me was He that is not sound in the Doctrine of Justification or to that sense And what made them threaten to disown him if he would not cease such wayes Did ever sober men go about with such general accusations and expect that men answer to they know not what 6. But what are the few words that would satisfie you A yea or a nay What if I say Sir I think I am sound in the doctrine of Justification and I think you speak evil of the things you know not Would that have satisfied you Sect. 32. E. B. And in another place you tell me that you have written the better part of above fifty Books against the prophane the Jews and the Mahumetans I will not enquire to what purpose for I am very confident none of those did ever read what you have written against them But add to these your several other Treatises your Books will in all amount to as many Volumes as Tostatus writ concerning whom and all such kind of Writers you once gave this true Character though since you have most unhappily forgotten it I cannot but account all those Tostatus's as impudently proud who think the world should read no bodies works but theirs Pray Sir read this passage again and compare it with what you have already written and what as I hear you do yet further intend to write and then tell me in earnest what you think of your self R. B. 1. Seeing our debates about Church-dividing must needs be turned to this Whether I am proud I grant you the conclusion that I am proud and what would you have more 2. Your ductile followers that never saw Tostatus know not how you cheat them by these words and that you measure by Number and not by bulk and twenty of some of my Books will not make one of Tostatus's for bigness If you go to number how many more wrote Origen But a Sheet is not so big as a large Volume in folio 3. I never accused Augustine Chrysostom Calvin Zanchy c. as imitating Tostatus And I have not wrote so much as they 4. The best way to cure one that writeth too much is to perswade men not to buy and read it and then the Booksellers will not print it And till you can do that you see that all men are not of your mind And by what obligation am I bound to be of your mind alone rather than of many thousands that are of another and those that still importune me to write more Is it pride only to differ from you and to write against your judgement Or were not the Fathers and Divines fore-mentioned with Rivet Chamier Beza Luther c. yea and Dr. Owen too proud if large Writings be a sign of Pride 5. When you question to what purpose it is to write Books against the Prophane and Jews and Mahumetans that is against Infidelity and to defend the Christian faith you shew what a Guide you are to the Church 6. When you are confident that none of the Prophane c. did ever read what I wrote against them either you believe your self or not If you do how unfit are you to be believed of any that know no better what is credible in a matter of fact Could you think for instance that my Call to the Vnconverted hath been printed so oft I think some scores of thousands and translated into French by Mr. Eliots as he said he was doing into the Indian Tongue and no prophane person ever read it You will take this very instance its like for my pride which you make necessary to shew your temerity and deceit But if you do not believe your self how much less should others believe you 7. Will no sober Readers think that you set your self to do the Devils work against the service of the Church of God by seeking to silence us from writing by your contumely and scorns even from writing against the Prophane and Infidels at a time when we are by others silenced from publick preaching Let your conscience tell you if I had obeyed you from the first and never written whether the Devil or most that have made use of what I wrote would have thankt you more 8. Did not the Primitive Teachers Apostles and others leave us their Examples for Writing as well as for Vocal Teaching And are they not two wayes of predicating or publishing the same Gospel And if so would he serve God or the Devil that would scorn us all as Proud for preaching so much as the best men do 9. And do you not yet see how much you have of the same silencing Spirit which you profess to separate from 10. But your warning for a review hath brought me to Repent of and Retract that passage against Tostatus as being too rashly uttered Because 1. He wrote when good Writers were more scarce than now 2. Because he might be willing that other mens works should be preferred before his and that his own should not be wholly read but partly perused on particulas occasions 3. And it is unseemly to reprove industry Now we come to the Question after all this Sect. 33. IN stating of this Question You do E. B p. 10. your self grant so much that you scarce leave any thing to be either disputed or denyed R. B. Remember Reader that my Professed design on the Title page is 1. To invite all sound and sober Christians by what names soever called to receive each other to Communion in the same Churches 2. And where that which is first desireable cannot be attained to bear with each other in their distinct Assemblies and to manage them all in Christian Love 3. And that under the first head I particularly prove that It is lawful to hold Communion with such Christian Churches as have worthy or tolerable Pastors notwithstanding the Parochial order of them and the Ministers Conformity and use of the Common-Prayer Book This last is the true state of the Question which I affirm with these two limitations or explications That is 1. That it is lawful statedly to communicate as a member with such a Parish Church where we cannot consideratis considerandis have Communion with a better upon lawful termes 2. That those that can have stated Communion with a better may yet lawfully communicate sometimes with such a Parish Church as we may do on just occasion with a Church of Neighbours or Strangers where we live or come Yea that we ought to do so when some special reasons as from Authority Scandal c. do require it These are the summ of my Assertions Though my main cause oblige me as much to prove to a Conformist that he may have Communion with a Church of Non-conformists yet I had no call to prosecute that particularly as I had to the other for the reasons which I rendred at large And this being the Case judge now of this mans Dissent and furious opposition whether sober people have reason to
strictly upon a quarter of what you have writ you could not be guilty of so strange forgetfulness For in your Premonition to the Saints Rest you have these very words Many think that by Flesh is meant only Indwelling sin when alas it is the sensitive appetite that it chargeth us to subdue For which you quote Rom. 8. 3 4 5 c. R. B. You begin comfortably with a promise to Conclude but you proceed sadly 1. Is not the inference as strong against many words in your Preaching as in mine and other mens writings that in many words there cannot want much sin 2. You proclaim the aggravation of your sin when you speak for meditating strictly on what we write Can you heap up untruths in Book after Book and commit all these Crimes even when you have strictly meditated what you write Do you sin so studyedly and deliberately and yet will you not Repent 3. Reader if ever thou wilt pitty a poor self-conceited troubler of the Church pitty this poor man who here openly tells thee that either he understands not common sense or else takes no heed what he saith but bringeth a new untruth to justifie a former even into the open light and triumpheth in his act He telleth you the charge which he undertaketh to prove viz. that I have written that by Flesh is only meant the sensitive appetite He now undertaketh to prove that I said so in the Premon to the Saints Rest which is another Vntruth because I said Many think that by Flesh the Scripture meaneth only our Indwelling sin when alas it is the inordinate sensitive appetite which it chargeth us to subdue Here he first leaveth out several words especially the word inordinate because he read not the later Editions And yet he put in the word only which the Printer in the last Editions hath left out and which openly sheweth the falshood of his charge Is it all one to say that by Flesh is meant not only Indwelling sin and to say It is not meant at all Do you think he took any heed of the word only when he wrote it My business not in the Premonition as he mis-reports but in the Epistle was to prove the sinfulness of flesh-pleasing and that when the Scripture bids us subdue the flesh and make no provision for it c. It doth not only mean subdue the habits of Indwelling sin in the understanding and will and make no Provision for them but also that we must prevent actual sin by subduing the sensitive appetite unto reason and ruling it by faith and that even Original and habitual sin it self consisteth partly in the Inordinateness of that Appetite And here I implyed this proof from the Notation of the Name q. d. If the sin to be subdued be called Flesh then the Fleshly appetite is not wholly to be excluded For there is some reason why sin is called Flesh rather than Spirit And what can the reason be but that 1. The sensitive appetite it self is Inordinate and so part of the seat of sin and 2. The understanding and will are enslaved to the sense or flesh and are vitiated with a sinful inclination to serve the flesh or sense it self And therefore he that readeth in Scripture such passages as require us to subdue the flesh he must not deceive himself by thinking that it is only Indwelling sin that is in the superiour faculties that is meant by flesh and that the sensitive appetite is not here meant at all When as 1. Original sin it self is partly in the sensitive appetite And 2. Actual sin is to be resisted by subduing the sensitive appetite to reason and bringing the body into subjection as well as Indwelling sin to be extirpated And if the Name of Flesh be put upon Indwelling sin from the Fleshly interest and Inordinate appetite then surely this it self is not wholly to be excluded as no part of the sense of the word Flesh in Scripture And when my words plainly express this sense with what face could this man not only put other words upon me which were none of my own but also another sense and a sense clean contrary to the words And this to justifie a former falshood And this after that in divers Writings I have fully and plainly disputed of Original sin as it is the corruption of the superiour faculties and in divers Books about Conversion shewed the necessity of the cleansing and renewing of those faculties And here the word only was before his eyes a confutation of his calumny Sect. 62. E. B. And indeed Sir that I may confess a secret to you this very passage of yours I looked on as so conceited and singular and many years agoe it gave me so great offence that I threw away your Book upon it and never would read it over as not thinking it possible that one who erred in the very entrance in so plain a truth was able to instruct me in any thing that was worth my knowing R. B. 1. The Book was written about twenty one or twenty two years agoe and you are a Young man yet You surely begun very early to be past possibility of being taught any thing by such as I. Is this only to declare your humility or that you speak evil of the Books which you never read and that you are the fittest man to be the accuser of them 2. It may be there was some early antipathy between our judgements For I will confess such another secret to you That about twelve years ago a Latine small discourse came to my hand as famed to be yours against the Species of Monarchical Government and the arguments against Monarchy in it seemed to me such poor injudicious slender stuff that though I did not as you cast away the Book till I came to the end it was one occasion of my writing the twenty Arguments against Democrasie which I put into the Book which I have revoked my Polit. Aph. 3. Do you not tell the world how fit a Champion you are for any truth or reformation who when you read not only indwelling sin expound it not at all Indwelling sin and then glory that you cast away the Book as that which could not possibly teach you And are you not by this time an excellent Scholar and a very wise man if you did so by all your other Books Sect. 63. E. B. p. 26. I am much confirmed in that judgement of your Book since a person yet living and one worthy of credit accuainted me that when the learned and judicious Mr. Herle had read that cryed-up Book of yours he told him It had been happy for the Church of God if your friends had never sent you to School Mr. Cawdry had the same opinion of it And another person as knowing in the Mysterie of Godliness as either of them told a friend of mine that notwithstanding the noise about you you would end in flesh and blood R. B. 1. A worthy
thus he did which is mentioned as no rarity should you not rather take part with God than him And if an Aaron will make the people naked to their shame will not God record it to his shame Is not the honour of the Spirit of God more tenderly to be preserved than his or yours or mine or any mans O do not injure God for Man Sect. 27. E. B. p. 8. But 1. May not a good man yea a true Prophet be sometime mistaken Was not Samuel so when he took Eliab to be the Lords anointed Was not Nathan deceived when he encouraged David to build the Temple R. B. 1. Yes they may be deceived when they speak in their own names and judge by their own Spirit or reason But do you think they may be deceived when they prophesie as from God If so then what certainty can we have of the truth of any of their Prophecies if they may speak falsly to us in the name of God 2. Will not your followers think you yet see your partiality who in one Page reproach others as denying Scripture to be a perfect Rule and in another can thus seek to parallel Gods Prophets with one that rashly in the Pulpit prophesieth three falshoods together in the name of God Is it not Gods direction to us to take him for a false Prophet who prophesieth that which cometh not to pass Every one that foretelleth that which doth come to pass is not a true Prophet Deut. 13. 23. But every one that absolutely prophesieth that which doth not come to pass is a false Prophet Deut. 18. 20 21 22. But the Prophet which shall presume to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak even that Prophet shall dye Mark whether God do judge as you do And if thou say in thy heart how shall we know the word which the Lord hath spoken when a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to pass that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not be afraid of him Sect. 28. E. B. 2. May not many Prophets truly foretell things to come and yet those things be a long time suspended and delayed because of the sins of the people Is not this condition to be understood in most Scripture Prophecies expressed Zach. 6. 15. And this shall come to pass if you will diligently obey c. R. B. 1. A Conditional promise or prediction may be not only delayed but never fulfilled so as that the thing shall not come to pass if the condition never come to pass 2. Promises are oftner to be expounded as Conditional than peremptory Prophecies when no condition is expressed But what words can more exclude both Conditions and Delayes than I tell you from God that you shall never more c. When 1. They never ceased paying Tythes from that day to this 2. And their Taxes were then upon them and I think they believe not that they never paid more 3. And that we have a King his Subjects all acknowledge Indeed the Jews say that the promise of the Messiah is delayed because of their sins and by such pretences what true Prophecy may not be perverted and false excused As for what you say of Mr. Powels Religiousness diligence and worthiness I never said a word against it And I desire to promote and not to cloud the true honour of his name And your calling that an unchristian calumny which you cannot deny to be a proved truth is but an unmanly calumny of your own And for your Prophecy of my memory dying before me I am not solicitous of the matter let God do with my memory what he please nor am I regardful of your Prophecy who defend false prophecying being commanded not to fear such Deut. 18. 22. Sect. 29. E. B. The pride of your heart discovered by your writings is so apparent that it cannot but be known and read of all men to go no further for instances than your last Books what needed you have told the world in print that you chase once on Easter day to communicate in a very populous Church purposely that it might be the further known Is not this like the Hypocrites to blow a Trumpet before and to do your actions that they may be seen of men What other end could you have in doing that so publickly then or in declaring it now but a vain glorious hope that doubting and unsatisfied Christians might look upon your example as their Pole-star and accordingly direct their course R. B. 1. As to the Pride of my heart I shall first say this in general that I am past doubt I have too much of it As no man is wholly cured of that odious vice so I am one that have no cause to say that I am perfect But these things I can confidently say 1. That so far as I am proud I sin as much against my own judgement I imagine as most men alive do there being sew that ever I was acquainted with that have said and written more against it than I have done I have had these thirty years and more more odious conceptions of that sin and a deeper sense of its commonness and prevalency in the world and the wofull ruines which it makes in the Church and State and souls and how frequently it sheweth it self even in men of great piety and worth than of almost any other sin I have had so many thousand thoughts and words against it as make me much more culpable if I be proud 2. And I shall sin as much against my Conscience in being proud as most men in the world As my Judgement is so much against the sin so my Conscience commandeth me a very Low and Constant self-abasement It telleth me that whether I look to a corruptible painfull flesh or to an Ignorant understanding or to a sinful will or to a sinful and unprofitable life I have so little to be proud of as will render my pride exceeding odious 3. I do evidently see the odiousness of this sin in others Were it not for seeming to retort your charge I should say that though I cannot as you do conclude of the heart yet the usual Ensigns of Pride with Temerity and Injudiciousness Boldness and Blindness do appear to me so monstrous in your Writings above the size that ordinary sinners ever fall to as maketh me the more apprehend how dreadful it is to give way to pride in the beginnings And methinks I see as written on the front of your Writings Be not high-minded but fear Therefore I am still the more culpable if I abound with that which is so terrible a warning to me in your self and other such as you 4. And as I every day watch and pray against it and if ever I knew any thing of my self in the world I am certain that I live in an