high did their Infolence grow, that when the Clergy exerted themfelves ftrongly against them, they with bitter Reproaches have thrown Sludge and Street-dirt on their Cloaths, and fometime in their Faces. And often, when a Minifter would not have half a Dozen People to hear him; they would in a Field, large Barn, or other convenient Place, have perhaps a Thousand.

THE Minifters finding Things brought to thofe Extreams were greatly apprehenfive of their own Safety, as alfo of the utter Overthrow of Gospel Purity in this new World But relied on the Mercy of God, and the Protection of the civil Power: Who could not exert in Office against thofe People, because they pleaded Liberty of Confcience. They, notwithstanding, to fatisfy the remaining Part of their Flock, among whom they daily obferved a growing Giddinefs, refolved to found as many of the Antinomian Followers as they could pick any Thing from. And to collect as many of their Tenets as they could in order to make a public and general Confutation of their Errors. This was accordingly done with great Diligence and Industry; which was a great Talk; for Clofenefs, unless to Friends, was then their chief Maxim.

PURSUANT to this Rule, if one of them happened in Company with a bold fenfible Man, that they found refolved to found them, they would affuredly deny the Prin

ciples they every Day taught: Or would flide them over with fome falfe, paltry Evafion. And would afterwards boast among their Brethren, how they had put fuch and fuch a Pharifee and Publican, and fuch like Names out of their Seent.

HOWEVER, fuch was the Diligence of the Clergy and the remaining Friends of the Church; that they had collected a fufficient Number of their Tenets (if their Endeavours often to conceal and deny thern will allow their Principles to be properly called Tenets) to prove the Error and Wickedness of their Doctrine. And accordingly they confulted the civil Magif trates, and fhewed them the Dangers that their Religion, Perfons, and Estates were expofed to, by the Infolence and Growth of the Opinionifts amongst them. They told them that they had collected, with great Pains, a fufficient Number of their Principles to enable them to confute publickly their Errors. But that the civil Power must countenance them, and protect their Perfons from the Infolence of the Mob, who threatened daily to fet the Churches on Fire; and who gave conftant Abufes to themselves in the Streets and Pulpits. Whereupon it was agreed, that the civil Power fhould iffue a Proclamation that all Opinionifts, or the Chiefs of them fhould, at a certain Day appointed, affemble in the Grand Hall or Court-houfe of Newtown

Newtown, (now called Cambridge) and there meet the lawful Clergy. And by this Proclamation they were to meet them in the open Court before the civil Magiftrates, who were to be then fitting on the Bench, to fhew what Power they had, and from whom derived, to affemble the People in the Numbers and Manner they did, and had for Years past, and to preach to them. And also that they might there maintain the Principles, they taught, to be an orthodox, wholfome Doctrine, agreeable to the Evangelical Senfe and Spirit of the Gofpel. Otherwife, by faid Proclamation, they were to be proceeded against (for divers good Reafons founded on certain Informations given before them) as Blafphemers, Arch-beretics, and Sowers of Sedition among the People.

But

THIS greatly alarmed the Opinionists, they having not yet fufficient Power or Numbers to make Head against the Government, the Clergy, and the remaining true Friends of the Proteftant Caufe. notwithstanding they agreed to fubmit to the Proclamation, and did accordingly meet at the Day and Place appointed. They were met by an Affembly of all the Churches; who, in open Court, the Magiftrates being feated on the Bench, did charge the chief Preachers of the Opinionists with divers blafphemous and wicked Doctrines, that manifeftly tended to the De

ftruction

ftruction of Chriftianity, of civil Society, and the utter Abolition of Government in Church and State; and that clearly aimed at the Reduction cf all Things to a State of Nature. Whereupon thofe People, fo charged, were called upon to make their Defence for the Satisfaction of the lawful Magiftrates, Clergy, and People, in thefe Matters offered against them. For that Purpose, one Side of the Court was affigned to the Clergy and their People, to ftand by and hear a general Confutation of the Errors of this new Doctrine; and the other Side for the new Preachers and their Followers.

Now it was that the Bitterness of thefe People and the genuine Effects of their Doctrine appeared in horrid Colours. Whenever they found themfelves worfted by Reafon and Authority, and that the civil Magiftrates interpofed to fum up the Weight of the Proofs and Arguments on both Sides, and to give their conclufional Opinions (which muft, from Juftice, incline to favour the lawful Clergy; and to the Confutation of the Opinionists) then would Curfings, Murmurs, Ridicules, nay Blafphemies be ecchoed from every Corner where thofe Opinionists ftood. Now calling the Clergy Law-doctors and wicked Pharifees; and now the Judges Дbabs, Amaziahs, Herods, Pilates, Perfecutors of Chrift and his Ele, and fuch like. Then would

would they bellow and say that the Clergy, wanting the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, could not relifh Truth when they heard it; being wrapped up in the Old Creature, and guided, as carnal Men, by a Covenant of Works and the Old forbidden Law; but that they were guided, as fpiritual Men, new Creatures, and the like, by a Covenant of Free Grace: --And vaftly more of this, and fuch like proud enthusiastic Madness.

SECTION IV.

HE Order obferved in this most memorable Event, was this :---Every Morning for three Weeks (during which Time this Affembly and general Difputation held) the Charges, given in by the Clergy the first Morning were delivered straightways to the Chief of the Opinionists, without demanding any Defence at that Time from them. They had Time till a certain Hour that Evening; to which the Court adjourned, (if I may be allowed an Impropriety for the Sake of a Term) to prepare their Defence; and at that Time to deliver it into the Court before the People. The Clergy had the Afternoon to form their Arguments, and collect their Proofs to maintain these Charges: Other than a Committee, or certain Number of, no I Doubt,