Westminster by Authority of Parliament AGAINST Toleration 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 desirableness of our Churches Peace and of the pleasantness of Brethrens Unity knowing that when Peace is set upon its proper Basis viz Righteousnesse and truth it is one of the best Possessions both delectable and profitable like Aaron 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 be any separating from Church-Communion The Churches Coat may be of diverse colours yet why should there be any rent in it Have we not a Touch-stone 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 zeale to the truth or in sincere love to the Churches peace and unity among Brethren or in respect to their own reputation by faire and ingenious dealing or b Yet the Ministers of this perswasion made as little conscience of their Subscriptions Promises yea Oaths of Canonicall Obedience to their respective Diocesans in Conscience to their promise made with the Ministers 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 untroden way of their own rather then 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 establishd 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 designe 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 unlawfull yet this we understand is their present designe and endeavour Wherefore Reverend Brethren having had such large experience of your zeale 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 preproperous for 1. The Reformation of Religion is not yet perfected and setled amongst 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 soules upon the Priests sleeve for desiring an establishment of the Government of Christ before there was any Modell of it extant 3. We can hardly be perswaded that the Independents themselves after all the stirs they have made amongst us e The Presbyterians although often pressed thereunto will not declare wherewith they would be all concluded how far they mean to goe and where to stay in their desires of Toleration and condescention are as yet fully resolved about their own way wherewith they would be concluded seeing they publish not their modell 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 far they mean to goe and where they mean to stay II. Their desires and endeavours are unreasonable and unequall in divers regards 1. Partly because no such Toleration hath hitherto been established so far as we 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 practise in those places where Independency prevailes 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 Churches to grant to them and not to other Sectaries who are free borne 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 clear'd from great impiety III. Independency is a Schisme 1. h Ye already do in case your Toleration be granted will draw our members from our Congregations which ye acknowledge true Churches Independents do depart from our Churches and so acknowledg'd 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 k Ye receive not the Sacraments except some few in our Churches but 〈◊〉 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 joyne with us in hearing the Word and Prayer yet they do it not as with the Ministeriall Word and Prayer nor as the Acts of Church Communion l No Schisme is to be Tolerated as ye grant But Presbytery is a Schisme Now as much as Independency wâ—â— by you declared to be Then Therefore according to your own grounds it 〈◊〉 not to be Tolerated Now we judge that no Schisme is to be Tolerated in the Church * Schismes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1
out fit proper Laws for advancement of Trade and Commerce After all this we most humbly beseech your Majesty to believe That it is with extream unwillingness and reluctancy of heart that we are brought to differ from any thing which your Majesty hath thought fit to propose And though we do no way doubt but that the unreasonable distempers of mens spirits and the many Mutinies and Conspiracies which were carried on during the late intervalls of Parliament did reasonably incline your Majesty to endeavour by your declaration to give some allay to those ill humours till the Parliament Assembled and the hopes of indulgence if the Parliament should consent to it especially seeing the pretenders to this indulgence did seem to make some titles to it by vertue of your Majesties Declaration from Breda Nevertheless we your Majesties most Dutifull and Loyall Subjects who are now returned to serve in Parliament from those severall parts and places of your Kingdome for which we are chosen Do humbly offer to your Majesties great VVisdome That it is in no sort advisable that there be any indulgence to such persons who presume to dissent from the Act of Uniformity and the Religion established For these Reasons We have considered the Nature of your Majesties Declaration from Breda and are humbly of Opinion That your Majesty ought not to be pressed with it any farther Because it is not a promise in it self but only a Gratious Declaration of your Majesties Intentions to doe what in you lay and what a Parliament should advise your Majesty to doe and no such Advice was ever given or thought fit to be offered nor could it be otherwise understood because there were Laws of Uniformity then in being which could not be dispensed with but by Act of Parliament They who do pretend a right to that supposed promise put the Right into the hands of their Representatives whom they chose to serve for them in this Parliament who have passed and your Majesty consented to the Act of Uniformity If any shall presume to say that a right to the benefit of this Declaration doth still remain after this Act passed It tends to dissolve the very Bonds of Goverment and to suppose a disability in your Majesty and the Houses of Parliament to make a Law contrary to any part of your Majesties Declaration though both Houses should advise your Majesty to it We have also considered the nature of the Indulgence proposed with reference to those consequences which must necessarily attend it It will establish Schisme by a Law and make the whole Goverment of the Church precarious and the Censures of it of no moment or Consideration at all It will no way become the Gravity or Wisdome of a Parliament to passe a Law at one Session for Uniformity and at the next Session the Reasons of Uniformity continuing still the same to passe another Law to frustrate or weaken the execution of it It will expose your Majesty to the restlesse importunity of every Sect or Opinion and of every single Person also who shall presume to dissent from the Church of England It will be a cause of increasing Sects and Sectaries whose numbers will weaken the true Protestant Profession so far that it will at least be difficult for it to defend it self against them And which is yet farther Considerable those Numbers which by being troublesome to the Government find they can arrive to an Indulgence will as their Numbers increase be yet more troublesome that so at length they may arrive to a generall Toleration which your Majesty hath declared against and in time some prevalent Sect will at last contend for an establishment which for ought can be foreseen may end in Popery It is a thing altogether without precedent and will take away all means of Convicting Recusants and be inconsistent with the Method and proceedings of the Laws of England Lastly it is humbly conceived that the Indulgence propos'd will be so far from tending to the peace of the Kingdom that it is rather likely to occasion great disturbance And on the contrary That the asserting of the Lawes and the Religion establish't according to the Act of Vniformity is the most probable means to produce a settled Peace and Obedience throughout your Kingdome Because the variety of Professions in Religion when openly divulged doth directly distinguish men into parties and withall gives them opportunity to count their numbers which considering the animosities that out of a Religious Pride will be kept on foot by the severall factions doth tend directly and inevitably to open disturbance Nor can your Majesty have any Security that the Doctrine or Worship of the severall Factions which are all governed by a severall Rule shall be consistent with the Peace of your Kingdome And if any persons shall presume to disturb the peace of the Kingdome We do in all humility declare That we will for ever and in all Occasions be ready with our utmost endeavour and Assistance to adhere to and serve Your Majesty according to our bounden Duty and Allegiance My Brethren I Have now given you my Authorities viz. 1. The private Testimonies of twenty eminent Divines 2. The publick Testimony of the Presbyterian Ministers in the City of London Synodically met at Sion Colledge 3. The Authority of that Wise and Learned King James and his Privy Councill 4. The Votes and Reasons of the Honourable Commons Assembled in this present Parliament All which I have designedly ranked in this method that observing the order of nature and beginning ab imperfectiori I might gradually ascend to that which is more perfect for such I think the Reasons of the House will be found to him that dares attempt them i. e. Impregnable and unanswerable I Know not how it fares with other men I am no judge of their honesty or Knowledge but I am sure as to me the premises have appeared so considerable I should think the world might suspect either my Intellectualls or Moralls were I not thus apprehensive of so convincing a Light My Brethren that I may deal freely with you I am perfectly amaz'd and I had almost said scandaliz'd that men so eminent for Learning so noted for Piety and if we may beleive themselves it being one of their grand Topickes for Indulgence so considerable for Policy I say that these men should so warmely concerne themselves for this Thing call'd Toleration which as I hope the premises have evinc'd is not onely destructive both to Church State but also which prudent men would a little consider so directly contrary to their former Principles Practices I am very unwilling to make any unpleasing Reflections but 't is the Language of the world and I am not yet instructed to confute it that it is not a Toleration however pretended as the most advantageous method that can at present be employ'd but a Reformation that is as sad experience hath explained it a totall Extirpation of what ever is
cannot at first plead for such and such Doctrines in terminis and yet hold them and would have them propagated therefore they plead for a Toleration which once being granted they will come in then of course O let the Ministers therefore oppose Toleration as being that by which the Divel would at once lay a foundation for his Kingdom to all Generations witnesse against it in all places possesse the Magistrate of the Evill of it yea and the People too shewing them how if a Toleration were granted they should never have peace in their Familes more or ever after have command of VVives Children Servants but they and their Posterities after them are like to live in discontent and unquietnesse of mind all their dayes a p. 87. I might shew how the Pastors of the Reformed Churches namely those who were stars of the First Magnitude were against the Toleration of Anabaptists Libertines and other Sectaries in their time and what they did and writ against it as Calvin Zuinglius Peter Martyr Philip Melancthon Zanchius Beza Knox Bullinger Musculus b p. 88. As also how in England in Queen Elizabeths dayes learned Bishops and Godly Ministers were against the suffering of many Religions in this Kingdome as Bishop Jewel Bishop Babington Bishop Bilson Mr. Cartwright Mr. Perkins who in his learned workes on Revel 2. 20. speakes thus Every man is not to be left to his own Conscience to teach and hold what Doctrine he will But all such men or women as teach erroneous Doctrine by the Government of the Church are to be restrained c p. 91. Did I say the Arch-Bishops Bishops Deanes Doctors Court-Chaplains and Bishops-Chaplains for there were some of all these sorts oppos'd hazard the favour of King Nobles great Courtiers the losse of all their Preferments Arch-Bishopricks Bishopricks Deaneries great liveings to withstand a Toleration And shall the Ministers of our times suffer a Toleration of all Sects to come in upon us in a time when the greatest Reformation is pretended that ever was in this Kingdome and a Parliament fitting and be either wholly silent or oppose saintly be afraid of displeasing some great man or hazarding a little estate and liberty was the Lukewarme Angel whom God hath cast out of his Church for not being zealous enough yet so zealous as to hazard all against a Toleration of Popery And shall the Presbyterians Orthodox Godly Ministers be so cold as to let Anabaptism Brownisme Antinomianisme Libertinisme Independency come in upon us and keep in a whole Skin Certainly the Bishops and their Chaplains shall rise up in judgment against the Ministry of this Generation who appeared against the mind of the King Council and so powerfull a faction as was for Popery and the Toleration of it in those dayes if they be silent or meally mouthed besides the shame and dishonour of it here before the Churches abroad and good men at home who will lay all the blame upon the Ministers and say Wee may thanke them for this for dealing no more freely nor faithfully with the Kingdom crying out an unworthy Assembly an unworthy Ministry in City and Country to sit still and suffer all these Errors and poysonous Principles in Books Sermons to come in upon us and to passe unquestioned O for some Gabriel Powells Dâ—wnams Abbots c O for a Burgesse a Calamy a Case a Baxter an Edwards c. to write Preach c. to write preach remonstrate protest against the Errors and wayes of these times T is want of courage and speaking out hath undone us and 't is onely boldnesse and freedome in speakeing to declare particularly such books come forth such Sermons preached such practices plaid such persons preferred and suffered such partiality used c in reference to the Sectaries that must recover us there 's no way to put a stop to things and save all from ruine but present courage and Heroick resolution and le ts speak out and suffer no longer a company of giddy cunning self-seeking Sectaries to betray the Truth of God and to abuse and undoe two Kingdoms Lets therefore fill all Presses cause all Pulpits to ring and so possess Parliament City and whole Kingdom against the Sects and of the evill of Schisme and a Toleration that we may no more hear of a Toleration nor of Seperated Churches being hatefull names in the Church of God AMEN AMEN a An Additionall Testimony of M. Nath Newcomen Serm. at Pauls Feb. 8. 1645. p. 12. For if it be lawfull for every man to entertain and hold what opinion he pleaseth how differing soever from the opinion and judgment of the rest of the Church and People of God yet this is his opinion and his judgement is perswaded of it and he must follow his own judgement and this liberty of judgement be as some say Liberty of Conscience part of the Liberty purchased by Jesus and to restrain it or set bounds to it is in their language Persecution Tyranny c. If this were true sure Paul did very ill to charge the Corinthians with so much authority to be of the same mind and of the same judgment Might not some among the Corinthians have said to Paul This is hard usage this is to rack a low man to the same length with a taller and to cut a tall man to the stature of one that is low What the same judgement and the same minde will not Paul allow difference of lights and sights Might not some one among the Corinthians have said What if I am of opinion that there is no resurrection what hath Paul or any man to do with that it is my conscience and it is my liberty and what hath any man to do with my conscience more then I with his might nor Hymaeneus have said What if it be my Opinion that the Resurrection is past already what hath Paul to do with that Yes saith Paul if ye persist obstinate I will Excommunicate you I will deliver you up to Satan that you may learn not to Blaspheme Certainly this shelter this Asylum of errour falsely called Liberty of Conscience was not thought of in former times THus far these Famous Divines whose very words I have transcribed and that faithfully never adding so much as one syllable of my own unless in the Margin where I have sometimes taken a little Liberty I do much hope upon a serious perusall you will confess these Testimonies both pertinent and convincing and therefore I might here take occasion to consult my own ease and your patience But because as I have found by sad experience Prejudices are strong and evil Habits which have been long in contracting are not suddainly removed as an effectual meanes through Gods blessing of your farther Conviction I shall intreat your perusall of these following Authorities 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