q.q-q. The L 1 FE of the L B. j and clofe upon all Minifters, that they mull make it their chief Bufinefs, and neg. led nothing until they have perfwaded.and brought their Flock to it; I pray you, moll worthy Sir, to refolve this Enquiry to meand others of my Neighbours and fellow Brethren, who in reading your ReformedPallor , made the fame Scruple of Confcience, viz. Whether a Miniller that heartily¡Ireveafor the honour of God and the Edification of hoe Church, doth not difebarge ho Duty, when according to your wholfome and true Doilrine, be bath conferred and made known bra mind and wellingnee l to the per- formance ofit, to bu Fellow-Brethrenthat 'oyntly with him are Shepherds ofthefame Flock, yea, perfwaded themof the neceffity and oej fulnef of it,yet can get no Bffftance by Miniftrkrs nor Magiflrates. We long alfo heartily to know, being you have perfwaded the Minifters of the County of Worcefíer to that mat neceffary and ufeful Catechizing and Private fn- Itru&ion, Whether by the prefent great Change in England, both in Churches and Govern- ment, and chiefly, being that we bear that Epifcopacy prevailetb, the Prelatical Dignity r, notfame way retrenched; and whether they bear /lilt that irreconcileable barred againllgood and odlyPresbyterians, that they may not be faltered to exercife their Charge and Duty? Or if they are wholly deprivedof the power and authority to ferve their Pacifbeo, as to our great Scandal we are informed. I had many things more to write to you, but dare not troubleyou, moll worthy Sir, any further, fearingto keepyou from yourweigh- ty Bufinefs. Only Icrave very humbly your Anfwer, and as much Informationof the true prefent Eftate, as opportunity will give you leave , Whether we bave fo much caufe tofear the Introdullionof Popery in England, as fame , by the News among!! as are whollyperfwaded? In the mean while, we will continue to pray the Lord our God and molt merciful Father, with all our Hearts and Souls , to preferve your Perfon for the General Good and Edification of his wholeCatholick Church,that your great Light may thine more and more; and fo Iremain, Reverend and molt worthySir, Saingallin Helvetia Reformatb,r6 4 Your humble and moll prit 1663. Affeiionate Servant 7obn Sollicofer, unworthy Servant of Chriltr The vigilant Eye of Malice that fame had upon me, made me underhand that ( though no Law of the Land is againtt Literate Perfons Correfpondencies beyond Seas, nor have any Divines been hindered from it, yet) it was like to have pro- ved my ruine, if I had but been known to anfwer one of there Letters, though the Matter had been never fo much beyond Exceptions. So that I neither anfwered this norany other,fave only by word ofmouth to the Meffenger ; andthat but in fmall part ; for much of this (in the latterpart) was Matter not to be touched. Our Silencing andEjesion he would quickly know by other means, and how much the Judgmentsof theEnglifb Bilbops did differ from theirs about the Labours and Perfons offuch as we. 443. About this time I thought meet to debate the Cafe with fome Learned and ModerateEje&ed Minifters ofLondon , about Communicating fometimes in the Parida Churches in the Sacraments : ( For they that came to Common Prayer and Sermon, came not yet toSacraments). They defired me to bring in myJudg- ment andReafons in writing : whichbeing debated, they were all of my mind in the main, That it is lawful and a duty where greater Accidents preponderate not. But they all concurred unanimoufly in this,That if we didCommunicate at allin the Parifh Churches, the Sufferings of the Independents and thofe Presbyterians that cculd notCommunicate there, would certainly be very much increafed, which now
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