Testament 1. I find it to be a company of persons whether few or many who are converted to God by the Word and Spirit of God of this we have plentiful proof in the Scriptures those that were converted as being turned from darkness to light from the Power of Satan to God and so of Sinners made Saints by the Ministry of the Gospel were called the Churches of God and of Christ in Jerusalem in Samariah in Antioch in Corinth and many other places Secondly I find the Church of God to be such as were baptized in Water for Water Baptism was always previous to Church communion at the Lords Table thus it was in the primitive Church Act. 2 41.42 After convertion then followed Water Baptism and so Church communion Thirdly I find that besides convertion and Water Baptism there must be a Congregating together by a loving Agreement and free consent of the mind of each party from a Principle of Love to God and love to each other without any force or Compultion for Christ hath not made any penal Laws such as fines or Imprisonment to bring persons to his Church and Ordinances and let this be considered that conformity to Gods own Worship by compultion is not right Christian Religion because the conformity is to man and not to God 4thly When thus congregated together holiness of conversation must be maintained by every particular person or else they will be unfit for Church Communion thus have I humbly offered my Opinion and Apprehension as a description of a true Church God in the World which in the sum and substance of it neither the Dissenters nor the Church of England will disown yet it may be that both the Church of England some congregations of Protestant Dissenters may not give their Ascent and consent to every particular as before expressed concerning the true church of God as a true description of it however this matter considered amongst the Dissenters as differing one from another or considered in the Church of England as differing from the Dissenters it looks to much like the Devil to conclude of or call each other the Synagogue of the Devil for whether one or other or whether any of them at all have all the Essentials of a true church according to the primitive constitution yet so far as any of them in their particular persons and in their publick Assemblies do maintain godliness among themselves and promote it amongst others they ought to conclude and deem each other as christian Assemblies and not Synagogues of the Devil Fourthly the aforesaid author goeth on further and saith in his childish way of arguing he that shall communicate with the good members of the church of England shall certainly communicate with as good men as any is under the copes of Heaven for if we refer to the clergy then for Excellency of Natural parts Profoundness of Learning evenness of temper generosity of Principles most admirable Sermons and Doctrines holiness of life and largness of charity we challenge the whole Earth to over-match them now from the foregoing matter consider these following things First he speaketh of communion with the good Members of the church of England and as good as any under the copes of Heaven which words doth intimate that the rest are bad Members and it may be as bad men as any under the copes of Heaven 2dly Consider who these good Members and sâ—per excellent men of the Church of Eagland are First negatively not the brave Protestant Nobility 2dly Not the Gentry 3dly Not the good Church-men of the City 4thly Not the good Church-men of the Country but he fixeth upon the Clergy 3dly Consider the Author of the aforesaid Pamphlet would fain have all persons to whom his Pamphlet may come believe or suppose that he is well acquainted with all the Clergy in the Church of England and is thereby able to be an Evidence of their excelling goodness which seems to be a cunning introduction to some Ecclesiastical Function 4thly Consider that the aforesaid Author has been a greater Traveller then he mentioneth in page 10. viz. to the utmost Mountains for in this page 7. he speaketh of the Dominions of the whole Earth under the Copes of Heaven and doth challenge the whole Earth to over match the English Clergy what would the man have those that read his Pamphlet believe that he has travelled with him that spake boldly to God in Job 1. verse 7. Going to and fro in the earth and walking up and down in it As if he were Observator of the Universe I will not say to be a guide but to give a trancendent Character of the English Clergy but truly I think it best to appeal to all the Parishes in England to give a character of their particular Clergy-men they being best acquainted with their Natural Parts their Temper Principles Sermons Charity and Conversation and let them judge whether they be so good as none better can be expected till Elias cometh with extraordinary Revelation to restore all things however I do believe in my conscience that some of the Clergy of the Church of England are Holy Humble and charitable men and that take delight in Gods Blessing their Labours in mens Conversion and hate Persecution of any of the Kings Subjects by Penal Prosecution they well knowing that forced Conformity is not like to the Lasting pray consider well the Conformist Plea for the Nonconformist and I do not question but believe that worthy Gentleman hath some brethren like himself Sons of the Church of England 5thly The Author still goeth on and reasoneth page 8. if it be dangerous and unsafe to Communicate with the Church of England it is because she is no Church at all or at best but an Antichristian Church unto which I Reply First There is no necessity to conclude the one or other concerning the Church of England what has the man a mind to wheadle some unwary persons into danger and set the Dissenters and the Church of England at a greater variance than they are by drawing and defending some dangerous conclusion concerning the Church 2dly Surely the man hath forget or hath not well considered the good old Proverb all is not gold that glisters suppose upon sight of a piece of Mettle a man should affirm if it be not pure gold it must at best be brass another man of better understanding in the Mettle may affirm it is neither pure gold nor brass and upon bringing it to the touchstone may find it to be a mixt Mettle 3dly If it should be granted that the Church of England were as true and good a Church as the Church at Corinths yet it may be as unsafe and dangerous to partake of the Communion in the one Church as it was in the other viz. persons may in Communicating Eat and Drink their Damnation 1 Cor. 11.27,28 And now from the whole of what the Pamphleteer hath said in his arguings and conclusions concerning