Barkp* 
 dale received this loving Advice following s 
 
 A Letter of Mr. Tr. to Mr. B, 
 J unit 1. 5 a. 
 
 G 
 
 Ood Sir , The good refrefl; I ever &ore 
 to your indttftry , learning, peaceailenefs 
 
 b i 
 
and integrity % makes me, having feen a letter of 
 yours, favouring of fome fharpnefs, to be bold 
 to give you advice worth gold, j . That you 
 would write no more [uch letters : you know 
 tiot what ufe may be made of it. If you had the 
 letter again , I thinkjyou would never fend it. 
 7,. That you will not thinly our felf tngaged in 
 §onfcience to contend againft any -particular 
 form or difoiplin tolerated by the Jidagiftrate , 
 especially feeing I and the reft do by no means 
 judge any man to be fcandalom , becaufe he is 
 not of our form , but defire all brotherly love 
 and fellowship with you and them. Good Sir, 
 fonjider of this mine advice , and if you cannot 
 take it well , yet do not take it ill , becaufe tis 
 the advice of your ajfured loving friend. 
 
 The Anfwer returned Junii 5. 
 
 'VKTOvkvj Sir, Although my Letter, writ- 
 ten ( as I conceive) on a very juft occa- 
 sion, and in a friendly manner to Mr. H$lm, 
 be not yet vouchfafed any anfwer, yet have I 
 this fruit of it , that you , upon fight thereof, 
 liave been plcafed thus far to (hew your love 
 to the Writer , as to give me your Advice : 
 Advice led in by fo favourable an eJogy of 
 y©ur undeferving friend, that were the Ad- 
 ttfioamgnftarper than any point of my let- 
 ter, 
 
ccr j yet mould I think my fclf bound to take 
 it well. Momre & Moneri : you know the 
 reft. I do not only not take it ill , but heartily 
 thank you for it , and will obey it , preferring 
 your judgment herein before mine own. For 
 truly when I confult with my felf ( give me 
 an ingenuous liberty to fpeak a little boldly 
 with you) I can fee no caufe but I may write 
 more fuch letters.That letter hath two parts: 
 one defenfive of many Minifters 9 for their 
 life and learning , well approved ■> the other 
 admonitory,de(iringa revifall of fomc points 
 deliverd by that Preacher my friend. In the 
 Defenfe I have eertainly faid fomewhat that 
 cannot be refuted by filence ; nor , as I think, 
 by words .• And in my Admonition, I have 
 touched that which ought to be retraced, or 
 at leaft excufed. Why am I not anfwered 
 by letter;if I am wrong, to be reduced orin* 
 formed ; if I am right, to be confirmed. To 
 give no Anfwer^n fuch acafe,I confefs I can- 
 not reconcile with the Rules of humanity 
 which I have learned , and which I did be- 
 lieve my friend would not tranfgrefs. The 
 true ufe of a letter is thereby to undcrftand 
 the writers mind, and fo to give him anfwer: 
 what other ufe may be made of it (as you fay) 
 truly I know not; but I efteem it not worthy 
 to be feen by Superiours » againft whofe 
 
 command 
 
command , I am fo far from contending , 
 that I will not publiekly condemn what they 
 puhliekly commend. But ( to fpeak to your 
 fecond ) it hath been eiteemed heretofore 
 very ennfeienticus to contend againft fome 
 things tolerated by the Magistrate; So did 
 mady zealous Preachers contend againft 
 fports on the Lords day tolerated once , and 
 fo do fome fiili contend againft Ufury tolera- 
 ted yet. And for Forms and Difcipline , the 
 OJd way , you know, was preached down* 
 when the Laws and Magistrates did endea- 
 vour to uphoid it. Thefe preachers I cannot; 
 defend, but would fay fomething for them, if 
 i*had been a Form tolerated only , and not 
 eftabliftit. For we look upon a Form tolera- 
 ted as a thing not approved by the State > but 
 winked at for a time , and difpenft with to 
 content a party or fide. A Form tolerated is 
 at moft but for trial! : and fo long as it is pus 
 to the trial!, it may be contended againft,not 
 by force , but by argument and diflwafion. 
 Nor is this to oppofe the State, or crofs their 
 Intention ; for til they declare their Mind,ic 
 is preemption in a private man to intrude 
 into their Gou'nfeJJs. And therefore while 
 things are under Confutation (as now) it 
 cannot be jutily called opposition of the Ma- 
 giftratc , if one difpute (in a familiar letter) 
 
 againft 
 
againftthat which they tolerate. Nay, the 
 liberty of familiar letters , you know » is of 
 greater extent. For my part , there is none 
 gives more to the Magiftrate in matters of 
 Reiigion , than I do ; none is more ready to 
 fubmit to Jaws in ali things not eleeriy con- 
 trary to the Highest Law. And for the pre- 
 fent Toleration , although I think I may fafely 
 take the liberty (is not this alfoa part of the 
 Toleration ? ) to difeourfe of fuch matters 
 either by letter or othenvife; yet I will obey 
 your Advice,as I faid : and I cannot chu(e but 
 commend your Moderation in not judging 
 any man feandalous for not being of your 
 Form. Though out of Form 9 I am really 3 
 Sir , your Servant in Chritf. 
 
 Another to the fame, not long after, 
 
 fjOod Sir, Having not the Ieafure at prefent 
 to attend you at Stow , I fend my letter to 
 to falute you and your good compauy. I have 
 considered upon your Argument yeiterday 
 ( taking advantage from the rubric in our 
 Service-Book ) That Catechizing and Con- 
 firmation mud go before the Sacrament of 
 of the Lords Supper; Therefore your New 
 Covenant. The Antecedent is in the rubric 
 after the Form of Confirmation. And I can- 
 no 
 
not defend the former neglect of Confirma- 
 tion in the Bifhop, nor any prefent neglect of 
 Catechizing by any Miniver. But feeing 
 there is now none of that Confirmation to 
 be had (a great want in the Church I think) 
 what if the Minftter do his part in intrud- 
 ing people in the Catechiim , and the people 
 not only mike Confellion of Faith , but pro- 
 fefs Repentance , Charity , Obedience ; nor 
 hath the Minifter any affurance* no nor ju(t 
 ground of fufpieion that they are not fincere , 
 Jhall he not admit them to the Lords Table? I 
 Would not prefume to condemn all the pious 
 and learned Miniiters of the Church of Eng- 
 land. , that have adminiftred the Sacrament 
 upon fuch tearms. When we cannot have all 
 done we would, we muft be content with what 
 canbedone,as the cafe ftandeth. Well,Con- 
 firmation I grant is commanded as conveni- 
 ent and profitable ; not fonece(fary,but that, 
 in cafe it be wanting , the Sacrament may be 
 adminiftred. Now , to the fequel : How 
 your Covenant can ferve in place of Confir- 
 mation, I do not yet underltand. It confifteth 
 only of the Confeflion , refolution and pro- 
 mi fe of the Covenanters : whereas Confirma- 
 tion^ laying on of hands 5 is an a»5r of the Bi- 
 fhop to certify the perfon confirmed,of Gods 
 favour and gracious goodnefs towards him 3 
 
 and 
 
and it is joyaed with prayer and benedi&ioa^ 
 wherwith the party is thought to be ftrength- 
 ned and encreas'd in grace. Your Covenant,! 
 grant, is ibmewhat like theAnuverin our 
 Cateehifm, where the Catechized under ta- 
 keth the Baptifmall vow made in his name , 
 and promifeth by Gods help to perform it. 
 And (urely that is done by all that come with 
 us to the Lords Table. And approaching to 
 it in the quality of fuch as repent them truly 
 of all their fins, are in charity with their 
 neighbours, and iatend to lead anew life, 
 they do renew their Covenant > and in taking 
 the Sacrament have the feal thereof: as tis 
 very requifue, nor do I yet fee how Minifters 
 can refute to give it. 
 
 Sir i (hall I be bold in fecret to ask you^ 
 what great deliverance is the ground of your 
 Covenant? I doubt of it , becaufe upon the 
 late deliverance from the Scotifh Invafion , 
 all hopes were cut off of reforming this 
 Church according to the pattern of Scotland, 
 Which, unlefs I am deceived , was one end of 
 the Scotifh Covenant recei/d in England* I 
 deny not great Deliverances, but I take ad- 
 vantage from the Scots Covenant , and fay , 
 that the Friends thereof, inftead of Delive- S 
 ranee, have had a totall overthrow. Give me a. 
 little light in this , and reconcile the Cove- 
 nants 
 
nants in the religious part of them : for I 
 
 meddle not with temporals. 
 
 That which you faid (as I take it) of peo- 
 ples having excommunicated themfelves, by 
 a defection from the Gofpel in life and man- 
 ners, which is you fay inefte& all one as to 
 fall from the Faith, muft be explaned by 
 you. For Apollacy from the Faith and pro- 
 feflion of Chrift cuts a member off from the 
 Church, and Corruption in manners doth 
 but make a difeafed member, and fuch a one 
 muft be cured gently. 
 
 I remember a Covenant fomewhere in 
 Mr- Rogers his 7. Treatifes, a Book Dedi- 
 cated to JCing James : I would gladly know, 
 whether fuch a one as that might not ferve 
 your turn, 
 
 Your Servant, 
 
 C. B. 
 
 Reader, / am tempted by the mention of 
 the Covenant in the former Letter , here to 
 itrfert what feems to have been written about 
 this time. 
 
 Queries 
 
Queries of a Chriftian Brother, which he 
 
 defires may be anfwered before he enter 
 
 into the Covenant held forth 
 
 at Winchcomb \ 
 
 i.TTT Hether it be lawful for any num- 
 V V ber of people thus, to combine ', with- 
 out direEtion of Authority, which u wont to 
 be yalous of Meetings, lefi under pretence of 
 -piety [omewhat elfe be intended, 
 
 2. whether all that is moral in this Co- 
 venant be not conteined in the Trayer of all 
 Communicants the old way 9 to live a godly \ 
 righteous andfober life, and in the profeffion 
 to repent of former fins , and lead a new life, 
 
 3 . Whether all that are Catechised the old 
 way, do not take on them as good a Covenant - 9 
 when they anfwer, Yes verily? and by Gods 
 help fo I will, &c 
 
 4. What is meant by the corrupt and for- 
 mal way of worfliip, whereof they are afha- 
 med. Iftheworfhipeflabhfhedin the Church 
 ^England, it it not a falfe and fcandalous 
 expreffion ? 
 
 £. What is meant by all other Godly dif- 
 . ciplin .* if the ufe of the Keys ; where have 
 thefe Covenanters any fommiffion ? 
 
 6. Whether they can be fatd to keep the 
 
 Unity 
 
Unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, 
 that innovate in the Church, and divide with- 
 out caufe? 
 
 Queries upon the Covenant at Winch- 
 comb 1652. 
 
 I.T 7Y THether it were not much better 
 V V and more needful for the People 
 
 to repent their departing from the Vow of 
 JBaptifm, and from the Orders , and Miniftry 
 of that Qhurch wherein they were Baptised, 
 than to charge the Worfliip thereof as cor- 
 rupt, when the corruption is only in them- 
 felves} 
 
 1. whether any People can have enjoy- 
 ment of all Gods holy Ordinances, that have 
 not any Minifter among them Ordained after 
 the Apofiolical manner* 
 
 3 . Whether Ecclefiaflical Power be groun- 
 ded in the People, and not derivedfrom ffirifl 
 And his t/€poflles by a fuccejjion of Church- 
 men} 
 
 4. Whether it be not Schifm to caft of 
 obedience to the antient Apoftolical Govern- 
 ment of the Church ? And to be of thefe new 
 Congregations, to communicate in Schifm ? 
 
 5. Whether Schifm be not a great crime* 
 when as every Chriftian is bound upon his 
 
 Salvation 
 
Salvation to maintain the Unity of the 
 Church, 
 
 6. Whether any example cr pattern of a 
 Congregation , without dependence upon, 
 fome higher Ecclefiaftical power* can be found, 
 in any Age till this loft ? 
 
 7. Whether mutual Admonition and all 
 that is good in this Covenant may not he pra- 
 ttled keeping our dependence ft ill on /-^law- 
 ful Guides of the Church ? 
 
 8. Whether they can be (aid to walk hum- 
 bly and inoffenfively toward All, that take 
 upon them to condemn the whole Church as 
 corrupt^ and renounce Communion with all 
 that )oyn not in this Covenant f 
 
 Another Letter to tjiiafter H. about 
 the fame time, 
 
 S I & 
 
 Although I hate promifed to write 
 no more Letters, fuch as the former, 
 wherein , it feems , you have found fome 
 difli-ke that you will not tell me of • nor will 
 I oppofe your new Church-State any fur- 
 ther than in modefty and charity I may : 
 yet having miffed of your Company to day, 
 and having underftood by Mr. Tr. that yo» 
 have had a report brought you concerning 
 
 your 
 
your Orders and Me, I defire you not to be- 
 lieve it, before you hear me ; and the like 
 I defire concerning any Report you hear of 
 my Preaching. One thing more : Whereas 
 I am informed that the laft Lords Day you 
 were much in confuting my Interpretation 
 of i Cor* 5.1 1. and brought content of In- 
 terpreters, that, [no, not t o eat] is not, as I 
 underftand it, fpoken of common eating, I 
 have here tranfcribed Diotat's note. No, not 
 to eat [Namely in common course of life : 
 fhun all manner of voluntary ftveet and friend- 
 ly converfation with him. The fame fhun- 
 ning of Infidels was not required : and there- 
 fore you muft acknowledge your proof weak, 
 They might eat with Infidels , Therefore 
 much more with Chrtftians. I will trouble 
 you with his note upon ^.4. when ye are] 
 He fpeakj to the Pafiors and Conductors of 
 the Church. The meaning is, Being gathered 
 together in Ecclefiafltcal judgement, having 
 this my Declaration , &c. Whereby you 
 plainly fee, your foundation for an Inde- 
 pendent Congregation taken away. Pray 
 Sir, weigh this, and if you pleafe, the for- 
 mer tetter, with the fame quictncfs of mind, 
 wherewith I wrote it, and return me two 
 lines of Anfwer, that I may know my friend- 
 ly Office is not loft : and cake you the fame 
 
 liberty 
 
liberty of correcting me, who am your Chri- 
 irian Friend. 
 
 No Aniwer was returned to trie former 
 Letters, and Co there was a Ceffation till the 
 next year. But in the mean time this fol- 
 lowing Paper came to my hands, fuppofed 
 to be written by Mr. B, out of adefireto 
 have iomewhat done in the way of Refor- 
 mation by the neighbouring Minifters to 
 take away iomewhat from the grievous Cri- 
 minations Mr B. and fuch others ufually 
 caft upon them, as hinderers of piety, and 
 hardeners of the people in their Sins. This 
 Paper, I believe the pious Reader will take 
 kindly from me, intitled 
 
 A Reformed Congregation 
 
 \\J\TS do in thankfulnefi acknowledge the 
 great sJWercy of Cjod, in not giving 
 m up utterly to confufion and defolation, but 
 preserving us under any Government, where* 
 in Law andfuftice is fo adminiftred, that we. 
 may (if we be not wanting to oar felves) lead 
 a quiet and a godly life$ And we content our 
 felves with the prefent State , not feditioujty 
 feekjng after changes* 
 
 2. We do much honour the £hurch of 
 England,, wherein we have been Baptised 
 and bred* and, notwithstanding any fmall 
 
 faults 
 
faults in the Conftitution and Difciplin, or 
 great faults in the late Officers and gover- 
 nors thereof, we in ft ft upon the fame Grounds, 
 and adhere to the fame Church, as it was in 
 Queen Elizabeths time defended againft the 
 Roman by Jewels Apology, and again ft ^ the 
 Innovators by Hookers Ecclefiaffical PoUtie. 
 
 ^.Tetdowe not thinks all the forms and 
 rites thereof fo neceffary, but that we may (as 
 difcretionjhall require) omit them upon oc- 
 eafion, and in their ftead (without contempt 
 of the former) ufe fome that are different 
 andferve will for order and decency in the 
 fervice of God. , 
 
 4. To reft in any forms and rites what- 
 foever, and toferve God only externally, we 
 hold a very imperfeSt and unacceptable ferving 
 of Qod, who reqnireth chiefiy the heart. But, 
 as god hath made both our Bodies and Souls •; 
 and Chrift hath redeemed Both ; fo do we 
 defire to glorifie Him with Both. And, as 
 we would exfrefs the power of Godlinefs in 
 eur lives, fo would we aljo preferve a decent 
 form of 'it (fuch as is for edification) in our 
 jiffemblies. 
 
 5. TheUtmyofthe C^ch of England 
 
 (for the fnb fiance and main of it) we heartily 
 
 embrace ; but in the ufe thereof fhall not re- 
 
 • tain any thing offenfive and ofpofite to the 
 
 prefenf 
 
frefent Government ; but in all our Religious 
 exercifes fhall be as careful to fbew our due 
 fubmiffion to the Magistrate {which all good 
 Chriftians have ever done) as our reverence 
 to the Antient Church. 
 
 6. That Sum of Religion contained in the 
 ^ Catechifm, we do efpecially commend fir 
 the education of Children : And we fhall then 
 thinj^ourfelves good, proficients in Chriftia* 
 nit j, when, with the frofejfwn of the neceffary 
 ^Articles of Faith/ and due participation of 
 the Sacraments, and frequency of the Word 
 W Prayer ■, we joy n the careful daily pra&ice 
 of Gods moral Law, and of tfoje excellent £- 
 vangelicalpreeeptsofonronly Lord md Sa- 
 viour Jefus £hrift a 
 
 7. 'Difference of opinions in leffer points 
 and matters fhall not make a breach in our 
 Charity and Communion with one another : 
 Nor fhall we for any fuch difference be ■ aliena* 
 tedfo much or efiranged from any Chriftians 
 in the whole world* but that we fhall be glad 
 to communicate and clofe with them in all 
 that is good and lawful. 
 
 8. That we may {for the prefent) fupply 
 the want of publicity Church-Government, as 
 well as we can , we refojve to put into more 
 diligent ■ praBice that command of Chrifv 
 concerning fraternal Admonition ; Firft, by 
 
 Q on% 
 
one in private, then by two or three, and Uftly 
 by the Church or Congregation, or thofe that 
 represent it : And whofoever jball obftinately 
 fiana out againfl the lafi Admonition , with 
 fuch a one we will have nothing to do± but 
 avoid him fo far as the Law of Nature and 
 this Nation will permit, 
 
 g. This our Congregation [hall be guided 
 by one or more lawful Miniftcrs, ajfified with 
 fuch Officers as our NeceJJlties (ball require, 
 and the Church by common consent fhall eleft. 
 Jlnd, as we cannot like of thofe that fattioujly 
 draw away people after them, that belong to 
 other Ajfemblies ; [ojhaH we be careful not to 
 offend in the lik$ manner by trefpajjing upon 
 any lawful c^Minifter, or diftratting, and di- 
 fturbing any other Congregation whatfo- 
 ever. j 
 
 1 6. Our great Bujinefs (hall be (by Gods 
 grace") to Itve foberly, righteoufly and godly, 
 That being the end of the G of pel : and in all 
 external and indifferent matters we jball con- 
 form our f elves to the Law of the Land, and 
 to fuch %yles of Civility and good order, as 
 we can learn by our felves, or by the exam- 
 ples and directions of the mofi prudent. 
 
 1 1 . And lafily, we (hall be in preparation 
 of mind to conform unto any Church-Govern- 
 ment, which the Supreme Tower (hall fettle 
 
 over 
 
over us according to the word of God : And 
 (in cafe none be fetled) we Jhall endeavour to 
 join with other neighbouring Congregations*, 
 andreceive what influence we can from fome 
 Overfeer of the Primitive and Apoftolical 
 temper, 
 
 THe laft Spring Mafter B. encreafed his 
 diligence, and doubled his -pains at Sude- 
 ley, considering how many of his friends and 
 acquaintance at Winchcomb, and of his mo ft 
 Honourable Patron's Tenants , were become 
 almoft like Sheep without a Shepheard ; fome 
 frequenting that Parifh-Church indeed, but 
 bringing home their ears tingling with the 
 ftrange doBrins 9 and uncharitable cenfures 
 and reproaches of the Preacher ; others abfen-* 
 ting themfelves from the Church, and con- 
 tented with their private reading and devo- 
 tions at home ; others looking about where 
 they might find a more comfortable Miniftry* 
 Upon this conftderMion Mr. B, not consulting 
 with flejh and bloud, not fearing the threats 
 ofthofe violent men, not fe eking any pro ft 
 to himfelf, but meerly the glory of God and 
 the good of Souls, oppofes his endeavours a- 
 gain ft the feparation, fhews the danger, of fab 
 ling off from . a true Reformed £hurch, ex* 
 horuth to Communion with fattors of & 
 c % regular 
 
regular Ordination, reprbveththe hcenfe of the 
 times , -wherein fo many without lawfull 
 call, without commijfion « venture upon holy 
 Jldinifteries. The people hereby erecled,and (as 
 I have credibly been informed) being pub licks 
 ly told by <Jl4r. HeJme, that if they could not 
 comply with his way , they (houldnot dijfem- 
 hlingly come to hear him , but provide other- 
 wife for themfelves t they in great numbers fre- 
 quent Prayers , Sermons and Sacraments at 
 Sudeiey. This pierced Mr < Helme , and al- 
 though he would not anfwer what Mr. BarkA 
 daie hizd written to him , he inveighs againfi 
 him in his Pulpit , condemnes his *Preaching^ 
 and his Sacrament ing , and this in no milder 
 language than of murdering Chrifi and the 
 fouls of men : This was the occafion of 
 
 Another Letter to Mr. Helmc , 
 Maii 23. 53. 
 
 MR.,Helme y * 
 
 I have this long time much deftred 
 fome friendly conference with you, but not 
 yet finding the opportunity, I take the liber- 
 ty to fend you this'Letter after my former let- 
 ters which I fuppofe you received, though 
 you returned no anfwer. I would not divert 
 you fiom your better thoughts by troubling 
 
 yoo 
 
you to give any long anfwer,a few lines fhail 
 be fufficicnt to me. Only be pJcafed to let me 
 know thereafons ofthit vehemence you have 
 often ufed in condemning your neighbours , 
 Minitfer, and people, particularly for the 
 Holy Sacrament adminWred among them. 
 MBit we forbear that part of our Miniftry , 
 became feme are unworthy receivers,? Thera 
 it fetzns we may noc preach for .fear our Ser- 
 mons may prove the favour of death tofome. 
 The accidental! cvill following by rcafon of 
 fome (not known) defedl in the recipient is 
 no difcharge to the Mirauer,nor need it de- 
 ter him from doing his part. Butwemuft 
 not admit the unworthy. Nor dp we admic 
 any but upon an apparent worthinefs, that i* 3 
 upon profeffion of Faith, and repentance, and 
 newnefs of life. But they make not good their 
 promifes : The more are they to blame , that 
 do not. Let not their falfnefs be laid upon 
 the Minitter ; for he's not guilty of it , no 
 more than a Magiftrate that gives an oath to 
 Jurors which they through their own ne- 
 gligence do not performe ; or than a Mini- 
 ster ; that offers an Engagement or Cove j 
 nant to people » when yet fome of them are 
 found afterwards to have entred into it not 
 fincerely. Sir , I cannot fee, how you can fe- 
 cure your felf at any time , fo that your Mi- 
 
 niftrig 
 
niftrie may not be employed on thofe who 
 may ( poffibly) turne it to their hurt. Thofe 
 bloody words that are reported to have fallen 
 from you in publick,concerning people in Hel 
 crying out upon Ministers for damning them 
 by giving them the Holy Myfteries , eannot 
 be excufed; Nor are you to cenfure any for 
 unworthy receiving unl efs you know them 
 to be fueh 5 and if you do know them to be 
 fueh ,1 think you are rather to admonifh 
 them in privatj and pray for them, than pub- 
 Jikly to rage againft them. I will not trouble 
 you with more of this. Yet one word more 
 Imuft take leave to add»and ask of you, Why 
 you complained to the Juftices at Winch- 
 comb Seffions laft that you had malignant 
 Neighbours. Sir> you are not to endanger 
 any man's name or e/tate by fueh a character 
 that is a profeffor of that Religion which 
 Chrift hath raugh^that fubmits to the High- 
 er powers , that defires to live peaceably with 
 all men. Such a one particularly doth he pro- 
 kfe himfelf to be in truth, who alfo is , 
 
 Tour friend to ferveyou 
 C. B. 
 May, 23. 53. 
 
*/t Reffy yrefently upon receipt of Anfwer 
 to the letter of May a 3 . Jun. 8.53. 
 
 SIR, 
 To (hew my refpeS unto you , and the 
 defire 2 have you (houid have any fair fads- 
 fa&ion concerning my doings 9 I (hall give 
 fome touches upon the feverall parts of your 
 letter, paffing by the ill language in it (pro- 
 ceeding not from your reafon , but pafllon ) 
 and being very well afifured , that many pious 
 and learned men ( equall to the beft of your 
 Approvers ) doe concurrc againft you in the 
 charge of uncharitablenefs ,and do not think 
 fit to conform themfeives to your example. 
 
 Ad. 1 . The wicked men cannot be faid to 
 be hardened in their wicked wayes by us that 
 promife them life onely upon Gods terms , 
 if they repent and believe the Gofpell ; Nor 
 have they that, are convinced of fin by you at 
 Winchcomb any other falve from me at 
 Sudely to cure them, but the promifes of the 
 Gofpell upon their Conversion. Yet do not 
 I confefs that every thing you call fin, is Co; 
 How many good things have you called cvill? 
 That of Urfm is not pertinent unto me, for 
 none are acquitted Verbo vifibili,\hat are not 
 alfo Verbo mdibil'u Both wayes are they ac- 
 quitted that are truly that which they pro- 
 ofs. %, This 
 
a. This Ordinance is no othetwife pro- 
 phaned than others are . by unworthy parta- 
 kers. Prayers of wicked men are abomina- 
 tion , why do you Jet them prophane your 
 prayers at Winchcomb ? As to Ez,ec. jtf D 
 And other places elfewhere , I muft confefs 
 you have an unhappy skill in making the 
 Scriptures look kindly upon your felves , and 
 with an ill afpe6t on fueh as arc not of you. 
 Before that Text will ferve your turn , you 
 muft prove our people are the uncircumcifed 
 in heart»and gone artray after Idols ? 
 
 3 . Tis no guilt at all to fee men making a 
 folemn memorial of Chrifts death , and prai- 
 fing him,& promifing to obey him better than 
 they have done. Hag. 2.3. Is furemiftaken 
 by you, 1 Cor 5,. 6. jixiUy condemns the 
 countenancers of the Incetfuous perfon,and is 
 not pertinent to them that make an open de- 
 tection of all fin. 1 Cor. 5. 1 1. requires that 
 Cbriftians which are fornicators, drunkards, 
 &c. be avoided and not eaten with , which is 
 dearly fpoken and interpreted by all the lear- 
 ned interpreters ( I believe) of abftaining 
 from familiar converfe. Yet no man denyes 
 but fuch are to be excluded alfo from the Ho- 
 ly Table. But this muft be done judicially. 
 There is not wanting dthgentia debitain the 
 Mini/tcr whence gives inftruSion and ad- 
 monitions 
 
fcnoniticn, and admitts none whom he knows 
 oris informed of to be in that black row/. 
 The Difcipline Authoritative in the places 
 cited, Matth. 1 8. and I Cor. 5. is conceived 
 to belong to other Overfeers f than you or I. 
 Your cqmparifons prove nothing. Nor is 
 the cafe alike. We give that which is good 
 to thofe whom We in charity fuppofe to b§ 
 Well affected, f Seethe Author of binding 
 and Icofing. 
 
 4. If there had been only Prayers and not 
 wars for Rerbm?ation 3 many think it had been 
 the more Chriftian way. But Sir, was not the 
 Reformation fought for a Jong time ? Presby- 
 terian ? That's cot mms; Nor is yours efta- 
 bliflied* I perfwade'ail to tight and purify. 
 
 5. JafflftthetrueRcformation 9 fnpreach- 
 ing piety and charity ; and admitting iuch to 
 Communion who vow holy vowes. And I 
 think they are of the beftibrt. My cure at 
 HawLand Sudely h not comparable to your 
 large Diocefe. And for gathering a Church 
 truly I am ready to ferve all my Chrirtian 
 friends that (upon the iiberty granted under 
 this Governmenr) will make nfe of my Mi- 
 niftry. 
 
 6 . For Matter and Form , our con<?reo a - 
 tion ( I truft in Gods mercy ) ftall not be a- 
 fhamed to look upon yours.- and we endea- 
 vour 
 
vour to be above you in our humility (at Icaft) 
 and chanty. And if you will inform againft 
 any member,and prove the accufatton,hc foall 
 feel our Difcipline. But I perceive by what 
 you add , you are mifinformed , and fo may I 
 be. God fend us more of the Gofpcll-Spirit. 
 
 June 8, C, B. 
 
 An Action. <* 
 
 T^O your Rule , where no excommunion^no 
 •*■ communion , I anfwer , that the power of 
 Excomrnunion is in the Gqvctnours of the 
 Church , ( and J conceive) belongs not unto 
 particular Congregations. For before judge- 
 ment given, there muft be a tryall by exami- 
 nation of wimefles, &c. Do you keep fuch a 
 court in your Church? pray fhew me the 
 Commiflion for it. Now, if {he Government 
 of the Church be hindred or excluded , the 
 blame muft light upon the finemyes thereof; 
 and particular Congregations muft enjoy the 
 ordinances as well as they c\n. Befides.by 
 your Rule 3 all the Congregations of England 
 in former times had no right to Communion, 
 bscaufc they owned no power ofExcomnnu- 
 nion: only they could prefent faults , and fo , 
 muft leave them to the cognizance of their 
 
 iuperiors. 
 
fuperiors. As for i for. y. Yon muft not look 
 upon Corinth as a fingle Congregation, but as 
 an Epifcopall See , according to fomc : ac- 
 cording to others , as governed by a Confi- 
 ftory of Presbyters. See the Expo/uors. 
 
 Calvin, in i Cor. 5. 
 
 *J. /^Ongregatis vobis'] £rat in veteri £c- 
 V^ clefia ordinatum presbyterium.-hoc eft, 
 Collegium Seniorum i cu\ut , omnium confenfu^ 
 prima erat cognitio • inde res ad populum , fed 
 jam pr a judicata ' 9 deferebatur, . 
 
 1 1 . Cum tali nee cibum quidem fumatu] 
 Per cibi communicationem int e Hi git urve I con- 
 tub ernium , vel interior conviEiiu : nihil enim 
 prohibet , quo minus , ft in -diver for ium in- 
 greens , videam excommunicatum quempiam 
 ^ffidere, Jimul cum eo prandcam :neq; enim 
 ejus excludendi mihieft pot eft as. 
 
 C. 11. 28. ^robet a,utem feipfum homo~\ 
 Neq; vero perfetta aut fides am poenitcntia re- 
 quiritur ; ficuti quidam perfeElionem qu<& nuf- 
 quam inveniri poteft,nimium urgendo y univer~ 
 fos mortales inperpetuum a coena arcent.—* 
 —Fides etiam inchoataex indignisfacit dignos. 
 
 29. Qui ederit indigne ] —offerri illis cor" 
 pus, licet ejus participatione fua eosindt anitas 
 privet. 
 
 34. Ccetem 
 
34. C&tera quum venero difponarn]7)e ex- 
 terno decore loquitur, quod ut in libertate 
 JLcclefidi pojitum efl, it a fro temforum, loco- 
 rum, hominum conditione con flit ui debet. 
 
 C. 15.7. C^ (tr ' tas M ni <t> f ert > omnia, cre- 
 dit^ Sim flic it at em & hum unit at em in in- 
 die ando hie requirit, & afferit ejfe perpetuas 
 Char it at is comites, Itafiet, ut homo Chri- 
 ftiantu falli fua bent gntt ate ac facilitate fat ins 
 ejfe ducat, quam finiftra fuipicione fratrem 
 
 gravare. 
 
 Idem in Ep. ad Thilip C.2.v,*$. Nihil per 
 contentionem ] Sxcitatur content 10 dum fu- 
 am quifque fententiam fcrtinaciter vulttueri. 
 *r*+Inanis autem vloria animos titillat, ut 
 UnicUiqne blandiantur fua invent a. Sed per 
 humiUtatem?\ Ex flu It k nottri admirations 
 nafcitur frat rum ctntewptus. 
 
 Si quid novifti rcftius — - 
 
 Reader, I (ball here take leave to impart 
 unto thee another paper written, as 1 thinks, 
 about this time, when OHr. B. grieved at 
 the virulence of the Adverfary, and ftudying 
 to deprive him of all occafion of evil-fpeaking, 
 fet down and presented to fome worthy friends, 
 this Mode I for 
 
 Tk 
 
 ?c 
 
The Congregation at Sudeley. 
 
 i.^TpHe Rector is a Presbyter of the 
 A Church of England, and hath fome 
 difcreet men of the Congregation for his Af- 
 firmants to advife with, and to ufe as occafion 
 (hall require. 
 
 2. On the Lords day he Preaeheth once 
 or twice, and alfo the Church-Catechifm is 
 repeated at certain times by the younger 
 fort.. - 
 
 3. On Saturday in the Afternoon (or at 
 another convenient time) he explaneth fome 
 part of the Catechifm, and taketh the names 
 of fuch as defire to be admitted to the Com- 
 munion, and giveth particular aid, as necef- 
 iuy ilial! appear, 
 
 4. Every month is adminiffred the Com- 
 munion to as many of thofe that have given 
 their Names to the Minifter as have rccei* 
 ved Tokens from him. Which Tokens they 
 receive on the Eve of the Communion Day. 
 
 5. A prime duty of the Atliitants is t$ 
 have an Eye to the Converfation of the reft, 
 and to admonifh them that are faulty, and 
 to acquaint the Minifter therewith, ir need 
 be, that fcandals may be avoided. 
 
 6. The perfons that are put off till the 
 
 next 
 
next Communion day take it not ill , but nfe 
 the time allowed them , for their better pre- 
 paration, knowing that this bufinefs is of the 
 greateft moment. 
 
 7. This Congregation beareth charitable 
 affc&ions toward all other Congregations 
 whatfoever, and prayeth for the union of all 
 Christians, and the recovery of all holy Dif- 
 clplin. 
 
 I omit fome other letters of Mr. ft, to Mr, 
 H. becaufe they contein little but a repetition 
 ofwhatisfaidin the former : and for CMr. 
 H. his Anfwers, thofel have feen have fo 
 little of Charity or Civility in them (to fpeak 
 moft gently ) that I conceive it will be no 
 wrong to the Reader, or to him, to let them 
 dye; nor will Himlelf , I believe , think fit to 
 bring them into the light. Next thenfliall 
 fellow 
 
 A Letter of Mr, B+to CoU A. Jun. 5 3. 
 
 NOble Sir, 
 You are a Gentleman and a Scholar, 
 and in both names I have reafon to expect 
 courtefy from you in a fair per ufa 11 oftheen- 
 clofed, that my caufe may not be made worfe 
 than it is by mifapprehenfion. The fum of 
 the tetter to which here is a Reply , is but 
 
 this; 
 
this; To adminifter the Sacrament to the wic- 
 ked , as fuch , is many wayes unlawful!- You 
 adminitter the Sacrament to the wicked , as 
 fuch; Therefore , &c. A bare denyall of the 
 Minor is fuffieient on my part ; and I look 
 upon the charge as very uncharitable , with-: 
 out further proof . Methinks it becomes not 
 any modeft Chriftian , to aeeufe firongly, and 
 prove weakly. But let me retort thus; To 
 admit to your Prayers and Sabbaths the wic 
 ked, as fuch, is unlawfull ; You admit to your 
 Prayers and Sabbaths the wicked, as fuch | 
 Therefore , &c. Sir , I am much miftaken in 
 all the pradice of the Church , if excommuni- 
 cation doth not as well exclude the wicked 
 from the foeiety ofprayers,as the Sacramenr/ 
 By your means I hope for further light , and 
 fome Logical! Account of this bufinefs in con- 
 troverfy. And I am willing to attend you ac 
 your Call.to be taught by any man of a Chri- 
 ftian temper* I mall take leave to adde here 
 fomewhat relating to our difcourfe yefterday, 
 concerning Judas and the Paflbvet."" I fay the 
 prcfence of an hypocrite difclos'd pollutes not 
 the Ordinance : becaufe Judas was fuch a 
 °° e > C was he n °t known and difcover'dby 
 Chnft , to be aDcvill ?] and yet he was pre- 
 fect at Chrift's infliction. Confider , I pray, 
 of the paflage John i ^ there is mention of 
 
 th 
 
ihe laft Supped After the firft pare of ir £ 
 Chrift rofe and wafhed his Difeipies feet, 
 then he lay down again* and proceeded to the 
 inflitnrisn of the Holy Sacrament „ at which 
 Judas being prefent , received the peece of 
 bread , ^°* , which Chriit itf*^, having put 
 his hand in the di(h, gave him. Judicent eru- 
 diti. Again, I fay, drift at this Paffover 
 did not eat the Lamb ; for the time of flaying 
 ihe Lamb was not yet come. The Lamb was 
 flain and eaten by the Jews , 'tis plain » after 
 Chrift's paflion* For t they would not enter 
 into the Judgment-foall , left they (houid 
 be defiled i but that they might eat the Paffo- 
 ver.. John 1 8. 28. What Paffover then did 
 Chrift eat the night before ? Not the Lamb , 
 bat unleavened Bread and bitter herbs. Af- 
 ter that , followed the Poftcoenium * wherein 
 the Holy Sacrament was inftituted. This I 
 (hall make out further at our Meeting , and 
 you (hall fee we may be very confident in 
 fome opinions without any true ground. 
 I am Sir , 
 
 Tour very humble [erv ant 9 
 C. B a 
 
 Thus did the -poor man labour to make his. 
 pace with the Adversary , but in vain , and 
 
 being 
 
being now weary of this endlefs controverfy I 
 he {ought after fame refreshment in the compa- 
 ny of fame Minifters his friends , not very re- 
 mote , and endevoured to hold a meeting with 
 them at fome convenient times for mutual con- 
 ference and comfort* And that the Meeting 
 might not be obnoxious to the Cenfure of fuck 
 45 watch for advantages , He fent to tJMr* 
 To. the following paper , which although it 
 came not to the effeti therein particularly men- 
 tioned,yet hath attained its general end , and 
 made way for the Letture now begun among 
 m j and unlefi the peqple be oversold in their 
 .AffeElion to the lawfull Preachers J or them- 
 f elves , [ome of them 3 afraid to do their duty y 
 it is like to continue. The paper mentioned 9 
 with Mr. T'j answer , is not a foamed here ti 
 offer it (elf to the Candid Readers view 5 
 
 <zAmica Collatio, 
 
 i S\De Deo. irftie end of this 
 
 \lDeHomine* Collation is no£ 
 
 for any Indulgence to 
 
 ^\DeChrifto. the Body, but for re- 
 
 '' IDe Ecclefia. frefhment of the mind J 
 
 and eherifhing one ano~ 
 
 t \pe Scriptura. ther in the Studies of 
 
 ''iDe Traditienib . good teaming and Re- 
 
 d figion/ 
 
x<De Teccato. iigion i and therefore* 
 
 4- 7 D e gratia. here (Kali be more Dif- 
 
 courfe than Drink. 
 
 \Z> Angtlis* *» Every one of the 
 
 *'ZDe Santtis. Company ,eonfifting on* 
 
 ly of Scholars , fliall 
 
 A XDelmagintbus. Aand to his fix-pence 
 
 JJ)efrtcibHt m Commons , and if lie 
 
 come not , mail fend his 
 
 XDeLege. money with a letter 6f 
 
 J^De Svangelio. excufe ; otherwife , he 
 
 mall pay it double. 
 
 ]De Baptifmo. Thofe prcfent mall not 
 
 [DcEucharifiia. exceed above the other 
 
 fix-pece apeece in bread 
 
 $De Fide. and beer and other per- 
 
 *• iDe Oferibus* tinents. 
 
 g. This Meeting mail 
 
 KDeVotis. be the firft Tuefday 
 
 ^'ZDeJuramentis. in every Month , unlefs 
 
 the day be ( upon fome 
 
 S^ e *Pietate m exigent ) changed ; and 
 
 ^•{DeCharitate. every one in his turn 
 
 mall provide a Latin 
 
 \T*eVatientia* Lecture ro be read at 
 
 jJDeSpe. the appointed place,im* 
 
 mediatly before dinner, 
 
 not exceeding half an 
 
 Hue fpcftm fere hour * upon two Heads 
 
 *mnia* of 
 
 42 
 
of Theology, according to the order of the 
 
 Cataogue. f 
 4. That Le&urefhall yield matter of Dif- 
 
 leourfe, fro and con 5 and for the more varie« 
 
 ;.ty of Conference every Fellow of this Socie- 
 ty (hall bring fome pocket-volume , or fome 
 new TraA to be communicated to the reft, 
 and confidered in the By. And moreover, 
 
 J They (hall impart what Intelligence thej 
 
 1 have Be Rep. liter aria* 
 
 % s That the Society may be the better for- 
 
 \m(hzd for their private Studies , they (hall 
 give each other a Note of fueh Books as 
 
 ! they can lend in exchange for other , and the 
 mutuall returns fliail be made within the 
 
 j month ; That none may be alofer, feme re-* 
 
 ■ cor,d is to be made hereofV 
 
 j t. In this Meeting nothing (hall pafs that 
 
 ; may either be offenfive to the Common- 
 wealth , or injurious to the good Name of a-. 
 ny private perfon, living or. dead |Andever]| 
 one (hall nfe all Gentlenefs and Condefceft-* 
 tion of the other , remembring who hath 
 faid , He that is great eft among yon P let kiffa, 
 be fervant of AIL 
 
 Qu. i. Whether it benot theDnty ofthe 
 Iawfull Minifters to (hew fome extraordina- 
 ry zeall and eare in prefcrving people in the 
 d % Unicf 
 
Unity of the Church, when fo many unor- 
 dained men are fo zealous and diligent to 
 draw them into reparation. 
 
 a. Whether Communions ought not to be 
 celehrated, at leaft, thrice a year, according 
 to the Rule of the Church : and to that end 
 the People to be duly prepared by Cate- 
 chizing, and, where need is, by particular 
 Conference* 
 
 3. Whether the lawful Minifters, for their 
 mutual encouragement and furtherance in 
 the work of their Calling, ought not to i 
 afibciate themfelves , and at certain ap- 
 pointed times of meeting perform fome Ex- 
 ercife by turns* 
 
 Mr. T. to Mr. B. tAug. 30. $3. 
 
 My Dear Friend, 
 
 YOurs I received on Friday ; that and 
 the afterday was ingag'd in the fervice 
 for the third day. On Monday I communi- 
 tatedthe enclosed (which now I return) to 
 D. W? do fo exceedingly approve it, and the 
 tompiter of it 9 that we heartily defire you y 
 who are fo prudent a n/uMiti to the young fo- 
 eiety, either to bring the fame Paper witty you 
 •nthe firfi Tuefday of the next Month, or 
 another Paper y with Additions, as you {hall 
 
 fhinf^ 
 
thinks fit (though in point of Laws, as in 
 
 Cafes of Confcience, the excefi of determine 
 tions may be ojfenjive) to be communicated to 
 flew College, fo contrived, that to prevent 
 any pojfible exception, we may impart the view 
 of it to him that Jits at the Helm 9 and if 
 not defire, yet give way for his concitrrentfocie- 
 tyin the innocency andindufiry of the d,efign % 
 We thinkjwhen we do hunc lapidcm movere, 
 we do amoliri omnem. God diretJ and prof- 
 fer yon and us* 
 
 It was not long after this time, when Mr* 
 2?. having celebrated the Holy Eucharift at 
 Sudeley, Mr. H* as his manner had been' 
 before, erys out, Murder, in his Pulpit, and 
 withall makes (hew of a readinefs to confer 
 with any body, and make good his charge. 
 Which news was brought Mr. B. by one of 
 the Baylifs, and by the fame hand a few 
 lines were pretend yfent by Mr. B. figni- 
 Fying to Mr. H. that he was glad to hear 
 now, of an offer of Conference, and that he 
 would be ready to wait upon Mr. H. at his 
 time and place before fome difcreet Auditors 
 of his choice, to anfwer his charge, and give 
 bim account of his doings at SudeJey. 
 
 To this note, after three weejes interval, 
 d 3 ba$ 
 
had Mr. B . anfwcr brought him to hk 
 houfe in thefe words of 
 
 Maftcr H. to Matter B. OBob 
 19. 16 5 3. 
 
 M After B. / received your Chalenge J 
 which you fent by Baylif T c and am 
 wtllingto anfwer it (in the ftrength of God:) 
 and bee aufe you give me liberty to choofe time 
 and place, dad Auditors ; Sir, I do choofe 
 Nov. p. next following for the day, and the 
 fublick^ meeting houfe of Winchcomb for 
 the place, where I fhall not fail ((Jod affi- 
 fting) to be ready to prove , 
 
 *r Thatfuch a mixed Adminiltration of 
 ** the Sacraments, that is ufually practized 
 * c in the Parifhes of England, is unlawful 
 <e in the Adminiftrators in giving, and the 
 <c People in receiving. As for the perfons 
 before whom this Conference fhall be held 3 I 
 fhall choofe my defpifed Brethren who are Ta- 
 flors of the Qhurches, and thoje Jjmple Dif- 
 eiples (as you call them) over whom the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft hath made me Overfeer. You have 
 the liberty to choo[e what fober perfons you 
 fleafe. Sir, if you resolve to maintain this 
 ynchriftiau praftice in your felf and ethers, 
 
 you 
 
you fhall mut at the time and place afire- 
 faid an opponent of 
 
 Your loving friend, 
 
 C. H a 
 
 Tour chalenge is ft triumphantly reported 
 about the Country by jour friends, that I be- 
 lieve here will be many Godly ferfons of the 
 -places adjacent. 
 
 Mafter B. to Mafter H.Ottob. 
 2Q. i 6 5: 3. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 THat which you arc plcas'd, in your mi^ 
 litary language , to call a challenge 
 (which yet you have been fo wary as to an- 
 fwer after three weeks fpace) was indeed a 
 friendly Civil requeft,that I might wait up- 
 on you at your appointed time and place in 
 the prefence of fome difcreet wkneiTesfthatis, 
 in fome neighbours houfe, as the bearer could, 
 and did allure you) to anlwer your charge 
 againft me for my Miniftring at Sudeky 
 Your publick meetings I do not approve ; 
 they tend to faction in the Church, and per- 
 haps will end in fedition againft the State, if 
 you be not the wifer. See Sleidans Commen- 
 taries, of the diforders of Germany* But Sir, 
 
 m if 
 
if you pleafe to meet me oa the Lords da 
 $ext at night, at Jtfr.F's He was waited for, 
 in one quarter of an hour's but be camenot* 
 difcourfe (poflibly) we may contrive Tome 
 Vvay for your fatisfa&ion , 
 
 Your [ervant , C.B. 
 
 Mr. B. to Mr. P. & CMr. Tr„ Oft. 20. 5 5. 
 
 WOrthy Friends, 
 I have fome reafon to think that 
 you are mifinform'd by Mr. Helme concern- 
 ing me i wherefore I trouble you with thefc 
 few lines, to aflure you,that I am fo far from 
 defpif'ing you, that I do not ufe to mention 
 you fine honoris praj ~at tone , and in my heart 
 do much value your learning and piety; yea, 
 I do reckon you in the number of my honor 'd 
 friends ; 
 
 Non eadem [entire bonos de rebus ii[dem^ 
 Incolupii licuit [emper A?nicitia. 
 That firnV. Nexr , whereas I am required 
 10 anfwer at the publiek meeting- place at 
 Winchcomb Novemb. 9. before a confluence 
 of thofe that are called by my opponent the 
 GodIy,and am named the Challenger, I tru- 
 ly profefs unto you , that in my note to Mr. 
 Helme , about three weeks agoc, I only de- 
 fired 
 
fired him in humble manner ( grounding my 
 requeft upon what the bearer told me of 
 his rcadinefs to conferr with any man of a dif- 
 ferent way, and to make good his caufe ) to 
 appoint a time, place, and fome difereet per° 
 fons , to be witnefTes 9 and I would wait on 
 him. Let him fhew you my Note. I never 
 he^rd of any good order at any late-publick 
 popular difputes : and it is againft my peace- 
 able difpofition and Studies to engage my 
 felf to thenoife & factions of fuch meetings 
 Twill be better lure , fitft fo confer in pri- 
 vate : I will meet Mr. Helme at Mr. Free- 
 mans houfe 3 if he will ; The fooner the better 5 
 Let him chufe fome fe.'ecl: friends of judg- 
 ment.and I fhall be glad to have both of ycq 
 prefent , to keep us within the Laws of Aca- 
 demical Difputation. 
 
 Upon which meeting , if we can a- 
 gree upon any pubiiek orderly way of Tryall, 
 that may tend to a good effect , with leave of 
 Superiours , I fhall, God willing , be ready , 
 and either anfwer or oppbfe , fo far as it con^ 
 cerns me. I mod defire to confer by letters 
 with any fober Divine, 
 
 Nee quenquam fttgio. 
 
 Tear very humble Servant 9 
 
 C. B, 
 
 That 
 
That fame week wa&fent w Mr« If. a pa- 
 per eonteining three falfe Doelxins to be con- 
 futed at Gods houfe in Winchcomb by fome 
 neighbouring Minifters Novemb.y. with an 
 Epigram to the erring Brethren : Papifts 
 look one away, &c. See it immediately before 
 the Difpute. 
 
 Mr. H. to Mr. B a O&ober 3?. $3. 
 
 1 There was a namelef paper fent to me 
 with three qucftions and a Libellat the end of 
 it, directed to the erring brethren • the cMef- 
 fengerf aid it came from you, I dejire to know 
 who thofe erring Brethren are. The que ft ion 
 I proposed takes in the fub fiance of what is in 
 difference between yon and me; And I (ball be 
 ready the day and hour appointed, viz. 10, of 
 theclockjbn the 9. day of November next , at 
 the Meeting-houft at \Vinchcomb 9 which you 
 Jdolatncally call God's Houfe , to jffftify 
 ( through Grace) that affertion Ifent to you 9 
 and I do de fire your pofitive a/4nfwer y whether 
 you will be there or not to anfwer , as you fir ft 
 propofed, my oppoftion. 
 
 Your friend Co far as you are 
 for truth, C. H. 
 
 Mr. 
 
Mr. B. to Mr° H. November x. 53* 
 
 CIR, 
 
 ^ I am very prone of my Cdf to vvaic on you 
 either privately or publickly, but you know, 
 I think, or may know, that my Intention was 
 for a private meeting, I am aflurect by fome 
 judicious friends , that no fchoiaftie Order is 
 to be hoped for at your publick Meeting: 
 Wherefore I may without any injury to my 
 Caufe decline it • being ready to anfwer , ei- 
 ther by word before fome difereet witneffes, 
 or by writing, %s youfhail pleafe to propofe 
 your Arguments* But pray , let them be Ar- 
 guments, not ill words ,as Lib ell , Idolatry s 
 Murdering , and other the like elegancies of 
 yours. In all wayes that become an ingenu- 
 ous man and a Chriftian , I am your fervant, 
 
 All-Saints~J)dy° 
 
 Mr. Vs. Reply to CMr. A. P. 
 Oftob* 31.13. 
 
 £)Ear SirJ 
 
 Si ]udicas cognosce. My {elf 4tm beft 
 able to inform you , both what my Thoughts 
 are, and what my Aeliona are. Eyer fince I 
 
 was 
 
was initiated into Holy Orders ( which was 
 above twenty years Since ) it hath been my 
 Defign in preaching (with Sincerity and Sim- 
 plieity or* heart , I thank ©od , though with 
 much weaknefs ) to commend unto my Hea- 
 rers both the Form and the Power of (Sodli- 
 nefs ; noc one without the other , but Both; 
 Qua Dftts con]unxit~~—\ could never ap T 
 prove of thofe that pretending to let up the 
 Power* cry down the Form , that is , all de- 
 cent and comely Rites and Ceremonies or- 
 dained by the Church; nor of thofe^hatjwhile 
 they were zealous for Rites and Forms , ne- 
 glected the Power. The Church of England 
 I have always reverenced , I mean in refpeel: 
 of the excellent constitutions and Laws of it; 
 as for corrupt practices of Officers or Mini- 
 sters therein , I can be forry for them, I can- 
 not defend them. And now , Since the late 
 obtiinate Disorders of our people , I am more 
 in love with the Beauty of the Church, appea- 
 ring SHU in the faid constitutions. Till I Hnd 
 a better Church , I mufl have leave to conti- 
 nue in the communion of this. A caufelefs Se- 
 paration from it, I cannot excufe from the 
 crime of§chifm. In the Ministration of the 
 Sacrament I indeavor to follow theRule fo far 
 as I can : and after the beSt preparation I can 
 ufe,admit on'y thofe that joyn with me in holy 
 
 profcrTions, 
 
profeffions , and ferious and folemn engage- 
 ments to lead a Chriftian life . If I be eriformed 
 of any particular,that fcandaloufly breaks his 
 Vow* I will take heed how I admit him a- 
 gain without fa tisfa&ion. But, where things 
 ate doubtful, I encline to the more favou- 
 rable part. Private Conference , either by 
 word or Letter, I much defirc with any of 
 your Temper; Publick I refufe not, if it 
 may be quiet and orderly. Your Letter I 
 much thank you for ; I will ftudy it, and 
 give you Account. This general Anfwer I 
 fcribled, and lent you this 'next morn after 
 the receit of yours, that you may know I 
 have kindly taken it, and that I heartily 
 am, 
 
 "S / £, 
 
 Tours C. B. 
 
 Hi* fuller Anfwer to Mr. A. P. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 THe £eal that fparkles all over your Let- 
 . ter of the i6. of Otto, (which I haye 
 now had leafure to read fo often, that I cart 
 read it perfectly) calls for a more particular 
 Anfwer» than I gave you on Monday lafc 
 Expect only a few brief notes upon it, tilf I 
 Mave the opportunity of a friendly meeting. 
 
 You 
 
You fay you do not find but Mr, H. procee- 
 ded according to what I propofed to him 
 My note ftiews that I offered a meeting at 
 the place he would appoint, in the prefence 
 of fomc difcreet Auditors: What place cari 
 be underftood, but a private place or houic? 
 as I alfo explaned my felf to the Baylif, that 
 jeceived of me the Paper, mentioning his 
 houfe, or Mr. F's, fo that, it is no receding 
 from my offer, but ^l refufal of an unreaio- 
 nable demand, if I come not among the 
 confufed multitude Perufe a paffage in Hoo- 
 kers Preface concerning publick Conferen- 
 ces or Difputes, and confider whether Mr, 
 JFT. his publike meeting will admit of any 
 fuch Rules. You fay , You are grieved to 
 hear of me as an Oppofer of Reformation , &c« 
 If you would make it appear to mc a that the 
 work at Winchcomb, is a work of true Re- 
 formation, Oh how glad fhould I be to con- 
 tribute my beft aid to it. But I admimfter 
 the holy things (you fay) to Prophane Wret- 
 ches, the haters of Godlinefl, who the next 
 hour, &c. We confefs our felves to God, 
 miferable and wretched finners, but we trull 
 in his mercy , that he will accept us (in 
 Chrift) notweiging our merits, but pardo- 
 ning our o fences. I (hall uie the beft means 
 1 ean, to find out thofe you characterize , 
 
 and 
 
and deal with them accordingly ; but after 
 all care there may be falfe Profeffors and 
 Revolters in the truefl Church. I counte- 
 nance none in their corrupt andlooie waies a 
 but on the contrary, fhewthe danger of fuch 
 loofenefs, and exhort unto all Gofpel-Order : 
 nor do I know any of my Company that 
 do fcornfully refufe it. I am not guilty of 
 the bloud of Chrilt, -which I highly honour,, 
 and Minifter to thole only that feem to me 
 tothfrft after it, and receive it with fear and 
 reverence, after profeflton of Faith and O- 
 bedience. If by s PraIatical 9 formal, fuperfti-* 
 ti<ms usages, you mean thole decent Ordejrs 
 and Rites which have been eftablifhed and 
 iifed in the Church of England, I have much 
 to fay for the Lawhilnefs of them, yet 
 am ready to fubmit to the commands of mf 
 Superiors, when they fhall eftablifti ano- 
 ther way agreeable to Gods word. I will 
 neither iliut my eyes againft the light, not 
 refift the Spirit of Chrift, for which I daily 
 pray. The way of holinefs, I conceive, doth 
 not exclude laudable Forms and Cuftoms, 
 which ferve for edification in holinefs. Ms 
 thinks it is very fit the body fliould aft a 
 part in the fervice of God with the Soul, for 
 both are Gods„ I had almoft forgot that 
 you fay, I have m Call to do what I do. If 
 
 Mr* 
 
Mr. H. hath as lawful a Call as I, I /will 
 feck Communion with him the next day I 
 know it* The out-comers that will make 
 ufe of my Miniftry, I cannot deny, fo long 
 as they have no Paftor that will own them 
 upon lawful conditions : for the conditions 
 of that fame new Covenant are not right 
 in the eyes of very knowing, orderly , and 
 weli-difpofed People, It had been,methinks, 
 a good way to havepropofed that Covenant 
 to debate among Neighbouring Minifters, 
 tefore it had been obtruded on the People, 
 under penalty of lofs of Communion. The 
 excellent Scriptures you commend unto 
 me, X have confidered, and will give you 
 my fcnfe of them, when I fee what dedu- 
 &ions you can make thence againft me. I 
 do think there areas good Preachers, and as 
 holy men of that way which you call Pre- 
 Jatical, as are under Heaven: qnos longe fe~ 
 
 5uar, & vefligia femper adoro i I fpeak of 
 l emU, Hookers, Ujbers, Halls, hakes, An- 
 drews ; I could weary you with names 
 worthy of eternal memory. It is eafy to 
 call yours the Lord's, (they that are truly 
 fo I honour, not defpife,) and others a loofe r 
 dead-hearted, carnal f arty. For my part I 
 judge no man, but pray that we may all la- 
 bour to make our calling fure, and work 
 
 out" 
 
out our own falvation with fear and Trem- 
 bling. By the Grace of God we are what we 
 are, if there be any good in any of us. That 
 Spirit of Grace whofe name (you fay) hath 
 been among [ome a derided thing (who have 
 given the oecalion to that derifion I will 
 not fay) is by all fober pcrfons ever to be 
 magnified and adored. Without which you 
 fay well, I cannot approve my fe/f a member 
 of his body, much left a Minifter of Qhrifi* 
 And therefore I pray for that Spirit, and (not 
 expefUng new Revelations) ftudy what is 
 the mind of the Spirit in the Holy Scripture. 
 For the explication whereof, becaufc a late 
 Doctor of ours, hath done more than any in 
 this Age , I commend his paiaphraie to. 
 you on the New Teftament, fpecially on 
 the Texts you cite to me: and defire you 
 to perufe [Sine Studio fartiftm] his Trea- 
 tife prefixed concerning the New Lights: 
 and if you look upon his Exposition of the 
 Afocalyp, you will have no caufe to repene 
 of your pains. Having mentioned this Au- 
 thor y of no lefs piety and modefty, than 
 Learning and judgement , I would gladly 
 know your opinion of his Latin Book a- 
 gainft Blondell. If either Blondell be right: 
 tor Presbytery, or He for Epifcppacy, [Vide 
 Jp vac at % Thorndik^rf Prim^Gpver^capidt , .?f. 
 
 the 
 
the Right of the Church.'] both waies your 
 New-Church- way will prove plainly Schif- 
 matical. I do verily believe the power of 
 Godlinefsmay be upheld without the over- 
 throw of ancient forms. Nor can I be lb ir- 
 reverent to our Fore-fathers, ever iince the 
 Reformation, much leis to all Antiquity, as 
 to flight and condemn what they either ap- 
 pointed or retained. My rule is this : Rites 
 of%eligion not off >o fire to Scripture may law - 
 fully be ufed. What fay you againft it ? Have 
 they not alfo (if they make for order and 
 Edification) a reall tendency (in your phrafe) 
 to advance Jefus Chrift ? What tendency to 
 this end is in the countenancing of Un-or- 
 dairied Minifters, and in ufurping a Power 
 of Government in the Church, which Chrift 
 hath depofited in other hands, and in let- 
 ting up ignorant Perfons to be publikc Cu- 
 rators, I confefs, Dear Sir, I do not under- 
 stand. And my oppoinion againft fuch waies ? 
 proceeds meerly of duty. In which opposi- 
 tion I (hall carry my felf with all Modera- 
 tion, approving and imitating what is com- 
 itendafole in the Advcrfary, while I oppole 
 what I can prove to be blamcable. Him will 
 I willingly confer with, either by my tongue 
 or pen, in fuch manner as I may fafely do it c 
 but much rather with your felf, becaufe I 
 
 conceive 
 
conceive you are of a fweeter temper, that I 
 mention not parts, Learning, and the like 
 things, which (although without Grace they 
 are not much to be valued, yet) are very 
 ufeful and fubiervient to the rvor^ of God. 
 Wherein I heartily defire to joyn with you 
 fo far as I can, and I hope in whatfoever 
 we be differently minded, God will in time 
 reveal even that to us* To his gracious dire- 
 ction and blefling I commend you and your 
 labours, praying, that as you are endowed 
 with precious gifts of Zeal, Elocution, Lear- 
 ning* Judgement, Meekneis, fo you may 
 employ them happily to the Glory of the 
 Donor, in procuring the Unity and Tran» 
 quillity of his Church. 
 
 Yoptr fervaxt in Chrift, 
 Nov.2. i 6$ g. 
 
 C. B, 
 
 Mr. B. to Mr, H, Novem.j. 1653, 
 
 SIR, 
 
 T Am affured, you are refolved to hold your 
 publick meeting on Wednefday next, and 
 I am defired by iome of your Neighbours, 
 as well as your felf, to be prefent. I intend, 
 God willing, to wait on you at your hour, 
 e 2 on 
 
On this condition that you permit me being 
 RefpondemtoftandinyourPue, that I may 
 be leen and heard the better, and be free 
 from the croud. You, and if they be pre- 
 fent, Mafter Palmer, and Matter Tray I will 
 embrace (and only you, in order) as my Op- 
 ponents, placing your felves a part as you 
 fhall fee moft convenient. That the people 
 abftain from all rudenefs and disturbance of 
 our work, your Officers rauft take care, 
 
 Qu. Whether it be lawful to adminifler 
 and receive the Holy Sacrament in Congre- 
 gations called mixt ? Aff. My meaning is 
 clearly to affirm what you denyi though my 
 Terms are not juft the fame. 
 
 Tours in the Truth, 
 C. B. 
 
 All was granted, but the Pue« 
 
 An 
 
cflffr 
 
 An Anfwer to a Qgeftioir 
 
 propofed by the feparatins 
 
 Minifter to one of the Parifh 
 
 of JT. 1653. 
 
 Qji. Of what Church are Tou .?, 
 
 I.J Am a member of the Parifl, Church 
 
 ml ,^« ere a;l Ve; whkb ' althoil S h » be 
 muchdiftraited by a Minifter of feparation 
 y«.tw not deftroyed. Although we S 
 not come to the ufual place for "the .prefent, 
 fefdy and w ,thout danger of being engaged 
 m Prayers aga. f ft our Confcience? and' of 
 3 *Ti by erroneous doflrin , and 
 much offended and grieved by uncharitable 
 
 fentences 
 
fentences and judgements upon our Chri- 
 ftian Brethren ; yet we preferve the practice 
 of our Religion at home , and fometimes 
 partake of the prblick Ordinances abroad, 
 andareinreadinefsto fubmit our fclves ei- 
 ther to the preient Mini fter, when he lhall 
 approve himfclf our lawful and Orthodox 
 Paftor, or to fome o;her duly to be placed 
 
 over us, 
 
 *. I am a Member of the N*tiond 
 Church of EngUni ; which we acknow- 
 ledge a true vifiblc Church of Chriflr, though 
 Tome what clouded now and defaced by the 
 modern innovations : to which yet there 
 are many thouland profeffors that have 
 not bowed. And the Communion of this 
 Church we will not forfake, but pray that 
 Government agreeable to the word of God 
 may be reftored to it. 
 
 v lama Member of the Church Co- 
 tholick* wto which I was received at my 
 Baptiim; and I defire to joyn with any 
 peaceable Chriftian in the whole world, in 
 the profeflion of that Faith which was once, 
 ddivcr'd , and in foch forms of WorfhiP 
 
 which 
 
•which agree therewith. And we pray, that by 
 the means of Chriftian Princes a Free (jc- 
 neral Council may at length be affembled, 
 to reconcile the Differences* and guide the 
 Affairs of Chriftendom, to the good of Souls, 
 and the Glory of our Common Saviour. 
 
 
 A 
 
 IIYlYll I I I III IIYWYV 
 
TO THE 
 
 MINISTERS 
 
 HIS 
 
 0TT03\CE^TS 
 
 vyiaiwv. 
 
 THE report of our Difpute being 
 fpread abroad, and (as it happens in 
 other fights) Vi$ory being cry'd 
 on both fides, I thought tt reaso- 
 nable to publifb this Account of it, that the 
 impartial Reader may judge. Another rea- 
 fon is, that our fe\ves,my brethren (this com- 
 pellation you will not difdain for Jefus fake) 
 may in cold blood rel/iew what hath paffed, 
 and either I may come to you, or you to me, 
 d4 Truth fba 11 require. The fir ft honour is to 
 Defend the Truth, the fecond to Yield unto 
 it. If any of you will write, remember thofe 
 words of the Grave Hooker. "There will 
 " come a time when three words uttered with 
 " Charity and tJMeeknefi, fhall receive K a far 
 " more bleffedreward , than three thoufand 
 u volumes written with difdainfut fharfnefs 
 tC of wit. 
 
 If you fleafe to^ hold an other ? pctfonai 
 meeting, tt is fit you anfwer our Arguments 
 
againfi you concerning what y§u delivered at 
 Winchcomb Nov. 8. in disgrace of our Mi- 
 niftry and < Parijh-£hHrches ; but if you- go 
 on to decline aniwering, and are only good 
 at opposing, / do not, refuse to appear again 
 in defence, not only of our miniftring the Sa- 
 crament, hut of the other two Thefe s, That 
 your new Churches, are not the only true 
 Churches, And , That Chrift was truly 
 Preached before thefe late years. Upon which 
 (in conformity to the old Vniverfity fafhion) 
 I take leave to adde here^ not any Libel, at 
 one of you called it> but my fad Epigram. 
 
 Fafifts took one away, but you combine 
 To rob the People both of Bread and Wine % 
 They blame us, 'caufe we have not Rites fo 
 
 many $ 
 But you condemn us more, 'caufe we have 
 
 any. 
 They will not call us Catholickj ; you can 
 Scarce yield us the firft name of thrift tan, 
 VaoxSnglifb Church ! thy enemies from Rome 
 Were cruel ; more unkind are thefe at home. 
 
 Your fervant in the Truth 
 
 Oxon.Nov.i6. 
 
 I 4 % 3. Clement Barkjdale, 
 
(3) 
 *&» «•& cMf» t&* 149 3 t&a *!*» ti&? 1?»» cM*» «£» 
 
 8»S» 
 
 ^Difputandi Sobrietas Eccle- 
 
 Jiarum Medicina. 
 
 A true Account of a Dif- 
 
 putc at [Winchcomb-Farifb-Chunh 
 November 9. 1653. Written by a 
 
 careful Oblerver November 11. and Prin- 
 ted with Licence November 16. for »he 
 fatisfa&ion of the People at and ncef 
 Winchcomb* 
 
 Great ts the Truth, and it will prevail. 
 
 PON the ninth of this Novem- 
 ber, between nine and ten in the 
 Morning, Mr. Barkftale Minifter 
 at Sudeley the~Refpondent having 
 waited a while for the comming of the Op- 
 ponents, firft enters Mr. Mdm Minifter at 
 A % ffinchcomb? 
 
(4) 
 
 Wlnchcomb, immediately after him enters Col- 
 lonel Aileveorth Juflice of peacc,Mr. Tray Mi- 
 nifter at Oddington, Mr. Wells Minifter at 
 Tewkjbury,Wlt \Chajf ^Minilter at Naunton,znd 
 fome other, i. After they had taken poflefli- 
 onoftheMiniftersPue, all together, the Ref- 
 pondent aicendsaPuee.v oppojito ,yih\ch he had 
 caufed to be ere&ed for the purpole (his friend 
 Mr. To-toers Minifterat Toddington, and tome 
 other Orthodox Minifters taking up a lower 
 feat next unto him on the right hand:) where, 
 firft falling on his knees, after a fhort ejacula- 
 tion he (hews himfelf, and faluted his Oppo- 
 nents,and after fome little Paufe the Queftion 
 waspropofed, whether it be lawful te Mini- 
 ster and Receive the Holy Sacrament in Con- 
 gregatiens called mixt ? (Or, in our Parifh- 
 Churches f ) Aff . The prior Opponent Mr. 
 Jf.de fired to begin with prayer. Take your 
 liberty* laid the Refpondent, who after the 
 Preface (wherein like a good Orator , the 
 Opponent told the people that Truth muft 
 look for oppofition, and that the Refpondent 
 "was a native of the place, and himfelf a 
 ftfanger) and the prayer done, (pake thus : 
 You will now give me leave alfo to fpeak 
 three words, t. To God. i. To the Hearers. 
 3. To rhc Opponents 1. To God I make 
 my humble adjrefs,- and intreat you to lift 
 
 U») 
 
(5) 
 
 up your hearts with me, that he would be 
 pleated to open our eyes that we may fee 
 the Truth, to open our Hearts that we may 
 embrace the Truth, and to give us courage 
 to confefs the Truth, and to hold it fait un- 
 to the end, for Jeius Chrifts fake, to whom 
 be glory for ever. 2. To the Hearers my ear- 
 ned: defire is, that you would lay afide all 
 prejudice, and partiality, and liften to what 
 fhali be faid on either fide with filence and 
 patience. And becaufe I am a man of a flow 
 Tongue, of a tender Forehead, of a frail 
 Memory, of a weak Judgement, I have the 
 more caufe to beg of you my friends, your 
 fecretatfiftanceby your mental prayer, that 
 God would fupport me fo far as I defend his 
 caufe. For I declare in the prefence of God, 
 the fearcher of hearts, that I do verily think 
 that to be true which I maintain, and that I 
 am not willingly an enemy to true Refor- 
 mation, or the work of God in this place 
 (as I have been grievoufly charged ,) nor am 
 la friend to any thing that can juftiy be 
 called Popifh, or Antichriftian, God knows 
 I deteft and; abhor it, j.Laftly to theft 
 Gentlemen my Opponents my requeftis, that 
 you would deal with me fairly and Scholar-? 
 like. Take you your, turns, and give, me 
 mine to fpeak : come you on, pnc after one , 
 a 5 an4 
 
CO 
 
 and let me have liberty to repeat^ to deny, to 
 diitinguifh, to explain what I fay, fo far a*~ 
 is needful. And to conclude, if we cannot 
 agree in our opinions, let us yet (I pray) be 
 one in Affection, and preferve amonglt us 
 that Chriftian Peace and Charity which is 
 the mark and the honour of the Bifciples of 
 our gracious Lord and Matter. 
 
 The Refpondent in one or. his papers afore 
 this exercife had called the publick Meeting 
 place (as they term it) the Houfe of God; 
 But one of the Opponents Mr. W. put for- 
 ward, and, omitting the Queftion, began in a 
 light velitation about that Appellation after 
 this manner. 
 
 W. The Houfe of God, it is Superftition 
 to call the place fo. 
 
 B. I deny that proportion; prove it. , 
 
 W. "the People of God are alone his Houfe; 
 God dwells in the Hearts of his Saints, 
 
 B. I Aniwer, the Houfe of God, is either 
 the Spiritual Houfe, or the \JMaterial Houfe; 
 The Hearts of his Elecl: People are the Spi- 
 ritual Houfe wherein it pleafeth God to 
 dwell and refide ; This place built by our pi- 
 ous Anceltors, and feparated from other ufes 
 to his Honour and Service, may without of- 
 fence Recalled his Material Houfe. 
 
 W. This Houfe was not b mlt for the Ho- 
 lt our and Service of God. B, I 
 
(7) 
 
 J. i expect your proof of that Propofi* 
 tion. 
 
 W. Thus : The Houfe built in the reign 
 
 cf Popery, and for the Honour and Adoratim 
 ef Saint s, was not built for the honour an A 
 Service of (jodi But, this Houfe was built 
 in the reign of Popery , and for the Honour 
 and ^Adoration of Saints $ Therefore this 
 Houfe was not built for the Homnr and Ser- 
 vice of God. 
 
 B. I repeat, 7 he Houfe built, g^c. And 
 I anfwer to the major by diftinguifhing of 
 the end for which the Houfe was built. The 
 End is either principal, or lefs principal; This 
 Houfe was built for the Honour and fervice 
 of God, as the principal Bnd\ it was bmlt 
 for the Honour and Adoration of Saints as 
 the lefs principal 2nd, In the Reformation 
 of Religion our Church reteined the firft 
 End, and re&ifyed the fecottd a Honouring 
 the Saints with a pious Memory 9 not Ado- 
 ring them with divine fVorjhip. Hear the 
 Church her felf fpeak in her excellent Li^> 
 turgy.— 
 
 W. & H. Away with it ; we will hear 
 none of your Liturgy and old Forms 9 
 
 B. But I muft clear the Church from all 
 fufpicion of Adoring the Saints, and make 
 the T^uth evident out of the Collet for All- 
 
 • §ain£$ 
 
m 
 
 Saints day, and 'tis worthy to be heard of 
 All : " Almighty God, which haft knit to- 
 " gether thy elc&inone Communion and 
 ** fellowftiip, in the myftical body of thy 
 *' Son Jelus Chrift our Lord; grant us grace 
 " fo tofollow thy holy Saints in all vertuous 
 <e and Godly living, rhat we may come to 
 " thole unfpeakable joys which thou haft 
 " prepared for them that unfeignedly love 
 *' thee through Jelus Chrift our Lord, Amen. 
 I befeech you AH to take notice that our 
 Church i& free from thatiuperftition,or what- 
 ever it be called, wherewith the Church of 
 Rome is juftly charged. The Saints are in our 
 Prayers for imitation, not for adoration. Our 
 Houies therefore being truly built at firft for 
 God's Service, and now ufed by us for the 
 right end, the fetting apart of iiich places 
 for divine Worfhip, makes them relatively 
 holy, and gives God a peculiar Title to them, 
 and he owns them for hts- y " My Houie fhall 
 be called a Houfe of prayer. 
 
 W. Tour own Houfe may be as well ufed 
 [o, and called Gods Houfe, and a holy -place. 
 
 B. No, Though God may be feived in e- 
 very place, and I ferve him dayly in my own 
 houfe, yet the pub //'replace feparated for his 
 fervice, I fay, becomes his by a peculiar 
 right. All the world is his, but our Churches 
 
 arc 
 
(*) 
 
 arc his to a lingular and holy purpofe, by a 
 fingular dedication. As he hath his Day, fo 
 alio a place for his Worfhip , both Holy. 
 " Keep ye my Sabbath, and reverence my 
 " San&uary. For your fatisfa&ion fee Mr. 
 Mede's Divine Treatife upon Hallowed be 
 thy name, and his letter to D. Twifs, Now 
 let us Hoc agere, and come to the bufinefs of 
 the day. 
 
 H. To the Qu eft ion of the day, my fir ft Ar- 
 gument is this. That it is not lawfull to ad- 
 minifter the Sacrament in your Parifh- 
 Churches, thus I -prove: If you have not a true 
 calling in your Qhurch of England, then it is 
 not law full for you to adminifter the Sacrament 
 in your Parifh-Churches i But you have not 
 a true falling in your Church of 'England * 
 Therefore it is not lawfullfor you to minifter 
 the Sacrament in your JParifh-faurches m 
 
 B. I repeat, If we have not, &c. I deny 
 your minor, and affirm, we have a. true cal- 
 ling in our Church of England, 
 
 H. If in your calling by the Bifloops you 
 are engaged to fuperftitious and unlawful pra- 
 tftcejL, then your calling in the Church cf 
 England is not a true Calling: but in your 
 calling by the Bifhops you are engaged to fu- 
 perftitious and unlawful practices * Therefore 
 your Calling in the Church of England is not 
 a true Calling, B,I 
 
( xo ) 
 B. I deny your minor, and affirme , we arc 
 fiot engaged to any fuperftitious and unlaw- 
 full practices is our Calling by the Bifhops. 
 
 H . The keeping of Holy-day es [Y do not 
 mean Holy-day es upn occafion y as our Thanks- 
 giving dayes Jbut your fet holy-dajes~^ the keep- 
 ong of your holy 'dayes is an unlawful! practice: 
 But in your Calling by the Bijhops you are in- 
 gaged to the keeping of Holy-dayes ; Therefore 
 in the Calling by the Blft/ops you are ingagedto 
 unlaw full practices. 
 
 B. I deny your major, and afiRrm^hat the 
 keeping of our holy-dayes is not an unlawful! 
 prance. 
 
 H. A praB ice again ft Cjods command is an 
 unlaw full practice: But your practice is againft 
 Cods command ; Therfore your praclice is an 
 unlaw fu 11 praElice 4 
 
 B. Not againft God's command • how 
 prove you that? 
 
 H. My text is in 2o. Exod. where you fhall 
 find it a part of the fourth Commandement ,Stx 
 dayes fhalt thou labour and do all that thou 
 haft to do : Therefore , it is againft Gods com- 
 mandto keep any one of the fix dayes holy, 
 
 B. I anfwer tw:> wayes , 1 . By retortion. 
 2. By interpretation. 1 . By retortion , I fay 
 your Argument rebounds upon your feif 9 and 
 condemnes your own prafUcc ; and that Text 
 
 in 
 
(•"J 
 
 in your fenfe , that we are commanded to la* 
 bour fix dayes, takes away as well occafionall 
 hoJy-dayes as fet and recurrent. For out 
 Thanksgiving dayes are not dayes of labour. 
 l. By interpretation , the words you urge are 
 not preceptive but permijfive. God requires 
 one day in feven, and allowes us fix > not de- 
 nying us the liberty, if we be fo devour, as to 
 confeerate fome part of them alfo to his pu- 
 bliek Service. The Jewes had among their 
 holy-dayes the feaft of Dedication, of human 
 Inftitution s which yet we read that Chriftr 
 himfelfobfervcd. 
 
 H. fVorjhip net i nflttuted by (jod u ttnlaw- 
 full Worjkip : But your Holy-dayes are a Wor- 
 flitp not inftituted by (jod , but by human au- 
 thority, therefore your holy»dayes are unlawful! 
 Worfhip. 
 
 B. I anfwer to the minor, and fay,that our 
 holy-dayes are not the tVorjhip it'feJf , but a 
 circumflance of the Worfliip : and circum- 
 flances of Gods Worfliip may be ordained 
 lawfully by men. 
 
 H. Well , your calling by the Btfhops (howe- 
 ver) is net lawfully and thus I prove it. If the 
 Scripture aliases of no Diocefan Bijhops , then 
 your calling by the Bifhops is net lawfull , But 
 the Scripture allowes of no Diocefan Bifhops* 
 Therefore^ &q> 
 
 B. I 
 
(xa) 
 
 B, I deny your minor, and affirme » the 
 Scripture does allow Dioeefan Biihops. 
 
 H. There is not fo much as the name of a 
 Dioeefan Bijhop in ail the Scripture. 
 
 B. But there is more than the T^ame ; 
 there is die Thing , there is the Off.ce. The 
 word Trinity is not in the Scripture , yet we; 
 Beiiere the Trinity. 
 
 H. Where doth the Scripture fk eiv many 
 fuch office ? bring forth your proofe of it. 
 
 B. *Fis my part to anfvvcr your proofs. 
 Now you pur on the Respondent the part of an 
 Opponent. Let them than have been bred in 
 the Schools judge whether you do like a fair 
 frifprnanr, 
 
 H. Our difbate is not an Univerfity Dif- 
 pme y but for the clearing of the truth to fome 
 Gcdly People. 
 
 B. D) you think the Uruverfity Difputa- 
 tidns ( which are the beft in the world ) are 
 not for the clearing of the Truth ? But what 
 faith Mr. Tr. fhall I propofe my Argument , 
 ro Drove Dioeefan Bifhops by the Scripture ? 
 
 Tr, Ton have liberty to propofe your Argu- 
 ment ,and fcnv in what part of Scripture you 
 can find tie Office of any Dioeefan Bijhop. 
 
 B. I allege principally the Epiftlesof S c 
 TomUo Tin, \ot hy and Titus , and particularly 
 Trt x i i 5. For this caufe left I thee in Creet , 
 
 that 
 
 
f that thou fliouldi-i fet in order the things 
 
 * that are wanting , and ordaine Eiders iti e- 
 
 * very City, as I have appointed thee; Out of 
 which Text i will prove that Titus was a Bi- 
 fhop, and Greet his Diocefe , and therefore 
 here we have found the Dioceiian Bifliop. 
 But before I proceed , let me aske ycis, 
 Gentlemen, do you not put me upon this to 
 enfnare me ? Do you mean no harm to me ? 
 
 Tr. No I ajfure yo.it $ wherefore in Gsi$ 
 Name fpeak^freely. 
 
 . Bt- I humbly thank you s but firft jet oie 
 openly declare before all this AfTembly , that 
 I have no mind to oppofe any acl: of Siate^nor 
 will I meddle at all with the Lands and Lord- 
 flips of Bimops,only I plead for the Order and 
 Funttion of Bifhops 9 1 plead for the primitive 
 Apoftolicall Bifliop and no other ; And thzt 
 this Text is forme, thus I prove : He that 
 hath a power to ordaine EIders,and fet things 
 in order in the Church is a BiOiop : But 
 Titus hath a power to ordaine Elders, and to 
 fet things in order in a Church : Therefore 
 Titm is a Bifhop. 
 
 H. But you rrntft prove him to be a Dioce- 
 san Bijhof. 
 
 B. So I do. Greet was his Diocefe ; the 
 whole Hand was committed to his Cover- 
 mew. Vioeef* 9 my friends, is a ©reek word 
 
C 14) 
 
 (*ri<w j^mmTf - to order and adminifter the af- 
 faires of Gods Houfe) (ignifying the territory 
 or circuit of a Bifhop. So Creet may be well 
 called the Dioceie of Bithop Titus , having 
 under his infpedion ( as us plainej the El- 
 ders of the Cities there. 
 
 W. The Cities were not under Titus his 
 Goverment,he was not a Ruler of the Hand. 
 
 B. He was Ruler of all the Chriftians ( I 
 mean onely them) through all the Cities 
 and Country. 
 
 Tr. But Titus was an Evangelift ; There* 
 Jore no Bifhop. 
 
 B. I deny the Confequenee : He was an 
 Evangelifi , vvhi e he went about Preaching 
 and Planting the Gofpell, And he was the Bt*- 
 fhop of Creet when he was fixed there by Paul 
 * to Ordaine Elders , and put in order the 
 ' things that were wanting. 
 
 H. We find Titus in other places be fide 
 Creet , and Bijhopsofthofe times were not non- 
 ref dents .• Therefore he was not Bijhof if 
 Creet. 
 
 ^ B. Bifhops may lawfully be (and were an- 
 ciently ) non-re fident for fome time , to wit , 
 while they attend the bufinefs of Religion a- 
 broad, and procured the greater good of the 
 Church : In which time of their abfence their 
 places arc fupplyed at home by their T)e- 
 fMies. Tr. 
 
( *v> 
 
 Tr. But Sir, I fray , conftder Titus was an 
 extraordinary Governor , and therefore no Dio- 
 cefan Bifloop. And you difpute fallacioujly ,unlefs 
 you put in the word Ordinary. 
 
 B. I fay he was a Diocefan Bifliop, or (if 
 you will ) rather an Arehbifhop , For I con- 
 ceive the Elders of every City to have been 
 Bijhops and Overfeers of fcverall Minifters and 
 Congregations .• therefore he was an ordina- 
 ry Governour. Thus I argue : He that or- 
 daines Elders , and orders the things in the 
 Churches,is an Ordinary: But T/> *# ordaines 
 Elders , and orders things in the Churches ; 
 Therefore Titus is an Ordinary. 
 
 Tr« But I mean he was called to that office 
 in an extraordinary manner. 
 
 B. No neither. He was called in the fame 
 manner as Timothy and others, by Impofition 
 of the Presby tery : Therefore He was called 
 in an Ordinary manner. 
 
 Col. A . Timothy was called ( faith Paul m 
 another place) by the laying on of his hands \ 
 
 B. Noble Sir > you fay very true ; and the 
 places are eafily reconciled thus : Divers El- 
 ders laid hands on Timothy , among whom S. 
 *J?au\ probably was chief. 
 
 H. AndwasPml too a Diocefan Bijhep} 
 
 B . The Apoftles common Diocefe was the 
 whole world, which by agreement they di- 
 vided 
 
{i6) 
 
 vided among them : and S. Paul was ejpecial- 
 //ihe A po&e of the Gentiles. But in the A- 
 fofiles I grant fome things are extraordinary y 
 
 Tr. Praj , make it out cleerely that Titus 
 fyis cafe is not extraordinary, otherwise you dif-> 
 pute fallacies jly. 
 
 B. Truth needs nofophiftry. Thus I make 
 it out. The office that is to continue in the 
 Church , and to be fucceeded in through fol- 
 lowing ages , is no extraordinary office : Bkc 
 this office oiTitm is {uch; Therefore*, &c. 
 
 H. What ? is it to continue to the worlds 
 end} 
 
 B. Yes,to the worlds end. For it is Chri/ts 
 Promife ; ' I am with you alway even to the 
 ' end of the worid. Mat. ult. ult. What fay 
 you to my argument? Ordination and Ju- 
 rifdiwtion are Offices or Powers needful! to 
 ths Church in all Ages : This Office of Pow- 
 er or Titus was Ordination and JurifdicH- 
 on ; Therefore this Office of Titus is needful! 
 to the Church in all Ages , and therefore no 
 extraordinary Office. And my Brethren, I 
 would have you to know, we are able to (hew 
 out of the beft Reccrds and Monuments of 
 the Antient Church , that there was zfuccef- 
 ficn to the Apoftolieall Bifhops in thefe parts 
 of their Office j And the Catalogues of fuccee- 
 ding Bifliops in feveraJl Apoftoiicall Sees are 
 
 yet 
 
(17) 
 
 yet extant: And the Fathers and Couneills 
 and Ecclefiafticail Hiftories eome in here 
 with undeniable evidence, that Diocefah Bl- 
 «fhops are iueeeflbrs of the Apoftles in the 
 Covernment of Churches. 
 
 if. See, godly Brethren* the fabtilty of thus 
 man : He will not contain himfelf within thp. 
 Holy Scripture }ut tells us of Fathers an&Ec-* 
 vlefia flic all Stories, arid human Authorities. 
 
 B. Who fbeeeecfcdi&che' government of 
 Cfiutches : afcer the Apoftles , we rnuft learn 
 out of the^vridngs ofthe^ext AgeS. And I 
 tell you not only Fathers and Chureh-ftory a 
 but ail otMr good iearning is tequifite in a 
 cornpleat Divine. Mark this , you bold un- 
 learned nevv-fpeakers and expounders of 
 Scripture^ Mark it and remember it well. 
 And for the queftion of Church-government 
 efpedaliyjtis impoffible to find a better way 
 to underftand the Scripture, than by the pra- 
 ttle e of the primitive times of the Ghrirtiat* 
 Church. ;..; ; - 
 
 H. Expound Scripture bf the prahice of 
 the 'primitive. Church ? t>o ye he are him bre- 
 thren ?.as if Scripture needed the help of the 
 Church, We thought we fhouldfinde him en* 
 cliningtoJPopery. 
 
 B . i dete$ all Popery, charge me not fo ig- 
 
 nosantly. Upotr my life I will make it good 
 
 B by 
 
c is) 
 
 by: the judgment of the moft learned and 
 found 'trot eft ant s, that the pra&iee of the pri- 
 mitive Church is a great light to Scripture. 
 But this requires the fcarehing of Books, 
 which at your lefure I mould be glad to (hew 
 yon. 
 
 W, Trot eft ants r, Whom do yon mean by 
 JProneftants? 
 
 "f B. I mean thofe that proteft againft the 
 Erf or$.& Innovations of the Roman Church 
 in jatter times,and endeavour to reform Re- 
 ligion according to the Scripture , and the 
 primitive pattern. 
 
 H. ton fee he tak.es in the fraftice of the 
 Trim hive Church again. 
 
 B. I do and muft ; and thus I argue : That 
 Government which in the primitive Ages 
 took place in the Churches planted by the A- 
 pofties, is the \poftolieall and Scripture Go- 
 vernment.* But the, Government of Dioeefan 
 Biftiops took place in the Churches planted 
 by the ApoftJes ; Therefore the Government 
 of the Dioeefan Bi Chops is the Apoftolicall 
 and Scripture Government. Now let me fee 
 who will anfwer me. 
 
 W. Antichrift', Antichrift was working be- 
 times. 
 
 &• Whether it he Antichriftianifm to efta^ 
 blifli , or to overthrow the Function of Bi- 
 
 flaops. 
 
(19) 
 fhops, let all eonfidering men judge by the * 
 Premifes. 
 
 W. But why do you Hake in any thing elfe 
 with Scripture , as if that alone were not fitjfi- 
 eient for m ? i ! ■,,... 
 
 H. Tea Scripture t ,Scripture, we are conten- 
 ted with Scripture. 
 
 B. Give me leave to explain my felf to All, 
 and f entreat you , Harken , The Scriptures 
 perfe&ionljLdo thankfully acknowledge : but 
 the things conteined in the Scripture are fome 
 of them conteined iait plainly and exprejly , 
 to be apprehended by every Reader ; other 
 things are conteined there implicit ely 9 virtu- 
 ally , andlfo as there is heed of many helps to 
 make our deductions thence. And for the 
 Scripture-government I know no better light 
 tofhewicthan the practice of the Antienc 
 Church. I argue thus : They that have com- 
 mended to us the very Books of Scripture are 
 fitteft to give us the.fenfe of them , efpecial- 
 ly in point of (SoVernment : But the Antienc 
 Church hath commended to us the very 
 books of Scripture ; Therefore the Antient 
 Church is fitteft to give us the (enfe,&c And 
 I pray Mr. W. how will you prove that the 
 Scripture is the Word of God? 
 
 W« I know it hy the Teftimony of the Holy 
 Spirit in me. 
 
 B 2 B, Bwt 
 
B. But how will you convince another 
 that will not believe your Spirit , that tbc 
 Scripture is divine?Herc you may make very 
 good uic of the Teftimony of the next Ages, 
 that received it from the Apoftlesand gave it 
 down to their Followers. 
 
 W. and H. Popery, to defend upon the Te~ 
 fiimonyofthe Chnrch. 
 
 9 o. Since you are many at oncenpon one 
 (which is not fair) give me leave caput in 
 fometimes in behalf and for the eafe of the 
 Respondent. We fay J we depend upon the 
 teftimoity oi the Am tent Church > not of the 
 now. Roman Church. The Roman Church is 
 a very corrupt Church f the Primitive times 
 were far more pure. 
 
 W. What do. you tall^df: Purity after the 
 'Apo files times ? Did not many Herefes creep 
 in* : 3tL* rfi 
 
 To, By this Argument you will condemn 
 the Apoiiles times alfo .° for even then were 
 not wanting Schifmes and Hereftes. 
 
 B. Will you leavethis as it is * and pro- 
 ceed to fome farther Argument , and come 
 dofe to the bufinefs of the Sacrament? I fay , 
 it is Iawfnll for me to Minifter the Sacrament: 
 in the Congregation at Sudeley. 
 
 H. Thus I proceed to {hew , that your .cal- 
 ling is null i therefore you cannot cMinifier, 
 
 Mimfiers 
 
( «■) 
 
 Mtniftersthat Prophane the holy things of the 
 Lord , their calling is null : But many Parijh 
 Minifters prophane the holy things oft he Lord; 
 Therefore their Calling is null. 
 
 B. You (hould fay All Parijh Mini ft ers: 
 foryou bold it is not lawful coMinifter in any 
 mixt Congregation > a^d <uch you fay arc all 
 Parifh Churches. But fay neither All , nor 
 Many, but apply the minor tome, whom you 
 have publikely in your Sermons condemned 
 (before you ufed the Chrifiian wayes.of more 
 private Admonition : ) and then I deny both 
 your premiies, both Ma]or and Minor, both 
 are falfe and Scandalous. Neither doth the 
 prophaning of Holy things null the Miri^ers 
 callfng. # nor have I prophaned the Holy things 
 in the faid Miniftery. 
 
 H . Fir ft then I prove the m ajor fully : you 
 that have Bibles 9 Brethren , pray turn to the 
 places. Ez^ek. 22. 26\ ^44. 13. 
 B. What prove you thence ? 
 H. That prophaning the Holy things nulls 
 the Priefthoody for they (ball be no Priefts unto 
 me y faith the Lord, 
 
 B.I anfwet to the Text, by diftinguifhing 
 between the Order of a Prieft, and the Office 
 ofa Prieft, They mall be no, Priefts unto me: 
 here is a fufpenfion from the Office and work 
 of the Priefts, no nulling of the Priefthood it 
 fel£, w. 
 
( * ) 
 
 W. Then it feems by you % They were Priefls 
 and no Trie/Is. Cjed faith , They fhall not ^ you 
 fay, they fhall remain Priefls . 
 
 To. He hath mewed you how. They 
 were Priefts and no Priefts in divers re- 
 fpects: They were fiiiJ of the Order and race 
 of Pried"?, they were not to officiate any more 
 in the Pricftly office. God would hot accept 
 them \ he faith , They fhall be no Priefls unto 
 me. Yet who knoweth but upon their re- 
 pentance God might readmit them, not by a 
 new Confecration, but by Abfolution. And fo 
 Minifters , when they are reftored after fiif- 
 penfion 3 are not new Ordained , but only the 
 Cenfures taken off. 
 
 Tr. Well, you, grant at la ft a removall and 
 fufpenfion from the office, though the calling 
 be not nulled: ^4ndfo you will confefi you de- 
 fer ve to be removed from Officiating , if y oft 
 frophane the Holy Things of the Lord. 
 
 B, I will grant , that a Minifter , if he be 
 fb prophane > ought not to officiate •• but I 
 think the proceedings againft a Minifter muft 
 he tender and wary; Receive not an accufati- 
 <m againft an Elder without two or three wit- 
 neffes. Conviction mu ft go before Cenfure* 
 and upon Repentance reftauration follower. 
 And I refufe not to be fo dealt with. 
 
 1 Tr . Proceed therefore, and prove your mi- 
 ner. 
 
KM ) 
 
 nor, that he doth prophane the holy things of 
 the Lord, 
 
 H. They that adminifter the Sacrament 
 promifcnoujly to All, do prophane ** ■ ^ But 
 you fo adminifler - 9 Therefore, &c. 
 
 B. Your minor's hlfc and Scandalous. 
 The Congregation of my hearers, I will 
 confels, is mix: :noc fothe Company of my 
 Communicants. Underftand what my pra- 
 ctice is. After divers preparations, when the 
 Sacrament is to be adminitfred, I prdclame, 
 All that are not prepared Depart, ton that 
 are prepared, Stay B Thefe, after the depar- 
 ture of the reft, I look upon as prepared in 
 fome meafure, and fo I go on. 
 
 H. If you do adminifler the Sacrament ts 
 the unregenerate ■ « 
 
 Tr. "Hp, no, fay thus ■ ■ to the ignorant 
 and Prophane, 
 
 H. Ton Minifter the Holy Sacrament te 
 the ignorant and profhane* 
 
 B. You do well to prompt one another; 
 Prove it. Or, if you pleafe, I anfwer, perfons 
 may be ignorant and prophane, either in* the 
 eye of God, that fearcheth the fecrets of the 
 heart ; or in the eye of the Church, that looks 
 upon the outward appearance. In the for- 
 mer fenfe fome of us may be fuch, we are 
 nqtfoin the latter. 
 
 B 4 Tr. 
 
f *4) 
 
 Tr. Pray Mr.% let me dsl^you, Do you, 
 know every one that you Minifter the Sacra* 
 mem to .? 
 
 B. Lwill give you an ingenuous anfwcr %, 
 I do not know every one. 
 
 Tr. O I how can you juftify your felf in 
 this ? 
 
 W. Why here's a confejjlon of the fault we 
 (ay to your charge: you give the Sacrament 
 you know not to whom *We have done now. 
 
 H. We thank the Lord, Brethren, that the 
 goodwork^isfo happily brought to a conclu- 
 fion this day. You hear what he confejfeth, he 
 doth not know [ome of them, who they are, 
 and yet he fhould know them to be vifible 
 Saints. A good Shef heard knows his flock. 
 
 B. Hold a little, my Mafters, and take 
 me with you. Have patience while I give 
 in my Anfwer. I do not know them, and yet 
 I do know them. I know them not, fome 
 of them,by name, I have no familiar acquain- 
 tance with them, I do not know them in 
 civil relations : but I do know them, and 
 own them in a religious relation. I know 
 no hurt by them. 
 
 Tr. Tou Know no hurt by them 4 Alas, 
 Alas, poor creature* !, 
 
 B. Hearmeouc. I do not only know no 
 Imrtbythem, but I know much good by 
 
 them, 
 
;C ?s ) 
 
 them, their vifible and cheerful profejfton of 
 the, true Chriftian Faith , their reverent be- 
 haviour at their Prayers, their humble Ccn- 
 feffion of Sins , earneft defires of pardon > 
 hearty promifes of new obedience. An ap:- 
 pearance of Faith and Repentance, joyned 
 with Charity and thankfulnrffomfiefi me very 
 well for the time, till I find they do deceive 
 me. 
 
 W.You are de$eivedwith too good an opinio 
 en of them. If I durft, I could fay fomew ha? 
 againft [ome particulars . 
 
 B. God forbid you fliould have hurt fo» 
 telling any one a neccfary truth.Vor my part, 
 I think and hope the beft of all, that promife 
 fair, I Judge according to charity. I know 
 one may a& the Saint to day , and the 
 Devil to morrow. Let me tell you, 'tis the 
 judgement of our Church, after the Fathers, 
 that Chrifi delivered the Sacrament to Judas. 
 alfo, who went out immediatly after to be- 
 tray him 5 and, before that, was difcovered 
 by his Mafter to be a Devill. You will not 
 grant this : however, you know Tefer him- 
 ielf, that was fo Zealous, upontriall, the ve- 
 ry next day denied his Mafter, yea denied 
 him with curfing and fw taring. All the reft 
 forfook him and fled. Their ftrength was 
 little,and their knowledge was lefs .- witnefs 
 
 the 
 
(26) 
 
 the Difciples going to SmuHS, fools and flow 
 ef heart, and the aueftion propofed about 
 the Kingdom, A&s i. What is the loweft 
 meafure of grace I will not determine. Where 
 I fee any hopes or weak beginnings of Chri- 
 ftianity,I embrace and cherifh them. In the 
 Schoo; ofChrift there be many little ones, 
 . that mutt be gently uled ; and there be fome 
 great ones, that nmft not be offended, but 
 upon great reaibns. Why fliould I not think 
 better of others than my felf, when the B. 
 Apoftle calls himfelf che chtefefl of finners, 
 and lefs than the Jeaft of Saints ? He that hath 
 -beams to caft ou r of his own eve, mutt not 
 be picking moces out of his Brothers eye. 
 'Tis true the Brother muft be admonifhed, 
 elpecially by .Se IVLrufrer : but this mutt be 
 done difcreetly and orderly, and with meek- 
 nefs of ipiric He that obeys one, or a few, 
 fcapes the ceniure of che Many : and may 
 ttot be reckoned as an alien. None is fo, 
 but he that proves obttinate after the me- 
 thods of Counfel and Reproof. And verily, 
 Mr. H. it had been a good method for you, 
 to have admonifht me arid the reft of the Con- 
 gregation, whom you are offended with, and 
 to have received our Anfwer, before you con- 
 demn'd us in your Pulpit. And that Anfwer 
 will ferve now: Ii* what wc have offendedGod, 
 
 we 
 
( *7) 
 we ask his pardon : In wha.t we have offen- 
 ded you, we will give you fatisfaction. Thus 
 doing , we feall not be excluded from Com- 
 munion by any juft fentenee. *; 
 
 H. You have feme that m ; ght be named jhat 
 both before and after the Communion , have 
 fhewed them f elves no fober men, 
 
 B* That may be J arid I iha.ll defire to be 
 informed of them, that i may labour to re- 
 form them , or exclude them if they be pro- 
 ved open and notorious evili livers. And I 
 do often commend and endeavour to bring 
 into better practice, the Duty of fraternal! 
 Admonition and Correption > which is now 
 the more neeeflary, becaufewe want publick 
 Discipline [fee D. Hammond of Fraternall 
 Admonition] Having declared my felf thus , I 
 muft conclude your Argument againft my 
 Communicants, till you prove your Accufa- 
 tion better , to be only an Argument of your 
 own uncharitablenefs. 
 
 H, I cannot yet allow of your fall to Mini* 
 fier % For ^Minifters truly called are appoin- 
 ted, and ordained by the Godly people : But yon. 
 are not fo appointed ; Therefore • ■ 
 
 B. You will , I hope , hereafter allow me 
 equall liberty to oppofe your Orders : I have 
 mine from a Bimop affifted by his Presby- 
 ters, according to Apoftolicall Inftitution; 
 
 and 
 
( *s ; 
 
 and the conftant pra&iee of the Church. The 
 People eannot confer on us pur power: They 
 may approve and (Tent to our Calling , and 
 give teilimonyof our good convention, and 
 receive us when we are Tent unto them. I am 
 owned as a Revitor of the People to whom I 
 Minifter. 
 
 W. We are ferv ants of Gods people. Paul,/ 
 urn fure , fatth fo of himfelf. 
 
 B. He faith fo » and To doe I , their fervant 
 for Jtfus fake* Let them acknowledge us 
 their fpirituai] Rulers and Fathers inChrift t 
 and we wtl ! m all humble condefcenlion , be 
 their Servants* r J.fus {At. Jefus himfelf, 
 our Lord and Mad er , fhies limfelf a Mini- 
 fter or Servant of hi.*? Servants: and he hath 
 faid. he t at wiJ be gn at-tt among you , let 
 him be Servant of all. 'Tis eafy to dittin- 
 guim between a fervant by voluntary conde- 
 fcenfion , and a fervant by necejfary fub- 
 jeBion. 
 
 Tr . Ton faid before , that in cafe of propha- 
 ning the holy things , you would confefs a Mi- 
 nt ft er defer ves fufpenfi&H. Who fhall fufpend 
 him , but the Congregation f What other power 
 & there > 
 
 B. I confefled the prophaner of Holy things 
 to deferve great punifbment : but , after due 
 -Admonition, and upon his cbftinacy 9 not el ft. 
 
 Yet, 
 
( *9 ) 
 
 Yet , I cannot fee , how the people have*ny 
 Authority to fentcnce him. 
 
 Tr. Who would you have to do it ? Who f 
 
 B . To i peak freely ; I would mbmi t my &l£ 
 to my Ordinary, the ApoftolicallBifhop (or> if 
 you like the Latin word better,tbe Pjeudcnt 
 or Superintendent:) for whom I iaave lpoken 
 before. And lam ready to joy ruvich you in a 
 c Petiti$n r thatwc may have an Apoftolieall 
 Bifliop fet over us , as it was in practice of 
 the antient Church. 
 
 H. Tou ft and too much upon the practice of 
 the Antient Church : come to the Scripture*. 
 
 B. I am forry you value the pra&iee of the 
 antidnc Church fo little. Pray ^ -where i$ 
 your maine ftrength in Seripture for your In* 
 dependent or Congregationall Churches* \ 
 
 H. Let us read the famous Text, Mat, l£ 
 I5> i6> 17,18, 19. 2o* Out of 'wh&h Text 
 I frame this Argument : If here * be meant hy 
 the Qhurch a Congregation from which fyeX.no 
 Appeale, then is the Independent Church foun- 
 ded upon this Text: But here is meant a Con* 
 gregation, j&c. what elfe will you conceive by 
 the Church ? 
 
 B. I am very Inclinable to Saint Chryfv* 
 ftome's interpretation , who by the Church , 
 underftandandstheElders and Rulers of the 
 Chmh. 
 
c jo ; 
 
 . JF/i The word Church is no where fo taker* 
 in all the Scripture , and therefore tt cannot be 
 fc i taken here : (hew us any place. 
 
 B. It doth not follow.' for fomc word may 
 poffibJy figiify that in one place, which it fig- 
 tildes no where clfe ; and again there may be 
 other places , though I cannot readily (hew 
 them : I will consider of it, 
 
 U. Tfy,! doeajfure you ^t is never fo ufed : 
 and therefore I hope you willyeeld to the Word y 
 that we may go on with one confent in the wort^ 
 ofGodi 
 
 B. God grant it.if it be the Work of God: 
 bat you have not eleered it yet* I cannot 
 yield to your fenie for this Reafon : That 
 fenfe of Scripture (concerning Church-go- 
 vernment ) which was never received by the 
 Doctors of the Ancient Church , is not the 
 true fenfe of Scripture : Bur your fenfe of 
 the place was never received, &e. 
 
 H, Still, ft ill he declines Scripture , and 
 would lead us to human Ordinances. 
 
 B. As for human Ordinances , I can em-, 
 brace them fo far as they are not oppofite to 
 Scripture:buc now we are upon the Interpre- 
 tation of Scripture,I muft profe/s I have been 
 ever bred in the Church that requires all her 
 Minifters to receive the Scripture , as inter- 
 preted by the Antient Fathers> and to propofe 
 
 nothing 
 
( JO 
 
 nothing to the people, contrary to what was 
 derived out of the Scripture by them. I atn 
 notafliamtd of roy Mother the Church of 
 England , nor (by Gods grace) ever (hall I. 
 And I doe heartily warn all that hear me, to 
 take heed ( as they tender their Soules ) of 
 departing raflily from the Communion of 
 ofthefaid Church. > 
 
 W. 1 thought where we fhould have you. 
 
 B. You baveme where I have ever been I 
 and where I mean to abide, till Tarn convin- 
 ced. I am not unwilling to learn of any one. 
 And pray Mr. W. tell me , whether you hold 
 not a Synod ofchofenmen , gathered outof 
 your Churches » to have authority over them, 
 all? 
 
 W, No authority at all i fuch a Synod may 
 be of u[e for advice and counfell, not for gover? 
 went, or for the exercife of any ]urifdi£lion. 
 
 B. Then as I conceive yourrnodell is ve- 
 ry imperfect, and me thinks your Minifters in 
 their feverall Congregations look like fo ma- 
 ny little Popes, For , the Pope is the Great 
 Independent, and will allow of no Appeal 
 from him, no more will you. 
 
 H. Tray OHr. B. quiet the Peg fie. 
 
 B. I befeech you, good people,- 1 befeccfa 
 you attend with filence and patience. 
 
 7>, where frefently followes Execution^ 
 
 there 
 
( 3>) 
 
 there can be no appeal: But after the fentence 
 eft he Congregation prefeutly followes executi- 
 on 5: If he hear not the Church , let him 9 &c. 
 Therefore from the fentence of the Congrega- 
 tion can be no appeal. 
 
 B. Wcltergued: I repeat, where prefent- 
 ly >&c. I anfwer fir/t to the ma- or or; firff pro- 
 portion* There may be an appeal after exe- 
 cution of the fentence of the Congregation. 
 Jin your own way may not the wronged per- 
 son appeal from you to your fclves ? ] In the 
 Presbyterian you know there lyes an appeal 
 co thzClaJfis : but that I take not on me to 
 maintain. I know no power to excommuni- 
 cate but EpifcopalL 
 
 Tr* Then it feems by you, the Bijhop is the 
 ffiureh, and the fole judge of the Congrega- 
 tions. 
 
 B. Not fo neither. Hear my Anfwer, I 
 pray » and do not you ignorant feliowes 
 laugh at that you do not underftand. The Bu 
 fliop is confidered, either Sole or alone, or as 
 he Cits in Cathedra crowned with Presbyters . 
 In this later fenfc, I humbly eoneeive the Bi- 
 fiiop is (or ought to be)'Governourof the 
 Congregations within his Diocefe : And fuch 
 Bifhops we can (hew innumerable in the an- 
 cient Records of the Catholique Church. I 
 am very forry thefc Gentlemen are fo ill read 
 
( 33) 
 
 in good Books of our own Englifli Divines ,' 
 as to deny a truth mining jo bright upon 
 them . Mr. :7V. have you not feen the learned 
 
 Thorndike of the primitive Government, 
 &c ? 
 
 Tr. We cleave to the Scripture >and call you 
 to the foresaid text. Can yon {hew one -place 
 vp here Church is taken for the Bijhop and his 
 Presbyters ? 
 
 B. What if I eannot? The Authority of 
 the antient Fathers is fufficient for the pre- 
 fent to commend my interpretation to fuch as 
 reverence <>Antiqmty. Bat becaufe I would 
 gladly pleafe you, I will offer another fenfe 
 of the words in queftion , which will come 
 neer to you, but is nor fully yours, That is, 
 after the firft admonition by one , and the fe~ 
 eond before two or three , it is the mind of 
 Chritt, that a greater number mould be made 
 acquainted with the bufinefs , tell it to the 
 ^Many for the fhaming of the ofrendor, as the 
 Apoltle fomewhere (peaks; the words may the 
 more probably be taken in this fenfe s becaufe 
 as yet the Difciples were not fetled under a 
 Church-government, and f© there remaining 
 no more to be done,after this (naming of the 
 oftendor before a good number of Fellow- 
 Chriftians, i; e. the Church* he was to be 
 henceforth , till his amendment, accounted as 
 
 C a 
 
( 34) 
 
 a heathen , and might be profecuted for any 
 offence before the heathen Tribunals, Which 
 profccution was not lawfull againft thole that 
 would hear the Church. [See i Cor. 6.] But 
 this will do you no pleafure , unkfs that 
 which followes in the next verfc beiong un- 
 to the Congregation too : but that cannot be» 
 if Chritf fpake the words to his Apoftles, and 
 gave the Keys , and Power of Binding and 
 ILoofing to them and their fucceffors, as I be. 
 Jieve he did, Confider of it. See the learned 
 Dr. Hammond of binding and loofing. 
 
 To. Give me leave to add fomewhat here 
 in confirmation of what was laft faid. Scrip- 
 ture you know gives light toScripture.Chrift 
 elfwhere faith to Peter that he would give the 
 Keys to him, Matth. i6. 19. And John 20. 
 ^i 5 21, 23. he fpeakech to his Difeiples and 
 thus enftateth them in tbar power: Then faid 
 Jefm to them again, Peace be unto you, as my 
 father hath fent me, even fo (end I you-, And 
 when he had faid this , he breathed on them , 
 and faid unto them , %jceive yee the holy 
 Ghoft , whofoever fins yee remit , they are re- 
 mitted unto them, and whofoeverfinsye retatn > 
 they are retained : thef e arc the folemn words 
 of Ordination. 
 
 fV. The word? are fpoken to Peter , and to 
 theT>ifci fles as they wereChriftian frofejfors , 
 
 {and 
 
( 3$) 
 
 (a»dfi they do belong to our people) Kot «, 
 they were appointed by Chrifito be Governor 
 of hts Church* 
 
 To. The words fignify a power commit- 
 ted to them, which they ufed as Governs 
 ( t!s plain) and which they left to the Bi- 
 /hops their Succc fours. 
 
 Tr. The tApoftks had no fucce for s being 
 gifted with a miraculous power* 
 
 B. The Apoftles are to be considered in 
 two reipc&s, either as planters of the Chut* 
 <hes, and to that purpoie endued with a 
 miraculous power, to make way for, and to 
 give confirmation to the Gcipel, or elfe as 
 Governours of the Churches, invefled with 
 i the ordinary lafting power of ordaining El- 
 I ders, of binding and Joofing, and of feting 
 things m order : herein who were their Sue* 
 ceflors,youmayfeeify OU will inform your 
 ielves in the book oi binding and loofing, and 
 m the Latin dijfermions againit Blondellus. 
 1 ray take it not ill that: we often aiTert this : 
 
 1£ l 1S w "n h C0nccrncn ^ that with this truth 
 ^heMrmftersof^/^irtuft €ithet ihnd Gr 
 
 tall. Wefpeaknotfor Bifliops to be Lords 
 jofLands, but F^* r , of the Church. You 
 Imuft all mark that. 
 
 Tr. The difference 'twixt us appears plain- 
 - *Nm are for Bifrops, which you call the Tri- 
 
 C s mitive 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 mitive Apoftolical Bifhops, and in them you 
 place the power which fhrift hath left to his 
 Church : We are for the Bodies of Congrega- 
 tions , which we fay are under no fuperiors 
 neither Bifhops nor Presbyters, but abfolute 
 And independent in refpett of man, and imme- 
 diatly under JefmChrift. 
 
 Col. A. Bifhops and Presbyters are all one 
 in the New Teftament, namely A&s 20.17. 
 Paul fent to Ephefus, and called the Elders of 
 the Church **c w*P*npt , and ^.28. the holy 
 C[hoft hath made you overfeersjfooKiffut;There- 
 fore Presbyters and Bifhops are all one. 
 
 P. Noble Sir, I anfwer, Bifhops in the 
 dew Teftament, are alfo called "Presbyters, 
 but they are more than thofe we now call 
 Presbyters, who are to be ordained and go- 
 verned by the Bifhops. Any Presbyter may 
 be called Bifhop or Overfeer of his own Pa- 
 rifti , butthofe we eminently ftile Bifhops 
 now, who are Bifhops, or Overfeers and Ru- 
 lers of thofe Parifh Bifhops or Presbyters. 
 The Presbyters St. Paul km for from Ephe- 
 fus were properly Bifhops. 
 
 Tr. No , Hear my Argument . The 
 Church 0/ Ephefus was but one Congregation. 
 I -prove it out of 'Eph.2. the two lafl verfes : 
 In whom (JefusChrifi) all the building fit'/ 
 framed together. 6cc. ^/i building fitly #*- 
 
 med 
 
C 37 ) 
 med together is but one Congregation : But 
 the Church of Ephefus was a building fitl} 
 framed together ; Therefore, &c. 
 
 B. To the Major. Not only one fingle 
 Congregation, but many united under one 
 Biftiop may be fo called. And that Efhefm 
 was not a fingle Independent Congregation, 
 but a Metropolitical Church, you may learn 
 of the moft Reverend Primate Dr. Ufher, 
 a man I think of great Authority among you 
 alfo, as among all Scholars, moftyuftly. I 
 refer you to his Geographical Tra& of the 
 
 Afian Diocefe. ^, Q 
 
 Tr. Return to the Text, Mat. itf.v.xp. 
 / (hall prove it undeniably, that a fagl* 
 Church hath an independent power. But firfi 
 willyou grant me, that two or three may be 
 taken for a [mall Congregation \ ■ 
 
 B. Yes, I defire to grant you all I can, 
 without injury to the Truth. 
 
 Tr Then thus 1 argue ; Where tsthe VU~ 
 ty and the Bleffmg, there is the Bower x But 
 in afmallCongregation\where two or three, 
 &c 1 is both the duty and the Bleffmg • 
 Therefore there is alfo the Bower, namely of 
 Excommunication, 
 
 B. Where is the duty, &c. You leave out 
 a very neceffary word, Independent. For 
 fuppofing that a power of E ^communication 
 
(38) 
 
 were in a particular Congregation, I cannot 
 grant it is there independently , but there 
 may be an Appeal : Bur did you ever hear 
 of an Jndcpent Church of tyvo or three? 
 
 Tr. Yes> there may be a Church of'fo f e w 9 
 And that independent. 
 
 B. & private Church, I grant, not a pib- 
 hc^ enabled with power of Excommunica- 
 tion, a power fupreme. Lo you, here is Po- 
 pery ina little volumcran independent, abfo- 
 *utc fupr^roe Church made up of two or three. 
 
 H. ^id you not grant to Mr. Tr. that 
 two of three may be taken for any [mall num- 
 berlnm you recall your words. Tou knew, 
 it there be twenty in a company, wefometimes 
 fay there be two or three. 
 
 #., No indeed, that's too far wide. let 
 the people judge of this, whether any will 
 lay there be two or three, if there be twen- 
 ty peifons me: ina room. Two or three, that 
 is, twenty, (hleoce I pray!) But. Sir, the 
 words of Chrift are verified, if there be but 
 barely two. And therefore I may uftly think 
 it too fmall a number to make the Church, 
 mentioned v; *7< It cannot be for thisreafon. 
 The Church in the 17. v. is of more autho- 
 rity, and more in number, than the two or 
 three mentioned in the fecond admonition, 
 *io. But two or three *.ip,2o, are not of 
 
 more 
 
(39) 
 
 more authority nor more in number, than the 
 two or three mentioned v. 16, Therefore the 
 two or three v. 19*20. are not the Church 
 mentioned v. 17. Aniwer this, and you fhall 
 hold your Supremacy to the worlds end 
 for me. 
 
 H. Ton hold an ^Appeal from the Church 
 to the Civil Power, which is flaw Sraftia- 
 
 B. Eraftianifme ? I (hall make it appear 
 to be Chriitianiime. But what was Sraitus, 
 pray? 
 
 H„ I came not here to be Catechised by 
 yon, 
 
 B. Eraftus was one that denied the pow- 
 er of Excommunication in the Church: which 
 I do not, but defire it may come into pra- 
 ctice upon true Rules If you would know 
 Era ft us, fee the Book of Binding and loo- 
 ling, at large. And noble Sir, you that are 
 a Civil Magiftrate, let me call you to wit- 
 nefs, that I ftand here an Advocate truly to 
 plead for the Supreme authority of this Land, 
 and I undertake to {hew that the Higheft 
 powers in the Commonwealth 1 have alfo the 
 Higheft Rule of the Church, and may receive 
 Appeals from any Christians that complain 
 of wrong in any Congregation whatfoever. 
 
 Col. A. The Higheft Powers haply doubt 
 
 M 
 
(4° ) 
 %fthdt Authority, and. forbear to execute any 
 'Cucbytill they be more fully fat u fed. 
 
 B. Were I worthy ^ I would requelt them 
 to know their power, and ule it for the re- 
 ititution of Primitive Epifcopacy . They 
 doubt, you fay ; but Sir, theie men flatly de- 
 ny that authority of the Civil Magittrate in 
 matters of Religion. 
 
 H. And how I pray do you prove it ? 
 
 B. Let every foul be fubjeft to the High- 
 er Powers. Every man, faith St. Chryfoftome, 
 whether Lay or Clergy. 
 
 Col. A. There is no fuch dtfiinBion of Lay 
 and Clergy tn the Scripture, All the Lords 
 people are «x»jb©- his Portion, 
 
 B. Sir, you fay mod true, that All the 
 Lords people are his Portion, that is, asfe- 
 le&ed and called out of the World : but his 
 Miniftersare more peculiarly his, as called 
 from among his People, and admitted nearer 
 to him , being feparated for the Miniltration 
 of Holy things. -But however, all forts of 
 men, I fay, whether Minilters or others, muft 
 hz fubjecft to the Higheft powers. 
 
 • Tr. Yea, in Qivil things they muft befub- 
 jeft, not in Ecclefiafiical. The Powers are 
 
 B. They are diftinft in their Objects or 
 Matters about which they arc cxercifed : 
 
 they 
 
(40 
 
 they are united in the fame SubjeBs or Per - 
 fons that are fupreme in all caufes both Eeck- 
 ciefafticall and Civil). 
 
 W* Ton were went to pray for the King m 
 that flile. 
 
 B. Yes , when the King was ', and now 
 they that have the Kingly power may withali 
 aflume the fame title, if they pleafe. 
 
 'JV. By no means , Temporall Governors , 
 -power Spiritually 
 
 B. Tiie power of Civill Magiftrates, in 
 matters of religion, is called Eceieiiafticall or 
 Spirituall in relpe^t of the object of it , about 
 which it is eonverfant , not in refpeft of the 
 manner of operating: For the fupreme powers 
 do not minifter in holy things , in the Word, 
 and Sacraments, and eenfures , but they take 
 care and provide, that thefe miniftrations be 
 rightly and orderly performed, 
 
 H. But how prove you an appeal to be made 
 to the highefl power in aChurch-cafe ? 
 
 B. Saint ^aul appealed unto (LxhuAfti 
 25. 10,11. 
 
 Tr. Tea but that appeal was in a caufe 
 concerning f edit ion. 
 
 B. Hear himfelffpeak , For theRefurre- 
 dion of the dead am I called in queflion, Aft* 
 23. 6, 
 
 W, That was [aid in policy to divide the 
 gharifees and S ' adduces » J$ t 
 
(40 
 
 B. However the Apoftle fpake nothing 
 but the truth, as appears alfo by the words of 
 Feftus 3 Att. 23. io The quetfion was whe- 
 ther he might preach Jefus and the Refurre- 
 ftion. 
 
 Tr. That C*f ar wa * Nero? a heathen ty- 
 rant and perfecntor, a fit man to meddle with 
 JReligion. 
 
 B. He was ; it feems , fit for Paul to ap- 
 peal unto , for want of a better , and had he 
 acquitted the Apoftle, he had thereby given 
 him a right againft the Jews [See Grotius of 
 Authority, concerning this -particular and the 
 whole matter : ] As for the Supremacy of 
 Chritfian Kings this is one argument: If the 
 Jewifh Kings had power in matters of Reli- 
 gion then have the Chriftian Kings the like 
 power .• But the Jewiih Kings, &c. 
 
 To. Let me adde another Argument cut 
 of the Prophet , concerning the Chriftian 
 Church , Kings (hall be her nurfing Fathers » 
 and Queenes her rurfing Mothers. 
 
 W. Read out t he verfe, and you are answe- 
 red: — -They fhall bow down to thee with their 
 faces to the earth. If. 49. 23. Here is fulf- 
 il; ion rather than fuferiority. 
 
 To. A fuperiority of Government and Pa- 
 tronage is included in the name of Father : 
 but thefe Fathers are Sons of the Church too 
 
 in 
 
(4?) 
 
 in another fetife , and fubjecl: to the fpiritu- 
 all guides of their foules ; iubje&ion and Go- 
 vernmenc may conftft together id feverall 
 re/pc&s. 
 
 B. Will you turne to the Text in Matth* 
 18. once more, and hear a fair Interpretation 
 ofitoutofthe Excellent Paraphraft : Tell it 
 to the £hurck\ i, e. to the Rulers of the Af~ 
 fembucs. Verily I fay unto yon ~\ to you the 
 deigned Rulers of the Church, and your Suc- 
 ceffcrs ehe BifiiopS' 
 
 H . Enough ^enough, fray who is your Au? 
 thor there ? 
 
 B. Regard not fo much , who , as what . 
 No matter whofe the words are.if they cieer 
 the Text.This Author Mr. Tr.fhews you the 
 true fenfe of the next verfe concerning two 
 or three. It is the manner of Scripture , 
 where feverall thing - are mentioned, to re* 
 fume the iaft fir/t, and fo go back. In this re- 
 trogradous order , the Power of the Church 
 which was laft mentioned is fpoken off. 1 8. 
 and then the two or three are again mentio- 
 ned, which were fpoken of v. i6«I will cleer 
 it/if youpleafe , by fundry the like pafTages. 
 [See in of Binding and hoofing fag. 12* 
 &c. 
 
 W. We have enough of you already. I 
 would not goe over the door fill to Diftute with 
 
 one : 
 
.(.44 ) 
 
 me , upon whofe ffirit I fee fo much of the 
 <pope. 
 
 B . No Glofler-Hall man would fay fo,but 
 you. And you fay fo, becaufeyou have no- 
 thing clfe to fay. I am far from Popery, and 
 I doubt you axe neer it, with your Indepen- 
 dency. 
 
 Col. A. But Pray -the e t what Author have 
 you there on the Text} 
 
 B. I will obey you. It is the great or- 
 nament of the Englifh Church , the Learned 
 and pious Doctor Hammond. 
 
 W. 8tc. ttAn Ar mini an , an Arminian I 
 
 To. That's a very indirecl: anfwer, when 
 the words alleged tend not to Arminianifm, 
 but to the Support of Chriftianifm. 
 
 B. I feared you would caft fome afperfion 
 upon this Brave Man , and therefore would 
 have eoneealed his name under a filent ve- 
 neration. But you are miftaken when you 
 think the Doctrine of Univerfall Redempti- 
 on Arminianifm. It was the Doftrine ofthe 
 Chureh of England before Arminius was 
 born. Wee Jearn it out ofthe old Church- 
 Catechifm. / believe in Jeftts Chrift , who 
 redeemed me & all mankind. And the Chureh 
 hath learned it out of the plaine Scripture , 
 where Chrift is the Lamb of God that taketh 
 away the fins ofthe World, &c. 
 
 To, 
 
(45) 
 
 To. God would have all men to be faved s 
 Therefore Chrift is the Redeemer of all 
 men. 
 
 Col . A . Tatil in that Text to Tim : [peaks 
 de generibus fingulorum , net de fingutis ge» 
 rierum. 
 
 B. S • Paul fpeaks de finguiis genemmfot 
 elfewhere it is faid , Chrift tafted death for 
 every man, Heb. z. 9. a convincing Text. 
 
 W. There is a diftinttion 0/ voluntas figni, 
 & beneplaciti. 
 
 B. If God hath fignified and revealed to 
 us , that he would have all men to be faved , 
 then it is moft true , that he would have AH 
 men to be faved. But he hath fignified , &c. 
 He knows not to lye or to diffemble. 
 
 C» / defire to propofe an ^Argument in 
 this Queftion, if you fleafe to anfwer me.^ 
 
 B. Moft willingly. You are a courteous 
 Gentleman. 
 
 C. JfChrtfl died for all men \ then fhall all 
 men be faved : But all men fhall not be faved 3 
 Therefore— 
 
 B. I deny the fequel of your major. 
 
 C. Chrift cannot fail of his intention 1 
 Therefore if Chrift died for all men , all men 
 fhall be faved. 
 
 B. I deny your Antecedent. 
 C» To fail of ones intention argues imperfe* 
 
 feftion: 
 
fiction : But you muft not lay any imperfection 
 ufon fchrift .•„ 
 
 B. No , by n<» meanes. Therefore I an* 
 fwer. One may fail of his intention two wayes 
 richer by ones own faulty by the fault of ano- 
 ther to whom good is inte^ ...:, d. Chri(* failcs 
 of his intention, not through his own fault , 
 but ours : he h not wanting to us , we are 
 wanting to our felves. <\nd Ibefeechyou all, 
 dear Chriftians. take heed o^eonceiving hard 
 thoughts of ©od & of Chrift , as if he wouid 
 che death or a (inner. 
 
 Tr. God in his et email Purpofe hath appoin- 
 ted to fave fome ^and to damne others. 
 
 B. The purpofe of God is ab jo lute or con- 
 ditional!; God purpofeth not the damnation 
 of any abfolutely, but Conditionally upon his 
 refu(ai) of the meanes. [ And for election, con- 
 fider what the Vpottle faith , He hath chofen 
 ftsinChrift £ph. i. 4. See alfo the judici- 
 ous Mr. Hookers diftinction of Gods gene- 
 ral! inclination, and his occasioned Will : lib. 
 
 Wherefore Beloved , I charge you again , 
 [Take heed, that you think not ill of God and 
 of Chrift, as if he were not really and fincere- 
 ly willing you fhould be faved. Hear Chrift 
 mourning affectionately over Jerufalem , 
 How oft would I , and thou wouldft not 1 Hear 
 
 (Sod 
 
(4?y 
 
 God fpeaking tnpft pathetically in the Pro- 
 phet : As I live [dirk the Lord J defire not the 
 death ofafwr.er. Will you not take his word? 
 Take his Oath : As I live faith the Lord, I 
 defire not the death of a fnner Jbut that he turn 
 from his way and live. Turn ye , Turn ye, why 
 will ye dye ,0 houje oflfrael / Turn yee Turn 
 yee , -why will ye dye, O yee oppofers of the 
 Truth ! 
 
 H . Tou fee, Brethren , what he is : we have 
 enough of him . It is high time to conclude. Sir 9 
 I defire to conclude all with Prayer. 
 
 B. Sir, I have anfwered your Obje&ionSj 
 and I take rny leave of you. For, to your 
 Prayers , I fear, I (hall not be able to anfweg 
 AMEN. 
 
 P S AI. I I J. Xe 
 
 Not unto us , O Lord 9 not unto us , hut unt9 
 Thy Name give the Prayfe ^for thy Mercy* 
 and for thy Truths fake. 
 
 ADDfc 
 
(48) 
 
 ADDITIONS, 
 
 ON the By, itwasfaid by Mr. To. that 
 although there be no precept for Epif- 
 copacy in the New Teftament , the Apoftoli- 
 call Institution of it is enough to commend it 
 co us. For we have not more to mew for the 
 Lords day>than for Epifcopaey: How then can 
 we maintain the one , and abolifti the o- 
 cher? 
 
 When the opponent rejected the Authori- 
 ty of the Primitive Church , Mr. To. faid: 
 You do the Papifts greater fervicc than you 
 are aware ; when for feare of Popery you dif- 
 €laim the Fathers. 
 
 Col. A. In the Revelation the Lords day is 
 called mj&*** , there is the name , and we have 
 the yrattice in other places : Holy affemblies on 
 the fir fl day of the weekj 
 
 To. True Sir \ and fo much we have for 
 Epifcopaey ,as hath been Hie wed already. 
 
 B. I remember well , I have heard the 
 Teamed Do&or of the Chair , Dr. Prideattx t 
 publickly declaring in the Divinity School , 
 that he could not prove the obfervatioo of the 
 
 Lords 
 
C 49) 
 
 Lords day by Divine Command, in any plaee 
 of the New Testament , but that the Apofitx- 
 licall pra&ice and example followed by the 
 Church , was fufffcient to give it a kind of 
 Divine right ; The like may be faid for Epifc 
 eopacy. Church by plain Grammatieall con- 
 flru&ion doth fignify no other thing than the 
 Lords houie. From *»#«*» Kyrc , and by ad- 
 ding letters of afpiration Church* Hooker I. j v 
 1 3. [See the great HugoGrotim of Author!- 
 ty,Ch. 1 1 i Alfo the Considerations touching 
 the change of Church-Government.] 
 
 The Refpondent not knowing themofl ea- 
 ger Difputant among his Opponents , craved 
 his name: I was your Collegue, faith he, 
 B. What •/. W. of Glofier-Halli you were 
 an early ftudent in Divinity. I remember 
 you read Dr. frideaux LeBwes J)e Abfoluta 
 Decretoi&c.when you were but a Frem-man. 
 He is now admoniftied to ftudy his Anteeef* 
 for at Tewksbury -Mr, Geeres Book againft 
 Separation, entituled Vindicia Ecclefia &4n~ 
 glicand. \ '■ t . , • 
 
 Another of the Opponents "Mr. TV* asked 
 the Refpondenr, whether he did not Preach 
 before he was Ordained .* Yes , faid he 3 once 
 or twice in this Church above twenty yearfr 
 fince , being Mr of Arts, and after that Tryall 
 of my felf , I ectred into Orders. Your men 
 D do 
 
( sO 
 
 do not fb. [ See Grotins of ^Authority pag, 
 
 Mr. W. At the mention of Ghriftmas was 
 ftartled and cried Popery. Mr. B* Anfwercd 
 there is no hurt in the Word , and for the 
 Thing , the keeping of that and other Chri- 
 flian Feftivallst we commend the fober Chri. 
 frian, to the Refolution of the fixt Qjj^re by 
 the eminent Dr. Hstmmond. 
 
 Where the Refpondent diftingmftieth of 
 Biftops as Lords &c as Fathers, he would not 
 have the Reader fufpe& him as if he envied a- 
 ny temporall Honour orRiehes to the Fathers 
 of the Church. For who knew how to abound 
 fo well as They ? The good works of the Bi- 
 ftiops of England would make a fair volume, 
 which perhaps fome body will collect. Our 
 Mother Oxford efpceially connot forget how 
 magnificent Founders and Benefactors (he 
 hath had of this facred Order. 
 
 One of the Opponents , about admiflion of 
 people to the Sacrament * ttrged that prover- 
 bial! fpecch of drift CAtatth.y. 16. Do mm 
 gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thi files ?No, 
 faid the R efpondent ,whiie they continue fucb, 
 but on their Converfion they may. For the 
 trne fenfe of that place hear the Divine Pa- 
 ifaphraft. By their fruits ye fhall know them^\ 
 Ye (hall certainly know them and difcern 
 
 them, 
 
 
(5*) 
 
 them , if you take notice of, and weigh the 
 dodrins, which when they have gotten fome 
 Authcrity with you , they will prefentJy en* 
 deavonr to infufe into you. They that make 
 no other ufe of their being counted Pro- 
 phets, but to infufe higher degrees ofalJ kind 
 of piety and charity into you , ye may re~ 
 folve they are fent from God. For the DgvHI 
 would never help men to credit and reputa.* 
 tion iti the world » who mould make ufe of it 
 only to the advanajment of piety. But if their 
 defions be to infufe into their followers any 
 feeds of impiety ,injnftice, uncleannefs, un~ 
 charitablenefs, fedition, rebellion * &c. Let 
 their pretences and behaviour be never fo 
 fair, be fure they are faife Prophets* 
 
 When itvvasfaidby the Refpondent that 
 Chrift died for all mens one C»% a di/eiple of 
 Mr. H„ was heard to fay s Then > $t feems y 
 Chrift dyed for the Devills and all; not consi- 
 dering that Divine Text to the Hebrews, %i 
 1 6. tor verily he toohjnot on him the nature 
 of Angels s bm he took on him the feed of A* 
 braham B Where the Paraphraft judfeioufly * 
 as his manner is* amending the Translation,, 
 faith : For tis not faxd any where that he 
 catches hold of Ange!s,as they are falling , or 
 running, or car riedraptive from him, to (ave 
 . or refeuc item from ruiae a or co bring them 
 D i out 
 
 <:• 
 
(5*) 
 
 out of captivity, but only to men deth he this 
 favour peculiarly. 
 
 To his Congregation at Sudelej-Cafile. 
 
 ANd now, Beloved,! end with a Rcqueft 
 to you, in Saint Peter's words: Gi- 
 ving all diligence t adde to your Faith , Ver- 
 tue,- and to your Venue , Knowledge ; and 
 co Knowledge, Temperance,- and to Tempe- 
 rance, Patience ; and to Patience , Godii- 
 nefs ; and to Godlinefs, Brotherly-kindncfs- 
 and to Brothetiy-kindnefs , Charity 5 For if 
 thefe things be in you & abound , the greateft 
 objection of our Opponents will be then ful- 
 ly anfwered , if it be not yet. Let no man 
 fuffer hn upon his Brother , but let us ex- 
 hort and admonifli one another , lovingly and 
 faithfully, andletthemoft knowing and Zea- 
 lous among you aflitf the Minitter in the dif- 
 charge of his duty , that no open and notorious 
 Itver may prefumc to come with us to the 
 Holy Table Lee us pray for a ietled Publiek 
 Uifciplme , but in the mean , let us fettle our 
 felves, and keep as good order as we can- 
 i-ct us /hew the fineerity of our Religion bv 
 our mutual! Love , and by our Meeknefs and 
 Uianty to our Encmyes and Calumniators. 
 
 Let 
 
Cs?) 
 
 Let us evidence our having the Spirit, not 
 by bold intrufion into offices not committed 
 to us, but by bringing forth the fruits of the 
 Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long-fuffering and 
 the reft. Finally, let us not be weary of 
 Welldoing, but go on in every good Work 
 with courage and alacrity 9 with our eyes 
 fixed upon Heaven, fo fliall the mouth of the 
 Adversary be flopped ; and the Lord fliall 
 open our lips , and our mouth fliall fhew 
 forth his praiie. Amen, 
 
 Scripfi a 3 , No vem . die Your Servant for 
 St . dementis na- 
 taltmeo 4$. An,Ch a Chrifts fake, 
 
 C. B 
 
 N. N. To the Reader. 
 
 CHriflian Reader, Know that after the 
 Difput at ion ended, between two and three 
 in the Afternoon, CMr. B. and Mr* To, re- 
 tired to their Inn, whither the Baylifs and 
 Churchwardens^ and fame other honefi men 
 of the lown came to them and gave them 
 thanks. The next morning was de liver* d to 
 a Servant of the Parijb, a Paper to be pre- 
 P I fented 
 
fentedto Mr H. and pub lifted, declaring thai 
 (ome 'neighbouring Minifters would be rea- 
 dy (by Gods help) on the Monday following 
 to make good in the [ame place agatnft Mr. 
 H. and his brethren this necejfary Truth, 
 which they deny • That Parifli-Churches of 
 England arc the true Churches of Jcfus 
 Chrift. They camejbut could not prevail with 
 Mr* H. to come forth to Answer* Wherefore 
 after Jome little conference with htm at his 
 pyvn houfe (with the Account whereof I fhall 
 mot now detein you ) Mr % B. departed and 
 Preacht at Sudeley, concluding with an ex* 
 hortation to Peace and Unity , and with an 
 tame ft Requeft to the Congregation, that they 
 'would give no offence , neither by word nor 
 doed,to the other party, when the Account 
 rfthe former Difpute was come downy Afr 
 fl.fent two Copies, one to Mr. FL another to 
 Mr. W. enclofed in thefe fetters, which be- 
 tng come unto my hand f I thin\ fit not t& 
 conceal, and fball adde unto them fome other 
 fince, to the end you may the better under" 
 ft and the Temper cfthe Author^ and in what 
 condition he is at Wis prejent, December 17. 
 
 2 5 5 3. 
 
 f . 
 
 * Mafter 
 
< 55) 
 
 Mafter Helm, 
 
 HAdyouhcarkned unto me and embra- 
 ced my motion for a private confe- 
 rence, both you and I had faved fome trou- 
 ble ; but fince the matter is come thus far* 
 I intreat you to perufe the account with 
 judgement , and let me receive from yon 
 any thing that may fervc for the perfecting 
 of it, I have not wronged you, nor do I 
 remember any greater provocation in my 
 former Letters, but that I once faid, Tour 
 Jtmple Difciples, which word I have caufe 
 to retract, finding by experience that they 
 have much more of the Serpent, than of the 
 Dove* From them I fuppofe, rather than 
 from your felf, is a tempcft a raifing againft 
 me in the Higher Region: The opinion I 
 have had of your Moderation and Ingenuity, 
 yea and fome degree of friendfhip with you 
 formerly, cnclines me to hope, that by your 
 discretion all may be calmed. However, be- 
 ing notconfcious to my felf of any evill Do- 
 ing either againft private or publick per- 
 Ibns, I do fecurely wait for the Event. I am 
 enemy to no man : that's my Religion. They 
 that make it a part of their Religion to per- 
 secute Diffenters 1 muft take heed, left at their 
 D 4 great 
 
(SO 
 
 great peril they do good to thofe they ma- 
 lign; for that Good will accrew to thofe 
 tliatiufterforthe Truth is out of queftion 
 with £ 
 
 Decern.?. Your Servant, 
 
 C. B. 
 
 Matter Wells, 
 
 IF fo high a comparifon may be ufed, it 
 may befaid of us, as it was of two great 
 Romans by the Hiftorian .• They learned in 
 the \ame that which in contrary camps they 
 framed. You and I were coJlegues in our 
 Youth, and lately had fome clafhing. Bur 
 Sir I wifh you to ufe no carnal weapons- 
 tor I am informed there is fome intent of 
 force to be offered me. Forbear I pray, and 
 take oft any luch profecution. Let us pro- 
 ceed m debate of what is in contrcverfv fif 
 you pleafe to proceed) without any other 
 arms but fuch as become Scholars and Di- 
 Wnes that is, reaions and Arguments. You 
 ihali 1 rind me, I allure you on the word of a 
 Chnttian,vcry willing to yield to any thin* 
 I cannot anfwer. Read the enclofed as if 
 ycu were not a party but a judge ; and re- 
 member the conclufion in Minutius F*l tx 
 at you cannot forget you are a party, Th «*! 
 
 ttor 
 
(57) 
 
 Bor met, ego erroris. Do not difdairi to 
 write your mind to your old acquaintance 
 and Countryman, and, if you permit, Lo- 
 ving friend ttill, 
 
 Cl. Barkjdale. 
 Decern. 9. 
 
 To the Right Worfhipfal Richard Aylworth 
 
 Efqttire, and to the reft of the worthy 
 
 Juftices met at Winchcomb, 
 
 Decern. 17. 1653, 
 
 Noble Sir, 
 
 TO you I addrefs my felf, and by you to 
 the reft of the worthy Juftices prefent 
 with you, protefting my readinefs to wait on 
 you, and to be obedient to the prefent Go- 
 vernours in all lawful things, and namely, 
 in ufing or not urine the Book of Common 
 Prayer. I am ready to uie it, if it be per- 
 mitted (as I fuppofe it is by Order of the 
 Council of State November 1 2. laft>) and 
 
 I am ready f to lav itafide, if , XT a . , 
 1 I l . 1 J 1 . 1 r j f Never with 
 
 they require it to be laid ahdc: colUem p C- 
 
 por I never thought it the only 
 
 wayofferving God. I have done nothing 
 
 in contempt of any A& or Ordinance of 
 
 State. I have ever Preacht Obedience to 
 
 Superiours . Nor do I defire to live any 
 
 longer 
 
(5« ) 
 
 longer than I may be a profitable Member 
 of this Common -wealth, in my little fphear. 
 And you will be fo tender (I hope) of the 
 Honour of publick Juftice, as not to con- 
 demn fuch a man unheard. Let not Chrifti* 
 an Gentlemen and Engltfhmen be lefs equal 
 than Pagan Romans. You will in your pie* 
 try and wifdom (I hope) give a check to the 
 violence of my Accufers, whofe Religion is 
 Revenge, You will in your Charity and 
 Goodneis endeavour (fo far as lawfully you 
 may) the prefervation of 
 
 Decern. lj. t 6 5 |, 
 
 Gods Servant and your 
 foor Friend. 
 
 CI. Barksdale. 
 
 To CMafter William Towers. 
 Decern. 17. 1653. 
 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 AS God hath vouchfafed us the honour 
 to appear for forrie Great Truths in our 
 Religion, lb it feemcth by the Jufticcs pro* 
 ceedingat PVinchcomb, we (hall have this 
 fecond honour, to fuffer for them. Te Deum 
 laftdamtt$\ I have lent them a Letter this 
 
 morn, 
 
( 59) 
 
 morn , to put them inmind of the manner of 
 the Romans ( I hope 'twill not feem to them 
 Antichriftian) not to condemn men unheard. 
 I do not find in my fclf any fear of them, 
 Though I cannot fay , as the good Archbi- 
 {hop tvhitgift faid 9 Hz had two things to 
 give him courage againft his potent Adver- 
 iaries. Orbit at em & SeneButew, being in the 
 midftofmyCourfe, and being calfd Father 
 by fix little motherlefs children j Yet I can 
 fay, Si Dens ftobifcum — —and take courage 
 enough frem the Caufe. If all the world op- 
 pofe it, Truth is Truth , and God is Truth, 
 To whofe Grace and protection I commend 
 us and all ours, 
 
 Tour ajfttred frieni 
 and Brother 9 
 
 C. B; 
 
 ^Vi^Wm^^MmmmW>m^ 
 
 M. 
 
( 6o ) 
 C. B. to D. fV. December 19. 53. 
 
 • S IR ' 
 
 it is very true , that I told you , the firft 
 draught of that difpute was the work but of 
 one day, while the memory of it was frefh : 
 and the careful! obferver is no other than the 
 RefponJent himfelf , who is not afhamed to 
 own as well the penning as the publifaingof 
 it. My worthy. friend , that flood m {tibfidiis, 
 if he hath noted any considerable Defecl: in 
 it,may do well,as I requelied him.tofend me 
 his fnpplcmenr. But the fetting down an En- 
 thytnemfor a Syllogifm, and the omiflion of 
 little matters on ihe by, I conceive is no very 
 eon/iderablc want. Indeed there was a paiTagc 
 between him and the opponents concerning 
 the Jnftitution of the Sacrament , which > be- 
 caufe I found not the particulars in my frail 
 memory, I mentioned not. Now Sir , tor the 
 proceeding againft me at Winchcomb the laft 
 week , which together with a very frivolous 
 report about the D. of T. ( in the inquiry 
 whereof , methinks, the Religion of an 
 oath was made cheap ) was the bufinefs 
 of the three Jufriecs , I muft tell you 
 what good people fay ; Th*t the new-faints 
 xhere difcover what they arc by their pride 
 
 and 
 
(6i ) 
 
 and fpightfulhefs ; That they procured waf= 
 rant to fetch in fome of my neighbours to 
 fwear againft me for ufing the C **mon-Pnn- 
 er-Bookj, who arc not fo Book-learned , that 
 they can well tell when I ufe it , when not :" 
 That they, fome of them , gave this falfe evi- 
 dence, that on the Monday following the Difc 
 pute, when Mr.Helme would not appear 3 
 I had drawn to the Church a company ( you 
 were one) of lewd perfons s That the Juftices 
 have not obliged me by any humanity or cha- 
 rity toward me, fuferingme to be aeeufed 
 by fuch fellowes in my abfenec, that —But 
 no more of this now. To conclude this 
 fcribble , I would have all know , that I do 
 forgive my Adverfaries (whom I have aflay- 
 cd to cool by kind letters) and that I do not 
 fear them ; that I am well afFe&ed to al*Go- 
 verment, by which I am protected , and that 
 I am fo well opiniond of the prefent Govcr- 
 nor,that I believe he will at Jeaft tolerate that 
 Religion , wherein himfelf ,as well as we 
 were once baptizU 
 
 C. B. to CMr< g t ^December 24, i€$p 
 
 S IR > 
 
 I have ferioufly eonfidered both what 
 you writ to me,and what you [aid. You [aid, 
 Lit Mtmfiers preach at heme, m d take heed 
 
tf Meetings. It is good to be wife and wary^ 
 but to omit the means and opportunity of 
 doing good in our Calling! , even when there 
 is fomc (hew of peri II to our felvcs , I doubt 
 will argue rather a timorous deferring of 
 our Caufe , than a prudent warinefs. Mini- 
 ftersmuft not only labour fingie and in their 
 own Cures , but by a brotherJy union, and 
 mutual afliftance 9 advance the work of their 
 Mafter,and procure the peace of the Church . 
 When Co many unlearned new Teachers , 
 both fingie and united,mew fuch zeal to make 
 profelytes,fhali we that have gone through 
 the Schools to S* Maryes , and through uni- 
 versity degrees have afcended the Pulpit, and 
 by a regular miflion are employed in our na- 
 tions , mail we I fay let the people lofe the 
 fruit of our long ftudyes, mall we be cold and 
 heartlefs , and furfcr our fheep to wander as if 
 they had no fhepheards ? You writ to me, 
 That the Truth and our Caufe did not fxffer by 
 my < Dtjpttte,but my friends fear u,that I in my 
 eft ate may fnfferin defenfe, thereof. Truly Six, 
 the grave judgment of you and other friends, 
 that! have done fomc fervice to a good Caufe, 
 doth more comfort me,than your fears of my 
 fuff eriiag can difeourage me. I think upon the 
 Pfalmifts words j Trnft in the Lord , and be 
 dtofig good.! think upon Gods words toTaul, 
 
 Be 
 
(*3) 
 
 Be not afraid, but fpeak^ and hold not thy peaiei 
 For I am with the. I think upon Paul's 
 words to the Philippians t To you- it is given 
 net only to believe , but to fuffer. I think 
 Upon Chrift's words , Bleffed are ye when 
 men fhall revile you and perfecute you for 
 my fake ; Eejoyee and be exceeding glad, 
 I need not comment upon tbefe paflages , nos 
 apply Jhcm., A/Tore your felf, I am not afraid 
 to fuffer , as a Chriftian. My eftate indeed is 
 but /mail; if it were great, God forbid I 
 fliould love it more than a good Confeience* I 
 am in hope to keep both fafe $ and my hope 
 is confirmed, fined hear, that at the very 
 fame time when our Advcriaries were con- 
 triving to undo me and other of my worthy 
 brethren, TfaeGenerall was declared Pro- 
 testor , who is faid to be of a moderate , and 
 a gentle , and obliging DifjpofitioH* From 
 whom I may juftjy expert fueh a preferva 
 rion in my pkee a whereby I may be able 
 (which is all my ambition) ro breed up my 
 five little Boys , to fear God , to love their 
 Gountrey* and to ©bey their fuperiours, 
 
 c 
 
CM) 
 
 C. B. to D. C. December 30. 165^ 
 
 A/[OR dear Sir, 
 
 I have born a lof< , which will make 
 all that can happen fecm but light unto me (0 
 pajfi graviora 1 ) fo that the danger threatned 
 moves me not; But truly upon the late change 
 (which I hope will turn to the general good, 
 as well as mine) I wrote to you,that the dan- 
 ger, I cocceiv'd, was paft ; and therefore you 
 might burn the letters. No wonder , that in 
 the delivery of my papers to that man , you 
 receiv'd vile words , and threats againft me. 
 Such are the Civilities of fome new-Saints , 
 that have found out a Religion of another 
 temper from His y who as himfelf is meek and 
 Iowly,fo requireth all his Difciples to be like 
 him • and that are of another fpirit than that 
 whofe fruits are long futfering and gentle- 
 nefs. Twas well you ventur a not to deli- 
 ver the other letter , having had fuch expe- 
 rience. Now Sir, to anfwer your Queftion, 
 where I am profecnteed , I cannot : only I 
 conje^ure I {kail hear of my AJverfaries ac 
 the Seflions , and there I may hope well of 
 the equity of the other Juftices. As for the 
 ^Articles againft me>it feems by what I have 
 learned concerning the examinations , they 
 
 will 
 
will run thus ? i. That he faid , he would 
 out CMr.Helme (though I think, whea they 
 fought falfe witneis to prove this , they 
 found none ; And indeed I do not ufe to 
 threaten.) 2. That he hath fometimc u(ed 
 fome part oftheCommon-Prayer-Boo^Thzm* 
 felvcs ufe not the Directory : and the Order 
 of the 1 2. of November fob , prote&s all Af- 
 fembiiesbwtPopifli.) 3. That heChriftned 
 fueh a mans ehild with the fign of the Crofiz 
 in token that he fliould not be afliam'd to 
 eonfefs the faith of Chrift crucified* 4. Tfiat 
 he dined at an Ordinary with the P. ofr*ac 
 mnchcomb* [ About whom there hath been 
 much adoe among thofe Juftiees, to the ex** 
 pofing of themfeiyes and their office to much 
 contempt among the people.] Terrible Ar* 
 ticks I But, finee the Dijfo lut ion, the Men 
 are not terrible : fo that I may banifli them 
 from my ftudies , and return unto my Qro- 
 tiu4*oz> rather ufe the words of the Pfal^ 
 mi ft , Return unto thy > reft ', O my Soul , for the. 
 Lord hath been good to thee. Th<r Lord taketh 
 my fart againfl my adversaries* The Lord (hall 
 give his people the blejjlng of Teaee. To hi* 
 grasious providence I commend you and all 
 yours- i 
 
 \ B. Tefiimonits 
 
(.66) 
 
 ft 
 
 WW WW WW W W WW WW WW www w w>* 
 
 Teflimonies pertinent to fever all pajfages in the 
 
 latter s andDifpute, folletted out of Pro- 
 
 tejiant Divines as they came to hand , 
 
 to he referred to their f roper 
 
 places by the diligent 
 
 Reader. 
 
 Dr. HAMMOND 
 
 Of Binding and Leofing 9 
 Pag. 74. 
 
 THcy quite deform the primitime Insti- 
 tution ( of Excommunication) who deny 
 the Sacrament to Whole Congregations at 
 once , without any charge laid to ail or any 
 part of them ( fave only that they are a mixt 
 Congregation , wherein there are fome evill 
 men , which yet is not legally proved nei- 
 ther : ) and they alfo who deny it to parti- 
 cular men fuflieiendy catcchifed, without any 
 publick cognizance of their crime, or proeefs 
 of admonition firft and fecond • or that de- 
 
 fignc 
 
 m 
 
fignethatexclufion to any other end, than m 
 pec antes refipfcant , the reducing Sinners to 
 repentance. -and therefore no fmaii petty trifle 
 is a fufficient matter for this , but contumaci- 
 ous continuing in fome fcandalous fin after 
 admonitions : from which when they return 
 again by a (incere approved repentance , they 
 are to beabfolved. 
 
 In his Preface* 
 
 TTHat the power of Binding and Looting 
 may be reftored to its full vigour in this 
 Church againe, and , wherever fobriety frail 
 advife, by addition of penitemiall Canons be 
 reformed or regulated j and being put into 
 the primitive chanell , may there be permit- 
 ted to (hew forth it (d£ in the native purity 
 and brightnefs ; and fo being ordered aceor- 
 ding to Gods designation , obtain <§ods blef- 
 fing to make it efre&uali to its end , mall be 
 the prayer of him who profeflfes to love and 
 admire the beauty of this fabrick [of die 
 Church of Englmd\ even when it tycs pollu- 
 ted in us blood, and to vviflino greater blef- 
 fing to its deareft friends 9 or , for whom he 
 daily prayes , moft implacable enemies ,than 
 that the fcales may fall off from all our eyes, 
 E % that 
 
( *8 ) 
 
 that we may fee and value what is fo iJMri. 
 oufly eonfpicuou* and eftimabfe in it felf , 
 &c. If the abufes and exeeffcs and miftakes 
 were removed and that which is Chriftian 
 and Apoftolieall revived and reftoredin pru- 
 dence and fobriety 3 mighr yet again (hew the 
 world the ufe of that Prelacy , which is now 
 fo zealoufly contemned , and recover at once 
 the order, and the efiimation of it ; fet more 
 Siints on their knees , in petitions for the 
 reducing and restoring , than ever employed 
 their hands toward the fuppreffing of it. 
 
 D. Jer .Taylor in the Dedicatory before his 
 Winter* Sermons. Of preaching. 
 
 W 1 
 
 Ho would have in him fo little of a man 
 as not to be greedy of the Word of 
 God, and of holy Ordinances,even therefore 
 becaufe they are fo hard to have ? And this 
 evill, although it can have noexcufe a yetit 
 hath a great and a certain caufe. For the 
 Word of God ftill creates new Appetites, as 
 it fatisfics the old ; and enlarges the capacity, 
 as it (ills the firft propensities of the Spirit. 
 For all fpirituall bleilings are feeds of Im- 
 mortality , and of infinite felicitie ; they 
 fwellup to the comprehensions of Eternity/ 
 and the de(ire$ of the foul can never be wea- 
 ried, 
 
( 6 9 ) 
 
 ried, but when they are decayed : as the 
 ftomackwill be craving every day, unlefs 
 it be fickandabufed. But every mans expe- 
 rience tels him now, that becaufc men have 
 not Preaching, they lefs defire it; their long 
 fafting makes them not to love their meat : 
 and lo we have caule to fear, the people will 
 fall to an Atrophy, then to a loathing of ho*- 
 ly food, and then Gods anger will follow 
 the method of our fin, and fend a famine 
 of the* word and Sacraments. 'Paulo pft a 
 And by the fame instrument [Preaching] 
 (Sod restored the beauty of the Church, when 
 it was* neceffary Ihe mould be reformed : it 
 was theafliduousxand learned Preaching of 
 thofe whom God chpfe for his Ministers in 
 that work, that wrought the Advantages, 
 and perfwaded thofe Truths,, which are the 
 enamel and beauty of our [ Churches, And 
 becaufe by the fame means all things are 
 preferved, by which they are produe'd, it 
 cannot but be certain, that the prelenc State 
 of the Church requires a greater care and 
 prudence in this Miniftry than ever : efpe- 
 cially, fince by Preaching fome endeavour 
 to fupplant Preaching, and by intercepting 
 the fruits of the flocks,to difhearten the fliep- 
 heards from their Attendances. 
 
(70) 
 
 The [am* Author .Of Zeal, p. 185, 
 
 ANy zeal is proper for Religion, but the 
 zeal of the Sword, and the zeal of an- 
 ger > this \s™*fl*(i\*» the bitterneis of zeal ; 
 and it is a certain temptation to every man 
 againft his duty : for if the Sword turns Prea- 
 cher and dictates Proportions by Empire 
 Inftead of Arguments, and engrave* them 
 in mens hearts with a Ponyard, that it ftiall 
 be death to believe what I innocently and 
 ignorantly am perfwaded of, it muft needs 
 be uniafe totry the Spirits, to try all things , 
 to make enquiry. And yet without this 
 liberty, no man can juftify himfelf before 
 God or man, nor confidently fay, that his 
 Religion is beft : fince he cannot without a 
 final danger make himfelf able to give a 
 right femence, and to follow that which he 
 finds to be the belt. This, may ruin Souls 
 by making Hypocriis, or carelefs and com- 
 plyant againft conicience or without it ; but 
 it doth not lave Souls, though perad venture it 
 flioula force them to a good opinion. This 
 \s inordination of zeal. For thrift by re- 
 ptovir.g St. Teter drawing his Sword, even 
 in the cauie of Chnft, for his facred and yet 
 
 injur'd 
 
(7* ) 
 
 injur'd perfon, cftju'*** ui ^^ «*vn'tf **"* * Mr 
 A*«"w i««^««t» (faith Theophilatt) teaches us 
 not to ufe the Sword though in the caufe of 
 God, or for God himfelf : becauie he will 
 fecure his own intercft : only let him be 
 ferved as himfelf is pleafed to command : and 
 it is like Mofes paffion, it throws the Tables 
 of the Law out of our hands, and breaks 
 them in pieces out of indignation to fee 
 them broken. This is the zeal that is now 
 infafhion, and hath almoft fpoilcd Religi- 
 gion.- Men like the zealots of the Jews cry 
 up their Se&, and in it their Intereft, they 
 affect Diiciples and fight againft the Oppo- 
 nents : And we {hall find in Scripture, thac 
 when the Apoftles began to Preach the 
 meeknefs of the Chriftian inftitution, fal- 
 vation, andpromifes, charity and humility, 
 there was a Zeal let uo againft them. The 
 Apoftles were zealous for the Goipel : The 
 Jews were zealous for the Law. And fee 
 what different effect thefe two zeals did pro > 
 ducc. The zeal of the Law came to this, 
 They ftirred up the Cityi they made tu- 
 mults, they fent parties of Souldiers to fi- 
 lence and to imprilon the Preachers, we. 
 But the zeal of the Apoftles was this, They 
 Preached publickly and privatly, they pray- 
 ed for all men, they wept to God for the 
 1 4 hardnef$ 
 
( 7*) 
 
 hardnefs of mens hearts, they became all 
 things to all men, &c. They endured every 
 man and wronged no man, They would do 
 any good thing and fuffer any evill, if they 
 had but hopes to prevail upon a Soul : They 
 perfwaded men meekly, they entreated them 
 humbly, they convinced them powerfully, 
 they watched for their good , but medlcd 
 not with their intereft, &c. 
 
 L. Hatton in the Preface to his Pjalter. 
 Of Union. 
 
 HE that is ready to joyn with all the fo- 
 cieties of Chriftians in the world, in 
 thofe things which are certainly true, juil 
 and pious, gives great probation that he hath 
 atlezftrtrnmum Catholicum, no Schifmatical 
 Soul, becaufe he would actually communi- 
 cate with all Chriftendome ; \tbona fides in 
 falfo articulo, lincere perfwafion (be it true 
 or falfe) did not diloblige him ; fince he 
 clearly diftinguifhes perfons from things, 
 and in all good things communicates with 
 perfons bad enough in others. This is the 
 Communion of Charity : and when the 
 Communion of belief is interrupted by mif- 
 perfwafion on one fide, and too much con- 
 fidence 
 
( 73) 
 
 fidencc and want of Charity on the other, 
 the eiring party hath humane infirmity to 
 excuie him, but the uncharitable nothing at 
 all. Thii therefore is the heft and fureft way, 
 becaufe we are all apt to' be deceived, to be 
 fincere in our difquifiuons , modeft in our 
 determinations, charitable in our ccnfures, 
 and apt to communicate in things of evi- 
 dent truth and confeffed holinefs. Since all 
 Chriftians of any publick confefilon and 
 Government, that is, all particular and na- 
 tional Churches, agree in the matter of pray- 
 ers, and the great object, God in the myftery 
 of the Trinity, if the Church of Rome would 
 make her AddrclTes to God only through 
 JefusChrift our Lord, and leave the Saints 
 in the Calendar, without drawing them into 
 her Offices (which they might do without 
 any prejudice to the futes they ask, unlefs 
 Chrifts interceiTion without their conjun- 
 cture were imperfe&) that we might all once 
 pray together, we might hope for the blcf- 
 fmgs of Peace and Charity to be upon 
 us all . r 
 
 Hieronymus 
 
(74) 
 
 Hieronymus Zanchius, in Confcfs. 
 Cap. 24.19. De Scclejia. 
 
 NOn enim ab EccUfia Romana fimflici- 
 ter & in omnibus defecimus : fed in Hits 
 dttntaxat rebus, in quibus ipfa defecit ab A* 
 .foftolica, at que adeo a feipfa, veteri & jura 
 Ecclefia : neque alio difceffimm animo, quam 
 ftt,fi correBa ad priorem Ecclefid formam 
 redeat, nos quoque ad illam revertamur, & 
 communionem cum ilia, in fuis porrb ccetibut 
 habeamus. Quod ut tandem fiat, toto ani- 
 mo Dominum Jefum precamur. Quid enim 
 pio cuique optatius, quam ut ubi per Baptif- 
 mum renati fumus, ibi etiam in finem u\que 
 vivamus, modo in Domino. Ego H. Z cum 
 tot a meafamilia teflatum hoc valo toti Ec- 
 clefia Ckrifti inomnem at emit at em. 
 
 " Huic fii viri fententis, lib enter fub- 
 " fcribit 
 
 C. B. 
 
 Idem in obfervat. ad Cap. 5. 
 
 ATtque hmc de yatrum autoritate : a qui- 
 busnifi manifeftiffimi? rationibus cogar, 
 me pro mca tensra confcicntta, vel in dogma- 
 
 tibus, 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 tibus, vet etiam in fcripturarum interprets 
 tionibus, prafertim ubi plerique omnes con* 
 fenttunt, de fetter e non audept, toti Eccleji& 
 £hrifli ingenue fateor. Et poftea. Hoc ego 
 ingenue denuo profiteor, talem effe meam con~ 
 fcientiam^ ut a veterum patrum, five dog* 
 matibus , five fcripturarum interpretation^ 
 bus, non facile , nifi vel manifeftis facrarum 
 literarum tefiimoniis, vel neceffariis confer 
 quentiis , apertifque demonftrationibns cow* 
 vittus at que coattm, difcedere que am. Sic 
 enim acquie[cit mea confcientia : & in ba(/ 
 mentis quiet e cupio etiam mori* 
 
 Idem ad Cap. 25. 
 
 QUid ? quod in Ecclefiis etiam Froteftan- 
 tium, non defunt reipfa Epifcopi, & 
 Arcioiepifcori s quos mutatis bonis Cjr<tcis 
 nominibus in male Latina^ vocant fuperin- 
 tendentes , & generales fuperintendentes ? 
 Sed ubi etiam nequt ilia Vetera bona Graca, 
 neque hdc nova male Latina nomina obtinent^ 
 ibi tamen foknt ejfe aliquot primarily penes 
 quos fere tot a eft autoritas. <De nominibus 
 ergofuerit controverfia : verum cum de rc<* 
 bus convenit , quid de nominibus alterca~ 
 mur } 
 
 Idem 
 
(7* ) 
 
 Idem in fine. 
 
 PRecor omnes fhriftianos per Dominum 
 Jefum y ut fofitis van is privatorum homi- 
 num fomniis, fofitis etiam profriis cam is af~ 
 feblibw, odiis, inimicitiis ; amplexi verb 
 certum ac falutarem veteris Ecchfia doblri- 
 nam f Chriftianamque dileBtonem $ coeamus 
 omnes tn unam fldem jfanblamque amicv tarn; 
 ftpui; nobis quoque omnibia umu efl Dens, 
 unus Mediator 9 mum Baptifma, una [pes 
 vocation is noflra : ad giGriam nomints llei, 
 Ecclefia adificationem, [alutemque animorum 
 Hoflrorum. Citius emm quam putamus, fi- 
 ftemur ante tribunal Chri&i, ut referat u- 
 vufquifque prout fe fejfu in cor pore , & * n hue 
 vita, quando pofl hancvitam nulla [pes veni& y 
 nullpts rejtpifcentia Igcus efl. 
 
 Hooker in his ¥ re face. Sect. 4. 
 
 A Very ftra-nge thing Cure it were, that fuch 
 a Difcipline as ye fpeak of, ftiould be 
 taught by Chrift and his Apoftles in the 
 "word of God , and no Church ever have 
 found it out, nor received it till this pre- 
 fent time : contrariwiie, the Government 
 
 agairiil 
 
 - 
 
(77) 
 
 againft which ye bend your felves, be 6b-' 
 ferved every where throughout all genera- 
 tions and ages of the Chriftian world, no 
 Church ever perceiving the word of God 
 to be againft it. We require you to find 
 out but one Church upon the face of th^ 
 whole earth, that hath been ordered by youiC' 
 Difcipline, or hath not been orderd by ours, 
 that is to lay, by Epifcopal regiment, fithence 
 the time that the bleffed Apoftles were here 
 converlant. 
 
 The fame, SeB. 6. 
 
 AS for the Orders which are efrabliilied* 
 fith equity and reaion, the Law of Na- 
 ture, God and man , do all favour that 
 which is in being, till orderly judgement 
 of decifion be given againft it^ it is but ju- 
 ftice to exa<5fc of you, and perverfenefs in you 
 it ftiould be to deny thereunto your willing 
 obedience. Not that I judge it a thing al- 
 lowable for men to obferve thofe Laws* 
 which in their hearts they are ftedfaftly per- 
 fwaded to be againft the Law of God j but 
 your perfwafionin this caie ye are all bound 
 for the time to iufpend ; and in otherwife 
 doing, ye offend againft God by troubling his 
 
 Church 
 
City 
 
 Church without any juft or neceflary 
 caufe. 
 
 __ I 
 
 The fame. Sett. 8. 
 
 ' A Gain * c ma y i u ftty he feared, whether 
 jfjL our Englifh Nobilicy, when the matter 
 came in tryal , would contentedly fuffer 
 themfelves to be alwaies at the call, and to 
 ftand to the lentence of a number of mean 
 perfons affifted with the prefence of their 
 poor teacher, a man (as fometimes it hap- 
 neth) though better able to fpeak, yet little 
 or no whit apter to judge than the reft. From 
 whom, be their dealings never fo ablurd (un- 
 lefs it be by way of complaint to a Synod) 
 no appeal may be made unto any one of 
 higher power : in as much as the order of 
 your Difcipline admitteth no ftanding ine- 
 quality of Courts, no Spiritual Judge to have 
 have any ordinary Superior on earth, but as 
 many Supremacies, as there are Parifhes 
 and feveral Congregations . Neither is it 
 altogether without caufe that fo many do fear 
 the overthrow of all learning, as a threat- 
 ned fequel of this your intended Difcipline. 
 Forir the worlds preiervation depend upon 
 the multitude of the wife j and of that fort 
 
 the 
 
(79) 
 
 the number hereafter be not likely to wax 
 over great, when (that wherewith the Son 
 of Syrach profeffeth himfelf at the heart grie- 
 ved) men of underftanding are already fo 
 little fet by : how ftiould their minds, whom 
 the love of io precious a Jewel filleth with 
 fecret-jealouly, even in regard of the leaft 
 things which may any way hinder the flou- 
 riftiingeftace thereof, choofe but mifdoubt, 
 left this DUcipline, which alwaies you 
 match with Divine Doctrine, as her natu- 
 ral and true Sifter, be found unto all kinds 
 of knowledge a Stepmother; feeing that 
 the greateft worldly hopes, which are propo- 
 fed unto the chiefeft kind of learning* yec 
 feek utterly to extirpate as weeds : and have 
 grounded your platform on fuch Proporti- 
 ons, as do after a fort undermine thofe moft 
 renowned habitations, where through the 
 goodnefs of Almighty God aU commendable 
 Arts and Sciences are with exceeding great 
 induftry hitherto (and fo may they for ever 
 continue) ftudied, proceeded in, and pro- 
 feft. To charge you as puxpofely bent to 
 the overthrow of that wherein many of you 
 have attained no fmall perfection, were in- 
 jurious. Only therefore I wifti that your 
 ielvesdid well confider how oppofite certain 
 your pofitions are, &e. 
 
 Matter 
 
(8o) 
 
 Mafier Edward Leigh , a dilligent Colle- 
 ft or , in his Body of Divinity 
 P. 454> &c 
 
 TpHe Socinians fay, Cum adhuc nova, &c. 
 The Apoftles had a call when the Gofpel 
 was newly published : there needs not a 
 Miniflry now that the Gofpel is generally 
 taught, and it is promifed we fhall be all 
 taught of God. If we fhould look for a Mi- 
 niftry, where fhall we find it ? Our Mini- 
 ftets were ordained by Bifhops, they by the 
 Pope : Therefore their Calling is Anti-Chri- 
 ftian. But, That there is luch an Inftitu- 
 tion of Chrift, and this to continue till the 
 worlds end, may be thus proved. Firft, there 
 are fome to whom the word of reconciliation 
 is committed, and not to others, i Cor.$.i$. 
 Rom. io. 15. there is a peculiar miflion : 
 Men cannot Preach as the Embailadors of 
 Chrift, unlefs fent, J0.20.21. (jal.i.l. Se- 
 condly, becaufe a fpecial authority is com- 
 mitted to fuch by venue of their office, they 
 have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 If. 2 2.22. Mat.\6.\g. The Brownifts fay, 
 our Minifters are not rightly called into, their 
 offices, becaufe we received it from Rome, 
 An\. Not every thing ordained by Anti- 
 
 Chrift 
 
(8s) 
 
 dirift is forthwith to me re je&cd , but only 
 that whieh he doth , q*a idntichriftus % as he 
 is Antiehrift. But Bifliops were before eves 
 Antiehrift appeared in the world. — Brown 
 the father or the Brorvmfts was the firftof 
 note that did feparate hirrifelf from the 
 Church of England , and faid, that we had no 
 Church ; he meant a true Church $ Bat afces 
 he went into Trance > and being at Genemjie 
 faw the Sabbath much prophaned, and the 
 wafer-cake giren in the Sacrament inftead of 
 bread ; whereupon he began to think better 
 of the Church of Eng land } znd returning home 
 he became Paftor of a Church in Northbam* 
 fton-jhfre , called Achitrch* The Church of 
 Rome was a true Church j the Reformed 
 Churches feparated from it becoming a falfe 
 Church. Though Minifters were ordained la 
 the moft corrupt eftate of the Church of 
 Borne , yet if they forfake the corruptions of 
 the Church of Rome they are true Minifters* 
 as the Church of Rome it felf if it would caft 
 off its Corruptions, mould be a true Church* 
 There is a double Calling neceiTary to a 
 difpenfor of the Myfteries of falvation , In- 
 ward and Outward. The InWitd enabletht 
 men , the Outwaxd authorizeth them to dif- 
 charge their faercd fun<flion» Where there 
 are Gifts, if God enelioe the heart ofthe 
 F pzttf 
 
parcy to enter into the Miniftry , there iftn. 
 inward Calling * Yet this alone fuffieeth not 
 without ati outward Calling, either Ordinary i 
 ox Extraordinary. We arc not now to expec* 
 extraordinary callings fincc Miracles are 
 ceafecL The Ordinary calling is by the Im- 
 pofirion of the hands of the Presbytery . Jcr. 
 14. 14, tf- 37,15. F° m - !•■ 5- No othcr 
 Ordination was heard of for fifteen hnndrcd 
 years i or at lett approved of. Vr. Featlfs 
 diftinftion of C l * r g) and Laity. J _ 
 
 In the Reformed Churches oi France and 
 Ce nevxjht people give no voice in the Elec- 
 tion of Miriifter* , but are only permitted , if 
 they have any caufes of diflike or exception , 
 tomake them known to the paftors & guides 
 of the Church, and the power of judging fuch 
 exceptions refteth wholly in them.W.iien one 
 MoreUm aphantaflicall companion fought to 
 bring the Eleftions ol Bifhops and Miniflers 
 to be popular , and fwayed by tbraoft voices 
 of the people , he was condemned by ail the 
 $ynods in France , as Bez,a (hewefh, Efifi* 
 
 In Scripture we find Ele&ion andOrdina- 
 tton frequently diftinguimed, not only as di- 
 ftinct afts , but oft-times in diftmS bands ; 
 Dent. 1. 13. The people chufe them "who 
 (hall be Rulers , but Mofa makes them Ru- 
 lers* 
 
^ «5 J 
 
 kts. Aft, 6, 3. The people ehufe, the A- 
 port.es appoint the Deacons. The chuftng of 
 a perfon cj an office, is not the authorizing 
 or the perfon elected, but the designation of 
 the perfon to be authorized. See Mr. Gilleff. 
 (JWiJcelLcq. 
 
 ThzSocinians acknowledge h is ni for Or- 
 der and Decency t6 retain Ordination iri the 
 Church, Feradventuremany of the Seftaries 
 of this time will hardly acknowledge thus 
 much.— — -Some think , that the Ceremony 
 ©flaying on of hands may be omitted ; fome- 
 times we mu(t be tyed to example in the left 
 gefture > though not prefcribed , and yet men 
 prefume to difpenfe in a circumtfance pre- 
 fcribed , Tit. 1.5. Timothy was ordained by 
 layingon of handstand enjoyned to Jay hands 
 on others in their Ordination, 1 Tim.$. 22; 
 Thus were the Deacons ordained , Att. 6. 6» 
 and thus were Paul and Barnabas fet apart 
 
 tin 
 
 for rhe 1 execution of their calling, Aft, 
 
 Aitguftin and Chryfofiom preached, every 
 day in the week and year, (at leaft once or 
 tvyiee without fail : J Te heard ye per day , yee 
 fiall hear to morrow', is common in their Tra^ 
 dates and Homilies. Mr. Bull's irhlofSepd- 
 rai'. p. 8t. The PapiftS by way of feoff called 
 the EvangelicalMinifters pradicAnticJ Jfthcr- 
 ■ - F i is 
 
( 84 ; 
 
 as Paul judged preaching his ehief Office ,• 
 and would not baptize left it (hould be an 
 impediment. Be liar mine and the Councill of 
 Trent Cxyle preaching pr&cipunm Spifcopi ef- 
 ficient. 
 
 The Queftion ( faith Mr. Mede on Ad. 5, 
 3,4, j.) rtiould not be, Whether Tithes ar c 
 due to the Miniftcrs of the Gofpel, meaning 
 as aduty of the people unto them but rather, 
 Whether they be not due to God : for fo j s 
 the ftyle of the Scripture,.^// the Tithes A re 
 mine ; Thefe I give to Levi % and not you. 
 There are many other ufes for the employ- 
 ment of Bona, facra , if they be more than is 
 Competent for them and theirs. 
 
 That men , though gifted without being 
 called to theMiniftry,and byOrdination fet a- 
 part for it,(hou)d take upon them the office or 
 ordinary exercife of preaching, feemsrepug- 
 aant to thofe Scriptures, Rom, 10. 15. Heb. 
 5. 4. 1 Tim. 5. ri. Chrift therefore fre- 
 quently urgeth this , Thas he was fent from 
 his Father.PuniQiments 1 have been infli&ed on 
 thofe that have medled beyond their call , as 
 MztZtiah. ^Apage v&fanani illdm prophetandi 
 liber tat em, imb Itcentiam blafphemandi: ut li- 
 ceat maleferiato cuiq ; tyroni prodigiofijfima 
 cerebri fui phantafmata in apricum producere , 
 & popuio commendare & pralo. Concio D. 
 
 Halli 
 
(«5 ) 
 
 Haiti ad Syn. nat. Dord. Such as want Au- 
 thority from the Church , i . are none of 
 Chrifts Officers, Ephef. 4. n. 2. They arc 
 exprefly forbidden it* Jer. 23. 21. 3. The 
 blefling on the Word is promifed only to fenc 
 Teachers , Rom. 1©. 15. Mr. Owen's duty of 
 cpaftvr sand people diftingtiifbed,p v 46, 47. /«- 
 primis difplicet mihi ilia qwam tmntnr liber* 
 tat prophet andi , certijfima pernicies religionis 
 nifi cert is fmbus acriter coerceatur. Cafaub, 
 epift. 320. 
 
 The fame fiileftor , pag. 683, 6 84* 
 
 Ob]. \X7~E are commanded not to eat with 
 v v a Brother if he be fo and ib. Anf.lt 
 
 fignifieth to have familiar civill fociety with 
 them,in inviting them or feafting them. Bur, 
 if one may not have familiar civil conversati- 
 on with fueh > much iefs may he eat with 
 them at the Sacrament.lt follows not,for in 
 withdrawing our felves from them we punifh 
 them, and (iew our diflike of them : but in 
 vyichdrawing our felves from the Sacrament, 
 becaufe of them, we punifh oisr fdves* ■ ■ , ■ 
 Mr. Downame on 1 Cor. 1 1. i%. faith, None 
 ought to refrain comiug to the Lords Tab'e, 
 becaufe they fee fcandalous finners & unwor- 
 thy guetfs admitted. For, 1. The Apoftlc 
 here doth not enjoyn us to examin others } but 
 F 3 our 
 
(26) 
 
 ontfelves. *. Becaufe the- Apoftles 3 (yea 
 even Chrift himfeif) did joyn with thofe Af- 
 femblie-; in thefervice of God,and particular- 
 ly in theufeof the Sacraments, which were 
 full of corruptions , both in reipe.it of doiirin 
 and manners, viz. This Church of Corinth it 
 iclf. ) 3. Becaule one mans tin cannot defile 
 another, nor make the fca!s of the (Covenant 
 unefre&uall to him who comech in faith and 
 repentance , and even hateth that fin which 
 he feeth committed : efpeciaily when he hath 
 no power committed unto him by God and 
 the Church,of repelling the wicked from this 
 holy Communion. 4. Becaufe the punish- 
 ment denounced agaioft unworthy Receivers 
 is appropriated to them who thus offend, and 
 reacheth not to the innocent becaufe they are 
 in their company. Zanchy faith , Non aut ob 
 talem abufum Scclejia definit ejfe Ecclejia Chru 
 fii y aut p/V impiorum in facris £ommunione 
 fojfunt contaminari. Beza de Presbyt. p. *8, 
 Etiamfi [uis oculx tjlitnifler quaff i am vide- 
 rit aliquid agentem , quod eoentc exclufionem 
 mereatur, jure tamex, nee debeat nee poffitjii- 
 fi vocatum , conviElum legitime , deniq\fecun- 
 dum conftitutum in Scclefia ordinem damna- 
 S'tw a menfa Domini cptm auttoritate prohi- 
 jjffcTf, 
 Gb'ylK We are commanded to fcparate 
 
 our 
 
(8 7 ) 
 oer felve, from the wicked , and to come « 
 
 To ferve falfe Gods , and feparate our Selves 
 from thefamiliar lodety ***fgggf * 
 butothet iepatation was never pra&fed by »- 
 ny Prophet or Apoftle , or ever meant. Im- 
 mediacy there it follows , -Touch nott^un- 
 ^T^Mhatis^o not ioynwtth other. 
 
 in their pollutions. £p**f- S- 6 '7> ."•?• 
 
 ^Ttus Sacrament (faith J*h *»»r«*#> «* 
 H<-f V. 11 is not defiled to the right recei- 
 vers of t, meetly becaufe wicked «.en are 
 Sm there >t We the Congregation 
 KUs their duty of catting out the wicked 
 froln thence , whence they difcover^ them- 
 felves— Particular perfons and Communi- 
 camscome to be defiled in th.^ W**W 
 elea the duty that belongs to them as Chri- 
 & Manl. 18. 15, il If thou haft done 
 hydutytoallfcandalUperfonsintheCon- 
 
 gregatibn, then the fin be a** the Church 
 Sou ma ft receive the Sacrament w <h 
 coin, though wicked men be admitted 
 
 1 f p 481.] Dr. *A™s faith , FMfrm eft 
 
(88) 
 
 law. tnerv. Tom. 2, /. *.*. 1*/. y. ThcA«^ 
 poftles at the firft gathering of the Church of 
 the new Teftament never required any more 
 than the profeflion of the faith or Chrift in 
 fundamentals » and that they were willing for 
 the time to come to walk in Gofpell rules. 
 JohnBapift received Publicans and finners, 
 Soldiers, Scribes, Pharifees, when they con- 
 feflcd their (ins , and defircd to be admitted 
 into the faith of him whom John preached. 
 See Aft* 2. 41, 47. Vide Calvin, ad Matt. 3. 
 Many a one that may have real grace, yet out 
 of baflifulnefs,and becaufehe hath but weak 
 parts,may not be able to evidence it to others: 
 and others,who have greater gifts»may carry 
 it away when they are not inwardly wrought 
 upon. I fuppofe therefore , thofe are to be 
 received into Church-Communion which 
 profefs the faith of Chrift , and fubje& to the 
 rules of theGofpe!l,if they be free from dam- 
 nable errors and fcandalous conversion. 
 
 Mr. Martial on Rom. 1 2. 4, 5. I am ve- 
 rily perfwaded, that were the union and Com- 
 munion of the people of God rightly known, 
 there is no Saint in any part of the world,but 
 where ever he comes, might demand upon 
 the profeflion of his faith , and his voluntary 
 fubjetf ion to the Gcfpell,his right in the Or- 
 dinances , hear the Word with them , pray 
 
 with 
 
(89) 
 
 with them , receive the Sacraments with 
 them. 
 
 Mr* Baxter in the Dedicatory 
 of his Reft. 
 
 YOu know I never conformed to the ufe 
 of myftieal Symbolical Rites my felf ( but 
 only to the determination of Circumftantials 
 neeeffary ingenere ) and yet I ever loved a 
 godly peaceable Conformift, better than a tur- 
 bulent 1S{pn-conformift. 1 yet differ from ma- 
 ny in feverall DoSrins of grater moment 
 than Baptifm , &c. And yet if I mould zea- 
 loufly prefs my judgment on others, and fcek 
 to make a party for ic, and difturb the peace 
 of the Church , and feparate from my Bre- 
 thren , I fltould fear left I mould prove a fire- 
 brand in hell , for being a 'firebrand in the 
 Church. Paulo poft. Make eonfeienceofthe 
 great duty of reproving and exhorting thofe 
 about you : Make not your fouls guilty of the 
 oaths, ignorance and unworthinefs of others 
 by your /zlence. Admonifh them lovingly and 
 modeftly ; but be lure you do it , and that fe- 
 -rioufly. This is the firft ftep in Difcipline* 
 £xpe6t not that your Minifter mould put any 
 from the Sacrament, whom you have not thus 
 admontmed once and again.-— Punim not 
 before due procefs. 
 
 Dr. 
 
( po ) 
 
 'ZV. Ham. Pratt. Catech. /, 6. f. j c 
 
 Of p-e far at ion for the Sacrament. 
 
 "IT Hat every man is infinitely concernd to 
 have his ft ul always pcrTerf with every 
 part of that preparation. That he careiefs*/- 
 citancy& fstal fttt-fidity of the wor!d,in never 
 fo much as confidering whether they have 
 any of them or nc,is a moft prodigious thing. 
 That the time of preparing our fdves for the 
 Sacrament ( Xvhich ought to be frequent, but 
 how frequent is not defined in Scripture , but 
 left to the judgment of the Church) is a very 
 fit time for that fe If examination t Thar tiii that 
 be done,and all and each of thofe graces \Re* 
 fentance, faith , &c."\ found fineere in our 
 hearts , we ought not to come to that holy 
 Sacrament: which yet will not excttfeznyfoc 
 not coming , becaufe he is not prepar'd ; but 
 rather aggravate the fin upon him , jjtet ra- 
 ther than thus fit himfelf he will part with fo 
 great a treafure. 
 
 The fame vfttthour , Of Idolatry, f. jq. 
 
 FOr the ftgn of the Croft , ufed by our 
 Church in Baptism , which hath been by 
 fomecryed down under the title of Idolatry, 
 
 two 
 
< 9 1 > 
 
 two things it vrill not be amifs briefly to have 
 
 ob.'er ved ; i . That the fame ground of zeal or 
 patfion that hath incited fome men lately to 
 charge it of a breach of the fecond Com* 
 mandement>hath long fince moved one [Par- 
 ker on the Crofs] of the fame fpirit, to aecufe 
 it as a fin again/i the other nine , and to en- 
 title his feverall Chapters of the fwearing s 
 fcibbath-breaking, murder, aduitery,ftealiog, 
 falf-witnefs , and at the lair of the coneupif- 
 cetfee of the Crofs, as well as the Idolatry of 
 it, the reafons being much alike for the whole 
 charge. 2. Thatthefigningwiththefignof 
 the Crofs in that Sacrament, is fomevvhat di- 
 ftant from that which the Papifts u/e, and an 
 acl: of departure from them s in King Ed- 
 wards fecond Liturgy ; more than had been in 
 the firft Reformation. The former cuftome 
 was to crofs the Child at the Church dore , 
 when it was brought to Baptifm 9 but this of 
 ours as a mark of initiation or reception 
 into Chrifts flock , immediately following 
 Baptifm, and a kind oUeffera i or military fign 
 that the perfon thus consigned into ChrHt's 
 Militia fhall for ever after think himfelf ob- 
 liged manfully to fight , &c. A change made 
 meerly out of compliance with them who 
 were jealous of too great an inclination to 
 Poyery, and yet now charged with the guile 
 
 of 
 

 ©fthat,whiehitwasonpurpofe deiTgncd to 
 decline. 
 
 The fame Author ; Offraternall Ad- 
 monition , ptg. II. 
 
 ^His of Correption ( faith Gerfon) is by 
 Chrift's precept become ourdaty , wheo- 
 foever thefe 6. Conditions do concur, i . That 
 I have a certain knowledge of the brothers 
 fin , a fu r picion being not ground fufficient 
 for (b doing. 2. That I ufe all mildnefs or man- 
 fuetude in admonifhing, the angry paflionate 
 correption being apt rather to provoke than 
 to amend. 3. If on consideration I difcern 
 not that fome other is fitter for that per- 
 formance than my felf ; «. <?. either more fa- 
 miliar with him , or els his fuperiour , that 
 may have fbme authority over him ( as for a 
 third confederation , whether fome'body c\s 
 be not more fious, or better qualified , I (hall 
 not put that into the fcheme , left the, mod 
 pious men being alfo the moft humble^ould 
 by that *e*T»'e*w , judge themfelves fuperfeded 
 from thar duty:) Yet this alfo with this limi- 
 tation , that if all other do appear to 
 negleft that performance , then it muft de^ 
 volve to me again, and as far as concerns that 
 condition , become my duty , if all the other 
 
 conditions 
 
( 93) 
 
 conditions do concur with it. 4. If I have any 
 probable ground of hope that he will be re- 
 formd or betterdby my Correption : where- 
 as on the other fide, if there be np iueh hope, 
 but rather that he will he provokecUn'flamed, 
 and grow worie,I am not then bound to con- 
 tribute thus to his deeper condemnation. 
 5. That the matter of the fin be of fome/ 
 weight 1 and again , that it were done upois 
 advice and deliberation, not out of fttrreptiotf, 
 fndden motion , or fmperfe<& confent* And 
 Jaftly , if there be not hope of fpringingfome 
 happier opportunity tot this performance at 
 fome other time, which may make it prudent 
 and charitable to defer it till then. The con- 
 currence of thefe conditions is that which 
 makes the exercise of this duty neceftary s% m& 
 neglecl a fin : and the concurrence of at lead 
 fomariy of them , as may give me hope of the 
 defigned fuecefs ( that unto which the firft 
 mention of it by Chri/tvvas ©rdercd, tofave 
 that which was lofi.) the reforming any lapfl 
 trefpaffer 9 lays it upon me as a mod excel- 
 lent work of Chriftian mercy : fhe ufefulne& 
 of which to my poor brother , is able to com- 
 mend it to every Chriftians practice , though 
 there were no obligation 9 or precept lying* 
 on him 9 Read the whole Treat ife. * 
 
 The 
 
i P4 ; 
 
 The fame 'A fit hor in his preface to, 
 Of binding and loofing . 
 
 HTHc Lord grant us unprejudicate honeff 
 hearts to judge uprightly , and every one 
 of us that meeknei's and quietnefs of fpirit ' to 
 think fome others may poflibiy difcern,be~ 
 tvfixtgood and evill , as well as our felves • 
 and when that prayer is once heard, J mall 
 ihen fuppofe that^#w>f that hath given The- 
 pttflocles the «?»?£«, or preheminence over his 
 fellowes in the judgment of all posterity (.viz,, 
 that every man named him next after him- 
 felf) will certainly end the prefect contro- 
 versy, A moderate Epifcopacy y mth a /landing 
 afliftant Presbytery ( and every of thefe alig- 
 ned his full task and province of employment 
 al/b ) being the only fourth , which as it will 
 certainly fadsfy the defires of thofe whofe 
 pretentions are regular and moderate ; fo will 
 it appear to be that which all other parties 
 can belt tolerate ; and which next himfelf, 
 both Presbyterian, and Independent , and S ra- 
 ft tan will make no queftion to chufe and pre- 
 fer before any of the other pretenders. — 
 
 The feverall excellencies of the other three , 
 by which they fee themfelves out amiable and 
 defirabJe to admirers or followers (the Tref- 
 
 byterians 
 
trjteritMs&wntk and feverity againft all ig- 
 norance and iin 5 t e Indef indents zeal againft 
 mixi Congregations , and the Ei aft tans care 
 thac the civU{ power may not be intrenchc 
 on , and that they chat might receive benefit 
 by the word ana Sacraments , fhou.id by no 
 means be interdicted the ufe of them ) may 
 all and each of them be fouml > at lead j-js in 
 mixture, refracted and compounded in this 
 fourth. 
 
 The fame \4mhoY w his Confi derations con- 
 cermwg Church- gqyern-ment.,^ 11. 
 
 *I"*He reftoring £ pifyopacy to its due bur- 
 X then as weil as reputation. Were a care 
 worthy of Reformers : and it is r fc /ar from 
 my defirethat any fuch care (hou d >e ipareda 
 that it is now my pubiick iolemn Petition 
 both to God and Man, that the power oi : the 
 Keys 9 and the exercife of that power, the due 
 ufe of Confirmation * and previous to that, 
 Examination, and. myall of youth ; a Rxl& 
 fearch into the manners and tempers and fuf - 
 ficieneies of thofe thaftare to be admitted in« 
 to Hoi) 'Orders, and to be licentiate for pub- 
 lick Preachers 5 the Vifttation of each Parifti 
 In each Dioeefe , and the exercife of Church- 
 Bifaifline upon all offenders ; together with 
 
 painfull 
 
painful, mature and fobcr Preaching and 
 Catechising ; ftudies of all kinds, and parts 
 of Theological learning, Languages, Con- 
 troversies, Wrirings of the Schools and Ca- 
 fuifts , &c. be lb far taken into confidera- 
 tion by Our Law-makers, and fo far conlide- 
 red in the collating of Church-preferments 
 and Dignities :fomuch of duty required of 
 Clergy-men, and fo little left arbitrary or at 
 large, that every Church-preferment in this 
 Kingdom may have fuch a due burthen an- 
 nexed to it, that no ignorant pcrfon fliould 
 be able, no lazy or luxurious perfon willing 
 or forward to undergo it. And if this might 
 be thus defigned, I fliould then refolve, that 
 thefetling and continuing of this Govern- 
 ment would prove the common Iritereft of 
 All, and only the burthen of thofc few 
 that have thofe painful offices afltgned to 
 them ? &c. 
 
 D. Davcnant Determin. 42. p. 189. 
 
 SItigitur hoc fixum & ftabilitum, inter 
 mult os ^resbytcros, qui in una aliqua 
 Civitate Verbum & Sacrament a adminiffra- 
 bant,fuijfe unum ab ipfis Apoftolis ftafoji- 
 tum tfiteris, & fingulari quadam Mgnitatt 
 
 ac 
 
C 91 ) 
 
 ae pot e flat e munitum. Hi fee Spfc'opis Apo- 
 fiolorum automate fie fiab ilt tu, Conftat per* 
 petua ferie SucccfTores fuiffe fubrogatas in 
 itfdem Civitatibus : novos etiam ad idem 
 exemplar {quando Ecclefia fie vifum.fmt) 
 inaliis Civttatibus Conflitutos. 
 
 Jo. Calvinus Prote&ori Anglix. 
 
 QUod ad formulam precum & rituum Ec- 
 s clefiafltcorum^ valde probo, ut ccrta 
 ilia extet, a qua pafloribm dtfeedere in fun- 
 Ebione [ua non liceat : tarn ut confuiatur 
 quorundam Jim f licit at i & imperiti& 7 quam 
 ut certim it a conflet omnium inter Je Eccle- 
 fiarum confenfus : poflremo etiam ut obviam 
 eatur defukoria quorundam levitati, qui no- 
 vat iones qua\dam affeftant, uti eo pertinere 
 Catechifmum ipfum ante ofiendt. Sic igitur 
 ftatum effe Catechifmum oportet, fiatam Sa- 
 cra mentorum adminiflrationem, publicum i- 
 tern precum formulam. 
 
 Dofhr 
 
( 98) 
 
 T>oUor Gauden to the . %ead& 
 of his Apology, 
 
 BUt if the Sins of this Nation, and the 
 decrees of Divine Juftiee, do indeed 
 haften an utter overthrow here of the Refor- 
 med Miniflry, and the Reformed %jligion ; 
 If Miniftersof the anttent Ordination, law- 
 ful heirs of the true <*s4foflolical Succejfion, 
 are therefore accounted as Sheep for the 
 {laughter, becauie they are better hd, and 
 better bred, than others of leaner Souls, and 
 meaner Spirits; If they are therefore to the 
 men of this world, as a favour of death unto 
 death, becauie they hold forth the w r ord of 
 TiUth and Life, to the juft reproach of a 
 lying, dying,and felf-defrroying Generation ; 
 If we mult at laft peri (h. and fall, with our 
 whole function and Fraternity, after ail our 
 Studies, charges, labours and furferings : yet it 
 is fit fomc of us (and the more the better, 
 left our filence may argue guilt} give the 
 world bothat prefent, and in after Ages fome 
 Account, Why and How, in fo learned, va- 
 liant wife and Religious a Nation as this 
 of 'England hath been, &c. 
 
 Of 
 
( 99) 
 Of the Church 0/ England. 
 
 ICannocbut cake notice of the ftyle that 
 tbine Romanics have, in thefe laft years 
 chbfen to make ufe of, calling us, The late 
 Church of England ; The interpretation 
 "Whereof is to my underitanding this; that 
 the Calamities under which now we fuffer 
 
 have made us ceafe to be a Church But, 
 
 Blejfed be God* the Church of England is 
 not inv'fible : It is ffili preferved in Bifhops 
 and Presbyters rightly Ordained, and mul- 
 titudes rightly Baptized, none of which have 
 fallen off from thdr profeffion* And the 
 only thing imaginable to be objected in 
 this point, being this, that the Schifm hath 
 fo far been extended by the force, that many," 
 if not moft Churches parochial are filled by 
 thole who have let up a neve t or a no*fort& 
 of worfhip, and fo that many men cannot 
 any other wife than in private Families ferve 
 God, after the Church-way ; that fure will 
 be of little weight, when the Romanifis are 
 remembredtobe the objectors, who cannot 
 but know, that this is the only way that 
 they have had of ferving God in this king- 
 dom thefe many years ; and that the night 
 meetings of the Primitive Chriftians in Dens 
 G 2 an4 
 
( *©• ) 
 
 and Caves, arc as pettinent to the justi- 
 fying of our condition, as they can be of 
 ^.and when 'tis certain' that theforfaking of 
 the Affembltes Heb. 1 0.2 5. is not our wil- 
 ful fault, v. 26, but only our unhappy lot - 
 who are forced either not to frequent the Af- 
 femblies, or elfe to encourage (and incur the 
 fcandal of fceming to approve) the practices 
 of thofe that have departed from the Church, 
 See the eminenp Dotlor in his neve Book^ ef 
 Schifm, la ft Qjaper. 
 
 Jlf after Medcs anfwer to Doftor Twifs, 
 
 touching Holinefs of Times 
 
 and Places, f. 660. 
 
 SIR, 
 
 I Say ftill,there is eadem ratio Loci & Tem- 
 ports facrt qua talis :■ to wit, for the fan- 
 ftificationor difcrimination due to them both, 
 and the formal reaibn for which it is due : 
 For the formal reafonwhy a thing is to be 
 fan&ified (or /<*### habendum^ is, becaufe 
 it is fanttntn o r facrurh : and whatfoever is 
 appropriate to God and his fervice is fueh ; 
 be it by Gods own immediate ordination, or 
 humane devotion, it is all one in this point, 
 i othe c onfecration be iuppofed lawful and 
 
 agreeable 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 agreeable to the divine will. For this fan&ifi- 
 cation depends neither upon the difference of 
 the inftitution, whether divine or humane ; 
 nor the diverfity of natural and artificial 
 Being, but upon the formalis ratio of the 
 objeft, becauie it is [acrttm. Moreover, I 
 believe the one was intended in the fourth 
 Commandement, asweHasthe other: not 
 only from that general rule whereby the^ 
 Decalogue is to be interpreted, but becaufe 
 the Lord himielf hath conjoined them, Lev. 
 19.50. Keep my Sabbaths, and reverence 
 my Sanfttiary, Why may not I fay, Tkofe 
 whom God hath joined together, let no man 
 fat afundert And it may be, the fan&ifica- 
 tion of the Lords Day would be urged with 
 more advantage upon the ground I have in- 
 timated, than upon that other which is fo 
 much controverted. But it is Partiality that 
 undoes all. 
 
 Of Chriftiap Prudence a 
 
 Hriftian prudence forbids us to provoke 
 
 a danger, and they were fond performs 
 
 that run to perfecution, and when the Pro- 
 
 conful fate on the life and death, and made 
 
 ftricl: inquifition after Chriftians, went and 
 
 G 3 o£Fer ? d 
 
( !♦*) 
 
 offer'd themfelves to die : and he was a fool 
 that being in < P on ugal 'run to the Prieftas he 
 elevated the hoft,and overthrew the myfteries, 
 and openly defyed the rites of tbat Religion. 
 God, when hefends a perfecution, will pick 
 out fuch perfons whom he will have to dy,& 
 whom he wil confign to banifhment,&whom 
 to poverty. In the mean time, let us do our 
 ^uty when we can, walking &n$ft (as the 
 Apoftles phrafe is) no: prevaricating in the 
 leaft tittle : and then if we can be iafe with 
 the arts of civil, innocent, in-offenfive com- 
 pliance, let us blefs God for his permiffions 
 made to us, and his afliftances in the ufing 
 them. But if either we turn our zeal into 
 the ambition o^ death, and the follies of an 
 unneceffary beggary • or, on the other, fide, 
 turn our prudeace into craft and covetouf- 
 nefs j'to the firft I fay, that God hath no 
 pleafure in fools ; to the later, If you gain 
 the whole world, and lofe your own Soul, 
 
 Jour lofs is infinite and intolerable. DoBor 
 er. Taylor. Serm* 20. Sum* 
 
 Of 
 
( i°3) 
 
 Of Liturgy , and the ufe of (gifts in Prayer. 
 
 T Hough I am not againft a Grave, mo- 
 deft, diicreet and humble ufe of Mini- 
 fters gifts, even in publick, the better to fit 
 and excite their own, and the Peoples af- 
 fections to the prefent occafions; Yet I know 
 noneceifity, why private and fuigle abilities, 
 fhould quite juftle out and deprive the 
 Church of the joint abilities and concurrent 
 gifts and graces enabling them to compofe 
 with ferious deliberation and concurrent ad- 
 vice, fuch Forms of Prayers as may beft fit 
 the Churches common wants , inform the 
 hearers understanding, and ftir up that fidu- 
 ciary and fervent application of their Spi- 
 rits (wheieinconfifts the very Life and Soul 
 of Prayer, and that ib much pretended Spi- 
 rit of Prayer ,) than any ptivate man by his 
 folitary abilities can be prefumed to have : 
 which what they are many times (even there, 
 where they make a great noife and {hew) the 
 aiTe&ations, emptinefs, impertinency, rude- 
 nefs, confufians, flatnefs, levity, obfeurity, 
 vain and ridiculous repetitions, the^ fenfelefs 
 and oft-times blafphemous exprelTions , all 
 thefe burthened with a moft tedious and in- 
 tolerable length, do fuflficiendy convince all; 
 G 4 men 
 
( *°4 ' 
 
 men, but thofe who glory in that pharafaick 
 'way. 'a** i &*n\. 1 6. 
 
 Of Moderate Efifcoyacy. 
 
 'T'He Abufes of Epifcopacy deferve to be ex- 
 tirpated as much as the ute retainedjfor I 
 think it far better to hold to Primitive and u- 
 niform Antiquity, than to comply with divi- 
 ded Novelty. A rightEpifcopacy would at once 
 latisfy all juft ddires and interelts of goodBi- 
 {hopSjhumble Presbyters,and fober people :ib 
 as Church affairs fhouldbe managed neither 
 with tyranny, parity, nor popularity : nei- 
 ther Bifhops ejected, nor Presbyters defpifed, 
 nor people oppreffcd, ibid.ij. 
 
 Of the Primitive Church and Fathers. 
 
 IF the prscTce of the Primitive Church,and 
 the univerial confent of the Fathers, be 
 not a convincing Argument, when the In- 
 terpretation of Scripture is doubtful, I know 
 nothing : for if this be not, then of neceiTity 
 the Interpretation of private Spirits muft be 
 admitted , the which conrradi&s S. Peter, 
 3 Pet .1.20. is the ]Vf other of all fe<Ste, and 
 
 wilj 
 
( io S ) 
 
 will ( if not prevented ) bring thefeKing- 
 doms into confufion. And to fay that an 
 Argument is ill, bee«ufe the Papifts ufe it;of* 
 thatfuch a thing is good , becaufeic is theen- 
 ftome of fome of the reformed Churchcs,ean- 
 not weigh with me,untiii you prove, thefe to 
 be infallible , or that to maintain no Truth* 
 And how Diotrephes ambition ( who dire&ly 
 oppofed the Aportie S.John) can be an Ar°u- 
 meut again'* Epiicopacy,I do not underftand. 
 His CMdjefiies fecond paper to H* 
 
 Of the fame. 
 
 MY Conc'uiion is, that albeit X never, 
 ^teemed any Authority equal! to the 
 Seripmres,yet I do thinkjh e unanimous eon- 
 fentofthe Fathers, and the Univerfaii pra- 
 ctice of the Primitive Church, to be- the beft 
 andmoft Auchenticall Interpreters of Goi's 
 Word , and coniequently the futeft Judges 
 between Me and Yon » when we difFer a untill 
 you (hall find me better. Ftft paper. 
 
 A pious Offer of the Englifh Clergy* 
 &Anno i 6 A 4. 
 
 J Shall offer in the name of my brethren of 
 the Clergy (not that I have took their par- 
 ticular 
 
(io6) 
 
 ricuJar votes , but that I perfwade my felffo 
 far of their pietv; ) That rather than the, Glo- 
 ry mould thus depart from Ifrael, by laying 
 waft this flourishing Church of ours , every 
 one fingleof us , that have any pofTeflions or 
 titles worthy any mam envy or rapine ( and 
 fo are thought now by ©ur own Interefts to 
 have been bribed or fee'd Advocates in this 
 caufe; ) may forthwith be deprived of all 
 that part of the Revenues of the Church 
 wherein we ate legally inverted; And be that 
 fhall not cheerfully reiign his part in the pre- 
 sent profperity of the Church , on the meer 
 contemplation and intuition of the benefit , 
 that may now, and a r ter his life, redound to 
 others, let him have the charge of being di- 
 
 fhirber of the State. And if the FunHion 
 
 it felf, with the ne:efTary adjuncts to it; be not 
 fwept away in the calamity , we fhall be, per- 
 fectly pJeas'd whatfoever befall our Persons, 
 and defke that tryall may be madeoftlie in- 
 genuity of Clergy men, whether we have not 
 thus far profited under Gods rod , as to be 
 willing to yield to any poflible proposition, 
 which will bring no guilt of fin upon our 
 Conferences , toward the averting the Judg- 
 ments of Heaven. Dr. Hammond's C 0?J fid»of 
 Church- government. 
 
 Of 
 
(io 7 ) 
 
 Of Univerfall Redemption. 
 
 THcfc two proportions are very reeonel- 
 Jablc , that Chrifi redeemed all men , and 
 yet that the whole number of the impenitent, 
 unbelieving , reprobate world mall never be 
 favedby him. The great Benefits of Chrift's 
 death ( which I affirm to be general!) are gi- 
 ven upon condition y not abfolutely : as God's 
 love to the world , and the eifecl: of it, giving 
 his Son 9 is not defigncd , that all abfolutely , 
 but that all conditionally, i.e. Whofoever be- 
 lieveth in him, mould notperifh , but have 
 everlafting lik : They which do not perform 
 that condition ( as Gods knows a great mul- 
 titude do not , ) ma 1 never be faved by his 
 death.To which purpofe is that of Profper ,one 
 far enough from all kindnefs to the Pelagi- 
 ans, Redemftor mundi dedit fro mundo fangui- 
 nem [uum, & mundw redimi noluit. The Re-* 
 deemer of the world gave his bloud for the 
 world,and the world would not be redeemed. 
 
 Ad Gall, cap. 9.* To that ceftimony Heh. 
 
 2. 9. ( fo clear, that it alone hath, to my 
 knowledge, convinc'd one aslearned a man 
 as doth in this Church of ours maintain the 
 doftrins contrary to the Remonftrants ) I 
 mall ex abundwti add thefe other plain tefti- 
 
 rnonics: 
 
( ioS ) 
 monies : Not only chac of Gods giving bis 
 only Son, mention d b / Chr ift, as an effect or 
 expretfion of his love to the world ( which it 
 \?ouJd not be , if tie dii not give him for the 
 world, whom he is faid to love;) but , ( to 
 prevent all di^in&ioas concerning the noti- 
 on of the world, as if it%n>n?d only the 
 eleEb>) more particularly diet* two. Firft,that 
 of z Pr. 2.1. VVnere the Lord /. e. Chrift 
 is plainly faid to have bought (>'* e. paid the 
 Price , fatisfied for rhem ) who deny him , 
 and bring upon themfelves fwtft deftruftion. 
 Jhe other tcftirnony is that of S. Paul, i fir c 
 5.14. Wher? fpeaking of the con/training 
 obliging love of Chrift, he faid; We thus 
 judge, that if one dyed for all , then were ail 
 dead ? that is furely All m the full latitude , 
 not only the elecl: , but All others ; and this 
 conclusion the Apoftle infers by this medium* 
 became One, that is \ Chrift dyed for All. 
 Which being a proof of the other muft cer- 
 tainly be as true, and the All as generall and 
 unlimited, &C Dr. Hammond, Vindic. of the 
 *Prac. Catech. p. 4, £. 
 
 Of fet forms of Prayer. 
 
 ^THat it is Jawfulltoufea fet determinate 
 form of words either written or faftned 
 
 in 
 
(iop) 
 
 in our memory is apparent both by the exam- . 
 pleof Chrift , (whom S, Lukfbids us when 
 we pray, fay, Our Father, &c not only pray 
 after this pattern ( as the words in S. Mat- 
 thew may be interpreted} bat ule thefe very 
 words (when you pray » fay Our Father \ &c t 
 Luke ii. 2.) and otjohn Bafti flyvho taught 
 his difciples to pray in fomeiorm , though wc 
 know not what it is , Luke n. i. As alfo of 
 thePrieib, that ufed fet fotms ofblefling the 
 people, Numb. 6. 24. and of our Saviour 
 himfelf , who ufed a part ( if not the whole) 
 of the 22. Pfaim upon the Croft, <J\ly Godjny 
 God, why haft thou forsaken me , &c. And of 
 the Church of the Jews , and Christian 
 piurches through ail times , who have had 
 their Liturgies as vvays and forms of ierving 
 God publickiy, and as means to preferye the 
 true Religion from all corruptions in do- 
 ctrine.*— «Add the great benefit that aeerews 
 to the Congregation in having difcreet well- 
 formed prayers , and fo not iubjeft to the te- 
 merity and impertinences of the fudden c& 
 rations; and the fame ftill in eonftant ufe a 
 and fo not Grange or new to them , but fueh 
 as they may with underitanding go along 
 with the Minifter , and by the help of their 
 Memory the moft ignorant may carry them 
 away for his private ufc. Pratt. Catech. lib. 
 3 .■ ji?#. i. Melan&hon 
 
(no) 
 
 &felan&hon Cifidodi 1543. 
 
 UWati. 11. 
 
 SCio Deum inter fat ales Imperiorum tumul- 
 ttis Ecclefiam fuam fervure mirabi liter. 
 Non igiturfrangamur ammis^ed dam pojfumus 
 fonemus y ut convey fa Latro tn crucejdoftrinam 
 de Filio Dei , deq* arcana fspientia , qu<z efl 
 JBccIefia propria , de magnitudine human*, in- 
 firm it arts , ds posnitentia & fidffcia promijft 
 mifericordia propter filium , de vera invoca- 
 tion & veris Scclefia virtutibus , de myfleriis 
 non polluendis \de Scclefia, politia y non ilia quam 
 fingunt Pontifices 3 fedqualis fuit Prophet arum 
 & Apofiolorum , deniq- 9 de vita Aterna. Ad! 
 harum maximarum rerum dottrinam ornan- 
 dam transfer as velim eloquentiom tuam : qua 
 ejr canfirmare noflros 9 & terrere adverfarios , 
 & fanabiles ]uvare poterit. * >FortaJfis no- 
 fir a Ger mania paulo pofi a Turds vafiabitur: 
 quod fi fiet , eo magis vobis alibi in he is tuti- 
 oribus fludia liter arum excitanda erunt , & 
 pugnandum vehementius , ut in reliqua Euro- 
 pa Evangelii he em accendatk , & retineatis* 
 Quod ad qu&fiionem de prtdeftinatione , habe- 
 bam amicum Tubing*. doEhum hominem Eran- 
 cifcumStadianum,qui dicerefolebatfe utrumq; 
 probate , evenire omnia , Ht divina providentta 
 
 decrevit, 
 
(Ill) 
 
 decrevit , & tamen ejfe contingently : fed jV 
 hotc conciliate non poffe. Ego turn hy pot he fin 
 banc teneam , Deum non effe caufam peccati , 
 nee velle peccatum , poftea contingentiam in 
 hacnoftra infirmitate \udicii admittojit fciant 
 rades Davidem fna> volant ate ultro mere : & 
 eundem fentio , cum haberet Spiritum Sanctum 9 
 potuijfe eum retinsre , & in ea luUa allquem 
 ejfe voluntatis actionem. Hac etiamfifubmlitu 
 difpmari poffunt , tamen ad regendas mentes 
 hoc modo propofita , accommodata videntur. 
 Accufemus ipfi noftram voluntatem cum la- 
 bimur , non qu&ramtu in Dei c on ft It o caufam 9 
 & contra earn nos erigamus : [damns Deum 
 &: velle opit filar i , & adeffe lucbantibm : 
 (M'mQilimT, inquit Bafilius } m *th €t&uwa^£, Ex- 
 citetur ergo curain nobis ^ laudetur Dei im* 
 men[a bonitas, quum & promt fit auxilium & 
 prtftat.' •Hac non J crib o ut tibi tradam 
 quafi dill: at a > homini & eruditiffimo ac peri" 
 tijfimo exercitiomm pietatis. Et quidem fcio 
 h<zc cam tuts congruere , fedfunt w^ne*. & 
 ^d ufum accommodata, H<zc Bonn a fcripfi a* 
 pud D. Bucerumjum eo ace er fit us eft ut Ec- 
 clefias in Diocefi Colonienfi emendaret* H<te 
 eonfilia Deo piis votis commendes, 
 
 Philippus Mdan&hoin 
 
 Of 
 
L 
 
 Of the power of the Congregation. 
 
 Et net any man chink now that the Apo- 
 ^rUe comtnimicat^th this power vvich the 
 Congregation or the Church of Corinth* 
 whtft he writeth to them, 1 Cor. $. 4, 5. be- 
 in? afftwbledwith his [pint, to deliver the in- 
 cefiuous perfon to Satan. For it is plain , that 
 the fedtence is given by the Apoftle verf 3. 
 where he wvitetn : for I verily , m abfent in 
 body but prefent in fpirit , have judged already , 
 as though 1 were pre fent , concerning htm that 
 bath \o done this deed. And to eaufe this pro- 
 ceeding to be the better digetfed , he hath 
 vouched his power in the end of the chapter 
 vfortiverfc if. Now fome are puffed np , as 
 though I would not come unto you : but I will 
 tome unto youfhortly , if the Lord will , and 
 Will know 9 not the fpeech of them that are puf- 
 fed up, but the power. What will you ? jball I 
 Come unto you with a rod, or with the fpirit 
 efmeeknefs} Which power otherwhiles he 
 fettefh before them , in cafe of their disobe- 
 dience. And therefore it muft be acknowled- 
 ged , that he writeth to them to fee his fen- 
 tcnee published, ratified and executed : which 
 the Presbyters there had either neglected to 
 do, or Perhaps were not able to bring the 
 9 * people 
 
(113) 
 
 people under the Difcipline of Chriit's King- 
 dom 3 which mutt needs oblige the Apoitle 
 
 tointerpofe. And this without doubt is 
 
 the reajbn why the Apoftle wriieth in thefe 
 terms I Cor', 5. 12. For what have I to do to 
 judge thofe that are without ? do not ye judge 
 thoje that are within} fpeaking to the Church 
 in general, though the fenunce patted byBi- 
 (hop and Presbyters ; beeaufe matters were 
 cenfured in the Congregation , and executed 
 by the people. And thus the practice of that 
 time giycth a reafon without draining, why 
 our Lord feemeth to refer thefe matters to 
 the Congregation , when he faith , TeK it to 
 the Church \ beeaufe they paffed at their Af- 
 femblies , though under Cenfure of Bifhop 
 and Presbyters. And great reafon there is, 
 why this regard mould be had by the A- 
 pottle, and by the Church afterwards , to the 
 People ; beeaufe the Church l being a meer j 
 fpiritual Commonwealth , and not indued 
 with temporal ftrength , Co much as to exe- 
 cute thofe fentences which the power of the; 
 Keys given by Chrift oblfgeth it to inflict 
 (always fetting wide that power of working 
 miracles , which was in the Apoftle .» upon, 
 which fome think he reflecleth in fomepai*- 
 fages of thofe Ep.iftles;) requifite it was then* 
 the Congregation .mould be fatisfied of the 
 H ccurfe 
 
("4) 
 
 courfe of thofe proceedings which muft come 
 inro execution and etfeit by their voluntary 
 fu^rriflion to the will of God, and the office 
 of his Mini/ler- .• And, as the matter is now, 
 that things 1 this nature proceed not upon 
 mctv. pnv ate Consciences and Judgments in 
 p r i :i ilars , but upon general rules of Com- 
 mon rjg u, requisite it is, that the Common- 
 vveaUn nave Satisfaction of thole Laws accor- 
 ding to which the Church now muft proceed 
 in their cnfui es.it being acknowledged that 
 they cannot proceed with effect but by ver- 
 tue of thofe Laws that are put in force by 
 the fecular Arm. CMr. Thorndike of Prim . 
 (jovernment.f. 144, 
 
 Reader , Take for a Conclufion of all at this 
 timet that too pertinent Relation , which jot* 
 may read more at large in Mr. Hookers fre* 
 face t collected out of Guy de bre$. 
 
 Of the Errour oftheAnabaftifls. 
 
 TT^Hey fo mnch affected to crofs the ordinary 
 cuftome in every thing , that when other 
 wens ufe was to put on better attire , they 
 wciHd be fure to mew themfeJves openly a- 
 bfoad in worfc; the ordinary names of the 
 days in the week they thought it a kind of 
 
 rrophanefs* 
 
(us) 
 
 prophanefs to n/c, and therefore accuftomed 
 ttictnielves to make no other diirin&ion than 
 by numbers; The firft, fecond. third day-They 
 boidly avouched , that themieives only had 
 the truths and that fince the Apofties lived the 
 Tame was never before in all points fincereiy 
 taught. Other difpucationagainft their opi- 
 nions than only by allegation of Scripture 
 they would not hear: befides it, they thought 
 no other writings in the world mould be rtu- 
 dyed, in fo much as one of their great Pro- 
 phets exhorting them to eaft a<vay all re- 
 ipeits unto human writings, fofai to his mo- 
 tion they condefcended, that as many as had 
 any Books* fave the Holy Bible, n their eufto- 
 dy , they brought and fet tiem publickly on 
 fire. When they and their Bibles were alone 
 together, whatftrange pbantafticall opinion 
 foever at anytime entrd incpthir heads, 
 their ufe was to think the Spirit taught 
 it them. Their own Minifters'they highly 
 magnified as men w ho fe vocation was from 
 ©od; the reft their manner was to term dif- 
 dain'ully Scribes and Pharisees to account 
 their calling an human creature, and to dev 
 tein the people as much as might be from 
 he ring th m. ( 
 
 The cuftome of ufing God-fathers and 
 
 God-mothers at Chriftnings they (corned, 
 
 H a Baptizing 
 
(ii6) 
 
 Baptizing of Infants 3 although confeft by 
 themftivcs to have been continued ever ff- 
 thence the Apoftles own times , yet they 
 altogether condemned. The Eucharift they 
 received ( pretending our Lord and Savi- 
 ours example ) after Supper ; and for a- 
 voiding all thofe impieties which have been 
 grounded upon the my/iicall words of Chri(t, 
 'This is my Body , This is my Blood ' they 
 thought it not fafe to mention either body or 
 blo.x! in that Sacrament , but rather to abro- 
 gate both , and to ufe no words but thefe , 
 ■Take* eate , declare the death of our Lord ; 
 < Drink^,fhew forth our Lords Death. In rites 
 and ceremonies, their profeflion was hatred 
 of all conformity with the Church of Rome • 
 for which eauie they would rather endure any 
 torment , than obierve the folcmn Feflivals 
 which others did , in as much as Antichrift 
 C rhey faid ) was the firft inventor of them. 
 The pretended end of their civil reformation 
 was 9 that Chrifl might have dominion over 
 ail that all Crowns and Scepters might be 
 thrown d»wn at his fcet y that no other might 
 reign over Christian men but He , no regi- 
 ment to keep them in awe but his difciplin • 
 amongfl- them no fword at all to be carried , 
 Hcfides hi>, the fword of fpirituall excommu- 
 nication, fney laboured to bring in Commu- 
 nity 
 
( n 7 ) 
 
 nicy of goods, becaute Chrirt by his Apofttes. 
 hath given the world iiaeh example , so the 
 end that men might excdl one another not in 
 wealth the pillar of i'eeular Authority, but in 
 venue. Thefemen at the firtt were only pi- 
 ty ed in their errour , and by a merciful! Td- 
 leration they gatherd ftrength , mueh more 
 than was iafefor the ftate of* the Common- 
 monweakh wherein they livecJrTne means 
 whereby they both allured and reteined fb 
 great multitudes were mod effeeluili: Firff, 
 a wonderfull (Lew of zeall towards God , 
 wherewith they feemed to be even rapt in e- 
 yery thing they fpake. Secondly 5 an hatred 
 of fin, and a lingular ioveof integrny,whicb 
 men did think to be much more than ordi- 
 nary in them, by reafon of the cuftome whkh 
 they had to fill the ears of the people with 
 inveclives againft their cuthorized guides, a$ 
 well Spirituall asCivill. Thirdly, the boun- 
 tifull relief wherewith they eafed the brojeen 
 eftate of fuch needy creatures , as were . in 
 that refpe& the more apt to be drawn away„ 
 Fourthly, a tender companion which they 
 were thought to take upon the miferies of 
 the common fort , over who(e hearts their 
 manner was even to powr down mowers of 
 tears in complaining that no refpeel: was hac| 
 unto them. Laftly , a cunning flight whicfi 
 H 3 they. 
 
 
(n8) 
 they had to ftroke and (mooth up the minds 
 of chejr Followers , as well by appropriating 
 unto them all the favourable titles , the good 
 words,, and the gracious promifes in Scrip- 
 ture,:^ aifoby cafiing the coatrary always 
 on the heads of fuch as were fevered from 
 that retinue. Whereupon t.he peoples com- 
 mon Acclamation unto fucn Deceivers was , 
 Thefe are verily the men ot God, thefe are 
 his true and fincere Prophets.— 'Nothing 
 more clear unto their feeming , than that a 
 New Jerusalem being often ipoken of in 
 , Scriptures , they undoubtedly were them- 
 fdves that New Jerufalem , and the Old did 
 by way of a certain figurative refemb ance - 
 figniy what they fhould both be and do. 
 Here they drew in a Sea of matter by apply- 
 ing all things unto their own company which 
 are any where fpoken concerning divine fa- 
 vours and b nefits beltowed upon the old 
 Commonwealth offfrael, concluding that as 
 Jtrael was deliverd out of Egypt , to they fpi- 
 ritua' y out of the Egypt of the worids fenile 
 Chraldom unto fin and fuper/iition ; as Ifrael 
 was to root out the Idolatrous Nations , and 
 to plant in (tcad of them a people which fea- 
 red God, {o the Lords good will and pleafure 
 was now, that thefe new Ifrazlits fhould un- 
 der the conduct of other JoflwAs ^San^ons* 
 
 and 
 
zndGedeoxS perform a work no Iefs miraco* 
 lous in catting out violently the wicked front 
 the earth, and eftablifhing the Kingdom of 
 Chrift with perfect liberty. Now whatsoever 
 they did in iuch fort coiJed out of Scripture , 
 when they came to juftify or perfwadc it un- 
 to others , all was the heaven y Fathers ap- 
 pointment, his Commandementjhis will and 
 charge. 
 
 Thefc men in whofe mouths at the firft 
 founded nothing but onely mortification of 
 the flefh , were come at the length to think , 
 they might lawfully have their fix or feven 
 wives apeece ; They which at the firft taught 
 judgment and juftice it Telf to be mercilcfe 
 crneliy , aceompted at the length their own 
 hands fanftified with being imbrued in Chri- 
 ftian blood ; They who at the firft were wont 
 to beat down til dominion , had at the length 
 both Confuls and Kings of their own crea- 
 tion amongft themfelyes;Fina]ly,they which 
 could not brook at the firft , that any man 
 (houid leek , no not by law , the recovery of 
 goods injurioufly taken or withheld from 
 him , were grown at the laft to think they 
 could not offer unto God more acceptable 
 facrifice , than by turning their Adverfaries 
 clean out of houfe and home , and by enrich- 
 ing themfelves with all kind of fpoil and pil- 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 fege ; which thing being layd to their charge, 
 they had in a readinefs their anfvver, that now 
 the time was come , when according to our 
 Saviour? promife , The Meek ones muft in- 
 herit the Eatth. 
 
 Jan. 6. 
 
 THE .END. 
 
 — J 
 
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