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A48126
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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.
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Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)
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1668
(1668)
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Wing L1581; ESTC R15039
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6,131
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15
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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 Mâ—nisters accessâ—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
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 LONDON Printed for J. Johnson 1668. A Preface to the Reader IT is sufficiently known how the Presbyterian Party in this Nation having by the help of the Covenant and force of Armes rooted out as they thought Episcopal or Prelatical Government Established by the Known Laws of the Land soon found themselves supplanted in their new intended Uniformity pressed on all men with a most zealous Rigour by their younger Brother Independency which under the smooth pretensions of Liberty of Conscience and Toleration threatned Presbytery with the same destruction Hereupon the Presbyterian Ministers of London meeting at Sion Colledge drew up this ensuing Letter to the Assembly convened at Westminster to possess them with the unlawfulness of Liberty of Conscience and Toleration especially aiming at Independency their feared Rival But the Intelligent Reader will easily discern how their own Arguments recoil upon themselves How dangerous and wicked it is in their Judgement to Tolerate much more to perpetuate by a standing Law Schism in the Church whether of Presbytery or Independency of which they are so equally guilty that it will be very difficult if not impossible for an impartial understanding to condemn the one and to acquit the other Yea it will appear by their own Reasons here alledged how necessary it is to the preservation of Truth and Peace that an Uniform Obedience be yielded to one and the same established Rule of Ecclesiastical Polity lest otherwise the people be seduced and drawn away from our Congregations the Godly Painful Orthodox and Conformable Clergy be discouraged all sorts of Sectaries emboldened to desire and endeavour the like Indulgence the Civil State by endless Divisions weakened and the Church first distracted and at last destroyed The God of Peace and Truth grant us a right understanding in all things Amen To our Reverend Learned and Religious Brethren the Prolocutor and the rest of the Divines Assembled and now sitting at Westminster by Authority of Parliament These present Reverend and Beloved Brethren WE are exceedingly apprehensive of the desireableness of our Churches Peace and of the pleasantness of Brethrens Unity knowing that when Peace is set upon its proper Basis viz. Righteousness and Truth it is one of the best possessions both delectable and profitable like Aarons Ointment and the dew of Hermon It is true by reason of different lights and different sights among Brethren there may be dissenting in Opinion yet (a) What is the keeping Conventicles or private Meetings but separating from our Church-Communion Why should there by any separating from Church-Communion The Churches Coat may be of divers colours yet Why should there be any rent in it Have we not a touchstone of Truth the good Word of God and when all things are examined by that Word then that which is best may be held fast but first they must be known and then examined afterward If our dissenting Brethren after so many importunate intreaties would have been perswaded either in zeal to the Truth or in sincere love to the Churches peace and unity among Brethren or in respect to their own reputation by fair and ingenuous dealing or (b) Yet the Ministers of this perswasion made as little Conscience of their Subscriptions Promises yea Oaths of Cananical Obedience to their respective Dâ—ocesans in conscience to their promise made with the Minister of London now five years since or any such like reasonable consideration at last to have given us a full Narrative of their Opinions and Grounds of their Separation we are perswaded they would not have stood at such a distance from us as now they do But they chose rather to walk by their own private lights than to unbosome themselves to us their most affectionate Brethren and to set themselves in an untrodden way of their own rather than to wait what our Covenanted Reformation according to the Word of God and (c) Shew us the example of one Reformed Church which alloweth her Ministers Liberty not to use her Established Rites and Ceremonies examples of the Best Reformed Churches would bring forth But the offence doth not end here it is much that our Brethren should separate from the Church but that they should endeavour (d) This is plainly our Brethrens Design and Endeavour at this time to get a Warrant to authorize their Separation from it and to have liberty by drawing Members out of it to weaken and diminish it till so far as lies in them they have brought it to nothing this we think to be plainly unlawful yet this we understand is their present design and endeavour Wherefore Reverend Brethren having had such large experience of your zeal of Gods glory your care of his afflicted Church your earnest endeavours to promote the compleat Reformation of it and of your ready concurrence with us in the improvement of any means that might be found conducible to this end we are bold to hint unto you these our ensuing Reasons against the Toleration of Independency in this Church 1. The desires and endeavours of Independents for a Toleration are at this time extreamly unseasonable and praeproperous for 1. The Reformation of Religion is not yet perfected and setled among us according to our Covenant And why may not the Reformation be raised up at last to such purity and perfection that truly tender Consciences may receive abundant satisfaction for ought that yet appears 2. It is not yet known what the Government of the Independents is neither would they ever yet vouchsafe to let the world know what they hold in that point though some of their party have been too forward to challenge the London Petitioners as led with blind obedience and pinning their souls upon the Priests sleeve for desiring an establishment of the Government of Christ before there was any model of it extant 3. We can han hardly be perswaded that the Independents themselves after all the stirres they have made amongst us (e) The Presbyterians although often pressed thereunto will not declare wherewith they would be all concluded how farr they mean to got and where to stay in their desires of Toleration or Condescention are as yet fully resolved about their own way wherewith they would be concluded seeing they publish not their model though they are nimble enough in publishing other things and they profess Reserves and new Lights for which they will no doubt expect the like Toleration and so in infinitum It were more seasonable to move for Toleration when once they are positively determined how farr they mean to go and where they mean to stay II. Their desires and endeavours are unreasonable and unequal in divers regards 1. Partly because no such Toleration hath hitherto been established so far as we