Gi Íbe.E1 FE cf the Fait UI his Experienceof theHumoursof Men, and of the mi£hiefsof dividing Principlet and Praftifes, had been foverygreat, that if Experience fhonld make any man wile, and fit for an healing Work, it ihonldbe him: And that a book which he had lately written (a Catechifm ffir Independency) offenfive toothers, was my chief Motive to make this Motion to him ; becaufe he there giveth up two of the worft of the Prin- ciples of Popularity ; acknowledging, t. That the People have not the Power of the Keys. 2. That theygive not the Power of the Keys, or their Office-Power to the Paftors. I told him that I had before this driven nn an Agreement between the Presbyterians and Independents, in another mantice, but that I plainly taw, that while the Lord Chancellor, and fuch others, werefrill talkingof Plots and Confpiracies,they would be fo jealous of our Union, that theywould give out, that we were ftrengtheling Our felves by it, as a Confederacy againft the King; andit would have tended to the fudden intreafe of our Suffering. He anfwerred me, That for his part, he thought the Work fo neeelfary, that he would trait God, and over -look fuch dangers. I told him, That the danger being fo viable, Prudence in the management ofthe Work was our Duty, though not carnal Policy to defect it. Thegreat difficulty 'iad always been to find out the Terms on which we mull be United, if ever it be done t This was it which could not be clone in the Alfembly at WeffminJfer, nor in all the Years of our Liberty and Difference ever fate. And this is a thingwhich a few Hands may difpatch, much better than many. I told him therefore, that my Opinionwas, That he and I only should firft try whether we could come to Agree- ment in Principles ; and that none living might knowof our Attempt tillit was fini- nifhed ; that if we could not agree, the notice of our Failing might not bea hindrance to others, nor a reproach to our felves; but ifwe did agree, it were eafie to make ufe of the Terms agreedon, when ever Prudence lhould tell us it was conducible to our Ends ; and to get two or three of a fide to Subfcribe it firlt, tillit were fit to make it publick for theufe ofmore. This muchwe agreed on, and our next Qheltion was of the method. I toldhim that as to the poltiveTerms ofConcord, I thought that thofeEffenrials ofReligion andCommunion, which are the Terms that all Chriftcans malt agree in, malt be ours; and that we had not any newTerms to devife; but only Tome new Means to bring us to content to Communion upon thofe Terms. To whichend I thought it would be a good way to draw up a Writing, containing all thePoints of Difcipline, which the two Parties are really agreed in (great and fmall,) that while the World feeth the extent of their Agreement, the few things which they differ in may feemfo (mall, among ail thofe, and not to be fuflicient to hinder their Communion. He approved of the Motion, and defired him to draw it up; which when he putoff; I defiled that each of usmight bring ina Draught ; but he would needs calf it on me alone. When I haddrawn up abundance of Thefts as the Matter of our common Concord, and left them with him, the next time I came to him, he commended the thing, but faid, that they were too many, and I could do it in a narrower room. I per- ceived by this, that hisThoughts were, that many that were among them, would not grant all thofe Points, and fo it malt be wider yet. I told him, that ifhe chan- ged the Detign, wemull change the Means : If he thought it the better way todraw uponly thofe Points which are neceífary to our Agreement, then we mutt do it in as narrow a compafs as may be ; which being determined of, I urged him again, in vain to do it : buthe cafe it upon me, and I brought him fpeedily a Draught of fo many ofthe things whichboth Presbyteriansand Independents areagreed in, as are ne- ceffiry to their Prafical Concord and.'Gommunion, with refpeec to the things in which they are, or Teemdifagreed. When he had kept thema few Weeks, I wait- edon him again andagain; and he told me, that it was the faireft Offer, and the likelieff Means, that ever be vet taw ; and he lawnothing yet butthat it might well conduce to the End intended. I defined him to give me hisAnimadverfions, t. Of all,that he took to be falfe or unfound in it. 2. Of all that hethought thetwo Parties were not agreed in. 3. Ofall that he thought inconvenient andunapt tothe End in- tended. q.. Of all that he thought unnecelfary : whichhe contented to, and lhortly after fent me this Letter (which intimateth his purpofe ofcoming to me, becaufe I invited him to takethe Country Air withme, in a Cold that hehad, mi.)
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