now and somwhat at another time speaks unto his people Whether I go thou canst not follow me now but thou shalt follow me HEREAFTER said Christ to Peter 13 John 36. But to returne to my dear friend the Antagonist how many Exhortations have we in scripture to love to edifie one another to build up one another in our most holie Faith can these things be done by seperations and departing away one from another How many dehortations are there against schisms rents and divisions against forsaking the fellowship of the Saints and the Churches of Jesus Christ which you have owned us to be by your pen and I know You cannot without violence offered unto Your soul and conscience yea You dare not denie it And had your Conscience judgment affections been enlightned and heated by the fire of Gods sanctuarie you would have better considered then so suddenlie and rashlie have rent your selfe from us and written so impertinentlie for the justification thereof But to proceed You tel your Reader the several reasons why you wrote that Book As pure Conscience c. so now compelleth me to make Answer to that Book c. not only TO DEFEND THE TRUTH to the therein opposed c. Mr Lamb to the Reader SECT VI. TO defend the truth opposed by Mr Goodwyn Error always defended under the notion of truth Everymans way is right in his own eyes The Turks stile themselves the only Mausulmans or true beleevers in the world The Papists the onlie Catholicks the Jew the holie Nation the peculiar people the gnosticks of old the onely knowing men * The Manachees derived their name from Manna as if what they taught was to received as the only food that came down from Heaven what Sect partie or faction professing any Religion but doth it under the pretence and notion of Truth and withstand their opposits as do those that defend the truth the very Banters Shakers Quakers do they not all plead truth do you defend the truth with untruthâ— by scandalizing abusing the defenders of the truth as you have M. Goodwin wherof you must hear know before we have done with your book but do you defend the truth with the meer name of truth without any spirit or power of truth Let any man that hath as much ill umination inspection or abilitie as to discern truth from untruth in the ABC things of the scriptures he shal see that your greatlie conceited swords spears darts which You have prepared in your Book to defend the truth as you cal it are but straw stubble rotten wood to those against which you contend And indeed you make use of them as these Egiptians do of their darts which they shoot against the sunne that scorcheth them But alas it is out of their reach scorch them it wil wil they wil they and their darts fal down again upon their own heads But you say you wrote your book not onely to de-defend the truth but first To vindicate your self with some others from the heavy charge therein given to the whole world against you as faith and trust-hreakers sacrilegious Church-breakers c. SECT VII YOu wrot your book not onely to defend the Truth but also you might have said chiefly to vindicate your self c I remember when Christ said unto his Disciples that one of them should betray him he that was guiltie was forward to demand Master is it You writ your book to vindicate your self from the heavy charge therein viz in Mr. Goodwins book given against you Are you so much as once named in that book do not you expose your self by name to be that man of an abused and distempered fancy of disingenuity of a wonderful and strange alteration for the worse which by name you were never charged to be Did you not plight your faith to walk with them whom you call holy and beloved Brethren as a member of that Church whom you stile a Church can this he done by your separation from them have not you broken trust and promise with them And could this arise from any thing but a most miserably abused and distempered fancy Have not you indeavoured to divide Pastor from people and people from pastor to demolish and tear up by the roots as thriving as loving as wel governed a Church a Church as ful of charity and good works as beautiful an edefice where Jesus Christ hath dwelt and manifested his delight therein by the comfortable influences of his truth and presence upon the hearts of your self and Brethren as eyes beheld is not this sacriledg Return return O blacksliding Isâ—aâ—ite remember from whence you are fallen and repent Your second reason of writing your book is in these words 2ly Mâ— Lamb to the Reader To make the world Judges whether we are at Mr Goodwin represented us persons of a misused and distempered sancie of stupifled Judgments to whose understanding common sense is a mistery inaccessible witâ— abundance more to the sâ—me purpose SECT VIII HEre is I fear in this reason also more of the secrets of your heart then you wel consider Reply Mâ— Lamb greatly conceited of his own abilities manifested in his Book For what is the meaning of it is it not to make the woâ—ld Judges that you are men of solid Judgements great parts strong abilities Why let them look upon your book and then let the world be Judges whether men of such abilities parts and reason as are evident and conspicuous therein are such men as Mr Goodwin doth thus undervalue Let the world be Judges if they wil but read your book whether that one of your arguments doth not chase ten and five an hundred and an hundred of yours put ten thousand of Mr Goodwins to flight That every one of your reasons is as a King against whom there is no rising up that when your sun of light appeareth all Mr Goodwins twincling stars must hide their heads Hence it is that you so often invite the Heavens and the Earth and the world to behold and look upon you and Ms Goodwin upon a publick Theater in print and see how handsomlie you handle your sword and hit and thrust M Goodwin therewith ever and anon how you can fight with him with arguments fight with him with scriptures nay fight with him with his own weapons his own Writings how you can wrastle with him and give him fall upon fall and fal after fal and make good sport for the spectators Remember Solomons councel Be not wise in thine own eyes and Pauâ—â— direction he that would be wise must be a fool that he may be wise A conceit of wisdom bars out wisdom If M Goodwin or any others by pen or other way should so much injure the happiness of the world as to hide you from them that they cannot behold your glorie this is a cup that you are not able to drink of a baptism that you cannot be baptized withall Your glorie
that know him there being not many leaves pages or paragraphs therein not importing rankerous and maligne reflections upon him as if to prey upon his honour and feed upon the bloud of his reputation were the first-born of his desires and the longing of his soul as after the first ripe summer fruits Thence it is that this division which he loveth he so eagerly hunts after his pen 2s it were senting the track of his former writings Mr Lambs unkindnesâ— that it might bite him if it were possible at every turn and ever and anon he spends an arrow out of his Quiver seeking to hit him and fears not And having as he supposeth sped in his sport what a merry meeting is in Gath He rejoyceth Mr Goodwins adversarieâ— and feast made herewith in Askelon whereat the Daughters of the uncircumcised rejoyce and the Daughters of the Philistines triumph Well Offences will come How cruelly the man of his contention hath been dealt withall by the world yea and by men of better pretensions and that for the many good works which he hath done amongst them and for them is not unknown unto him But alas these are but the mint and cummin of his troubles He grieveth M Goodwin the mole-hils in his way But that his own Disciples and Scholars should be his executioners and that for nothing but his very judgment and conscience in and about the matters of his God that the sheep of his Flock yea the Lambs thereof should convert into Lyons and Tygers against him that his most hopeful and choisest trees and Vines should yeeld the apples of Sodom Grapes of gall and bitter closters that his pains and labour for their peace should at last prove not only vanity but vexation of spirit that like the Bird supposing it her own egge and in hopes to bring forth in her own likenes he should hatch up even Serpents eggs that strive to sting and devour him these cannot be but the great things of his affliction the mountains of grief threatning to bring his gray hairs with sorrow to the grave That those who were his late joy and crown of rejoycing while they stood fast in the Lord should now prove a Crown of bryars goads in his sides and thorns in his eyes what can this be but the very anguish of his soul But because Mr. Lamb pleads the glory of God the good of men the service of the truth in all that he hath written let us with all readiness of mind search the scriptures and see whether those things are so or no which with little lesse then even an Apostolical authority he would obtrude and impose upon our Judgments and Consciences for the Oracles of God and for that end let us consider the Title with all that follows The title of his Book runs thus in capital letters TRUTH PREVAILING AGAINST THE FIERCEST OPPOSITION M Lamb OR AN ANSWER TO Mr JOHN GOODWINS WATER-DIPPING c. SECT II. Mr Lamb having built and trim'd and rigg'd his ship Reply and as he supposeth rightly fraighted her ventures her to sea hoiseth up all his sails main-sail and fore-sail main top-sail top-gallant sail c not doubting but he shall ride it over the proudest waves in all storms or tempests or fiercest oppositions that have or can be made against him At his first lanching and setting of her forth here is the discharging of gun upon gun and gun after gun as if he would scare all the inhabitants of seas and shoars with the thundring noise thereof Hearken Truth prevailing against the fiercest opposition there 's one Or An Answer to Mr Goodwins Waterdipping c there 's another Wherein the invalidity of his Mr. Goodwins 23 Considerations c. there are 23 in one vollie together Together with a discovery of his great mistakes in the exposition of eight chief Scriptures c What a noise is here as if great fleets of arguments under the government of the most able Generals in the world must all vale and strike sail at this one Vessel The truth is M Lamb highly conceited of his Book the Title of his book is like a glittering gloworm seemingly ful of light and heat but if you touch it it hath neither Apothecaries boxes have sometimes goodlie titles when there is never a good drugg nor any thing medicinal in them It is like the name of a Nunnery on the out side upon the wals over the gates pretending nothing but Virginity within doors but a little search may discover as once to Gregory the great thousands of infants skuls cast into fish ponds which did argue foul doing under fair shews We have here Truth in the Title and all that is within must be of the same denomination doubtless How often is God intituled to that which his soul abhors 1 Sam 23.7 God hath delivered David into my hands saith Saul because he was in Keilah therfore he bears an alarum to all the people to march thither to take him Zecharie speaks of shepheards that slay the flock fleecing them instead of feeding them and yet intitle God to the benefit that came thereby Zach 11.5 Deut 23 18. They say blessed be God for I am rich We read of the hire of an Whore brought into the house of the Lord and I have heard that in Rome a Jewish Maid might not be admitted into the stews of Whoredom unlesse she should be first baptized 2 Sam. 11 45 David would not commit folly with Bathsheba until she was purified I have paid my vows said the Whore at her doors in the Proverbs an holy Whore as Edward the 4th was wont to cal one of the Nuns who attended him at pleasure out of the Nunnery Here is truth in the Title without truth in the Pamphlet like a window cushion beautiful without but rip it up you 〈◊〉 find it stuft up with nothing but trash and trumperie Let us but examine what is within these great swelâ—ing words in his Epistles and their Retinue To the Reader SECT Reply An apt similitude setting forth Mr Lambs conceit of truth without truth on his side III. UPon the perusal of the prescripts and manuscripts and postscripts of the book I called to remembrance a story that I have heard of some devout papists who through the cunning and cheating artifice of their ghostly fathers were charmed into very large and bountiful offerings unto a certain pretended holy relique wrapt up in several imbroidered and rich mantles and laid up in a certain place in a chappel consecrated for that purpose Among the troops of those zealous Votaries some diseased with the itch of curiosity were very importunate to see the said relick so famously spoken of abroad in the world were willing to purchase the same at a very considerable rate This relique being depolited in the hands of â—he reverend Father the keeper therof upon a certain day appointed for that purpose he came to give them a
Vision of it and causing them to stand at a convenient distance from it having prepared and raised up the devotion of their minds with much gravity of speech at last with very low genu-flections once and again and the third time also with all reverence he took off one mantle and then with the like ceremony he took off another and another until he came to the very last which was of very rich scarlet When he came to that he required them with all serious devotion of mind and thought to gather up all their visive faculties and to look stedfastly and fixedly upon the said Relique when he should unfold that last mantle which he said he was to do and to sold it up again with all holy celerity and expedition and having most nimbly opened the said mantle and with the like speed folded it up again he demanded whether they did not see it Some held their peace others said they faw nothing How said the Priest what saw you nothing did you shut your eyes are you wilfully blind Pray Sir said some of them having a little more courage then the rest pardon us but tel us what it was What it was said the priest I am sorry that you have eyes and cannot see or which is worse you wil not see but I 'le tel you what it was mary it is the breath of the Asse upon which Christ rode to Jerusalem when the people cried Hosanna unto him At which they that were silent before did professe they saw it very plainly and wondered that the rest did not see it and so they departed very thankful very much satisfied and wel apaid at their bargain In like manner Mr Lamb hath filled the eares of the World round about him vvith the mighty noise of the great truth of God concerning baptisme on his side that it is most apparently evident in his book and by the light thereof that the baptisme of believers at age in opposition to Insant baptisme is the great truth of God and that the separation from such societies as are not of the same saith and practice therein is justifiable by the Word or God that the baptisme of such persons only and that by dipping them under vvater is the initiating Ordinance into Church-fellovvship that all Congregations othervvayes gathered are little betterthen the Synagogue of Sathan though they cal themselves Jews I mean the Churches of Jesus Christ that it becomes all men and Women that would be accounted visible christians to become devout Voraries hereunto And this grand Truth is as visible in hiâ— book that ever and anon Heaven and Earth God Angels and meâ— are called to Witness mens dovvn-right vvilfulness in shutting their eyes vvhen they might see the same and do homage thereunto We have the talk of Truth in the Title truth in the trunck or body truth in the taile of the book truth in the praescripts truth in the grand-scripts truth in the post-scripts but though you unfold mantle after mantlâ— seaf after leaf page after page paragraph after paragraph all vvhich I confesse are richly trimd imbroidered and laced vvith many holy scriptures and devout expressions yet though you should gather up all your visive capacities and abilities of ingenuity knovvledg and Wisedom you vvil find nothing of that vvhich you seek for in this kind but meer aire and breath yea sometimes breath of a very loathsome savour proceeding from distempered and ulcerated Lungs Nay the truth is if an ingenious Reader should dismantle his book 1. Of all the impertinent passages 2 M. Lambs Book fill'd and stuff'd with impertinences Of all the Quotations of scriptures irrelative to the businesse for which they were quoted â—l Of all the vain flourishes and displaying of his colours after his conceited Victory expressed in such words as these Good Reader judg c again What man is he that doth not glory in men whose faith and practise standeth not in the wisedom of men c but must conceive c again be astonished therefore O yee Heavens and horribly afraid O earth c again good Reader what saist thou hath not Mr Goodwin the wrong end of the staff c again I appeal to the Conscience of the judicious Reader c. again Heavens Earth judge with many more of the same kind 4ly Of all his unbrotherly and unhandsome reflections upon M Goodwin let his book I say be dismantled of these and their likes he shal find it a meer skeleton a starved carkasse like one of pharaos lean kind not having so much spirit life and strength of argument to the busines he pretends unto as to be able to crawl up down in the considerations of any out blind Votaries that can discern offer sacrifice unto meer air and breath folded up in many sheets of paper For the eviction whereof let us consider that that follows in the next place viz his Epistle to the Reader which begins thus Good Reader M Lamb. GOd knoweth with what regrett of spirit I publish this Answer to M Goodwins Book c. SECT IIII. THou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord wil not hold him guâ—â—â—ese that taketh his Name in vain Reply How desirous are you to preach into us a strong belief of your great candor of spirit unto Mr Mr. Lamb pretends much candor of spirit to M Goodw Goodwin that ever and anon throughout your Book after you have given him a rap as you suppose you fall a stroaking him againe First strapado-like you lift him up then down with him again then up again Doth not this argue there was a sore contest between your conscience and concupiscence in the writing thereof and the Victory is deplorable If you have bitter envyings and strife in your hearts saith James glory not Mr. Lamb perplexed in his conscience about writing his Book James 3 14. Rev 8 11. Were you not under the maligne influence of the star called Wormwood mentioned by John when you wrote that book against Mr Goodwin which makes more then the third part thereof so bitter against him do you not believe it Then let me tel you How a man may know conscience from concupisence and when he is acted by the corrupt principles of the flesh viz popularity spiritual pride and vanity of mind even in seemingly devout and religious performances preaching praising printing discoursing about good things and when by the holy Spirit of God is a Question the answer whereunto would be more profitable fit for you and me to study and to understand then to contend and make war with the chariots and horsemen of Israel in and about the controversie in hand And were I to give my opinion in the question I should think it would not be an impertinency to offer this for one answer viz that in cases disputable and controversall among the godly The spirit of God doth not compel in controversal points learned
you will let no man take from you this is as the wel of Bethlem for which you wil fight with the best friend you have in the world It was the saying of one concerning some over-weeners of themselves that they might have proved excellent schollars if they had not been perswaded that they were such already Themistocles listned to nothing so willingly as to his own commendations The Emperor Adrian oppressed some and slew others that exceld in any art or faculty that he might be held the only skilful And it is said of Aristotle that he burnt the books of many antient Philosophers that he might be the more admired Prov 16.5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. When a wal swels it is near breaking it is no smal art to conceal art nor is it a smal glory to conceal glory Emptie casks sound lowdest and purses with a very little money gingles more then those that are top ful They that best deserve praises do most desire concealment Moses shone and knew it not Christ had all the treasures of wisdome and knowledg in him but they were hid in him he did not fret when he was obscured The best of men were most modestlie conceited of themselves Jacob said he was lesse then the least of Gods mercies David a worm and no man Agur more brutish then any man Great Pauâ— the least of Saints the greatest of sinners They that think themselves rich and ful able and strong know not that they are poor and miserable and blind and naked They conceive their mole hil a mountain their kestril an eagle their goose a swan poring upon and blessing themselves in their own beauty while they gaze upon themselves as you seem to do over the banks of your baptissmal waters until they fal into the River and are drowned thereby But to proceed to your third reason of publishing your Book 3ly To let the world see that our baptisme hath not metamorphosed us Mr Lamb to his Reader from Lambs to Wolves Tygers or Serpent which is insinuated by M Goodwin in his last c. SECT IX INdeed if the world had not seen your Book Replie Mr Lamb renders himselfe in his Book a visibâ—e instance of what he seems to withstand and implead therein they might have suspected the due applicablenes of such an insinuation unto your self but he that shal see and read the same knowing what once you were and what that book represents you now to be if your spirit be in your writing may be astonished at the metamorphoses Have you not rendred your self as sad an instance of such an alteration and grown as great a proficient in the black art for rendring evil for good your time and all things else considered as any of that misterie of iniquitie that ever I knew Have you not with all love care and tenderness been treated withall by your antient Pastor as a sheep and lamb of Christ under him Mr Lambs ingratitude and unkindnes to Mr Goodwin as deare unto him as Jonathon to David nay as Benjamin to his old father Jacob the apple of his eye the signet on his arm Were you not unto him you above any other Member as John the Evangelâ—st unto Christ Jesus alwaies as it were in his bosome I had almost said his fond-ling And have not you heretofore answered at least seeminglie nay I think I may say reallie his kindness with kindness his love with love And now have you not Absolom like rallied up what strength You can against him Did you not as yesterday strive to keep the Flock of Christ whereof you were more then a commmon member Mr L. changed for the worse since his separation in a straight hand of unitie love improving your parts abilities and opportunities to keep them as close together as the scales of the Leviathan And have you not not onlie withdrawn your self but with an high hand stroven to bring off others into the same condemnation with your self endeavouring to tear up our foundations and incouraging all you had any hope to ingage a gainst us and our Church as the enemies of Jerusalem encouraged one another against it race it race it even to the ground Did not the language of your deportment to our Church pastor and people speak as Peter to Christ though all men would be offended with thee yet will not I But have You not like Orpah in the 1. of Ruth 14. not with so much as a parting salute turned Your back upon them and like the Isralites in the Wildernesse started aside like a broken bow and vvith Peter withdrawn away from us as if you never knew us Yea eagerlie and Tigerâ—y made at the face of your faithful pastor in the eies of all men Did ever any of the Church lift up such Hosannahâ— Mr Lamb once the greatest admirer now the chiefest slighter of M G spread his way with such palm branches and garments of praise and commendations before his very face and the face of the whole Church to the frequent offence both of himself and the Church as You have done And hath any one of them yea of them that have departed from us lifted him up indeed but it is unto the Crosse to be crucified in the sight of the world as Your self in this book You seem indeed with Jael in your book to speak smooth words soft and pleasing language to spread over him mantles of love and kindness but your hammer and naile are readie in your hands to strike him through the verie Temples rejoicing therby not the armies of Israelites Mr Lamb first crowns then kils Mr Goodwins reputation but of the Cananites dealing with him as Xerxes did with his stears-man crown him in the morning and cut off his head in the afternoon of the same day Or like the fickle Isralites that with great zeal fought but verie latelie for David and a little after crie out We have no part in David neither have we inheritance in the son oâ— Jessie every man to his tents O Israel and now all the crie is for Sheba the son af Bâ—â—ri is not here a change However you proceed vvith a verie oilie lip thus Had not the truth been dearer to me then any man Mr Lamb to his Reader I had rather choose to lose my right hand then set it to a Book that frowneth on him Mr Goodwin whose credit alwaies was and stil is right dear and pretious in my sight SECT IX YOur pen stumbles at Truth Reply and speaks of nothing more then truth without Truth being indeed more accustomed to articulate then to argue out Truth And as for that Truth that you so much pretend unto in your book we may as soon find grapes on thorns and figgs on thistles as find it there He that thinks to be led by the light that shines therein unto Dothan shal find himself at last abused by an
the same as formerly all endeavours to gain them notwithstanding and the disterences grew as great as ever At last the twelve persons chosen as aforesaid six by Mr. Goodwin and six by the Parish having met several times did conclude upon several proposal to be tendered to Mr. Goodwin And a time was appointed for M. Goodwin to give in his answer whether he would consent thereunto or not M. Goodwin having perused the same immediately consented thereunto and signified his resolutions to give in his consent unto the Vestry at the time appointed There was also another Vestry held in which it was ordered as followeth At a Vestry held the 12th of December 1643. ordered THat all those that shall desire and be sound worthy by M Goodwin and such as he shall nominate in the parish and the parish approve of to partake of the Sacrament in this parish shal submit to have their names written down in a book kept for that purpose by which they shal be accounted members of this Church and congregation and that other Parishioners being members have liberty to inform those persons so instructed with their Objections against any man Mr. Goodwin having thus complied with the dissenting brethren as aforesaid and having resolved also to submit unto the proposals aforesaid and signified the same unto them that he would subscribe them in publike Vestrie upon the day appointed some few of the said dissenting party for it is not imputable to them all before the said Vestry were to meet contrary to all former proceedings relating to union and reformation applyed themselves to the then Committee of Plundered Ministers by way of Petition complaining against M. Goodwin that he caused rents and divisions in the Parish refused to administer the Sacrament introduced innovations gathered a people unto himself c. and in fine procured as it was said though it was never shewed unto the Parish as I could ever understand the sequestration of the Vicaridge of Steven Coleman-street from the use of M. Iohn Goodwin unto the use of M. Ieremy VVhitaker then living But M. VVhitaker upon the full understanding of the whole matter would not accept of the same By all which it appears to all impartiall men that ever understood the History of these transactions that it was not M. Goodwin and those of the Parish that joyned with him in that reformation who separated from the godly Presbyterians as you call them but that they were the true separatists though they would be known by another name And God almighty pardon them and lay not their separation unto their charge shew you mercy also for your groundless separation from us and for your untrue charging M. Goodwin for separation from the godly Presbyterians in Coleman-street for those by you meant were not such at that time 4. Suppose M. Goodwin had altogether been now of another opinion about Church-work then he was before when he wrote that Letter to M. Thomas Goodwin must this in M. Goodwins judgement and conscience justifie your separation from the Church where you were because you judge your present way the truth and that you were before in an error It may indeed and I think it ought to keep him from censuring you as sinning against your light and conscience as supposing your heart right with God in respect of your intentions in your separations and so it doth For where hath he censured you or the rest of the brethren walking with you as so sinning I believe he hath exercised more charity to you-ward in this kinde than you have towards him and it is fit he should for he hath more to exercise But doth this wholly excuse you or reflect dishonour upon M. Goodwin for condemning your separation Suppose you had turn'd Papists Iews Turks in your very judgement and consciences or as many Ranters and licentious persons and still by the delusion of your judgements and consciences would it have been dishonourable for M. Goodwin to write against you because M. Goodwin turned separate from the Church of England Certainly a man would think that such arguments as these would hardly make a Net strong enough to catch and hold a very flie but a child is known by his doings Pro. 20.11 SECT LVI VVE accept of your Exhortation to suffer none to have dominion over our faith to call no man much less a child master on earth in respect of it And therefore you must shew us better arguments than hitherunto we have seen before you pull us away from our present standing in the Courts of the house of our God where we arefed with the marrow and fatness thereof and have sweet refreshings from his presence from day to day HAving done with your Epistle wherein you have contracted what you have dispersed in your Book I shall take a very brief survey of the Book and body thereof also And because I wil not trouble the Reader with vain repetitions shall wave that which hath been already insisted upon and speak to the rest The whole Book indeed containing many needless and heartless repetitions unnecessary digressious tedious prolixities proceeding not so much from strength of judgement as hear of affection being like corn on the house top yeilding neither seed to the sower nor bread to the eater or as Iudes clouds without water and giving out little refreshment to any man but blackness and darkness SECT LVII M. Goodwins first consideration is summarily thus Moral precepts when in competition with ceremonial must be obeyed and Ceremoniall suspended Mat. 12.3 4.7.11 Mat. 5.23 24. Hence he inferrs the inexcusableness of such persons in the sight of God and men who pretend themselves disobliged from the performance of such lawfull yea holy and righteous promises which they solemnly made unto their brethren by a necessity of subjecting to an external rite or ceremony as water-dipping is especially when the generality of the most judicious learned and faithful servants of God in the Christian world adjudged the same no ways necessary by vertue of any precept or command of God To this you answer that you allow the consideration as importing an undoubted Truth But secondly that this is ill applied unto you though separating from the Church whereof you were a member upon the account of their refusal to be rebapâ—ized and that too by dipping You ground your exception upon two things First the solemn League and Covenant taken by you and the whole Nation to go one before another in reformation according to light 2. Mr. Goodwins own practise in separating from the godly Presbyterians and joyning in that way of worshipping God wherein he now walketh I Reply The solemn league covenant no pleafor separation First to that of the Covenant that it was in the very design of it a covenant of union and not of division of the godly party in the three nations that it was intended by the framers and imposers thereof that each person should be an example unto