to purify men, I never thought it, nor said it. That which I said of the
power (which he pointeth at) was, that his way can neither preserve the
purity, nor advance the power of religion, p. 40, and the reason is,
because his way provideth no ecclesiastical effectual remedy for removing
and purging away the most gross scandalous sins, which are destructive to
the power of godliness. God must, by his word and Spirit, purify men, and
work in them the power of godliness. The church government which I plead
for against him, is a means subservient and helpful, so far as _removere
prohibens_, to remove that which apparently is impeditive and destructive
to that purity and power.

8. Having told us of the proud swelling waves of presbyterial government,
I asked upon what coast had those waves done any hurt, France, or
Scotland, or Holland, or _terra incognita_? He replieth, p. 12, "I confess
I have had no great experience of the presbyterial government." Why make
you bold then to slander it, when you can give no sure ground for that you
say? He tells us, His fears arise from Scotland and from London. The
reverend and worthy ministers of London can speak for themselves _oetatem
habent_, for my part, though I know not the particulars, I am bound in
charity not to believe those aspersions put upon them by a discontented
brother. But what from Scotland? "I myself (saith he) did hear the
presbytery of Edinburgh censure a woman to be banished out of the gates of
the city. Was not this an encroachment?" It had been an encroachment
indeed, if it had been so. But he will excuse me if I answer him in his
own language (which I use not), p. 3 and 5: "It is, at the best, a most
uncharitable slander," and "There was either ignorance or mindlessness in
him that sets it down."

There is no banishment in Scotland but by the civil magistrate, who so far
aideth and assisteth church discipline, that profane and scandalous
persons, when they are found unruly and incorrigible, are punished with
banishment or otherwise. A stranger coming at a time into one of our
presbyteries, and hearing of somewhat which was represented to or reported
from the magistrate, ought to have had so much, both circumspection and
charity, as not to make such a rash and untrue report. He might have at
least inquired when he was in Scotland, and informed himself better,
whether presbyteries or the civil magistrate do banish. If he made no such
inquiry, he was rash in judgi