Another essay for investigation of the truth in answer to two questions concerning I.…

Answ. The very same thing hath been said of those Worthy Champions, who stood up for the Congregational-Way, in opposition to the Assembly at Westminster, that^k Their Arguments were weak and ridiculous, and had been Confuted, and sufficiently ⟨image 7⟩[…] ⟨image 7⟩[…] ⟨image 8⟩[…] ⟨image 8⟩[…] ⟨image 9⟩[…] ⟨image 9⟩[…] ⟨image 10⟩answered, and that themselves were Self-conceited, and Obstinate. But these Criminations were unworthy Calumniations. It was a common Reproach cast upon the Christians of old, That they were all weak and unlearned men: which made Jerome write that Book De viris Illustribus. So Stapleton makes no bones to call Whitaker, An Ass, and A Fool. And the same hissing of the Serpent have we seen in the Prelates against the Renowned Non-Conformists. But, we suppose, their saying so, did not prove it was so. Nevertheless, we are content to accept of the Charge, when we are charged with Weakness and Folly: Let us be fools for Christs sake, or for his Truth; Let us fall, so the Truth may rise; let us sit in the dust, so that Truth may sit in the Throne. We deserve not to be otherwise esteemed, then as Weakness and Ignorance it self: Yet let us not be reputed Obstinate, and such as are and will be blind, because we dare not betray the Truth, and sin against our Consciences. For, our weightiest Reasons never were Answered unto any tolerable satisfaction, even to this day. If it be demanded here, What our Reasons were, why we accorded not with the major part of the Synod? We shall by the help of Christ, and in the fear of God, declare what our chief Reasons were, which caused our Dissent; which when they are Answered, we shall lay down our Opinion, as knowing that it is Nullus pudor ad meliora transire.