Letter Entreating a Friends Judgment

So he doth; he exalteth them very high, and praiseth them in fine strains of Rhetoric.

He doth indeed, he lifteth them-up high, that he may throw them down with a witness; he praiseth their learning, and I know not what; But Sir, there is an art of praising, so to praise men, that thereby a man may sharpen a reproach, make it enter, and stick the faster. Such an art there is.

The same may be said of you, that you have the same art, to commend a man for his gifts, but with such an exception, as shall disgrace him the more.

What I have said, I have said heartily; his gifts are of precious account with me; that they may be of the same use to the Church of God, I shall tell him how just my exceptions are in his commendations. I remember Cicero, writing to his brother Qui • tus, wisheth that he could hear him commended without an exception. It is my desire also; but so, saith he, I cannot hear; All say of you, that you are a good man; but all say you are an angry man: so much I must say; The Anti-Apolog: a good man no doubt, but a man of no good spirit sure; a great deal too hasty, and too easily stirred, This shall be concluded from the premises, as the result of all, that went before; That he hath not shown forth GOD'S Spirit, but his own spirit in his Book. That is the point and thus I clear it; He did omit a Christian duty towards his brethren, before he put forth his Book; He should have spoken with them before; first more privately, then more publicly, and have kept-in his Book longer. I take it from God's word, the Rule of charity also, so he stood bound to do; to convent his brethren in a private way first, before he set them upon the stage before all the world.

No, That rule is to be understood of private offenses; Had the Apologists offended M ^r Edwards, only, he had dealt with them according to his Scripture-Rule: But they had given offense to the whole Church of God.

How will that appear▪ for the question must be understood here of their personal failings, in their converse, and walking amongst themselves, or before others: And touching these matters so nearly concerning the good of souls, and the bands of brother-hood, He should not have taken-up matters upon trust from hear-say that common liar; but in imitation of the Lord his Master, have seen first and well understood, by private communication with his brethren, whether things were so or not, according to the cry that came to his ears: surely he should have convented his brethren first, and shown them their personal failings, whether so or not, or such as they were reported to be? whether they would own them, and appear in justification of them; and then, when it was made apparent, that his brethren did not walk uprightly according to the Truth of the Gospel, then he might also have appeared against them as he hath done, and done all according to rule; whereas now, omitting this Christian duty, of conferring with his brethren first, he hath transgressed his rule, and hath done all he hath done, neither decently, nor in order.

His brethren had the very same obligation upon them, to have dealth with M ^r Edw: first, and with the Assembly of Divines, before they put forth their Apol: Nar.

I take it, under correction, No: no reason imaginable, why they should apply themselves to M. Edw: They took the way was prescribed unto them by the Assembly of Divines; they applied themselves to the learned and judicious Licencer of Books, M. Herle, who, they knew, had appeared for the other way of Church Governement, but in a most orderly way, that Truths might be beaten-out and cleared; and the bands of the brother-hood kept entire and sacred; To him they applied themselves, for his judgment upon their Apology, first before they put it forth, which, what it was, appeareth now as visible as the Apology doth; and is a real and full justification of the Apologists proceeding touching that matter, That they did as much as the Assembly of Divines could expect they should do.

Secondly, I humbly conceive, that they stood bound to give satisfaction by way of Apology to all, especially to such simple ones, as myself, all over the Land; we judged nothing before the time, but indeed we were offended to see so many pillars shrink away from our house ready to fall upon our heads. Indeed we did expect, and, 〈◊〉 in manners we could have so done, we would have required an Apology, for their so departing from us in such perilous times. But we had it without asking we thank them, the fullest and clearest that ever was penned, I think; as for other matters of an higher debate, M. Edw: might have left them with his betters, to whose consideration and judgment, they were modestly transmitted.

Hitherto I have set down, as I have conceived, M. Ed. his faults of omission. His faults of Commission are greater; he is sharp, harsh and bitter towards them, who were sweet, gentle and meek towards all, as Ambassadors for peace, and lovers of Truth ought to be. But suppose there had been some harshness or tartness in the Ap. Narr. and that it had some special reference to M. E. himself; suppose so; yet he, having done as he hath done, hath transgressed the Rule, and gone contrary to the examples of all good men, not transported with passions (as he was) in dealing with their brethren. The Rule was set down before, and will be repeated afterwards: I will show here, what others have done, whose example is very imitable. Erasmus had written a book to serve as a Buckler, whereby to safeguard the Truth, for it was called Erasmic. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Melanct: (Erasmus his good friend) turns over the book, and says of it; That it was not Clypeus, a buckler, as the word imports also, but a very Asp, a stinging Book. I conceive, Mel. meaning to be so by that which follows;

M. Ed. speaketh only Argumentative by way of dispute only; and that he might cry victoria, he made the Arguments the sharper.

Very well; but he should remember Melanct. rule.

What will you infer from all this? No more, but what will be granted, That the Anti-Apol. has not done all things decently and in order; not keeping so close to his Rule, nor following the example of his betters. Men are men: every man hath not the same spirit; nor one of an hundred such a sweet spirit as Phi. Melanct. had. The Anti-Apol. has done very well in the judgment of the best learned, and best men in all our City; for so I hear.

Very ill sure. And that I may clear it to every man's understanding, I will make a supposition, and upon that a question, then you shall be able to give judgment on M. Edwards book: Suppose, That myself or some other man, having the same spirit M. Ed. has (else he could not do it) should write against five of his brethren more or fewer, who are for the Presbyterian way of Government (I confess I do most unwillingly make mention of Presbyterian and Independent, I am persuaded all the good and choice men are for the old-way, the way of CHRIST and his Apostles: for that way they are in the desire and travel of their souls: But I must speak with the vulgar, and to their understanding) suppose, I say, That I could pick out, five Ministers, accounted Brethren now, and are, I suppose, heartily now for the Presbyterian way of Government, and should bend my pen against them; I would not use the places M. Ed found in his Topics; nor take the helps he met with in his Rhetoricks: (i. e.) I would not help myself with private Letters; I would neither quote them, nor Hear-say, not I; nor would I use Satires and Invectives, though such Rhetoric finds the vulgar-ear more open then Logic (reason) does: I would use none of all this; I would deal more candidly then so, and more becoming a Christian, and a brother; Thus I would doc; make a Narration only and declare things which I saw and heard, and not another for me:

Now, Sir, you can, by this time, tell yourself, why the most cryup M. Edw: book? 1. Because the most are best pleased to see brethren stand at a distance, or at a bay: or coming near hand, to strive and fight each with other. 2. Because the most love the broad-way, and would walk in it; and are full of hope now, that this contention about the way shall enlarge their way, and make it yet broader; but they will be deceived; for whether this or that way, it is the way of CHRIST, that is contended for (by our choice men) past all question. 3. The most do shut their eyes against the light, and hate the truth of God. Vox populi non est vox Dei. If the most say it, and it be touching the great things of God, I shall doubt, nay I shall make no question of it, That GOD says it not.

Why but all the learned, and good men too cry up his book.

For what? surely not for his Invention, neither his Topics there, nor his Rhetoricks; his Compasition indeed is pretty good; his Elocution, or that the Orator calls Action (the All of an Orator) that is all stark naught, in the judgment of all the Learned sure. But let the Author have all his dues, and let his Book be called a Book, because the most say (but they know not what they say) that it is a good one. For any further respect unto it, then to call it a Book, (having seriously considered the general frame, scope and tendency of the said Book) I know not how to give it; nay I verily believe, that every good man will mourn over it upon these following considerations.

1. Because this Book is to the heart; it comforteth those, that should not be comforted, the Devil and all his servants. (

2. Because this book, and the like to this, saddeth the hearts of those, that should not be sadded. O quàm • ucundum? how pleasant, how aimeable a sight is it to observe brethren live like brethren, in unity. Ecce quam mutuo se diligunt, said Tertullian touching Christians of old; See how they love one the other, what sweet agreement, complying, bearing and forbearing each of other! O this is to the heart of the Righteous: But the contrary, as at this day, saddeth their hearts; see how they biteand devour each other! this saddeth the righteous who should not be sadded. No good man is glad at this. And now you have the reason also why the fewest cry it down; the fewest men are the best men in the world, for they walk in the narrowest path; and what the fewest cry down you will not cry up. And yet you will cry; I understand the reason very well, because you follow Truth and peace: they that so do, must give clear evidence, that so they do, by mourning over all that, which runneth not bias only, but cross and thwart to Truth and Peace, as stand the two Poles North and South.

Well (Sir) for so it is, or God will make it so; You are not discouraged at all this; nor can you faint in your mind. You know whom you have trusted, Him, that never failed His people hitherto, and never will; Him, Who brought light out of darkness at the first, doth so still. Life out of death, doth so still. Glory from the Cross, doth so still. Hath wrought the greatest things by the smallest instruments, nay by cross instruments, doth the like still; Did so at York, did He not? He raised His friends there, begirting the City; throweth down their spirits, their strong-holds too, and confidences also, gives all these into His adversaries hands; their hopes thither and their hearts desire, and the prey into their chaps; nay they had swallowed it down: Then the Lord arose, it was his time, snatcheth the prey out of the enemies teeth, maketh him vomit-up all his hopes, throweth him on his face, there leaveth him to wallow in his own blood; And away his servants march, but the most cross way that ever was heard of, For God maketh His servants win a City by loosing it; They are come to it again, and have taken it, but they counted it lost first. Certainly (Sir) we have not read a stranger matter in our Chronicles. But we shall read the like in Ireland's Chronicle shortly, for we hear of it already; I give but a hint and away, I go onward; And I pray you let us entreat our friends to follow-on, and seek the LORD; to set their hopes on Him; For He is the same still, He changeth not; As He hath wrought, He works still, we see, for he maketh cross wills, cross lines, and cross ways, serve His will, and come direct to His line, and way in a most clear and direct tendency to the Butt and White of his glorious—I cannot tell what to call it, but that it is, what was before time was. Oh Lord! who would not trust Thee with all their cross wills and cross hearts, that are in our world, a world of them! These are in God His hands, where can they be better? Cross and crooked they are, God will turn them right and strait, thence to draw forth (1.) His Glory, whether they will or no. (2.) Yea, and his servants Glory also, (3) And the Glory of their Church-way, the way of Christ, His Apostles, and Disciples. I pray you let us look over this again, weigh and ponder all this with all our hearts, and all our souls. 1. Cross wills, and lines, and ways must advance God His Glory; Past all question it is so. In all wherein the enemy doth proudly, God is above him . The floods have lifted up their waves, and so forth (that is) The enemy threateneth every hour to swallow-up the Righteous. But the LORD on high is mightier than many waters, then the mighty waves of the Sea (mighty Adversaries are meant here) And what of them? These only dash against Jacob's Rock, and break themselves, and exalt the Name of Jah, Jacob's God; but they must serve His Providence first, for these mighty floods must serve to bring in floods of Honey and Butter (i. e.) the strongest Consolations to His Church. But I pass over this, how the Lord doth serve Himself, and His people by the men of violence, as not so pat to our purpose now, I take it this is, for we are upon cross ways, and cross-lines, and these drawn by the professed sons of the Church. Erasmus hath a pretty expression, Many, that go for the best Catholics (Rome's sheep) are but Cacolyck • s, the worst wolves: And those, that go for Evangelists, good Messengers, are but Dysangelists, bad and harsh to God's best Servants, God knoweth. But saith Erasmus, Let GOD alone with them; He will • old and frame their wolvishnesse, and rage, and their —All to his Glory. The Lord Christ raighneth, and turneth about all things by secret ways and counsels, so ordereth and disposeth all the Scenes and Acts of human things; Let the Lord alone with these evil servants; They shall doc their Masters good will while they do their own naughty wills, and so work-out their Lord's Glory. That is the first point, the LORD'S Glory; His servants Glory also, that is the second.

2. These cross spirits, lines, and wills, the Lord will use them all as instruments to magnify His servants. How? By afflicting them. A strange way of magnifying! Yes, it is God's way: The direct way he took with Job; He suffers the Devil and his servants to lay load upon Job, to press him down even to the Dung-hill. I know it was very far from Jobs thought then, when sore afflictions were upon him, That God so visiting him, did then so magnify him: yet so it was; nor had he had the honor to be so magnified in the world (as a grave Divine said lately) now as he is, had he not been magnified by afflictions, upon everlasting record in God's word, a man of sorrows there; This was the way the Lord took to magnify his servant Job. The same He takes to magnify all his Servants, by affliction, sometimes from the hand of violences, sometimes from the smitings of the Tongue. Indeed the best servants of the Lord have need of rough means, a Thorn in the flesh to pluck them down; To let out their nature, the pride thereof (which is all one:) And to lay them low, so to exalt and magnify them; Its God's way so to work by pricking Thorns and grieving Briars. What a good God do His people serve, Not the Olive only and the Vine, those fruitful Trees bear fruits and sweetness unto them; But the Bramble also, the briar and the thorn, all good to them; these yield sweets unto them. In very truth, These can gather grapes of thorns and figs of thistles. By these low and base things, God doth magnify His People even by their Adversaries, that is the second point; The third is.

3. Cross wills, and lines, and ways must advance and illustrate the Glory of the Church-way, the way of Christ and His Ser •… : All the forementioned, cross men, their wills, lines and ways stand-in God's light a little, and obscures His way (I will not call it man's way) but He will remove them with a witness; and then, His light, and the Glory of His way shall shine-out the clearer, and more Glorious, the more it was obscured and eclipsed by the interposition of the earth, the sons there, forementioned. We would all be reformers of the Church (an easy work that, we think, though we never think of reforming ourselves;) and we would all reform in our own way: As we simple ones have a strong fancy, we can save the Church: so are we as strongly conceited, That we can Reforme the Church too, taking our own way touching that matter: Now blessed be God, He will not let us be our own saviors, for we would destroy ourselves; nor our own Reformers, for then instead of a Reformation, we should make as horrid a deformation as ever the Archbishops, and Bishops made. Say again. O blessed be His Name! As He will save us by himself: so will He Reforme us by Himself, and in His own way, that He will. He will use His servants, choice instruments in his hand, and make them glorious there: They fear Him, they shall know his secret . They will do His will, They shall know of His doctrine . They ask the way at his mouth; He will show them the way, and His people shall walk in it. And for them, that stand cross to this way, and walk perversely, even they shall help to give glory and lust • e to this way; that is the point. Indeed, I could enlarge upon it; I will give the sum of it in brief: Now we have divided tongues, and cloven hearts, and our language is confounded, for the same reason, as once it was, for we have abused the unity of one voice : But God will use all this to bring His people to a unity again, of one love, one faith, one way, one heart, one judgment; and then, they will be all of one lip, Amen. Let God alone; He will work-out His glorious will by these cross wills. God will make a method of all these cross ways; By all these crossings and thwartings this way, and that way: The old way, the way of Christ, and his Apostles shall be beaten-out, and cleared to the eyes, and ears, and hearts of all his people. Amen.

And now having taken some honey out of the strong: I proceed, and according to my proposed Method, I come to the Resolves, and first touching the Author.

It is resolved, that the Independents, as we call them, never met with such an Antagonist before.

Well, be it so, though it be but a conceit, and their Resolve, who, perhaps, are resolved too, That the highest star is not greater then the Moon; nay, does not exceed in quantity, or quality, their great candle on their table. Let him alone in his conceit, if it be his, and his friends in theirs. The servants of the Lord will follow peace with all men, but not seek peace with him, because he is Angry : yet will they not count him an Adversary, but call him a brother, and they will thank God for him: for God will work out His Glory by him, and their Glory also, as was said before. A man that would understand all his faults must have a true friend, or a true enemy, one or both; It was the saying of the Ancients. These Servants thank their Lord, they have both, True friends and true enemies; But against all expectation, the enemy doth the most good; he puts most honor upon them, he helps to magnify them; We, their friends, magnify them too, but in a wrong way; We may magnify them so that they may magnify themselves more then their office▪ The enemy magnifies them so, That, God may magnify them also, and they their office: A wide difference, but this also was hinted before.

Secondly, It is resolved touching the Book that it cannot be answered; that none can answer it but the Apologists, one or more, that is strongly conceited: but they will not; first out of policy.

There are faults amongst them, personal faults, not a few; The Book declares some, the Rejoinder more, and the menaced Letters will show forth all, and more. There are also faults in their way of Governement all along, and strange slips in their Apol. Nar. For which, if they be wise, they will make no Apology.

I know they are wise, what they will do, I know not so certainly. I do know their power more then sufficient for that work, I know also what expectation there is to gain their wills to make Replication; And I know how often their Adversary (Brother I would rather say) calleth them unto it, who hath Reply, Reply as often repeated as Homer hath 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . They will reply never the sooner for that, but for the zeal of their God, Glory of His Name, Honor of their profession, they will make answer I think; And truly I thought I had the very Idea of the Answer in my head, but let it vanish like a fancy; how can my shallowness▪ comprehend what Answer such men will make? • e do • what I am able to do. Weaken the Reasons, or show them to be no reasons against the Reply, but all for it; And first in general, I say that Politick reasons are of no account with them, who are all they are for God, and all to advance His Glory. In this case, they cannot consult with flesh and blood. The glory of God, and honor of their profession requires the casting away all politick respects, when the glory of God comes to be respected; serious thoughts thereof unties the ligaments of this selvish-frame, takes a man to pieces; dilates him out of himself, and, by decrees, resolves him into Heaven; he hath no politics now but what become a Citizen of Heaven.

But the best way is to let things alone as they are that they spread no farther.

Spread farther: Their Brother has spread the nakedness of his brethren so far, that charities mantle, though stretched forth as it should be, like the Heaven , is scarce able to cover it. But as they cannot doubt, so they cannot fear the spreading of it.

The Apolog. began the quarrel, now let them sit down quietly and take what comes of it.

The beginning of strife is like the opening of waters. But who began? he on whose sid • are hard words, angers first weapons ; him who smites with the tongue. I will not crave judgment in so clear a case. I will wish, though it be too late, as I have heard some did lately; That the said discord about Religion and that way of worship had begun in some other Country before, and ended here first. So in the general; Now to the particular Reasons; their personal faults first.

They have many;

Yes, who hath not? And where is the man that hath the fewest? But who hath told me and you of their faults? Hearsay; and he hath told a great many lies: Then let me advise thee as I would my own soul; Take up nothing upon his trust, especially against a brother.

Their own Letters are on the file against them.

Not their own Letters sure; I am persuaded not one of the five ever vouchsafed a Letter to him. But if so, I know what I could say; And indeed I can hardly spare him there, for he hath not spared the dead, John the beloved Disciple, now in the bosom of his Master; he hath dealt worse with that Saint, then the Devil would be dealt withal, why hast thou disquieted me to bring me up ; If he hath any other Letters, they are some disciples Letters, and if they prove treacherous, none so bad as they; As we dare not believe hearsay; so we must not believe false Disciples.

But they cannot deny their faults, I mean their personal failings in point of practice.

Cannot! This implies no more an impotency or weakness in man, then it doth in God, Who cannot deny himself God be blessed, that His servants cannot do that, whereby to dishonor God, though they might thereby maintain their own honor and reputation in the world. I have concluded then; they will not deny their faults; if the Adversary can make proof of these things, he urge • h against his brethren (I am persuaded in my soul, he cannot, but if he can) then they can give glory to God, and confess their sin, and take shame unto themselves. Si quid indignum Erasmo, as Erasmus said of himself; I will undertake for them, as he promises for himself, do but show it them, what they have done unbeseeming their profession, and they will pierce it through, and their hearts will sorrow for it. But if any heresy then, show them that, and no sooner shown, but they will serve it, as Moses did the Egyptian, kill it presently, and take shame to themselves for it, What? Maintaine a sinful practice, while yet they maintain a Church-way, and heretical doctrine in that way! God forbid: I demand then, can their adversary say he would (in a Church-way privately first) have told them of their faults in practice, but they would not hear of them: And shown them, by a light from Heaven, their mistakes in point of Church-government, but they would not see them? Let this be spoken-out, and let not their faults be spared; have any faults in their practice been spied out? I am confident they are as willing to hear it, as their friend hath been to proclaim it: and as willing to cast shame upon themselves, as he hath been to cast it upon them: And for their way of government; They may not walk therein every man with a right foot; These Church-men may do some things as men, and unbecoming a Church-fellowship; But this they can say, that, touching the essentials constituting a Church (for we do not pry into the scatterings of any one man, or more, or all there) in these, if they are deceived, the sacred Scripture hath deceived them: so they can say, because in the integrity of their hearts, they have opened their mouths wide to their God, and reached forth their hands to him, that he would take them by the hand, lead them in the way, and keep them to it, up close to the Rule; thus they can say in the integrity of their souls: And that they have sought knowledge; sought her as silver, and searched for her as for hidden treasures: And that they have done in their search and scrutiny, as they that dig for gold, they cast away much earth: so they have, upon due trial of examination, thrown away what ever, that was, not agreeable to the rule of the Word, and so they went on their way rejoicing. Now if any man can show them from the same Word, a more excellent way let it be examined without passion, and they will embrace it. They do not contend for victory, but for truth; It is not good for a man to conquer a man: but it is good for a man, that the Truth may conquer him with his good will, for conquer it will.

Lastly, For the Apol. Nar. as the Apple of contention amongst us. True it is, that two of our brethren have put it into a strange pickle, and would put the same take upon every man's palate, that he might relish it as they do. I cannot well tell how far circumstances, qui • , quid, cui, quando, quare, ubi, may vary and alter the taste: And yet I will not give away my judgment in my tasting things of that nature: And must profess still, That, though it be so and so aspersed, yet it relisheth as sweetly with me, as any human invention ever did except our last Covenant. Truly I do think it like Manna in this one thing, which, some say God fitted to every man's taste, and yet some did strangely dis •• lish it.

Who can relish this I pray you? They call themselves exiles.

Call themselves so! They were so indeed and in truth: Reader I cannot say a little to this, and, indeed, it is not so fully to my scope: yet this I will say: As sure as by the patience of a good God, I breath in His air: so sure I could clear this even to M. Edw. himself; that these his brethren justly call themselves exiles.

Voluntary and willing, if not willful exiles he says.

He saith what he pleaseth, and so he hath a contradiction in terminis. No man, that may live in his Country, and enjoy quietly all the sweets there, with Gospel liberties (take that with you,) will leave his Country willingly sure. No, these brethren were forced- out: their persons forced, their consciences forced, &c. but I will say no more.

They make an Apol. for themselves, and therein a motion to the High Court: and is that well relished think you.

Yes truly, I think very well relished, That they should take liberty to make a motion, and speak for themselves: It is no more than what is permitted to Church-robbers, Traitors, yea and Sorcerers too; All these, says one, are permitted to make a motion, and speak for themselves. Are they so? Then give the same liberty to the faithful servants of the Lord, to make a motion, that they may be permitted to serve their God after the way, which I and you, simple ones, may call heresy: But they are persuaded, that in that very way, they worship the God of their fathers, believing all things, which were written in the Law and in the Prophets.

If it be so reasonable a motion, why is it not granted?

I profess unto you I cannot tell, but I can tell, that you and I must show more manners, than to ask more questions touching this matter. It is a reasonable motion, so we are concluded: It is committed to the highest Judicature in the Kingdom, there we leave it, and so an end.

Not yet; you must remember there is one reason more out of their politics, why they will forbear to make answer; Because it will but widen the difference, and lay-open their Church-way to more open scandal.

I humbly conceive none of all this can be, but the contrary. It will close-up and heal the difference: And clear their way to all unprejudiced beholders, or give them clear knowledge that those brethren are (a little) out of the way: And this answers their supposed politics, why in policy, they will not make reply.

2. It is resolved by some, They cannot make reply through weakness.

But I can never believe that; I hold it as feosible a thing, as anything that has been done this many years: and a work also of quick dispatch: for I suppose, 1. That all personal things shall be cast away; Wherein they have failed in point of practice they will thank him for telling them, all that; and be careful with all their care to correct it. Moreover they have a good God, to go unto, the Father of mercies: And for the people of God, the Church she is the mother of mercies. I remember Luther's words here, in the very like ease: I have much ignorance in me, about matters of God, and have carried things negligently sometime, but my ignorance the Church will bear with, and my saults she will pardon, for she is the Queen of mercy; and nothing else but, &c. These personal matters therefore touching these brethren, shall not blot paper, these shall be transacted in the closset, betwixt God and their souls.

2. What things may be unjustly urged against them, (which sure are very many) they can hear with silence, and bear with patience, so be, the glory of God and honor of their profession be not concerned therein.

As surely all this is concerned, when things which the Apo • knew not are taken-up upon trust, and urged against them, and yet they should make no reply whereby to reprove him to his face.

3. And for their reproaches, as Melanct. said in the very same case,

4. Touching M. Edw. his walkings in and out; his scatterings here and there, not a word of that; let him and his friends lay open their own nakedness, they will not: And so now the Answer is in every ma • s judgment, cut short, by twenty sheets: Now for the work, and body of the Answer, I can say nothing to that; only I am persuaded in my heart, that the Spirit of the Lord is with them, the secret of the Lord is revealed unto them, because they ask it, as the most comprehensive blessing : They obey from the heart, and so they fear Him, and do His will: surely they shall know of the doctrine : for they can profess that they hated man's inventions, all along in his will-worship: and that they never leant to their own wisdom; they abominated that, in their search and enquiry after Truth; they followed the most unerring pattern, and when any spark of light was communicated to them, they desired no more but to see the clearness of Heaven come along with it, and then they followed on to seek the Lord: And knowing the terror of the Lord, they would persuade with us, simple ones, in this,

Thus, Sir, I have for the satisfaction of the simple Reader (it is great reason he should be satisfied) removed the politick reasons, which were resolved upon would with-hold a Reply to the Anti-Apol. and cleared in passage, how able work-men we have for the work, how easy the work is, and how quickly framed and raised upon the Advantage ground of Truth: Whether these servants of the Lord will apply themselves, or their Answer to M. Ed. that I cannot tell, I think not. They cannot sure think him worthy of an Answer, who has done so unworthily. But the people and Church of God, they are worthy. And now, what will this man do with his Rejoinder and Letters? Rejoyne 〈◊〉 what will be Rejoyne to this, Thou shalt not raise a false report ? Or to this, Consider of it, take advice, and speak ? Doubtless the man will put his Rejoinder and Letters both to some private shame or open penance.

Now, Sir, I have done with the Resolves, and will not question how I have resolved you; but resolved I am not to withdraw my hand here: Let it be my fault, hardly persuaded to put my pen to paper; as hardly drawn to take it off: But let it be my excuse to, That I am very desirous upon your intimation, to give Resolution to those that desire it, touching these grave Questions:

Q. 1. What a Church-way is? Or, What it is to walk in a Church-fellowship?

Q. 2. Who they are, that may, in the judgment of Charity, be thought walkers in that way?

Q. 3. Who they are, whom we may judge, and without breach of Charity, to be clean out of the way?

Q. 4. Their Qualifications, what they must be, to whom the Lord will show the beauty of His way? When this is done, I shall tell you a short Parable, make a short use of it, for the keeling of our spirits, and uniting of our hands in mutual fellowship, and our hearts unto God, and then I have done indeed. To the first (for I hasten) What is a Church-way, or to walk in a Church-fellowship? that is the question to be resolved; and not whether Independency or Presbyterie be the way of Church-Government; nor what the Ministers must be, or how to be ordained. Ah Lord! I might run myself into a maze here quickly; nor what Elders, and Deacons; nor how they must be qualified. None of all this, this is the bare question, Q. 1. What is a Church way? or, what is it to walk in a Church-fellowship?

A. I humbly conceive it is this,

Q. 2. Whom, may we conceive to be walkers in this way?

A. I humbly conceive, Those, who have most diligently asked after this way, most frequently, and fervently prayed, Lead us, Lord, and hold us in this way; And, if Leaders (unto others) then they prayed in prayer for grace to lead unto Christ, and to command for Him, Who is given a Leader and Commander to His people; Grace to labor in his Word and Doctrine; accounting those spirits best spent, which are spent in that service; Wisdom to understand this soul-craft, how to win souls; and to lay out, and stake themselves, all they have and are to those inestimable commodities; They, who could never comply with cross men, in as cross a way, no never; rather let Liberty go, sweet Country farewell, and friends adieu, now we must shake hands, for we cannot reach them forth in fellowship with abominable men, and to their services. They, who kept their garments, and their Lord's Word even where Satan had his throne: These are walkers in the way: People also, who are not pretenders to it, but burning and shining lights in it, examples before others, so to win those, that are without, unto it. These are walkers in the way; whether Independents or Presbyterians, we do not regard names, these are walkers, and with a right foot. And here I cannot exclude any by including these five, I might say fifteen, the more persecuted with the tongue the more precise walkers in the way: so I have resolved the second Question. The

Q. 3. Who they are, whom we may judge, without breach of Charity, to be quite out of the way?

A. It is not my conceit, it is my knowledge: (1.) They are out of the way, who are not in it, within their own house, I mean, quite out. They that cannot guide their own house, cannot guide the Church 〈◊〉 a Church way, that is a resolved Case . (2.) And they, who are opposites to this way; out of the way sure all these: for they are enemies to the way. (3.) And they, who complying with cross-men to God's way, did those services, served those idols, read those books, published those decrees, did this; though the greatest abomination; neglected that, though the great charge of souls; gave forth their hands to that, the establishing of evil: And to that, the throwing-out of good: All these things, one whereof, had been enough, but all together hath now kindled the fury and anger of the Lord in our Cities, and streets, and they are wasted and desolate as at this day. These mischiefs these have done to their Country, and land of habitation, by their compliance with abominable men, in all these or some of these things before mentioned. And have these men been humbled for all this? This must be more inquired into, what Ministers have done, who are Commanders and Leaders unto others; have they been humbled for all this? If they have not, not taken shame to themselves for all this, Then the word of the Lord speaks to them (cuttingly) sharply, That the Pattern of His House shall not be shown unto them, for so saith the Lord. Let the Wise, and the Disputers, and the Scribe hearken to the good Word of the Lord upon the Resolution of the fourth question, which is,

Q. 4. What their Qualification; what manner of persons they must be, To whom the Lord will show His way or Pattern of His House?

A. I humbly conceive, and that it is undeniable, That they must be men, that fear God above many. There are many secrets in this way of Church-Government, and some Mazes there; This for one, which we call Ordination: A man can never find his way out of it by the • lew of his own reason. Other Mazes there are, and secrets, Aenigma • s and hard Questions: Mysteries also, but this is the comfort: God will lead by the hand, open his secrets unto all them that fear Him, and from the heart obey 〈◊〉 , as before pointed at, for He gives His Spirit to all such. 2. They must be humble men, such as lie low, as the valleys, men ashamed as Ezra and Nehemiah were, astonished when they confessed over their own sins, and sins of their Fathers. To say all over again, They must be ashamed of all that they have done; especially in God's House, and about His service there. If they have gone beyond Melancthon his rule, bearing with those things, which could not be borne without impiety, they must be ashamed of all that; if they have complied with the Bishops, and their services, first, and second, They must be ashamed of all that; if they have answered their unlawful commands, for the establishing of evil, and throwing down of Good, for the strengthening the hand of the violent men, and weakening of the Godly, yea the murthering of a Righteous people; if so, they must be ashamed for all this; if they have ducked and cringed when time was, so serving the time, they must take shame for all this, and all that they have done against the Laws, and Ordinances of the House of their God, before that the Lord will show them the Pattern and Laws of His House. Till this shame be taken by them, as publicly in God's House, as they were a shame unto the House, God will not be inquired of them concerning His way of worship there. Their disputing about a Church way shall not profit them that live not in an Holy way. They that do my will shall know my Doctrine : They may eagerly pursue that way and ask after it; they shall not find it, for they are not in a capacity of finding. They may sit long, and do little, They may ask, knock, seek, and find nothing, but their own findings, never find the Lord or his way, till they go forth of their own way weeping and lamenting after the Lord, and over their sins, whereby they have gone astray from Him, when Israel went astray after their idols: Till this they do, nothing they can do for God's House, in expectation of acceptance, so the Lord hath said, nothing shall be done, till this be done, till they have taken shame to themselves for all that they have done, or suffered to be done, when they might have hindered it: And then take shame for all this before Israel and before the Sun (for so open their revolt and going astray was.) I know they, who set their hearts to seek a Church-way, who desire with desire to have shown unto them the whole house of GOD, the fashion thereof, and the goings-out thereof, and the comings-in thereof, and all the farms, Ordinances and Laws thereof; They that expect such a Revelation, set their hearts to what the Lord God hath said; He will never show them the Pattern of His House, who have done against the Ordinances, Laws and Statutes of His House; yet have not been ashamed. But are they ashamed for all the dis-services and dishonors they have done to God's House? Then it follows, Son of man show the House to the house of Israel. They have cast shame upon their own faces, for all their abominations there; They shall see with open face the whole House of God open before them (i. e.) This is the Law of the House, these the goings-out, and comings-in, and these the Forms, Ordinances, and Laws thereof; all shall be shown to these humble people; they shall look upon all with open face, whereas before they had so done, humbling themselves and bearing their iniquity, they might sit as men hood winked: The Scripture pressing upon them all this, is as clear as any in the whole book of God. I leave it in their bosoms.

Now they have heard what God hath said to them; they may consider what they have said to us, That we must be humbled for the idolatries and bloodshed in our first Queen Mary's days. And all the Reason in the sacred word for this, That we should be called forth to weeping and mourning now: for doubtless the Lord is visiting now the sins committed an hundred years agon; And yet we do not answer their call; We do not come-forth with our hands upon our loins: Why? Surely because we do not see them (our Ministers some of them) laying one hand upon their mouths, and the other upon their loins, breaking their own hearts before us, so testifying their exceeding sorrow for all that they have done in God's House, To turn us away from the right-serving the Lord there. We profess in the ears of God, Angels and men, we never accounted a Table an Altar, nor did we bend there till we saw our Pastor (in name) bow and cringe there first. Nor did we idolize the sacred Name, till we saw him put off his cap. Nor could we think it so much as a civil or decent manner, To riot and dance upon the Lord's day, till our Rev. Minister, (so he would be esteemed, though he did reverence neither God nor man in a true manner) told us, That it was the day, which the heathen, in honor to their god, dedicated to the Sun, and therefore we might, by the same reason, sanctify the same day with a Taber, and a Pipe, or after a more heathenish manner: Ah Lord! surely we could not have believed this, had not our Minister preached even so unto us, and shown us Statute-law for it: Ah Lord! should not they be ashamed for their Doings? so miserably seducing a poor dark people as we are? We humbly conceive, That, though we are in a great transgression, yet not the first or the chiefest therein: Therefore we expect that our Ministers, who went away far from God when Israel we • t astray, which went astray away from Him after their own gods, should bear their shame first, and their iniquity before all the people. And, oh that the Masters of our Assemblies, the chief there, would press-on this great work of Humiliation, and be Examples unto others in this matter, as Ezra and Nehemiah are Examples unto them; even these could spy-out that, whereof they were ashamed; and site • s • onied before their God. Surely they that in seeking seek after God's-way of Government in His Church (for what hath the Church to do with man's-way) these go forth weeping over their own ways. They that look to be a Crown of Glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal Diadem in the hand of their God, these must be an humble people first; They must lie- ••• before their God, bearing their shame for all they have done against Him. The 〈…〉 , They that are indeed lovers of the Truth, and seekers after Peace, do know assuredly, That they cannot have what they so dearly love; nor find what they so earnestly seek, till there be a bitter lamentation taken up for all that hath been done, even by the Children of the Kingdom against God's Kingdom, and Royalties thereof, His Truth and Peace. Surely this is the way; In the fear of God, so to do, then matters would slide on, The secret of GOD would be with you, Truth would be revealed, Peace would be given, for it is the Churches portion. Their Lord Christ hath bequeathed it to His people.

But how do His people thrust it from them? how do they divide themselves one from another; and set themselves one against another; and press one upon another, as if they would devour one another? so doing as much, and working more effectually their own ruin, then the Adversary does, or can do? Surely we should be ashamed for all this; And for these divisions, strong prayers should be put-up, That we may not throw down ourselves with our own hands; Nor thrust that further off, which we seem willing to put forward with all our hands.

O! if ever, now sure it is a pleasant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ecce quam se m •… diligunt! never did you see a more pleasant prospect, then when you see Christians bearing-up themselves like vine branches which bear-up one another, all cleaving fast to that, which beareth-up them! Now that the enemy rages, let not friends rage against themselves; The Adversaries are jointed, shall we be dis-jointed? platted together like thorns they, shall we touch one another like nettles? The enemy is resolved upon the question with one consent; Come let us put out the light of Israel. Be we resolved, that we will join heads, and hands, and hearts to magnify God, and our office, so to exalt the light of Israel. The enemy says now a confederacy. We must not say a confederacy, as if we were confederate, to cast shame and reproach each upon other. The enemies are confederate against us; It teacheth us how we should be close with our God, and with ourselves, shut up together as with a close seal, That all may be said of us, as it follows in that place, and is spoken of the Leviathans seals.

To persuade to all this, I will tell the Parable where with Bessarius would persuade all Christian Princes, to hold together and join all their forces against their sworn enemy (who was single with him, plural with us, The Turk and the Pope) The Parable is this, The Wolves and the dogs were marching on-ward one against the other, purposing to join forces next morning.

I but, while Truth is pursued, • eace is lost.

Yes, and that may be by our own fault; and it is but the Peace of the world neither, and what wise man setteth his heart upon that. The Peace of God is perfected (that is the second consideration) by all this in the mouths and hearts of His children. Let them look to the keeping of Truth, it is not possible they should loose Peace or themselves: Because thou hast kept the word of My patience; (that is, the word of Truth, not kept but by those in whom patience hath a perfect work,) I will also keep thee: See there! If we keep; God will keep; we His word, and He us from the hour of temptation, which is now come upon all the world to try the inhabitants there. A sweet promise! I will conclude with the words of Luther upon the like subject, persuading the people by setting up a faithful Ministry, to advance Truth

Thus, Sir, I have given Answer to your Letter, with strong desire and endeavor all along, to render it suitable to the good word of God; to the rule and method of Charity there; to the example and practice of God's best servants there and everywhere; and best agreeing with the sweetness of your spirit, wholly spent in the persuance of Truth and Peace: Now the God of Truth and Peace, lead us into all Truth; give us peace by all means.