PROVOCATOR PROVOCATVS . OR , An answer made to an open Challenge made by one M. Boatman in Peters Paris●●n Norwich , the 13th of December , 1654. in a Sermon preached there at a Fast , in which Answer these Questions are spoke to .

To the whole Discourse is prefixed a Narrative Preface , giving account of the occasion of this Tract , & containing the Notes of a part of Mr Boatmans Sermon preached Decemb. 13. with Animadversions upon it ; with the Authors Letter to him after the preaching of it , to let him know he would accept his challenge , and dispute with him , and Mr Boatmans uncivill Letter , refusing to dispute .

There are subjoyned two Appendices : The first clearing up from Antiquity the severall Orders of the Catechumeni and Poenitentes , which were in the Primitive Church suspended , and not excommunicated , as is fully proved . The latter containes a Vindication of the first Argument upon the first Question , from an impertinent Discourse of Mr B●atmans in a Sermon , March 28. where you have the said Sermon , and Animadversions discovering the Magisteriall vanity of his interpretation of Mat. 7.6 and the Author is vindicated from the charge of delivering untruth from that Text.

In the managing of the severall Arguments , on the first and second Question , there is also full answer given , to what Erastus , Mr Prinne , or Mr Humfry have excepted to them .

By John Collings , B. D. & Preacher of the Gospell in Norwich .

London , Printed for William Francklyng , Bookseller in Norwich . 1654.

As to the subject of this Tract , the truth is , so much hath been said in the defence of what I plead for , of old , by all the Schoolmen , and since by Calvin , Vrsin , Zanchy , and by Reverend Beza , and Master Rutherford in answer to Erastus , and by learned and Reverend Gillespy in answer to Master Prynne , besides what hath been spoken by Master Philip Goodwin in his excellent Book , called the Evangelicall Communicant , and by many others ; that were it not for the importunate clamours of those who would get that by their importunity , and clamorous tongues and pens , which the justice of their Cause , and strength of their Arguments , will not allow to them , nor gaine for them , both my selfe and others might have had an eternall supersedeas for this Worke. I scarce find any thing in Erastus and Beza , but what I meet with in the Schoolmen , nor any thing in Master Prynne , or Master Humfry considerable , but what I find in Erastus : That if our Brethren of the contrary perswasion , would not have troubled the world with their opinions , without answering first what had been said against them : we had long ere this time had our Quietus est ; for I durst undertake to yeeld him the cause , who sufficiently answers but one Book wrote upon this subject , viz. Master Gillespies Aarons Rod blossoming ; so that the truth is , the advantage our opposites have of us in this point , is mostly upon such as have not knowledge of what hath been said against their opinions , or are not supplyed with money to buy the Books , nor able to gaine ti●e to read them , or upon such whose particular engagements , and over-much love to the whimzies of their owne braines , or malice , or prejudice at least to the truth , or love to their cursed lusts , which yet they would keep and have the Sacrament too , and be thought unworthy of no Gospell-priviledge : hath outlawed their Reason , and so stopt their eares , that they are made incapable of a boaring with the sharpest and most convincing Arguments , that Scripture and Reason can afford ; and thus they only captivate those , who are first led captive by their owne lusts . Possibly thou wilt be inquisitive , to know what hath made me write , if I have judged enough already said : I must crave a little of thy patience to satisfie thee as to this .

I have often thought that it would be a rare expedient in order to the ending of all controversies of these times , relating to the order of the Church ; if some judicious man would out of all the considerable Books wrote upon each Controversie , within these twelve or thirteen yeares , candidly state each Controversie , and transcribe the Arguments relating to them , with the Exceptions and Answers given to any , digesting them in a due method , and it might please the civill power then to Enact , That no one should write more upon any of those Questions , but should be engaged either to bring New Arguments on the part he would defend , or vindicate those brought on the part he would defend from the various Answers given to them . Were this taske but imposed upon new Scriblers , the world would be lesse full of impertinent Discourses , and Disputes would not run as they doe in infinitum . I doe not pretend a specimen of such a Worke , I have neither purse nor Library , nor time , fit for it . But the truth is , as I find in Mr Humfry , and heare from Mr Boatman , nothing more then Erastus long since said , and hath been more then once already answered ; so I have not studied for a new Argument , but out of severall Authors have rallyed up an old force , and have candidly told thee what hath been by any , whom I have met with , said against them , as also what hath been answered in their defence : All being admitted to the Passover ( as some conceive ) Iohn Baptists universall Baptisme ; Iudas his being admitted to the Lords Supper ; The generall invitation to the Wedding Supper in the Gospell ; some being drunke at the Lords Supper in the Church of Corinth . No evident testimony in Scripture for Suspension , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . These are all old tooles , and scarce newly whetted .

Yet what hath Master Humfry said , or what doth Master Boatman say more ? But for the more particular occasion of this Tract ,

I must desire of thee ( Reader ) to understand , that in this great City there are , as I take it , about thirty Parishes within the Wals , to none of which ( excepting only two , one of which hath about thirty pounds per annum ) is above ten or twelve pounds a yeare certaine legall maintenance ; The most of the Parishes have nothing at all . Scandalous Livings are alwayes the nests of scandalous Ministers ; The Parishes being little , and the maintenance Arbitrary , and many of the people seasoned with the old leaven of ignorance and superstition , many , if not most of our Parishes have been either without any Minister , or filled with such who were cast out of other places , or at least no friends to Reformation .

For those Parishes in which were a more considerable number of godly and well disposed people , some of them were better supplyed ; but in all the City we were able to doe very little to promote the worke of Reformation : Some of the Congregations either wanting godly Ministers , or persons fit to be chosen , as Helpers with them in Government , and the people in others wanting an heart to chuse ; yet through much opposition , in two or three Parishes we procured an Election of Elders , amongst which Peters was one , being the most considerable place in the City , and furnished both with persons fit to be chosen , and a people willing to chuse , and a Reverend Pastor , Mr Carter . fit to goe in and out before them .

But the yoake of Jesus Christ ( which is alwayes easie to a gracious heart ) doth always gall the necks of those who have made their lusts Lords , some of the people who had the taste of the flesh pots of Aegypt yet in their mouth , began to kick at this supposed burthen ; some withdrew their stipends , in short , some one way , others another way , tyred out their Reverend and Learned Pastor , who after severall thoughts of removall from them , about May last resolved upon it .

About that time , one Master Boatman ( sometimes of Hull ) was commended to them ; we who were Ministers of the Gospell in the City , conceived it our duty , as we had opportunities , to enquire of him ( to whom ere long it would be expected that we should give the right hand of fellowship . ) Amongst others , my selfe , as I had occasion offered , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , made some Enquiry concerning him , soone after speaking with a Minister , who sometimes lived in Yorkshire , I askt him if he knew such a Minister in their Countrey , and what he was . He told me he knew him very well , and he was a man who would preach frequently , and was a great enemy to Sectaries , but himselfe was neither Minister nor Graduate . Soon after , a Reverend and Godly Minister of Lincolneshire comming to see me , I asked him the same Questions , who confirmed the same things . Concerning the thing established out of the mouths of two witnesses , I imparted it to two friends , one a Minister , the other a judicious Christian inhabiting in the Parish : And this I did the rather , because I heard they were about to invite him for a Probationer , and I my selfe ( having a Moneth to spend in the University ) was to be absent , that so if he came , these things might be enquired after . While I was in the University , I ( occasionally at dinner at the Vice-chancellors chamber , & being at supper the same nightwith one of the Proctors ) met with two Ministers , one at each place , both of Lincolne-shire , where I knew Master Boatman had his residence , they both confirmed the same things , adding something more ( which I shall spare , except Master Boatman provokes me to speake it ) being desirous rather to vindicate my selfe then to asperse him . While I was absent , some of his friends had sufficiently branded me for saying he was no Graduate , when as he was a Reverend man , a Batchelour of Divinity ( forsooth ) of Katherine Hall : One of them fell upon me face to face at my returne , I told them I would not be over-confident , because it was but a Report , but I would soone satisfie them as to that point . Thereupon I wrote a Letter by the next Post , to a Learned friend , Fellow of that House , who certified me , That he knew him very well , That by admission he was two yeares my junior , That for degrees , he was three degrees beneath a Batchelour in Divinity , having never commenced at all , nor staid in the Colledge above a yeare , or a yeare and halfe at utmost . Some other things he certified me , which I shall conceale , intending only my owne vindication .