The papers which passed at Nevv-Castle betwixt His Sacred Majestie and Mr Al: Henderson

For M^r. Alex: Henderson, July 3. 1646.

His MAJESTIES fourth Paper.

I Shall very willing follow the method you have begun in your third Paper; but I doe not conceive, that My last Paper multiplies more Controversies than My first gave occa∣sion for; having been so far from augmenting the Heads of our Disputation, that I have o∣mitted the answering many things, in both your Papers, expresly to avoid raising of new and needlesse Questions; desiring to have only so many debated, as are simply necessary to shew, whether, or not, I may with a safe con∣science give way to the alteration of Church-Government in England; and indeed I like ve∣ry well, to begin with the setling of the Rule, by which We are to proceed, and determine the present Controversie; to which purpose (as I conceive) My third Paper shewes you an excel∣lent way; for there, I offer you a Judge be∣tween us, or desire you to find out a better, which, to My judgement, you have not yet

done, (though you have sought to invalidate Mine) For, if you understand to have offered the Scripture, though no Man shall pay more reverence, nor submit more humbly to it, than My self; yet We must find some rule to judge betwixt us, when you and I differ upon the in∣terpretation of the selfe-same Text, or it can never determine our Questions; as for ex∣ample, I say you misapply that of 2 Cor. 1.24. to Me (let others answer for themselves) for I know not how I make other Men to have domi∣nion over My Faith, when I make them onely serve to approve My reason; nor doe I conceive how, 1 Cor. 2.5. can be applied to this purpose; For there Saint Paul onely shewes the diffe∣rence between Divine and Humane Eloquence, making no mention of any kind of interpreta∣tion throughout the whole Chapter, as indeed Saint Peter does, 2 Pet. 1.20. which I conceive makes for Me; for, since that no Prophesie of Scripture is of any private interpretation; First, I inferre, that Scripture is to be Interpreted; for else, the Apostle would have omitted the word Private: Secondly, that at least the consent of many learned Divines is necessary, and so à fortiore, that of the Catholique Church, ought to be an authentique Judge, when Men differ: And is it a good Argument? because (Mat. 4.4.7.10.) Scripture is best interpreted by it selfe, therefore that all other interpretations

are unlawfull? certainly you cannot thinke: Thus having shewed you that We differ, about the meaning of the Scripture, and are like to do so; certainly there ought to be for this, as well as other things, a Rule or a Judge between us, to determine our differences, or, at least, to make our Probations and Arguments Rele∣vant; therefore evading, for this time, to An∣swer your 6 Considerations (not I assure you for the difficulty of them, but the starting of new Questions) I desire you onely to shew Me a better, than what I have offered unto you.

C. R.

Newcastle, July 3. 1646.