iIPmENDIX. Numb.IV. 2. They fay that [Faith it not imputedfor Rigbteoufnéß]. I think they mean well But they fhould rather expound Scripture thanflatly deny or contradiEt what it faith; .and after, defame thofe falfly that would help them more diftinaly to underfiand it. Their People are taught to fpeak evil of what they underffand not, and to reprefent Men as dangerous or odious, who think not of many wordy Controverfiesas con- fufedly and ignorantly as they. Their Churches are too dually conftituted of fùch Novices in Knowledge of bothSexes, as are like a School where the Boys call their Teacher a Deceiver for every wordby which he would deliver them from fheir Errours, and teach themmore than they knew before. lo. They lazily gathera few that Teem fo much better than the reft , as will put them to nogreat labour in Teaching and Difcipline. But if all the refi of the Pa- tifhes lye in Ignorance, how little are we beholden to thefeSeparatills for the Cure. When I came to Kidderminfter, fbme, inclined that way, importuned ro me to fake a few Profeffors of Zeal for my Flock, and let the reff followeltheir ignorant Rea- ders. But when I renounced their Counfel, and after my own and my Affrftants long Catechizing them, and perfwadingall the Families, Houfeby Houfe, they fatö the Bodyof Town andPariah in love with ferious Religion , they told me they had been undone if I had followed their Counfel: William Allen, who , with Mr. Lamb, were Patton of an AnabaptiltArminian Church, fink feparated from the Parifh. Churches, and next from the Independents, was turned from Independency much, byfeeing (being our Kidderminfter Faaor) that Pariah-Churches may he madeas ho- ly as feparated ones, and thePeople not left by lazy Separatifts to the Devil : So that thisExperience madehimand his Companion more againft Independency than am. r I. They abufe the People in indulging them inworks that they were never cal- led to, nor are capableof, nor can give any comfortable account of to God ; that is, To be the Judges of Perfons admitted to Communion,and of Mens Repentance and Fitnefs for the Sacrament, cc. whenas God bath put this Power, called The Church Keys, into the Paltors and Rulers hands, (the not over-forced Men, but Vo- funtiers). Baptifm is the true Churches Entrance, and the Baptizer is the Judge of theCapacityof the Baptized : no morebut Confent to particular Church Relation and Duty, is neceffary to Memberfiip of Neighbour Chriftians in particular Chur- ches. And nothing but proved nullifying the Baptifmal Covenant by Herefie, or Sin impenitently maintained or contained in, Both forfeit their vifble rightto Com- munion. And if the People muff fudge of all thefe, they muffhave their Callings to examine every Perfon, and they mutt growwirer and abler, then many oftheir Leadersare. sa. Their Churches haveamong them no probable way of Concord; but they are as a heap of Sand, that uponevery Commotion fall in pieces. The Experience of it in Holland broke them to nothing : And it fo affedted the Sober in New-Eng- land, that in 166o. or 166I. Mr. Afb and I were fain to diffwade Mr. Norton and Mr. ftroadffroer, whom they tent hither as Commiffioners, from inclining to our Englith Epifcopacy (foretelling themwhat was doing and we have teen ) fo deeply were they afraid of being received by that Peoples uncurable Separation from their ableft Paftors, whenever any earneft erroneous Teachers would feduce them. Their Building wanted; Cement. 13. God bath fo wonderfully by hisProvidences difowned the way of Schifm andSeparation (on how good pretences louver) that I ahould be too like Pharaoh in hardnefs, if l fhould defpife hiswarnings. For Inilance, .In theApoffles days all are condemned that feparated from the felledChurches, even when thofe Churches had many heinous Scandals, and St. Paul faith, Thatall they in Afta were turned f-om him. The Authority And Miraclesof the Apoffles did notferve to keepMen from Separation and rafting Schifms. 2. Even when the Church lay under Heathen Perfecutors for 294 years , yet Swarms of Condemned Seas arofe, tofo great a number, as that the naming and confuting them filleth great Volumes , to the great Reproach of the Chriftian Churches, and, Scandal of the Heathens. 3. As foon as ConJteanrinedelivered the Churches from the Flamesofcruel Perfecu- don, and fat up Chriftians in Power and Wealth, feparating Seas grew greater than before, eachParty cryingup their feveral Bithops and Teachers, and grew wwrfe by Divifions, tillthereby they tempted the Papal Clergy to unite Men car- nally by force. 4. At
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