I Could wish the subject of this letter could yeeld you more divertisement then the present posture of our Affaires will permit, and that I might en­tertain you with a pleasing as well as necessa­ry discourse. The Age wherein we live hath been all Miracles; and the coming forth of the Woman out of the Wilderness hath been attended with so many wonders, that a pious heart can never want Employ­ment in its contemplations. We have seen and our eyes bear witness to the Actings of our God, the overturning of a Monarchy setled upon the foundation and usage of many hundreds of years, strenthened by what humane policy could contribute to it's establishments, and what of buttresse a com­plying Clergy could assist it with, out of the Pulpit: yet have we seen a change so brought about by our Jehovah, that he may in ex­traordinary, acknowledgements be pro­claimed, Wonderfull, Counsellour the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, Prince of peace. [Page 2]We have seen the most glorious cause in the World accompanied with no lesse successe, and the Lord in his mercy to us, and justice to them, Hath bound our King in chaines, and Nobles in fetters of iron, such as where­with they had formerly oppressed the good people of this land. This honour have all his Saints; (Ps. 149. v. 9.) Vengeance hath he returned upon their heads, and their own shame hath covered them. The true anointed ones of the Lord have appeared, for their sakes hath he rebuked Monarchs, and the former have reaped the fruits of that Holiness and Sacriety, whereunto the latter vainly pretended. But Sr. to our no small discouragement after such expence of blood and treasure, after such high dis­putes and contests in the field, after so many prayers and teares shed, and that we were in hopes to see our selves (in a literall sense) no longer aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel, but enjoying those Liberties, Spiri­tuall, and Civill, into which the Lord had enfranchised us; that God who had secured us from the malice of our foes, and broken their violence, hath occasioned our stum­bling by counterfeit friends; and false-hearted brethren have almost reduced us in­to Egypt, to the house of bondage, after all our endeavours for such immunities, as, when we thought our selves possessed of them, we did not sufficiently improve. These things to a Cato, to a spirit acted onely by Gallen­try, [Page 3]would be insupportable; and a Soul a­gitated onely with the concerns of the Na­tural man in his grandeur, would not out live. But we have not so learned Christ: we know it is God's usuall way to endear his favours to his children, by heightning their Expectation, and profering onely at first that wherein he will afterwards enstate them. When Israel began to think Cana­an-wards Pharaoh's taskmasters said the people were idle, and thereupon they en­creased their oppressions: when the gene­rous English put on thoughts of Liberty, and claimed their priviledges in Spirituall and Civill interests; it was objected that riches and ease had made them rebellious; our Parliaments became discontinued, the Court employed their utmost Artifices to rein­troduce a Vassallage: but after that pro­vidence had disengaged us from those in­cumbrances, and that we were upon our way to Freedom by the help and conduct not of one Moses, but many illustrious per­sonages, whose Memory shall live when that of Thrasybulus, Timoleon, Epaminondas, Brutus, Valerius or any worthies Greece or old Rome could ever boast of, shall cease to be mentioned. When we were upon the way to freedom and happiness, when we were within sight of the Cape of good hope, after a perillous voyage thorough an Ocean of blood: then it befell us, as it did the Israelites after they had cast off Pharaoh's [Page 4]yoake, and passed the red sea under the protect on of God visibly appearing in their behalf, the Spies brought an ill report upon the land, Corah, Dathan, and Abiram muti­ned, (men questionlesse, of extraordinary Endowments, and pretenders to sanctity) these created divisions, Aaron together with Miriam murmured, and such confusion up­on sundry occasions arose, that what might have proved a journey of a few days, was protracted 40 Years, and those men who had been instrumentall in bringing the peo­ple out of Egypt, and felt the comfort of the visible presence of God, and had eaten Monnah, all these lost their workes (if not themselves) and after much wandring and travaile two onely of them (though their children lived to enjoy what their Fathers had the promise of) entred into Canaan. Sr. Our case hath been parallell to those accidents, and we may therein read the grounds of our Confidence, that thorough a resemblance of events the same providence operateth now in us, which did of old, and we expect the same issue, though (I hope) so farre bettered, that a greater number shall enjoy the benefit of their first intend­ments, then did formerly in the wilder­ness. Truly, I am nothing discouraged at those emergencies, those disorders, and that losse which we are at; I assure my self these are but the pangs of that birth in which we shall at last with joy cry out, A [Page 5]man-child is born: and not the paines at­tending a false conception, a dead of-spring, or such as whereto there wants strength to bring forth. God will not loose his own mercies, and all is but as the wandrig Jews in the desert, or as the going back of the sun upon the dyall of Ahaz ten degrees, which was a signe of recovery to disconsolate and languishing Hezechiah. But though I am confident of the finall issue of things, that the prisoners of hope shall receive double satisfaction, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to [...]ion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy, and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away: However these may be my thoughts, yet I suppose I may justly be afflicted for the attempts of such as la­bour to reinslave us. Shall I say onely, re­inslave us, and put upon our necks the former yoake. No, Sr. we are not so little versed in the World, as to ignore, that New Go­vernments, though Good, create advantages for after-times, and not those wherein they are erected; but such as are bad threaten all with perpetuity of misfortunes, unlesse God be more mercifull then man is wise. Per­swasions now are of that Nature, as if they should bid us, not returne to Goshen, but the most dismall parts of Egypt, rather then proceed on to our Felicity. Nay this is not all which my soul regrets (though to re­cede from Engagements, Remonstrances, De­clarations [Page 6]and Protestations, to forsake that providence to slight those mercies which we implored with tears, be things meriting our highest resentments, and the conse­quences whereof may involve, not the Actours alone, but such as afflict their righte­ous souls for the sins of Sodom; and they who are strangers to their crimes participate often in the punishments of the wicked, as Elijah suffered by the famine, though Ahab and his Father's house troubled Israel) cer­tainely we ought all to lay it to Heart, That the Ambitious ones of these times are not content to render others miserable, (by depriving them of, or endangering them in their Liberties and fortunes) unlesse they can make them criminall to: and since the integrity of our Patriots is so well known, that Envy it self can fasten no real imputa­tion upon them, they must be blemished with surmises and imaginations, and what is defective in the proofe of the charge, the Authority of those that divulge it, must supply. I could instance in many persons of such worth, that this Age may blush they are not in greater dignities, to which they would give a lustre rather then receive any thence themselves: (It was a complaint of the wise man, an evill under the sun, and an errour, that folly should be set in great digni­ty, and the rich sit in lowe place, that servants were upon horses, and Princes walked as ser­vants upon the Earth. How much more [Page 7]ought we to be aggrieved to see the most pious and prudent counsellours outed, and disgraced, and men of different qualificati­ons advanced?) yet these men are aspersed and vilified thoroughout the Nation, and by an uncouth barbarity they are assassina­ted in their reputes, and whose names should be as pretious ointments powred forth, these are represented as such which dead flies have infected with a stinking savour. But their implacable malice hath discovered it self against no man so much, as the Ho­nourable Sr. Henry Vane, one whom not to have heard of, is to be a stranger in this land; and not to honour and admire, is to be an Enemy to all that is good and vertuous: One, whose integrity, whose uprightness in the greatest employments hath secured him from the effects of their Hatred, (veiled with justice) in whom his sincere piety, Zeal for the publick, and singular wisdom may have raised envy and dread. Against him have they set themselves, him have they damnified in his Estate, prejudiced in his Liberty, and laboured to disgrace unto the people of his native countrey; but finding the Court-artifices to fail, and that his inocence was not so to be prevailed upon, they have at length incensed the Pulpit against him, and made use of Mr. Richard Baxter's pen to serve their ends.

Sr. Henry Vane published (in 1655) a book called, The retired mans meditations, in [Page 8]which he hath discovered the most glorious Truths that have been witnessed unto these 1500 years and more, in a manner as ex­traordinary. I mean not in the perswasive words of humane wisdom, not in the so­phistry of School-learning, not as the Scribes and Pharisees, but as one having Authority, and in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit: in that Booke (upon which none hitherto hath animadverted but Mr. Finch, who had never yet found a name in the World, but by the esteem of his Adversary) he hath layed down this position: That ‘ the Mystery of iniquity working in men of a le­gall conscience, is the Magistrates entermed­ling with Christs power over the judgments of men.’ Upon which saying that may serve for a paraphrase which is layed down by the same Author in his Healing Question, where speaking of freedom to be exercised and en­joyned in matters of religion, or that concern the service and worship of God, He saith, ‘ Ʋnto this freedom the Nations of the World have right and title by the purchase of Christ's blood; who by vertue of his death and resurrection is become the sole Lord and ruler in and over the conscience; for to this end Christ died, rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living; and that every one may give an account of himself, in all matters of God's worship, unto God and Christ alone, as their own Master, unto whome they stand or fall in judgement, and are not in these things to be oppressed, or [Page 9]brought before the judgement seats of men. For why shouldst thou set at nought thy Bro­ther in matters of his Faith and conscience, and herein intrude into the proper office of Christ, since we are all to stand before the judgement-seat of Christ, whither Governors or Governed, and by his decision onely are capable of being declared with certainty, to be in the right, or in the wrong?’

‘By vertue then of this supream law, sealed and confirmed in the blood of Christ unto all men (whose soules he challenges a propriety in, to bring under his inward rule in the service and worship of God) it is that all Magistrates are to fear and forbear inter­medling with giving rule or imposing in those matters. They are to content themselves with what is plain in their commission, as or­dained of God to be his Minister unto men for good, whilest they approve themselves the doers of that which is good in the sight of men, and whereof earthly and Wordly judicatures are capable to make a clear and perfect judg­ment, in which case the Magistrate is to be for praise and protection to them. In like manner he is to be a Minister of terrour and revenge to those that doe evill in matters of outward practise, converse, and dealings in the things of this life between man and man, for the cause whereof the judicatures of men are appointed and set up. But to exceed these limits, as it is not safe, nor warrantable for the Magistrate (in regard he who is higher [Page 10]then the highest, regards, and will shew him­self displeased at it) so neither is it good for the people, who hereby are nourished up in a biting, devouring, wrathfull spirit one a­gainst another, and are found transgressors of of that Royall law which forbids us to doe that unto another, which we would not have them doe unto us, were we in their condition.’

This tenderness of Sr. H. V. might have been entertained with lesse opposition, at least rage, then it hath yet found in the spirits of many. I never reflect thereon, but me­thinks I see Stephen praying for them that stoned him; and admire a Charity so diffusive as not to comprise onely friends but even enemies: a love beyond that of Publicans, towards them which hate, despitefully use, and persecute: in fine, a perfection like that of our Heavenly Father, who (besides that he makes them so) endureth with much long suffering the vessells of wrath fitted for de­struction, though he wont not power, though his knowledge by infallibly discerning, and his justice in punishing, both would be un­questionable: He knoweth who are his, yet doth he tolerate in [his] great house not only vessels of Gold, and silver, but also of wood and earth, and some to honour, some to disho­nor. But Mr. Richard Baxter, Mr. Richard Baxter teacher of the Church at Kedermin­ster, Mr. Richard Baxter a Catholick Christi­an, and pastour of a Church of such at Keder­minster, Mr. Baxter Envoy from heaven, [Page 11]and Embassadour of Christ (as he calls him­self in the Dedicat of Saints everlast. Rest) he cannot endure this Tenet, this compassio­nate, tender and peaceable frame of spir it. From this Candid principle, and which al­lowed Mr. Baxter the liberty of his senti­ments, hath he taken an occasion [in a late infamous Libell, if so great a farce may be so termed, called a Key for Catholiques] to decry the Vanists with such language as may justly deserve that reply of Michael to the devill, THE LORD REBUKE THEE. But, however this may be an Answer suita­ble to the Christian temper of Sr. H. V. and the quality of the person he hath to do with: yet because severall weake ones may be be­trayed into an ill opinion of that Honourable personage thorough that generall [though undue] esteem which Mr. Baxter hath gain­ed in the World for Learning, judgement and moderation, whereby innocence may be distressed and railing become hallowed; I shall vindicate Sr. H. V. from the reproa­ches of this Philistim, or Shimei, or Rab­shakeh, and defend that invidious Assertion, but you must first give me leave to premise a character of the man, As the man is, so is his strength.

I cannot give you any account of the Birth or Education of Mr. Richard Baxter, but I think I may say that he either never was at any Ʋniversity, or made little stay there, nor took any Degree; (unlesse the late per­swasions [Page 12]of some may have prevailed with him, who apprehended something of worth in him, and were sensible how great a detri­ment might arise if Qualifications without university degrees should capacitate one for the Ministry in our days) in a Time when ignorance, or terrour, or both, had taken off the Ministers of this Nation from opposing those called Anabaptists, then He tooke oc­casion to signalize himself by an intricate Dispute with honest Mr. Tombes, and the Act being plausible the performance was thought great. Since that time he hath ag­grandized himself in the World, and wan­ting not confidence to print what made for the interest of others, he knew he could not faile of the applauds of such as (however they might discover his weakness) were concerned, nor of the reall admiration of such as could not discerne. I am a stranger to his life, and report speaks not much to his disadvantage, nor is he wanting to his own praises. Whatever become of the pre­cept, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth, he in severall of his works ac­quainteth us with his charitableness to the poore, and his care for the sick to whom he administers Physick. Not that this succes­sour of the Apostles, delegated by the same com­mission, Anoints them with oyle, and so heales them: or cures them as he walks by vertue of his shadowe; nor doth he distribute hand-kerchiefes: but all (as I am told) is [Page 13]atchieved by looch sanum and a liquorish stick, or Gascoines powder, &c. Yea in his saints everlasting rest he is no lesse tiresome with the recitall of his infirmities and indis­position; then is Balzac or Voiture in their letters, with the Colick, and feavour.

As for his learning the account he gives of himself is to have spent much time in read­ing over the Fathers, (of whose use or rather inutility read Daille) the Schoole-men (an upstart study unknown to the purer times, modelled & professed by that Order which now manageth the Inquisition, and was at first erected for the suppressing the truth in the Abbigenses (and Philosophers, such as if the Apostle had not Authorised us to call Vaine, their own writings would) How much he hath benefited in these studies he hath endeavoured to give the World an ac­count in a multitude of books, which he voides continually: Joachimus Fortius, who was resolved to write a booke every yeere whilest he lived, was but a slight pretender in comparison to Mr. Baxter's works. And what Henry the fourth, King of France, said of King James, that he was a fine King and wrote pretty little bookes: this makes up but a part of Mr. Baxters commendations, he writes not onely single sheets, and little bookes, but large volumes. This tedious impertinent having run thorough the usuall method of English controvertists, now assumes the fashion of the Dutch, and that our countrey­men [Page 14]may have something of novelty in his papers, they who are in love with a lowe­dutch dresse, may have recourse to Mr. Bax­ters disputations at Kederminster: yea he out-goeth his pattern, for theirs are dis­putes managed in vniversities, but these Ke­derminsterian disputations have onely Mr. Br. for President, Mr. Br. for respondent, Mr. Br. for Opponent: Thus I have seen some play at shittle-cock managing their battle­doores in their right and left hands: Thus children play by themselves at Cards: thus the mad-man in Horace imagined himself at the Roman sports, in vacuo sessor plausor­que Theatro. But for such as admire the man and buy his books, for whose sakes the price is printed on the title-page, or at the end, at three farthings a sheet; though that rate be not extraordinary for one or two books, yet they had need of faire estates that are in a possbility of buying according to the Quotient in the Revelations, Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of sheets. God Almighty thought it sufficient to give us one booke, (if I may so call it) and that such as to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works: But Mr. Baxter affordes us more, not furnishing men to all good works, (unlesse railing and uncharitableness doe that) and of that value, that one may cheaper buy the Bible that TRVE SAINTS EVERLASTING REST, then Mr. Bax­ter's [Page 15]FALSE one. He one told us, That, ‘ he judged those Tostatus's impudently proud, who think the World should read no bodie's works but theirs: yet for ought I can see Tostatus will be but a puny scribler to him.’ It was a pretty peice of Drollery in our Il­lustrious Romancist, to desire Mr. Br. to fi­nish his Saints everlasting rest, which he mistakeing for a complement, possibly upon that ground may have created the Saints (that have leisure-time from the sincere word of God, and hours for which they are not accountable) more trouble. His works are stuffed with Citations and school-notions and unsetling debates, yet he cannot but know, that the Judicious hold no part of Theology, or scholasticall deductions to be matter of faith: which Assertion if it were as candidly owned amongst Protestants, as it is ingenuously professed amongst Papists, our faith-confessions would be much shorter, and the number of Herasies without a persecution soone abate Whither he hath read all the books he quoteth, I know not, but the false names of Authors (not recorded a­mongst the errata) makes his dealing sus­picious. In his Metaphysicks he hath so pro­fited, that he hath incurred manifold re­proofes thereupon, as (for example) he hath been charged with high blasphemy a­bout the immanent Acts of God: from which tenet common reason would have acquitted him; as ordinary skill in reall philosophy [Page 16]would have shewed him the ridiculousness and falsity of his simile of the Looking-glas­ses. I cannot insist long upon these things, it being not my design to Catalogue Mr. Br. errours, but to give you a sample of his proficiency in those courses he hath ta­ken: and oblige my credit unto you, that I shall upon any warning furnish you with such an after-reckoning, as will make good my opinion of him. As for Church-Herory I shall by and by tell you that he understands not Greeke, and so is not likely to have any perfection or assurance in that, or Chronology: judge of his skill however therein by his de­claiming against democraticall Government, which notwithstanding was the Govern­ment of Christian assemblies till the people were deprived of their votes: and which was the Government of Israel instituted by God himself, besides, in his Key, &c. p. 330. he maketh the Jesuites to spawn the doctrine of Liberty of conscience; which is as ab­sur'd, as that Serarius call'd Herod a Machi­avellian: I shall have occasion elsewere to shew how it is the doctrine of primitive Christians: now let it suffice that S [...] H. Vane is not more full in his judgment then Constantine the great, nor doth he insist up­on any other practise then what was the de­cree and usage of that Emperour. If Eusebi­us had not written in Greek I should referre Mr. Br. to him in his life of Constantine lib. 2. c. 5.59. The Heathens had in his time their [Page 17] expenses of publick sacrifices defrayed out of the treasury, and their Temples [though not all, yet most] openly were frequented; their Sophisters were maintained by the pub­lick purse: they were employed in places of trust, and dignity; civill and military: and all this not onely in the time of Con­stantine but even till Justinian's time in great part, as Procopius in his secret history tells us. Theodosius did indeed refuse to defray the sacrifices of the Heathens out of the publick treasury, yet even in his time the Senate were generally pagans, and un­till the time of Gratian (if not after) it was the custom of the Flamines or Heathen Priests to present the new Emperour (though Christian) with a Stole or Pontificall garment, so that they had not onely a toleration, free and open, but even the Emperours were Christian Emperours, but Heathen Priests. Thus you see, what others think would in­troduce Heathenisme, this was the course that brought in and established Christianity. But these things being to be fetched out of Greek authours, I forgive Mr. Baxter his ig­norance thereof, and onely tell him that the great souldier and eminent protestant Monsieur La Nove was of no other judgment then Sr. H. V. as one may read in his dis­courses; and that Possevin the Jesuite wrote against him for it.

As for his skill in languages it is so mean that I am amazed to see him quoted by the [Page 18]name of learned. The Syriack, the Arabick, both which are of great use for understand­ing the Scripture (of which you may read in Mr. Beveridge's discourse of the Eastern tongues) upon the vulgar Analysis of faith, of these I may suppose him totally ig­norant. His skill in Hebrew is as little: Mr. Robertson hath said so much upon this subject in a particular book, that I shall not urge it: onely tell you that two or three days study in that tongue would have pre­vented some of his mistakes; and one moneths diligence would have corrected such lapses as are not to be excused, or endured. Dare he boast unto the World, what time he hath spent in impertinencies, and yet be ig­norant of that which is almost the unum ne­cessarium in his function! There is not that Quaker, or most fanaticall sectarian (whom he so undervalues) but can ground his truthes upon the true version, and his errours upon the mistakes of our English translatours. Of this you will be much more convinced, when I shall ascertain you he is no better at Greeke then other tongues; weigh him in any ballance and you will finde him light. I shall not run over all his works, but at­tacque the most renowned Olio of practicall and Schoole-Divinity (the latter of which is apt to create everlasting disputes rather then rest: and made no part of the rest of the primitive, whither Christians or Anti­christians) I meane his Saints everlasting rest. [Page 19]In this book I observe he cites other Au­thours at large in their originall Latin and English, but with the Greeks he deals not so. Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus, Atha­nasius, Laertius, these are cited either in En­glish or Latine. A man so ambitious to stuff his Margin, cannot be thought to have de­clined this out of modesty, which he ought to have done out of necessity, since in rationall discourses other proofs are not allowed then which are fetched out of the tongue in which the Authour wrote. To evince this more, he hath adventured sometimes to checquer his booke with Marginall Greeke words, though but seldome, as p. 74. there are placed two Greek words out of Polycarp, to no purpose that I can imagine, but to let men see Mr. Baxter is not igno­rant of Greeke; p. 118. There stands a Greeke word [...], with an animadversion that women shall not rise again in their own Sex, which is a thing improbable, I would say false, if all the philosophy I have, together with colourable texts of Scripture were a ground for such peremptoriness. p. 551. you have Greeke quoted out of Ignatius, but it is onely to disgrace our Army, viz. that souldiers are Leopards, and the more they are favoured and regarded, the worse. But he hath so bespatter'd the Army pub­lickly in his Key, &c. Key for Catholi­ques, p. 319. that I may forgive him this reflection, but I hope they will not pardon him that: so much lying and in­solence [Page 20]deserves to be taken notice of, and they who have resented, the disgraces thrown upon the famous long Parliament; they who have avowed the punishment of the late King to have been condigne; they who have complained of catalogues being scatter'd abroad of such as tried him, they in justice ought to demand exemplary sa­tisfaction from Mr. Richard Baxter, who hath dealt with them more bitterly and undeservedly, then all the virulent pam­phlets put together, which have come out fine these wars. But to proceed? p. 105. there Mr. Br. makes some shew of learning in a passage out of Ignatius, which too was not greatly materiall to any business he was then upon, but yet had something of Novelty in it according to Mr. Baxter's judgment. Viz. that Ignatius should call his ‘ condemnation to Martyrdome the DAMNA­TION of the devill, because his judges were but the Devills mouth and instruments. Fire, the Crosse, cutting off, separating, break­ing of my bones, rending of my members, destruction of my whole body, and the damnation of the Devil ( [...]) let them all come upon me, so I but de­serve to obtain Christ.’ Ignar. ep. ad. Rom. p. 86. edit. Usser. Indeed Mr. Br. will find that he hath receded very much in this text from the minde of Ignatius: he might have excused himself by the Latin version which he follows, but that the inter­mixture [Page 21]of the Greeke deprives him of that excuse. The words are, [...]. It is pretty how Mr. Br. was put to it in this sentence, [...] is interpreted in the lattin belluarum con­stantia; out of this Mr. Br. could not frame any meaning and therefore omitted it in his English: it signifies either a collection of wilde beasts for the devouring men, as the Roman custom was; or a letting them loose to fight over the prey; and so alludes to the [...] of the ancients, or fighting with beasts; to which malefactours, and severall Martyrs were condemned. [...] these are not well rendred cutting off, sepa­rating: but the Latine had it, Abscissio, se­paratio: the former signifies a cutting up by beginning from the bottom of the belly: (as Eustathius somewhere expounds the word) and the later signifies a cutting in two, or in the middle; as the prophet Isaiah is said to have been sawed in two. So [...] is not breaking the bones, but the Latine had confractio ossium, it was the scattering of the bones (or ashes thereof) after that the body had been devoured or burned. [...] is not the destruction of the body, but it was in his translation interitus totius cor­poris. It signifies nothing but onely a rest­less jactation, or inquietude of the body when one tumbles and tosses. The word is an usuall [Page 22]medicinall term, and Mr. Br. should not be so little read in Hippocrates, as not to know the meaning of it, It is an Allusion to [...], 1 Tim. 3.6. where Cal­vin observes it to be taken pas­sively not actively. and that one might be under such a restlesnesse without the destruction of the body. [...], is not the damnation but punishment of the devill, viz. anguish of mind, or ejectment out of Heaven: but his translatour deceived him, there he found damnatio diaboli. As for that [...] it signifies only that I may gain Christ, not that I may de­serve to obtain him: but he read in the same place, ut Christum merear adipisci. In sum, upon perusall of the place I find no induce­ment why I should put Mr. Baxter's inter­pretation upon Ignatius: he expresses in most passionate terms his love and Zeal for Christ, and his defire to be with him: he wishes to be, devoured by beasts, and pro­fesseth he is ready upon occasion to force them to tear him: then addes, ‘ let me be consumed with fire, crucified, torne by wilde beasts, slashed or cut in pieces, let my bones be scatterd abroad: [these were punish­ments usually inflicted upon malefactours and Martyrs]’ let my limbs be seizsed with aches [for I think [...] is the same with what physicians call [...], but he having used the word [...] before, did de­cline that phrase afterwards] let a restles­nesse possess my whole body, [these are not [Page 23]effects of extrinsick violence in punishing, but of corporall indisposition] and the pu­nishment of the devill [this refers to afflicti­ons of mind] let all this come upon me so I may gain Christ, This is all he says, and neither in what precedes, or follows, does he leave any ground for Mr. Br's. assertion, that Ignatius calls his condemnation to Mar­tyrdom the Damnation of the Devill, his judges being the Devills mouth and instru­ments. For such his opinion I find no proof, but the deceit of a fraudulent interpreter, to whom if he had remitted us, all these errours (of so many in so little a compass you shall hardly find a man guilty of, though of never so mean parts) had not been imputed to his ignorance, which yet no lesse discovers it self (and with more danger to his Auditours and readers) in his scripturall interpretations: I shall in­stance in one or two, that you may see however he may not in his devotions serve an unknown God, yet in his disputes he ur­geth an unknown word of God, as Mr. Ro­bertson observed in his Old-testament mis­stakes. In his second sheet for the Ministry, he urgeth for the perpetuity of the Mi­nisteriall office (which, if I had leisure, I would evidently shew how he hath over­thrown it) Matth. 28. v. 20. loe I am with you alway, even to the end of the World This text seems indifferently clear (in English) and to give ground to Mr Baxter's insulta­tion [Page 24]viz. ‘To this EXPRESSE promise Clem. Writer had no WISER an answer, but that [it is conditionall; if they teach all things that Christ hath commanded them, then he will be with them else not] Repl. This is your FORGERY: here is no such words, but an ABSOLUTE promise. His being with them is to support and help them in their work; and will you feign Christ to promise them help on conditi­on they do it without?’ But notwithstand­ing this confidence of Mr. Richard Baxter, there is not any such thing in the Text as he lays down, and the London Ministers. And in the second place Clem. Writer's answer participates neither of that folly, nor for­gery, with which Mr. Br. presseth him. It is evident, that Christ spake to his eleven disciples onely: that he intended any more, cannot be proved, or said without addition to the written word: Nay, since that Commission is admitted by the Harmonists to be the same with that in Mark 16. v. 15. It is certainly personall, since those that are to be converted by the preaching of those commissioners to whom Christ spake, and to believe, severall signes were to follow them, which are not now, nor have been these many years visible. Furthermore, The text saith not, I am with you alway, even un­to the end of the World. But either, Behold I am with you all the days [or time] untill the end of this Age Or, I am with you all [Page 25][your] days untill the end of [your] life. Upon any occasion but this, which is a dis­pute of interest, the words [for ever] (though it be a passage onely of the En­glish version] should have been interpre­ted by the subject spoken of; as where it is said, the servant, whose ear was bored, should serve for ever. Exod. 21.6. Deut. 15.17. I have not seen any divine argue thence (as Mr. Br. doth here) that he should live for ever, or that he must needs have successours to verifie so EXPRESSE and absolute a command: but that as long as he lived so long he should serve; which is a man's for ever. The word in the Septua­gint there, is the same that here, and I could inform Mr. Br. that [...] in Scripture [ Ezech. 26.] stands onely for the term of 70. years; and in other writers commonly for 100. or 110, as corresponding to the latin, Seculum. If any shall object that the text doth not contain the words [your days] nor end of [your] life. I answer, that it is usuall for Divines interpreting Scripture to repeat such pronounces [...] as they call it, or from the passages fore­going or subsequent in the same sentence: I could instance in sundry places, but I will give you a parallell one out of the Septua­gint. Deuter. 6. v. 24. [...]. Sr. you may judge of this exposition, and see how much more facile and naturall it is to repeat the pro­noune, [Page 26]then to insert [your successours] I shall now come to that which I first alled­ged, viz. I am with you all the time untill the end of this age. [...] I will not begge the least addition or glosse to make out this: read it without a comma after [...], and the article [...] cannot be justly denyed to be Emphaticall and determine the promise (so expresse! so absolute!) to the [...], which is again restrained by the arti­cle [...]. Now I would fain know, since such articles are in the writing, and Sermons of divines so often made Emphaticall, why I may not be allowed to make it so here? Is there a ballance and a ballance? God hates that. Shall we have different weights and measures, one for the commonalty, and ano­ther for the Sanctuary. If you read it with a comma after [...], the latter words art exegeticall, and (after the accustomed dia­lect of the Scripture) explain the prece­dent. Give me leave to digresse a little in way of illustrating this interpretation. Christ being to depart, gives his Apostles their Commission, and telleth them what they must doe: They must teach all nations, &c. go into all the World (Marc. 16. v. 15.) and should be witnesses to him both in Sama­ria and Jerusalem, and all Judea, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. This was a great work, and incumbred with many difficulties; persecution, Scoffs, yea death [Page 27]it self was likely to be their portion. He had told them (Math. 24.) what was to suc­cede upon their preaching, that he came not to send peace, but a sword, that they should be hated by them without, betrayed by them within, opposed by false Christs, finally, that they should fall under so great a tribulation, as had not happened from the beginning of the World to that time, nor ever should be again Math, 24.21. Marc. 13.19. Luc. 21.22. &c. And this Answer he had given them upon an occasionall question Math. 24. v. 3. The disciples asked him privately, Master what shall be the signe of thy coming, [...]; and of the end of the World? The words are the same with those now controverted: and you may in the ch. 24. read an answer to that query, what is, as well as what shall be the signes of the end of the World? I shall not stay to prove that Christs answer is to be under­stood of the destruction of Jerusalem, and o­verthrow of the Jewish polity, Jansenius and Dr. Hammond have done that for me. In the recitall of these afflictions he foretells them, we find frequent mention of the con­summation (as the vulgar calls it) or End. Math. 24. v. 6. but the end is not yet. [...]. he might have said (and it is evi­dent from the question that he meant) [...]. And v. 14. then shall the end come [...]. In the Syriack (which language our Saviour spake in) not onely [Page 28](as in the Greeke) is there the same com­mon expression for the end of the World, but where the Greeke differenceth [...] and [...], that language doth not. It is said also (and there is the like allusion in the Syriack) that, [...], &c. Matth. 10.23. ye shall not have gone over [or finished] all the cities of Israel till the son of man be come. It is true in this last place, he sends them out onely to Israel, but his prediction of their being persecuted so sore­ly agrees with his iterated prophecy, Matth. 24. we neither read that they were persecu­ted in that voyage, nor doe we find that Christ came to them, but they to Christ. From these considerations, I suppose that the A­postles, who had heard of what was like to be their lot and portion when the bride­groom should be taken away: these children of the bridegroom (being not over-confident in Christ's promises, nor over-well-skilled in gospell-mysteries; as he that reads the passages after Christ's resurrection, and the question they proposed to him at his ascensi­on, Act. 1.6. may easily judge) might be sorrowfull and troubled, as they had been at the discourses made in John, being pre­vious to his departure, and withall, it is probable, that they might weigh their abi­lities, the greatness of the work, and the difficulties and dangerous attending, it which [to humane appearance] were likely to be greater then they could go thorough with, [Page 29]and bear up against for the first generation, when all would strive (and the attempt would be easie) to suppresse the growing sect, whilest it was in it's infancy. And upon this account Christ bidding them go out to preach (which act could not but renew the memory of former prediction) he addes for their comfort, and to prevent Objections, And behold I am with you to the end of the World. [...]. He who knew what was in the Heart of man, he anticipates all their objections and feares; The great ‘difficulty is in removing the setled law of Moses, and first establishment of the go­spel: after the gospel is once prevalent o­ver men, and that Moses's prescripts shall have vanished before the Antitype, then indeed my presence would not be so ne­cessary, as at the beginning; why? I came to this end that I should by fulfil­ing abolish the Leviticall law,’ and I will extraordinarily be with [...] untill this generati­on, this present age, Pesid [...]s he told them that the greatest persecution that ever could happen, was then to be; so that it was necessary to promise an uncommon strength for an unwonted tryal. and posture of affaires have an end or period. What is there in all this more then is commonly said that miracles and an extraordinary presence of Christ was necessary for the planting, but not continuing of the Church? And is it not further said Hebr. 9.26. that Christ [Page 30]came [...], in the end of the World, which end of the World is to be un­derstood of the destruction of the Mosaicall laws and rites, which was not done till the subversion of Jerusalem: then Shilo came and the scepter departed from Judah: The old World or time before the law, and that other under the law, were the Worlds in the finishing of which Christ appeared. And you may further think, whether the Apostle doth not inply this in that he faith to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 10.11) these things were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the World are come [...]. This disconsolatenesse of the Apostles gave Christ occasion to name the Holy Ghost, the Comforter: and [for the first age of the Church] he pro­miseth to be with them (John. 14. v. 18.) and so to continue with them in a speciall manner raising them up others besides, some prophets, some Evangelists, and some pastours and teachers (not that they shou [...] continue in a successive ministry, but th [...] the Saints might be fitted for the propaga­ting the Church, and building up the body of Christ. Which is not onely the reason of Mission, Rom. 10.15. (where to preach without sending is represented not as unlaw­full, but as impossible; as impossible as to heare without preaching, or calling upon one of whom they have not heard.) which is ne­cessary onely at first, and not to after-de­scants; [Page 31]but is the plain meaning of Ephes. 4. v. 11, 12 as I shall shew you, after I have shewed more fully Mr. Baxter's ignorance in Scripture-disputes, by his exception against Clem. Writer. What Clem. Writer objected is not forgery: How expresse and absolute soever the promise be, yet often in Scrip­ture such denunciations are to be limited. Is the saying of Christ more expresse then that of Jonah, Yet 40. dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed? Viz. if they persevere in their wickedness. They who were in the ship with Paul had an absolute promise of their safety, Act. 27. v. 22.24. yet that was but conditionally to be understood. Ex­cept these [shipmen] abide in the ship, you cannot be saved v. 31. God sware he would bring the Israelites that came out of Egypt into Canaan sc. if they obeyed his voice, and murmured not. Numb. 14. v. 30. Doubt­lesse ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein. And to instance more particularly, the prophet tells Gehezi that the leprosie of Naaman the Syrian should cleave to him, and to his issue for-ever, [...] say the Septuagint. Yet hence it canno [...] be infer­red, that Gehezi and his posterity should live for ever, or his ofspring should never fail: but that as long as he, or any of his posterity should continue to live, so long they should be leprous. Again, what Clem. Writer said was not meer folly, for [Page 32]can any considering man deny, but in a Scripture-dialect, Go, teach all nations &c teaching them to observe all things whatsoe­ver I have commanded you; And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the World: this may passe for Conditionall? Is it not allowable in common talke, Go, do this, or that, and lo I give you, &c.

I now come to explain Ephes. 4.11, 12. in which place I find Mr. Baxter to be the same man still: and no better a textuary in one place then another. As in Matthew Christ promised the disciples he would be with them till the totall remove of the Jew­ish ordinances, and establishment of Christi­anity; so the Apostle Ephes. 4. saith that he made good his word; when he ascended (near which time he made the promise in Matthew) he gave some Apostles; and some prophets; and some Evangelists; and some pastours and teachers; for the perfecting of the Saints, for the worke of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Thus our English reads it: But the Greeke bible prin­ted Compluti, hath it thus, [...]. He gave some Ap [...]s [...]les, some prophets, some Evangelists, some pastours and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints unto the worke of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ. So the Latine version there hath it— pastores & [Page 33]doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerii in edificationem corporis Christi. Here is no succession of Ministers, no distincti­on of ordinary and extraordinary officers, some to build, others to lay the foundati­on: But Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, pastours and teachers, all are given [not to perpetuate in a succession, but] to perfect the Saints for the worke of the ministry. The persons to carry on the work are the saints perfected for it, and the end of their mi­nistry is the building up of the body of Christ. Judge now, Sir, how Mr. Baxter is out in his Greeke, who from Ephes. 4. saith, ‘ Pa­stours and teachers [are given to the Church] for the perfecting of the saints, for the worke of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ &c. Extraordinary and ordinary officers are here conjoyned, who between them are to perfect the building, the first laying the foundation,’ and the latter building thereon. These last words contain a distinction not recorded in Scripture, and it is an usuall saying, non est distinguendum ubi lex non distinguit. None ought to distinguish where the law (especially God's law) is silent. Oh! that Mr. Br. would prove pastours and teachers to be distinct: or that the latter together with prophets (whatsoever become of Evan­gelists) were any way Officers: or, that we are to recede from a literall sense to a figu­rative one, when there is no necessity; yet [Page 34]it is observed by Grotius upon the place, that here is a Trajection, the immediate end of the Apostles, &c. [...]eing given, was the work of the ministry. But not onely doth the literall placing favour me, but also the construction of the words in Greeke that change, [...]. of prepositions [especially the pro­per Syntaxe of [...] being with [...]] cannot be insignificant. The text as I have represented it, and expounded it, agrees with the best manuscripts, with the Bohemi­an, Danish, German, Polinian Versions. The Spanish Testament hath it, for the consummation of the Saints in the work of the Ministery, &c. (see Elias Hutterus) In summe, the very vulgar edition of Pope sixtus reads it no otherwise: And he must have no skill in Greeke that admits it not, since all peri­ods, commas, parentheses, accents, distincti­ons into chapter and verse, all these are no­vell and of no authority. You may now give me, leave to dismiss Mr. Br. from his Greeke examen, I hope I have not been tedious though long; and that the effect of these last digressions will be more then an use of humility to Mr. Baxter. For his La­tine, as to the composure thereof, if one of the Articles for condemning John Husse the Martyr to the fire, was that he wrote false Latine, Mr. Baxter would not have escaped at the Councill of Constance. There is a marginall account of his maladies in Latine p. 90. Postea autem affectione Hipo­chandriacâ [Page 35]innumerabilibus forè stipatâ symptomatibus pèr annos 14 laborâsset, in longam tandem & inexpugnabilem inciderit debilitatem & contabescentiam, & demum in narium haemorrhagiam ad l. 8. & inde in Atrophiam, pro deplorato a medicis pe­titissimis relictus est: in quâ tamen Atrophiâ ex immensâ Dei bonitate debilis ad huc super­vivit: modis etiam poste [...] mirabilibus ex orci favibus saepiùs ereptus. If I had a better ac­compt of the state of his body, I should, I think, as much laugh at the miraculous reci­tall of his infirmities, as I now do at his Latine elegancies: my present thoughts are, that if he understood [by all his phi­losophy, and physick] the nature of the blood, and life of man, and had considered the story of the man in Oeneadis Hippocr. Epi­dem. 5. §. 6. his cure would have seemed lesse miraculous, and Physicians more igno­rant. But some may say, that one who cannot write Latine may understand it, and so he may be sufficiently qualified for the re­pute of learning, if he have but so much as will enable to apprehend others: he quotes Latine Authors, Fathers, Councils and Schoole-men in abundance. There are not wanting those that will say he hath not capacity enough to understand the lat­ter [and I would evince it in some particu­lars, but I will reserve severall things till a further occasion, when I may either have time to read over his works, or the publick [Page 36]concerns may require it though I grant him knowledge enough for that purpose, as farre as a small skill in Latine will advan­tage him, and a very small skill is sufficient for that design: But that any man should think without a profound knowledge in Greeke, and I atine to determine of anti­quity, affaires of the Church, or to be able to understand the primitive Fathers, is to me the greatest folly that an Hypochondri­ack can be possessed withall. That single controversie of Episcopacy is of such difficul­ty, and requires so much of this learning an conve rse with an infinity of Greeke Au­thours, (the versions of which are very bad) that I pitty Mr. Baxter if any solid Episcoparian shall daign to make him his adversary.

Though the insertion here be unseason­able, yet give me leave to tell Mr. Br. that it was ignorantly said of him in his second sheet for the ministry, p. 12. shat the ‘ Quae­kers had no being in the World till a few years agoe.’ If he means as to the name, I grant it; but so had not the protestants; as he admitteth of: but if as to the gene­rality of their opinions and deporment, I DOE A VOW it out of as sure and good records as any can be produced, that they can plead more for themselves from the first 270. years, then Mr. Br. for the pre­sent Orthodox religion laid down in the Saints ever lasting rest, or the confession of [Page 37]the Assembly. It is false that he saith, the Puritans were Presbyterians. It is false that he saith the Protestants allow not of wars a­gainst their Magist [...]ates, and of deposing them: let the practices of France, Geneva, Savoy, Holland, Germany, Swedeland, Switzer­land, Scotland be examined. It is a base belying of the English Papists to charge them with disloyall doctranes in generall: They have written better against the Pope's power in temporal's then Mr. Baxter. They do not own his infallibility, nor will they grant him any power to deprive Kings of their Kangdoms, and civill subjection by encommunication. They hate the Jesuites, (and many noble families will not admit them within their doores) and revere the memory of Widdrington, Preston, &c. as much as they detest Parsons, and Garnets actings. Their Remonstrances to Q. Eliz. their subjection to K. Edw. 6. K. James, and the testimonies they gave in the late wars, besides the transactions under a Protestant King in France and the State of Venice, abate the Vniversality of a charge, whereof the Spanyards, Jesuites and Court­party of Italy are onely guilty. These things may satisfie you, or any else, of Mr. Baxter's great abilities in severall studies, of an whereof the Apostle said, who is suf­fierent for it! To conclude his Extrava­gancies he is of late turned State-Tinker, and demeanes himself in politiques as successe­fully [Page 38] as in other matters. Oh! what pitty it is I cannot write him Mr. Br. of Banbury, as well as Kederminster! I know not whose pensioner he is of late become; but any man may see whose projects he venteth: if he be not bribed, I am told he hath been cajolled, and caressed with complements and pre­sents into an esteem for a compliance with them whom he ought to detest no lesse then others. Possibly this is not true; and possibly our young-states-man may be such a novice as to be insensibly drawn in by Court­artifices. In his addresse to his Highnesse before his Key, &c. He desires that he ‘would frustrate the subtility of the Demo­craticall politicians that are busy about the change of Government, and would bring all into confusion under the pretense of the peo­ple's liberty or power, and would have the major part of the Subjects to be the Sove­raign of the rest, that is the worst, that are still the most; and the ignorant, that can­not rule themselves; and the vitious, that are enemies and hinderers of piety; and the worldlings, that mind nothing but what is under their feet, and have no time to think on Heaven, they have so much to doe on Earth; as Augustine saith, had rather their were one Star lesse in Heaven, then one cowe lesse in their pastures:’ these must be our SOVERAIGNES. If Politicians be ta­ken by him in an evill sense, it seems Mr. Br. hath no great quarrell with them, so [Page 39]they be not Democraticall: according to what is usually observed, if one fawn upon the Clergy though he be as perfidious in all his actings as the most proflicate politique, yet shall he possesse their regards: But for a Democraticall politician, I understand not the name, if it be a co [...]umely; for to seeke the publick good, to decry and sub­vert all self-interested designes, to continue all power in the hand of the people, have so little of particular advantages in them, that it is not for corrupt policy to embrace that party Aristotle tells us that they who are ruled by the arbitrary commands of men (and all governments are such where the Magistrate is no otherwise bound by law, then that he is judge of his own de­viations) are governed by beasts; but they who are governed by laws are ruled by God. They are busy to change the Govern­ment! are not the Baxterians so too? Is there any for the present modell of affaires? But Mr. Br. mistakes; they would preserve the Government, and the Monarchiall poli­ticians would change it; they would con­tinue that liberty wherein the long Parlia­ment enstated us; and to perfect a fabrick, is not to alter it: it is one thing to be Pro­tectour, and another to be Soveraigne of a Common-wealth. They would bring all things unto confusion! because they would bring all things to a settlement, and fix the moun­tain (as farre as prudence permits) be­yond [Page 40]a possibility of removal: they would secure the laws and immunities, the the spirituall and civill enjoyments of the good people of this land, and that unde­nyably: yet with Mr. Br. these are but pretenses! shadows! not worth the stri­ving for! However all change is not to be condemned, but such as is for the worst; nor all confusion, if the issue thereof be the publick safety. Mr. Br. is a practitioner in physick; poysons and wholesome medi­cines, both alter the body, both create a confusion in the humours, yet doth the one destroy, and the other Save. But they would have the Major part to be Sove­raign of the rest. If so, then not Sove­raignes, as he afterwards sayes: you may see how much he hath thought on what he sayes, who in so few lines cannot onely speak non-sense, but contradict himself. In a Democracy neither all, nor the Ma­jor part of the people are Soveraignes, but that Soveraignty which one Monarch pos­sesses, the people share by actuall exercise of their naturall right: Nor is any mem­ber of a well-formed common-wealth can­cluded by any majority to which he hath not previously consented, or in the Electi­on of which he hath not demeaned himself with as much prudence, as they who plow and sowe not fearing a deluge or drought. It is false that the most are still the worst, and ignorantest: Mr. Br. that is accounted, [Page 41]probable which seems so to the most: and Aristotle saith, that the multitude, ( [...]) judgeth better then any one man whosoe­ver: The multitude too is not so bad as Mr. Br. thinks: such vices as render men unfit for state employments are the debau­cheries of a few, and not of a multitude, unlesse that multitude be under one. I ne­ver yet read of a Monarchy which did not in it's own tendency corrupt the best men; nor can I imagine a regulated Democracy, upon a ballance, ballot, and rotation of Governours which will not amend the worst of men: Wickedness and Ignorance universal are the consequences of Monarchy; they who plead that all may be free, and capable of bearing such offices as they can merit, it is their interest as well as intent all should deserve. These trifling argu­ments of Mr. Baxter will not perswade the state of Venice, Holland, Switzerland, Ge­neva, the Hanse-townes out of their liberty, nor overthrow the reall happinesse Rome, Athens, Sparta, Syracuse, &c. enjoyed un­der that form of Government. I am sorry Mr. Br. did not live in the time of Caligula, he who brought his horse into the Senate, would have allowed Mr. Baxter a place in his Cabinet, where he might have argued about the conveniency of a change of the principality of Rome into a Kingdom. God Almighty established a Common-weal a­mongst the stiffe-necked Israelites: Christ [Page 42]endowed his Church therewith; yea the name thereof, and others therein used are taken from this popular Government. Was not Christ Jesus then faithfull to him that apointed him? was not Moses faithfull in all his house? Or are not these things written for our instruction, who are so farre from being incapable of a Democracy, that we are not capable of a Monarchy. (It is one­ly for the ignorant, and unexperienced to commend a Linsey-woolsey mixt-Monarchy: nor is it for a Christian here to practise an absolute one) I would this puny statist had shewed his Highness how he must have de­bauched the Gentry out of their estates, and advanced a Nobility to such riches and esteem, as that their power might over­ballance the Commons; (without which there is no security) or that he had divi­ded the land unto Timariots, and so erected a Monarchy upon a military interest: or shewed a third way of settlement. But I leave this cause to be managed by better pennes, though I may remit Mr. Br. to the Lord Broghill, who in his Parthenissa hath ex­cellently debated the case of a Republick, let them give, or receive satisfaction one of another. As for Mr. Harrington there is too much of learning and judgment in his works that I should referre Mr. Br. thereunto: his modell is so farre above the praises, as it agrees with the posture of our Nation.

Sr. I should entertain you with more raillery about Mr. Br's. Catholicisme (that is a Greeke word, but not the onely one which he makes use of though he under­stand them not) and with his designes for peace, in which there is nothing almost good but the designes themselves. But I shall no longer detain you from reading a vindication of the truly Honourable Sr. Henry Vane, which was the principall mo­tive (next to the concerns of the publick) that induced me to this writing. You may from what I have already said frame a character of this Retailer of other mens reading, and Quoter of quotatations? Mr. Baxters his abilities, and discretion; the latter cannot be so little, but the former is lesse; and if you will any way uphold his credit, it must be by such a distinction as whereby Strafford lost his Head; though the parts of his accusation were not treason­able, yet put together they did amount to Accumulative Treason, so Mr. Br. may own an accumulative learning though he be deficient in all manner of knowledg.

Had this Honourable and pious Knight had any other name, Mr. Br. had lost seve­rall jeasts and clinches, which I shall en­deavour to preserve to posterity, that they may know the man had some wit though no learning. In the dedication to his Highnesse he calls such as adhere to Sr. H. Vane the Vani. and p. 342. ‘The Vane [Page 44]and Steril language of Paracelsian Behme­nists and popish juglers doth serve me for no other use but to raise me into suspicion of their designes and doctrines, and to sig­nifie a Vaine and Steril minde.’ I am heartily sorry (out of compassion to the new edition of Archy, the Court-fool, his jeasts) that for Sr. Henry his adversaries name was not Sr. Walter; and a contro­versie was not agitated, whether the Sir­name were FANE or VANE, then we should not have been put to repetition for want of fresh wit, but out of physick we might have heard of the Tela Gualiteri; I am Scandit Gualter had not been lost; nor would Mr. Br's persecuting spirit (I am informed that he strook a Quaker openly) have omitted the raillery of an Halter. We should have heard of fictions too (as now of Hiding) and a Grammaticall dispute might have been moved, whether the new Cavaliers should not be called the profane, profani tanquam procul a fano, as being oppo­sites to the Fanes: you will pardon me if I took notice of this Kedenminster wit; it is remarkable in regard both of the Vanity and Sterility of the man, that neither Malice (which usually supplies naturall deficiencies in point of wit) nor Melancholy (which Aristotle observeth to dispose men to ingenuity) should not furnish him with better Quibbles; yet they are as good as what he objecteth in earnest against the a­foresaid [Page 45] Patriot. So certain it is that we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. He very often reflects upon him under the term of an Hider. I do not ap­prehend his reason for it; fince Sr. H. V. hath never declined to give forth an ac­count of that hope that is in him. He speaks plain and good English, and if in his words the spirituality of the matter make all seeme to be hidden, it is but the fate of the grea­test soul-saving truths, that they are hid to them that perish: the Calumny of Mr. Br. is very old, and made use of by the old Ser­pent in the Apostles time: but they having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, gave this reason of their hidden words. If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the God of this World hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, least the light of the glorious gospell of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 2. Cor. 4. v. 3.4. But what reason is there Sr. H. should suffer for Mr. Br's intellectualls? thousands bear witnesse to the pretionsnesse of those truths, they are his seale, and experiment the comfort of what Mr. Baxter condemnes as vain and empty. This will be of no strength till our great physician avow that we ought to resign up our senses to the delusions of Hypochondriaques; and because the stupid do not, we must not say we do feel. What if Paul be reputed a babler by the Grecians (as Sr. H. is by one that is no Grecian) [Page 46]what if the doctrine of saving grace be a stumbling-block to the Jews, and folly to the Greekes? must the saints therefore quit their hopes of Salvation, and that which is to them a Savour of life unto life? We know what it is that the animall man en­tertaineth not, because it is foolishness un­to him, neither can he, because it is spiri­tually to be discerned: But shall the man of God be concluded by those his senti­ments, that he should thereupon renounce him, who is made unto us wisdome, and sanctification? shall the enlightned com­plain of Darkness, because to others the light shineth in darknesse, and the darkness comprehendeth it not? If Sr. H. Vane had opened his mouth in parables, how should he have been called an Hider? And may not Mr. Br. be called an Hider, that he ob­scures the light of the Gospell by intricate disputes? is there any thing more hid then the Aphorismes, which if no man should be justified but who understand them upon Mr. Brs. proposal, the redeemed of the Lord will make up a lesse flock, then is con­ceived? Might not he also be called an Hider, because under a pretended zeal he hides the malice of others in his slaunderous books.

He tells his Highnesse in the dedication that the ‘ Vani have been confounded by God by wonders in New England, but have here prevailed farre in the dark.’ As for their prevailing in the Dark, I am not acquainted therewith. I am sure Sr. H. [Page 47]never hid his candle under a bushell; what he hath taught, he hath done it openly, before great Auditories, and as great per­sonages for spirituall discernings as this nation affordes. He may almost reply in Christ's words, I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple, and ye laid no hold of me. But suppose the Vani had encreased in the darke: ought that to prejudice a good case? Or is it not a reflection upon the ini­quity of such Governours as forced truth into corners. Truth and errour may en­crease in the darke, but the former brings a light to dispell darkness, which the o­ther augmenteth, or doth onely vary.

As for the wonders wherewith, God hath witnessed against them in New England I am a stranger to the transactions of that land; yet I may very well suppose Mr. Br. hath not omitted any thing that might tend to their disrepute in that digression which he on purpose framed against them. p. 330. The principall of these Hiders are ‘the Vani, whose game was first played o­penly in America in New England, where God gave in his testimony against them from Heaven upon their two prophetesses, Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Dyer: the lat­ter brought forth a monster with the parts of a bird, beast, fish, and man, which you may see described in Mr. Welds's narra­tive, with their discovery, the concomi­tants, and consequents. The former brought forth many (near 30) monstrous births [Page 48]at once, and was after slain by the Indi­ans. This providence should at least have a­wakned England to such a Godly jea­lously, as to have better tryed the doctrines which God thus seemed to cast out, before they had so greedily entertain­ed them, as in part of Lincolne-shire, Cam­bridg-shire, and many other parts they have done. At least it should have wakened the Parliament to a wise and godly jea­lously of the councels and designes of him that was in New England the master of the game, and to have carefully searched how much of his doctrine and design were from Heaven, how much of them he brought with him from Italy, or at least was begotten by the progenitour of monsters. Such extraordinary pro­vidences ought not to be despised.’

I am not in a place where I can either informe my self of those accidents in New England, and how farre what Mr. Br. saith out of Mr. Weld's is true: nor can I meet with Mr. Weld's narrative that I might see whither Mr. Br. do more truly vouch him, then the word of God, or Greek writers: I would therefore grant his Assertions, did not that passage of Sr. H. Vane's bringing his doctrines with him out of Italy (where he never was) make me tender of crediting all Mr. Br. sayes. I have since the writing here­of spoken with Mr. Clerke of New England, who was there at the time of these monstrous births. As for Mrs. [...]yer he could not say any thing of his own knowledg, but that she was privatly delivered, two wo­men onely being by, of a false­birth, which was buryed imme­diately: and from these two women comes this Narrative: for though it was digged up eight days after, yet the shape was not determinable. He was at Mrs. Hutchinson when she was delivered of what he had long foretol [...] would be a Mola: it was a mishapen beast, which being separated from its c [...]ates and integuments, did put into four pieces, two were like clotted blood in a tunicle, and two like cluste [...]s of grapes, bein [...] a congeries of litle round bladders full of water onely. This he was an eye witness of; and Mr. Cotton having related openly such stories as Mr. Br. doth, did in the open Congre­gation at Boston retract them, as I expect Mr. Br. should do no [...], or prove each vesicula of wa­ter to be a m [...]ster. The name of prophetesses is made use of by way of [Page 49]reproach (I suppose) God forgive him! Lu­ther was not against women's prophecying; nor God, who, besides instances in the old, un­der the new testament endowed Philip's daugh­ters with prophecying; and Peter saith Act. 2. v. 16.17.18. This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, And it shall come to passe in the last dayes, (saith God) I will poure out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sonnes and your DAƲGH­TERS shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants, and on my HANDMAIDENS, I will poure out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. But Mr. Br. liketh not this dispensation of the spirit; the Holy Ghost though it be given to every one to profit with [ [...]] yee women must be excepted untill Mr. Br. learn Greeke. It is observable that Mr. Br. in the body of his booke speakes timorously, as if his Objection from the providentiall actings of God were of no great moment. These things [Page 50]should have awakened at least England to such a godly jealousie as to have better tryed the doctrines which God thus seem­ed to cast out, before they so greedily en­tertained them.— I am confident S. H. V. never desired any man to embrace his doctrine without trying it: the example of the Beraeans doth not offend him: be­ing assured of the truthes he layes down, that they will abide in the day of the Lord, he feares not man's day. Yet he conceives that the precept to trye all things, doth not exclude the holding fast [or laying fast hold on] that which is good. To such enquiries he wishes all men were inclined, and that not upon the motives Mr. Br. layes down, but upon the accompt of soule­concernes. As for Godly jealousy, I under­stand not the term; I see Mr. Br. is not al­wayes Zaphnath Pahaneach (as Pharaoh named Joseph, Gen. 41. v. 45.) or a dis­coverer of what is Hidden; he is now got amongst the Hiders; and indeed it is no commendation for him to Hide Malice. Godly jealousie is of a destroying nature: Phinehas the sonne of Eleazer when he slew Zimri and Cozbi is said to have had a Godly jealousie, Num. 25. v. 11.13. Zeal and jea­lousie for God being all one, both there and elsewhere. How farre then this Godly jealousie should have extended, Mr. Br. limits not: nor yet that wise and godly jea­lousie in the Parliament, which Sr. H. Vane is so farre from dreading, that he would [Page 51]joyne (I dare say) with Mr. Br. in the advice: he ownes no doctrine nor designes but such as Heaven inspires him with, and which he will not be ashamed of on earth, least Christ should be ashamed of him before his father. If he had been in Italy he would have brought thence no other de­signes, no other faith then what Paul plan­ted there, and of which he telleth the Ro­mans, that their faith was spoken of over the whole earth. Yet is not Mr. Br. so mode­rate here as he might have been, for if God did but Seeme to cast out the Vanists, how comes he to say that God hath given in his testimony against them from Heaven upon their two prophetesses. Who taught Mr. B. to make positive conclusions from seeming premises? Thus he told the Protectour, that God had confounded them by wonders.

All this is but a remote argument drawn from the providentiall actings of God in and upon two persons that witnessed some of those truths (though with severall weaknesses) unto which Sr. H. Vane hath given out a testimony amongst us. There are some that cry up Mr. Br. for a rationall disputant, unlesse he have given them o­ther evidence then I see, it must be for some hidden excellencies. I know not how he came to be of God's counsell, and to understand the intent of his various dis­pensations. He was a wise man (without disparagement to Mr. Br. be it spoken) who said Eccles. 9. v. 1. 2. 3. All this I con­sidered [Page 52]in my heart, even to declare all this, that the righteous and the wise and their workes are in the hand of God: no man knoweth [except Mr. B.] love or hatred by all that is before them. All things come alike to all, there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the clean: it is a very unsafe way then to argue from events to the justice of a cause, or it's in­justice, for those things Mr. Br. urgeth, (though it be not necessary that Monsters should be ominous, as Licetus and Riolanus observe) they may as well [unlesse Mr. Br. hide a part of his evidence] have been warnings to the Colony or natives, as Va­nists. When a Sheep of old yeaned a Lyon, it was no ill-aboading presage to the sheep, but to the Common-wealth that should fall under Tyranny. God often times takes a­way the righteous, but in mercy, and out of judgment to the surviving wicked. The Eclipse at Christ's death, the disturbances and destruction ensuing in Judea, were no declarations against Christianity: no more then the sad ends to which many of the Apostles and other eminent Servants of God came, James was slain by the sword, Paul scourged, and sh [...]p-wracked at Melite, there a viper fastened on his hand, and the people (like Mr. Br.) concluded, No doubt this man is a murtherer, whom though he hath escaped at sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. The Calamities that befell the Roman Empire upon the preaching of [Page 53]the Gospell, if Mr. Brs. arguing hold good, (contrary to Tertullian) were by them justly attributed to the Gods attesting a­gainst the Christians. The new Starre, the comet at the beginning of the reformation, was differently expounded by the Papists and Protestants. At Charenton (not many years agoe) there was a boate cast away on the Lords day full of French Gentry and others, [either coming from, or going to Church] which the Papists avowed for a judgment; but Mounsieur Daille in a ser­mon about those on whom the tower Silo­am fell, refuted those conjectures. As they upon whom the tower of Siloam did fall, and they whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, were not greater sin­ners then others; but suffer'd for example, that all might repent: so I hope Mr. Br. will acquit O. P, from an ominous dissolution; that day being famous for the vanquish­ing of one, and death of another usurper.

But might not one say, that the prodigi­ous birth of Mrs. Dier's, was a witnesse a­gainst the polity of those days in it's seve­ral corruptions: men desiring then Ʋnity, though of persons as Heterogeneous as was her monster? Or, might it not be an Em­blem of the various temptations, thorough the influence whereof they who either re­ject or hold the truth in unrighteousness are instigated; and such are the spoiles of birds, beasts, and fishes, wherewith man ei­ther prideth or pampereth himself. It is an [Page 54]adulterous generation that asketh a signe; and it is none of the wisest that judgeth there­by. Her death is to be laid at the doores of th [...]m that persecute her, so as that to avoid the ter­rours th [...]y affrighted her with, flee fled, and was slain by the Indians as they set upon the Dutch planters. As for Mrs. Hutchin­son's being slain by the Indians, Mr. Br. ought to know, that there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolon­geth his life in Wickedness. Eccles. 7.15. There be just men to whom it happeneth according to the worke of the wicked: again there be wicked men, to whom it happeneth according to the worke of the righteous: And if Solo­mon say that this is vanity (Eccles. 8. v. 14.) I may say so of Mr. Brs. arguing I am sure: I could enter upon a discourse about the cause of Monsters, but that what I have said is enough to chastise Mr. Br. for his pe­remptory censure, which (though twice re­peated) hath little of the two-edged sword, but much of an edged picture, which according to the different Station of the beholder entertaines him with a dif­ferent representation. If one should ar­gue against Mr. Brs. opinions, that an evill disease cleaveth unto the Authour, that God hath declared against his tenets by the sad afflictions which he hath layed up­no him, that he hath visited him in wrath, and chastised him in his sore displeasure: that by Hypochondriacall distempers he hath witnessed against the flatulency of his brain; that by the maladies of his [Page 55]spleen, and rivers of blood issuing from his nose, he doth wonderously confound his malice, and sanguinary principles. Sa­tia te sanguine quem sitivistr: that those profusions from the neighbouring parts warne him to employ his eyes in lamen­ting the troubles to which he contributes in this Nation; in fine, that the Atrophy of his body is a manifestation of the Sterility of his principles. These discourses have a shew of as much reason as Mr. Baxter's, and not lesse ingenuity.

‘But Sr. Henry Vane is sundry times by him called close-papist; and such are de­sired that they may be kept out of Par­liaments, Armies, Councills, &c.’ There is none that know the frame of Sr. Henry Vane's spirit, but can bear me witnesse, that if the cause of God, and the good of his people amongst us, did not prevaile mightily upon him, and the apprehensions thereof as it were eat Him up, he had ra­ther enjoy a retirednesse under the imme­diate teachings of God's spirit, then be taken up with distracting employments in Parliaments and Councills. This would be to him an infinite satisfaction, (and to be valued above all those preferments, and dignities, which he as much deserves, as o­thers can ambition them) to spend his time in soule-converses with his beloved, and those delights which attend the highest spirituall entertainments, that so much Meekness, Humility; and unfeigned piety [Page 56]is capable of. As for his being a close-pa­pist, it is a calumny that nothing but a tongue set on fire by Hell (and not touched with a coale from the Altar) could utter: which the most bare-faced enemies of the publick good and tranquility of the Nati­on, the most ambitious and self-seeking men (with whose interest Sr. H. Vane's uprightness doth enterfere) never yet charged him with. But Mr. Richard Bax­ter may say any thing, either as transpor­ted with Zeal (though not according to knowledg) or bribed, or enveigled into such language. There is not a man in this Nation who hath more layed his Ax to the roote of Popery, then Sr. Henry Vane; no man hath so thoroughly endeavour'd to extinguish that Mystery of iniquity, in which Mr. Baxter, (moderate and healing Mr. Baxter) saith he walkes. How farre Mr. Br. hath been wronged in the charges of Arminianism, Socinianisme, Pelagianisme, and Blasphemy I shall not now discusse: certain I am that they who charged him therewith, had colourable pretenses for those imputations; and the very sense hereof might have made him lesse precipi­tate to asperse others; but his earnestnesse for Bethel made him not apprehend thoughts of Sion. The Authour to the Hebrews, c. 2. v. 17. saith, in all things it be­hooved Christ to be made like unto his brethe­ren, that he might be a mercifull and faith­full high-priest—for in that he himself hath [Page 57]suffer'd being tempted, he is able to succour them that be tempted. But though Mr. Br. hath had his share in tongue-sufferings, and those of the worst quality, yet hath not that disposed him to a tenderness towards others; and that which was so effectuall in Christ, hath lost it's prevalency upon this pseudo-minister. If to destroy all Spirituall power that usurpeth upon the rule and king­dom of our Lord Jesus, all soule-oppression, and conscience-distressing persecution, be to be an Abettour of Rome, it's power, and in­quisition; If to cry grace, grace to the build­ing and builders of Sion, be to comply with Babylon, and make one a partisan of Anti­christ; Farewell all the declarations of af­flicted innocency, and let not Christ [nor Mr. Baxter] call for a confession or profession of faith, which though never so positive, evident and clear, cannot defend a man from the im­putation of CLOSE PAPIST. Are those doctrines fetched from Bellarmine, Persons, and Gretser, which are as opposite to them, as to Mr. Baxter's designes; Did Sr. H. V. devest the civill Magistrate of spirituall power to invest the Pope therewith, Mr. Brs. words had not been groundlesse, as now they are, since he no more advanta­geth the Pope by such his opinions, then the Presbyterians, out of which number I do not yet here of any that think Sr. H. V. doth agitate closely their cause, and is un­derhand an abettour of Presbytery. To deny the Civill Magistrate power of enter­medling [Page 58]in religion; for this he needed not have gone to Italy, nor consult Bellarmine, Parsons or Gretser (names made use of meerly to draw an odium upon him) The Scotch and Dutch Presbyters in the Erastian and Vedelian controversies would have furnish'd Him with arguments; as Mr. Br. may have furnished himself from their An­tagonists, or from Goldastus's collection of Popish writers, that defended the Emperour's authority against the Popes. You will per­haps reply, that what I have said may ac­quit Sr. H. V. from being an open papist, but not from being one in secret. Oh! ac­cursed malice! against which there is no defence but an appeall to the searcher of hearts, since words and actions are not suf­ficient fruits whereby to be known! Might not I say that Mr. Br. is a close papist too? and give you the like answer when you should alledge his frequent writings against them? Nay, could not I adde that many men may prevaricate (as Mr. Baxter saith the Jefuites do amongst our forces) and maintain what is not their judgment, one­ly to create us new divisions? and that the Romanists abound no where so much, as near Mr. Br? Might not I either, fix any odi­ous imputation upon Mr. Br. as Arminia­nisme, Socinianisme (upon another account then that his booke of infidelity is borrowed from Socinus) yea Atheisme, and say that he ownes all, or any of these, but closely. If this procedure be once admitted of, the whole [Page 59]world must become criminall, and when surmises or bold assertions shall be taken for proofes none will be able to plead not-guilty.

There is not any thing more (that I know of) which Mr. Br. Mr Rogers in his Vindication of Sir H. V. gives this full account of his having no hand in the Kings death: ‘That upon that great change and alteration of affairs in the year 1648, he absented him­self from the Parliament, and Lievtenant General Cronwell who sat upon the Tryal of the King, and encouraged the H [...]gh Court of Justice to sentence h [...]) could hardly, and after much importu­nity, prevail w [...]h Sir H. V. to re­sume his place in Parliament and Council of State: Now Mr Ba [...]er (the matter of f [...]ct being thus stated) if you would have been impartial, you should rather have said, That your Lord Protector and his followers had a chief hand in the death of the King (whe­ther upon a publique or private account, I leave it to the Lord) then that Sir Henry Vane and the Vanis [...] were the chief Actors in it: But you were resolved to cast dirt in the face of this Gentle­man, and so to ingratiate your self with the New Court, the glo­ry whereof is now layd in the dust, together with all your stat­tering Addresses.’ hath ob­jected to this Honorable personage, or reproach­ed him with: for I do not esteem my self bound to take notice of that Satyr against those Patriots of the long Parliament and Army, who executed ju­stice upon the late King, and erected a Common­wealth, I have recommen­ded that part of his book to the souldiery, who if either their own repute, or the cause of God and of the good people of this land in their religious & civil concernes be dear unto them, will not suf­fer the language of the Pedant to be unpu­nished. If he had not been interested in ma­king the Vanists odious, how come they (who were none at all) to be more Regicides then the late Protector? If Mr. Br. were so impartial, as some would have him thought, why did he spare his memory, since many of those things which are charged upon the Vanists Anabaptists, &c. had their rise and [Page 60] management principally from him, Some were onely his Acts. Did not he debauch the Army, if to engage them to the true service of their countrey were to debauch them? was not he an enemy to Ministry and Tithes? did not he maintain and up­hold a toleration? why then was not he upbraided with close popery, &c. If Mr. Br. is resolved to meddle with no man, but such whose names affoord him occasion for a Quibble; he could not have missed of a Dozen in him, besides that which is as ob­vious from the Greeke as is that on Sr. H. from the Latin. Viz. that he endevoured to reduce us to our primitive slavery, to the onyons and garlick of Egypt: and that he would stink in the sense of all posterity: these had genuinely issued from the name of Cromwell, and the Greeke [...] signify­ing an onyon. But I shall leave this discourse to entertain you more seriously with an en­quiry into that invidious question, which doth so much disquiet Mr. Br. and others amongst us.

Whither the civil Magistrate hath any thing to do in matters of spiritual concernment?

Upon that subject I intend to set down what my own thoughts are, without inte­resting any therein but my self: being no lesse resolved alone to receive all that the Obloqui and malice of others can throwe upon me, then to continue all my life.