IT may seem strange to all that know me, to see me in print; and if any that see me thus appear, judge that it is me main businesse to vindicate my self, they are mistaken; I am partly driven to this by the irregular proceedings of those who have judged me as an offender, and yet would not give me liberty to speak for my self: So that I am enforced to speak this way, or to justi­fie them by my silence; but that which most of all prevails with me is,

1. A desire to give glory to God in ac­knowledging his mercy, who hath opened my eyes and shewed me the errour of my way.

2. I judge it my duty, to labour to unde­ceive all the simple and plain hearted.

3. I think it as necessary to discover the hypocrisie of some that lye in wait to de­ceive, and by cunning insinuations and pre­tences draw aside many souls to their own losse, if not to their destruction.

It is notoriously known to all the inha­bitants of Tiverton, that I was deeply enga­ged in that way, which is commonly known by the name of Anabaptists; yea, so far as that I though, I was bound to oppose all that dissented from that way, as being anti­christian; and so zealous was I to promote that interest, that I forsook my relations, & left my Fathers house, not caring for any society, but such as were for that way; refusing to joyn in prayer with such as dif­fered from me in that, though otherwise godly. Thus I continued for the space of near two yeares, but at last God was pleased to cause me to reflect upon my self and wayes, and by some special providences (of which I shall by and by give an account) he made me willing to stand upon the waies and see, and enquire for the way of the Lord; for untill this time I was so filled with prejudice against the publick ministry, that I refused all conferences and debates with any (though offered with never so much mildnesse) concerning the way in which I was: or if I did at any time admit of any, it was to defend and not to examine it: but now God having put some check upon my spirit; I began to lay things in the ballance, and observing another people in [Page 5] this place, walking under Ordinances, and joyned with the publick ministry; such thoughts as these are would come in some­times. We say, we are in the way of God, & they say they are in the way of God: May not I all this while be mistaken? Though I often opposed such thoughts as these, yet they returned upon me by my observation; for I could not but take notice that those I walked withall, were looser both in their principles and practizes, than those I dis­sented from; I found them sleight in their thoughts of the Sabbath, and that they ob­served that day rather out of policy than out of conscience; not so much to sanctifie the name of God, as to keep their hearers from attending the publick Ministry: they speak sleightly of those that walked strictly and closely with God in duty; saying, that all the Religion of such lay in duties, but theirs was spirituall. 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 care­lesse of mine in private. The consideration of these things, made me begin to enquire whether this were the truth which I profes­sed. From henceforth I resolved to consi­der [Page 6] 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 & practice of that which I opposed. And upon serious inquiring into the Word, and earnest seek­ing of God, it pleased the Lord to satisfie me in the truth: and in particular touching these two controverted truths:

1. That the Covenant of grace, stands now in force to the children of believers under the Gospell.

2. That this is a sufficient ground by Gods appointment, why the children of be­lievers should be baptized: this is evident from many scriptures in the new Testament, which the Anabaptists have endeavoured of­ten to obscure; I shall onely mention one, which was as full to me, Act. 2. 39. The Pro­mise is to you, and to your children; the A­nabaptists have laboured to darken this truth, by perswading the world to believe that children have no right to the Promise, till they are actually called, which they would infer from the last claim of the fore­mentioned Text. But by considering I saw their mistake in the Text, ( Call) hath no relation to children but to them afar off.

[Page 7]1. Because the children are joyned with their Parents in the promise which is an in­tire proposition in the Text.

2. If children should be excluded from the promise, this could not have comforted the Parents, but have sadned them, that their children should be the same with hea­thens. Now here the scope of the Text is urged by the Apostle for consolation.

3. If so; Then this could not encourage the Parents to submit to these under this ad­ministration but would have hindred them that their children should be excluded from the promise, who stood in it for 2000 years before, under the other administration.

4. If so then, children would be su­perfluous in this Text, and so the spirit of God would be charged with tau­tologies, which would be blasphemy to af­firme.

5. The tense is changed, the promise is to you and your children, in the present tense; but when he speaks of the call, he speaks in the future tense; as many as God shall call which must needs be applied to them afar off, and not to children.

6. If their interpretation hold good, there would be a very great charge in the extent of the covenant, narrower under the [Page 8] Gospel then it was under the law, and no notice in all the Book of God given of such a change.

7. If their interpretation be true, then the believing Jews should have losse by their repentance, if their children should be exclu­ded from the Promise, as soon as the Pa­rents had repented.

8. Then they could have no hope of their children, for hope without promise is pre­sumption.

9. If children should be excluded from the promise, let any man breathing shew me what priviledge the children of repenting parents have above others? Now it is clear the Apostle addes children in the Text, to shew that they had some speciall priviledge above those that were yet uncalled.

10. Then how could the blessing of A­braham come to the Gentiles according to Gal. 3. 14. which blessing of Abraham was, I will be a God unto thee, and thy seed, Gen. 17. 7.

11. Then how can believers be heires ac­cording to Gal. 3. 29. if their children should be excluded from the promise, for the childrens right to the promise is a part of the fathers Inheritance (For) the promise is to thee and thy seed.

Lastly if children be excluded from the promise, it seemes the Apostle went about rather to deceive his hearers then to inform them; it is very unlikely the Apostle would use the same dialect of the Covenant that was formerly used to Abraham (I am thy God the God of thy seed, the promise is to you and your children) if it had been his minde, that children should be excluded, I wish that men would with unbyased hearts weigh those things, and you should see that the children of believers as in the promise. Further I observe that the promise is to be considered two wayes.

1. As it is invisibly made, so it is alone to the Elect.

As it is visibly made, so it is with visi­ble professors and their children; whoever is in Covenant in the first sense, can ne­ver fall away. But many may be in Cove­nant in the latter sense, who may after­wards degenerate and fall away.

Here let the impartial Reader take notice that the Covenant, as it is visibly exhibited, is the ground for Baptism; seeing the subjects of the Covenant internally are known to God alone, this distinction of the Covenant is clear from Rom. 9. 4. where the Apostle sayes, the Covenant pertains to [Page 10] them, and yet the Apostle was in great hea­vinesse for them, vers. 2. Its clear from Acts 3. 25. where the Jews are called the Children of the Covenant, and yet but few of them in­ternally in the Covenant. Its clear from Iohn 1. 11. where they are called, Gods own, which could not be by creation, for so all are his own; neither could it be by speciall grace, for saith the Text, they rejected Christ: Then it must needs follow, that there was a visible Church-covenant or co­venant of grace visibly exhibited, that gave them a claim to God.

In a word this must be acknowledged by the Anabaptists themselves, else how can they call themselves a visible Church of Christ, if there be no visible exhibition of the Covenant to give men such a visible re­lation; for there is no claime to God but by Covenant.

In this sense we are to understand, the children of Believers, in the promise accor­ding to the meaning of the Apostle in Act. 2. 39. Now this Covenant right, is a ground which God himself layes down, why any should be baptized, Act. 2. 38. he requires baptisme, vers. 39 shewes the reason For the promise is to you. Here I desire the reader to take notice, how the word of com­mand [Page 11] depends upon the word of promise, and with an inseparable union and Connex­tion there is between the command and the promise, the same reason alledged by the Apostle, why the parent should be Baptized is rendred by the same Apostle, as a reason why the children should be Baptized, (for the promise is to you and your Children) nay the very same comand expressed to bap­tize the one is implied to baptize the other, for if some or any to whom the promise is made, may not be baptised there can be no force in the Apostles argument.

Thus the Lord satisfied me about Infant­baptisme.

Being thus far satisfied I went to heare the publick Ministry, but this comming to the eares of the Anabaptists, there came three of their society the next day to me to have an account concerning this thing; I told them if they please to come at a time appointed I would give them the reasons of my withdrawing from them; and accor­dingly they came, the preachers & the prin­cipalest among them, where I gave them an account of my withdrawing from them, as many of my friends can bear witnesse, which was as followeth,

1. Their denying the children of [Page 12] Believers a right to the Covenant.

2. Living in constant neglect of an Or­dinance of Christ ( viz.) singing of Psalms.

3. For neglecting of Family duty, maintaining it to be a mans liberty, not his duty to pray in his Family.

4. For denying the power of the Magi­strate for punishing of evil doers: (to wit, Quakers.)

5. For sleighting the publick Ministry.

I offered to give them a farther account of my withdrawing from the hypocrisie and wickednesse of one VVilliam Facye, who is their present Paitor, but they refused to hear, and desired I would not cast dirt to their face; I desired that they would please to give an account what they had against me; but I could get nothing but this from them ( viz.) You are withdrawn from us, and have neglected your place amongst us.

Then they solicited me again to return to them, but seeing they could not prevail, they summoned me to appear before them such a day. I told them if I might have the liberty to bring some friends of mine with me, I would meet with them; this being granted and the day assigned, I desired Mr. Fortescue Lowman Minister of the Word in [Page 13] Cadlie, with some other friends to be pre­sent, whom I found very ready, and accor­dingly at the time appointed, came with me to their meeting, where were present some of the ablest of that party in these parts, Both from Plymouth, Dartmouth, Totnes, Bonytracy, Bompton and several o­ther parts, whom they had invited to assist them; and it is remarkable to behold the just hand of the Lord, who will not bear with sinne, nor suffer his truth to fall to the ground; assoon as we came into their meet­ting, it pleased the Lord to strike such a damp upon their spirits, and cast them into such an hurrey, that not a man among them would engage to justifie their proceeding, but one Thomas Classe (who was not of that society, but a Teacher of a company of them at Bo­nytracy) in the name of the rest of the A­nabaptists, desired that all such as were not members of their society would withdraw. I told them if my friends should not be pre­sent with me according to appointment, I would withdraw also (knowing the in­conveniency of being with them alone, when there was no one to testifie the plain truth of things) He told me if I would deny the au­thority of Christ and his Church, I might. Unto whom I replyed; That the authority [Page 14] of Christ I did own, but your authority I did deny. VVilliam Facy not willing to be laid open, joyned with this motion, and de­sired my friends to withdraw: Then Mr. Lowman told them he had something to pro­pose to them before he did withdraw, if they pleased, Thomas Glasse replyed, pray withdraw, for you have nothing to do here. So we withdrew, and one of my friends said, Report no more that we refuse to give you a meeting: which false report they have often spread to deceive the simple, and to carry on their designe by perswading the ignorant into an opinion, that such as dif­fer from them, have nothing to say from Gods word to justifie their practice.

The same night came Thomas Glasse (it is worth inquiring, why they sent not their own Pastor VVilliam Facy, if they were not ashamed of him or he to look on me) and one of his brethren to my house with a mes­suage from the rest of the Anabaptists, to declare that they had rejected me. Mr. Low­man being present, desired to know by what Rule they walked to reject a man for with­dravving upon such just and reasonable grounds, as I had before urged: But Thom. Glasse refused to entertain any conference with him for his satisfaction, and told him [Page 15] they had nothing to do with him; and be­ing asked, why they denyed my friends li­berty to be present in their meeting, accor­dicg to appointment, and refused to give Mr. Lowman liberty to propose what he had to offer them. Thomas Glasse brake out in a pettish fit, saying, That vve had attempt­ed to disturbe them in the worship of God, and charged us with abusing the name of God, and his people with inciviliry, disho­nesty and want of knowledge; and withall affirmed, that he was imployed by the rest of his Brethren to tell us so: Unto which Mr. Lowman replyed, If you are imployed by your Brethren to give us such language, pray be pleased to return this messuage a­gain, That I humbly conceive they have done us the wrong, to appoint such a mee­ting with us, and when we came, to deny us liberty to be present; and now to send such language after us. 1. We did not di­sturb you in your worship of God, for we did neither see nor hear you about any religi­ous exercise when we came, neither did we speak a word till you bid us depart, neither were uncivill with you, for we withdrew according to your desire. Tho. Glasse being desired to shew some reason for giving such slanderous words, replied, that he was not [Page 16] come to dispute, but to declare in the name of their Church that they had rejected me, the particulars of my charge, was as follow­eth.

1. That I had withdrawn from their so­ciety; and neglected my place amongst them.

2. That I had villified some of their Brethren, whom I had forgiven.

3. That I had villified some of their Bre­thren for denying Magistracy, neg­lect of family duty, singing of Psalms.

4. That I had abused my father in law.

These things put together, Tho. Glass & one more of his Brethren did in the name of the Church, declare me guilty of Blasphe­my [You may judge this was a learned as­sembly that brought this charge to such a conclusion] and they were sent to tell me they had rejected me.

Now that you may see the irregular pro­ceedings of such as pretend to religion and under that pretence draw away many poor soules from those means, which God hath blessed for their conversion and edification, to the end such may be warned to take heed, give me leave to answer to my charge and I shall speake nothing but the plain truth, and let the moderate judge where the guilt lies. [Page 17] for withdrawing from them.

I judge it a great blessing, that the Lord hath so far opened my eyes as to bring me out from among them, which will easily appear if you remember the grounds I have alleadged, and shall yet urge from their wickednesse as well of practice as principles that I found amongst them; insomuch that I wonder how the sober amongst them could walk with them hitherto. But this I shall shew you in answer in the second branch of my charge; which is a villifying some members which (say they) I have for­given. The occasion of this charge they bring against me is as followeth.

VVilliam Facy, their present Pastor walk­ed so disorderly, his wickednesse was so great, that they could do no less then suspend him: But so sleightly did they deale in the businesse that his suspension pretended re­pentance and admition againe, was all within one week; shortly after he fained himself mad, and began to play prankes with his wife: called for a bason to let out his bloud, pretending that he would cut his throat, goes to cast his childe in the fire, which child shortly after sickned and died; so much of this I was both an eye and eare witnesse unto: for his wife came crying to [Page 18] me, that she was afraid to abide with him in house; gave me a relation of these 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 by afterward himself acknowledged) to be out of a design to get some mony from his wife, having mar­ried a widdow which kept certain bills or bonds of debt in some friends hands, least 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 villifying some of their members, when I speak nothing but the plain truth in declaring against their sins and they say I have forgiven him, when I were thus unsatisfied in his repentance, and now judge it but fained; for he that could so artificially counterfeite madnesse, could easily counterfeite sadnesse.

1. He cryes down the publique Ministry; for taking of tythes, when as shortly after [Page 19] that his Bretheren had admitted him to their Communion and fellowship, he tells them, that unlesse they would engage to give him 80l. by the year he would leave them.

2. He is a notorious lyer that makes little conscience of his word, and hath reported many untruths, touching the publique Mini­sters of Tiverton, nay justify himself in lyes when he is reproved. There was a young man who wrote notes after Mr. Lowman, preaching upon the Doctrine of the Cove­nant in Tiverton; which notes this young man delivered to one of the Anabaptist who gave them to William Facy, within three or four dayes after, this young man came to William Facy and demanded these notes which he plainly and peremtorily denyed saying, he had them not. But Wil­liam Facy with drawing the room, the young man espies those notes on the table, and takes them into his hand; William Facy comes in, and perceiving the notes in his hand takes the notes by force out of his hand, when the young man reported this to some of his friends, William Facy comes to this young man, and calls him lyer before his master (the young man being then a ser­vant;) but the young man produced ano­ther to testifie the truth of this matter, [Page 20] who was with him at William Facyes house, and heard him deny the Sermon notes; af­terwards Mr. Lowman meeting with Wil­liam Facy reproved him for lying: William Facy to justifie himself, tells Mr. Lowman that the young man had cleared him in this matter before his master, which being exa­mined was found a lye. [So here were three lyes, 1. He denies the Notes, 2. He denies that he did deny them, 3. He affirmes that the young man had cleared him, which were all false.] Severall untruths hath William Facy reported, which upon examination hath plainly and clearly appeared so to be; yet they continue him their pastor.

Yet they themselves have given it under their hands, that he is not fit to manage a discourse to vindicate their practice and way in which they now walk. For there was a dispute appointed between Mr. Low­man & William Facy, which was occasioned by some opposition from the Anabaptists in Brampton, where William Facy & 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 (whi­ther the infants of believers were in Cove­nant.) [Page 21] But William Facy being desirous to new state the Question, came to Mr. Low­mans house and in the presence of severall, 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 Baptised, (where you may see, that such as make little Con­science what they say, will make little Con­science what they swear,) Master 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 businesse, imployed a modest man of their own party, one Mr. Nathaniel Strange with some others of their Brethren, of which Thomas Glasse 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 [Page 22] which the dispute was prevented: yet not­withstanding William Facy is their pastor.

I wish that the plain hearted among them would but seriously consider, whether they can possibly expect a blessing from heaven, under such a mans Ministery, whose course I have a little hinted to you, and judge you whither I have not cause to withdraw where such iniquitie is indulged.

The third particular of my charge, is for charging some of the Anabaptists with de­nying magistrates and the neglecting of family duties and singing of Psalms.

Let me tell you, I do not charge you with­out a cause, for those things abound in you at that rate▪ that seeing you and sin will not part, you and I must part; and though some of you are dear to me (whom I trust the Lord will convince in his due time) yet the Lord Jesus is nearer and dearer, whose communion I must, and through grace do prize before yours, had you & I continued it to be feared, the Lord & I should have part­ed: for while I sat under your ministry, I could never find that blessing which I have found from that ministry you despise. That tendernesse which the Lord wrought upon my Spirit by the publick ministry before I came among you, did much decay while I [Page 23] continued with you, and therefore tis no finall mercy that the Lord hath brought me from you.

1. For denying the power of Magistrates it is notoriously known to many good peo­ple of Tiverton how you have carped at the Magistracy there for executing their power upon sabbath breakers and quakers, yea you confessed, & pleaded it against me, as many of my friends can testify, when I charged you with it, affirming that Magi­strates had nothing to do with Quakers.

2. For neglect of family duties you can­not without blushing, say that I wrong you in charging the neglect of it upon you: be­ing conscious to your selves, that many of your families call not upon God, which I can confidently affirm upon my own per­sonall knowledge, when I walked with you besides when I charged you with it, you af­firmed that it was a mans Liberty and not his duty, to pray in his family, as my friends can testify who were then present.

3. For neglecting to sing Psalmes an or­dinance of Christ, you never performed this duty in your assemblies, but when I charged you with this, you affirmed it to be no bet­ter then ballads, as my friends can testify also. I come to the fourth and last parti­cular [Page 24] of my charge for abusing my father.

But whether by word or deed, or in what manner you gave me no account; But sure I am, if I were guilty of such a thing, you never reproved me: I must confesse that when I walked with you through your in­stigation I took up many hard thoughts, both of my father and mother, because they laboured to convince me of mine errour: yea and I left my fathers house upon this very account, as I have hinted before, but through mercy, the Lord hath shewed me my evill in so doing, yet you were never the people that admonished me all the while I walked with you. But now you act as if you would rejoyce if you could take up any thing to reproach me and set variance be­tween the father and the son.

But had I been guilty of every syllable of which you charge me with, how can you bring it to Blasphemy. The truth is Thomas Glasse, made many sad shifts to mince the matter, when he was desired to make forth wherein I had been guilty of Blasphemy.

But let all modest sober Christians judge, whither that which lies in the bottom be not my discovering their wickednesse, and withdrawing from them, though I could not in conscience continue longer with [Page 25] them, when God said, Come out from among them; which makes them to forge something against me: and let the reader judge where lies the guilt.

Thus I have given you a brief Narrative of the principalls and practices of these A­nabaptists, having walked with them and tryed them; and likewise an account of Gods gracious dealing in bringing me from them, to attend the publick ministry, and of their unjust proceedings against me in this matter.

If the good Lord make it usefull for the good of any poor soule to undeceive him, and bring him into the way of God, or to prevent any from departing out of Gods way, I shall rejoyce, so that God may not loose his glory, nor any of his people loose their comfort: which if you tender, be sure to prize, those wayes in which you received the first conviction, least you one day lye dovvn in sorrow for going away from God, and from the striving of his Spirit. Let me ask you that have withdrawn from that Ministry; to whom you can say, we are your work of the Lord: have you the same tendernesse, the same affections to God, that you once had in former dayes: 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 yeares digression from the publique ministry in Tyverton, which God did at first blesse to the awakening of my soul.

1. I do not remember that I have had one Conviction under all the sermons which I heard whilst I walked with 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 of all those upon whose hearts God is working to take heed of despising or slighting those instruments with whom God is present.

2. I was drawn off by these men, when I was in the greatest probabillity of recei­ving good from the ministery that ever I was: For I do remember still the Impres­sions which were made upon my soul by those truths which I heard from Mr. Chis­hull a little before I was thus drawn aside, which did work mightily to conviction and to resolution in me, but the devil envying my prosperity, sent me this Thorn in the flesh, and their Insinuations and tempta­tions did so prevaile with me, that I left this [Page 27] ministry to attend on them; which was but a diversion from the work of my soul and I find that whereas before I had somthings of weigh: upon my spirit, these were soon laid aside, and I had nothing to doe but to dispute about baptisme, and to rayle a­gainst ministers; so that my former awake­nings were turned into drousinesse and doating about questions.

3. As I found no profit my self by attend­ing upon their teaching; so I observed little to any other. Nay it hath been not onely mine but the experience of others, who have constantly attended them as long as my self, that there was nothing but deadnesse of Spirit, to be gained there, which hath at last caused them to desert them also.

4 They are very vigilant and watchfull to find out any that are convinced and awakened under the publique ministry, and when they begin to see things a little dark­ly and confusedly, they take the advantage of this twilight in which their souls are to put off their commodities, where their souls have some tendernesse, and yet a great deal of ignorance, they are fit to be 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 ap­pears [Page 28] to them that it is necessary to be dipt.

And they effect this especially by these means, First shewing them very much kind­nesse, and pretending very great love and bowels of pity to their soules, and they stand like Absalom in the gate by fair speeches to draw the hearts of people from their Mini­sters.

2. By promising them very much peace in their way, and telling how much peace they have found since they entred into this way; and this is a very great notice to soules, who have some troubles accompany­ing their awakeings, and indeed there are very few of their hearers or followers trou­bled in Spirit, for they want a searching Ministry. I fear they get such a peace as I did by loosing my conviction.

3. When they see that any do incline to them and their way in judgement, they do presse them to a speedy submission to Bap­tisme, that they may not have time to de­liberate about it, or to goe to the Minister, or any christian friends to advise.

4. Let me therefore from my experience, warn all young Christians to watch in this case; for know that if the devill cannot keep off the word from your hearts, he will then draw you off, if it be possible, from that [Page 29] word and Ministry which he sees doth profit you. And doubtlesse he hath gotten much by this designe; And many soules will at last lament what I now do ( viz.) that they were so soon perswaded to leave the means in which God did vouchsafe to struggle with their soules, and if any such Temptation do come in your way, I beseech you to deli­berate about it, and though it be backt with promises of peace; yet enquire whither that which others call peace, may not be more fitly called slumber.

5. I have seen how they labour to hold those by policy, whom they have gained by craft; they hinder all that incline to them from hearing any that discent from them as much as in them lies, though never so godly, Nay though they acknowledge that they have been the Instruments of their Conversion. Nay they do abstaine from all society with Christians that are principalled & settled in their judgements, & able to defend them; least any of their weak ones should heare any thing that contradicts their principles: so that it is nothing but ignorance, of what is to be said against their principles and practises, that keeps the greatest part of their followers to them. Let me therefore beg you, that would know the truth, to [Page 30] waigh what is brought against, as weld as what is to be spoken for your opinion, for it is an argument of weaknesse and guilt when we shun the tryall: The papists are Conscious that their opinions and practices would not stand if the Scriptures should be opened to the people, and doubtlesse many of you do fear what would follow, if your hearers should know what ministers do or can offer to the people against your way. But it is easy to keep them to you, who must receive your interpretations of Scriptures and no other.

6. They do presse very vigorously obe­dience to all the commands of God, and in Generals they will seem zealous of or God, and holinesse: But when it comes to par­ticulars, all their zeal runs out into a sub­mission to their way; as if there were no­thing of that weight that Dipping is on; But for the mortification of sin, for the set­ting up of Religion in Families, for per­forming the respective duties of their Rela­tions; these are not minded, so that I must professe though I have heard them est re­vile Ministers as Scribes and Pharisees; yet I never saw any Generation of men, that did more resemble the Scribes and Phari­sees then they in this, in that they laid up [Page 31] their Religion much in litttle things, in certain washings, and so did these: they have more charity many of them for Qua­kers and Ranters, then for those that con­form not to the Baptism.

I speak not this of all, for as I have said; I believe there is a mixture of godly amongst them, for vvhose sakes I vvrite these things, that they may be vvarned.

And novv I bless the Lord, that he hath brought me back again, and given me a tast of the sweetnesse of the publique Ministry in this place: And that I find God meet­ing my soul, and stirring a fresh upon my spirit; and I cannot but pray and mourn for those that yet remain under the tem­ptations, with which I was holden a long time: I trust yet, that the time is comming, that many more of them will see the evil of their wayes as I have done; and be hum­bled as I have been; and desire yet to be more and more before the Lord.