Chap. I. The HISTORY of the PuxirANS. 425 " Likewife I with, that if the king's highnefs (hall perfift in impofing Kingjames L " it, all would fubmit to it (as we do) rather than forego the miniftry in ' " that behalf. But I greatly fear, by the report that I hear, that very. " many learned preachers, whofe confciences are not in our cuflody, " nor to be difpofed of at our devotion, will not eafily be drawn there- " unto ; of which number, if any fhall come in my walk, I delire to " be furnifhed before hand, by thofe that be prefent, with fufl'icient rea- " foes to fatisfy them (if it be poffible) concerning force points which " have been now delivered. Fir/i, " Whereas fundry paffages of fcripture have been alledged for the " crofs; as, Godforbid that Ifhould rejoice fave in the CROSS of Chrifl; " and divers others of the like fenfe; if any of the adverfe opinion fall " into my company, and fay, that thefe fcriptures are figurative, im- " plying the death and paillon of our Saviour Chrift; and that to draw " an argument from them to juftify the jgn of the crofs in the forehead, " is an infufficientkind of reafoning and a fallacy; what anfwer (ball " I make unto them ? Secondly, " Whereas I have obfervedupon prefent relation, that the im- " pugners of this ceremony were heard at large in the conference at " Hampton Court, and having objeéted the example of Hezekiah, who " broke in pieces the brazen ferpent, after it had been abufed to idolatry, and t` therefore the of the crofs (which was not brought into the church " by God's exprefs command, as the brazen ferpent was, but was from " the beginning a mere inventionof men) ought now to be taken away "'by reafon of the fuperftitious abufe which it fuflained in popery; they " received anfwer, that king Hezekiah might have preferved it, abandon- " ing the abufe of it, if it had pleafed him, and confequently it is in the king's majefty's power to abolifh this ceremony, having been abu- " fed, or to retain it in manner aforefaid. Hereunto I fay, that I was " one of the conference, yet I -was not at that part of the conference, " where thofe that Rood for reformation had accefsto the king's majefly's " prefence, and liberty to fpeak for themfelves ; for that'I, aiid Tome " other of my brethren the bops, werefecluded from that day's agembly ; " but I fuppofe it to be true, as it has been formerly reported, and I for " my own particular admit the confequence put down above. Now, " becaufe I with all others abroad as well fatisfied herein as ourfelves that " be here prefent, if any of the contrary opinion (hall come to me, and " fay that the aforefaid anfwer does not fatisfy them, becaufe they think " there to be as great reafon now, to move them to become petitioners " to his majefty for abolifhing the crofs in baptifm; as there was to move " the godly zealous in Hezekiab's time to be petitioners- for defacing the " brazen ferpent, becaufe the church-going papifis now among us, do Vol.. I. I i i fuper-
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