to joyne in Testimony that what was recorded was true And is this Printed Epistle and Testimony no Publication Sect. 84. Mr. Bowne The second untruth is that I am uncontrolledly affirmed so to be when I believe he had never a second in the world that either will or can affirm it R. B. Here are two more falshoods 1. That it is an Vntruth that I said of him 2. That I said it was uncontrolledly affirmed that he was the Author But that he was a Publisher you have now his own Confession of his Epistle which I had read and Mr. Joseph Baker gave me the Book and told me it was published by Mr. Jordain and Mr. Browne and this report I oft after heard and it never was controlled to me which is all that I can reasonably mean my uncontrolled For how is it possible for me to know what is said of him to all others in every distant place and corner Sect. 85. Mr. Browne As for the Book it self and the matter of fact contained in it I never yet met with any judicious sober Christian that had seriously perused it who durst adventure to pronounce either of the whole or any considerable part of it that it was an effect of Melancholy R. B. Who talkt of the whole But what part you will call considerable who knows Is not this a concession that some part is so judged of And must your Ignorance of such matters as Melancholly have so great influence into your Divinity But you may say true For most now adayes converse with few but those of their own mind And the Book is not to be got in any shop that I can hear of Sect. 86. Mr. Browne Whether this decrying of experiences this slighting the work of Gods spirit in the soul the crying out that these things are but the effects of Melancholy be not the ready way to make all supernatural Conversion derided and the whole mysterie of Godliness contemned consider R. B. 1. Here is implyed a fourth Untruth that I decry experiences and the rest here mentioned 2. Alas must the poor Church of Christ have such miserable Guides that build hay and stubble and think if it be burnt the Church must fall I tell you sir such rash and Ignorant Teachers as your Writings shew you to be are the men that do so much towards the very same effects which you seem to fear even to tempt men to deride all supernatural conversion as that I scarce know a more powerful way If you heard one man say Satan as an Angel of Light stirred up the Quakers to pretend Miracles Prophesies and spiritual raptures purposely to tempt the World to Infidelity by perswading them that the Spirit in the Prophets and Apostles was but the like And if you heard James Naylor say Your calling the Spirit in us a vain Imagination or deceit is the way to perswade men that the spirit in the Prophets and Apostles was but imagination and deceit Which of these two sayings would you believe I take the case which I spake of to be the like I tell you still that all the Truth and Goodness that your Book mentioneth truly was wrought by the spirit of God But if men will make the world believe that any false doctrine or any sin or any false exposition of Scripture is of the spirit or that their unproved Impulses which are not agreeable to the word but are against it or besides it must be believed to be of God and will describe these as Experiences and Gods way of Converting souls their Ignorance will as effectually serve the Devil to bring true Conversion and the spirit into scorn as the derisions of a Drunkard will do if not more It is no new thing for Satan to deceive as an Angel of light and his Ministers as Ministers of Righteousness And if you know not his wiles expect not that we should all concur with you in exposing spirituality and holiness to the scorn of such as now abhorr it or as of late have taken such advantages against those that are better than themselves Sect. 87. R. B. Whether you instructed her in those principles you know best If you deny it I retract it That you were very zealous in them is past doubt but just the day when you began whether before that Book was begun or before it was finished or when I leave to your own report Sect. 88. Mr. Browne Indeed it is now my Opinion that there is a glorious state of the Church yet to come before the last end of all things when all Oppression and Oppressours shall cease and every thing of man shall be laid down in subserviency to the Interest of Christ and the Kingdom of the World shall become his R. B. Amen! It is my earnest Desire as well as yours But Desire and Belief are not all one The Prophesies that you suppose foretell all this I thought I almost understood thirty two years agoe but since I perceive I did not But I contradict not that which I do not understand nor never did Who will plead for Oppression And what Christian desireth not the greatest Holiness and Righteousness in the World I freely confess my Ignorance in the point whether on this side the general Resurrection there shall be so perfect and universal Righteousness as you describe as that All Oppression shall cease My greatest Hope is in the three Petitions of the Lords Prayer Thy Name be Hallowed Thy Kingdom Come Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven And I am sure this will warrant my desires And I the better like those Opinions of a perfect age because Hope will set men upon praying for it But as I detest all Rebellions against just Authority on pretence that they are not truly Godly and all setting up mens selves on pretence of setting up Christ and using unlawful means on pretence of good ends so I am afraid of being tempted down from the Heavenly Hopes and Comforts by looking for more on earth than is indeed to be expected Sect. 89. Mr. Browne p. 29. He tells us first that she was suddenly moved to come to hear him Preach R. B. A meer untruth as I have before shewed I said not so Sect. 90. Mr. Browne That she had such convictions from his Sermon for so he seems to intimate c. R. B. Untrue again as is before shewed Nor will your seeming salve it Sect. 91. Mr. Browne That she desired to speak with him is another untruth R. B. Of that I shall speak anon Sect. 92. Mr. Browne That she did impose on her self abstinence from meat R. R. Here he contradicts himself as she did and saith she durst not eat and yet falsly chargeth me with untruth for saying the same sence Sect. 93. Mr. Browne Lastly She never fell in so among the Quakers as to be one of them though it is true that through the power of Temptations she was somewhat
are resolved not to know your self Do you not see now that the man who took it for so great a crime in the Bishop can speak himself 1. Against the same man 2. With the same accusation 3. In the same manner And is the same thing bad in the Bishop and good in you The matter is it seemeth now to be your concernment to speak it It s like you would then have separated from the Bishop for it And yet now it is no fault in you O what a blinding thing is selfish partiality And what reason hath any man to doubt but if it were in your power you would silence me as much as any Bishop would And will you not yet see that which you are so angry with me for telling you viz. How much of the very same Spirit is in Church-dividers with that which they most condemn in others Why then do you not separate from your selves 5. But though you may think its like that you have me here in your snares I shall make this benefit of it that you may see I am not so great an enemy to Repenting as you declare your self to be I do hereby freely profess that I Repent 1. Of all that ever I thought said wrote or did since I was born against the Peace of Church or State Against the King his Person or Authority as Supream in himself or as Derivative in any of his Officers Magistrates or any Commissioned by him 2. That I Repent that I no more discouraged the Spirit of pievish quarrelling with Superiours and Church-orders and though I ever disliked and opposed it yet that I sometimes did too much encourage such as were of this temper by speaking too sharply against those things which I thought to be Church-corruptions and was too loth to displease the contentious for fear of being uncapable of doing them good knowing the prophane to be much worse than they and meeting with too few Religious persons that were not too much pleased with such invectives 3. And I do Repent that I had not more impartially and diligently consulted with the best Lawyers that were against the Parliaments Cause For I knew of no Controversie in Divinity about it but in Politicks and Law and that I did not use all possible means of full acquaintance with the Case And that for a little while the Authority of such Writers as Mr. Rich. Hooker lib. 1. Eccles Polit. and Bishop Bilson and other Episcopal Divines did too much sway my judgement toward the Principles of Popular Power And seeing the Parliament Episcopal and Erastian and not hearing when the Wars began of two Presbyterians among them all nor among all their Lord Lieutenants Generalls Major Generalls or Colonells till long after I was the easilyer drawn to think that Hookers Political Principles had been commonly received by all which I discerned soon after upon stricter enquiry to be unsound and have my self written a Confutation of them ready for the Press many years ago 4. And all the rest of my sin in this business which I know not of particularly I do Implicitly and Generally Repent of and daily beg of God as I have done these twenty four years and more to give me a particular Conviction of them and not to suffer me to live or dye in any impenitence but so far to acquaint me with all my great and publick sins that I may openly confess them and give others warning to avoid the like This is the Repentance which upon your invitation I profess If you quarrel with it as not instancing in particulars enow I answer you that as in the Revocation of the Book which you accuse I thought it best to Revoke the whole though not as Retracting all the doctrine of it because if I had named the particular passages some would have said I had mentioned too few and some too many and few would have been satisfied so is it in the present Case 6. As to your Defence of me heretofore 1. You know I never desired it of you nor gave you thanks for it For though you took my part you understood not my Cause and therefore in the main deserted it 2. I am not at all ambitious of such an Advocate 1. Whose Defence was then judged by all that I heard speak of it to be commendable only for boldness and a handsome Epistolary Style having little of Judgement or argumentative strength 2. Whose errors and faults will disgrace the Cause which he defendeth 3. Who can blow hot and cold and when his passion and erroneous interest requireth it can change hands and take up his adversaries work and do the same thing in the main which he accused Threaten me not with so desirable a desertion As for the following insultations on supposition of the sufficiency of your snare you see now that it is to glory in your shame Sect. 21. E. B. Your mentioning with so much scorn the doctrine of the temporal Reign of Christ which you in derision call the fifth Monarchy way and your endeavour to expose all that you think favour that opinion is another evidence that you dare not look any truth in the face which brings present danger with it no though formerly you were as earnest and open an asserter of it as any R. B. I see but five express falshoods in matter of fact in these few words 1. One is that it is Christs Temporal Reign which I call the fifth Monarchy way when as I have no such words nor meaning but do my self believe Christs Temporal Reign even that now he is Head over all things to his Church Ephes 1. 21 22. and that all Power in Heaven and Earth is given him Mat. 28. 19. and all things are delivered into his hands John 1â— 3. 17. 2. that he hath power given him over all flesh and that to this end he dyed rose and revived that he might be Lord of the dead and living Rom. 14. 9. and that he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords But whether he will Reign a thousand years in corporal visible presence on earth I am not wise enough to know But I am afraid of those opinions which draw down mens minds from looking for a treasure and reward in Heaven and tempt them to expect great things on Earth But in this Age custome hath taught men to distinguish between those called Fifth Monarchy men and meer Millenaries And by the former name I mean such as they that assumed that name have been whom I will not describe lest I seem to imitate you or offend you more than needs 2. The second falshood is that I mention the Doctrine of Christs Temporal Reign with scorn and derision when I only mentioned the way by which many of my acquaintance came to hold it and the arguments which they used to defend it with pitty and dissent but not with scorn or derision much less that doctrine which he nameth 3. The third falshood is that I
proof of the validity of the Ministers Calling any further than to put the accuser if he can to prove that any essential part is wanting whether in Qualification Ordination or Consent would be vain it being done so largely by the old Non-conformists 2. But is there a Power retained in such Churches to cast out offendors Answ Yes A Power divine or given by Christ Remember that as I have proved Disp of Ordinat men are not the Makers of the Office of the Sacred Ministry nor the Measurers or Givers of the Power but only the Choosers of the person that shall receive what Christ by Institution giveth and the Ministerial Investers of the person in that power Therefore Whoever receiveth the Office of a Pastor receiveth the power of the Keyes to take in and cast out Though not arbitrarily nor ungoverned by himself But the Parish Ministers or very many of them now in question do receive the Office of Pastors Therefore they receive the power of the Keyes to take in and cast out If you say that the Bishops intend it not in ordaining them I answer 1. It sufficeth that Christ intendeth it who is the only maker and giver of the power The Book of Ordination maketh them solemnly Covenant to give faithful diligence alwayes so to Minister the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath â—â—â—manded c. And to teach nothing as required of necessity to eternal salvation but that which they are perswaded may be concluded and proved by the Scripture as containing all such necessary doctrine And to be ready with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrines contrary to Gods word And to use both publick and private monitions and exhortations as well to the sick as the whole And to be diligent in prayers and reading the holy Scriptures and in such studies as help to the knowledge of the same laying aside the study of the world and the flesh And that they will be diligent to frame and fashion themselves and their families according to the doctrine of Christ and to make both themselves and them as much as they can wholesome examples to the flock c. And till lately the said Book recited Acts 20. 28. to the Presbyters at their Ordination And the Canon 26. saith No Minister shall in any wise admit to the receiving of the holy Communion any of his Cure or flock which be openly known to live in sin notorious without repentance Besides what the Rubrick saith to that purpose And now though I think this one of the greatest sores which you have touched yet judge whether even the Laws and Canons concede no Power to the Ministers 3. But if they did not the Power of Office is one thing and the Liberty of exercising it is another We have Power from Christ to preach and if we be silenced and our liberty restrained by men that proveth us not to be no true Ministers If you mean that no Church is to be communicated with where the Pastor is hindered by men from the full discharge of his Office you mistake and can never prove it 4. They that voluntarily neglect their Office without hinderance by the force of men are more to be blamed than those that are so forced But in the Primitive Churches Discipline was lamentably neglected voluntarily as appeareth in the Case of most of the seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. for which they are threatned by Christ and in the Corinthians case yea corrupted by such as Diotrophes And do you think that the Church that hath Power to do well and will not is therefore to be communicated with because it can that is because it sinneth not through disability but negligence or wilfulness 5. But the Core of your erroneous reasoning is behind you say they were without any Vniversal innovation or degenerating in those Essentials of Order as well as doctrine which they fell into in the ages after c. An Vniversal degenerating in the Essentials even of Doctrine and Order too is a big and a sad word And the time pointed at by you being so early if I can understand you you do as the Seekers unchurch the universal Church of Christ For if it Degenerated Vniversally in the Essentials of doctrine it Vniversally apostatized from Christianity For where any Essential part is lost the Essence and just Name is lost And I beseech you let not rashness or passion blind you to over-overlook the dreadfulness of this Doctrine 1. If Christ had then no Church as he had not if the Essential degeneration was Vniversal then he was no King of the Church on Earth no Lord no Teacher no Saviour of the Church no Intercessor for it in the Heavens And do you not then dethrone him and deny him indeed to be the Christ What a Head without a Body A King without a Kingdom 2. So you will make all Gods Promises of his Churches perpetuity as built on the Rock against which Hell Gates should not prevail and of being with them to the end of the world c. to be false and fail And if the whole Church failed and the Promises made to it what particular soul can trust Gods Promises 3. If all the Church apostatized how shall we know that Apostates did not corrupt all the Copies of Scripture that are come down to us 4. And then the Article I believe the holy Catholick Church would have been a falshood or error 5. And then there could be no Baptism no Sacrament of the Lords Supper c. 6. And then there must be New Apostles with Miracles to make a new Church And thus we have Mr. Williams doctrine whose Story I recited in my last Book Sect. 52. E. B. p. 15. This necessity of separation which began then continueth still since our Churches though reformed from Popery that is from Antichristianism in some points yet are not restored to the primitive pattern and purity R. B. 1. Whether by our Churches you mean only the Parish Churches of godly Ministers or also All the Protestant Churches and all other Vniversally through the world I am not sure But as far as I can conjecture by your words you mean All. Because you speak of them as in a Continuance in part in the Vniversal degeneration in Essentials And you speak of them as avoiding Popery but in part and call them our Churches and mention no Church in the world here that you own as a true Church and whether any where in all your writings I remember not I confess I pretend not to know the mind of so careless a Writer by any words but very plain ones But if this be your mind as it seemeth to be you would do well being so bold a man to tell the world your mind more plainly And you that think that no Truth is to be sold as you call it for Peace let Independents Presbyterians Separatists Anabaptists c.