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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96167	An answer to W.R. his narration of the opinions and practises of the churches lately erected in Nevv-England. Vindicating those Godly and orthodoxall churches, from more then an hundred imputations fathered on them and their church way, by the said W.R. in his booke. Wherein is plainely proved, 1. That the grounds of his narration are sandie and insufficient. 2. That the maner of his handling it, unloving and irregular. 3. That the matter of it, ful of grosse mistakes & divers contradictions. 4. That the quotations extremely wrested, and out of measure abused. 5. That his marginall notes impertinent and injurious. / By Thomas Welde, Pastour of the Church of Roxborough in Nevv-England. This is licensed and entred according to order.	Weld, Thomas, 1590?-1662.	1644 (1644)	Wing W1262; Thomason E3_18; ESTC R2769	70,175	76

in Christ Jesus leade thee by the hand into all truth and peace Thine T. W. The Reader may take a short view of some Particulars in W. R. his Narration As they are made to appeare in his Booke by the Page and Line as followeth Vnfound passages Vntrue Relations Falsified quotations Page Line Page Line Page Line 4 25 1 15 17 6 5 20 2 21 18 20 6 7. 24. 37 5 20 19 14. 24 7 5. 15 6 23 20 24 8 28 20 3. 32. vlt. 24 35 9 whole page 25 2 last 25 18. 23 18 26 39 10 25 23. 31. 40 24 39 37 whole pag.   26 5 29 17. 28 38 whole pag.   32 3 last 36 28 51 whole pag.   57 16 40 15 56 9 58 1. 2. 27 52 1. 9. 26 57 5. 10. vlt. 59 22 53 2. 11. 22 59 6. 33 60 23 c. 54 3. 10 60 11 61 38 58 33 62 11. 25. ad fin 62 11. 25. ad fin 61 21. 26 66 4 last 63 1. 9 64 1 9. 25 67 6. 12. 22 64 14 65 13 ad finem 68 4. 7. 12 67 25. 18 There are some things in W. R. his Narration that carry a face of contradiction I propound them to his review in his owne words sense and pages Thus they stand That Sacraments are to be Administred to the Members of the same Church only Narration p. 35. Art 5. vide p. 38. Art 4. The Churches do and may mutualiy partake each with other in the Sacraments p. 37. Art 31. p. 10. Art 7 That They conceive some to bee true Christians whether they be in Church estate or no. p. 33. Art 1. Whosoever becomes not a setled member of a Church they account him wicked prophane and a gracelesse person p. 29. Art 1. p. 12. Art 12. He saith concerning the judgements practises of the Churches generally in New-England That They may and doe constitute new Churches without the consent of the Christian State p. 20. last line p 49. Art 2. latter end of the Marg. Before they doe enter into Church estate notice is first given thereof to the Magistrate or the Christian State p. 21. Art 4. And by a law of the State none can enter without such knowledge given to the Magistrate p. 21. Art 2. That They may and doe set up new Churches in the midst of and against the mind of the Churches p. 49. Art 2. and latter end of Margent Notice is given thereof to the neighbouring Churches that such as please may be present p. 21. Art 4. That The Church-Covenant is that whereby all the Members of the Society are united to Christ p. 12. Art 1. Many are within the Church-covenant that are not within the Covenant of Grace and so not united to Christ p. 14. Art 3. That The Churches of New-England are of one and the same way in Discipline without any materiall difference p. 1. Art 1. They are not of the same way but sometimes of 2. contrary waies sometimes of 3. severall waies at once and that in very materiall points p. 10. Art 8. p. 16. Art 8. p. 13. Art 3. and 4. p. 27. Art 11. Objection 1 But we in New-England goe different waies so the contradictions come from our selves not from him Answ No for We are all of the same way and differ not in any materiall point as himselfe plainely saith chap. 1. Art 1. 2 His Narration speakes what the Churches in New-England doe generally as Title p. 1. Now it is impossible that they can generally goe two wayes at once Objection 2 But our writers say so and hee speakes according to them Answ Then let him make this appeare and that will bee hard to doe for his quoted Authors speake the selfe same thing An Answer to VV. R. his Narration of the Opinions and Practises of the Churches lately erected in New-England An Answer to the PREFACE IT would grieve a tender heart to heare this man call God and his Conscience to witnesse how highly he honours and loves those that are in Church waies and by and by to assault with horrible untruths and bitter invectives the Churches of New-England whom God hath beene pleased to honour in the hearts of thousands of his pretious Saints which one would thinke hardly credible that any that goeth under the notion of honesty much lesse of godlinesse should venture to doe He blames the Brethren of the Independent way as he stiles them that were and are in London for breaking a solemne agreement to produce a narrative of their Doctrine and practise and yet did not yea would not perform● it 1. Some of us professe solemnely we never so much as heard of any promise therefore were farre enough from breaking it Answ why then doth W. R. lay it upon the Independent Brethren in London without exception 2. What was done by any of them herein was freely from themselves as I am informed by them that by some manifestation of their Judgements and practises they might cleare themselves from misapprehensions and mistakes so that if they did it not themselves were like to suffer most 3. This they made performance of in their late Apologie so farre as might satisfie in a rationall way but if hee expected more where lies the fault 4. If they did not this so soone as hee would have had them let him know the extreame distractions of these times and the publique service of some of these brethren who were imployed by the State for a good space together might justly hinder greater things then this Now see what little cause the Narratour had to cast such a blot on the names of his Honored Brethren as he calles them Hee saith Many w●re drawne aside their Churches and Ministry slighted neglected deserted yea contumeliously and scornefully reproached as Antichristian Babylonish false and Null c. Answ 1. Such contemptuous speeches reproachfull carriages cast upon our Brethren of the Churches here neither are or ever were allowed by us yea our owne examples practisings writings doe and we hope ever shall beare witnesse against such loose and lavish spirits and practises And can any man then justly impute them unto us Psal 11.3 May we not say with the Psalmist If the foundations be cast downe what hath the innocent done 2. They are not alone in these reproches our selves also are fellow-sufferers with them herein from divers Sectaries now in London whose usuall tones dialects these words he mentions are not the voyce of Independents That some of our way contrary to our promise and Pactions have impetously both in Pulpit and Presse laboured to promote the popular governement to make all men disrelish and abominate the Presbyterian way Answ 1 A sad complaint if true But to shew how farre from this spirit and practise we have beene consider first how loath wee were to appeare in the case who though we had bookes of this subject ready for the presse yet by joynt consent suppressed them

businesse as in the sight presence of God with fasting prayer at least should stop mens mouths from speaking ill of them and their wayes Yet W. R. failes in his dealing with them in divers points which I desire to advertise him of in the spirit of meeknesse In that offensive phrase saying those Persons come now to be Churches he well knowes the meaning of that word It doth not become gravitie and holinesse to give such deriding words nor ludere cum sanctis God heares all our words and sees the scope of our hearts therein But if he meant innocently in it I should be sorrie that I once named it He speakes twise both in Art 6. and 8. of the Messengers of the Magistrates s●nt to the gathering of the Churches ●nsw But there is no such thing done the Magistrates come themselves in person if they can or if not they send no Deputies or Messengers the Churches indeed send Messengers commonly their Elders to lend them a word of counsell if they need being more experienced in those ways then cōmonly new beginners are to joyne their prayers with theirs to give them the right hand of fellowship But the Magistrates send no Deputies He reports in Art 8. That if the Messengers or any standers by be unsatisfied they make their objections as they thinke fit untill they be satisfied Then in his Marginalls upon it It 's an hard thing saith he to satisfie all commers in what they please If any objection be against his life it must be presently and openly declared before the country This is little wisedom lesse charity ●ns Here are many unwise and uncharitable passages laid unjustly to our charge and all those without any proofe at all but onely H. W. I. W. who knowes where to consult with them As 1. That any stander by yea all commers may question or object 2. and that even what they please 3. if any failings be in their lives they are presently and openly declared before all the country Which things are nothing so For 1. None may speake a word but soberly and orderly And 2. not without leave desired and granted 3. nor how much hee will nor what hee please but things very weighty and necessary And 4. not of any failings to their disparagement For if they be unsatisfied with any of them in point of discipline or matters of fact they are first to deale with them in private seeing they know before both the Persons that are then to joyne and the time and occasion of that daies meeting And I am confident never a Godly sober man will write other wise It 's little wi●dome or charity I am sure for him to affirme things so contrary to the truth That if the M ssengers be unsatisfied with any of those that are about to enter into Church fellowship they are forbidden to enter into Church estate ●nswer This is as wide as the rest For the Messengers never arrogated to themselves such power to this day nay they professedly expresse against it constantly in such meetings as to forbid their entrance into Church estate The most they doe at any time in this case is to desire leave to be faithfull in interposing their counsell and that only when they see very great cause And withall leave them to their Christian liberty Now having answered to the Articles we will speake something to those of the Marginalls on this 5. chapter which are not touched already He tells us Mar. to Art 2. that there are too many here who runne the same Church-courses with us that hold that the Magistrate hath nothing to doe with the first table But 1. he knowes or may know at least that this opinion is utterly against our Judgement practise and established Iawes in New-England Answ therefore it no way concerns us 2. Nor doth it any whit reflect upon our cause which he is too ready upon this or any occasion to disgrace for none are more dependant upon Magistracy then those they call Independants from whose principles they never sucked that dangerous opinion therefore he did not well to give such by-blowes to innocent persons and waies 3. If this should be a blot to our cause that some of our Church-way hold ill opinions let him make it appeare that none of his way are grosly tainted with Popish and Arminian leavin or else blot out this Margent He saith Margent to Art 2. It seemes to him we have little lesse then a compound Presbyterie set up amongst us and Church-Canons in act though not in rule and gives his instances for this 1. As it is saith he an agreement amongst the Churches and Ministers that no Church shall be set up there without the knowledge of other Churches There is a compound Presbyterie 2. That no man shall preach or vent any new or uncouth tenants untill first he hath communicated them with his fellow Ministers A very good Canon 3. That such as are to enter into Church estate do use to meete together before hand to acquaint themselves in private with each other spiritual estate a Canon 1. Doe Canons bind people to obedience Answer so farre only as they please to agree unto them and no further these Canons are an agreement 2 Doe Presbyteries consist of whole Churches for he saith as it is an agreement of Churches as well as Ministers its little lesse then a compound Presbyterie If Ministers and people both doe rule who shall be ruled over by this Presbyterie 3. He answers the thing and contradicts himselfe both at once for he saith Art 2. this giving notice to Magistrates and Churches of a Church to be erected is by a law of the generall court and cannot be as he saith in Margent and agreement of Churches therefore no Ecclesiasticall Canon Suppose many Godly Ministers in London should agree amongst themselves that every one should preach downe the superstition of that they call Christmas and promise each other that till they should give in their reasons to the contrary they would not preach for or against discipline would W. R. call this agreement a Presbyterie or a Canon Let him see then how extreamely wide he is in the other If Churches saith he send Deputies or Messengers to represent themselves and to act in their room why not in a Synod as well Marg. to Art 6. ●nsw If Churches send their messengers or chosen men to conferre and consult onely in a Synod in their names without any Authority of concluding and determining of matters or much lesse binding their Churches to what they determine of which is our case in New-England as we have said I know nothing against such a practise But if Synods doe more and goe further his allegation is to no purpose If so much time saith he be spent in joyning seven or eight persons together into one Church how much time would be requisite to ioyne 3000 together but the Apostles went a shorter way Marg. to

Art 10. ●sw Consider first 1 The Gifts Graces and abilitie of discerning that were in the Apostles above any Minister now living who as they were able to preach with lesse time of studie so to dispatch and turne over weighty businesse with more speede and dexterity then we are 2 The extraordinary wonderfull and visible stroke of God upon the spirits and hearts of men that heard Peter at that time the meeting the language their understanding of it Gods assistance of Peter and blessing on the word all extraordinary Such a day such a Sermon such effects as never were before nor like to be to the end of the world so the power of God was remarkable in their conversion so also in their expression and demonstration of it So that there needed little triall when God spake himselfe from Heaven Answer to CHAP. VI. HE reports to recite such things onely as most neede Answer and let the rest passe Art 1. 2. That we hold that Christ hath invested with all power any that are in Church-fellowship that though they be all illiterate yet they may make examine all their Officers unmake depose them when they see cause so to doe and preach expound and apply the word with all Authority yea and doe it without any ref●rence at all to their Officers as Officers when they have them ●nsw If I did delight in retorting I could say of these words as hee of Holland Ministers Apologie They are a meere Gull for almost so many words so many mistakes The Narratour should have done well first to have proved all the Churches and Ministers in New-England men out of their wits and voide of common sense and then hee might more easily have made the world beleeve they hold and practise such a congeries of absurdities and impossibilities For else many of them there being well known to bee learned godly and sober men no wise men will beleeve him that they can hold that 1. Illiterate men can examine Pastors fitnesse 2. Depose them at pleasure 3. Preach expound and apply the word with all authority 4. And that without any reference to their Officers at all 5. And which is m●st strange that Christ himselfe hath invested these illiterate ones with all power to doe all these things For 1. It is a received practise amongst us that when any combine into a Church there is one at least of them indued with able parts of humane and divine learning that either hath been a Minister in our native countrey or is fit to be one amongst them who usually and frequently preacheth to them after they are united So that al of them are not men illiterate ☜ and W. R. himselfe knowes this to be true for the Answer to the 32. quest 42. which is very page hee here quotes directly saith this in so many words 2. That those illiterate men do examine their Ministers abilities and that we hold they ought is another great mistake for so wee should put men upon a worke beyond their reach which were idle whereas the truth is that if the suffici●ncy of such men as they intend to call into office bee not well knowne to them they use to call in the helpe and assistance of Elders in other Churches to surveigh their abilities and to informe them therein that thereby as well as by their owne experience of them and discerning of their gifts they may be able to give in their suffrage for election when the time comes 3. For their unmaking and deposing them againe when they see cause Wee hold and professe it a thing most injurious to Jesus Christ himselfe in heaven to his Ministers on earth and such a thing as not only Christ will summon Churches at the great day to answer unto but our Churches there will also expect satisfaction from them for it if they should thus depose Ministers as he saith when they see cause unlesse Christ himselfe shall see good cause to allow their fact to be done according to the rules of his owne word Wee are so farre from holding this that wee protest against such practises And to shew how wary wee are in this point no Church dares trust her owne judgement but our manner is as his quoted Authour speakes Answer to 34. q. of p. 41. Our practise is in removall of Ministers to have counsell and assistance from sister Churches 4. Whereas he saith also That we hold that men illiterate should preach with all authority which is a worke and a taske for the ablest Ministers to performe is as farre from us as any of the other For though wee deny not but in some case some able judicious experienced Christians may humbly soberly when necessity requires as in the want of Ministers being invited thereunto dispence now and then a word of exhortation to their brethren This is farre enough from Preaching in an ordinary way with all Authority which are words of his owne put in without any ground 5. But for him to adde that we hold they may thus preach when they have Officers and that without any reference at all to them is extreamly contrary to our practise and furthest from the truth For this would directly crosse Christ his institution of calling Officers in his Church and make meere cyphers of them whose Office it is not onely to preach but to rule and governe the Assembly to open the doore of speech to any in the congregation and to shut it up by silence so that none may so much as speak without his allowance ☞ And this expression of his is contrary to his owne Narration in Art 8. where he saith That some of the Acts we ascribe to our Ministers in Office are to declare unto their people the minde of God and to moderate in Church-meetings yet here he speakes cleane contrary to himselfe and the truth also ☞ 6. For him to adde That wee hold that Christ hath invested these illiterate men with all power to doe all these things so farre beyond their power and all ordinary possibility contrary to all rule and to his owne institution is to put upon us one of the grossest absurdities that ever was heard of even to make Christ crosse himselfe and to be a patron of confusion in his owne house by investing them with all power to oppose his owne rules of Order Now let us see what grounds our Nartatour hath to lay all these charges against us You will thinke sure his proofes are strong or hee would never have ventured to blemish so many thousands of Gods faithfull I servants in such sore accusations as these True hee quotes many and that I might see his bottom I have surveied all the printed Authors in every page quoted ☞ and I solemnly professe it that none of these particulars rehearsed as hee hath laid them downe much lesse in them all will any of them beare him out and I desire the Reader to try whether

haply to the great detriment of our cause for that wee were unwilling to blow a fire 2. When we did appeare in Pulpit or Presse whether it was without instigation or no and how sparing wee have beene ever since untill some late forced replyes and how inoffensive in our carriages and preachings we leave to all godly to judge 3. Instance but in the Holland Brethrens Apologie was it Impetuously done was it A MOCK NARRATIVE A MEERE GVLL as this man most abusively styles it was it not rather full of Peaceablenesse modesty and candor and seasonably needefull as that Reverend man affirmed in Print 4. Doth not W. R. know that about this time of promises and Pactions or a while after our Brethren of the Presbyterian way did write a Letter into Scotland with many of their hands to it telling the Ministers there they did approve of their Governement and would joyne in the furtherance of it Now for him to binde our hands and seale up our mouthes and then underhand at the same time to fore-determine the matter and bee ingaged in that way before any solemne dispute and yet to accuse us for breaking Pactions seemes neither rationall nor faire Other things I shall speake to the Preface afterwards in answer to the booke Onely this he will make the Reader beleeve to forestall him that there are some seeming contradictions in our Tenets apparent repugnances to the letter of Scripture or light of common sense But what reall contradictions are in his Narrative and manifest repugnances in his Animadversions to Scripture rules light of reason and common sense too by the helpe of God I shall make to appeare but with a sad heart I must tell him that such things should be written by a Brother whom we have so much esteemed and reverenced but seeing now it is done rather then so many pretious Saints and Churches should suffer wrongfully I am forced to uncover If others be rightly informed and himselfe convinced I have my ends To the Narration in generall AS he saith hee had laid by the thoughts of it a good while through many discouragements So I conceive if he had cast them by for ever made the place of conception their grave he had dealt better for the truth and himselfe But he is very angry for want of Narratives One he must have and one he will have be it right or wrong and if neither New-England nor Holland Brethren bee worth a Narrative let him come he will frame one himselfe And this shall be no MOCK NARRATIVE NO MEERE GVLL as the Holland Brethren produced but a more solid thing Now what it is will appeare if we weigh three things That the grounds on which hee builds it are sandie and insufficient The manner of his proceeding unloving and irregular The matter of it 1. Full of grosse mistakes contrarieties to the truth and contradictions to it selfe 2. His quotations abused extremely and wrested 3. His Marginall notes very scandalous and offensive And according to this method we will proceede and undertake to make all these particulars good in our answer First for his grounds You would thinke that the grounds on which all his worke is founded and all New-England Churches taxed had neede bee sound even adequate or else hee will not prove himselfe a wise builder But they are these three 1. Our owne printed Bookes 2. Private letters 3. Other good intelligences as himselfe saith in his Title For the printed bookes which he quotes they are the writings of some godly and learned men there But that these be rightly conceived know 1. These bookes five in number are not written from all the Elders two of them but from one only Another from some few none of them from all 2. Not written to the Churches here as a Platforme of our practise but sent as an answer to some one or more Brethren in England that desired satisfaction to some quaetees of their owne whereof W. R. himselfe was one 3. Nor intended by them for the presse much lesse to be made a standard to prove our Churches opinions and waies by but published by some well-minded here without their knowledge yea against the mindes of some of them Yet if he had kept close to these in his narration he had saved his credit and my paines but you shall see he hath so abused and wrested them I dare say in wel-neere an hundred places that his assertions are not their sayings and words but his owne and they will leave him to quit himselfe as well as he can For as Scripture it selfe the rule of all things abused is no Scripture so the writings of men perverted are no more theirs This we shall make plentifully appeare Sundry private letters lying by him as hee saith sent from New-England but names only two letters of their names are another ground of his story And whatsoever any one of these writs though never so privately and unknown to any other man in any of all the Churches must needs be the opinion of all the Churches in New-England But to shew the invalidity yea and impossibility of this to be a good ground Consider 1. These are incompetent proofes and liable to great and just exceptions For 1. Some there are contrary to us in their opinions Antinomians Familists Antichurchians c. and even some of his cited letters as neer as we can gather are from some of these 2. Others that write letters from thence are weake in judgement not understanding what the Churches hold or not able to expresse aright what they themselves understand are all these fit to be the Churches interpreters Doth not W. R. himselfe in his preface say Scribimus omnes indocti doctique 3. Others may be novices not well verst in our way nor ripe to give the Churches verdict 4. Some others haply are but in part of our judgement and not come off fully to the Churches practises there 5. Others are prejudiced against the place and persons and prejudice himselfe knowes can hardly speake well And we know diverse such have wrote letters which t is like are fallen into his hands Therefore these cannot be built upon for competent witnesses And whereas he saith in his Postcript pag. 50. Object That these letters come from Members of Churches and many from Ministers of the Word It is answered That Members of Churches and Ministers too Ans may be liable to some or other and some of them possibly to many of the said exceptions Neither is it in our power nor in any Church in the world to cure all their Members or Ministers either of their distempers for if it were you would not suffer your own Churches in many of their Members and Ministers to be so infected with sundry grosse errors as they are 2. A testimonie against whole Churches had need be sure that men may trust unto it But how can we be assured 1. Whether such letters as he cites were ever written from New-England

of error delivered before all the people So as it is a scandall to the people a reproach to the Minister c. all this is his own addition Then for the other cited Author Answer to 32 q. 78 he deales more grosely with him then the former who is in a manner point-blanck against him yet hee boldly gives him up for an Author his words are these we never knew any Minister that did call upon the people thus to doe i. e. to propound questions and such calling upon them is farre from us some thinke the people have a liberty to aske a question upon very urgent and weighty cause none iudge the ordinary practise of it necessary but if not meekely and wisely carried inconvenient if not utterly unlawfull and therefore such asking of questions is seldome used in any in most Churches neere True it is in the times of the opinions some were bold in this kinde but these men are long since gone the Synod and Sermons have reproved this disorder so that a man may now live from one end of the yeere to another in these congregations and not heare any man opening his mouth in such kind of questions These the Authors words ☞ Now good reader do us the favour to give righteous judgement whether these words cited by him make for him or against him where is 1 giving leave 2 a course of giving leave 3 to any 4 to obiect and urge pro and con and 6 which is horribly grosse to implead the Minister of error at the first dash and that openly before all the people c. Whereas his own cited Authors tells him the contrary 1 That it is done not often but seldome 2 Not many questions but a question 3 Not upon sleight but weighty and very urgent grounds 4 Not rashly and boldly but wisely and meekely 5 And this not per●mptorily concluded of by all but some only thinke they have a liberty 6 And not that it is now so much done but was for a time by the bold opinionist who are now chased away long agoe See what a vast gulfe betwixt the Author and W. R. Now for him to reade over distinctly all these expressions in this booke for that answer was written to himselfe from godly men in New-England yet to produce it as a proofe for his Art and the Marg. which in common sence is contrary to it I stand amazed at it and wonder with what face he could print it or having done it how he can let his book be kept from the fire thus long Yet further note our Narratour undertakes to relate only such Church-courses as are generally by the Churche in New-England practised as pag. 1. title How then can he with honesty bring in this asking of questions amongst such kind of generall Church courses of ours whereas his Author plainely saith this asking of questions is not Generally practised nor by all the Churches but sildome in any Church and in most Churches never at all and that one may live as he saith from one end of the yeere to another in our congregations and not here any man open his mouth in such kind of questions What will not W. R. boldly attempt against his brethren of the independent way and their Churches that cites these very words I have related to prove such Church courses in New-England as are generally practised amongst us Answer to CHAP. XIIII TO Marg. on the Title Some saith he grow shie of the word independent some utterly renounce it yet most owne it Answer If the word bee rightly taken as in Answer to 32. q. 46. it 's expounded for one Church that is not under the power of another or in subjection to a Presbyterie but as having received power from Christ to governe her selfe according to his lawes Then all accord to it But if the word Independent bee abusively taken as it is often with the vulgar for such a Society as are neither subject to Magistracy nor regard the counsel of other Churches but are a conceipted and selfe-sufficient people that stand onely on their owne leggs Then wee have cause to be shie of a word that may render us odious without cause To Marg. of 1 Art That wee have store of imperative Churches who may command yea compell both members and Ministers to act Ans Another slaunder without ground or proofe or truth which I leave here upon record God our consciences and our Brethren bearing us witnesse how tender our Churches are but to perswade men to act without light much more to command or compell both which very words though the thing required were lawfull are odious in the Churches of Christ most fitly becomming the Synagogues of Antichrist Hath hee a lycense to speake any thing To Art 2. We hold our Church power absolute and imperiall Answ All we use to speake of our Church-power is that it is ministeriall which is farre from absolute and imperiall words fitter for Emperours of this world then the Churches of the Saints I charge it on his conscience as in the sight of God either to make this appeare or else vindicate us as becomes an honest Christian to doe And for his two printed Authors cited for we cannot come at his private letters if there be any one word or shew of ground from them to maintaine his speech Let me beare the shame of it for I here avouch the contrary under my hand To Art 3. and Marg. That we deny all representation of Churches absent and all authoritative deputation of Messengers to act for them ●nsw 1. The Reader may well see it is his own saying not ours for he brings no proofe but from Barrow and Johnson who cannot well give in their testimony for our Church waies in New-England because they never came there yea were in their graves both or one long before ever wee had a beeing in New-England 2. There is no truth in it for we hold a Church may delegate some men and send them forth in their names and stead with authority to act for them in this or that particular businesse of trust as Act. 15.2 And yet he hath boldly now twise or thrise affirmed the same thing of us and brings no proofe at all for it and it is answered before cap. 2. Art 3. Marg. Yet some tells us saith he that Mr. P. and Mr. W. were sent hither by the Churches to negotiate for them c. Answ 1. Some tell us Sir you are a man of judgement and gravity able to instruct others You know you may not blemish your brethren and sl●nder Churches upon such poore and weake grounds as it is reported I am informed some tell us And yet how oft in your booke have you used this course of dealing towards your bretbren and their Churches Some tell us indeede is warrant enough for people that have no other businesse to make three farthing bookes of and thereby fill the world with tales but oh farre be