ver I know they have a
tender respect to the offence of others, even when themselves are not
offended, and so they, and all men, ought to do according to the rule of
Christ. For his part, after he had acknowledged he had given offence, it
is a disservice to the Parliament to lay over the thing upon them. For my
part, I think I do better service to the Parliament in interpreting
otherwise that second order of the House, not only desiring, but enjoining
Mr Coleman to print that sermon,--as near as he could,--as he preached it.
This was not, as he takes it, one portion of approbation above all its
brethren (for I shall not believe that so wise an auditory was not at all
scandalised at the hearing of that which was contrary both to the covenant
and to their own votes concerning church government, nor at that which he
told them out of the Jewish records, that "Hezekiah was the first man that
was ever sick in the world, and did recover"); but, as I humbly conceive
it was a real censure put upon him, his sermon being so much excepted
against and stumbled at, the honourable House of Commons did wisely enjoin
him to print his sermon, that it might abide trial in the light of the
world, and lie open to any just exceptions which could be made against it
abroad, and that he might stand or fall to himself.

Seventhly, He abuseth the Parliament by arrogating so much to himself, as
that his sermon "will, in the end, take away all difference, and settle
union," p. 3; and that his _Model_ will be, when he is dead, "the model of
England's church government," as he saith in his postscript. Whether this
be _prophesying_ or _presuming_ I hope we are free to judge. And what if
the wisdom and authority of the honourable Houses, upon advice from the
reverend and learned Assembly, choose another way than this? Must all the
synodical debates, and all the grave parliamentary consultations, resolve
themselves into Mr Coleman's way, like Jordan into _Mare Mortuum_.

Eighthly, He doth extremely wound the authority of Parliament in making
their office to be a church office, and of the same kind with the
minister's office. P. 14, "Do not I hold ministers church officers?" And a
little after, "I desire the Parliament to consider another presbyterian
principle that excludes your honourable Assembly from being church
officers." If so, then the offices of the magistrate and of the minister
must stand and fall together; that is, if the nation were not Chris