Chap. I. The HISTORY of the PuRITANs. 393 '• powers or debal'e them as they pleqff--Noman has been diflurbed in Comm1 ohn- ' 'J' I h . . 11 , wea t • " England or Ireland for preaching the gofpe ; nor as ??Y rmmner o:en 1 6so. " molefied in Scotland fince the coming of the army htther--fpeaklllg ~" truth becomes the minifters of Chrifi, but when minifiers pretend to a " glorious reformation, and lay the foundation thereof in get~ing to them- " {elves power, and can make worldly mixtures to accomphfh the tame, " fuch as the late agreement with their king; they may know that the " Sion promifed is not to be built with fuch untempered mortar. And for the "unjuil: invafion they [the minifiers] mention, time was when an army " out of Scotlandcame into Eugland, not called by the fupreme authority " -we have (aid in our papers, with what beam, and upon what ac- " count we came, and the lord has beard us, though you would not, upon '' as folemn an appeal as any experience can parallel-I have nothing to fay " to you, but that I am, Sir, your humble fervant 0. CROMWELL. The Jcots 'ininifters, in their reply to this letter, objected to the gene- iViinijlcrs , ral, !.·is opening the pulpit doors to all intruders, by which means a flood of~eply. Il' errors qvas broke in upon the nation. To which the general replied, " we a:}::;;~e s " look on minifters as helpers of, not lords over the faith of God's people: Whit!. p. " I appeal to their confciences, whether any denying of their doctrines, or 4~8.. '' diffenting from them, will not incur the cenfure of a JeClary, and Co\1 '~rit " what is this but to deny chriftians their liberty, and affume the infalli- ~6~: 11 • P• " ble chair? where do you find in fcripture that preaching is included " within your function? though an approbation from men has order in it, '' and may be well, yet he that bath not a better than that, bath none at " all. " I hope he that afcendcd up on high may give his gifts to whom he " pleafes ; and if thofe gifts be the feal of million, are not you envious, " though Eldad and Medad prophefy? you know who has bid us covet "earneftly the befts gifts, but chiefly, that we may prophdJ; which the '· apofile explains to be a [peaking to infiru<.'lion, edification and comfort, " which the inftructed, edified, and comforted, can beft tell the energy " and effect of. " Now, if this be evidence, take heed you envy not for your own " fakes, lefl: you be guilty of a greater fault than Mifes reproved in Jo-. " (hua, when he envied for his fake. Indeed you err through millake of VoL. II. E e e "the
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