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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A48126	A Letter of the Presbyterian ministers in the city of London presented the first of Jan. 1645, to the reverend Assembly of Divines, sitting at Westminster, by authority of Parliament, against toleration : now re-printed with some animadversions thereon.	Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)	1668 (1668)	Wing L1581; ESTC R15039	6,131	15

know in any Christian State by the Civil Magistrate 2. (f) It 's notorious Presbytery would not in the late times Tolerate Episcopacy Partly because some of them have solemnly profest that they cannot suffer Presbytery and answerable hereunto is their practice in those places where Independency prevails 3. And partly because (g) To grant Indulgence unto a few would offend many more of all parties Why may not Independents and all other Sectaries desire the same favour in case they provide Readers or Curates to grant to them and not to other Sectaries who are free born as well as they and have done as good service as they to the publick as they use to plead will be counted injustice and great partiality but to grant it unto all will scarce be cleared from great impiety III. Independency is a Schism for 1. (h) Ye already do and in case your Toleration be granted will draw our Members from our Congregations which ye acknowledge true Churches Independents do depart from our Churches being true Churches and so acknowledged by themselves 2. They draw and seduce our Members from our Congregations 3. (i) Ye do in effect set up separate Churches They erect separate Congregations under a separate and undiscovered Government 4. (k) Ye receive not the Sacrament except some few in our Churches but at private Meetings They refuse Communion with our Churches in the Sacraments 5. Their Ministers refuse to preach among us as Officers 6. Their Members if at any time they joyn with us in hearing the Word and Prayer yet they do it not as with the Ministerial Word and Prayer nor as acts of Church-Communion (l) No Schism is to be Tolerated as ye grant But Presbytery is a Schism now as much as Independency was by you declared to be then Wherefore according to your own grounds it is not to be Tolerated Now we judge that no Schism is to be Tolerated in the Church * Schisms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.10 1 Cor. 12.25 † Divisions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 6.17 with 1 Cor. 3.3 Gal. 5.20 IV. (m) Should Presbytery be Tolerated it would produce all the very same evils in Church and State you affirm Independency if Tolerated would have done and the same reasons strongly prove that as Independency was not so Presbytery is not to be Tolerated Many mischiefs will inevitably follow upon this Toleration and that both to Church and Common-wealth First to the Church as 1. Causeless and unjust revolts from our Mivistry and Congregations 2. Our peoples mindes will be troubled and in danger to be subverted as Acts 15.24 3. Bitter heart-burnings among Brethren will be fomented and perpetuated to posterity 4. The Godly Painful and Orthodox Ministry will be discouraged and despised 5. The life and power of godliness will be eaten out by frivolous Disputes and vain Janglings 6. The whole course of Religion in private Families will be interrupted and undermined 7. Reciprocal Duties between persons of nearest and dearest Relations will be extreamly violated 8. The whole work of Reformation especially in Discipline and Government will be retarded disturbed and in danger of being made utterly frustrate and void whilst every person shall have liberty upon every trivial discontent at Presbyterial Government and Churches to revolt from us and list themselves in separated Congregations 9. All other Sects and Heresies in the Kingdom will be encouraged to endeavour the like Toleration 10. All other Sects and Heresies in the Kingdom will safeguard and shelter themselves under the wings of Independency and some of the Independents in their Books have openly avowed that they plead for Liberty of Conscience as well for others as for themselves 11. And the whole Church of England in short time will be swallowed up with distraction and confusion And God is not the Authour of confusion but of peace 1 Corinth 14.33 Secondly To the Common-wealth For 1. All these mischiefs in the Church will have their proportionable influence upon the Common-wealth 2. The Kingdome will be wofully weakened by Scandals and Divisions so that the enemies of it both Domestical and Forreign will be encouraged to plot and practice against it 3. It is much to be doubted lest the Power of the Magistrate should not only be weakened but even utterly overthrown considering the principles and practices of Independents together with their compliance with other Sectaries sufficiently known to be Anti-Magistratical V. Such a Toleration is utterly repugnant and inconsistent with that Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and Defence of Religion which not only both Houses of Parliament but also persons of all sorts in both Kingdomes of England and Scotland have subscribed and with hands lifted up to the most High God have sworn Which Covenant likewise both you and we and those that most earnestly pursue the establishment of this Toleration have made or should have made in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed For 1. This is opposite to the Reformation of Religion according to the Word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches Article 1. 2. (n) The Toleration of Presbytery is no less destructive to the Conjunction and Uniformity of all the three Kingdoms then Independency It is destructive to the three Kingdoms nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion and Government which might lead us and our Posterity after us as Brethren to live in Faith and Love Art 1. 3. (o) Seeing Presbytery is as much a Schism from Episcopacy as Episcopacy or Independency was from Presbytery why do ye now instead of extirpation desire the Toleration of it contrary to your Covenant It is plainly contrary to that extirpation of Schism and whatsoever shall be found contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness which we have sworn sincerely really and constantly to endeavour without respect of persons Art 2. 4. (p) Toleration of Schism rendereth Magstrates and M●nisters access●ry to the Errors Sins and Destruction of Seduced and Deluded people Hereby we shall be involved in the guilt of other mens sins and thereby be endangered to receive of their plagues Art 2. 5. It seems utterly impossible if such a Toleration should be granted that the Lord should be one and his name one in the three Kingdoms Art 2. 6. This will palpably hinder the Reformation of Religion inevitably divide one Kingdome from another and unhappily make Factions and Parties among the people contrary to this League and Covenant of which evil Offices whosoever shall be found guilty are reputed in the words of the Covenant (q) The Toleration of deformity even in little matters sometimes causeth Factions and Parties amongst the people Let us have a care we be not Incendiaries or evil Instruments for Sacrilegious Spirits to work by ill-affected as well to Presbytery as Episcopacy Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments to be discovered that they may be brought to publick tryal and receive condigne punishment Art 4. and 5. These are some of the many considerations which make deep impression upon our Spirits against that great Diana of Independents and all the Sectaries so much cryed up by them in these distracted times viz. A Toleration a Toleration And however none should have more rejoyced then our selves in the establishment of a Brotherly Peaceable and Christian Accommodation yet this being utterly rejected by them we cannot dissemble how upon the fore-mentioned grounds we detest and abhor the much endeavoured Toleration Our bowels our bowels are stirred within us and we could even drown our selves in tears when we call to minde how long and sharp a travel this Kingdom hath been in for many years together to bring forth that blessed fruit of a pure and perfect Reformation and now at last after all our pangs and dolors and expectations this real and through Reformation is in danger of being strangled in the Birth by a lawless Toleration that strives to be brought forth before it Wherefore Reverend and Beloved Brethren we could not satisfie our selves till we had made some discovery of our thoughts unto you about this matter not that we can harbour the least jealousie of your zeal fidelity or industry in the opposing and extirpating of such a root of gall and bitterness as Toleration is and will be both in present and future Ages but that we may what lies in us endeavour mutually to strengthen one anothers resolutions against the present growing evils and that our consciences may not smite us another day for sinful silence or sluggish deficiency in any point of duty tending to the Glory of Christ Honour of the Truth Peace of the Church Perfection of Reformation Performance of our Covenant and Benefit of present and succeeding Generations From Sion Colledge London Decemb. 18. 1645. Subscribed by us your affectionate Brethren and Fellow-Labourers in the work of the Ministery to whom truth and peace is very precious FINIS