Baxter - BX5207 B3 A2 1696

PAR T II. Reverend Mr. RichardBaxter. 337 if they would afterward prove the lawfulnefs of them, or theirPowerfo to impofe them. On thefe Terms we flood with them about two Days, and they would not yield topröveany thing at all. At lait I oft declared to them, that we would do our part, and prove'their Impofitions unlawful, whether they would do their part or no; but with an open Declaration that we took them for Deferrers of their Caufe. At fait Dr. Pierfon alone undertook that he would .difpute for their Part, when we had performed ours, and we acceptedof Undertaking. 4 194. Upon this, Peeing it was o be all done in Writing, the reft of the Com - tnillioners on both fides did choofe three, of a Party to manage the Difpute, that the other might withdrawthemfelves, becaufethey had no more to do. The Bifhops chofe Dr. Pierfon, Dr: Gunning, and Dr. Sparrow!. The other fide chofe SinceB Dr. Bates, Dr. 5'acomb, and my !elf; (for I never medled with the choice of any, mops of only I wouldfain have had Mr. William Moles, Mr. Gibbons, and Mr. Matthew Pooleit,",:, t:- into the Commiffion, that I might have had their help in Dilputing, becaufe theyÑorvkIs, werevery quick, ingenuous Men,. and! could notprevail.) The reft of our Bre- thren prefently withdrew, and not a Manof them came near us any more ; as fuppofing it contrary to the Agreement: But the Bifhops came (fame of them) from day to day ; indeed on the fecond day they asked whether any more than the Difputants might be prefent. And I anfwered them; That we cared not how many of them were prefnt : And after that; others that were not in the Corn, million asked, whether they might beprefent ; and I told them the fame. So that there cameDr. Pory; Dr. Crowther, and almoli the Room full of them (with two or three Scholars and Lay-men, that as Auditors came in with us ( Mr. Miles, Mr.Ttdotfon, &c) t9q. When I began our firti Argument, to prove their Impofitions finful, Bi.. lhop Cefan, was offended at the Word [Mid] í and told me that I condemned all the Churches of ChB, who all of them impofed Tome Gelling or other, as much as that came to y and what intollerableBoldnefs was it in us to charge all the Churchesof Chrift with Sin ! I anfwered him, r. That many of the reformed Churches did not impofe any fuch thing on theirTerms;, that is, to rejehk all from theMinitiry and Communion that conformed not. a. It was no Arrogance nor Uncharitablenefs, to charge all theChurch and World. with Sin : But he that faith he hash no Sin, is a Lyar : In many things we offend all : it is the Privi- ledge of the Triumphant Church to be without Sin. This they ftormed at, and yet could not tell how to deny it. Bishop Lany laid, [That ju/lfed Perfent have no Sin, and are no Sinners becaufe 3uflifcarion rakerb it away]. But when I anfwered him by opening the Nature of Jultification, and !hewing that it took not away the Sin it felf, but the Guilt, which is the Obligation to Punifhment,' he was confounded, and unfaid all again, and knew not what he laid : I told him that he might feehownear we came to him : I confeffed that if the Controverfy were but ale Nomine, and he took Jutiification, as force do, for Sandtification, or a Change of our Qualities and A&ions, then I granted him that is took away. Sin it fell, but not perfently, and therefore Sin (till remained. Here he and tome more faid, that no Man before me ever took Juftification inany fuch Sence, and they laugh. ed at me : I anfwered, that I was glad to hear him fay fo; for my fear that he fymbolized with the Papilla was abated, now 1"perceived that he knewnot what they held : And Dr. Gunning anfwered againit him, and faidthat the Papilla dofö ufethe Word. I went on and toldhim, That I alfo granted that a Man for,a Cer- tainfpace might be without any AO of Sin ; and as I was proceeding, here Bilhop" Morley interrupted me, according to his manner, with vehemency crying our, what can anyMan be for any time without Sin! And he founded out his Aggrava- tionsof this Doctrine; and then cryed to Dr. Bates, what fay you Dr. Bates, is this your Opinion ? SaithDr. Bates, I believe that we areal Sinners ; but I pray my Lordgive him leave to #eak: I began to go on to the rest of my Sentence, where I left, to thew theSenfe and Truth of my Words ; and the Bilhop (whetherin PaC lion or Dfsgn I know not) interrupted me again, and mouthed out the odionfnefs of my Doctrine again and again, I attemptedto fpeak, and !till he interrupted me in the fame manner : Upon that I fat down and told him that this was neither agreeable toour Commiflion, nor the common Laws of Difputation, nor theCi-. vil Ufage of Men in common Converfe, and that if he prohibitedme to fpeak, I defired him to do it plainly, and I would daft, and not by that way of Interrup-_ tion. He told me, 1 had ipeaking enough if that were good, for I fpake more than anyone in the Company : And thus he kept me fo long from uttering the reft of my Sentence, that I fat down and gave over, and toldhim I took it for his Pro- X x hibitioti

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