combined with the Classis might choose a Minister either without or against the consent of the Classis under which they stood Let his ans wer to the 11. Quest be examined which we will transcribe word for word out of the written copy 11. Whether a particular Congregation have power to call a Minister without the approbation of the Classis under which they stand Neg Before I answer the Quaere I would aske one thing which might give a litle light to that which shall be said afterwards namely how the first Classis that ever was upon the face of the earth came to be constituted And J conceive it cannot be denyed but that it was made up by the combination of severall ministers and Elders and of severall Congregations Whence it must needs follow that those particular Congregations had power from Christ for to call so did by that their power choose call their Ministers fully compleatly before there was a Classis and therefore had their power not derived from a Classis or by it but from the direct ordinance and appoyntment of Christ which power they may not give away and none can take it away being a legacy left them by the Lord Iesus as Dr. Ames disputes and determines in his 4. booke of his cases of conscience pag. 165. Touching the Quaere then my opinion is this A particular Congregation hath compleat power by Christ his institution to give a compleat call to a minister without any derived power from a Classis They which had compleat and perfect Ministers before any Classis had power fully to call them without any Classis But a particular Congregation had perfect and compleat Ministers i. e. perfectly and compleatly called before any Classis Ergo. Yet if by mutuall consent the Congregation hath freely combined it selfe with the Classis they shall doe piously and expediently freely to crave the approbation of the Classis that they may be more confirmed or if doubts arise better directed in their course Allwayes provided that if the Classis should not approve they may lawfully and without sinne chuse without or against the approbation of the Classis if they saw good reason by the convenient fitnes of the party to induce them therunto And so I judge of the 11 Quest Vnto all which I will add that those things were but secret in his owne mind till the Answerer to get matter against him drew them out by these questions which he wrote to him and required his answer to them and they should have so remayned for ever such is the peaceablenes of his disposition if the Answerer had desired him to conceale his judgment therein for prevention of offence Secondly As for me he layeth the same accusation upon me also and bringeth three pretences for it D. Feild of the Church bok 3. chap. 5. 1. My preaching at set times in a private house For the answer of this I referr the Reader to my examination of his 20 Section Whereunto I add a few words to prove it to be no schysme which I will declare from Dr. Feild his definition of Schysme who describeth it to be a breach of the Vnity of the Church The Vnity of the Church sayth he consisteth in three things 1. The subjection of the people to their lawfull Pastors 2. The connexion and communion which many particular Churches Pastors of them have among themselves 3. In holding the same rule of fayth Which of these wayes did this action make me guilty of Schysme 1. Not in the first For did I attempt to draw the people from their Pastorall relation to a popular Anarchy as Corah would have done in his conspiracy Numb 16.3 under a pretence that all the Lords people are holy or did they by my persuasion flee from their owne Church or Consistory with complaints to other Churches in such cases as might have bene ended among themselves as those Schysmaticks did in Cyprian No. Lib. 1. Epist 3. I was so farr from drawing the people from their Pastor that by that very meane I held them together my selfe giving them example of constantly hearing him and deferring my private excercise till above an howre after the publick was finished And I am heartily sorry that my advise to their Pastor and intreaty that matters might be quietly ended within themselves prevayled not with him to prevent the publishing of their distractions in this manner to the world 2. Not in the second For neither they nor I refused to communicate with any reformed Churches in the performance of the Acts of Religion either out of selfe-conceit as did Novatus Donatus Lucifer c. or for any other unwarrantable respects 3. Nor in the third For the Answerer himselfe confesseth though unwillingly that in that excercise I preached against schysming nor doth he in the middst of all his bitternes nor shall he ever be able to accuse me justly of forsaking the rule of fayth in any point 2. My approving the Act of the Elders in admitting me to preach as an assistant without the consent of the Classis whither did the Answerers passion transport him when he wrote this for an evidence to prove me guilty of Schysme For. 1. who ever heard that it is an act of Schysme for a man to preach at the desire of any Church onely as an assistant without the consent of the Classis By that rule himselfe and the wholl Church was guilty of Schysme for letting Mr. D. preach a yeare or two together without consent of the Classis For he did it as an assistant But 2. He doeth not charge me with doing it neither but onely with approving that act If I be a Schysmatick for approving it what are the Elders that made it And why doeth he suffer them to come to the Lords table and to goe on so long unconvinced unreclamed from their Schysme Is Schysme such a small sinne that he regards it not or is this proofe of their Schysme so slight that he thincks they will not regard it He bolâ—ly calleth it Schysme but bringeth no proofe that it is so from Scriptures nor Reason Why so Is it because it is sufficient that he sayth it or because he cannot prove it If the first he is deceived if the second he deceiveth 4. If the Church have power to chuse a meet Pastor or assistant the Ministers of the Classis have no power to deprive them of him or to hinder him from accepting their call or from satisfying their lawfull desire For their power is not privative but cumulative in that sense And therefore in such a case it is a Schysme from the Church in him that hindereth the Church herein not in him that assisteth them 3. My maintayning of the power of particular Churches to be cheife in they re owne matters applying this to the admission of Ministers to preach as assistant c. though these Churches be united in Synods and Classes And is this a
to be done therefore he erreth who holdeth that the Classis may not exact it after that manner 2. he sayth It is vayne to call in question whether they be Christians who are members of a true Church But is not this a vayne answer For how shall I know them to be members of a true Church who are otherwise altogether unknowne without questioning with them about it And as vayne is his third answer For therefore doe I require a precedent examination of the members of another Church and not of the members of his Church Because my relation to that place would have made the members of that Church knowne to me without such examination but not strangers who are altogether unknowne 4. He sayth particular persons members of the Catholick or Vniversall Church may also have their infants baptised though not joyned to a particular visible Church Reply 1. How doeth this serve to prove that J plainely refute my selfe For how can a man be said to refute what he said concerning the members of a particular Church by saying nothing about the members of the Catholick Church Doe men use to refute by silence or by saying nothing I wish he had so refuted the printed pamphlet for his owne credit and peace that men might have thought he could have said something in his owne defence more then it now appeares he can 2. For the matter of his answer When he shall answer me what he meaneth by the Catholick Church whether it be a visible or an invisible Church of which he speaketh shall give a character or description whereby a man that refuseth to joyne with any particular visible Church may be knowne to be a member of that visible or invisible Catholick Church then I shall have a fit occasion to tell the reason of my mentioning onely the Communion of particular Churches in this question 5. He sayth that I having resigned up my Pastorall charge in London and not now established minister of any particular Congregation doe yet upon occasion preach for Mr Balmford and Mr. Peters c. he would know upon what ground I administer the word to them Reply 1. What ever the ground be it will helpe him nothing at all to prove that I have refuted my selfe in what I said concerning the power of the Classis in this case 2. Seeing I must give my account take it in few words I have preached for these men upon the same ground whereupon I preached for him almost six moneths together not by appoyntment of the Classis nor by vertue of office among them but with the consent and intreaty of such as have authority to dispose and governe such actions I have bene willing and ready to imploy my talents and excercise my gifts for the good of many according to the rule 1. Pet. 4.10.11 Now I demand wherein I have refuted my selfe To wind up all these extravagancies like so many odd and broken ends together into one bottom My demand to the Classis in reference to their practise was by what right the Pastor of a particular Church must be bound to performe a worke of his ministry to those that are not members of his Church seing the Apostles never exacted required or persuaded it To this question the Answerer pretendeth to make eight answeres which must be thus expressed or else they are not to the question 1. The Classis may exact this of any Minister by the same right that Mr. D. had to come to the Sacrament in that Church whereof he was not a member 2. By the same right whereby the Apostles required as much for aught we know for we cannot find it written 3. By the same right whereby Ministers are bound to labour the conversion of those without 4. By the same right whereby Pastors may administer the Lords supper to the members of other Churches 5. By the same right whereby the Church of Ierusalem afforded helpe in a difficult case to the Church at Antioch being desired so to doe 6. By the same right whereby Pastors must labour to increase their flock 7. By the same right whereby ministers may helpe a neighbour Church to convince erronious persons 8. Because Mr. D. is willing to baptise those infants being brought to him whose parents are neither of them members of any true Church Is not this question soundly answered Or take my interrogation for a strong deniall of their power to bind me to this condition of baptising those who are not members of the Church committed to me as indeed it was in my intent This deniall of their power he accounteth myne errour and he goeth about to confute it by eight Arguments which must be thus framed to conclude the question 1. Arg. Mr. D. did communicate with us in the Lords supper being no member of our Church Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to baptise those that are not members of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 2. Arg. Though the Apostle required no more of the Pastors of Ephesus but to feede their owne flock yet he might lay some further duety upon them elsewhere Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to baptise those that are not members of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 3. Arg. Ministers are bound to preach the word for the conversion of those that are without Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to execute his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 4. Arg. Pastors must administer the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper in neighbour Churches that are destitute being required thereunto Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to execute his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 5. Arg. The Church at Ierusalem helped the Church at Antioch in a difficult question Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to execute his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 6. Arg Pastors attend their flock by labouring to increase it and to bring others into the fold Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to execute his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 7. Arg. Ministers being desired may lawfully assist neighbour Churches in convincing erronious persons Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to execute his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument 8. Arg Mr. Davenport is willing to baptise the infants that are brought whose parents are members of any true Church Therefore the Classis may bind a Pastor to performe some worke of his ministry to those that are not of his Church Reply I deny the Argument Againe if I would multiply questions which I am unwilling to doe J could shew in the same manner how litle or nothing he hath said to prove the very thing which he pretendeth to prove to witt that it is the duety of a Pastor to discharge some
Cyprianus vigilantissimus Episcopus gloriosissimus Martyr Blessed Cyprian a most vigilant Bishop a most glorious Martyr And comparing Cyprian Stephanus Idem lib. de unico Bap. contr Petil. cap. 14. Donatus together in their different carriage about that question he did not reproach Cyprian as schysmatically affected but shevved that both Cyprian and Stephanus and those that adhaered to them preserved unity each vvith other Idem contr Donat. lib. 5. Cap. 11. and did not as Donatus seperate from the Church for that cause and for himselfe he professed hovvsoever he held as he did touching the Baptisme of Iohn se non acturum pugnaciter c. that he vvould not quarrrell those that held othervvise In latter times Beza shevved the same spirit tovvards Bullinger and Gualter Praef. in lib. de presbyt et excom contr Erast for though they seemed to incline more to Erastus his opinion then he could vvish yet he speaketh honourably of them calling them after their deaths non tantum Tigurinae sed Christianae totius Ecclesiae lumina lights not onely of the Tigurine but also of the wholl Christian Church and elsevvhere they are stiled by him optimi illi beatissimae memoriae fratres summâ tum pietate tum eruditione praediti his excelent brethren of very blessed memory men of singular piety and learning and he taketh occasion to excuse their difference from him in that point not to brand them with any black noate for it Thus in those men the spirit of love vvraught as it had done before them in the Apostles of Christ For howsoever Paul justly reproved Peter as the case required Gal. 2. yet Peter did not lye at the catch as vve say to recriminate him but tooke occasion from some passage in Pauls epistles to make an honourable mention of him saying 2. Pet. 3.15 Account that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation as our beloved brother Paul according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you c. such a carriage of differences amongst Christians specially Ministers of the Gospell vvould much conduce to the advancement of the truth and stopping of the mouthes of adversaries vvhich are apt to be opened upon tvvo advantages 1. The differences in judgment amongst professours 2. The bitternes of spirit vvhich they discover in those differences To prevent as much as in me lyeth any hurt that may come from these tvvo praejudices I thinck it requisite that I add a word or two upon occasion of this advantage which some bitter passages in the Answer doe seeme to give all sorts of adversaryes to blaspheme the trueth 1. All sorts of people are apt to object against the truth that the professours of it doe not agree amongst themselves This the ancient Philosophers objected against the Christians in the first 300 yeares after Christ whose mouthes the worthy lights in those times stopped with the different sects among the Philosophers thēselves In like manner I may tell the Papalls of the 26 Schysmes in the Romish Church others of the troubles in Franckford raysed in Queene Maryes daies about bringing in the English liturgy into that place for the effecting whereof they spared not to endanger the life of that famous Godly man Mr. Knocks who opposed it others of Troubles about excommunications in Amsterdam extant to the view of all men and all men of differences about their severall wayes and projects 2. Bellarmine to prove that our Religion doeth not produce holynes in mens lives instanceth in the violence of Luthers spirit which appeared in much bitternes even against those vvho agreed vvith him in opposition to popery because they differed from him in some particular tenets That this is but a fallible signe may appeare not onely in this that shevves of holynes may be vvhere holynes in trueth is not as in that gravity constancy and humility vvhich vvas observeable in that enimy of Gods grace Pelagius Aug. Epist 120. Mat. 7.15 according to our Saviours praediction concerning Wolves in sheepes cloathing but also in this that distempered passions have bene found in eminent servants of God as in the difference betvveene Paul Barnabas the onely vvise God for his ovvne glory many vvayes by some infirmityes stayning the glory of all flesh Hovv hot vvas the contention betvveene Cyprian and Stephanus vvhat violent and troublesome dissention vvas there betvveene Theophilus and Chrisostom also betvveene Cyrill of Alexandria and Theodoret boath Bishops Catholicks boath learned boath godly boath excelent pillars of the Church and yet he that readeth both their vvrightings vvould thinck that boath vvere dangerous enimyes of the Church The invectives of Ierom and Ruffinus one against another are extant and Augustines Epistles vvherein he bevvayled the same Hovv many unkindnesses passed betvveene Chrisostom and Epiphanius Did not the one refuse to pray vvith the other Did not the one chalēge the other for manyfold breaches of Canons Did not the one professe that he hoped he should never dye a Bishop and the other that he should never come alive into his country boath vvhich things fell out according to their uncharitable vvishes Epiphanius dying by the vvay as he vvas returning home and Chrisostom being cast out of his Bishoprick and dying in banishment And these things came to passe 1. partly by the instigatiō of others Thus Epiphanius vvas stirred up against Chrisostom by Theophilus So that their contentions arose from a versatilous wit accompanied vvith a malicious and vindictive spirit in Theophilus imprudence accōpanied vvith too much credulity in Epiphanius 2. partly by some stiffnes inflexibility of spirit in some of them accōpanied vvith much hardnes to be reconciled vvhen once offēded to those vvith vvhom they vvere displeased from vvhich blemish Chrisostom vvas not altogether free and that caused him somevvhat the more trouble 3. partly by mistakes as in the differēce betvveene Theodoret and Cyrill and in the division betvveene the Christians of the East and those of the West the one suspecting the other of haeresy upon a mistake For the Romans beleived three persons in the Trinity but vvould not beleive three hypostases thence the Orientall Christians thought them Sabellians vvho held that there is but one person in the Godhead called by three names The Easterne Christians beleived three hypostases in the Godhead but vvould not admit three persons vvhence they of Rome thought them to be Arrians vvho beleived that there are three distinct substances in the Godhead Athanasius perceiving that they differed not in judgment brought them to accord by shevving them that they meant one thing though their expressions vvere different so that there vvas a difference arising from ill suspition which was grounded upon misunderstanding one another Lastly from an ill guided Zeale whereby beside the former Luther and those that adhaered to him were carryed too far in opposition against Zwinglius about the Sacrament which afterwards Luther saw and confessed to Melancthon a litle
stand at the last day upon the earth c. The 40. Section examined IN this Section the Complainants shew themselves aggreived for his pulpiting against me in a reproachfull uprayding manner about the point in question Which they aggravate 1. By his not satisfying their expectation 2. By my professed disagreement with the Anabaptists and Brownists in this point with whom he neverthelesse injuriously joyned me 3. By his sinister intent in thus falsely traducing me viz to justifye his keeping me out of the Church 4. By the injury done to the Church hereby in that they are deprived of me whom they much desired and bewayle their want of me Lastly they shew the aequity of their complaining against the Answerer for this by his labouring to worke the Ministers of the Classis to further his purpose telling them that to tolerate me in a different practise would be a condemning of their owne practise and that therefore if they would give way to me they must make an order to condemne their owne practise or to that effect This is their complaint Let us now consider his answer Hereunto he pretendeth ten answers but they are such as to say no worse I marvayle he would print them His first answer is that it is no reproach to call my assertion an errour Reply But. 1. To call that an errour which he hath not proved nor can prove to be an errour is a reproach Himselfe sayth it is no reproachfull uprayding of me unlesse they could convince him of errour for so speaking Enough hath bene said in the twelfth Section and more may be added hereafter to convince him unlesse he be of his mind who said non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris though you doe convince yet I will not be convinced 2. To ranck the party whom he supposed to erre with Anabaptists and Brownists when he professeth and is ready to declare that he differeth from them is a reproachfull uprayding and injurious 3. To doe this in the pulpit where the people expect nothing but words of truth and passages tending to peace and aedification and from whence a publick brand of reproach and disgrace may be left upon a brother was a more rude expression then the Complainants used concerning their thought that no godly man will be absolutely bound to subscribe to that wrighting 4. It is a poore evasion when he insinuateth that I said in effect Mr. Hook was in errour when I said that I was not of his opinion in some points For to say so much onely declareth that myne opinion differed from his but not that he was in errour seing that difference might arise from my not understanding him aright not from his dissenting from the truth And it savoured of modesty in me that I would not charge him with errour from whom I differed in opinion which is farr from justifying and serveth justly to reprove the reproachfull speeches of the Answerer as a ruder language His second answer is that he performed his promise and said enough in that sermon to satisfye their expectation by his Arguments against myne opinion as he calleth it and for proofe hereof referreth his Reader to his noates which he wrote downe of purpose and it is like keepeth by him of purpose also The issue of all is the assertion of those men is false and erronious that complaine he avoyded the question betweene us The sermon here spoken of it seemeth was preached when I was absent and out of towne therefore I can say nothing upon myne owne knowledge in this matter but that the constant report wherein all whom I heard speake of it concurred was that what he said was so farr from satisfying them that they did not conceive that he spake to the point in question but evaded it rather And those noates of his sermon which some of them tooke from his mouth and shewed me did apparently make good in my apprehension what they said But if the Reader shall be pleased to examine his stating of the question in this very Section and to compare it with the true state set downe by me in the 12. Section it will easily appeare that he did not deale against my opinion as he calleth it in every Argument nor in any Argument as he should For the difference betweene him and me was about my refusing to conforme to the custom of the Dutch Church in that place in baptising all that are presented by whomsoever though the parents were neither of them members of any Church nor at all knowne unto us Now he brought not one Argument to prove the lawfullnes of this custom or to convince me of sinne for not binding my selfe by subscription or promise to conforme to it His third answer is that upon his motion I made an offer of shewing how farr I differed from the Brownists which I performed not which he sayth if I had done myne opinion must have fallen together with it But it is neither so nor so For neither did I offer it upon his motion but upon myne owne motion to vindicate my assertion from his calumnies nor is there such affinity betwixt their opinions and myne in this matter that like twinnes they must live and dye together For what I affirme will stand upon other grounds and principles then those whereby their separation is upheld To wipe off this aspersion I will shew that it is an injury as to me so to the truth also in this particular when it is affirmed that the errour of the Brownists could not be refuted by me but that myne owne opinion must fall together and that like twinnes they must live and dye together For I suppose the errour of the Brownists which he meaneth is that seperation from the Church assemblies of England in such sort as to have no spirituall Communion with them is necessary If so I demand how doeth this assertion of the lawfullnes of admitting onely their infants to baptisme who are members of a true Church necessarily argue such seperation from true Churches for defects and corruptions which are found in them to be a bounden duety If yea let him demonstrate 1. How it strengtheneth them in they re refusing private Religious Communion with good Christians because they stand members of some parish-Church in England which is one errour held by some of them as he knoweth 2 How it confirmeth them in refusing to heare the word preached by any ministers of any of those Churches which is another errour maintained by many of them also 3. How it establisheth any man in refusing any publick Religious communion with any true Church If nay let him acknowledge his slander But that the vanity and untrueth of this suggestion may be more evident I will declare the truth in this matter by manifesting both myne owne judgment about the truenes of Churches and the practise of the Seperatists themselves 1. Myne owne judgment and persuasion I will expresse in Dr. Ames his words thus Second Manuduct p. 33. 34.
So many parish assemblies of England as have any competent number of good Christians in them united together for to worship God ordinarily in one society so many have essentiall and integrall forme of a visible Church and all they have intire right to Christ and to all the meanes of injoying him however they are defective in the purity of their combination and in the compleate free excercising of their power To prevent all mistake he declareth what he meaneth by essentiall and integrall forme thus The essentiall forme of a visible Church is the covenant of God or true fayth made visible by profession the noates and markes whereof are the word and Sacraments rightly administred and received with fruits of obedience The integrall constituting forme is that state relation or reference which a Congregation of such professours have one to another by vertue of their setled combination the noate or marke whereof is their usuall assembling together into one place and watching one over another So that however the defects and corruptions in those Churches are to be witnessed against and howsoever it is the duety of Christians to indeavour as much as in them is to procure the reformation of those defects and not to partake in the sinnes of any Church Eph. 5.11 and amongst true Churches to make choyse of those whereunto to joyne themselves which are most pure Lib. 4. Cas Cons cap. 24. quest 2. so farr as they are able as the same learned wrighter sayth elsewhere yet to dischurch them wholly to seperate from them as no Churches of Christ or to deny baptisme to the infants of their knowne members is not warranted by any rule in the Scripture that I know nor justifyed by my assertion or practise 2. The practise of the Seperatists themselves sheweth that this assertion doeth not strengthen or countenance the errour of the Brownists in matter of Seperation For they professe to hold spirituall communion with other Churches who doe extend the use of baptisme to as great largenes as England doeth and greater also as I am able with Gods assistance to prove though they freely witnesse against it as a disorder in those Churches which also many Godly learned ministers of these Countryes are so farr from justifying that they confesse it to be unwarrantable and wish it may be reformed By all which it is manifest that there is no such affinity betweene these opinions that the errour of the Brownists could not be refuted by me but that mine owne opinion must fall together As he untruely pretendeth 3. Hereunto I will add that in thus reasoning the Answerer imprudeÌ„tly armeth his opposites against himselfe with his owne weapon Polit. Eccles lib. 1. Cap. 14. eâ— 13. Fresh Suite p. 207. Treat of the necess of seperation For this plea is taken up 1. by the those that plead for the Prelats both of former times whom Mr. Parker hath fitly answered by clearing the seekers of Reformation from this imputation and retorting it upon themselves and of latter times whom Dr. Ames in like manner hath breifly and fitly answered 2. by those of the Seperation for Mr. Canne the Answerer knoweth pretendeth in his booke to prove a necessity of seperation from the Church of England by the Non-conformists principles and professeth to oppose it especially to Dr. Ames onely in the point of seperation Whereby it appeareth that he accounteth him and such like opposites in that point notwithstanding their agreement in some truths Concerning which booke I have many things to say in Dr. Ames his defence which if I should here insert this tractate which already much exceedeth the proportion at first purposed by me would swell to too great a volume But I may well be silent at this time seing others as I heare have undertaken it and a more fit occasion may be given hereafter if it be thaught requisite but especially seing he hath not answered Dr. Ames his second manuduction at all wherein he hath said enough for the clearing of his judgment in this matter nor indeed hath he taken away the force of that litle which the Doctor said in answer to the Rejoynder though he expressed himselfe but in few lines and as answering on another occasion and not dealing professedly against the Separation All which might easily be demonstrated but at this time I purpose to abstaine from by-controversyes As for his objection that I performed not that promise though I had time enough my answer is that he neither required it of me nor incouraged me so to doe by assuring me that the performance thereof would end the difference Nor did it fall fitly in my way to speake of this point in any Argument which I handled in publick afterwards His fourth answer tendeth to a sâ—ighting of my labour of love in 6 moneths assistance of him in a time of their extremity It becommeth unthanckfull men thus to elevate that kindnes which they have not hearts to value nor purpose to requite For this purpose he setteth 6 moneths wherein that wrighting as he sayth was given out by me and 6 yeares resistance which he sayth is procured by my opposition to the practise of the Dutch Church and as much recompence he sayth received by me for that as some godly ministers have in twise 6 moneths Reply Concerning the wrighting I have spoken sufficiently in the 2 and 22. Sections and in other places wherein I shewed how he compelled me to it for declaration of the truth against his unjust reports and how himselfe before he heard of any such wrighting from me had traduced me in the darke in a larger wrighting secretly sent to his freind in N. Concerning the ground of 6 yeares resistance Seing he compelled me thereunto in defence of the truth I cannot helpe it nor am to be blamed for it unlesse it be a fault to beare witnes to the truth when I am called thereunto Concerning the collection which he in too mercenary a phrase calleth a recompence for my labour I answer 1. I received none of it from him though some other English preachers are put to that charge so that to him it was a kindnes 2. I contracted not with him for any recompence to be made me from the Church by his meanes so that in me it was a kindnes 3. I received no gratification from the Churchstock as other Ministers have done by his procurement So that the poore had no damage or hindrance thereby as in some other cases they have had through his holding up these contentions 4. The most of that which was given was from their purses whom he contentiously calleth my freinds 5. What ever I received from them they know I was no gayner by it when the necessary charges of my diet are deducted and the hire of an house which at their request I tooke but never lived in thorough his opposition against me and for which I was constrayned to pay the wholl yeares rent 6. As he made no