more, let him read the rest of this chapter, or else converse with some persons whom I can direct him to, who talk at this wholesome rate all the day long.

What seems to be my particular concernment, I shall a little farther attend unto. Some words (for that is the manner of managing this controversy) are culled out from pp. 259, 260. [p. 243.] to be made the matter of farther contest. Thus they lie in my treatise: 'As the not giving a man's self up unto any way, and submitting to any establishment pretended or pleaded to be of Christ, which he hath not light for, and which he was not by any act of his own formerly engaged in, cannot with any colour or pretence of reason be reckoned to him for schism, though he may if he persist in his refusal prejudice his own edification; so no more can a man's peaceable relinquishment of the ordinary communion of one church in all its relations be so esteemed.' These words have as yet unto me a very harmless aspect; but our reverend author is sharpsighted, and sees I know not what monsters in them: for first, saith he, 'here he seems to me to be a very sceptic in his way of independency:' why so, I pray? This will gratify all sects, Quakers and all, with a toleration:' how, I pray? it is schism, not toleration, we are treating about. But this leaves them to judge of, as well as others, what is, and what is not according to the mind of Christ; why, pray sir, who is appointed to judge finally for them? why then should they be denied their liberty?' but is that the thing under consideration? had you concluded that their not submitting to what they have not light for its institution, is not properly schism, you should have seen how far I had been concerned in the inference: but excursions unto Quakers, &c. are one topic of such discourses. But now he asks me one question, it seems to try whether I am a sceptic or no; 'Whether,' saith he, does he believe his own way to be the only true way of Christ, for he hath instituted but one way, having run from and renounced all other ways in this nation?' I promise you this is a hard question, and not easily answered. If I deny it, he will say I am a sceptic, and other things also will be brought in: if I affirm it, it may be he will say that I condemn their churches for no churches, and the like: it is good to be wary when a man hath to deal with wise men; how if I

should say that our way and their way is for the substance of them, one way, and so I cannot say that my way is the only true way exclusively to theirs: I suppose this may do pretty well. But I fear this will scarce give satisfaction, and yet I know not well how I can go any farther; yet this I will add; I do indeed believe, that wherein their way and our way differ, our way is according to the mind of Christ, and not theirs and this I am ready at any time (God assisting) personally to maintain to him: and as for my running from ways of religion, I dare again tell him, these reproaches and calumnies become him not at all. But he proceeds, 'If so,' saith he,' is not every man bound to come into it, and not upon every conceived new light to relinquish it?' Truly, I think Mr. C. himself is bound to come into it, and yet I do not think that his not so doing makes him a schismatic and as for relinquishment, I assert no more than what he himself concludes to be lawful.

And thus, Christian reader, I have given thee a brief account of all things of any importance that I could meet withal in this treatise, and of many which are of very little. If thou shalt be pleased to compare my treatise of Schism with the refutation of it, thou wilt quickly see how short this is of that which it pretends to; how untouched my principles do abide; and how the most material parts of my discourse are utterly passed by, without any notice taken of them. The truth is, in the way chosen by this reverend author to proceed in, men may multiply writings to the world's end, without driving any controversy to an issue; descanting and harping on words, making exceptions to particular passages, and the like, is an easy and facile, and to some men a pleasant labour: what small reason our author had to give his book the title it bears, unless it were to discover his design, I hope doth by this time appear. Much of the proof of it lies in the repeated asseverations of it, it is so, and it is so. If he shall be pleased to send me word of one argument tending that way, that is not founded in an evident mistake, I will promise him, if I live, a reconsideration of it.

In the mean time I humbly beg of this reverend author that he would review, in the presence of the Lord, the frame of spirit wherein he wrote this charge; as also, that he

would take into his thoughts all the reproaches, and all that obloquy he hath endeavoured to load me causelessly and falsely withal. As for myself, my name, reputation, and esteem with the churches of God, to whom he hath endeavoured to render me odious, I commit the whole concernment of them to him, whose presence through grace I have hitherto enjoyed, and whose promise I lean upon, that he will never leave me nor forsake me.' I shall not complain of my usage: but what am I? of the usage of many precious saints and holy churches of Jesus Christ, to him that lives and sees, any farther than by begging that it may not be laid to his charge: and if so mean a person as I am, can in any way be serviceable to him, or to any of the churches that he pleads for, in reference to the gospel of Christ, I hope my life will not be dear to me that it may effect it; and I shall not cease to pray that both he and those who promoted this work in his hand, may at length consider the many calls of God that are evident upon them, to lay aside these unseemly animosities, and to endeavour a coalition in love, with all those who in sincerity call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

For the distances themselves that are between us, wherein we are not as yet agreed; what is the just state of them, the truth and warrantableness of the principles whereupon we proceed, with the necessity of our practice in conformity thereunto; what we judge our brethren to come short in, of, or wherein to go beyond the mind of Jesus Christ; with a farther ventilation of this business of schism, I have some good grounds of expectation, that possibly ere long we may see a fair discussion of these things, in a pursuit of truth and peace.

AN

ANSWER

TO A

LATE TREATISE OF MR. CAWDREY,

ABOUT THE

NATURE OF SCHISM.

Δεῖ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνέγλητον εἶναι, ὡς Θεοῦ οἰκονόμον, μὴ ἀυθάδη, μὴ ὀργίλον, μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, μὴ αἰσχροκερδῆ.—Tit. i. 7.