mer moderate temper, and (as I remember I wrote to Dr. Hall) believed you in that which you protest, that out of Confcience you were fuch as you profefs; yet methought I perceived by your quick manner to him, and some passages in the conclufion of your Letter, you were rather defirous to enjoy the quiet poffeffion of your own opinion, than come to any further difputation whofe is the right. And in truth the time of that tryal had been proper, before your departure: Nor had you too far engaged your felf, and were to justifie by your conftancy, the wifdom of your change. Befides, fince the fum of the error of that fide, as I have e ver conceived it, is believing rather too much, than failing in any point neceffary to falvation, that notable place of the Apoftle; Rom. 14. 1. came to my mind, efpecially after that I had once occafion to preach of it, where he forbids controverfies of difputations with those that are infirm in Faith. Who art thou (faith he) that judgeft another Man's Servant? he ftandeth or falleth to his own Mafter. Why Should I grieve you, and perhaps make my Friend mine Enemy (as Saint Paul the Ga·latians) by faying the truth. The World is full enough of contentious Writings, which as by' your Letter appears you had feen e're ye refolv ed. If thofe had not fatisfied you, what could I hope to add to them? These things moved me; but as you fay, they did not yet fatisfie me. For all Men are interested in the defence of truth, how much more he that is called to be a Preacher of it? All Chriftians are admonish

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ed by S. Jude, To fight for the faith once gi ven to the Saints; how much more those that are leaders in this Warfare: How could I fay I loved our Lord Jefus Christ, if his honour being questioned I fhould be filent: How could I approve to mine own Soul, that I loved you, if I fuffered you to enjoy your own error, suppose not damnable? Befides that, you and perhaps others alfo might be confirmed in it, perhaps interpreting my filence for a confeffion that your Motives were unanswerable. But therein I was not only refolved my felf to the contrary, but thought it fo easy to refolve any indifferent mind, as methought it was more fhame not to have done it at the first, than praife to do it at the last. As for the fuccefs of my endeavour, I was to leave it to God. Many and fecret are the ways of his Providence, which ferveth it Self Sometimes even of errors, to the safer conduct of us to our final happiness. Some I had known, and heard of more, who being at first carried away with the fhews of Unity, Order, Succeffion, Infallibility, when they found them empty of Truth, and the Cloaks of Pride, Ambition, Covetoufnefs, joined with an Obftinacy to defend all Corruptions how palpable foever, by finding the difference of thefe Hulls from their Fathers Table, had with the Prodigal Son returned home again. To conclude, I accounted my felf ftill in debt, and was I confefs to you unwilling to dye in it; and fometimes vowed to God, in the midst of my troubles, if I might once fee an end of them, to endeavour to difcharge it. And now having by his mercy not

only

only attained that, but a new occafion prefented me presently thereupon, by your calling for fatisfaction to pay it, and means offered me to fend it fafely: Itake this motion to proceed from God, and do humbly defire his Majefty to turn it to Good. It remains therefore, good Mr. Waddefworth, that I do intreat your pardon of that flackness that is past, and gentlenefs to take it as I shall be able to pay it. My employments both ordinary and extraordinary are many: The bulk of it is too great to convey in one Letter, confifting of fundry Sheets of Paper; and at this prefent there lies an extraor dinary task upon me, fo as I cannot presently write it out. I do therefore no more now but acknowledge the debt, and promise speedy pay ment. Unless Ifball add this alfo, that I do undertake to pay intereft for the forbearance and according as I fball understand by Mr. Auften fhall be fittest and fafest, to fend it in Parts, or all at once. To the conclufion of your laft Letter, wherein you profefs your defire to fpend the reft of your life rather in the heat of Devotion, than of Difputation, defiring pardon of coldness that way, and of all other your fins, and that it would please God to guide and keep me in all happiness as your self, through the redemption of our fweet Saviour, and by the interceffion of his holy mother and all Saints. I do most thankfully and willing ly fubfcribe Amen. Returning unto you from my heart your own best wishes. Neither is it my purpose to call into Question the folidity of truth, or firmness of the hope of Salvation,

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which you find in your prefent way. This only I fay: * Et pro nobis Chriftus mortuus eft, & pro noftra Redemptione Sanguinem fuum fudit. Peccatores quidem, fed de ipfius grege fumus, & inter ejus oviculas numeramur : This is my Tenet. And if the Doctrine of the Holy Bible do contain fölid truth, and belieing in the Name of the Son of God do give firm hope of falvation, according to God's own Record, 1 John 5. 10, 11, 12. we are perfuaded we have both. I will add this more;

We know that we are tranflated from Death to Life, because we love our Brethren. With this Oyl in our Lamps, which we defire may be always in ftore in our Veffels alfo our hearts, we attend the coming of the Bridegroom; and Jay chearfully + Etiam veni Domine Jefu. To whofe gracious protection I do moft heartily commit you, and do rest

* Even for us alfo hath Chrift died, and for our Redempti on hath he shed his Blood. Sinners indeed we are, but of his Flock, and among his poor Sheep are we numbered.

Even fo come, Lord Jefus.

To

To the Worshipful Mr. William Bedell at Horning fhearth near St. Edmundsbury in Suffolk, thefe.

Worthy Sir,

I

Salutem in Crucifixo.

Was exceeding glad to perceive by your kind, modeft, and difcreet Letters of the fifth of August laft, that you are still permanent in your own good nature, and conftant in your love to me: Not like Mr. Jofeph Hall, neither bitterly reviling, nor flourishing impertinently. Unto whom I pray you return his fcoffing railing Letter, with thefe few marginal Notes. I pray God forgive him, and make him a more humble and meeker Man. And I for And I for my part do freely pardon all his foul terms against me. And though in gratitude and juftice I am bound, and fo do love and refpect, you more than him, for your greater courtesy to me, and for your better value in your felf; yet even him I can and do and am bound to love not only as an Enemy, or a Creature of God, as I do you for can honeft, moral, good, difcreet Man, but even further and beyond that which you feem to understand that we cannot by our Doctrine proceed in love: viz. As Men having Souls, for whom our Saviour hath died; and fo as poffible members, though indeed not actual

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