Exceptions Against some Passages Relating to Infant Baptism

TO THE READER.

BEfore we can orderly proceed in our enjoined and undertaken task, we must give you another trouble in reading, The Exceptions are taken against some Words or Expressions, harsh and uncomely, as is suggested in our Introduction, and first Treatise, relating to Infant Baptism. This we must do, as we conceive, upon a double account.

1. We ought not in our apprehension, hide anything which may make for the opening the truth of sacred Doctrine or of Practice full up thereunto, though we should, by so doing, lay open our own shame. One jot, or one tittle of Divine Truth, whether it relates to Doctrine or to practice, is of more worth, and should be so to us, then is the greatest worldly good.

2. Because we are persuaded, these have past the hottest Purgatory, we mean, the hardest censure already, we will clearly show unto you what the Exceptions were, and leave it with you to judge how just they are, conceiving God may have some Glory thereby, and his Truth some advantage.

This more we would assure you in, That whatsoever here or elsewhere savors yet to a good and gracious spirit, all that is from our own spirits, we heartily own it, giving God the glory, and taking to ourselves the shame. We will take leave to add, That what you find savouring of our own wisdom, which is as you read James 3. 15. It is not more our own, then it will be loathed by us, when it shall be made kown unto us.

We have only this more to say unto you, That you may read well, and hear well, and all in order to live well, look up to him who instructeth to that discretion, maketh His own people like His own self, having a piercing eye and a patient ear, and so doth altogether right, and judgeth righteously.

And so we humbly commit you to God, and to the Word of his Grace, which is our rule whereby to walk, to judge ourselves and our doings by; For Mans saying is but the saying of a Man; what God saith, that we must hear, thereafter we must say and do. Let his Word then have the highest Authority and Place in our Hearts, as that whereby we must Live, Act and Dye, and after Death be judged, Rom. 2. 16.

Sect. I.

YOu required us to give in our Perswasion or Faith, with the Reasons thereof, in Reference to Free Admission of all to all Church Communions, To the observation of the day, is commonly called Christmas: To the Lord's prayer; So far you, with your Brethren, had time, if your leisure could have spared you the season, or your favor the patience to read us, our faith and persuasion as to those matters. Three other Treatises, yet remain with us, and are not finished for you. But observing by the return you have made, That our Books, like most unwelc • me guests, cannot find longer entertainment in your Closet, much less in your bosom, and no acceptance at all from your Brethren, so far as to cast their eye toward them. We forbear, as in manners we ought to do, to send you what we had p • epared for you, having for that very end and purpose a Transcript of them, putting ourselves to cost about them, so desirous we were, if we could not give, yet to take information from them, how we might order our mat • e • s by Rule, walk as fri • nds up to our Gospel-light, and according to Church-order.

And true • lie we put ourselves to cost about these things, that we might clear our intentions towards you and your Brethren, who might, if they had pleased, when they could not take, yet have given in their mind in the matters aforesaid.

We will mention to you the most inconsiderable part of the Charge, which indeed must not fall into consideration compararively with the expense of Spirits and Time were spent about it, yet it cost a considerable charge in it self considered, of as many or more shill • ngs, then your half sheet hath l • nes, though so thrust; and this to make them legible to you. So regardful we ware of you (and it is but our duty) at least a point of good manneas, that since you would have our judgment as to th • se matters under Debate, you should be able to read what it was, else we could have fitted you with a hand as bad as your own, and worse. And indeed had we consulted with that we have good store of, and is still in a readiness to be conferred with all flesh and blood, in reference to our time, and purse, we had certainly done it, wrote lines, as the O • d Poet you read of, wrote verses, Scribit carmina nemo legit, he wrote verses, nobody reads them.

But in such important and momentous matters, as we conceive these are under your hands, and ours, considering also your time, we could slight all this, the trouble, and the charge, and send our Papers so written, that you might after some pauses now and then pick out of them our sense in those matters and reason both; And truly Sir, so we conc • ive you ought to have done, ordered your answer so, since you were pleased to send us one, though you had been at cost for it; That if the best Clerk amongst us could not run and read it, yet he might not have stumbled at eve • y word.

But Sir, our Reverend Pastor (we adventure once more to call him so, since he seeks the Lord, and in desire and endeavor feedeth us with knowledge and understanding, we were saying, he our sa • d P • stour hath been and now is, and we think will be, while the Lord God gives him a being in His house, and amongst His people, as busily employed as others are now in their harvest, who possibly, if now, as once it was, may sweat at harvest work, and be cold at pulpit work; Bu • to speak out plainly, though he with us takes your return of you • papers th • nkfully. (To the return of ou • s we know not what to say, it is left to others) yet he gives you to know he could not give himself the trouble to read one line in yours) though that one might have told him your sense of more, yet he could not weary himself about it; and why not? he gives you this Reason.

Sect. 2.

HE hath read as much as you have said here, or he believes can say hereafter for your Church way, and walk therein, in other Books which he hath met with, more then a good many, and read them over with as much consideration as needed in those matters, you know not how often; for being legible, he could pass through them without much weariness to his eye, though with no little regret, or nauseiousness to his Genius, or Disposition, there being no d • light in the Cuckows song, and his crambe mors, was you know, the old Proverb: Such a thing it is to make all our sayings, and doings to carry level with this Nation of a National Church, such as the Jews was, and the principles of Infant Baptism; He says farther, if please you to hear him out, That he believes your Champion or fore-man of your Herd (by your commendations of him he de • erves so to be) who hath given in his verdict as to these matters, Mr. Humph. he means, is as full of reason for your way and practice, as the heart of a fool, The Devils house is full of folly, and empty of grace. What can be said after him for free admissi • n— and so forth? And yet he verily believes to tell you his faith, as to that man, and those matters, That if there be any one Minister throughout, all the Nation, that ha • h reproached the foot-steps of the Lord's Christ, more after our English, the Lord's Anoynted, your-fore man Mr. Humph. is he; consider him throughout a capite ad calicem, f • om head to foot, and you find not his second; unless for honor sake, you would be thought fit to be he. You have a sayi • g in the Civil Law, He that hath injured one, hath threatened m • ny. Mr. Humph. hath injured One, the chiefest or more to the letter, the Standard bearer of ten thousand, with whom not any in Heaven o • Earth is matchable, God's Ensign bearer before the Nations, under which the whole Army of Saints, do encamp and follow.

This chiefest One, this man of the Earth hath injured, and in so do • ng, if you can believe it, you can conclude what he hath done, threatened many, sure enough all the Armies in H • aven and Earth that follow Him. All the Saints that worship Him, all the Angels that adore H • m, their Standard or Ensign bearer before them: This terrae filius, this Son of the Earth hath injured this One, chiefest of ten thousand, and so hath m • re then threatened all the Armies of Heaven and Earth: But his folly or madness, you may render it is mani • ested, he shall not proceed much farth • r: Therefore Sir, for your caution, please you to take it: If you persist in his way, which you more then seem to do, and justify as you can, his, and your doings in God's house. Look you well to it what Reasons you give to justify the same, and as your good Brothers advice is to his Readers, Read and pray them over again, else it may be feared you cannot study practical Truths, at least you cannot practice them.

Surely Sir, This concerns you the more, and at such a time, considering the season: that the Lord is now calling his people out of Babylon: he hath spoken touching this thing a Century of years, and m • re, by past and gone. And when he spake, something was done, as our Chronicles tell us: And who opposed then in our K • ng Edwards days, and afterwards in Queen Elizabeth's of blessed memory, standing up in their might against it, you by reading may understand. But now God's people understand by books, that the set time is come. The Lord God is speaking now with strength of hand: and it sha • l be done: His Children shall all come out of Babylon, hearing the threat, and fearing before the Lord. And they that will stay behind minding their ease and profits there, like those baser sort of the Jews, who, when liberty was proclaimed for their return to Jerusalem, where they might enjoy God in his true worship, chose rather for filthy lucre sake, and other fleshly advantages to stay in Babylon, and serve among the pots: These we were saying, in whose hearts it is to live and to die with that cursed Harlot, Mother of fornications, shall suffer according to their choice, for being partakers of her sin, they shall receive of her plagues: And they that rise up in their might now against this glorious work, and to obstacle their coming forth from thence what they can: Mr. H. we mean, with all the Ministers of his way and persuasion, the carnal Ministers all over the Nation (we mean not less spiritual, who may be babes in Christ, but wholly carnal) shall be left, where they are in their dead sleep, and shall not find their hands:

The Lord brought the Council of the Heathen to naught; he maketh the devises of the people of none effect. In the next verse, he subjoins, The council of the Lord standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all Generations. And as the counsel of the Lord stands, so he causeth the counsel of those to stand, that consult for him: He confirmeth the word of his servants, and performeth the council of His messengers, Is. 44. 26. so as they shall go through their Head-work and Hand-work both.

O how good safe and pleasant a thing it is to have Head, Hand and Heart laid out and employed for the welfare of that City, whose name is called The Lord is there.

And this be spoken in our dearest respect to you, because we find you not changed a whit, as to your good opinion you have had of Mr. H. and his way, the rode way of your Church, of all the carnal Ministers there: and how gr • eved are we to observe you acting the same part, and your foot so fixed in that way, we say not, but the Lord knows, and he persuade with you, and then it is done. And yet we have some hope that you have not read over his Books, as you call them though you speak, you know when, Sesquiped • l • a, big and broad words of them. And was it possible your second thoughts should keep up to the heighth of that commendations? Yet we remember it is as natural to us as to laugh, loving the person, to love his error too, specially when our own, We are more then pur blind, as in the person, so in the thing beloved. O how well doth the person please us, whose way pleaseth! yet we t • ll our persuasion, this was before you had thoroughly read them; for if so, we would think you would have observed what he that runs may observe, how he clashes phrases, and rebounds against himself, to say no more, and as little as can be said, we would hope also, and be almost confident, you have not read his Sermon (as it is commonly called) upon Mark 14. 23. An excellent text, but utterly marred, worse then he the sent of his Roses, which he presented to a great person, but made them very unpleasant and as unwelcome, by the means, he thought, to better and ingratiate them, with his own perfume. If you had thoroughly read that Sermon, and considered what you read, it is our persuasion, you would have said of the Preacher, if he be a Divine, he is one of the worst in all your Church; the old saying being granted, He is the best Divine, that keeps best to his Text, and he the worst that runs farthest from it. Yet this is not the worst—he—but tell yourself that, when you have read him, if you like not to read what those four worthies have written against him—we forbear, for what can be said more after them? Besides as on • said of an unsavory writing, sentio me defaece haurire, we draw at a pump or sink, while we are pudpering in his Books, desperately mounted, and so levelled at the very apple of the eye; The glorious face of Reformation, The heart of Religion, The purity of Profession, The life of Grace, The power of Godliness.

That you may study practical Truths, and practice the same, come off from him and his way, least you perish in that way, the rode way of the world sure, not separating from the world, not at the Lord's Table. Not our counsel, nor our threat, but as we conceive, the counsel of God unto you, and h • s threat, if you do it not. You will pardon our boldness, for what can we tend to in g • ving or taking good counsel, but this so desirable a thing, tha • the day of our D • ssolution, as that worthy man said when he was dying, may be more comfortable to us, then was our marriage day.

Sect. 3.

THis we say more, That the Papers we sent you at your earnest request, were not by way of contest, thereby to give an occasion for the Reciprocation of a saw of debate with you or any other. But to give you our Reasons for our conscientious dissent from Mr. Hr. his way and yours, since yours is his. Now whether you hear or forbear, accept, or reject, is not the burden of our care, unless, as we have said, upon your own account. We do not more tenaciously, then conscientiously hold the way chalked forth, and tracked (being and high and causey way) by the foot-steps of the flock, And swerving there-from, yea but a little, a child, we hope pointing us to the way, from whence we are declined, shall lead us in it by the clue of sacred Scripture in his hand; But if he shall decline from that, which followers of God as dear Children, do not wittingly do, the greatest Goliath in your National Church, is but a Child or Infant of days in our account, who yet may be an old man in account of years.

And so we will take off our hands from this pulling and thrusting a line of Debate, like a Saw, to and fro • betwixt us, by Reciprocation of Answers; for cui fini, or bono, to what end, and who shall have the profit? we may say as to the Reciprocation of this Saw of debate; To what purpose is this waste of time, and spirits, we say, and purse too; why this waste? you say to justify your free Admission to all Church Administrations, The people are all holy; and Sancta Sanctis; holy things to holy persons. We say all are not holy, but visibly, or in sight some are, and they very many, unholy, and unclean, as are Dogs and Swine, therefore give not that which is holy unto them, saith our Lord; yet say you, you know what. Tares visibly, and apparently Tares, openly wicked before Israel, and before the Sun, are not fit to live in a civil society, but are cut off, say we: They are fit to live in a Church-Society though; to be admitted to Church-Communion notwithstanding say you. You will account all within, till the Magistrate shall cast them forth. Well; but why all this waste? or to what end the Reciprocation of this Saw? To speak thereunto a little more, That all are holy, will answer all that can be said; which answer of yours ye have put so often to the ears of your people, that now it is in their hearts to live and die with it in their mouths, They are an •… lie people, and as such to be accounted, and dealt out unto: And so they are rendered, as we say, but the word is too short, as Judgment proof, so also Sermon proof against all the Artillery mounted against them in God's word; all that volley of woes thundered out against them by the Sons of thunder; Let Ethiopians, Turks, Jews, Infidels be affrighted at the hearing of this thunder: They were born in a Church and baptized there, and eo nomine, &c. should they not do well to make a feast, as Herod did on their birth day; quite forgetting their birth-sin (washed away, they may think in their Baptism) yet hath it given conception to all their mighty sins, and manifold transgressions, as also to all the sorrows of their life; Well, what more? Nay we know not, for say what can be said against this generation of men, and against their Admission to Church Communions, who are of their Father the Devil, for the lusts of their father they will do. What though? ye have armor of proof, like Achilles his Buckler, or Target, which will bear off all this, it shall not come near them. Ye have a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an universal Answer, We are a Church, and all holy; we may call it, we think an universal Remedy, or by that name an herb is called All-heal, we are all healed at Baptism, and now are all holy, and eo nomine, we are to be admitted, and so forth; which minds us of what blessed Perkins saith, in reference to universal grace pleaded for (take it in passage) It is universal Atheism, said he. But to proceed, Just so that Generation before us, with whom the Lord hath dealt as pleased him, put off all our Lord Christ s • id to them, or against them, or his Prophets before him; We are an holy seed, as our father Abrrham was, so are we; he is our Father, and we his Children.

And now that our thoughts are upon this, we will • take leave to read that Dispute we meet with in the eighth of John and the issue of it, and thence conclude what will be the issue of ours; I know, saith the Lord Christ, that ye are Abraham's seed (after the flesh) but ye are the Devils seed, having his spirit, for ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you, verse 37. ye have his spirit sure, for ye do what ye see your father do, verse 38. They turn upon him with this, Abraham is our Father. That cannot be, saith the Lord, for then ye would do the works of Abraham, you would walk in his steps. But ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the Truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham; you do the deeds of your Father, verse. 40, 41. They reply, we be not a bastard like breed. Thou shall never drive us from this hold-fast, or make us believe that Abraham is not our Father, we will call him father on earth, and God our father in Heaven, for he and we have one Father, even God, verse. 41.

Ye are wholly mistaken, saith the Lord, if God were your Father, ye would love me, verse 42. for every one that loveth him that begat, loveth Him also that is b • gotten of Him, 1 Joh. 5. 2, Love the Father, love the Son, but ye seek to kill the Son, which will witness against you, ye are of your Father the Devil, and the lusts of your Father ye will do, verse 44. Then answered the Jews and said unto him; say we not well, that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil; thus they will have the last word, and therewith their privil • dge, which it but a poor one, To have Abraham for their Natural, and the Devil for their Spiritual Father: But this is after the manner, and there is the issue of the dispute, and so we have read the issue of ours; therefore why all this waste? we will cease, as was said, from this pulling and thrusting a line of debate, like a Saw to and fro betwixt us, by Reciprocation of Answers, that we may in this brief return a few words to those personal matters in your Paper, which someone of us at length stumbled upon: And first,

Sect. 4.

IN reference to our Pastor (we think the word is very p • oper) some things have been said in vindication of him. Not for his own sake, his reputation, or name sake, we mean, which is fallen indeed into the mouths of Dogs, and under the feet of swine (if any such there be in your Church) and it makes not much, say we, and so thinks he, being the case ever of his betters, the best and most upright, that ever were in the world. Moreover the Pearl lieth there, and it is good being now, and ever where the Pearl is: and therefore we could not press on for his rescue, had we strength that way for his own sake, how deserving soever he might be, but for the people's sake, over whom God hath placed him, we stand charged to rescue His name what we can, from out of the mouths of Dogs, and from under the feet of Swine, minding ourselves, and reminding you of Aug. good saying, for ourselves Brethren, our Consciences sufficeth, but for you our name also had need be precious and honorable, for we would have our words savor sweetly with you, then must our name as well as our words, be sweet and pretions to you.

Of ourselves we have spoken also, so you compelled us, charging us, we thought, with little less then Heresy, under the suspicion or charge whereof, no man should sit still and be patient. You can suffer fools gladly, seeing you yourselves are wise. But for that heavy charge, that we engross, and so forth; The Lord judge between you and us: and if we have given any the least offense to any Godly man, that cannot walk with us, the Lord show it us: and if any offense be taken, as certainly it is, you and he may consider, it is but taken; which ye cannot answer before your God, being taken up upon report or suspicion only, without any trial, or making the least search into the ma • ter. For yourself Sir, we know your way, and we see your walk, as to Gospel administrations, full up with Mr. H. as cross to the way of Christ, and foot-steps of his flock, in our apprehension, as the broad way is to the narrow. And so being, as the Scripture doth judge of it, a mere offense to the Lord Christ, and his people, you may consider what love, and brotherly respects you have, or can show to him, or them that must decline M. Hs. his way, as they will an huge Serpent in their Path. Other matters you point at, wholly mistaking, we think; and then mis-judging or perve • ting the scope or d • ift thereof, for want of you know what, wherein men of Mr. Hs. his way and judge • meant, for the most part, are wholly wanting. Charity hath a large mantle, as we have heard, and can make a fair gloss upon a foul Text. We are sure, as clear a Comment, as can be upon a dark Text. It deals as tenderly with a man's meaning, as with a man's eye. In the second place, and so to mention your Exceptions in due order.

We be-beast a man, say you, you should add what is added, if he turn his back upon the word of his grace, as he more then seemed to do; you may add this also, a be • st he is, if it was never manifested to him, that he was a beast, and so he never be-beasted himself, as the b • st men have done, having so much of the beast in them; surely every man in his sinful state is a beast, and did he know himself, would call himself a beast; when David for one sinful act calls himself a Behemoth, a grea • b • ast before the Lor • ; but take it at the worst, the manner of men so to do, and so be it granted, we be-beast a man, say you.

So may we do, we think, and by as good warrant, as you be-Saint him, • nd his fellow Brethr • n in the same iniquity with him, because he was baptized in the Churc • , and eo nomine, and s • forth: Bu • it is not Christian-like so to do, say you, or to that purpose, if we und • rstand you.

Ye • , • ay we, John the Baptist was a good Christian sure, yet doth he be-beast a generat • on of men, who did pass for as good men in common account, as most of the Clerk in most of the Parish • s over this Nation. Matth. 3. 7. And Peter spake much after the same ra • e to Sim • n Mag • s, after he had made himself manifest, Acts 8. 23. Ye remember as well what was • aid to Elymas the So • cerer, Acts. 13. 10. When Tares app • ar Tares, you may c • ll them Tares; But while they look like Wheat, as in some places they did, as you have read, and so may they look now in • pp ••• ance like Christians; and for a time; then all that time of their non-appearance, to be what they are, close Hypocrites; you and we must beware of rash judgem • nt. But if the show of our countenance doth witness against us, and we declare our sin like Sodom, then charity it self will allow you (if your hear will give you leave, and your tenderness of your C • urch, where all are holy) to be beast us, if you please, or if your genius find some regreat at that beast-like word; you may call us sinners before the Lord, or Sodomite, and worse, b • cause we live in a land of visions. Smooth words are as prophesying deceits, thes • please us now, but undo us forever; Therefore let not this move with you, to deal in terms more gently or smoothly with us, because we were born and baptized in your Church (which we have acknowledged a great privilege) Wherein this Nation highly transcends all the Nations in the world, where the Gospel is preached, when we consider our Church-privileges and visible Prerogatives) Notwithstanding the rather do you be-beast us as much, and as often as you please, the holy Scripture will be your warrant, if we, declaring our selves to be beasts, while we declaring; as aforesaid our sins like Sodom. For to add this which one of us have read, Men are worse then Beasts, when they do worse; their preeminence of constitution is lost in the baseness of their actions, and they pu • themselves by so much inferior to beasts, by how much they were placed above them. But to be-beast men doth not argue us humble, say you. Nor will it argue us proud, say we, Paul was no proud person, and yet did he be-beast a great company, c • lling them Dogs in one place, and bids Titus remember, wh • t one of the • r own Prophets said of the Cretans calling them evil beasts. We know how you argue from that place, let it pass; being not to our purpose here.

But truly, for ought we can learn to the contrary, the worst of that company, who are called Dogs, might be as good (all things considered) as the Cle • k you wot of; for possible it is, though we hope so it is not, he may be, as too many of that calling ar • in too many Parishes, over your National Church, the veriest Varlets there, considering their Clerk-ships, and yet as frequ • ntly at the Lord's Table, as their Masters are, the Ministers here, and the second man, that is served, after the Minister hath served himself. We will add this, if it please y • u, the Lord Christ did little less, then be-beast, at least he did not be-Saint those against whom he denounced so many woe • s; nor was he uncharitable sure in so doing. To proceed.

In the third place, We are loath to call some men Ministers, say you. Indeed we are loath to call them such whom the Lord accounts not such, not finding them faithful, as is required Ministers of the Gospel and Stewards in his house should be. And such we think you would not call M • nisters, neither were it not for the honor you give to your Church, your Church-men, and Church-way where all and everyone is holy that walk in it, not one unclean or Lyon there. Haply you may have a respect to your own honor also, for if he or they prove b • d, you will not be approved very good; for remember you may, that you and we were called upon, when time was, to do as was our duty, lest we be partakers of oth • r si •• s, giving our hands for them, the manner of some whom the Lord will not take by the hand, and so making ourselves as one of them, and as guilty before the L • rd, by justifying the wicked, as by condemning the just, For even they both are an Abomination to the Lord, Prov. 17. 15. And,

4. In the fourth place you tell us, That you will decline Mr. H. and his way, when we have made good our charge of Blasph • my against him; To that purpose if we can reach you.

It seems then, you will separate from none, no not at the Lord's Table, but Blasphemers in your sense; and then m • y you j • in yourself with Ranters and Quakers, for neither of both, as we conceive, will be found guilty of that kind of Blasphemy, which was punished with death, and which you seem to point at.

But Sir, more of your charity might have been desirable here. Surely we shall make it appear to the world, however it appears to you, we charge him not with blasph my in your sense, though we acknowledge the same or such like word might pass from us, nor see we cause yet to recall it, as thus, The way of Truth hath been evil spoken of by him, which you may safely render we think Blasphemed, for so, as we have heard the Greek doth, and so may we, though that word sounds more high and harsh. Blasphemy is of as large an extent, and general acceptation in the Scripture, as your Disciples and Saints are. And you might have dealt as charitably in your interpretation of the one, as you do in the other. There is Blasphemy in a large sense, and blasphemy in a strict sense; So you say of your Saints; (we neither say it, nor acknowledge it, you do) but had you said as much of the other, (for which you have ground enough in the Scripture) you had said nothing as to that charge against us in your friends behalf. Would we could be as much aff • cted, hearing the name of our God, and his Truths contradicted and blasphemed, as we are hearing the name of our friend spoken evil of. This would argue us more then almost altogether Christians.

Yet take your saying, whereto we only say this to vindicate our questioned, we think, and wronged charity towards the Man of your persuasion. That we wish him as well as you do; and tender his well-fare here and hereafter, as much and more then you can, while you walk in the same way with him, in point of Free Admission to all Church Administraon • . Nor can we take, as we judge, a ready • way to show it, but to convince you bo • h, as we can, of the iniquity of your way, wherein you walk together as friends. Why Si • , • here is many woeful Rebukes, the Godly Ministers have denounced against those they wish dearly well unto. These are not as learned Bez • saith, Imprecations, but pred • ctions of what will be if they hold on in their way, And so to add this, they are deprecations rather, or earnest entreaties, T • at they would withdraw their foot out of their own way of sin and death. So much to that charge. And

5. In the fifth place for Mr. Nut: whom we call, say you, the great Disputer in the Country.

Possibly we said so, and let it go, for we say what we know, and as many as we know intus & in cute, say the same thing of him also.

But you say we speak so of him, because we know him not. Yet we know him, and there • fore we speak so of him.

But if we know him indeed, we would speak of him (as others do) What do others say of him, but what we say too? That he is a good man we hope, and full of the holy Ghost and of Faith? And yet of these things he may be put in remembrance, and charged before the Lord, and we believe so may you too; That ye strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the Hearers. There are Disputers of the World; we must see to it, we be not in that number whom God hath made foolish and will destroy. Most assured we are, That if ye could take Blessed Tindals good counsel, in his good Letter to his good Brother, ye would leave off your disputings, which Paul would number amongst those foolish questions and strivings we are bid to avoid, and apply yourselves to main and necessary Truths putting it to the Question, and resolving it from the Word and Spirit there (for you will not take a single witness) Am I a member of that body whereof Christ is the Head, and the Savior? Is my heart sprinkled from an evil conscience? Is my body washed with pure water? There is the Baptism indeed; yet do we account, as highly of the other, The Infants privilege as you do, if you do no more, then you ought, and have warrant from the Lord to do, as a seal to God's promise, that sin shall die. And for them that oppose Infant Baptism, rising up in their might against it, some of whom fear God above many, though yet one among us hath read so much of them, and their doings, beyond the Seas, and here at home, together with their Jehn-l • ke march, or driving on their way, that we can hardly contain, but let fly against them; see what spirits we have I but the Lord rebuke them, lest we prove ourselves as furious as they, for that is th • Epithite we hear, was and is still given unto them, wherever ye read of the fore-men and leaders of them. But soft words and hard arguments are more becoming, and likely may do more go • d, if earnest prayers go a • ong with th • m, w • ich do as well in arguing as in realling. So it may appear, • e seek nor o •• selves at all, but to gain an erring brother, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , speaking the truth in love. And that we prize a soul, as we do the truth, that the one may be saved, and the other have the victory; which doubtless shall be: stay but a while, and we shall see it, and the fight will be glorious. In the mean time we should remember, The Lord of the whole earth commands us silence, till he show us his warrant to speak; and having that, speak we may, and spare not, and be not slack or slow in the business. For we conceive, as our betters do; the Apostle doth not speak positively;

We would be more large, that we might be more plain, and clear ourselves to you, and your good Neighbor in this matter. But this only we can take time and think necessary to add.

If your said Neighbor be such a man, as you account him to be, and we hope he is, he will take all well, and amend what is amiss, meditating upon necessary things, as they use to do, who give themselves wholly to them, that their profiting may appear to all. But these are the Questions he will put to others, having through the supply of the Spirit, and witness thereof, resolved them in his own soul first. In the last place.

6. You make some mention of your worthy Brother Mr. F. as we apprehend i • , so we shall speak to it, we have upon a just account, as we conceive, put in our Exceptions against some passages in his book for Infant Baptism towards the latter end. And if we can spell your meaning, and answer to us, • s to that particular, he intends a second Edition; We wish him and his labors prosperity in the Name of the Lord; And truly so much we honor him, and so heartily, that we desire that Book as well as his other, might have been commended in whole, and every part, as he to his friend without an Exception; which we think will not be by him or them, that shall approve themselves unbiassed Readers, giving so much and no more to Infant Baptism, then what they who have the mind of Christ give unto it. We are more then jealous your brother leans something too much to one extreme, because others lean so much to the other, magnifying Baptism so much, because others do so much vili • ie it; so hard a thing it is, yea impossible to flesh and blood to follow after Christ, just behind Him, with an eye fixed upon that guide that leads into all Truth in the directions of his word, leaning neither to the right hand nor to the left. This only more we would now say to that particular: Let i • please him to look over the bottom of pag. 80, together with 81, 82, 83. And then take the good counsel himself, he so piously gives to his Readers; Read those passages again; and pray them over, so perhaps he will see cause to correct some lines there, and blot our some other, where multae non poterunt, una litura potest, where many blots in some page will not serve the turn, one will.

Reminding one passage more in your Paper, we thought fit to say this to it, that indeed, laus a la • d to, as the man is, such is his strength, and such is his praise, and so being seasonably remembered of it, we may forbear.

For the close of this our Answer to your paper, we would say six things and so end.

Sect. 5.

THat what words you have read here in our Papers, or may read hereafter spoken slightingly, as to your Disciples and Saints, they are pointed to those only, who slight the word of God's Grace, are enemies to the Cross of Christ, trample upon the Pearls like Swine, and turn back like Dogs to rent the Dispensers of the same: Do you be-Saint these, if you can see your warrant; ours is, we think, from God, to be beast them.

But Sir, to speak once more to this, and so an end of it; we may and must do, what you must not do, while you sense and practice with M. Hs. you must not bi • beast those you be-Saint at the Font and Lord's Table: else why do you admit them thither? for there is the • b • and randezvouz of all the very worst in all the Parish, unless the Magistrate will be pleased to keep them back; if not to drive them out, which we think, and think we have proved elsewhere, is to be too curious in another's Common wealth, as the saying is: Now we are far from sensing it with Mr. Hs. or with you, while you sense with him: for we are more then jealou • , that he who hath declared himself an enemy to the purity of Christ, his discipline in his house, is no friend to the purity of his Doctrines. And therefore we must be beast those that •• ample upon the Pearl, the Lord Christ and all with him, tendered to them in the Gospel; And being so full-of themselves, swept and empty of all good (the Devils house still though some great and gross lust may be cast out, and the house garnished with moral virtues and E • angelical gifts, which may be together with noisome lusts) we were saying: These so empty and swept of all goodness, as is the Devils house, can deal no better with the Lord Christ at his Table, then they did at the hearing place, but trample underfoot the honey comb there, as we would do, that we loath, and have indignation against, and that is Swine-lik • , is it not? why then, whom you must call precious, we must call vile: look we both unto our warrant, that ye and we may so speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty, • am. 2. 12.

Yet we conceive the greatest • ffence we have given you, at least you have taken against us, is, B • cause you read us sometimes rebuking your fore-man and L •• de Mr. Hs. sharply, for as you may read cuttingly: • aply also you • ay think yourself so rebuked. Also you think not amiss in so thinking: nor is it in proper that ye, two, acting the sam • part as Brethren in the same way, and walking together as friends therein, sh • uld partake toge • her of the same Rebuk • s, which the spirit of Christ in his word dot • cast upon your way.

And truel • could we separate betw • xt you and your way, ye should have found the rebukes cast wholly upon your way. But we could not distinguish here, no more then he could (whom there is cause enough to remember) distinguish between the very good man, and very bad Common wealth • man, both one and the same man, I cannot distinguish here, said he (as able as he was, as any King you have likely read of) and so we are bold to remember you of the Story, being old and may be worn out of mind with age) For if the Devil take him as he a is very bad Common-wealths man (as like enough) for he is stark naught, who is naught in his relation) then what will become of him a • he p • sseth for a good man? But to give you a short account of this, and to remove the offense what we can, and then proceed,

We have had through grace, some discerning all along these troublous times ( • imes of Re • ormation always) what the Lord God hath done for his own Nation, fearing God, and seeking Reformation: An • what he hath d • ne against that other N •• ion, Mini •• ers and people there, Captains with their fi • ti • s, Blaspheming God and opposing Reformation; which tells us what he will do in after time, giving us to behold as with spen face, what he hath done, and what he is doing at this present time.

Now Mr. H. (we account it no honor to mention him so often, a blot rather to our papers, were it not we do it upon the account of Truth, which he hath slandered, and we would vindic • te, and give our helping hand w • th others to confound him: if not, which is more desirable to convince him. Mr. Hs. we were saying) as a man that hath neither eye nor ear to observe what the Lord hath done, and is doing, hath to our seeming, appeared (which appears by his writings) as another Goliath at the head of this Army of Phil • st • ms, we mean not only that sink of scandalous and sup • rstitious, but the carnal Ministers all over the Nation, who endeavor with all their might to undo all that our good Lord hath done, in bringing us out of our Egypt, over our Red Sea, through our Wilderness, even to the borders of our promised Land, that blessed Reformation hoped for, to bring us back again into our Egypt, to return us into our Cha • s or Babel of confusions we were in, as we were, I and much worse. And are not these Carnal walking as men, admitting, yea inviting all to the Lord's Supper how sensual soever, though apparently without the spirit of God, visibly profane, openly debauched persons, scorners of holy things, loathing • he honey comb, trampling upon the P • arl, • enting the dispensers thereof, treading u • der foot the blood of the Covenant, in whom the spirit of the world rules mightily, being children of disobedienc • ; all these invited and admitted to eat and drink at the Lord's Table, if the Ruler steps not in, and forbids these guests.

We demand again, are not these Ministers carnal? walk they not according to men, that are sensual not having the spirit? are they not enemies to that only holy One, and that Reformation, which m • st be, for he will have it so, accord • ng to holiness, Magnifical and Glorious, and so full up, we think, if not above the prayers and tears, the desires and endeavors of all his holy Ones. Now this man so often named, who marcheth in head of this Army of Philistines (we have not a fitter word) in a contradiction and mere opposition to all that the Lord hath done, is now doing, and assureth his people he will do, and will no • be in rest unt • l he hath finished this very thing, making the righteousness of his Church go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth, This very man, as we were saying, you Sir, little less then boasted of to one amongst us, as you may remember, charging us to give you an account of our way and walk therein, and our Reasons why we walk not with him, and yourself in your way, more abhorring to us, upon Scripture account, then is the grave, the light therein, which is as darkness it self or shadow of death.

And now if we must speak, as the charge of the Lord unto us is to do, being so pressed thereunto by yourself, what else can we speak but rebuk • s t • this man as oft as we find him crossing our way and walk therein? And the same rebukes to you, words like drawn swords to stop you in your way, to amuse you, yea to amaz you therein, being the road way of the world, from which ye separate not, no not at the Lord's Table. A most unholy way yours is, as sure as the other contrary to it, is the way of holiness, having no conformity at all to the Nature of God, nor to the will of God, or to that which God wills. Every action of man is holy or unholy according to its conformity with, or variation from this will. The • e is no more holiness in any work then there is of the will of God in any work. To do holily, and to do the will of God, is the very same. Now find you out by searching, if you can, whether it be the will of God you should admit unreasonable (or men out of place, when they are, by your allowance, at the Lord's Table, as Swine are in your Parlour) unreasonable and wicked men to eat at His Table of His Supper spread there, and prepared (as we have he • rd all Ministers say, good and bad, though the bad do contrary to what they say) for the Lord's dearest friends and lovers? inquire into this matter we pray you: and also whether upon your admission of such sw • nish persons, the godly can find their warrant to communicate with you, who have admitted such a raseal company (so you read it in the Geneva Tra • slation, made by your occasion twofold m • re the children of t • e Devil then when they we • e b • rn) to communicate wi • h them there, that the room may be full; These must not, the Go • lie we mean, upon choice, acc • mpany with the wicked in any place, much less at the Lord's Table. For though th • y c • n embrace the company of the worst upon this account to make them good, yet then not as companions with them, but as Physicians to t • em. But to Physic • hem at the Lord's Table (if we may express it so) was never heard of, spoken, affirmed or pretended by any besides the man you wot of, and the men o • his way and judgment. Indeed we purposely cast all the Rebukes we find in God's word upon this way, that you may not march on Jehu like therein as you seem to do, holding pace with Mr. Hs. who drives furiously in his way, wholly cross unto the Shepherd and Overse • r of our Souls, who hath left us, as well by his walk, as by his sufferings, an example that we should go forth by the foot-steps of his fl • ck, following his steps as dear Children. It became us, we thought, and as we were saying, to speak as we have done to him and yourself, as we met you in your way so cried up by you, though so cross to holiness.

And have we so done because we love you not: God knows, for truly we would give you to know, That if we have not spoken to you and him weeping, yet we could wish we could let f • ll as many tears from our eyes, as words from our pen, however it may be conceited to be bent against you and him. We appeal to God in that matter, considering in our measure, what will be the end of that way, which lieth so cross to holiness; and what the end of those things will be which the people love to have so, being in love with death, and must prove destructive, yea damnation to them at the last end.

Sir, you shall do well to consider this, seeing you have the honor (and no good man doth envy it, it commands his pity rather) to be the leading man to the people on this side the flood, we suppose, and to those on the other side, where your God hath set the bounds of your habitation. It is a point of the highest wisdom, and choicest discretion for him that lead • h others, to consider who leadeth him, and whom he taketh for an example, following his steps, specially at such a time, when he is going himself, and leading on his people unto that place, where he expects to meet his God, to communicate with him, yea, and in a visible way, to feed upon him. They have causam facilem in their hand, who would hold forth this, though yet to convince you thereof is the work of Him, who is the spirit of God and of Glory, the Lord Christ His great Agent here below: And when he shall have so done, convinced you, we mean though by means base and de • p • cable in your eyes: what though? what the means were in the spirits hand will be nothing unto you now; for rejoicing in the Truth, you cannot but rejoice to be overcome of • t. It is God's promise, that in the times of the Gospel the spirits of men shall be so brought down, • hat they shall not stand upon the greatness of their parts knowledge and learning, where any of this is, but a child shall lead them; such shall be the humble temper, and carriage of those, the pride of whose spirits is subdued by the Gospel; we say it again, These shall rejoice in the Truth, and to be overcome by it. Yea, and their mouth shall be filled with blessings, as David's was, when he met Abigail in his way, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, and blessed be thy advice, and blessed be thou who hast kept me this day, 1 Sam. 25. 33. The Watch-man of Israel is our great keeper: but then he keeps most graciously when he keeps us from sin; Then he keeps us as his own people; He keeps from sickness or poverty by way of a general providence, saith that Learned Man, but from sin by way of peculiar preservation; Whatever preservation he bestows without this, it is but a reservation to eternal ruin.

We are conclude • d now, That God keeps a Minister from sin, a great and a black sin, somewhat nere to that of the highest magnitude, or we may say from sinning against his own soul, and souls of his people, when he persuades with him to keep off his people from eating and drinking at the Lord's Table, who cannot but eat and drink their damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lord's Body. And then we cannot but conclude also our duty, the rather, since you have called us forth to it, to do our utmost to keep you from this sin, and so to withdraw your foot out of M • . Hs. his way. But if this we effect not, and herein we prevail not with you, yet our duty is to wa • n each other of all, or any such persons as shall either in their practice or Doctrine walk contrary to God, and footsteps of his people.

And thus much be spoken to assure you, that whatsoever we have said against you and your people, as you for want of due consideration and charity may inte • pret it, was spoken as in God's sight, in the integrity of our hearts. 1. For the good here, and everlasting welfare hereafter of your and their everlasting souls, And 2. in discharge of our own souls also; for this being a cleared truth, that we must separate from the world at the Lord's Table, we durst not for our lives withhold it in unrighteousness; Because nothing in the world will burden the conscience so much as concealed truth.

And so much to the fi • st particular, to set your judgment strait towards us and these matters. And to assure you of our truest affections to you and your friend, and all your people all over your Church, whom you call Saints, and deal with them as such, because baptized therein, and eo nomine, admit to all acts of Church-Communion. We cannot wish you good speed in your way, because we dare not wish impossibilities: but the Lord give you, and all that act th • same part with you walki • g together in that way, give you a sight of it, how abhorring it is to the Lord and his people.

We proceed now to the s • cond.

That we being in some measure, through grace, acquainted [ 2] with the hearts decei • fullness, our own above many, what self-lovers, self-seekers, self-pleasers, and flatterers we are, na • urally best pleased, and delighted in our own way, the broad way of sin, and death; we as w • were saying, have been earnest with the Lord, That he would set our hearts to ponder, or weigh that we read, Prov. 21. 2. every way of man is right in his own eye • ; who would think this were possible? yet if you single out man by man, and Mr. Humphereys himself out of the crowd, everyone would judge (he and all his way that sense with him) his own way right, though tending directly to Hell, going down to the Chambers of death, as we fear Mr. Humphereys way doth: But the Lord pondereth or weigheth the heart; He weigheth exactly how much there is of his own way, and how much there is of our own in it. Suffer us not Lord to tread in the way pleasing in our own eyes, because it streightneth not the flesh, putting it to cost; but point us to, and lead us in the way of life, which is a way of pleasantness, and all the paths therein are pe • ce.

We have considered your additional Note, the last words in your Paper, whom God calls ho • y, we must not call profane, [ 3] ye are a Church all holy, everyone, Parents and Children, such the Lord himself calls them, and as such all are to be accounted of, and dealt with.

This was said of old, the old put off, as aforesaid, we are Abraham's Children, he was holy, and so are we; Yet think not to say so, saith John the Baptist, Matth. 3. 9, Why might not they say so, since they were so, and acknowledged so to be? I know that ye are Abraham's seed, saith the Lord Christ. Johns meaning was, be not proud of, nor lifted up wi • h that thought, it is a vain thought, that Abraham is your Father, when you walk not in the step • of Abraham, you do not his works; yet in this empty title, this thing of n • ught, they gloried in to the last, as ye in your Church; But could their heart endure (to allude to those words) or could their hands be strong in the days that the Lord dealt with them? Did they say before him that slew them, we are a Church, we are an holy Nation? No, they were dealt withal a • a polluted people, and no Church, when they were in the hand of him that slow them, they died the death of the uncircumcised, (to allude to those words also)

Truly we thought, that of all Arguments you would not have taken this out of the mouth of the Jews, whom the Lord hath judged as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged, and hath given them blood in fury and jealousy, Ezek. 16. 38.

They did not look like the Garden of God watered every moment, they look now like a Wilderness, so as they may be called H •• mah, utter destruction, as at this day; so the Lord hath said of this your Argument, we think, as he said of this people's Adultery with stocks and stones; Thou shalt not commit this lewdness above all thy Abominations; Thou shalt not use this Argument, we are a Church, as that Nation was, all holy, as the Jews were; Of all Arguments this Argument is an Abomination to Me, with whom I have dealt, as aforesaid, may ye, we think, hear the Lord say; hath the Lo • d dealt so with that Church, as never hitherto with any Nation, and shall we argue our holiness, as they did, whom the Lord rooted out of their Land in anger, and in wrath, and in great indignation? Let us hear and fear, that we may not speak presumptiously, nor op • n • ur mouths anymore, saying, We are an holy people, and the Lord accounts us so: surely, ye may hear the Lord God saying unto us, with a voice, as loud as thunder, You shall not use this Argument anymore, lest that befall us, which hath befallen them, • nd shall befall all the enemies of the Lord at the last; for they shall all be made an abhorring to all flesh: And surely • he Lord hath more then begun to execute this wrath, which is written, which may put us in mind, and we think seasonably and pertinently enough, what was said of Germany, that part or Canton thereof, which looked best like a Church; Germany looks not like a Church, it shall look like a Church-yard, a Golgotha of bones (as Salvyan speaks of another City wasted with war) when we hear and fear, we shall neither speak nor do presumptuously. We wish heartily you could behold your Church, how it stands now, like a bowing wall, and as a tottering fence, as a reed shaken in a tempest; and anon after must be driven as the chaff is driven with the wind, or as a rolling thing before the whirl-wind. Enquire we should what hath the Lord done to that Mother Church? what to other Churches in ancient days, and of late years, when they come to glory in a thing of naught, a bare empty name only; What hath the Lord done? and will he spare us, who glory in the very same thing, that we have a Name to live when we are dead? Hear worthy Mr. Burg • s, Our Congregations may be called Acheldamaes, our Church-yards and our Churches being both alike; these are full of the corporally dead, the other of spiritually dead.

What though say you, for you will say, as Mr. Hs. saith, the more dead they are, the more ingenious guests for the Lord's Table they are; there is that will quicken them, though as dead as bodies in the grave—But of this you may read more hereafter; this is for our learning now, hold we our eye fixed upon that Mother Church, and the burden is laid upon her; and say not we, we are now as she was, least we be be made as she was, Magor-missabib, terror on every side; and as she now is, delivered up to commotion, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes. If we hear and fear we shall neither speak nor do presumptuously. To proceed a little farther, so to give, or take information. Jerusalem was the holy City, so was the Temple there, you can tell us wherefore at that time it was called so, and why they prayed towards it; so was that Mount Zion, and the other near to it, an holy Mount; the whole land an holy land, when most of the Inhabitants there had no more holiness in account with God, nor looked after it anymore then the Land did; yet glorious privileges it had, being Imma • u • ls Land, of whom he took special and peculiar care for the sake of a chosen, and a peculiar people there, he c • lls the Vine-yard of his red Wine.

Give us Lord, to seek after that holiness, neither titular only, nor nominal, nor national, but special, peculiar, and real, without which none can see thy face, nor live with thee, blessed forever, Amen

Hereunto we would add the words we have from a [ 4] learned man, because possible you and we may make some use of them; If our hearts were clean enough, our heads would be clear enough; The use we should make of it, as you very well know, is this; Let us give up our Hearts to the Lord, for the cleansing of them; our Heads for the clearing of them; our Hands and Feet or our whole Man for his leading of them. And cease we from our own way, right in our own eyes, and therefore a way abhorred of the Lord, and of all those, that are the Lord's. And say we still, as David did, what a blind man would say be wildered in his path, Lead me Lord in a plain path, the way everlasting, thy spirit is good, lead me, let me not put confidence in a guide, whom thou hast not appointed a Leader and Commander to his people, and none other to be followed but such none, that leadeth to him, nor ob • yed but such an one, as commands for him, the only Leader and Commander to the people. [ 5]

But in these matters, let us cease from sense also, carnal reason, and our own understanding, and cry we for His eye salve; that anointing which teacheth all thing • .

For these things lie off from sense, quite beyond the line, reach and borders of reason. Your titular Saints, and nominal Believers, that hold their Saint-ship by tenure only of their In • ant Ba • tism, understand none of these things, no • probably will they give their minds to understand them, till you shall drive them from their strong hold, which is their belief, That they are true Saints, and have a true right to all Church-Communions, because they were born in a Church and Baptized there; Till ye drive them off from this strong hold, they will not give their mind to understand these things, which are as much and more above the reach of their reason, then are the things of reason, above the sense of their beast.

In the last place,

Let us consider this, which we have so often h • ard [ 6] from others, God is angry with us, w • ile we are ang • y one with another; Therefore we should hear the good counsel • nd take it, put we on, as the Elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels • f mercy, Col. 3. 12. Cloth we or clad ourselves with bowel, that w • may be sure to have them, as the clothes upon our back, and p • t them on as our Garment, all over fr • m • op to the • oe • , from head to foot, bowels of m •• cy over, so may we expect Bowels, tender mercies from our G • d. And then as ye • n preaching, so ye and we in praying may agree in one thing, Matth. 18. 19. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The import of the word is an ha • monial agreement to sing the same tune prayers are music in God's ears) saith that excellent Man, and so called Melody to God, Eph. 5. 9. It is not simply agreeing in the thing prayed for, but in the afflictions, which make the Consort and the Melody.

And so in end to what ye or we have, or can say more. To the way is right, or seems to be right in our own eyes. You bring Scripture, we b •• ng Scripture. To what end? That the Truth might app • ar on whose side it is. It is true, The Scripture saith, in as much as G • d, as Christ, as the Spirit saith by the Scripture, being the mouth or voice of God; the Standard, the Ballance, the Touch Stone, the Judge of T • uth, of th • way, walk and walkers therein. But is the Spirit in the word, that leadeth to it, unf • ldeth it, cleareth i • up before us. How can we else understand what we read; If the Spirit • f him, who was worthy, and prevailed to open the Book and loose the seals thereof, be not our Interpreter; Till he opens the Book the Learned can read no more of it, then can the unlearned: It is as a clasped, or sealed Book to both. Ask we then for the spirit, that Eye-salve, or an Anointing, that teacheth all things necessary for us to know; t • ll he come and ims • ale our eyes (our seals are as ch • ck and hard as Paul's were, which tells us what darknese is within us, as it told him, till the light come and remove them together with the veil spr • ad over the heart, we see nothing into these matters, • ur way, or our walk, n • r know we any think as we ou • ht to know, but walk as blind men, or men in th • dark, b • nighted or bewild • red in the night, or thickest • og, and will adventure (for who so hold as they, that say they see, but the word saith it not) To captivate God's word to their understanding, which should be captivated to the word of God. So then we are concluded, that whatever disagreement there is betwixt us, as to our way and walk therein yet no • isag • eement there is or repugnancy at all in the Scripture; were we sweetly accorded with it, we should be accorded with the Truth and with ourselves. And indeed it is high time, and the high • st reason we should be so accorded, for there • being a sweet agreem • nt in Scripture, and no repugna • cy at all, why should there be any disagreement at all betwixt them, that produce or h • ndle the same; Agree with the Scriptures, and we are ag • eed, And this may move mightily with us to persuade • h • reu • to; because, as when children fall out in I • te • preting th • ir fathers will, the Orph • ns Patrimony becomes the Lawyers booty, as one saith; So wh • n they that should be fol • owers of God, as dear children fall • ou • in the way, o • about their way, it is more then doubted, • hey fall out with the Scripture, at least fall not in wi • h • t; And then who are the gainers but Her • ticks? for they are gainers by the divisio • s of them, that should explain the word of Christ. We will reap •• it ag • in, and so we have done. Agree we with the Scriptures, and we are agreed; And that this may be, •• ke we for the Spirit, Christ's Vicar, or great Agent in the world, and never cease we asking •• ll he come; or seeking till we find; or knocking till he open the door of the understanding, and come in; A delicate person he is, grieved at the least offense is offered to him in his own House, or Temple, having expressly told in his Scripture, and directed how matters should be ordered therein whole, and in part, after the due manner; And as he is angry with the wicked every day, who anger him in these matters; So is he grieved with his dearest Children that grieve him therein: and being grieved, or fretted to the heart by them, he will grieve them, and make them know what it is to grieve him; but where once he hath taken up his habitation, there he will abide forever.

We would in the close of this give you this assurance, That we would not give you or any other, any the least offense. What offense may be taken, we know not, or if we did, we know not how to help. This we know, it is our duty, and what we can, we will remove offenses what possible: but it is not possible, we conceive, to remove them out of his, or their way, who walk with Mr. Hs. in his, which is rendered we thought, and we will help it for wa • what we can, the abhorring of all flesh, in whom is any of the least work of the spirit of God, and of Glory. Notwithstanding Sir, we shall (through grace) be careful with all care as becometh, that no word pass from us, not examined first, & weighed by us, what agreement it hath with the word of Christ, mind and manner of his people: And so as we trust we shall write nothing in anger, and what we answer shall be done in love. And may the good spirit guide our tongue and our hand, when we see cause to put forth, either of both, that what we have said we may do: and our God may have glory from us by all we say or do, and we peace from Him, and acceptance with Him, through Him in whom we labor to be accepted, or so should do, as the ambitious man striveth to ascend the pinnacle of honor, Amen.