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know you, but know you to be very learned men, as some of your books testify abundantly. But if 'little' can be said, to the purpose, for that cause which ye maintain, what marvel is it, that ye can say little' for it? Neither can honest men doubt but an ill man can and will say more for it than all ye Five can say, so soon as ye have considered it more profoundly, and the better men ye be, the less ye will have to say! Ye are not so able to maintain an ill cause, as an ill man [is]" "The two Houses would never recommend men thither, either ignorant or vicious, but the learnedest and godliest of the kingdom; so this your Apology is unseasonable. Only this needs an apology, That being Members of the Assembly,' ye will not submit yourselves unto the Assembly of Divines, but take odd ways, proper to you Five alone, to publish particular Apologies, and desire a particular Toleration; which no other 'Members of the Assembly do. But as for this, transeat cum cæteris erroribus." "Ye excuse yourselves from false 'doctrine;' whereof, no man accuseth you.' ." That this piece was not suffered to pass unnoticed, will be seen in the appropriate place.

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CHAP. XLIX.

BAILLIE.-COTTON'S "KEYS."-SION'S VIRGINS.

In the forty-sixth chapter, we availed ourselves of some of the published confidential relations and sentiments of Robert Baillie, and we dismissed him there, f under the influence of foreboded apprehension. It has been seen, in the interval, what other disputants were employed upon; the dependent matters being kept in useful contiguity. On returning, to connect and continue in orderly succession, further details of practices and information exposed and recorded by the Scottish conspirator, we find him stating, that "Sundry things were in hands, but nothing in readiness to come in public; for this reason, among others,

b P. 69.

c Ap. Nar. p. 28.

d P. 70.

a P. 66. * Other pieces bearing the name of "Adam Steuart," are"Zerubbabel to Sanballat and Tobiah: Or, The First Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren.-Imprim. Mar. 17, 1644." 4to.

"The Second Part of the Duply to M.S. alias Two Brethren: Wherein are maintained, The King's, Parliament's, and all Civil Magistrates' Authority about the Church. Subordination of Ecclesiastical Judicatories: refuted, Independency of Particular Congregations. The Licentiousness of wicked Conscience, and Toleration of all sorts of most detestable Schisms, Heresies, and Religions; as Idolatry, Paganism, Turcism, Judaism, Arianism, Brownism, Anabaptism, &c., which M.S. maintain in their Books.-With a Brief Epitome and Refutation of all the whole Independent Government. Most Humbly submitted to the King's Most Excellent Majesty: To the Most Honourable Houses of Parliament: The Most Reverend and Learned Divines of the Assembly: And all the Protestant Churches in this Island and Abroad.—Oct. 3, 1644. Imprim. Ja. Cranford.-Lond. 1644." 4to. pp. 194. There was published also in 1644, "A Short Answer to the Second Part of his overgrown 'Duply to the Two Brethren.'" 4to.

See back, p. 220.

inany were the more willing to have the Assembly adjourned for the holidays of Zuil [Christmas], much against our minds... Yet we prevailed with our friends of the lower house, to carry it so in Parliament, that both houses did profane that holy day, by sitting on it, to our joy, and some of the Assembly's shame.'

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"One of the committee-matters," he continues, "is the Psalter... Mr. Nye spake much against a tie to any psalter, and something against the singing of paraphrases, as of preaching of homilies. We, underhand, will mightily oppose it; for the Psalter is a great part of our uniformity, which we cannot let pass till our church be well advised with it." b

"Some of the Anabaptists came to the Assembly's Scribe with a Letter, inveighing against our Covenant, and carrying with them a printed sheet of 'Admonitions to the Assembly' from an old English Anabaptist at Amsterdam, to give a full liberty of conscience to all sects, and to beware of keeping any Sabbath, and such like. The Scribe offered to read all in the Assembly. Here rose a quick enough debate. Goodwin, Nye, and their party, by all means pressing the neglect, contempt, and suppressing all such fantastic papers: others were as vehement for the taking notice of them, that the Parliament might be acquaint therewith, to see to the remedy of these dangerous sects. The matter was left to be considered as the committees should think fit; but many marvelled at Goodwin and Nye's vehemency in that matter. Yet the day following, their passion gave greater offence. We were called out before twelve, to dine with old Sir Henry Vane... The question came, What should follow the Widows? There were left some branches of the apostles and evangelists' duties yet undiscussed. We thought these questions needless, and wished they had been passed; but sundry, by all means would have them in, of design to have the dependency of particular congregations from the apostles in matters of ordination and jurisdiction determined. The Independents, foreseeing the prejudice such a determination might bring to their cause, by all means strove to decline that dispute; as indeed it is marked by all, that to the uttermost of their power, hitherto they have studied procrastination of all things, finding that by time they gained [!] We indeed did not much care for delays, till the breath of our army might blow upon us some more favour and strength. However, that day, we being gone, the one party pressing the debate of the apostles' power over congregations; the other, sharply declining, there fell in betwixt Goodwin and Burgess hotter words than were expected from Goodwin. Mr. Marshall composed all so well as he could. Men's humours, opinions, engagements, are so far different, that I am afraid for the issue. We doubt not to carry all in the Assembly and Parliament clearly according to our mind; but if we carry not the Independents with us, there will be ground laid for a very troublesome schism. Always it is our care to use our utmost endeavours to prevent that dangerous evil; and in this our purpose, above any other, we had need help of your prayers."

a Let. 41," For Scotland" Jan. 1. 1644. P. 411.

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We had, as I wrote, obtained a sub-committee of five to join with us for preparing to the great committee some materials for a Directory. At our first meeting, for the first hour, we made pretty progress, to see what should be the work of an ordinary Sabbath, separate from fasts, communions, baptisms, marriage. Here came the first question, about Readers... Always these of best note about London are now in use, in the desk, to pray, and read in the Sunday morning four chapters, and expone [expound ] some of them; and cause sing two psalms, and then go to the pulpit to preach. We are not against the minister's reading and exponing when he does not preach: we fear [lest] it put preaching in a more narrow and discreditable room than we could wish, if all this work be laid on the minister before he preach... As for the minister's bowing in the pulpit, we did misken it [let it alone]; for, besides the Independents' vehemency against it, there is no such custom here used by any... While we are sweetly debating,.. in came Mr. Goodwin, who, incontinent, essayed to turn all upside down, to reason against all Directories... All these our debates, private and public, I have in writ... The most of all the Assembly write; as, also, all the people almost, men, women, and children, write at preaching... He troubled us so, that after long debates we could conclude nothing. For the help of this evil, we thought it best to speak with him in private; so we invited him to dinner, and spent an afternoon with him very sweetly. It were a thousand pities of that man; he is of many excellent parts." a

"Fail not," adds the subtle writer, in a letter to his cousin Spang, bearing the date of the foregoing, "when our Letters come, as quickly they will, to obtain from your folk, and if ye can, from these of Switzerland, France, and Geneva, a grave and weighty admonition to this Assembly, to be careful to suppress all schismatics, and the mother and foster[er] of all, the independency of congregations. This counsel will be very seasonable, and will be well taken, I assure you, both by Parliament and Assembly, and all, except some few who are guilty of the fault."b

In the next, "To Scotland," he tells them, "In the debating of a proposition, anent [concerning] the Pastor's power to judge who was meet to be adinitted to the Table, and who to be excluded, and who to be excommunicated; there were sundry weighty questions stated, especially that of excommunication, by Mr. Selden, avowing, with Erastus, that there is no such censure in Scripture, and what it was, was merely civil: also, that of suspension from the sacrament; the Independents denying the lawfulness of all such censures... And at last, the committee gave in their propositions anent Ordination... To day the debate will begin the Independents, holding off with long weapons, and debating all things too prolixly which come within twenty miles of their quarters, were taken up sundry times somewhat sharply, both by divines and parliament-men; to whom their replies ever were quick and high, at will. At last, foreseeing that they behoved, ere long, to come to the point, they put out in print, on a sudden, 'An Apologetic Narration of their

a P. 413.--" Mr Rutherfurd's other large book against the Independents is in the press, and will do good." Ibid. Let. 42. p. 419.

way, which had long lien ready beside them; wherein they petition the Parliament, in a most sly and cunning way, for a Toleration; and withal, lend too bold wipes to all the Reformed churches, as imperfect yet in their reformation, while their new model be embraced, which they set out so well as they are able. This piece, abruptly they presented to the Assembly; giving to every member a copy: also they gave books to some of either house. That same day, they invited us, and some principal men of the Assembly, to a very great feast, when we had not read their book, so no word of that matter was betwixt us; but so soon as we looked on it, we were mightily displeased therewith, and so were the most of the Assembly, and we found a necessity to answer it, for the vindication of our church from their aspersions. What both we and others shall reply, ye will hear ere long in print. The thing itself coming out at this time, was very apt to have kindled a fire; and it seems both the devil and some men intended it, to contribute to the very wicked plot at that same instant a-working, but shortly after discovered almost miraculously. Yet, God, who overpowers both devils and men, I hope shall turn that engine upon the face of its crafty contrivers, and make it advantageous for our cause.

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"Being wearied with the length of their proceedings, and foreseeing an appearance of a breach with the Independents, we used all the means we could, while the weather was fair, to put them to the spurs... We wrote a common Letter to the commission of our church, desiring a Letter from them to us, for putting us to more speed, in such terms as we might show it to the Assembly... Likewise, we pressed the subcommittee, to go on in the Directory. At that meeting, Mr. Goodwin brought Mr. Nye with him; which we thought an impudent intrusion, but took no notice of it."

"Manchester, in our Synod, in the name of the Lords, did move to expedite the point of Ordination, that so gracious youths who so long

Called Sir Basil Brook's, or the Oxford plot.-"The ways of the Court are desperately irritative; and if they continue a little, may have more dangerous effects for the contrivers than ever, The plottings are incessant. They thought to have given us a new-year's gift, which God in his great goodness, at the very nick, did prevent... There was much speech also of the Independents treating at Oxford at the same time. I know they have offers from the Court of all they require." P. 423, 424. "My Lord Lovelace offered, in the King's name, all Sir Harry [Vane the younger] could require to his person and party; withal assuring that many were making their peace at Oxford, especially one for himself, and all tender consciences; that is, my Lord Say, for himself, and the Independents." P. 427. Another, called Ogle's plot, is described in this Letter, p. 428.

Let. 43. Feb. 18, 1644. p. 420, under date, ante Jan. 3.-"The other day, His Excellency, my Lord Essex, came to the Assembly,.. where, after he had given his oath, as the form is.. he was welcomed by an harangue from the prolocutor. We had so contrived it with my Lord Wharton, that the Lords that day did petition [] the Assembly [that] they might have one of the divines to attend their house for a week, as it came about, to pray to God with them. Some days thereafter the lower house petitioned [!] for the same. Both their desires were gladly granted; for by this means, the relics of the Service-book which, till then, was every day used in both houses, are at last banished. Paul's and Westminster are purged of their images, organs, and all which gave offence. My Lord Manchester made two fair bonfires of such trinkets at Cambridge." P. 421.

e Ibid. p. 421, 422.

have expected, may be admitted. A committee drew up two propositions for that end: 1. That in extraordinary cases, something extraordinary might be done; keeping always so near to the rule as may be: 2. That for the present necessity, the ministers of London may be appointed by the houses of parliament, to ordain ministers for London. The Independents, do what we are all able, have kept us debating these fourteen days on these two propositions; but little to their advantage, for I hope this day shall conclude the propositions. And now all the world proclaims in their faces, that they, and they only, have been the retarders of the Assembly, to the evident hazard of the church's safety, which will not be much longer suffered."a

"After our fourteen days' debate, for a present way of Ordination; . . when we were ready to conclude it, upon my Lord Say's harangue, and vehement desire, it was laid aside; and.. we fell on the long-wished for subject of the Presbytery: whereupon we have been skirmishing ever since. The proposition we stick on is, That no particular congregation may be under the government of one classical presbytery. The Independents agree for the negative. But finding that all they brought yet, was but vellications on quiddities, the most was impatient of their ways; so much the more as, this day, being pressed to answer to the Scriptures which the committee had given in for the affirmative, they were obstinate to end first their negative. They promised at last, to come to their Scriptural objections; but would not name their Scriptures before hand by this the most took them rather to seek vantage and victory, than the truth in so ingenuous a way as they professed. However, the matter cannot take long debate.

"The heat and clamorous confusion of this Assembly is, oftentimes, greater than with us. The reason, I think, is their way, both in Assembly and parliament, to divest the Speaker, and Prolocutor, of all authority, and turn them to a very and mere chair[man], as they call them.

"We mind yet again to essay the Independents in a privy conference, if we can draw them to a reasonable accommodation; for, to that Toleration they aim at, we cannot consent.. The Anabaptists and Antinomians increase; which yet cannot be helped."b

"How great things are presently in hand! The highest affairs, both of church and state, being now in agitation; the diligence and power both of devils and all kinds of human enemies, being in their extreme bent-sail of opposition, either now or never to overthrow us... It is said, these of Oxford are so far fallen as to acknowledge the parliament at Westminster, and to put down Episcopacy, and to disclaim the cessation of Ireland. If our march to Newcastle has procured thus much, I hope our taking of it shall obtain the rest... A course will be shortly taken with all sectaries, and is begun already. The misorders which are, at this time, in New England, will make the Independents more willing to accommodate and comply with us."

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* P. 433, 434.-In p. 430, of this long Letter, or Journal, Baillie says, Canterbury [Laud] every week is before the lords, for his trial; but we have so much to do; and he is a person now so contemptible; that we take no notice of his process."

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