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nistry of all those, who yet hold their ordination on the account of its successive derivation from Rome, he cries out, ' egregiam vero laudem,' and says, 'that yet I secretly derive their pedigree from Rome.' Well then, he doth not so: why then, what need these exclamations? we are as to this matter wholly agreed; nor shall I at present farther pursue his discourse in that place it is almost totally composed and made up of scornful revilings, reflections, and such other ingredients of the whole.

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He frequently and very positively affirms, without the least hesitation, that I have renounced my own ordination,' and adds hereunto, that whatever else they pretend, unless they renounce their ordination, nothing will please me;' that I condemn all other churches in the world as no churches.' But who, I pray, told him these things? did he inquire so far after my mind in them, as without breach of charity to be able to make such positive and express assertions concerning them? A good part of his book is taken up in the repetition of such things as these, drawing inferences and conclusions from the suppositions of them, and warming himself by them into a great contempt of myself and party, as he calls them. I am now necessitated to tell him, that all these things are false, and utterly in part and in whole untrue, and that he is not able to prove any one of them. And whether this kind of dealing becomes a minister of the gospel, a person professing godliness, I leave it to himself to judge. For my own part I must confess, that as yet I was never so dealt withal by any man, of what party soever, although it hath been my unhappiness to provoke many of them. I do not doubt but that he will be both troubled and ashamed when he shall review these things. That whole chapter, which he entitles, Independentism, is Donatism; as to his application of it unto me, or any of my persuasion, is of the same importance, as I have sufficiently already evinced. I might instance in sundry other particulars, wherein he ventures without the least check or supposition, to charge me with what he pleaseth, that may serve the turn in hand; so that it may serve to bring in, he and his party are schismatics, are sectaries, have separated from the church of God, are the cause of all our evils and troubles,' with the like terms of reproach and

hard censures, lying in a fair subserviency to a design of widening the difference between us, and mutually exaspe rating the spirits of men professing the gospel of Jesus Christ, one against another, nothing almost comes amiss. His sticking upon by-matters, diverting from the main business in hand, answering arguments by reflections and the like, might also be remarked. One thing wherein he much rejoiceth, and fronts his book with the discovery he hath made of it, namely, concerning my change of judgment as to the difference under present debate, which is the substance and design of his appendix, must be particularly considered, and shall be, God assisting, in the next chapter accordingly.

CHAP. II.

An answer to the appendix of Mr. C.'s charge.

THOUGH perhaps impartial men will be willing to give me an acquitment from the charge of altering my judgment in the matters of our present difference, upon the general account of the co-partnership with me of the most inquiring men in this generation, as to things of no less importance; and though I might against this reverend brother, and others of the same mind and persuasion with him, at present relieve myself sufficiently by a recrimination, in reference to their former episcopal engagements, and sundry practices in the worship of God them attending, pleading in the mean time the general issue of changing from error to truth (which that I have done as to any change I have really made, I am ready at any time to maintain to this author), yet it being so much insisted upon by him as it is, and the charge thereof in the instance given, accompanied with so many evil surmisings, and uncharitable reflections, looking like the fruits of another principle than that whereby we ought in the management of our differences to be ruled, I shall give a more particular account of that, which hath yielded him this great advantage. The sole instance insisted on by him, is a small treatise published long ago by me, entitled, The Duty of Pastors and People distinguished;

wherein I profess myself to be of the presbyterian judgment. 'Excerpta' out of that treatise, with animadversions and comparisons thereon, make up the appendix, which was judged necessary to be added to the book, to help on with the proof that independency is a great schism: had it not been indeed needful to cause the person to suffer, as well as the thing, some suppose this pains might have been spared. But I am not to prescribe to any, what way it is meet for them to proceed in, for the compassing of their ends aimed at. The best is, here is no new thing produced, but what the world hath long since taken notice of, and made of it the worst they can. Neither am I troubled that I have a necessity laid upon me to give an account of this whole matter. That little treatise was written by me in the year 1643, and then printed; however, it received the addition of a year in the date affixed to it by the printers, which for their own advantage is a thing usual with them. I was then a young man myself, about the age of twenty-six or twenty-seven years. The controversy between independency and presbytery was young also; nor indeed by me clearly understood, especially as stated on the congregational side. The conceptions delivered in the treatise were not (as appears in the issue) suited to the opinion of the one party, nor of the other; but were such as occurred to mine own naked consideration of things, with relation to some differences that were then upheld in the place where I lived, only being unacquainted with the congregational way, professed myself to own the other party, not knowing but that my principles were suited to their judgment and profession; having looked very little farther into those affairs, than I was led by an opposition to episcopacy and ceremonies. Upon a review of what I had there asserted, I found that my principles were far more suited to what is the judgment and practice of the congregational men, than those of the presbyterian. Only whereas I had not received any farther clear information in these ways of the worship of God, which since I have been engaged in, as was said, I professed myself of the presbyterian judgment, in opposition to democratical confusion; and indeed so I do still; and so do all the congregational men in England, that I am acquainted withal; so that when I compare what then I wrote,

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with my present judgment, I am scarce able to find the least difference between the one and the other; only a misapplication of names and things by me gives countenance to this charge. Indeed not long after, I set myself seriously to inquire into the controversies then warmly agitated in these nations. Of the congregational way, I was not acquainted with any one person, minister or other; nor had I, to my knowledge, seen any more than one in my life. My acquaintance lay wholly with ministers, and people of the presbyterian way. But sundry books being published on either side, I perused, and compared them with the Scripture, and one another, according as I received ability from God. After a general view of them, as was my manner in other controversies, I fixed on one to take under peculiar consideration and examination, which seemed most methodically and strongly to maintain that which was contrary as I thought to my present persuasion. This was Mr. Cotton's book of the Keys. The examination and confutation hereof, merely for my own particular satisfaction, with what diligence and sincerity I was able, I engaged in. What progress I made in that undertaking, I can manifest unto any by the discourses on that subject, and animadversions on that book yet abiding by me. In the pursuit and management of this work, quite besides, and contrary to my expectation, at a time and season wherein I could expect nothing on that account but ruin in this world, without the knowledge or advice of, or conference with, any one person of that judgment, I was prevailed on to receive that, and those principles which I had thought to have set myself in an opposition unto. And indeed this way of impartial examining all things by the word, comparing causes with causes, and things with things, laying aside all prejudicate respects unto persons, or present traditions, is a course that I would admonish all to beware of, who would avoid the danger of being made independents. I cannot indeed deny, but that it is possible I was advantaged in the disquisition of the truth I had in hand, from my former embracing of the principles laid down in the treatise insisted on; now being by this means settled in the truth, which I am ready to maintain to this reverend and learned author, if he or any other suppose they have any advantage hereby against me,

as to my reputation, which alone is sought in such attempts as this: or if I am blameably liable to the charge of inconstancy and inconsistency with my own principles, which he thought meet to front his book withal, hereupon I shall not labour to divest him of his apprehension, having abundant cause to rejoice in the rich grace of a merciful and tender father, that men seeking occasion to speak evil of so poor a worm, tossed up and down in the midst of innumerable temptations, I should be found to fix on that which I know will be found my rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I am necessitated to add somewhat also to a surmise of this reverend man, in reference to my episcopal compliances in former days, and strict observation of their canons. This indeed I should not have taken notice of, but that I find others, besides this author, pleasing themselves with this ap prehension, and endeavouring an advantage against the truth I profess thereby. How little some of my adversaries are like to gain, by branding this as a crime, is known; and I profess I know not the conscience, that is exercised in this matter. But to deliver them once for all from involving themselves in the like unchristian procedure hereafter, let them now know what they might easily have known before; namely, that this accusation is false, a plain calumny, a lie. As I was bred up from my infancy under the care of my father, who was a nonconformist all his days, and a painful labourer in the vineyard of the Lord; so ever since I came to have any distinct knowledge of the things belonging to the worship of God, I have been fixed in judgment against that which I am calumniated withal; which is notoriously known to all that have had any acquaintance with me: what advantage this kind of proceeding is like to bring to his own soul, or the cause which he manageth, I leave to himself to judge.

Thus in general, to take a view of some particular passages in the appendix destined to this good work; the first section tries with much wit and rhetoric to improve the pretended alteration of judgment to the blemishing of my reputation, affirming it to be from truth to error; which, as to my particular, so far as it shall appear I am concerned (F am little moved with the bare affirmation of men, especially if induced to it by their interest), I desire him to let me

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