TRue is the Proverb, Sir, The beginning of strife, is, as when one lets-out water, stirred quickly, not so quickly stinted; so like water it is of a spreading nature; or as like unto fire, which may breake-forth from a bramble and devour a Cedar. There is no such feare of our fire, as you are pleased to call it, though being now let-out, it may spread like water; and so it shall doe, if wee can help the spreading of it, That it may appeare, how and where it began, with the rise and originall of it, how it was raised, yea forced: From whence you may learne and studie to be quiet, and meddle in your own matters, walking peaceably in your owne way, so pleasing in your owne eyes; And not meddle with others in theirs, fully resolved from the word of God to be the way of Truth and of Holinesse.

Surely it had been no contemptible point of your wisdome, and might have argued good Discretion, "To have left this con­tention, before it was meddled with, which to render according to th'originall, you may better skill of than we. Onely this we would say as to the stirring in this strife againe, That wee did not use lightnesse, nor did wee purpose according to the flesh, never more to meddle therein, for so we said to you in our last, intending it the last you should ever have from us, either by Letter, word, or o­therwise, in reference to those matters under Debate. For as wee said then, "To what end? we had given our opinion as you wil­led us, and there might have been an end. Wee have experien­ced this Truth, "That Errour is as binding upon the Conscience, and as strongly embraced by the affections as Truth is, binding of us, and Embraced by us, not in the name of an Errour, but of Truth; And men are therefore wedded to and in love with their [Page 2] owne Conceptions, because (how monstrous and hard-favoured soever in themselves, yet) nothing is more beautifull in their eye, than they. "No man, saith the Apostle, ever hated his owne flesh, but loveth and cherisheth it: The flesh of our minds (such are all false principles and positions) is more loved and che­rished by us than the flesh of our Bodyes. A light intimation (we proceed in his words upon Iob 22 verse) or onely the appearance of a probability, will amount to a proof against either persons or doctrines, which we like not; But the clearest Demonstrati­on will hardly raise a jealousie against what we like.

You have given, Sir, we feare, a very sad experience of this ve­ry thing, For how stubborne and unmoved are you from M^r H^s: his errour in point of admission of all (filthinesse all over, and wallowing therein as swine in the mire, admitted notwithstand­ing) to all Church-Communions, the Lords Supper and all, Though the strongest winds of Truth have breathed, yea blowne hard upon it.

That you might not be willingly ignorant of this very thing, and withall to shew our deare respects unto you, wee told you, That foure Worthies of the Lord had Encountred with M^r H^s: about the premises, and with as much ease, (to phrase it as one doth) and with like successe, as the fire doth the dried stubble; and yet he stubbornely holds to it, for ought we know, we know you doe, remaining in the same minde with him, that foreforne man (Generally we think deceived by the Godly all over the Land) as a Mountaine unmoved to this very houre. Wee know not which is worse, but leave it to you to judge, "Ʋnsetlednesse in the Truth, and an Easinesse to let it goe; or tenaciousnesse in an error, and an hardnesse to let it goe. Nor doe we know well, which is worse, a readinesse to take up hard thoughts of our Brethren, or un­readinesse to lay them downe; onely this we know, Were the lawes of Zeale for God observed, and of Love to man, you could not, as we thinke, "Despise the day of small things, or rhe least breath­ings, or faintest endeavours of any, how meane and weake soever (as babes in Christ use to be) enquiring after Truth, and that old, but now forsaken way of holinesse; Asking the way to Zion, with their faces thetherward, saying, Come—&c. Ier: 50. 5. And did you observe the Law of Charity to man, it would cause you [Page 3] to examine every ground of suspicion against a Brother twice, before you did indeed suspect him once: And you would rejoyce in any appearance of his innocence, whereby you might discharge your owne Spirit of all suspicions concerning him. These words, we hope, will not be as wind with you, though ours are and have been to this time Therefore, as we said, we had sorborne to speak, nay we doe forbeare to speake more unto you, unlesse you hap­pen to light on it, but forbeare to speake we may not, we cannot, for thus it was as you very well know.

YOu would needs point us to something, your Son had written (for that Title better becomes us, though Childe better be­fits him) in our Treatise of prayer, as if you would have us take speciall notice thereof, which indeed we have done, for so a pro­vidence cast it, else we had not looked into it, having a Transcript of the same: but upon your motion, you telling us, where we should find your son's hand, we quickly turned to it, and found as you said, taking, as you willed-us speciall notice thereof, Not because your Son did write it, but because you his Father suffered him so to doe, against th'old and knowne rule of Civility, as Schol­lars would say, and of all good manners too; which you could not have suffered to be done (it is our perswasion) had you not had a vile account of our Pastour, who was chiefe, if not alone in that worke: See! when a father contemneth a man (but what is the Contempt of a man, suppose it little or much? or how small a thing is it with him to be accounted vile in another's eyes, who is, we hope, yet more vile in his owne? but) see, when a Father vilifieth a man, his Son (indulget sibi latius) will vilifie him much more, and venture (so arrogant and bold youth is) to passe judge­ment in those matters, which he understandeth not so well now, as he, whom your Son so rashly judgeth and dealeth so—as some would say withall, as to say, "He blasphemeth, understood them before your Son was borne. But all this argueth your high Con­fidence, That the Truth in those points, to which our Debate re­lates, is on your side. Be it so, though it be but your Confidence, the same with Mr H: yet to charge us, our Pastour specially so [Page 4] deeply for maintaining the Contrary; You giving a Charge to speake our minds, and to make them legible in those matters, is, as some have said, but one peg at the most below impudence. And this is all we will say in this place, telling you what some say, and haply they would adde, though we forbeare. Onely we would leave you, after you shall have heard more, to passe sentence on your selfe and your son for this behaviour. We will turne aside from this a little, and returne to it at the last, so soone as we have taken-in three or foure things first, for so you have thought fitt, we had almost said to face us, yea to force us.

WEE, as we were saying, fully intended to cease the strife, sith it hath proved such a thing, and to leave the De­bate with Him, the Judge of all the world, and "know's the hearts of all men; who will, we hope, shew you and us in His owne best time; Who hath spoken much, and in desire and Endeavour as much to purpose; who hath said little in Comparison, and yet lesse to the matters under hand. And yet should you be able to putt off all with that old putt-off (whereto some thing will be re­plied anon after) multa dicit, nihil probat, The man speaks much, and proves nothing, or nothing concludingly, and so folly is with us, (for your charge of Blasphemie, yours, which you suffered to be charged, is too high) why yet, supposing all that, The errour is on our side, and Truth on yours (which were strange, if not impossible, you sideing with M Hs: and driving-on with him in the same way) Notwithstanding, we faint not in our minds, For our matters are humbly committed to th'onely wise God, Who is able, and we are Confident He will, make emprovements out of folly (on whose side soever it be) and give advantage to His Truth, by the breaking-out of Errour, and falsity; As it is one of the highest acts of Grace, (so one of us have read) in man, to ren­der good for evill: so is it one of the highest acts of power to draw good out of evill. Upon this God All sufficient we waite. He alwayes hitherto hath extracted the cleane thing of His Glory (as one saith upon Daniel) out of the filthinesse of Man's sin; our Confidence is, He will doe so now, He brought light out of Darknesse at the [Page 5] first, "marveilous in our eyes, not "hard and "difficult to Him; By His Grace wee will Trust Him, He will make a blessed, yea a Glorious method of these Cursed Confusions, caused by Mr Hs: in His house; and, notwithstanding all is said against it by lear­ned and godly men, maintained by you. 2. And Sir, That we may tell you our boastings in our God, our hope being set on Him, This good is come of it already; which wee will call a good blessing, wee meane of this Debate, in Reference to "free Admission of all to all Church-Communions, upon account of their Infant Baptisme onely, without making so much as a profession of their Faith and repentance, your Brothers conceit: Wee were saying, This good is come of it, That we are aboundantly satisfied as to the Negative, hearing it as clearely made out unto us from the word of God, as if it had been writ­ten with the Sun-beames: And by the helpe of His Grace, we shall hold unto it, while life is held within us, being the more confirmed, if more can be, and our foote more established in that way, by that little or nothing you have said against it, (for you have said all for Mr Hs: and not a word for the way of Holinesse) so as neither your selfe, nor all the men of your way and judge­ment, though so numerous that they fill the Countries (no good argument of their goodnesse, or the straightnesse of their way) can be able to draw us aside from this way God hath pointed us to, leadeth us in, and you called us sorth to maintaine, notwith­standing the shockes against it, scornings and blastings upon it, and upon us for the way's-sake; not more able, we were saying, to draw us from it, than ye are able to remove a mountaine from it's roots, or stay the Sunne in it's Course, or blow it out with a paire of bellowes. So strong is Truth, and so strong are all they that by the good Hand of their God are stablished therein.

Wee adde this more, This Truth, you accounting it an Errour, and of the latest Date, called us forth to maintaine, how weakly soever maintained by us, as you say, and we doe not gaine-say, shall be glorious notwithstanding (for it needs not our patro­nage) in the eyes of the Lord, and of His people, when your loose and more than airy Tenet against it, The same with Mr Hs: shall be for an hissing unto both; To use worthy Mr Palmers words. Though yet you are pleased to call it, This Truth avouched by [Page 6] us, we meane, The sicknesse of our fancy, a Novell thing, never heard off in the world till now of late yeares, and had dyed in the vessell, had not we broached-it, or set it a tap, as we may say in the place we live-in; To that purpose you speake, and so Ironical­ly, if we can understand you.

3. But, Sir, to let these scornes passe with contempt from us enough, if not with as much sorrow from our hearts for you; Is it possible, That you a Master in our Israel, and a Steward in God's House, should be such a stranger to this Thing, "The way of Christ with His people, followiug on in His steps? No more. Yet, Sir, we take leave to aske you, why would you put your selfe to all the cost of time and Spirits in returning your Answer to such a light and Frothy Tenet, which might be brooded upon some few yeares since, but hatched but a few months agoe? Had any of us been as youthfull, frolicke, and venturous as your sonne is, twenty to one wee had written Blasphemie anent those very words: but blessed be God we are better taught, and have not so learned Christ.

4. But indeed, Sir, however you may be informed, or wholy mistaken in your information, your Answer was not desired, therefore not expected. It was enquired onely whether Mr Owen (of whom we had heard, "hee is asking the way to Zion with his face thitherward; therefore wee enquired whether he) had any sight or knowledge of our papers, or intimation about them. Onely so, which might argue us more carefull than wee now are or see cause to be about that matter. Yet be it knowne unto you, we would rather heare three words in Reference to our matters from him, or any other of those fix we addressed our selves unto in our Epistle, (so be they be not of your perswasion) than three thousand words from you. And we more than hinted our Reason wherefore in the same place; Therefore Sir, you might have saved your selfe that labour, had it pleased you, for we know full well, what manner of answer we should have from you of the same perswasion with Mr H: and paceing or driveing together as friends in the same way. And Truely Sir, we thinke it a little strange, that you could imagine, that we could put any account at all upon any answer from you, in the same way with him, so often mentioned, unlesse you had some hope to bring us over to that way, which so many finde without seeking.

5. Wee applied our selves to those worthy men, your good neighbours and friends, as we are informed, the manner of peace­able men is to doe. But seeing it pleased them not, as you say, neither th [...] one nor th' other to meddle in these matters contro­verted betwixt us, least, as the Proverb is, "They should take a dog by the eares, being of the same minde, as may be conceived, as one was, who said, "he alwayes hated two kinde of studies, "Studium partium et "studium novarum rerum; Now our matters are novell say you, for it was never heard of in the world since the world was till now adayes, (1) That all grossely ignorant and studiously wicked (the chiefe head of our controver­sie) are not to be admitted to the Lord's Supper. That is a novell Tenet, an yester dayes fiction; so also is this, (2) "They that have received Christ must walke in Him, even as He walked, That a Gospell light should be adorned and beautified with a Gospell life, a walke or conversation as becommeth the Gospell of Christ. (3) That the stewards in Gods House, should looke well to this, be­fore they admit to Gospell Communions. (4) For that every man is guilty of all the evill, which he hath power, and a call to hinder; A beame from our new light all this, which made not the least glimmering in our world, till of late, some months or few yeares agoe: You may pardon this digression. We returne to that wee were saying, which was this, That sith it pleased not those much honoured men to meddle in these matters, we are well pleased, though, we made tender thereof unto them; and not displeased, much lesse discouraged at all, That it is refused, for possibly the controversie must not be taken-up in so silent a way.

6. Besides, which is our Confidence, and makes us humbly bold, we have a God in Christ to goe unto, who is our Prophet to speake to us as well as our Priest to speake for us; our Oracle as well as our Advocate, He will take us by the hand, and teach us how to goe, so long as by His grace with us, we beg nothing more earnestly of Him, and finde it in our hearts to be as unwilling to tread one step (wandring sheep though we are) out of His way, as is a wearied traveller to goe out of his; And possible also we had not stood so fast in Him, with our eye so fixed upon Him, and our-foote in His way, as now we doe, and through His grace shall doe (which loves to strengthen His weakest ones, To mag­nifie [Page 8] His owne power in them, and with them, when their's is God loves to shew the world what His strength can doe in a weak creature, as well as what His Grace and Me [...]cy can doe for a sinful creature. [...] Caryl on Job 6. 11. 475. gone) had we not from our first footing, "the way of Holinesse, and all along to this Day felt many shockes, and as many con­tempts, contumelies and reproaches cast upon us, and the way, no man st [...]nding by us the while, no not a man of Name for learn­ing and pietie. And which is almost as bad, but God will make all good, and even this best of all, You that are a steward in God's house, and should, like a good steward, take them into your bo­some, whom your Lord and Master is pleased to take by the hand, that is, "To give speciall helpe unto, you are so farre from doeing this, That you doe little lesse than maintaine a war against them, (we meane all them all over the Land that desine to walke with a right foote, according to Gospel-order in Church-Society: For what are we, that we should complaine in our own behalfe) which exceedingly gladdeth the hearts of the wicked, who 'love to have it so, and so their hand is strengthened mightily, and their foote stablished in their owne way of sin and Death.

But what though, and things stand thus? God is in the midst of His people, He stands by them, and will strengthen them, and in His owne time, best for His people, He will raise them, they shall not still lie in the Dust of Debasement: His Jewells shall be made-up, which now lie as in the mire trod under-foote, which is permitted, and not barely so, and no more, for Gods permission is a "providence, and that is "active, to drive His people out of themselves, from putting any Self Dependance looseneth from God. D. Preston. confidence in the flesh, That their hope may be set on Him (which is setleing) Who raiseth the dead; For commonly so it is, The more we have of the creature, the lesse we have of God; because the fuller sight we have of the creature, the lesse we looke after Him, not apprehending out needs of Him, who fills all, measuring-forth to all as pleaseth Him, and is All in All. O that we did not cast so much about us for a looke of favour from a man of high degree, and could more looke unto God for His favour, who lookes after His peo­ple, following them with His eye upon them, Psal. 34. 15. that is "will deale well with them, Jer: 40. 4. and best of all at the last: Wee Trust the Lord is every Day instructing us to this Discretion, so as we shall be daily lesse in our selves, and more in God. And then "let the weake say, we are strong. And they that are strong [Page 9] out of Him, O that they did know how weake they are; or if strong their strength will be their Confusion.

SEcondly, There is another thing we would speake unto a little, that we may give satisfaction to others, for you can re­ceive none from us, and we as little from you.

You enjoyned us to give you an account of our way, why it is not the same with yours, which is the same with the man so often mentioned.

This now we have done, according to the Talent, or two mites rather, the onely wise God hath entrusted us with, in all "Godly simplicity. And now you returne to us againe and againe; That we have said very much, but little or nothing to purpose, or con­cludingly. And That another might have said much more and to more purpose in foure lines, than we have done in foure Trea­tises; And so say wee too; for there is such a naturall power in our hands, that we could have said very little, and yet lesse to the purpose.

But yet Sir, we will not blame your little, nor should you, we thinke, so much blame our much; Onely we take leave to tell you our Pastors words (for though we doe not, yet you and he stand upon a levell, That he was young, and now is old, yet from his childhood to this very day, still versed amidst papers all his dayes) he never saw so much thronged together in so little roomth, so little and so much; so little to the heart, he beleives of every truely godly man, so much to the heart of the wicked, who love to have it so, even as men of your way and perswasion would have it; Justifying Mr H: in every line, and reproaching the foot­steps of the Lords anointed, we had almost said, in every word, relating to that Controversie. The one cannot be without th' o­ther; he that doth th'one, doth both;—That's all wee were ordered to tell you, but from hence we will conclude in our owne behalfe.

First, That it is not the muchnesse that displeaseth, but that it is much against the graine of our spirits; And then be it little or much, it is all one, it much displeaseth. But suppose that [Page 10] much, which is spoken, is much after the graine of our Spirits; why, though there be not a graine of Salt in it, Yet, how plea­sing is it! as wine and strong drinke is to the pallate of our bo­dyes, and as greedily taken-in as Mr Hs: Bookes are (to the heart of all the most vile and abominable in the Land) or as that grasse is to sheepe which rotts them. More and more of that, which is sweete, said Chrysostomes hearers, as hee tells us, more and yet more of that, though it "choake us; when a little of that, which is Crosse-grained to us, as Truth is, doth not a little displease us. It is not how much or how little, but how it goes with or against our Spirits, This renders it much or very little displeasing. So we are concluded. And

Secondly, Thus we would conclude also; That, though All you and we have spoken is but in words, yet we doubt not, and you may hope the same of us, Your Eare and Endeavour was to speake more than words, else they are nothing but winde; And then, as one saith, He that hath spoken but one such word, hath spoken too many by one. Yet

Thirdly, In reference to a multitude of words charged upon us; we grant that, there may be plenty of words, but scarcitie of matter, and there may be plenty of matter in few words: Some have the skill of it to speake much in a little, to contract, as it were, the Spirits of a point in to a few words, and so can give you much in a little a large matter in a narrow Compasse. But could wee skill of this thing, vvee vvould not shew it in our mat­ters, vvhich tend to informe them, that are as weake to appre­hend, as hard and slow to understand, as vvee our selves are, not able to apprehend that, which is couched and drawne-up so close together; Much may be spoken to us in a little, but vvee under­stand but little in much: All are not able to "drinke Spirits; but must have them infused into, and incorporated with larger discourses and perticular demonstrations. We, as all they that are the same with us, "Babes in Christ, must have "line upon line, and precept upon precept, that is, a multitude of lines and precepts. In a word, Better The Grammarian should blame us, than that the peo­ple not understand us, was the old saying, and may plead our ex­cuse, as was hinted in our Epistle to you; vvhence it was That when you expected our Answer in seaven lines, we could not doe [Page 11] it in lesse than seaven Treatises. And yet we expect not our matters should finde acceptance for the muchnesse or length thereof, nor yours perhaps, for the scantnesse or shortnesse of it; You and vvee must subscribe to this Truth in Reference to our matters, Right perswasion proceedeth not so much from the Power of the speaker, as from the disposition of the hearer; if he be averse from that he heares, or his eare be forestalled, speake you much, or speake you little, it's all one, you had as good speake to a mill­post, and bid it move and turne to you. And so much to that Objection.

THere is a third thing you mention to us, wherein vve vvould give you what satisfaction vve can, before wee come to that wherewith vvee vvill conclude.

3. Our Pastour is invited by you to tell Mr Ford in a Letter to him, his exceptions against some passages in his booke for Infant Baptisme, that he may cleare them in his next impression, which vvee vvish heartily he may doe, if possible to be don

Sir, we will not guess at your Reason, why you desire our Pa­stour to deale vvith your Brother by Letter; You know, Sir, he alwayes declined this Contest, nor could he be perswaded to have medled in these matters, but that wee were questioned by your selfe about them. And so, he standing in that Relation unto us, he could not doe lesse than what he hath don, and doe his dutie; so then to proceed, You may remember how fully and clearely vvee dealt with your Brother and your selfe in this matter.

Thus it was, to repeate things againe, so soone as our Pastour east his eye upon the 78, and so forward to th' 83 page of your brothers booke, he saw clearely, That the Tenets your brother holds-to there are the pillar and ground, "Free Admission of all to all Church-Communions beareth upon: The very Tenour it holds-by; vvhereupon vve saw it clearely our dutie (for vvee vvere questioned about it, and not our Pastour; so what he under­took and hath don, it was upon the account of Truth, and for our sakes) after we had done our worke, in order to your satisfaction, to returne unto it againe, and to make a distinct Worke or Trea­tise [Page 12] of it. And hereof we gave you and him intimation in our Epistle to you, and in that other to him, and his fellow-bre­thren, as also in our first Treatise, by an insertion there. And all this, that we might doe as becommeth all things according to the Gospell Rule, and right order; vvee made tender of our booke againe and againe, that hee might have the fight of it, for vvee vvould rather offend our selves, than him or your selfe, or any good man. But upon what account, he and you best know, it was refused; And so after two moneths expectation, and then a flat deniall, together with somewhat more you wott off; We ceased, as in point of good manners, it was fit for us to doe; for vvhat could we say or doe more? Indeed we know not; we saw our papers that were sent, returned with contempt and more, (They might fare the worse for their Authour, For the counsell is seldome loved, if the Counseller be not, though yet Truth is lovely, what ever the Speaker bee) The other three vvee prepared, we offered and yee refused them; We say againe, vvhat could we doe more? and being fully resolved, we have done full-up to our duty; our Pastour willed us to tell you farther, That whereas he purposed his said bookes, and that said Treatise (the sixt in order) should see the light not before the Authour thereof be carried to the place of Darknesse, That then his bookes may speake for the way of Truth, fellow-walkers therein, and helpers of the same, so mon­strously opposed now adayes; and for the vindication of that, he We are taught to vindicate our Credit, when the Truth is wounded through the sides thereof. accounts better than riches, when his body must be laid in the place of Silence; For why may it not be hoped, at least, why not endeavoured, That when his body is laid to sleep in the Dust of Death, his Name may rise from the Dust of Debasement? how­ever the will of the Lord be done.

But so he intended and fully purposed in his heart then, and not till then to send that and other Treatises abroad into the world. But observing some signall providence, This (1) That Mr Hs: pleadings for free Admission &c. should be so pleaded for by a Minister of the Gospell, and Steward in His house, a leading man and a Carrying man with the most of the professors in the Coun­ty he lives-in; And this after foure Worthies of the Lord have stood up in the might of God against him, speaking so much and so clearely from the Holy Scriptures to that point of non-admissi­on [Page 13] of all, that it had been enough to stop the mouth of the Devill Preface to B. Cat: p. 68. himselfe, which one said of an eminently learned and godly man asserting the Truth against gain-sayers. (2) And nextly to say the least, and as little as can be, "The defaming of many Ministers and people round about him. (3) And which pinches and presses yet more, if more can be, your pointing us to your Son's handy­worke in his Treatise of Prayer, specially the Lords Prayer, where he chargeth the Rev: Authour with Blasphemy upon Blasphemy, here one and there another, and there a third; for this and that, and the other: But (4) specially for Truths-sake, and the way of Holinesse, which, as is conceived, suffers much herein, through the spewings, you have given too just an occasion to be cast thereupon, he will endeavour his utmost to give all, that will, a sight of all that is written, making this Assuance withall to his Reader; First, That how evilly-soever he is spoken off and dealt withall, yet he can doe nothing against the Truth, but in desire and endeavour, all, he possibly can, for it, the promoting of the same in the hearts and lives of Gods people. And (2) That they, who are helpers together with him of That Blessed thing, shall be helped by him to the utmost of those abilities his Lord and heavenly Father is pleased to Communicate to him. And he is perswaded, That This God Whom he hath Trusted will, as He hath done hitherto, so to th' end, help both him and them; And in the last place, This he added more, That rather than he would, in the least greive the Least of the Lords little ones knowingly, he would his tongue should cleave to the roof of his mouth rather, and his pen to his Fingers ends; That his hand should fall off from his arme, and his arme from his shoulder-blade. We come now to the fourth and last, and Then we have done.

4. SO we give you, Sir, to know, That our Pastour with our selves have taken full notice, as you willed us, of your Sons handy-worke, in the Margent of that Treatise our Pastour hath written about forms of Prayer, and in speciall the "Lords-Pray­er, whereof you were more than an occasion, or causa sine quâ non; we have as we were sayiug well observed your Sons Charge [Page 14] of blasphemy there. And Truely had it not been your Son, whom we have knowne so well, we had wondred at it. Besides he is but young, a youth-full Man; Yet these words may fit very well; An evill time sure, sad things are comming, "The Child shall be­have himselfe proudly against the Auncient; and, which aggravates the fault, we thinke, the Son shall doe this, the Father standing­by, and giving allowance to it, and which might, in some mens thoughts, highten it to a Crime, the father of the Childe a Mini­ster of the Gospell, allowing his Son so dealing with his fellow-Minister, and little lesse than boasting of it, if not glorying in it, when it was so done. Your owne acknowledgement, Sir, Mr Ford and Mr Owen with your selfe were at your Sons Elbow, at least he was within the sound of your words, which were these, "Take heed, Son, what you write, that it be no more than what you can Answer, "I'le warrant you for that, said he: Say we; should you have taken his warrant, being so youthfull a Man and knowne so to be? Say you, for we make bold to question you about this matter, though were vve as much above you in place, as vve are below you, we would not be so bold with you, as you know who was, vvhen the Childe offended in the presence of the Father, he excused the Son à tanto if not à toto, and laid all the blame upon the Father, and gave him a box on the eare, withall suffering the Childe to doe a thing so unbecomming in the presence of the Fa­ther. So we returne to you, and This onely we would say, En­quire we pray you at your Oracle (we meane not your selfe, for if we counted you an Oracle, as, you say, we did, we see, we were mis-taken; Yet because we think vvee did not, vve vvill not aske pardon) vve pray you enquire of Gods Word, That Oracle, whe­ther you, being the father of the Childe, should not have seene what the Childe had written? Supposing you had so done; It will be supposed also, we thinke, that for "Blasphemy, you would have Commanded him to have written "Errour; Yet that would have been too heavie a Charge too, upon these words, against which blasphemy stands charged, "That the Lords-prayer is a dead letter, for had there been a Spirit of life and quickning in those words, commonly said with the speed of a good Clarke by Ministers of your perswasion, way, and judgement, what a growne and Tall-man in Christ had your Son been by this time of the [Page 15] Day, being taught this prayer in his Cradle, by your owne Con­fession, using it upward all along, and at this very day saying it now very Clarke-like in the Pulpit; so tenaciously he holds to that, the manner of us all, he had learn't in his Cradle. And True­ly Sir, others may think you your selfe had made clearer Demon­strations of the good Spirit speaking in you, had the words of that prayer been Spirit and life unto you, having said it so often in our hearing at th' end of your owne; Well, Sir, but if this be so as your Son saith, "The Lords prayer is a quick'ning letter, and he that saith contrary "blasphemeth, then you doe well, and your bounden dutie (as we Country-folke say) teaching it your Chil­dren; yet our perswasion is from the premises, so from this also, which followes, That it cannot be as your Son saith, That this said prayer, should be Spirit and life, while yet the most vile and wick­ed persons in the world say it every day, for few say any other, and most solemnely on the Lords day after you, when you say it. We commend your Son to your care and good counsell, he stands in great need of it: And we pray for you, That you may stand in Gods Counsell.

BUt these two things we are Commanded to tell you, and so an end of this matter.

First, That had an elder and wiser man than your Son charged Ab ineunt aetate suâ lusil in art? dialecticâ nunc in sacris scrip­tum insanit. our book in that manner, it would have reminded our Pastour of one he hath read of some where, who, when he was young made himselfe merry with his Sophistrie, and afterwards when he waxed old shewed himselfe mad in Divinity, and so sported with the sa­cred Scripture also.

Secondly, That you never stirred the Coales till now; yet doe we not now, much lesse have we so done, shew the least heat, which you call fire against you, or your Son, whether our bowells are not stirred with compassion over you both, the Lord knowes. Though yet against those blacke and horrid doings in God's house, we have declaimed with zeale not enough, yet, we hope, that which was, was according to knowledge: So also against the Observation of the Day commonly called Christmas-day: Against [Page 16] this and th' other, since you have raised us like an huge Bell, we will make the Sound thereof, our cry against it, and free admission of all, goe forth through the whole Land, as the Sound of Mr Hs: Bookes have done; wee will doe our Endeavour, and the Lord God doe what is good in His owne eyes; for if this may prove a dam­nable opinion in the issue; That all are to be admitted to the Lords Table, how notorious soever for their deboysery. And this also, That the Day should be kept holy, which hath not the Lords Sanction upon it, Then we see not but that there may be a damnable silence (which is the thing in question betwixt your selfe and us, and will fall into consideration in its respective place) in those who should oppose them. Every one must give account of his idle words; and a Minister for his idle silence, saith that worthy man Mr W: Jinken.

We have given our perswasion also touching formes of prayer, and in speciall resolved some Queries about the Lords Prayer, not so much as blameing, much lesse Censuring or judgeing them, that use formes, or that forme of prayer at the end of their's. Wee have given the reasons of our perswasion, why we thinke it not so comely; When wee have your Reasons for your doeings in that and other matters, which we will not be so bold, as you might be with our Pastour, so much as to entreate of you, possi­bly we may be of your minde in these things, but we thinke it no easie worke for you to give us any thing that hath the shape of Reason, thereby to make such proofe of your doeings in Refe­rence to those matters under-hand, that they are ordered accord­ing to the mind and will of your God.

We will conclude with a few words to those Ministers that sense with Mr H [...] and walke together with him in his way in point of Church-Administrations; (1) That some witts will ad­venture to make a faire cover, even of the very sacred Scriptures, for the most deformed and grossest errours among which we doe reckon this, relating to free admission of all to all Church-Com­munions. (2) And that a sad account will be given of that time, and of those parts, which have been laid-out in the patronage of such matters, that lie cleane Crosse to the graine of Truth. For it is as sinfull (to use that learned mans words upon Job) to sew Job. 11. 530. fig-leaves, or make faire pretexts to cover the nakednes of our [Page 17] opinion, as of our practises, Therefore he that can receive it, let him receive it. Prov: 30. 32. If thou hast done evill in listing-up thy selfe, or if thou hast thought evill (or maintained evill) lay thy hand upon thy mouth: Speake no more, never be an Advocate in a bad cause, though it be thine owne. When our errours are shewne us (as these have been in Reference to free Admission by foure, as was said one after another, we should not open our mouths, unlesse it be to renounce and disclaime them—But we have done.

And that we may be still doing, and be sure to doe our duty, let us pray each for other; "The Lord deliver us from Evill: The guidance of our owne Spirits, as bad and worse to us, than is that of the world: And give us a sound minde, whether the body be sound, or unsound, no great matter, The sound mind is all, the Mind that was in Christ, and is in all sound Christians. And this labour of Love and worke of Faith is but full-up to that lovely rule, "Whom we Reprove openly, we should pray for secretly.

AMEN.