><S 11I' BENDIX. Numb.II. if I yield it you, is nothing againft our Agreement. 3. The Third I cannot dif- pute well till I knowwhat you will yield in the excepted Cafe. I would defireyou as a moreorderly and effeetual way to our Ends, to do theft three Things : r. Tell me plainly whether you take the Reformed Churches of Holland, France, Scotland, Helvetia, Geneva, be. for true organized Churches, and their Paflors for true Pa- lters and Presbyters ? and Ordination by Presbyters to he valid in their Cafe. z. teeing you plainly lèem to take an uninterrupted Succefüon ofauthoritative Ordi- nation to be of flat Neceflity to the being of the Miniftry, will you give us a clear Proof of fuch a Succelfion de Fatïo, either to your felt; or any Man now li- ning. I earneftly intreat you denyme not this, nor fay it is needlefs I have told you the needof it in thofe Papers. Again I pray you put it not off. 3. Seeing you profefs to be for Concord, and yet reje& our Terms, as a Schifnatical Com- bination, will you propound your own Terms, the lowelt condefcending Terms which youcan poflibly yield to, whichmay tend to our Clofure ? If you only corn tend againft our Way and will not find a better, nor ufe any Endeavours of your own in its (lead, what Manof Reafon will believe your Profeffion of [the Prong Inclinationof the Heart to Concord and Peace] ? I again intreat you inflead of contending, to perform thefè Three things, which will exceedingly further the much defired Work. And for my pare, though you and Millions of Men oppofe it, I ant refolved, by the Graceof God, to defire, pray, and labour for Peace and the Unity of the Church, uponHonelt and Polüble, not Romifh or Sinful Terms, while I am Dec. 23. u653. Rich. Baxter. N °. H. Mr. Johnfon's Firfi Letter to Mr. Bax ter, about the `Point of Ordination. S I R, I NG very much unfatisfied in the reading of your lateDifcourfe con- cerning the Interruption of the Succellion of the Miniftry, I thought good to take Advantage from your own Offer, friendly and freely to debate the Qaeftion with you : And I than lay out nay Thoughts to you in this Method; r. I will give you the Reafons which makes me (if it be Papiftical) to abet the Pa- ` pills in pleading for an uninterruptedSucceflion. z. I will reply to your Argil- ' menu, whereby you difpute the Succellion of theMiniftry of England to be inter- rupted. 3. I will offer you tomeReafons why an infallible Proof of the Point io ' not neceffary in the Cafe. 4. I will produce fuch Arguments as (hall put it beyond doubting, and fo (hall leave indubitable, though not infallible Proof of the Que- Ilion in your Hands. I. F1rf?, I (hall give you the Reafons whyI pleadfo fetioufly for the uninter rupted Succeflìon, and I(hall do this in the fink place, `secaufe all the relt will be Supe vacaneous, if' if be a Matter of no greatConfequence; whether there be a Succéf% n or not. If therefore you Can fitisfy my Arguments whereby I plead for theN. ceflity, and give me Reafon enough to underftand, that an Uninterrup- ` don of the Succelüon is not much material, I will fave nay Pelf theTrouble of Confuting what you have laid againft it, and you rune Troubleof makinga need- 'lef hepl Now the firff Reafon which induceth me to believe that iris a matter of much more Confequence than you talk of; is the Serioufnefs of our Divines in their En- ' deavours to prove that the Bilhops in Edward VI. and Queen Elizabetb'r Days wereOrdained by Bilhops, againft the Calumnies of Sanders, Rellifbn, Chair/may, ` and other Jefuits, who in their Writings would have bore the World in Hand, that the Succeflion of the Miniftry of England had been interrupted at the Ref becau(è there were none but Popilh Bilhops to Ordain them, and they would not, and fis none did. But as you know, had deseifed aStoryof the Nag's- ' Head Ordination, New you If know there hath been much E.ndeavonr made `.by
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