Patron Judge Jeffreys on the Bench said He was sorry that the Act of Indempnity disabled him from Hanging me And your Mouth Roger Le Strange foretold the Reason Never was so wicked a Book written as my Paraphrase on the New Testament Were I at his Ear I would whisper to him Do you not take the New Testament it self to be far worse But what is the deadly evil Why I say with Paul That if an Angel from Heaven preach another Gospel let him be accursed But did I make those words Or find them made The Judge by the help of our Great Clergy-men and their Curates found out eight Paraphrases that deserved this Death The sum of which was that I accuse the Pharisees and Herodians and Priests for malicious hating and murdering Christ for doing good and working Miracles and for urging Men to be Informers against him and for forbidding the Apostles to Preach And they said that by an Innuendo I meant all this of the Church of England And when a Famous but exasperated Dr. gathered some passages as Seditious against Government to have hanged me even our Judges and prosecutors searching the Books and particularly on Rom. 13. cast by those accusations and never mentioned them And when they burnt my Political Aphorisms and I wrote my Judgment thereof to the Vice-Chancellor I had not a word of contradiction But there are deeper Reasons that cause both Papists and Cainites to wish that all that I have written were burnt to Ashes And they tell me what to expect from them if God restrain them not for then I believe that it is more than my writings and than the Nonconformists that they will burn They that cannot now endure that any but they should be heard will not endure that they be read § 12. Page 13. He adds That neither Men nor Books are properly good that are not so ex causis integris Ans So none is Good but God only and the perfect I confess that I am not so good If I say that I have no sin or that I ever did any thing that is sinless and omnimodo bonum and might not have been done better I am a Liar And is this the Exposition of the Declaration for want of which we are if we preach used like Rogues in Goals viz. That we assent and consent to all things contained in and prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer Ordination and Articles and that there is nothing in it contrary to the Word of God Is it Integrally perfect Or must I wish it burnt else I am not for so hard usage of it though I cannot justifie the prescribing two Easter days in it and far worse matters But what is the fault that deserveth burning § 13. Ibid. His own Practice demonstrates that his Writings for Peace and Unity are but so many Pleas for Schism and Division They need an Ignis Expurgatorius Ans An easie Purgatory Your Excommunication ipso facto of all that affirm any thing in your Ceremonies Ordinations Liturgies or Church Government to be contrary to the Word of God threateneth Hell which is worse than Purgatory But Reader seeing all my Books must be burnt as a Sacrifice to the Accusers of my Conversation as for Schism and Division I owe the World a particular account of such an accused practice 1. When I first forbore practical Conformity it was but in a scrupled part I read most of the Common Prayer and I received the Sacrament Kneeling 2. I never disobeyed my Ordinary's command but got me to a place where the Ordinary thought as I did 3. I ever disswaded people from Separation and reprehended those Nonconformists that inclined towards it 4. It was I confess a Dividing practice that I took the Scots Covenant before I foresaw it would be used to Division But I quickly repented and kept my Flock and Thousands from taking it 5. I had not the last or least hand in suppressing the promoters of Schism where I lived 6. I purposely hazarded my Life and spent Time and Labour a year and half in Fairfax's Army in hope too late to have healed and prevented the foreseen Ecclesiastical and Civil Divisions 7. I got the Ministers of Worcestershire and the Neighbour Counties Episcopal Presbyterians and moderate Independants to subscribe an Agreement in practice so far as they agreed in Principles Which Dr. Warmstree and Dr. Good consented to till Dr. Guning drew them off again And Westmoreland Cumberland Dorsetshire Wiltshire Hampshire Essex and Dublin all imitated us so that we were ready to have had a common Concord 8. By Letters I treated for Union with Dr. Hammond Bishop Brownrig Archbishop Usher and such others before King Charles the Second's Return 9. I preach'd for peace to the Parliament and City in publick Sermons 10. I got divers Meetings before the King came in with many peaceable Drs. Dr. Gauden Dr. Bernard Dr. Allen Dr. Gulston c. with whom Dr. Morley would be one that he might frustrate all who seemed to be all for Unity 11. I was the first with Mr. Calamy Dr. Reynolds and Mr. Ash that sought to the King to help us to this desired Unity by his Commission who seemed forward to it and promised that he would draw them to meet us half way 12. We never offered any form of Church Government but Archbishop Usher's Primitive Episcopacy and gave publick thanks for a seeming Grant of much less never once speaking against the Bishops Parliament Powers Baronies Revenues or Pomp. 13. When Chancellor Hide as from the King offered me a Bishoprick I refused it on terms in a Letter that pleased him viz. That if the King continued what he had granted in his Declaration I should take it for my great Duty to do all that I could by writing and preaching to perswade all to Conformity and Unity and therefore would not be a Bishop lest I should frustrate that labour by making Men think that I did it for my self But if no such liberty was intended to be continued which I easily foresaw why should I be a Bishop to be quickly cast out 14. Had my Life lain on it I could have done no more to have prevented our Divisions and foreseen Confusions that I did in the Treaties at Worcester-House and at the Savoy by reason and by earnest and humble petition and true prediction But all did but enrage and instead of Abatements according to the Kings Commission far more was after imposed than before 15. I went voluntarily to Bishop Sheldon for his License when I could have had it by the Kings Declaration without any Subscription and I Subscribed what might shew that I was for peace that I would not preach against the Liturgy or Ceremonies but live peaceably 16. When Bishop Morley forbad me preaching in his Diocess I asked him leave but to preach to some small Village among the ignorant where there was no Maintenance for a Minister And he old me They were better have none than
all the Land into the Sole power of the King who was himself in the power of Papists and Delinquents did clearly tell us where the present danger of the Kingdom lay But future Changes we could not foresee 〈…〉 part I was a young Novice and knew not what War was 〈…〉 considerable interest in any to have prevented it But 〈…〉 that I more repent of than that I feared it so little and that I did not speak more earnestly for the preventing of it by mutual pacificatory means and that I said any thing towards unpeaceable irritations Who could have forethought that all those doleful Events would follow which make up Whitlock's impartial Memorials § 67. Yet I must truely say though it displease the guilty that the effects were quite different on the Land from what the Malignants commonly report They would falsly perswade the World that all ancient Piety was despised the Creed Lords Prayer and Decalogue and all sober Ministers cast out and Tub preachers set up to vent their Nonsence The truth is among 10000 of the Clergy about 300 or more were turn'd out as Ignorant and Scandalous and with them unjustly some for being for the King against the Parliament The number I know not but conjecture that there might be an hundred such at least In the places of these the most seriously Religious young Men that the Universities would afford with some few old Nonconformists and but few such as the Parishioners chose were set up Most of these young Men were such as had no hand in the Wars but were Lads or young Students while the War continued It pleased God that very many of them became such fervent able Preachers that a great change followed among their Hearers and multitudes of the Ignorant Debauch'd and Worldlings became Serious Godly Christians And the younger sort grew up accordingly For instance in the County of Worcester where I lived where before there was one Family that minded Piety or the Life to come or Prayed or Read the Scripture there were many after that did it In the Town where I lived where there was before one or two Houses in a Street that worshipped God by Prayer in their Families and avoided Profaneness and minded the Concerns of their Souls at last there was scarce more than two Houses on a Street-side that did not learn the Catechism read the Scripture pray and live soberly and this in great love and peace and humility towards others commonly disowning the Cromwellians and Sectarians Disloyalties Rebellions and Schisins But indeed when the Sectaries got dominion many Anabaptists and Self conceited Novices set up themselves for Preachers where they could get Hearers but the sober godly people kept so much Concord and Integrity that these others were but here and there and that as a disgraced broken Sect as the Quakers be among us now But Harrison took the advantage of the ignorance and badness of the Parish Ministers in Wales to set up Itinerant Anabaptists and Separatists in many places This is the truth of the Consequents about Religion And it fell out that the Cromwellians and Anabaptists professing more Zeal for Godliness than ordinary did much of their work by suppressing sin and profaneness and countenancing Godliness Which hath taught us to wish that of two Evils rather Hypocrisie than Malignity may be in power It 's better Godliness be promoted for evil Ends than hated and persecuted 68. Whereas therefore the Diocesane Church of England exclusive of all Nonconformists and such as these Men accuse is so oft called The best Church in the World It must mean that it is best in Constitution and Laws or in the Men that are Ministers and Members If the first be their meaning 1. The best Laws without the best Men never make the best Church 2. Is one sole Bishop over a Thousand or many Hundred Parishes without any Bishop or Pastoral Church under him a better Form of Government than the contrary that was continued for many hundred years and described by Archbishop Usher and others 2. Is a Church Governed by Lay Civilians decretive use of the Keys so much better than that which is Governed by the Keys in the hands of the Clergy only 3. Is a Church Governed by Canons that ipso facto Excommunicate all that affirm any of their Offices Ceremonies or Forms to have any thing sinful better than those that unite in things necessary and bear with such as these 4. Are Bishops and Deans chosen by Kings perhaps Papists and Incumbents chosen by any that can buy a Presentation better than those that are chosen by the Clergy and People and Invested by the Prince and Patron 5. Is a Church where the ignorant sinful and unwilling are forced to Communicate unless they will lye Beggar'd in Goals better than those that receive none to Communion but the Desirers 2. But if it be the best Church in the World for Men they should let others praise them rather than their own Mouths Are they so much better Men than the Nonconformists Do their Lives shew it Doth credible fame speak it Though Mr. White was blamed for publishing the Names of such as by credible Oaths were ejected for Drunkenness or other Scandal this was no proof that they were the best Men in the World Nor yet that of 10000 that Conformed 8000 of them had Conformed before to the Directory and Declared their Assent and Consent to the altered Common Prayer Book before ever they saw it as I have proved Whereas I remember not that ever I heard of one Nonconformist these twenty eight years that was accused and punished for any such crime unless preaching Christs Gospel be a crime even when Power and Malice watcht for advantages against them and crouded them into Goals for preaching and praying Nor do I remember more than two single instances of Im norality by credible accusations of fame which was of Fornication lamented in all these years But alas how different is the common fame of too many of the publick Clergy And are these the best Men in all the World § 69. You may partly judge by their Works their Writings and their Lives Compare the Writings and Ministerial Labours of the Conformists and Nonconformists these thirty years or since the New Impositions Some pious Conformists have done extraordinarily well Especially Dr. Barrow Dr. Tillotson Dr. Patrick Dr. Stillingfleet Dr. Tennison c. And is there not the same Spirit of Wisdom Piety and Peace in the Writings of Anthony Burgesse Mr. Charnock Dr. Manton Dr. Bates Mr Hâ—w Richard Alleine Joseph Alleine Tho. Gouge Mr. Swinnock Dr Gâ—lpin many Volumes of the Morning Lectures Mr. Flavel's Mr. Steel's Mr. Ambrose's and many more such This Man singleth out me for one of the worst Men living and Bishop Morley bid Men judge of all the rest by me ab uno disce omnes And he was accounted one of the most Eminent of the Clergy for Parts and Orthodoxness One Book
RICHARD BAXTER's Penitent Confession And His Necessary VINDICATION In Answer to a BOOK called The Second Part of the Mischiefs of Separation Written by an Unnamed Author With a PREFACE to Mr. Cantianus D Minimis in Answer to his LETTER which extorted this Publication Psal 32. 5. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin Psal 19. 12 13. Who can understand his Errours Cleanse thou me from secret faults Keep back thy Servant also from presumptuous sins Let them not have dominion over me Then shall I be upright and I shall be innocent from the great transgression John 8. 44 45. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father you will do He was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a Lie he speaketh of his own for he is a Liar and the Father of it And because I tell you the truth ye believe me not Isa 5. 20. Woe to them that call Evil Good and Good Evil That put darkness for light and light for darkness that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter Prov. 24. 24. He that saith to the wicked Thou art Righteous him shall the People Curse Nations shall abhor him Sharp words LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chapel 1691. For the very Reverend Dr. Edward Stilling fleet Lord Bishop of the Diocess of Worcester Reverend Sir SUpposing the Book which I answer as injurious to you as to me I judge it meet to propose to you this Opportunity of your own Vindication Or if I be herein mistaken to crave your help for my own Conviction Your former Accusation of such as I of the heinous Sin of Schism or Separation I confess I answered in a manner that required your Patience If it was too free and provoking I beg your pardon and do not Justifie it My Reasons were 1. That I thought that to take such as I for Schismaticks or Separatists was a great hardening and strengthening of the real Separatists when my Character and such others should seem to be theirs and if we were falsly accused they should seem to be so too 2. Because I knew how much your Authority and just Reputation would add as a Whet-stone to the keenness of their Zeal who thought us unmeet to live out of the common Goals 3. Because I knew whatever is said against it how great a Loss it would be to Souls to have all silenced Ministers give over preaching to any more than four and what Sacrilege we should be guilty of to give over our Ministery which we were vowed to and to be banished five Miles from all Corporations or there to avoid all publick worshiping of God And your Pacificatory Accommodation so earnestly restraining Parents without excepting the Nobility from chusing School-masters for their own Children seemed to one to be an unsufferable Overthrow of that Family Government which is of Divine Institution antecedent to Regal and most literally required in the Fifth Commandment These Reasons carrying me to Earnestness I perceive the Conceit or Suspition is too common that your Exasperation was the Spring both of Dr. Morrice's Defence of you and of this Book which is commonly famed to be written by Mr. Long of Exeter a Member of the Representative Church of England of whom I will not say as Bishop Morley of me Ex uno omnes This Concest is increased by the Title of his Book the same with yours as The Second Part and by your Collocutor's Title The Army-Chaplain and such other Circumstances For my part I take it for my duty to believe that you abhor such a Fardel of malicious impudent Lyes And that he that hath written so many excellent Books of which I thankfully acknowledge the Receipt of many as your Gift will by no Temptation be poysoned to the Approbation of so venomous a Label But if I should be in any part mistaken and while you own not the manner of his Writing you should own the main Cause or Accusation I humbly and earnestly beg that before I dye if it may be you will afford me that help of Conviction and Repentance which may be expected from a Man of Learning Piety and Truth and the now Bishop of that Diocess where the surviving part of my only Flock that ever I had remain among whom you may learn more of the falshood of this Man's Accusations And as I cannot but think that the present Necessity brought about by God's Providence without us will engage a Man of your Knowledge and Temper to use your Interest and Parts to the uttermost both in Parliament and Convocation for the strengthening of this Nation and Church by Concord and necessary Amendment and unlocking the â—oors of the Parish-Churches to the Lovers of Unity and Peace So Acquaintance enableth me to be confident that though such as I are past having our part in such a Blessing on Earth yet a great number of young Preachers will be ready joyfully to accept of any lawful Terms for so good an End who now serve God on Terms of Sâ—lfdenial and are Men of greater Orthodoxness Piety Learning and skilful powerful Preaching than you would have believed our Nonconformists Schools would have brought forth And if that blessed Day may hasten I doubt not but those of the suffering Ministers that have overlived their long Silencing Imprisonments and Distresses will gladly do as Joseph forgive the Envy and Injuries of their Brethren and Afflicters observing how much of the Hand of God was in the Over-ruling of all and making use of that Sin which he did neither cause nor justifie Sir As the Importunity of Cantianus with many others drew me to publish this Writing which I once cast by as never to have been seen so the opportune Occasion of my desiring your own Vindication or your help for my Conviction hath caused this Address to you from Jun. 13. 1691. A willing Learner And Penitent Ri. Baxter A LETTER to Mr. BAXTER Reverend SIR I am a stranger to your person but not to your Excellent Writings for which I praise God and give you my hearty thanks I have many I have read many I have given away and recommended many to others to read and I bless God have received much light and warmth from many of them whereby I am engaged to pray for you and to take all occasions to speak write and act whatsoever may tend to your good here and hereafter And to that end I cannot be at peace with my self until I have desir'd you to take into your serious dying thoughts how you have walk'd towards the Church of England in your Practice and your Writings that before you appear at Gods Tribunal you may foresee your Sentence what it will be and whether your Writings and Practice have done or are likely after your death to do
been tryed therein by many but would not so easily resign what he had got He once admitted me to his Discourse and before the Lord Broghil Lambert and Thurloe I urged him to tell us what the People of England had done to forfeit their right to the Enjoyment of their ancient constituted Government which they professed to be for and still desired And all the answer that I could have was that God had changed it by his Providence the passages of which he talkt over near two hours till Lambert took on him to be asleep for we must not interrupt him Then Sir Francis sent me his Printed Books and some Papers to have disputed over all the Case of the War And not knowing how many such I might be put to answer I thought best in Print to tell him on what Grounds and Principles I had gone not undertaking that I had not mistaken but to desire him if I had erred to shew it by answering my Reasons there given But before I could have his Answer the distracted Armies had overturned all the present Government I repented Writing that Book 1. Because it came out unseasonably too late 2. Because in opposition to Harrington I had pleaded for Monarchy with some excess and I wisht that I had not medled with Government but left all to the Providence of God 3. Because it did occasion more hurt than good so that it became the common Theme of ambitious young Preachers especially at Court before K. Ch. II. as the way to Preferment to talk against The Holy Commonwealth falsly perswading men that by a Commonwealth I meant Democracy or Popular Government which the Book was purposely written against So that when the Oxford University burnt that Book with Dr. Whitby's excellent Reconciler and some others though I expostulated with the Vice-Chancellor concerning its Principles I told them I consented that the Book was burnt though I told them not why as now I do XXXVII Though both Nature and Grace inclined me to hate Lying and specially in Writers and Preachers and I honoured Jul. Caes Scaliger the more because his Son Joseph tells us how vehemently he hated a Lie so that he could not be reconciled to a Liar yet I confess that my impatience herein was faulty It was long before I well perceived that the Father of Lies doth Govern his Kingdom most of the World by meer Lying Call it Errour or Mistake or Falshood or what you will all signifieth the same thing It is delivering Falshood for Truth Christ had told us that the Devil is the Father of Lies and when he speaketh a Lie he speaketh his own Deceit is by Lying and by this he ruleth his World As God's Image consisteth in Life Light and Love the Devil's Image is Hatred Falshood and Hurtfulness or Murder Joh. 8 But alas to take this for some strange thing and to be over-impatient with Liars was my fault when now I find it is but the very state of corrupt unreneved Nature And Pride the Father and Ignorance the Mother make Kingdoms Cities and Persons like a rotting Carkass that swarms with Maggots You that read Histories read with Judgment and due Suspicion for the common corrupt Nature is a lying Nature And it is not about Religion only but the Fool rageth and is confident in all his Errours O what abundance of Lying Books are Shops and Libraries fill'd with even in History and Theology What abundance of false Counsels do Physicians give what abundance of false accusations doth Envy and Malice vend What abundance of false Doctrines and Censures doth ignorant Sectarian Zeal foment How many Lies for one Truth is carried for News or for Slander about the Streets And how few scruple receiving and reporting them how fewer rebuke them It 's useful for the World to know how common this Malady is but it was almost in despair that I lately wrote a Book against it of pretended Knowledge and Love I blame not my self for hating it but being too impatient with it especially in Books and Preachers as if it had been a strange thing XXXVIII When I wrote my five Disputations of Church Government I too hastily mis translated some words of Ignatius and though I then owned Apostolick Successors in the continued part of their Work I did not so fully as now understand how Christ by Institution then founded a National Church nor what a National Church was nor how that which was ultimum in executione a Christian Soveraignty was primum in intentione to which bare Preaching was preparatory XXXIX When I wrote my Treatise of Episcopacy I Calculated it to the Laudian Faction then prevalent that called it self the Church of England and though I distinguished them that put down all the Parochial Pastors and Churches and turned them all into meer Curates and Chappels or partes Ecclesiarum infimarum and so put down hundreds of Bishops and Churches under pretence of magnifying One from the old Reformed Church of England that put not down these but only sinfully fettered them yet I did not so largely open the difference as I ought which gave Mr. Lobb occasion to write confidently for Separation XL. When my Books against Conformity had irritated Dr. Stillingfleet to make me an instance of mischievous Separation who had constantly heard and communicated with my Parish Churches and for my private or occasional Preaching had the Bishops Licence approved under the hands of two the greatest Lawyers of England the Lord Chief Justice Sanders and the now Lord Chief Justice Polixâ—en I doubt that I too provokingly took the advantage of his temerity and confuted him in too provoking terms not considering enough that a Man of great Learning Labour and Merit and Name hath a great interest of Reputation which he would not be insensible of And if it were true as many without proof report that his exasperation engaged first Mr. Morrice and after the second Author of the Mischief of Separation whose writing against me is the transcript of the Character given by Christ John 8. 44. yet I honour the Reading Learning Labour and great Worth of Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester and what ever hand he had in it I unfeignedly forgive him XLI And in defence of the Nonconformists against the false accusation of Shism laid on them by the Imposing Schismaticks I doubt I was too keen in confuting Mr. Sherlocke I found it hard to discern whether the defence of truth and slandered suffering Servants of Christ or not exasperating false Accusers should command my style XLII What other Errors there are or have been in my Life or Writings I daily beg of God to discover to me and pardon For I never did any thing which might not and ought not to have been done better Particularly I beg pardon for too frequent hastiness and harshness of Speech to my nearest Domesticks from whom I never differed one moment in point of Interest or Love but had too often sour over-hasty
to this day § 32. Accus XIX He was acquainted Forty years ago with many Aged Nonconforming Ministers and probably Confederate with them c. Ans Yes in the Baptismal Covenant renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil I repent not of that Nor take it for a sin to have known them § 33. Accus XX. Prejudices against Conformity possest him from his Youth Ans Not unless Cainism be Conformity or twenty four years old be my Youth such as your Writings and Doings are an ill cure of prejudice § 34. Accus XXI Is that I broke my Oaths to the King and Ecclesiastical Superiors whom I was bound to obey Ans I thought verily that I broke neither I Swore not to obey the Convocation much less against the Parliament in unlawful Canons and imposed Oaths never yet Authorized I took the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and thought that defending the Land against Armed Delinquents and Irish and Papists Insurrections had been no breach of it If I was mistaken the Lord convince me and forgive me But your way is unapt to it Let the Reader peruse but Sir Edward Deering's Speeches in Parliament proving that this Et caetera Oath was sinfully imposed without Authority by them that were neither a Convocation a Synod or Commissioners the same Man that spake so much for Liturgy and Episcopacy against Presbytery and Independency And I doubt not but it was flat Perjury that by it we were required to Swear viz. That the described Et caetera Government of the Church ought so to stand And was I perjured for refusing Perjury As a summary Confutation of a multitude of his Lies I at once tell the Reader that I neither was nor am for the way called Presbytery Independency or the English Diocesane way But for the mixture described excellently by Grotius de Imper. Sum. Pot. and Bishop Usher and Sir Edward Deering whose Counsel I wish'd that the Parliament had followed And that I was and am far from defending the irregular Actions of the Parliament or any Members of it Tho' they thought that the Delinquents had put a necessity on them to overgo their own Judgments to please the Scots and the Indiscreet and Schismatical part of the Nonconformists I doubt not but they did ill herein and should have trusted God in the use of none but lawful means I believe that a few Men by Craft and unwearied Industry over-reach'd many that knew not what they did Sir Edward Deering nameth some of them especially Sir H. V. Sir A. H. and O. C. that over-reach'd his own upholders and all the rest I believe they did ill to excite and encourage disorder and tumults on pretence of Petitioning and of scurrilous defamations of such Men as the Lord Falkland the Lord Digby Sir Edward Dering and some other worthy Men and so many good Bishops as they abused And yet that I durst not for these miscarriages consent to give up the Kingdoms Parliamentary Security for its present and future Safety and Liberties I still think is consonant to the most common Principles of Lawyers Politick Writers Historians Divines Protestants Papists and Heathens Even the late great Lord Chancellor Hide sat Chairman of the Committee of Parliament that received the Petitions against Episcopacy Root and Branch and made such Speeches against the Delinquents as I dare not justifie But he forsook them when they quite over-went him If the King of England had a War with the French and I knew that his Cause were bad I would not defend his bad Cause but I would in his Army defend the Kingdom against those that would Captivate it by Conquest For the Kingdom doth not forfeit its safety by the Kings misdoing And if any say Then the King shall be defended in all his injuries how bad soever I would answer That is by accident it is the Kingdom that I defend and Him as a means to defend the Kingdom and not to justifie his sin I leave that to God What a case is a Kingdom in if it must Fight against it self and its representing security as oft as its Representatives miscarry by any sinister means And that all that are to be judged by the chief Judicature shall Fight to Conquer them if the King do but bid them If the safety of this Kingdom be once put into the Trust of the King alone the Constitution is changed and all Enslaved § 35. Accus XXII He saith that in 1640. I entred into a War against the King Ans Whereas the War in England began not till 1642. And I never medled in War but as aforementioned long after § 36. Accus XXIII He saith by the Treatise of Diocesane Episcopacy meditated 1640. I broached Faction in the Church my Pen disdaining to be less active than my Sword Ans 1. I never struck with a Sword in War or Peace 2. Did Meditating broach a Book that was not published nor written till thirty years after 3. Is it Faction to give reasons why I Swore not to Faction even that Antiepiscopal sort of Diocesanes that put down many hundred Churches and Bishops to set up the Name and Image of one 4. Why is not that Book answered to this day when so many Nonconformists have Challenged Called and Beg'd for an Answer to it Will a Lying Scorn satisfie any Conscionable Nonconformist 5. That Book owneth so much of Bishops and Diocesanes and Archbishops which Sir Edward Dering condemned that these Men now shew that it is not such as I only but such as Grotius Spalatensis Usher Hall yea most of the great Writers for Episcopacy of whose Judgment I have there given a particular account whom he condemneth for Faction and Enmity to the Church I have written against the Pope too And is not that as bad I am sure many Papists write more against Episcopacy than I. § 37. Accus XXIV It 's probable his Church History had its conception at the same time Ans About Forty years after 1640. Forty years breaks no square with this sort of Men I would this lort of History were not too common with them § 38. Accus XXV Page 23 He feigneth me in my Church History to commend all the Hereticks and omit what is good of the Fathers and Martyrs and write only their faults Ans It seems he thought that without reading the Book that disproveth him his Faction would take his word that he saith true § 39 Accus XXVI The like he saith of my reproaching Councils because I shew the miscarriages of many and our Bishops that plead for a Forreign Jurisdiction dare yet own but six or eight General Councils § 40. Accus XXVII Page 25. He reciteth my mention of the former courses of undoing Men for hearing a Sermon of a Godly Conformist at the next Parish when they had none at home and for Fasting and Praying c. And he taketh it for my crime to call these ungodly Persecutions crimes So that he that is not for them while they are