Condition elsewhere and that without a Condition C. Then it is not Conditional for what iâ— without a Condition is absolute N.C. You would make him speak Nonsense C. Do you try at leisure if you can make good Sense of his words which methinks are not much better than if he had said The Promises are Conditional but without any Condition N.C. Phy Sir they are thus to be taken The Promise is upon a Condition onely that Condition is promised without a Condition C. Now you have mended the matter finely and made it plain that he thinks all the Promises are absolute Which how well it agrees with their being Conditional I pray tell me when you have thought of it at our next meeting N.C. Do not you grant then that God promises the Condition upon performance of which we shall enjoy the Promise without a Condition C. No indeed for it is certainly false He promises for instance Eternal life if we repent and effectually believe and not otherwise Repentance therefore and Faith are the Conditions of that Promise And I affirm that God nowhere promises that any of us do we what we will shall repent and believe But he requires us to consider and lay to heart what is spoken to us by his Son Jesus which is as much as to say that upon this Condition he will work Repentance and Faith in us N.C. He doth so But though the Promise runs conditionally yet he tells us it shall be fulfilled absolutely C. You mean W. B. tells us so and therein confesses he did not speak truly before when he said the Promise was without a Condition for now he acknowledges that it runs conditionally And to say it shall be fulfilled absolutely is to say that it seems to be Conditional but is not N.C. Well methinks there is much of Mystery in what he delivers C. That is you do not understand it but it sounds prettily and so you like it And so I believe you do the next for the same reason wherein he tells you that in the Old Testament they came to Christ by the Promise but now we come to the Promise by Christ N.C. I like it because it seems to carry aâ— great mystery in it C. It may seem so but it doth not N.C. No what do you make of it C. I think it rather carries a plain falsity in it For we come to Christ by the Promise as well as they and they went to the Promise by Christ as well as we N.C. I know not what you mean C. That 's because you know not what he means But if you will understand me thus it is There was a Promise that God would send Christ into the world and the fulfilling of thiâ— Promise is one great reason why we believe it Jesus and so we are led you see to him by the Promise On the other side there were Promises of great things that Christ would do for those that believed on him and those then thaâ— did believe the Messiah would come hoped foâ— the enjoyment of these Promises by his means and so if I may speak in his phrase they went first to Christ and then to the Promise N.C. I do not well apprehend you and therfore thinks it's time to lay aside this Book C. You do discreetly For if you had continued your discourse about it I should have discovered a world of Follies to you N.C. The things of God are Foolishness to the natural man C. These are not the things of God nor the things of a man neither but childish Fancies or as we commoly speak New-nothings N.C. I know they appear so to the natural man N. I do not judge according to meer Nature but by the direction of the Spirit which instructed the Apostles and therefore you apply that Scripture foolishly to me N.C. You use your reason too much C. You have some reason to say so for if I had used it less things had not appeared so â—idiculous N.C. By that time your heart hath lain so long â—-soke in the bloud of Jesus as his hath done we shall hear other language from you C. You are taken I perceive with that new â—hrase in the Epistle to the Reader and only â—ecause it is new else it would seem very irreâ—erent being taken from a Toast in a Pot of â—le or a Sop in a Dripping-pan a great deal more fit for a Preface before a Book of one of those you call Old Sokers then of such a Reverend Author N.C. You are merry Sir C. Truly I do not make my self merry with any mens Sins but at their little foolish Affectatious how can one chuse but smile But could he not as well have said that he had a long time thought of the efficacy and virtue of the Bloud of Christ or that he was much acquainted with the Love of Christ in dying forus Why to say that he had lain long a soke in his blood is as absurd as if he had told us that he had lain long beaking himself in the Beams of the Sun of Righteousness or roasting himself before the Fire of the Divine Love N.C. Pray Neighbour forbear these expressions C. I was only going to shew you that we have as good a faculty as you to coyn new Words Phrases if we would take the liberty But I will forbear if you will but be content upon this occasion to look back with me and consider how all the Nation comes to be overrun with folly N.C. How I pray you C. As soon as you had cast out of doors all that was Old among us if any Fellow did but light upon some new pretty Fancy in Religion or some odd unusual Expression or perhaps some swelling words of Vanity presently he set up for a Preacher and cry'd up himself for a man that had made some new discovery And such was the confidence of these men both in inventing strange Language and proclaiming their great Discoveries every where that the poor people were perswaded the Nation never knew what Communion with God meant till this time Now they thought the happy days were come when the Spirit was powered out the Mysteries of the Gospel unfolded Free grace held forth the Anointings and Sealings of the Spirit vouchsafed Christ advanced to his Throne and when they should have such Incomes in dwellings and I know not how many other fine things as never was the like heard of before For one man comes and tells them of the streamings of Christ 's Blood freely to sinnners another bids them put themselves upon the stream of Free grace without having any foot on their own bottome A third tells them how they must apply Promises absolute Promises A fourth tells them there is a special Mystery in looking at the Testamentalness of Christs Sufferings And because he found that every body had got into their mouths Gospel Truths hidden Treasures and such like words he presented them with Sipps of Sweetness and told them he
Service N. C. What part should that be C. The Entrance or Beginning of his Prayer When he speaks very slow as if he was studying what to say and draws out his words with a low Voice and with a small degree of Vehemence and little or no Motion then I say I believe your Affections are low too and you feel not your heart much moved But when his Voice begins to rise especially if he lift it up on a sudden and it break out like a Clap of Thunder and when he speaks more fluently his Zeal begins to kindle and he lays about him and is full of life as you call it that is uses a great deal of Action then is the time if the truth were known that your Affections stir and begin to rise from the bottom of your Heart where they lay heavy and dull before Then you sigh and groan and perhaps weep and are put into many Passions which lay quiet enough till his Breath blew lowder Is not this the plain truth N. C. What then C. Then you are no more affected with the Prayers of your Minister as they are pious Petitions or Acknowledgments of God than you are with our Common-Prayer But only with the Voice the Vehemency the Action the pretty Fancies and fine Phrases which perhaps he lights upon when he is a little heated which were it my case 't would make me suspect the Love of God was not in me For why should he think he loves God who is not moved with Affection to him when he hears his Greatness Goodness Wisdom and Benefits to us soberly and gravely expressed but is in a great Commotion when he meets with a new Word that pleases him or a kind Phrase or melting Tone a sweet Voice or some such thing N. C. I hope it is something else that affects me C. If it be then pray tell me why should not the Common-Prayer affect you whose sense is good enough only it is not varied and dressed up in new words every day I beseech you try your Heart by examining the Book considering whether those very things be not requested of God there which you desire in your Prayers and if they be then demand of your self a Reason why they move you no more I doubt you will find it is because they are not new but old Expressions N. C. I will consider of it at leisure C. To help you a little take this along with you which will go near to convince you that if it be not the Voice and Tone it is the Novelty which affects you Suppose one of the Prayers of your own Ministers which you think is indicted by the Spirit was taken in short-hand writing and afterward used every day in the Service of God as often as our Prayers are Tell me seriously do you not think it would seem very flat at last fuller of nauceous Repetitions and faulty Expressions than you conceive to be in the Common-Prayer N. C. You put a hard Question to me C. I see you are inclined to be of my mind and therefore pray consider these two things First That since even a Prayer which you think so heavenly would not affect you alway if it were alway used it is to be feared you are moved only while Prayers are new and indeed because they are new not because they are good pious Petitions And Secondly that since it is convenient if not necessary to have a Form of Prayer in the Church and the Common-Prayer hath no other Imperfection but what those whom you so much admire would have were they constantly used as it is why should you not like it as well as any especially since it is established by publick Authority N. C. I will consider of it as I said before But I wish you had seen a Book as I perceive you have many of ours newly come out which supposes your Service-Book hath been abused to Superstition and Idolatry and therefore must be abolish'd C. He doth well to suppose it and not to undertake the proof of it What is the name of the Book N. C. Nehushtan C. I have had a short sight of it as it creeps up and down privately N. C. What do you think of it C. I will tell you first what I think of you N. C. Why what is the matter C. You seem to be in a most dangerous condition for you are infected as I told you already with the extravagant Fancies of a number of other Sects with whom you are blended And in all likelihood you will have such new Inventions or rather Frenzies every year as will at last destroy your selves as well as us Some of your Ministers for instance acknowledg that the Liturgy is lawful to be used and can read it themselves Others there are that think it lawful but not convenient for men of their Parts and Gifts whose Ministry which it seems is of great Necessity Benefit they conceive would be thereby rendred less useful Then there is a third sort who are gone farther and doubt of its Lawfulness So that they dare not be present at it though they are content others should who think it lawful And now here is a man thinks no body ought to hear it nor be suffered to use such a Form of Worship but though the Magistrate ought to tolerate you yet he ought not to tolerate us For he saith It is his Duty utterly to extirpate the Liturgy as well as the Ceremonies And every one of you in your places ought to do your parts towards the abolishing of it and not sit still in the midst of such Defilements and Snares but discover your hatred of them decline their use and in such ways as Prudence Justice and Order do allow Endeavour the rooting of them out Whether you will go next God only knows And God help the poor Children of the Church of England who when all so boldly challenge Liberty and Toleration must be the only Persons excluded from this Favour and according to this Gentleman be denied the use of the Common-Prayer when every body else may pray what he list N. C. You must be content if he have Evinced as he tells us he hath in his Title page That the Liturgy Ceremonies and other things used at this day in the Church of England ought neither to be imposed nor retained but utterly extirpated and laid aside And he pretends in his Epistle to have said more in this Argument than ever was said before C. He doth so and imagins he can weild an old rotten Engine that hath been long laid aside better than former Workmen who were but Bunglers in compare with this Artist For he doubts not to manage it so as to throw down the whole Fabrick of the English Church N. C. What Engine do you mean C. It is this Principle That it is the will and pleasure of God that such things as have been abused and polluted in Superstitions and Idolatrous Services should
the Demonstration of the Spirit and of power C. True there is no compare between these But hath your Minister that Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power N. C. Yes sure if ever any man had C. That 's good news for then we shall see that which before we only believed Hath he the gifts of the Holy Gost Can he speak with Tongues and Prophesie and work Miracles and tell us the thoughts of mens hearts N. C. What do you mean C. I mean that which the Apostle Saint Paul meant who had this Demonstration of the Sipirit and of Power which he gave the world to convince them that Jesus was risen from the dead and was made Lord of all whom they were therefore bound to obey N. C. But I mean something else C. Pray tell me what that is Only let me desire you not to use words without the sense belonging to them and to intreat your Minister that he would hereafter forbear to pray to God that he may speak in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power for no body now can hope to do it N. C. I mean that he is spiritually enlightned to search the deep things of the Spirit of God which the natural man cannot discern C. I wonder at you that you should not discern the Apostle there speaks of the Holy Ghost i.e. the wonderful Gifts of it in them which â—ssured them of those things that no meer natural Reason could prove I doubt your Minister is not spiritually enlightned because he doth not instruct you better in the Scriptures N. C. Scriptures He never says 〈…〉 but he quotes a place of Scripture for it 〈…〉 Sermons are nothing else whereas you 〈…〉 but Rational Discourses C. I remember I have heard a wise man say that one may talk nothing but Scripture and yeâ— speak never a wise word And I verily believe it for it is not the Word of God when we mistake its sense as you commonly do N. C. Doth yours do any better C. Yes he seems to me to make it his business to let us into the meaning of the holy Book And he backs his Reason not with phrases snatch'd from thence but with such place as manifestly speak the same sense that he doth N. C. I have heard him sometimes endeavouâ— to open the Scripture but methinks he doth not do it in a Spiritual way but onely Rationally C. My good Neighbour consider what yoâ— say Do you think that these two words Spirituaâ— and Rational are opposed the one to the other If they be then Spiritually is as much as Irrationally and absurdly N. C. No pardon me there I do not think those two are opposite but Carnal Reason is opposite to the Spirit C. To speak properly you should say that Carnal Reason is opposite to Spiritual Reason That is a Reason that is guided by Fleshly lusts â—s opposite to that which is guided by the Gospel of Christ Ns. C. I say as I said before it is opposite to the Spirit C. You must either mean as I do or else that it is opposite to the Gospel which is frequently called the Spirit in Scripture But pray tell me how shall we understand the Gospel by our Reason or by something else Ns C. By the Spirit C. What must we have an immediate Revelation to make us understand its sense or must we study and consider and lay things together and so come to know its meaning N. C. Yes we must give our minds to it and then the Spirit enlightens us C. That is it guides us to reason and discourse and judge aright Is not that it you mean N. C. No I mean it shines into our minds with its light C. These are phrases which I would have you explain if you can My Question is this Doth the Spirit shew as any new thing which is not the conclusion of the Reasonings and Discourses in our minds about the Sense of Scripture N. C. I cannot say it doth C. Then you confess that the Scripture is to to be interpreted in a Rational way we not having that which is truly to be called Spiritual in distinction from the other viz. the immediate revelation of the Holy Ghost which the Apostles had N.C. Still I cannot think that this is Spiritual C. That is you are prejudiced or else you phansie every thing that you do not understand to be Spiritual N.C. No not so but the manner of understanding the things of God methinks should be other than you conceive C. Truly if you have any other manner of understanding besides this and have not the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost I conclude you take the sudden and many times pretty suggestions of Imagination to be Illuminations from above N.C. Now you have hit on something that I would have said The Spirit doth often dart things into my mind C. How know you that Do you take every thing that comes into your head you know not how to be an Irradiation from the Holy Ghost N.C. No I dare not say so C. Then you examine it and consider whether it be rational and coherent or no. N.C. Yes C. Then you fall into our way whether you will or no. And whatsoever you think of us we do not deny but God's good Spirit puts good thoughts oft-times in our minds and represents things more clearly to us than we could make them by all our reasonings which is as much as to say that it lets us see the reasonableness and aptness of such a Sense for instance of the Divine Writings as we discerned not before N.C. Well I am glad to hear you speak so much of the Spirit C. You might hear ten times as much if you would but frequent our Assemblies For there we are constantly taught that the very ground and foundation of our Faith in Jesus Christ is the Spirit i.e. the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven upon our Saviour and his Apostles N.C. You mix so much of Reason with what you say that I am afraid you are not in the right C. You should rather conclude the contrary and not believe any thing but what you have a good reason for N.C. Say you so How then shall I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Can Reason tell me this C. I am sorry to see you so ill instructed If you had continued to hear our Minister he would have made you understand before this time that though our reason could not find out that Truth yet God hath given us the highest reason to believe it And this I told you is the Spirit the Spirit in Christ and in his Apostles N.C. Pray explain your meaning for I understand not these new Notions C. The Holy Ghost I mean descended on our Saviour at his Baptism with a voice from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased This is one reason we have to believe on him Then he wrought miracles by the power of this
should insist much upon Doing For there are more Spiritual matters for Believers to be instructed in C. That is things revealed to us by the Spirit sent down upon the Apostles N.C. I know not what to say to your explication for I never heard it before But pray proceed C. I know no spiritual things but those which concern the glory of our Saviour in the heavens his power at Gods right hand his Intercession there for us his coming again to Judgment and such like which are proved to be true not by humane Reason but by the Spirit descending from heaven on the Apostles N.C. Well and are not these great things C. And do not our Ministers treat of them as well as yours N.C. But none in a spiritual way Ours treat of spiritual things spiritually C. I guess what you mean They treat of these things in such a manner as not to bring them down to meddle with our Lives or not much and chiefly as W. B. speaks Or thus they draw matter of Comfort from them but little or nothing of Duty N.C. I know not how to express it But I alway find that they handle these things in a sweeter manner than other men C. I believe you For nothing is so sweet and pleasing to flesh and bloud as for a man to hear how much a great Prince is in love with him and how freely he loves him how his heart beats in Heaven toward him and especially how careful and compassionate he is toward him in a persecuted condition N.C. And is not this very spiritual Doctrine C. Yes But setting aside all fancy nothing is more solidly open'd by our Divines than the power of our Saviour and his great love toward his faithful and obedient Disciples N.C. You must needs still bring in Obedience C. I have been taught to do so For this great Lord always loved righteousness and hated iniquity and therefore God hath anointed him with the oyl of gladness above his fellows i. e. given him such a Royal Power in the Heavens Hebr. 1.9 Unto which glory we cannot be promoted but by the same way of Righteousness And let me tell you I think I have heard it clearly demonstrated that though there is infinite comfort and satisfaction in believing that our Lord Jesus is so exaled and hath made us such promises which he is able to make good yet all this is but to incourage our Obedience and to make us constant and firm in the Christian Religion notwithstanding all the Difficulties and Troubles we meet withall for Christ's sake So that in truth these are the most spiritual Preachers that is the best Interpreters of the mind of the Spirit who urge and presse men from the consideration of what God hath revealed to us in these matters to be stedfast and unmoveable and abundant in the work of the Lord knowing that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. N.C. Doth not Christ himself say that the Work of God is Believing John 6.29 C. Yes but not such a believing as yours which is only a relying on Christ for the forgiveness of your Sins N.C. What was it then C. An effectual perswasion that God hath sent Jesus into the world as he there tells you This is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent And if you can think he means a bare perswasion of this that God sent him without the effects and fruits of it which is the becoming his Disciples sincere profession of his Religion and living according to it then the Devil may be a good Believer a very Spiritual person and great Saint for he very early acknowledged Him to be the Son of God And we read that the Devils believe and tremble N.C. Alas this is a poor Faith which cannot apply the Promise C. That 's because it is not made to them For if it were and they had but a good fancy they might apply it in your way as well as any body else and yet remain Devils still N.C. Now you go beyond all the bounds of Reason C. Because I follow you whose Doctrine leads to this N.C. How doth that appear C. I cast my eye casually upon one place in the Book newly nam'd and there I found this Mystery That though there is a Condition in the new Covenant yet no Condition to be perform'd by us but by Christ our second Adam pag. 69. And though he confesses somthing must be performed by us yet he saith it is all promised to us and that without Condition And therefore a little after he makes this a mark of those that are in Covenant to be begot again by a Promise especially the absolute Promise pag. 72. Now since no Condition is to be performed by us why should any person take any care about it or why should any one trouble himself about doing that which is already done for him or if it be not done is promised that it shall be done especially since his great work is as you say only to close with the promise to lay hold upon the absolute promise For no body being named particularly in the promise nor any quallification supposed in any man whereby he may know that he is capable of the Blessing rather than another no reason can be given why all should not apply it to themselves though never so bad nay why they ought not to apply it N.C. No that is too great a boldness they must be humbled and cast down C. Then it seems they ought to feel some Qualification in themselves which incourages them to lay hold on the Promise Though if it be absolute it 's more than needs nay than is good for they ought to have no respect to any of those things but only the Freeness of the Promise And then I pray why might not a Devil remain so still N.C. But such as are within the Covenant will find themselvs wrought upon to forsake their sins c. C. Grant that Yet if they do it is no Incouragement to them according to your Doctrine and therfore if they doe not it ought to be no Discouragement For they ought not to take any confidence to go to God because anything they find in themselvs and therefore they may be confident though they find nothing in themsevles but only a strong fancy that the Promise belongs to their Persons N.C. Though they cannot take any confidence because theyare so disposed toward God yet they must be well disposed C. Why so C. Will he have it so in order to give them Confidence to hope in his Mercy that their sins shall be forgiven N.C. No the promise of that is absolute C. Then one man may be as confident that hath not those Dispositions as he that hath believing that it is God's will he shall have them when he pleases N.C. I see you understand nothing of the Covenant of Grace C. Yes I understand that it was the riches of God's Grace to make a
use of it N. C. Some think it is a sufficient cause to separate in that there are such sinful mixtures tolerated among you and that your Congregations are miscellaneous Companies of all Gatherings and all sorts are admitted even to Sacramental Communion C. That 's the very Objection which your Ministers and Elders saw framed against them by the Separatists And what they answer to them we return to you First That this Charge is not true the Rule of the Church of England being as full and strict for Church-Members that shall come to Communion as that of the Assembly there cited pag. 133. which is this That they must be visible Sainst such as being of age do profess Faith in Christ and obedience to Christ according to the Rules of Faith aud Life taught by Christ and his appostles Secondly Suppose there were some sinful Mixtures say they at our Sacraments yet we conceive this is not a sufficient ground of a Negative much less of a Positive Separation The Learned Author forementioned tells us that Corruption in Manners crept into a Church is not a sufficient cause of Separation from it This he proves from Math. 23.2 3. and he adds also this Reason for it Because in what Church soever there is Purity of Doctrine there God hath his Church though overwhelm'd with Scandals And therefore whosoever separates from such an Assembly separates from the place where God hath his Church which is rash and unwarrantable The Church of Corinth had such a profane Mixture at their Sacrament as we believe few if any of our Congregations can be charged withal and yet the Apostle doth not perswade the Godly party to separate much less to gather a Church out of a Church N. C. What do you tell me of the Doctrine of a Forreign Divine C. They have made it theirs by approving what he says in their Book And besides they tell you there were many Godly and Learned Non-conformists of the last Age that were perswaded in their Conscience they could not hold Communion with the Church of England in receiving the Sacrament kneeling without Sin yet did they not separate from her Indeed in that particular act they withdrew but yet so as that they held Communion with her in the rest being far from a Negative much more from a Positive Separation from her Nay some of them mind the words even then when our Churches were full of sinful Mixtures with great Zeal and Learning defended them so far as to write against those that did separate from them who these Good and Learned men were they tell you in the Margin Mr. Cartwright Mr. Dod Mr. Hildersham Mr. Bradshaw Mr. Ball. N. C. Then we shall communicate with men in their sinâ— and we must not be led to that by the greatest Examples C. To prevent that they will advise you that if any Brother offend you you are not to separate from him for this is not the way to gain but to destroy his Soul but to tell him of it privately and in an orderly way to bring it to the Church And when you have done your Duty you have freed your Soul and may safely and comfortably communicate in that Church without Sin N. C. I perceive you are read in our Writers And trely you have now told me so much from them that I shall not have so hard an opinion of you as I had before And I hope this will preserve me from being guilty of the sin of Schism because the Nature of that consists in an open breach of Christian Love C. This will not serve your turn but you must come and joyn in Communion with us again For they tell you that as he who denies a Fundamental Article of the Faith is guilty of Heresie though he add not Obstinacy thereto to make him an Heretick So he that doth unwarrantably separate from the true Church is truly guilty of Schism though he add not Uncharitableness thereunto to denominate him a compleat Schismatick You may read the words if you will pag. 137. And afterward they tell you that to make a Rupture in the Body of Christ and to divide Church from Church and to set up Church against Church and to gather Churches out of true Churches and because we differ in some things therefore to hold Church-Communion in nothing this we think hath no warrant out of the word of God and will introduce all manner of confusion in Churches and Families and not onely disturb but in a little time destroy the power of Godliness Purity of Religion Peace of Christians and set open a wide Gap to bring in Atheism Popery Heresie and all manner of wickedness Thus they And how fast all this is a doing by your means who now will have no Communion with us in any thing because we differ in some things is apparent to all the world For the love of God and of the Church nay of your own Families consider of it in time and repent that so they may not be brought to utter Confusion but the Gap may be stopt which you have opened too wide already to Atheism Irreligion and all the rest of the Wickedness which comes powring in it self upon us Do not continue that Separation any longer which you have rashly begun lest you be found guilty of that very thing your selves which you condemned so much in others and profess is by all good men to be abhorred Read what I have now said over and over again and seriously lay it to heart lest your own Books be opened at the day of Judgement and Sentence be pronounced against you out of them Nay desire your Ministers to read it and to expound the reason to you why they should ssparate now more than Mr. Dod Mr. Hildersham Mr. Ball and such like did heretofore Intreat them to let you know how they excuse thewselves from the guilt not only of withdrawing themselves from our Communion which they call Negative Schism but also of making an head against us and drawing themselves into a distinct and opposite Body and setting up a Church against a Church which they call Positive and Schism by way of Eminency Ask them which of the four Causes of Separation they alledge to make their Departures from us necessary What we have done that should make it unlawful for them to communicate with us or rather How we have separated our selves from Jesus Christ and made him disown us If they be not able to give you very good satisfaction in this and in all the rest I hope you see what you are to do according to their own Advice and Counsel N. C. I suppose they will say that they are persecuted which will justifie their separation C. I cannot imagine what they should pretend unless it be this But bid them shew you what hath befalen them that should deserve that name And likewise shew that the Persecution is grievous nay intolerable for else they have told you it will not warrant
away Nay it seems to be far worse because it is a more publick Affront to God even while we are in his presence an open Scorn of his Worship and a Contempt of all his people that devoutly joyn in it Therefore for the love of God never involve your self in this guilt as I see too many even of the Great ones do who shew not half so much Reverence before God in the time of Divine Service as the people do before the meanest Justice of Peace Nay in his absence before his Country-Clerk Lord lay not this Sin to their charge And as I would desire you to pray with Reverence so to hear the Sermon also with due Attention and without any Prejudice or Passion Lay aside all naughty and corrupt Affections which blind the Understanding and will not let it discern the clearest Truth Witness the Pharisees who could not see the most necessary things concerning everlasting Salvation though manifestly delivered in Holy Scripture and plainly proved by many illustrious Miracles and all because they were Covetous Proud Self-conceited and loved the praise of men more than the praise of God For what was more clearly set down in their Books than the time of Christs Coming together with the Characters or Marks of his Person when he should appear And what was more necessary to be known than him when he came among them In what were they so much concern'd every way as to receive and acknowledge him And yet notwithstanding they could not see him even when they saw him They resisted the Holy Ghost it self in the Prophets both old and new They could not endure such a Christ as taught them to be humble and pure in heart and heavenly-minded and meek and merciful and peaceable and patient under all injuries and obedient to Government and that would not oppose Caesar and advance them to Power and Dominion From whence you see how necessary it is to follow the Counsel of S. Peter 1. Ep. 2.1 2. and laying aside all Malice and all Guile and all Hypocrisies and Envies and Evil-speakings as a new-born Babe desire the sincere Milk of the Word that you may grow thereby Do not think I take too much upon me thus to instruct you I do but repeat what I have heard from some of my Instructers And our Minister told us the other day that some render the last words thus Desire the reasonable or rational Milk without mixture it being the same expression which is in Rom. 21.1 where we read of reasonable service But that I find is a thing few care for As little reason as you please will suffice them So their Fancies or their Affections be but tickled they care not whether it be with Reason or without Any little Toy takes them and if the Exposition of Scripture which is given them be but pretty they never mind whether it be solid or no. Now this I have been instructed proceeds from a Vicious Affection from a lazy slothful disposition of mind from a lothness to be at any pains to understand the Truth nay sometimes from all evil Affections from a love of the Flesh and Sensual things and a too great strangeness and aversness to all the Concerns of a Soul And assure your self there is no ignorance so black and dark as this which proceeds from corrupt affections That which is the effect only of Weakness of Parts want of Opportunity ill Education or bad Instruction may find some help and be in great measure cured A man of very mean natural parts that hath an honest Heart may come to understand much But this that I am speaking of being chosen and affected is in a manner incurable Men love it and are concerned to maintain it and will not understand the clearest Reasons but shut their eyes against them And therefore if you would profit by any Sermon come with a free and unprejudiced mind with an upright and true heart and so you may be convinced of your errors or grow in wisdom and understanding and finally think your self as happy in our Company as any where else N. C. You speak very reasonably and discreetly But if I still remain unsatisfied I hope you will love me as one Neighbour should do another C. Make no doubt of it And the greatest act of Charity I can express to you is to advise you how you should behave your selves while you continue to dissent from us You were wont in the beginning of these Differences to call your selves the weak Brethren This was the Language of your Fore-fathers who begg'd that they might be forborn and treated gently and like the tender Children of Jacob driven no faster than they were able to go But now none drive so furiously as you Nothing will serve your turn but to be the foremost I mean the Leaders of all You would be Masters of the Law you would Rule and Govern as if you were the wisest and strongest Christians nay illuminated with a more singular degree of Knowledge than any body else It doth not suffice you to let alone what is enjoyn'd you but you arreign it before all your Neighbours you judge and condemn it nay you thwart and oppose it you would fain do Execution upon it and having pull'd it down set up your own Fancies in the room And so far hath this Confidence carried you that you would fain set up your Fancies in all the World if you were able For you know very well where you invited all Reformed Churches and that in a way of Prayer that they would associate themselves with you in your or the like Covenant I must desire you therefore as you love your own and the Kingdom 's Peace to have a lower opinion of your selves and Gifts and so to abate of your Confidence and your Forwardness and violence to impose upon others Set not so high an esteem upon your own Models and Draughts of Government Be content to obey rather than rule Let nothing of Pride Ambition Vain-glory and love of popular Esteem bear sway in your hearts And oh that we could see all these evil spirits cast out by your Prayers and Fastings Approve your selves to be Tender-conscienced by your tender care in all your actions to be void of offence to God and Man Shew that nothing in the world but your fear to displease God keeps you from us by your humble carriage by your speaking well of all as near as you can by saying nothing against the establish'd Religion by honouring your Superiours by meeting very secretly if you must needs assemble in greater Companies than the Law allows that so you may not give a publick Offence And I beseech you never meet in time of Divine Service Pray your Ministers to search and examine as much as they can whether none of their Auditors come to them only out of humor and love of Novelty and that they would exhort all that can to go to the publick Ordinances For which end let them acknowledge in plain terms that the Worship of God among us is lawful and far from being Anti-christian that there are many godly men among us that they themselves have received benefit from their Labours Let them express their sorrow that they are not enlightned enough to see the lawfulness of using some Ceremonies and desire the people not to follow their Example without their Reasons Speak well of your Governours and reprove those that do not Believe not Rumors and Reports and take care you be not the spreaders of them Keep a day of Humiliation for this Sin among others that you have been the Authors or Abettors of so many false and scandalous Stories concerning the Bishops and others And do not excuse your selves by saying that some Stories are true for I can demonstrate if need be that it is not the manner of your people to examine carefully whether things be true or no before they divulge them but presently they run away when they have got a Tale by the end and carry it about the Town By which means right Reverend persons which is a horrid shame have been openly charg'd in publick Assemblies with things notoriously false without any ground at all All which proceeds from your unmortified Passions of Anger Hatred and Uncharitableness which make you hastily believe any thing that 's bad of those you do not like Let these things therefore be bewailed and reformed As also your wresting of the Scripture and bold but vain pretences to the Spirit in which I beseech you hereafter shew greater Modesty It would do well also if you thought upon all the Contempt which hath been poured by you or by your means not only upon the Bishops but their Order and Function and consequently upon all the Antient Churches who flourished so happily under that Government upon all the present Ministery also for whom no name could be found bad enough nay and more than this upon all Civil Governours for whom there is scarce left any such thing as Honour and Reverence And now I speak of them let me again intreat you not to oppose their Commands if you cannot obey them but only let them alone and forbear to do them And let this Forbearance be with much Modesty Humility