principles and the like unto them are in our eye the mark we contend to reach unto yet through the infirmity of our flesh finding our selves to our grief often beneath them by the grace of God in his Ordinances in bearing one anothers burdens in admonition and exhortation with patience whiles there is hope and other spirituall proceedings as the cause requireth our manifold weaknesses notwithstanding such indulgence and grace we obtain with and from our God that not only support is ministred but also to the praise of his admired goodness be it said a progress is made among us from faith to faith and this further token of his presence we find among us That usually the most carnall worldly and unruly are soonest offended but the sober and humble hearted rejoyce with us If these principles and practises and the just consequences attending them commonly avowed by us be looser then what the accuser doth imbrace and in his own person follow the day of tryal wil make evident Accuser I found them slight in their thoughts of the Sabbath and that they observed that day rather out of policy then out of conscience not so much to sanctifie the name of God as to keep their hearers from attending the publick Ministery They spake slightly of those that walked strictly and closely with God in duty saying that all the Religion of such lay in duties but theirs was spiritual I further observed that their families were without prayer generally their children without instruction and surely their constant neglect of duties in their families made me grow very careless of mine in private The consideration of these things made me begin to enquire whether this were the truth I professed from henceforth I resolved to consider what was objected against the way I was in and to weigh the Arguments I had slighted because I saw many serious godly people did live in the profession and practise of that which I opposed c. Answer I found them slight in their thoughts of the Sabbath c. What wormwood and gall hath he mingled to us in this desperate and bold accusation and judgment it being full well known to all observers that both in preaching printing and practise all the Baptised congregations with whom we have communion in England Scotland and Ireland do hold out a constant profession that in conscience to the Lord we do hold our selves bound to keep the first day of the week called the Lords day holy to the Lord and that the right celebration of this day consisteth in a spiritual communion with God our own souls and each with other in all gospel-Ordinances and other Christian offices of goodness and mercy to man and beast as opportunity and Christian prudence shall require And this yong man wel knoweth that this very congregation in Tiverton proceeded with a member as worthy of just censure only for that his servant though without his knowledge took a cloth upon this day out of the rack where it was on drying and moreover himself was present when the Church appointed it as their judgment to meet together constantly about six of the clock in the morning to the end that the day might be spent more intirely for the Lord. They speak slightly of those that walked strictly and closely with God in duties saying that all the Religion of such lay in duties bus theirs was spiritual That there is a Pharisaical strictness in polishing the outward-man by the traditions and inventions of men and not of Christ and a formal strictness in the letter of a command and both these desperate enemies to the Gospel of Christ we affirme but we loath abhor and detest the application of these expressions to the flighting of any duties or exercises of godliness or any persons that in faith and a good conscience walk closely with God in them That our selves might be built up and be helpful each to build up other in the faithful exercise thereof without distraction hath been one main motive to draw us into the union and communion in which by the grace of God we stand and is a part of that promise which we through the Lords assistance the God in Covenant with us doe declare and undertake when we receive the right-hand of visible fellowship together As for the ground of this mans report in this particular after the most diligent search that could be made we can finde out no just colour he hath for such an accusation but that himself hath used the like expressions of some as hypocrites and formalists c. whom he now cleaveth unto for which he was then faithfully reproved Their families without prayer generally their children without instruction c. What shall we reply to this bold man the Lord knoweth we condemn abhor and detest the guilt of this accusation we faithfully exhort unto these Christian duties we reprove their neglect and are in a readiness to pass publick censures upon the careless and wilfull transgressours of them as persons offending against plain precepts The Lord knoweth we long and labour to have our houses as churches of Christ and our children in submission with all gravity brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord yet being jealous that several in Tiverton and elswhere may not have been so careful in the performance of their duty in these things as the law of the Lord requireth of them we shall take occasion even from the reproach cast upon us by the accuser to make a more strict enquiry after all neglects of that kinde trusting the Lord will help us to beare yet a more effectual testimony against them and help them and us unto a more thorow reformation Because I saw many serious godly people did live in the profession and practice of that which I opposed We acknowledg this passage to have more resemblance of grace in it then most we can finde in all the book besides As for his tossing and running from place to place upon matter of disputes and one while railing on this party and then as fiercely reviling others it is the common badg of the drunken spirit of this perverse generation but to ponder the paths of the truly Godly upon well-digested and clear evidences of the grace of God dwelling in their hearts we cannot but commend and put a due estimate upon and we know that this very consideration hath been an introductive to a farther work of God which hath not left some precious soules till they have taken up the visible profession of the Gospel in which we stand But let us beware that while we be tender to the Godly we prove not cruel to Christ and to our own soules the godly in all ages have been liable to said mistakes and stiffly persisted in them notwithstanding they wanted not such as have admonished them of their miscarriages we can hardly be strangers to this truth while the presses and the pulpits in the three nations breath out such sharp
and gives them utterance to the edification of themselves and others that they standing by may say Amen or Hallelujah at such giving of thanks Unto the performance of which work although under the shadowy dispensation there were added Musical Instruments and Singers specially appointed to attend that service which are done away in Christ And although in the beginning of the Gospels confirmation some extraordinary gifs of the Spirit adorned it which are now ceased yet the substance of it abides as a duty still in force to the which we are not convinced that the common artificial Rhymes Measures and Tunes are essential In the practice hereof according to the measure of the Light and Grace of Christ the Churches and Christians accused we trust endeavour to be found faithful to the Lord. Although whatever imperfections or defects of this kinde were apprehended among us by our Accuser yet in pretending this neglect of ours as a just ground of his withdrawment from us he shews himself to have been a very unfaithful member while he walked with us in that he never declared any offence or scruple about this matter until he had thus left us nor yet of the next thing of which he chargeth us Thus Accuser Thirdly For neglecting of Family-duty maintaining it to be a mans liberty not his duty to pray in his family Answer What our Principles and Practises are in this matter we have hinted before Touching the later clause which is here told you but very falsly to have been then presented by him as the ground of his departure as there is not the least colour why he should lay it upon the whole Church from whom he withdrew much less upon the whole of that people whom he stileth Anabaptists so neither seems it so honestly charged on the person where all the pretension that we can learn of it is the passages appear to have been thus At the time he mentioneth when some Members came to confer with him about the Reasons of his departure among others he gave this for one because we denied Family-duties It was replied to this effect We do not deny it but do own and affirm That it is the Duty of Parents and Masters fearing God to be frequent in calling their Families together instructing them in the Principles of Religion endeavouring by all means possible their Conversion and Salvation and in their presence to spread their condition before the Lord praying for them that God would set home such instructions and endeavours with power c. But afterward several things being debated a Case was put What and if the Master had an ungodly Family in which he could not judge any one did fear the Lord with whom he could joyn as with one Spirit in Prayer whether he was bound twice a day viz. Morning and Evening to joyn in Prayer with them It was replied by a Brother That if he saw advantage might come to them thereby and found the Lord making his Spirit free he might so do it was his liberty but as to any positive command that did binde him in such cases the party thus speaking said he knew none Upon which one in the company drew this conclusion from these words That we made it a mans liberty not his duty to pray in his Family How fairly this is inferred from what was said and how righteously fathered upon the whole and how certainly this instance was a ground of his leaving us which himself saith was afore this conference is left to the sober Christian to judge Accuser Fourthly For denying the power of the Magistrate for punishing evil-doers to wit Quakers Answer What the Principles of the people whom he in the general accuseth are in this point is full well known to the world by their confessions of Faith particularly that of the Congregations in London Art 47. the words are these A civil Magistrate is an Ordinance of God set up by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of them that do well and that in all lawful things commanded by them subjection ought to be given by us in the Lord not only for wrath but for conscience sake and that we are to make supplication for Kings and all that are in authority that under them we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 1 Tim. 2. As for this particular Congregation they have not onely explicitely testified their Fellowship with these Churches in this Profession of Faith but it is well known to the Accuser that several Members have and as occasion offers still do address themselves to the Magistracy in that place for their punishment and reformation of such disorders as fall under their Observation Onely they say They are not perswaded that the sword of the Magistrate is a mean appointed by Christ in the Gospel-ministration for the punishing or reclaiming of an erring or mis-guided Conscience in matters that do depend upon the revelation of the Spirit As for the people mentioned as an instance to wit the Quakers it was affirmed by those Brethren at that Meeting and still is that wherein the Quakers should be found to commit any Offence against the Rules of good manners the Magistrate hath power as fully to proceed with them as with any other men Accuser 5. For slighting the publick ministry Answer This charge is left exceeding raw whether it relate to all the people by him called Anabaptists or to this society in Tiverton or to those members only in particular whether it be slighting a publick ministry as not being the ordinance of Christ or whether it being some kinde of testifying against that which is usually called publick ministry If the latter then whether it be only that publick ministry in Tâ—â—â—rton or else universally whether it be their persons their gift or standing that is slghted here is latitude for the Reader to make construction as he pleaseth Our understanding in this matter is we doe own and honour as an ordinance of Christ a publick spiritual ministry or service to be performed to him and his people in the things of the Gospel by persons qualified in some good measure from the Lord and called and set apart according to Christs laws in his Church both as to that ministry of the word of reconciliation and edification and to that of serving tables And though this be not as yet fully brought forth and established in that congregation it being a falshood in scorne castion them that Willtam Facie is their Pastor if by it be understood a man chosen and ordained to that office as through grace it is with some Churches with whom we have communion in the Lord yet is it that mercy in order to which they are waiting on the Lord for more of his light and spirit in making proof and tryal of the spirits of such among them as they have best ground to judg the Lord hath bestowed most of his gifts and graces on
that I wonder how the sober among them could walk with them hitherto Answer Here he takes on him to answer to the particulars of his Charge as himself shapes them after a sharp invective of which his Book is full and from which our God to whom we have committed our Cause will deliver us For the first particular of my Charge for withdrawing from them I judge it a great blessing c. This indeed was one thing which had he abode we should have laid the evil of before him that notwithstanding when he crept in among us under a profession that in the fear of the Lord in conscience and judgement he did put on Christ and lifted up his hand to the most High God that he would walk among us according to Grace received as a Member in the Body of Christs that he did yet contrary to the Law of his Relation without any endeavours to make the Church sensible of any evil either in Principles or Practice or to help on their reformation wholly desert them and withdraw from them this he counteth his great blessing on the grounds alledged to which we say That this our Defence considered together with the true taste of his Spirit from first to last the Moderate to whom he appeals may easily judge the greater Blessing to be on our hand that we are delivered from such a one Accuser But this I shall shew you in answer to the second Branch of my Charge which is a vilifying some members which they say I have forgiven Answer This was also an evil which we should have laid before him That he as all the Members did one by one explicitely witnessed his being satisfied in the repentance of a sinner under censure and withal solemnly gave publick thanks to the Lord for having thus humbled and healed him as also forgiving him freely in the Name of the Lord and joyning in the receiving him into Fellowship as a Member of the Body again he yet should at length after above half a yeeâ—s silence and declared satisfaction display all the repented-of evils of this person with wherever aggravations and additions he could to render him and the people he walked with odious to persons opposite to the way of the Lord we walk in both prophane and professors Accusers The occasion of this charge they bring against me is as followeth William Facy their present Pastor walked so disorderly his wickedness was so great that they could do no less then suspend him but so slightly did they deal in the business that his suspension pretended repentance and admission again was all within one week Shortly after he feigned himself mad and began to play pranks with his wife called a for bason to let out his blood pretending that he would cut his Throat goes to cast his child into the fire which child shortly after sickned and died Much of this I was both an eye and ear-witness unto for his wife came crying unto me that she was afraid to abide with him in the house gave me a relation of those things desiring me to come with her to her husband When I came I found him on the bed I asked him how he did but he gave me no answer After some time I had been there he arose and goes from his house This wickedness committed by him was deemed then by the Anabaptists as was afterward by himself acknowledged to be out of a design to get some mony from his wife having married a widow which kept certain Bills or Bonds of Debt in some Friends hands lest he should consume it for which the Anabaptists suspended him again and in a little time received him again wherein I was never satisfied to this day and in testimony of my dissatisfaction I refused to sit down with them at the Lords Table ever since Now they charge me for vilifying some of their members when I spake nothing but the plain truth in declaring against their sin and they say I have forgiven him when I was thus unsatisfied in his repentance and now judge it but feigned for he that could so artificially counterfeit madness could easily counterfeit sadness Answer Here he begins to entertain the Reader with whatsoever new or old before or since his rejection he can invent and vent against this William Facy all which lest it should seem no otherways in the Readers eye then the personal failings of a poor frail man and not to be reasonably imputed to the cause or people he walks with and therefore no just ground for his reproaching and forsaking them he pins it upon the whole by inculcating several times a falshood as the running verse of his distinct Paragraphs yet they continue him to be their Pastor and at length closeth up the whole with this whether I have cause to withdraw where such iniquity is indulged In this the Accuser as in his former story about the Churches rejecting him exposeth the Reader to a temptation of supposing these things to be a very truth 1. That the Church dealt slightly and short of their duty with William Facy on his first evil 2. That the Accuser himself was an eye and ear-witness to the pranks he played to use his own words when he feigned himself mad called for a bason c. 3. That the Anabaptists judged and himself confessed afterward that he feigned himself mad out of a design to get some mony c. 4. That the Church indulged this iniquity and so they had done the former onely suspending and in a very little time receiving him again 5. That this Accuser was all along unsatisfied with his repentance as being artificially counterfeited 6. That upon the whole himself is not to be accounted one that vilifieth his brethren in that he spake nothing but plain truth in declaring against the others sin To free such as desire to know the truth of things from the Accuser's snare we shall only present this short account This poor Creature now under accusation having walked blamelesly as far as we could judge several yeers among this people in the faithful and diligent improvement of a good gift of Grace to preach Christ's Gospel that the Lord had blessed him with and blessed in his hand both to conversion and edification was at length overcome by the power of temptation arising from some more then ordinary crosses in a state of Marriage whereinto he was newly entered wherein he as also his yoke-fellow was attended with trials exceeding bitter to be born which yet for honor of Truths sake he greatly concealed On a time being overwhelmed with grief and impatience he rent a Garment that was in his hand and used some expressions to his VVife that savoured of a very disturbed and passionate frame of Spirit of which she complaining to some Members and it coming to the knowledge of the Church they required the cessation of his exercising his gift publickly till they might be satisfied of his repentance for such iniquity which he
friend was not at this time under this temptation Accuser Yet they themselves have given it under their hands that he is not fit to manage a discourse to vindicate their practise and way in which they now walk for there was a dispute appointed betwixt Mr. Lowman and Mr. William Facy which was occasioned by some opposition from the Anabaptists in Bampton where William Facy and his followers came and opposed Mr. Lowman in the Pulpit who entertained some discourse with him before the congregation and then referred it to a day of publick dispute The Question to be debated was Whether the infants of beleevers were in covenant But Mr. William Facy being desirous to new state the question came to Mr. Lowmans house and in the presence of several swore upon the faith of a Christian that the question to be discoursed was not whether infants were in Covenant but whether infants were to be baptized where you may see that such as make little conscience what they say will make little conscience what they swear Mr. Lowman reproving him for swearing told him that the question to be discoursed should be given under each others hand and if he desired to have the question so stated it should be done the time and place was appointed the question stated given in writing the Anabaptists willing to wave the business imployed a modest man of their own party one Mr. Nathaniel Strange with some others of their brethren of which Thomas Glass was one to come and treat with Mr. Lowman in order to wave the dispute Mr. Lowman desired to know the reason of their retreat they told him because William Facy was uncapable to manage such an undertaking Mr. Lowman asked if they would give it under their hands which accordingly they did and subscribed it in the name of the rest of their brethren upon which the dispute was prevented yet notwithstanding Mr. William Facy is their Pastor Answer Being led back again to a story in 1655. by it his ignorant young Christian is exposed if he be disposed to beleeve 1. That though the Anabaptists hold this William Facy fit enough to be their Pastor yet they have given under their hand that he is not fit to manage a discourse to vindicate their practise and way 2. That he is an open swearer and further discovered to be a lyar 3. That the Anabaptists a feeble flock were sorely put to a very shamefull retreat from an appointed disputation with Mr. Lowman and so a great advantage on Mr. Lowmans side was prevented This publick examination of Mr. Lowman at Bampton occasioned by some very terrible flourishes he had made a little before in his preaching upon the point of infant-baptism drew on the appointing a further day for a publick dispute in which hurry the question was not so clearly and distinctly stated to the apprehension of either but that each while he thought he took it seems mistook the others meaning and reported variously hence was the meeting at Mr. Lowmans house to find out and rectifie the mistake where the conference was managed with much confidence and seeming assurance that the one and that the other was in the right though in this variety so that meekness and moderation was not called for between them neither could ordinarily yea and nay goe but a little way being both in this heat its possible William Facy averred it in the faith of a Christian Of this they that are quick at the observation of our failings give testimony and that Mr. Lowman reproved it undoubtedly if this were done vainly and rashly and not in judgment truth and righteousness it was an evil worthy to be reproved and the Lord will humble him in the sence of it but the Accusers Paraphrast on it must pass as an inference of his own violence which we leave with his other reproaches to the Lord. Well the question was agreed unto in writingâ— in the interval for there was some long time set till the dispute should be it pleased the Lord for our and his humbling to let that forementioned great iniquity of his to break out upon him whereupon the Church as hath been said proceeded against him suspended him from the exercise of his gift in any publick service denying him also communion in the body by means whereof they were and well might be at a loss about the manner of carrying on the appointed disputation which either he must be left to manage alone without any countenance or conjunction of theirs or else some other by Mr. Lowmans consent must supply his place in that appointment or otherwise some way of treaty for the cessation of it for the time The former could not be thought any way expedient and therefore two or three brethen were desired to confer with Mr. Lowman either about exchanging his antagonist or waving the dispute for the time the result of which modest conference was the mutual subscription of the inwritten paper Whereas there was intended a dispute betwixt Mr Lowman and Mr. Facy it is upon some weighty considerations disappointed and broken off 1 We doe not eye it as the work of our day to permit the work of the Lord to cease while we leave it and spend our time in that which is like to turn to so little account 2. Mr. Facy through some more then ordinary providence is for present rendred utterly uncapable for such an undertaking 3. Yet it hath been offered that our retreat in this may be without manifest disadvantage upon the cause and truth of Christ that if Mr. Lowman would either defer the time untill Mr. Facy might be capable for such a work or desire or challenge it from any other hands it would be accepted and either he or some other should be appointed to meet with him and answer him in his desire or challenge But Mr. Lowman weighing the little advantage which may redound to any by such disputes as also desiring peace not loving distance or disturbance seeing Mr. Facy is for present disabled who was to meet with him is willing also the whole business may be waved and layd aside In token of my consent unto this your motion I hereto set my hand Fortescue Lowman Feb. 15. 1655. From which at first sight things rightly considered the serious will judge 1. That that fall of his which then disabled him from being judged a sutable disputant with Mr. Lowman did beforehand disable him from standing as a member in communion much more as a Pastor in that Church 2 And that it doth not now follow but that the grace that hath restored him to be a member and enabled him again to improve his gift of grace to edification may also sufficiently enable him to answer to Mr. Lowmans desires if need be and they yet remain with him to vindicate the way and practise that we walk in As also 3. That though Mr. Lowman was treated withall by us yet had he reasons also of his own leading him to a
so that God may not lose his Glory nor any of his people lose their comfort which if you tender be sure to prize those ways in which you received the first Conviction lest you one day lie down in sorrow for going away from God and from the striving of his Spirit Let me ask you that have with drawn from that Ministery to whom ye can say We are your work of the Lord have you the same tenderness the same affections to God that you once had in former days are not these much decayed O return from whence you are fallen and repent And now I shall conclude by giving the Reader an account of the sad experience that I have had in two yeers digression from the publick Ministery in Tiverton which God did at first bloss to the awakening of my soul Answer As he draws towards his Conclusion you have the Application of his miserable Doctrines after he hath with some flattering insinuations bespoke the farther attention of his ignorant young Christian as he calls him in his Title-page That now he may give a testimony of his fixed enmity to the way he was in and shew farther what Oracle he hath consulted with and what Spirit he is of he adventures on the house top in the sight of the Sun under the coverts of his two yeers sad experience to cast upon the way of the Lord and them that walk therein such horrible reproaches as the thoughts of Temperance Righteousness and Judgement to come would have made him tremble at having though seemingly aimed at them in Tiverton therein yet so shot as may indifferently reach all them anywhere that serve the Lord Jesus Christ under that name of reproach Under all which as a part of our Crown we could quietly sit down and pray Lord lay it not to his charge Father forgive him he knoweth not what he doth appealing for our Vindication to the Consciences of all serious unbyassed and unprejudiced Christians that have tasted our Doctrine and observed our walkings in the three Nations whether the things be so or nay and so leave it to the God and Father of the Spirits of all flesh who is coming out to pass righteous judgement in all such cases for his poor people that wait for him But yet for their sakes at whom he levels who being ignorant of us may be apt to be offended at such an impudent testimony we present a few animadversions on the two or three first things he saith the rest being such wretched falshoods as we abhor the thoughts of and delivered in such general termes without any particular instance wherein it is possible to trace him we reckon not worthy any other answer then that Psal 120.2 3 4. and 52.1 4. Accuser 1. I do not remember that I have had one conviction under all the sermons which I heard whilest I walked among them but that sence of my condition which I had before did abate and by little and little fall away after I turned my back upon the means which God made use of in working upon me Therefore I beg all those upon whose hearts God is working to take heed of despising or slighting those instruments with whom God is present Answer The Reader must suppose his meaning to be either that he felt no such thing as motions quicknings soule-searchings c. while with us or else that whatever of that kinde he had they are now to be accounted no other then delusions and so not worthy the name of convictions or of being remembred If the former be imagined to be his meaning we have abundant and pregnant testimonies how that many times he hath declared his having met with God to admiration while he hath with us been waiting on him so that he would not have given such opportunities as he hath reported for the world But if he mindes all these to have been the delusions of his own heart we shall not contend about it but that likely they were so or that he dissembled those pretensions of enjoying God Only it further shewes the mercy we have of being delivered from such a deceitful mâ—mber who either then belyed the spirit while he owned such operations to him as were none of his or if they were the spirits works doth now in effect deny them Nay the mistake is very great if it cannot be made good that he being shortly upon the publishing of this pamphlet in his name demanded by a member how he could date affirm such a thing that he had no convictions c. replyed that he never had sayd such a thing If so the Reader may guess what hand it 's likely himself had in compiling the book which with other evidences if we liked to produce them would put that matter out of question Accuser 2. I was drawn off by these men when I was in the greatest probability of receiving good from the ministry that I ever was for I doe remember still the impressions which were made upon my soule by those truths which I heard from Mr. Chishul a little before I was thus drawn aside which did work mightily to conviction and to resolution in me but the devill envying my prosperity sent me this thorne in the flesh and their insinuations and temptations did so prevaile with me that I left this ministry to attend on them which was but a diversion from the work of my soule and I finde that whereas before I had some things of weight upon my spirit these were soon layed aside and I had nothing to doe but to dispute about Baptisme and to raile against ministers so that my former awakenings were turned into drousiness and doting about questions Answer How unskilful this man is of judging about Convictions appears in part by what is last said How infaithful he is in reporting them is no less evident by considering that when he came at first to make out among us a profession of his faith in order to fellowship with us he testified that the first convictions that were wrought on his soule were through the word of the Lord held forth in the Church after which as himself said for worldly respects he went again to attend on the publick ministry but was there met with by some word of Mr. Chishul which put life again into his former convictions begotten by the ministry with us whereupon he returned again and on a declaration of the work of faith was baptised and admitted If this testimony of his was in truth and a true work of grace was on him then did the Lord witness to our ministry if he deceived us in that profession then hath the Lord witnessed to our rejecting him he went out from us because he was not of us Whereas he lays the stress of his coming to us upon our insinuating and tempting him after the strictest search it doth not appeare that any were urgent with him at all but that of his own voluntary inclinatition he proposed his desires of
communion first to a particular member now with the Lord and then unto the whole Accuser 3. As I found no profit my self by attending on their teaching so I observed little to any other Nay it hath been not only mine but the experience of others who have constantly attended them as long as my self that there was nothing but deadness of spirit to be gained there which hath at last caused them to desert them also Answer The Accuser doth not tell you that those constant attenders that have deserted us were members with us there being but his wise and one or two more since that on that pretension have left that Church as for usual hearers if any of them are gone on this ground as it 's more then they have declared so neither is it visible by any loss of number in that great concourse But put case that we lying under so great reproach as the Accuser hath publickly and doeth dayly wait and labour with his new friends to cast upon us both Members of the Church and Attenders on it should be offended finding fault with Ministers Administrations c. would this become a convincing Argument with a serious heart that God is witnessing against the way hath it not been the common tryal of Gods own people heretofore and at this day is there not to be observed and lamented a spirit of giddiness taking great hold of men and things so that the whole series of what of late dayes had on it the impression of Reformation seeming as it were to labour and encline towards its ancient corruption In which house of temptation we are indeed in expectation of greater tryals then these and yet in the middest of them have this to be glad in our God for that all along he hath not left us without several gratious testimonies of his converting and quickning presence notwithstanding our Accuser and such spirits as his is may have tasted little of it but have been filled with their own wayes Accuser 4. They are very vigilant and watchful to finde out any that are convinced and awakened under the publick ministry and when they begin to see things a little darkly and confusedly they take the advantage of this twilight in which their soules are to put off their commadities where their soules have some tenderness and yet a great deal of ignorance they are fit to wrought upon by them for by reason of the first they dare not neglect a command of God and by reason of the second it appeares to them that it is necessary to be dipt Answer This fourth Experiment comes to appearance very big into the world and promising great discoveries suddenly easeth it self of six monstrous births conceived in the wombe of it all which for the substance of them are no other then the old pulpit and pressworne-slanders that the dragon hath had ready in all generations as a flood to poure out upon the Lords people who have laboured faithfully to beare their testimony and set their shoulders to the work of reformation or to the recovery of any truth in Doctrine or practise from the pollutions of the man of sinne against the interest and streame of the fleshly wisdome and glory of the times they have lived in All which as we might cast off at once by testifying an holy detestation through grace in our hearts against the baseness of the things suggested so need we and shall we say the less to them 1. For that there are no particular persons instanced who in the things layd to our charge may be made out demonstrably to be guilty and it is our comfortable assurance that on a faithful and impartial search they will not be found but that the slander will return on the Accusers head and none be stumbled at it unless such as may judge that this Accusers truth and faithfulness in this narrative examined deserves for him that he be believed in a matter of this moment upon his own word 2. In that our Accuser with his own pen freeth those that are Godly among us from these things saying toward the close I speake not this of all for as I have said I believe there is a mixture of godly among them c. our interest is not our cause needs not that we should plead for any ungodly ones or any ungodly deeds that they shall commit if any such shall be found guilty of the things charged and persist in them let them beare their judgment whoever they be the Lord will we hope in due time discover them and deliver us from them For what is said of our insinuations on the ignorant with pretensions of love from us or peace from God pressing them speedily to Baptisme and having all our zeale for the practise of holiness running into that we abhor and reject as base falshoods as might appeare from our not accepting the tenders of many persons desiring baptisme and communion with us when we cannot be satisfied in some good measure of illumination in their understanding and distinct knowledge of the work of conversion on their hearts though we judge it our duty to be tender to the babes in Christ Touching our own ignorance with which we are often branded by this our Accuser and our shunning the light its true we are reputed and know our selves to be a weak and darke people yet we declare that through the supporting mercy of God whom we fear and on whom in this day of rebuke and blasphemy we rely for help we shall not cease to witness be-before great and small as the Lord shall minister ability and clear up our way That the doctrine which we profess and particularly that point of baptising only upon personal profession of saving faith is a doctrine according to Godliness and the same which was once delivered to the Saints excepting nevertheless to our selves and owning whatever miscarriages through personall defects may accompany this profession of truth in this day of small things Neither shall we shun to testifie that the imposing of the fleshly off spring upon the Gospel-Church is a doctrine without Scripture foundation And we doe testifie that in this faith we stand through grace and have peace with God in it withall we desire the upright in heart to weigh and consider faithfully as for God how much the said doctrine imposing the fleshly off-spring on the Gospel Church sperplexeth and obscureth the light and order of the ministration of the everlasting covenant established by the Son of God how it confoundeth the main distinction of the two Convenants in the different principle of their respective subjects typified by Ishmael and Isaac Gen. 21.10 and explained Gal 4 22-30 Rom. 9.8 distinguished in plain terms by the children of the flesh and the children of promise with respect to the several seasons of Law and Gospel Rom. 4.13 14. How it also darkneth the honor and dignity which the Gospel Ministration exalteth the Jew and his posterity unto by confirming unto them the first tenders of divine Grace by a special institution of this Ministration Mat. 10.5 6. whereby from their former priviledge of servants under the bondage-convenant they by faith in the grace so tendred to them obtain for ever the priviledge and dignity of Sons and heirs of God a more noble descent then that of Abraham Neither can that suggestion That baptizing only upon personall profession is a narrowing of the Covenant of grace be of any weight seeing no subject which the Covenant of grace either in the nature or present exhibition thereof declareth and judgeth competent in any degree stands excluded by it although we be thereof judged because we dare not presume in point of practise in instituted worship to depart from a plaine known rule to follow uncertain suppositions Notwithstanding also our Accuser be among others come forth to mock and reproach us for it a man that hath been our companion in the counsels of the house of God and as David found that an aggravation to his afflictions Psal 41.9 and 55.12 13 14. so is it with us this day in behalf of this poor man who may doubtless become a stumbling stone to credulous incantious souls but we are taught to cast our care in such a case upon God seeing the case is particularly his to provide for and we are perswaded that though thousands should fall off be offended in this day of manifold temptations through worldly disadvantages yet that thereby the truth wherein we stand should only receive purgation from the blemishes that are brought upon it by