pious performances as stinted worship Quiristers singing of Psalms with all the Rubrique postures I could forgive you the rest because you acknowledge these performances to be pious for if they had piety in them I see no reason why you or any body else have cause to note them for corruptions But when I came to this place I entred into debate with my self which part of Solomons counsel I should take whether I should answer or not answer Not to answer Dr. Bancroft Featly Hammond Fulke Taylour Hooker Prideaux Preston might give you occasion to boast I could not And to answer was to say over again that which hath been so often sayd by worthy and learned men whom if you have not consulted you are to blame and I wish you would if you have and are not satisfied I fear my labour will be lost However I shall set before you what they have said before me And first I shall speak to your stinted worship 1. And here give me leave first to ask you to what you referre this word stinted whether you strictly restrain it to the word worship or to the Spirit by which we are to worship If to the first I see you are against all set forms of worship if to the last that you think the Spirit is restrained by these set forms And because both are said by your party I shall answer to both and to the last first These conceiv'd forms are either premeditate or extempore if premeditate then the Spirit is as much limited in their conceiv'd forms as by any forme conceiv'd by the Church But if extempore then the Spirit only of him that makes the prayer is left at liberty for the whole Congregation is by that means as much stinted and bound to a set forme to wit of those words the Minister conceivs as if he read them out of a book And is not the Spirit restrain'd when the Congregation shall be confined to the forme of this one mans composing If this be not stinted worship if this be not to stint the Spirit I know not what it is And I can see but one way to avoid it that every one in the Congregation conceive and offer up a prayer with his own spirit and not be forced and confin'd to the Ministers single dictate this would preserve entirely that liberty of the Spirit you pretend that other will not To this if you will not yield as I know you will not it lies upon you to answer the objection which I never saw yet done 2. As for set forms of prayer which I conceive you principally intend by stinted worship I shall next endeavour to justifie them upon many grounds 1. In the old Testament we find set forms of blessing and thanksgiving and prayers appointed by God himself He it was that fram'd to his Priests the very words with which they were to blesse the people Numb 6.23.24 25 26. Numb 10.35.36 2 Chron. 29.30 Exod. 15. Selden in Eutychium Speak to Aaron and his Sonnes saying in this wise shall ye blesse the people The Lord blesse and keep thee c. At the remove of the Arke a forme is set and taught the Priests exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici At the Arks return a form Return O Lord into thy resting place Hezekiah prescribed to the Priests to sing praise to the Lord with the words of David and Asaph the Seer Moses Hymn for the overthrow of Pharaoh is extant and in the same chapter taken up and sung by Miriam which afterward grew a part of the Jewish ordinary Church Liturgy for such they had being instituted by Ezra and the Consistory What should I tell you that the 92. Psalm is a Psalm compos'd for the Sabbath The 20. Psalm to be sung by the people when the King went forth to battaile The 113. to the 118. the great Hallelujah 13. whole Psalms or as some say 15. viz. from 119. to 134. Songs of degrees Moller Ames Musculut in Ps 21. because upon every one of the steps which were 15. betwixt the peoples court and the Temple the Priests made a stay and sung one of these Psalms and the 21. Psalm composed by David to be sung by the people for the King when he came home with victory Yea but say some this was in the infancy and minority of the Church as children then they needed their Festra's as infirm bodies their crutches but now under the Gospel it is otherwise we have more light and gifts of the Spirit than they had True more light we have because the Mystery kept secret from the beginning of the world is more clearly revealed to us then it was to them but that 's not the question prove they should if they speak to the purpose that we have now more ability to compose a prayer then they had more of the Spirit of Grace and supplications Men may have a high conceit of their own abilities but I suppose no wise man will conceive but that Aaron and his sonnes Moses and the Priests Hezekiah and the Levites had as great an ability to pray ex tempore as great a measure of the Spirit of grace and supplications as any man that now lives and yet they used and prescribed set forms Their minority then was in respect of the object of faith not in respect of the spirit of supplications These men therefore shew themselves children to talke of Festra's and cripples in their understanding to talk of crutches since those mens legs were far stronger then theirs and their graces of the Spirit far beyond any Enthusiasts in these days We may think of these forms as meanly as we please but Chrysostome was of another judgement Chrysost Hom. 1. of prayer for thus he begins one of his Homilies of prayer For two reasons it becomes Gods servants to wonder and blesse him both for the hope we have in their prayers and that preserving in writing the Hymns and Orisons they offer'd to God with fear and joy they have deliver'd to us their treasure that so they might draw all posterity to their zeale and imitation Yea but the Spirit must teach us to pray it helps all our infirmities 't is the promise of God to his Church I will poure upon them the Spirit of Grace and supplications Zach. 12.10 And all this may be done in a set forme as well as by any extempore prayer True it is the Spirit must teach us to pray both for matter and forme for we know not what to ask and must teach us how to pray for we know not how to ask zeal and fervour and faith and perseverance and importunity all necessary affections in every supplicant are gifts of the Spirit and groans and sighs proceed from the Spirit he moves the heart first to supplicate brings a man to see in what a wretched case he is one that by his sins hath pierced the Son of God therefore to deprecate ask pardon deprecentur
Lastly 't is a touch of the Spirit when a man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of compassionate bowels his abilities yet may be small to help the indigent members of Christ Jesus and his own necessities may retard him and make him murmur at the duty of almes Well what he can spare yet let him give though it be but two mites and when he bestowes it let it be given with a good heart for hilarem datorem amat Deus 2 Cor. 9.7 I have not strained the text one jot and you may see how naturally all this doth follow if you referre it to that of which the Apostle began to speak the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God gives to several members of his Church Whereas if you follow those who are of your mind the interpretation will be forc'd and very improper For then we must have seven several functions here set down in the Church of God distinguished by these gifts Next you must prove that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these gifts of the Spirit belong to the Officers of the Church onely and not to the rest of the faithful which I know you dare not say 't is so contradictory to Scripture when we read of other that did prophesie Acts 21.9 1 Cor. 11.5 Acts 18.26 1 Thes 5.11 1 Pet. 4.10 1 Tim. 3.4 Luke 6.36 that did teach that must exhort and edifie that are bound to distribute and minister to rule and to shew mercy as well as Church-officers Yet further we must know whether these offices must be distinct and remaine divided or else may meet in one person if they must remain distinct no Prophet may teach or exhort no Ruler may give or shew mercy if they may meet and agree in one subject then are they no Offices but graces and he that hath one may have all and so you are further from your purpose in concluding any thing from this place than you were before Lastly make them Ecclesiastical functions if you list but then you must appropriate them then not any one of them can be atributed to Lay-persons That which I fasten upon here I know is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that ruleth for thence you would collect you Ruling Elders A very strange inference and illogical 't is as if you should argue a genere ad speciem as thus est animal ergo est homo est substantia ergo est corpus est arbor ergo est quercus when you know 't is a certaine truth in reason that A genere ad speciem non valet argumentum For thus you must argue out of this place It is a Church Ruler that Saint Paul means in this place which is very doubtful too but if granted then by your Logick it must be the Lay-Ruling Elder which you intend whereas you know that we assigne you other Ruling Elders that are no Lay-men and among you even your Pastors beare rule too and so may be understood in this place rather than those other There is then no necessity that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place must be your Lay-Ruling-Elder and then you conclude nothing And as little can you gather from the next place you bring out of the Corinthians which is indeed parallel to this and gives light to it 1 Cor. 12.8 28. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit Verse 8. I professe a blinde man may see as much in this verse as I do that makes to your purpose I go on then to the 28. And God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then the gifts of healings helps Verse 28. governments diversities of tongues First I shall give you the judgment of a grave Expositor on this place though an adversary Apostolus hic non agit de gradibus hierarchicis alioquin Pastores Presbyteros Diaconos praetermittere non debuisset Estius in locum sed recenset quaedam Ecclesiae membra praecipuis Spiritus sancti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insignia sive constitutae sint in ordine hierarchico five non Secondly that this place cannot be understood of the functions of the Church will be evident these two wayes 1. Teachers are here expressed but Pastors are omitted and therefore might Governours the word you catch at be mentioned in stead of Pastors If this satisfie not then tell me what functions can you call these that follow in the Church of Christ are Miracles that is power to work miracles gifts of healing a faculty to speak divers tongues functions and offices Ornaments I shall grant you they were of the Pastoral calling and so was ability to govern To rule wisely is a great gift of the holy Ghost and more needful than the other To the government of the Church belongs more than censuring of manners and examining witnesses wisdome to prevent dangers to direct doubtful cases to discerne spirits to calme strifes is requisite which rarely are eminent in your Lay-Elders Besides pray consider that if in this place you should make your Governours distinct from the Apostles the Apostles themselves could not qua Apostoli be Governours which I hope you will not say Had not the Apostles Prophets Teachers power in the Church to do miracles to heale to speak with tongues If these three be no divers offices but graces and all three found in every Apostle in some Prophets and Teachers then why should not government also that is reckoned in the middest of them be a gift also of the holy Ghost bestowed on such Prophets Pastors and Teachers whom the Spirit of grace and truth would vouchsafe to honour This is my first reason and my second will be clearer by reflecting upon the gifts of the Spirit of which we have a list in this chapter and comparing them with the functions Let us then number the gifts of the Spirit and see whether the publike functions can be proportioned to them 1 Cor. 12. Verse 8. To one saith the Apostle is given by the Spirit the word or reason of wisdome to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit to another faith by the same Spirit 9. to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifts of healing by the same Spirit to another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the powerful working of miracles or the operation of great works out to another prophesie but to another discerning or judgment of spirits but to another divers kinds of tongues but to another the interpretation of tongues but all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 works evidently one and the same spirit 10. dividing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prpperly or severally to every man 11. as he will Here are nine gifts of the holy Ghost numbered in verse 28. we meet with two more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28. undertaking or helping and governing in the forecited
such of your Pastours who have declin'd the name I list not to grate your eares with this harsh musick but lay your hand upon your heart and say whether the Masters of your Congregations be not the men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is my witnesse and you partly know that I never was guilty of the smoothing of any mans pride of favouring of any mans rigorous domineering Of honour I alwayes thought him most worthy who I saw did least affect it affectation of honour and desire of superiority I know our Saviour prohibits and on the contrary humility lowlinesse and meeknesse is that which he commands And yet I see no reason why it should grieve any godly minde to hear a Bishop call'd by that name with which Saint Peter will'd every woman to call her husband and Mary Magdalen call'd him who had but a spade in his hand They are not titles that can swell any man who hath not pride in his heart and that may leven as much and puffe up him that puffs at this title and bears other names as he that was once call'd Lord Bishop And so much of the titles you except against I come now to what you lay to their charge Proposition 3. Who ventured to usurp the power of excommunication in their Synods and Councils WHO is a Relative and it hath so many Antecedents that I know not whether you referre it to all the fore-going titles or to some in particular To all you should not for the Dean intermedled not with excommunications the Chancellour de facto did but should not so I grant you that was an usurpation and complain'd on and preach'd down by me as well as decryed by you The Surrogate and Arch-Deacon did but then it was not jure nativo but delegato for their commission they had from the Bishops I shall therefore more willingly conceive your thoughts reflect upon them and especially because you mention Synods and Councils which they alone at first had power to assemble But then to affirme that it was an usurped power in them to excommunicate in Synods and Councils seems to me a Paradox For I shall here ask whether the Bishops being not assembled in Synods or Councils had power to excommunicate or no If you say they had then it will seem strange that meeting in Synods and Councils they should lose this power This is as if you should say that Corporations meeting in Council should lose the power which every single Alderman had before he came thither or the people their rights and priviledges when assembled in Parliament which they had before Vis unita sortior and certainly what power any man hath to act singly and by himself when he meets with other Commissioners associated in that power he works more vigorously and his act is of the greater authority But if you shall say that the Bishops had no power of excommunication nor then nor before nor in Council nor out of it you plainly contradict the Scriptures which I shall evidence unto you by examining the Commission given the Apostles and their practice and what is true of the Apostles will be as true of the Bishops for I have before proved unto you they were their Successors and by them setled in some Churches And the ordinary power which was given to the Apostles was given to them for otherwise Christs promise cannot be verifyed behold I am with you signanter to the end of the world John 20. The Commission is extant As my Father sent me so send I you and then presently breathing on them he addes Receive the Holy Ghost Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retain they are retained Cyril lib. 12. in Joan. cap. 55. Cyprian de unit Ecclesiae Epist 73. ad Julian which words are understood by all the Ancient Doctours of authority as though he said that with the same power and authority my Father sent me into the world to gather and govern my Church I do also send you that is with all spiritual power necessary to your office and charge Now I ask whether the Apostles must be assembled in Council or not when they were to execute this authority if you say they must then you grant the question for then the sentence of excommunication may be passed in a Synod or Council If you should say they could not then a single Apostle could not excommunicate which I yet never heard affirmed all granting that they were pares potestate except the Papist who will have all Episcopal power and authority originally invested in Saint Peter and from him derived to others But this I conceive you will not say neither when I finde St. Paul assuming this power to himself 2 Cor. 13.10 Therefore I write these things being absent lest being present I should use sharpnesse according to the power the Lord hath given me What can be more plain power given by the Lord to me a single Apostle and therefore he tells them that heretofore had sinned Ver. 2. and to all other that if he came again he would not spare spare to lay his rod upon them For in the first Epistle he proposeth such a thing to them and wills them to consider of it quid vult is what will you 1 Cor. 4.21 shall I come unto you with a rod or in love or in the Spirit of meeknesse as who should say choose which you will Compare this with 2 Cor. 10.4 8 9 10 11. verses and you will easily conclude that a single Apostle had authority enough to lay his rod upon a scandalous contumacious offender This for the power now to the practice According to this power Saint Paul exercised judgment and gave sentence in a certain grievous case of incest among the said Corinthians in these words I absent in body but present in spirit have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gathered together 1 Cor. 5.3 4 5 and my spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver such a one to Satan Who I pray was it that censured this man was it not the Apostle himself If I understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ego judicavi it must be so And the same Apostle writing to his Scholar Timothy makes mention of another sentence by him pronounced against Hymenaeus and Alexander two seditious and heretical men whom saith he I have delivered ego tradidi 1 Tim. 1 2◠to Satan i. e. excommunicated and cut off from the Church of God that they may learn not to blaspheme What should I tell you that the learned draw the words of Saint Peter to Simon Magus to this purpose Acts 8.21 Thou hast no part nor lot in this matter That Diotrephes cast some out of the Church it was his fault but for this Saint John when he came Joh. Ep. 3.10 threatens to remember
ipsum implorent illius misericordiam Junius in Loc. Zach. But why all this may not be as well in a petitioner that prays in a set forme as in him who pretends to the Spirit and yet utters so much cold and low stuff on a sudden no wise man can imagin Compare but these extempore raptures with the words of Moses David and Asaph the Seer with the prayers intercessions Hymns and Psalms of the Servants and Prophets and holy men of God uttered and left upon record and then it will be easie to put the difference betwixt those who are truly taught by the Spirit and those who presume to be taught For from the one hath proceeded prayers and supplications and forms of thanksgiving so high and admirable that they are beyond imitation from the other a shower of words so flat so jejune so confused so unsignificant that sometime they passe all understanding Will you but have patience to hear the Censure of Brown himself after his conversion Bancroft ser preach'd 1588. who thus speaks to his friends concerning their extempore prayers Good God what worship or prayer do you use I am asham'd to name the boldnesse and folly of some who scarce able to utter three words orderly will yet take upon them to babble out a tedious long and stuttering prayer wherein every tenth word shall be the repeating of O heavenly Father O merciful Father O dear Father O good Lord O merciful God c. and all things so foolishly pack'd together that their prayer seems rather the lisping and prattling of an infant that would tell a great tale could he hit of it then the petition of a zealous devout soul to his God These are the words of Brown the Patriarch and woful experience doth justifie him for in many Extemporaries the matter of the prayer is so indigested the words so incongruous the periods so broken and interrupted the length so tedious the Tautologies so many that a mean capacity may be apt to say The prayer was never dictated by the Spirit To break off from this to pray by the Spirit is two ways taken Either for prayers made by the assistance of the Spirit and so they which use premeditated prayers or set forms may pray by the Spirit as well as others for the Spirit assists in the premeditation and in the delivery Or else to pray by the Spirit is to pray by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit as the Prophets and Apostles spoke and wrote and thus neither they who now use set forms nor yet they who pray extempore can be said to pray for then their prayers should be of equal authority with the Psalms of David and Asaph and other prayers set down and taught by divine inspiration And it seemes that wisdome is the daughter of time for even they in whose mouths there were no other prayers lawful but extempore have now perswaded and commended to their proselytes the Practice of Piety and advised them to make use of those set formes in their devotions which I am sure will as much stint the spirit as any Collect in the Liturgy 2. But I leave the old Prophets and that which occasioned this discourse and come to the Christian Church Christ did not onely use himself a set forme of words in prayer but three times together used the same words Mat. 26. Luk. 11. Saint John Baptist taught his disciples to pray and it cannot be conceived but it was in a set forme for two reasons For had he said to them the Spirit shall teach you then he had not taught them but the Spirit Secondly a forme sure it was that the disciples came to be taught to pray as John taught his disciples and upon it Christ prescribed them a forme When you pray say In Matthew indeed it is When you pray say thus but in Saint Luke where the forme is prescribed say This Our Father c. It seemes he meant it not onely as a patterne but as a forme it self as the standard-bushel is not onely a measure of all bushels but may it self be used which precept no man can with a good conscience obey that holds all set formes of necessity to be cast out of the Church August epist 59. Tertull. in exposit orationis dominicae And therefore the ancient Churches began and concluded their Liturgies with it This Tertullian calls Legitima oratio and affirms that this being premised men have liberty to adde other petitions praemissa legitima ordinaria oratione quasi fundamento accidentium jus est desideriorum jus est extruendi extrinsecas petitiones His words are very material This prayer is lawful and legitimate this is ordinary it must be premised it must be the foundation of our petitions and this being laid then a man may lay his right and claime upon it to build other desires other petitions And as the Ancients would begin with it so also they had a care to end with it also it being a comprehensive prayer Directory Perkins on the Lords prayer that whatsoever might be defective in the rest this might complete it And this again is the most powerful eloquence to draw God to audience Could we speak with the tongues of men and Angels yet certainly our petitions cannot finde so easie an entrance into our heavenly Fathers ears as when we tender them in his Sons own words This was the judgment both of Cyprian and Chrysologus Qui fecit vivere docuit orare ut dum prece oratione quam filius docuit apud patrem loquimur audiamur agnoscit filii sui verba Cyprian de orat dominicae cum precem facimus in dictandis precibus vota supplicum praevenit Adde to this a man is bound to say Amen at the end of a prayer now a man may much scruple whether he is bound to say Amen to such a prayer which he hath not time to weigh which he hath not time to consider For put case that he who takes upon him to speak unto you in the Name of God Chrysologus in eadem shall teach some false doctrine or covertly deliver unto the people some errour and after pray that God would blesse the seed which he hath sown is it not dangerous to joyne with him in his desires Such a thing may possibly fall out And this inconvenience is quite removed partly by subjoyning this prayer partly by using those forms the Church hath enjoyned to which a man may upon deliberation say Amen But this is not the sole example we have in the New Testament patterns for set formes The Apostle nine times reiterates the same words The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all And to put the matter out of doubt the Saints for their victory over the Beast sang the triumphal song as Moses and the Israelites sang of old when they were delivered from the Egyptians No marvail if the same benefit be celebrated with
Text of the sacred Record but such slender and far fetch 't and forced collections as these are I beseech you weigh them once more in the balance of sad reason and set aside passion humour fancy prejudice and over-much love to that cause you labour to defend and say if you can without blushing whether they directly speak out what you have produced them to witnesse 'T is no llight offence to take Gods Name in vain but to deliver that for his word which he never spake nor meant is a heinous transgression You seem to me to have done that here which you and I and others were wonâ— to do in the Schools when we were young Sophisters our aime you know was to presse the respondent with an argument till we had clapt upon him a Text of Aristotle which he durst not for shame deny whether the Philosopher intended to say that in that place for which we produced his words we never regarded we thought it enough if we put our Adversary to a non-plus And thus you have done here offered your assertion and backed it with This is witnessed by God in Jeremy Ezekiel Isaiah Saint Luke Paul not much regarding what was the purpose of the Spirit in those words sufficient I suppose you thought it to say something that might serve the turn for the present and non-plus a weak Adversary But it ought to be Truth for which we should contend and not victory which will never be till we weigh our words in the balance of the Sanctuary and value our Texts by weight and not by number God amend what is amisse for Iliacos inter muros peccatur extra Till then to use your own words nor you nor we can upon good grounds expect the manifestation of sure mercy or the enjoyment of solid peace You go on Knowing that Combinations are properly appertaining to vile and violent sinne-loving sinners as is shewed by the Oracles of God Psal 5.5 11.5 6. Rev. 14.10 22.15 The Reply This no man will deny you And you prove it well out of the Psalms and the Revelations but if you will be pleased to consult the places and view the Characters by which those vile and violent sinne-loving sinners may be known you may with a wet finger pitch upon the men Only I shall desire you in that twenty second Chapter of the Revelations to look a little further and at the twenty ninth verse you shall read that if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophesie God shall take away his part out of the book of life and out of the holy City and from the things that are written in this book Tantum veritati obstrepit adulter sensus Tertull. quantum corruptor stylus I say no more we have enough to tremble at And that Church-promises and that Church-priviledges as well as Christs Consolations are pecullarly applicable to such Covenant-makers with God and men as through the strength of their surety are Covenant-keepers with both The Reply This is well observed by you for there is no reason that any man expect a comfort or benefit from any promise or by any priviledge who doth not as much as lies in him keep the condition of that Covenant upon which the favour was promised The priviledges we know and of the promises we are not ignorant but if they belong to none but such who have made and kept their Covenant with God and man then let them look to it that have kept neither In the next place you shew us the way how this may be known Which Covenant-making and Covenant-keeping is expressed and perceived by a regular walking toward them who are without as well as towards them that are within according to what is written Isa 55.3 Gal. 6 16. 1. Tim. 4.8 The Reply That godlinesse is profitable unto all things having the promise of the life that now is and that which is to come that as many as walk according to this Rule shall finde peace and mercy 1 Tim. 4.8 Gal. 6.16 is evident by these Scriptures and therefore the Prophet calls Encline your ear and come unto me hâ—ar and your soules shall live Isa 55.3 and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Thus much is here expressed and you over and above shew us how it may be perceived even by a regular walking towards them that are without as well as toward them that are within which rule of yours had some had a care and conscience to walk in I assure my self those who are counted to be without had been better dealt with For the inhumanity and incivility that some have found from your Combination hath alienated many a mans mind and as I have been credibly informed kept off many a poor Heathen from turning Christian I could tell you if I list an odde story but I spare you You may read it in Dr. S erres History of France in the life of Lewis the ninth If you can tell any such tydings as a heavenly promise to unheavenly persons c. The Reply I nor any Orthodox or conscientious Minister hath or will ever undertake to bring any such tydings 'T is not unknown to you that I have reduced all the Articles of the Creed to practice and drawn into duty the whole Catechisme without any ifs or ands here is no promise made to an unheavenly person We constantly teach that we were therefore delivered from the hands of our enemies that we serve God in righteousnesse and holinesse without fear all the dayes of our life you needed not therefore closely by your if insinuated us as guilty for teaching false and impious Doctrine If there be any among you that being wolvs in sheeps clothing send abroad their Diurnals stuffed with such news we are not apt to beleeve them for heaven is prepared for heavenly persons But then again we say that all those whom you will call heavenly are not presently so because daily experience informs that they minde too much the things of the earth neither are many of those unheavenly whom you superciliously cast aside God be blessed for it heaven is a large place and in it are many Mansions and they are prepared for more than ever yet were of your Combination Or a holy priviledge to the souls or seed of unholy parents that you would finde in your heart to give me some notice thereof and to acquaint me with any of those good grounds of any lively hope that they shall be everlastingly happy is the last of those motions which I make bold for to leave with you to consider and meditate upon The Reply Your proposal is disjunctive and therefore must receive a different answer for you cunningly clapped together things that should be separated there being great disparity betwixt the souls and the seed of unholy parents That the souls of unholy parents shall be everlastingly happy I know not any