words if we do examine the Coherence by the precedent and subsequent Verses the Apostle collecteth for us Two most necessary Rules 1. What and why we ought not to judge one another especially in matters of Religion and Conscience 2. What and how far we may and are bound in conscience to judge Whereof as I have heretofore given a publike Exposition to the Christian Assembly I intend at this present upon the request of some Well-wishers to Truth and Unanimity to impart to them a more ample Treatise with an Application to the Modern Differences not affecting Contention but Peace and Unitie As the Apostle himself doth sufficiently intimate and imply that this is the most exact Rule for Peace and Edification when he addeth Vers 19 Let us follow after the things which make for Peace and things wherewithal one may edifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 another Chap. 2. The Father of all Mercie who is also a God of Judgement and Peace grant to me and all that shall peruse this present Treatise to set before our eyes his Judgements and Mercie that we his children in all our Judging may exercise Mercie Love and Peace to the end that in the Great day of Judgement we may not be judged by him according to the severitie of his Justice but according to his Grace and Mercie CHAP. II. Wherein we ought not to judge one another in matters of Religion IN the beginning of the Fourteenth Chapter to the Romanes the Apostle admonisheth them Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtful disputations The Greek Text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Version Non disceptationes cogitationum Beza Non ad altercationes disceptationum that is not to a debate of disputes or as some expound it more properly with Augustine Not to judging of thoughts that is to say Do not set your selves as judges over his thoughts to reject him because of his weaknesse of faith Which afterwards he applieth chiefly to those who though they had received the Gospel of Christ and believed to obtain salvation by his grace yet did observe the distinction of days and meats or made a scruple whether they might eat such meat without sin and offence which God himself had forbidden in the Law Though some will have understood thereby the meats offered to Idols concerning which 1 Cor. 8 he teacheth almost the very same Doctrine Where the Apostle exhorteth those that were strong in faith who had sufficient knowledge that such distinctions of meats and days in the Law were now not any more requisite according the Gospel in Christ but were a meer indifferent thing that they neverthelesse should not contemn or condemn such as were weak in faith who had not yet the knowledge of their liberty or were doubtful of it nor should judge their thoughts why they did abstain from such meats but receive them in love and charitie Moreover he giveth to them both this Rule Vers 3. Let him that eateth understand every thing by reason of the libertie of the Gospel not despise him that eateth not and let not him that eateth not every thing by reason that he thinketh the difference of meats according to the Law to be necessary or doubteth thereof judge him that eateth For God hath received him in the Gospel Who art thou that judgest another mans servant To his own master he standeth or falleth Which he repeateth over again in the Tenth verse But why doest thou judge thy brother that eateth every thing or why doest thou set at nought thy brother that eateth not We shall all stand before the Judgement-seat of Christ where every one of us shall give account of himself to God Whereupon these words follow Let us not therefore judge one another any more viz. in such a manner whereby we should reject one another and not receive one another in things that are not necessary and indifferent and notwithstanding are accounted to be necessary by some out of their weaknesse of faith Out of which words and discourse of the Apostle we frame this general Rule and Doctrine That in those things A General Rule wherein we ought not to Judge one another which in themselves are not necessary for salvation though by some they are counted to be necessary none shall judge or condemn the other but one ought to tolerate and receive the other in love and charity as brethren that are weak in faith And this Rule is of great force and validity as well in matters that we ought to believe as practise For both were called into question by the Primitive Christians in the Apostles times Some believed that it was requisite to make a distinction of meats and therefore did not eat every thing Others believed and counted it unnecessary and therefore did eat every thing promiscuously Both did also herein rely upon the Word of God Those upon the bare and simple letter of the Law These upon the liberty of the Gospel according to which they did declare the true meaning of the Law which they had received from Christ and the Apostles And although those did greatly erre in the letter of the Law which was not intended for the times of the Kingdom of Christ among the Gentiles but had its reference onely to the Old Testament Yet the Apostle will that none shall judge despise or reject the other neither in their faith nor works but receive him as a weak brother in faith Whereunto this Observation ought to be annexed That the Apostle doth speak onely of those who out of meer weaknesse and fear to transgresse the Law made it a matter of necessity or at least a scruple of it to whom it would have been sin if they had eaten of the forbidden meat against their own though erroneous consciences according to the doctrine of the Apostle Verse 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat viz. against his own conscience because be eateth not of faith for whatsoever is not of faith is sin But those that rather out of malice and obstinacie then out of meer weaknesse and fear did make it necessary after such a manner that they not onely for themselves believed and did it but also enforced it upon the believers among the Gentiles as necessary to their own and other mens salvation without any true ground from Gods Word and consequently besides the distinction of meats and days did presse upon them the necessity of the whole Ceremonial Law Circumcision Sacrifices c. and therefore condemned and reviled the Apostle Paul and others as enemies to the Law who did faithfully maintain and defend the liberty of the Gospel Those I say the Apostle by the vertue of his Apostleship hath very earnestly judged reproved and condemned yea stigmatized and branded with an Anathema especially in his Epistle to the Galatians Chap. 1. vers 8 9. If any man though an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received
and words to the Doctrine practice worship whereby any offence may be given then to the persons And that primarily to our own affaires words and works whereby we may put any stumbling block and offence in the way either of our neighbour or of our selves Secondarily to the matters of our neighbour as far as he may become unto us or we unto him a stumbling block or offence Secondly it is to be noted that he doth not properly speak of the offence of affections whereby we or our neighbour is provoked to anger afflicted offended and alienated from us but of the offence of Conscience whereby either our own Conscience is wounded by going against Conscience or the neighbour is misse-led into errours or sinnes of Conscience or he being already ingaged in errours and sinnes of Conscience is by us strengthned and confirmed therein But we need also to take heed of the offence of affections and the hatred arising from them as much as possibly may be according to the rule Rom. 12. v. 18. If it be possible as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men Yet not so neither that we give thereby an offence to our Conscience and also by reason of the outward peace with men should destroy and lose the inward peace of Conscience Thirdly it is indubitabe hereby that the Apostle requireth nothing else but that we for our part give or put no occasion to fall in any mans way Which hapneth when we either commit that which is evill and omit that which is good or abuse so our liberty in indiffent things that the weak are scandalized at our example which is to say offended made worse thereby and mis-led into errors and sinnes But it is no wayes required from us that we for the avoiding of such scandall and offence which others without cause either out of weaknes or malice receive at us in doing what is good and omitting what is evill should therefore omit that which is good and commit that which is evill For we must not do evill that good may come Rom. 3. v. 8. Not wound our own Conscience that another mans erroneous Conscience may not be offended Yea we need not neither forsake our liberty in indifferent matters because of those that are offended at them out a Pharisaicall hypocrisie and malice or judge and condemn us but only for their sake which are weak in faith But against the others we must often times of necessity stick fast to the liberty for no other reason but this l st they may impose on us a necessity against that liberty which Christ hath purchased unto us Gal. 2. v. 4 5. Which generall rule of avoiding offence of them that are weak in faith the Apostle doth apply in the words following upon the meats which were fordidden in the Law but were indifferent things in the Gospel I know saith he and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing no meat unclean common of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean common From which he maketh a two-fold inference I. He that hath the knowledge and receiveth it for a free indifferent thing may use it for himself without sinne Yet so that he give no offence towards sinne nor grieve or distract without necessity the weak who doth not yet acknowledge the same but accounteth it for forbidden and unclean Rom. 14. v. 15 For if thy brother be grieved with thy meat in his Conscience Now walkest thou not charitably Destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died II. He that hath not the knowledge but esteemeth it to be forbidden and unclean or at least doubteth thereof may not use the same without sinne and offence to his Conscience v. 20. All things indeed are pure but it is evill for that man who eateth with offence v. 23. and he that doubteth whether they are indifferent or not lawfull or unlawfull before God if he eateth is damned condemned viz. of his own Conscience because he eateth not of faith For whatsoever is not of faith viz. so that we are sure that they are acceptable to God or permitted by God is sinne This very same Doctrine is repeated over again by the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. Where he applieth it almost in like manner to meats offered to Idols v. 5. Concerning the eating of those things that are offered in Sacrifice unto Idols We know that an Idoll is nothing c. v. 7. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge for some with Conscience of the Idol eat it as a thing offered unto an Idol and their Conscience being weak is defiled c. v. 9 10 11 12 13. Take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak For if any man seeth thee which hast knowledge sit at table in the Idols Temple Shall not the Conscience of him which is weak be emboldned to eat those things which are offered to Idols And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died But when you sinne so against the brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sinne against Christ Wherefore if meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to offend By which Doctrine of the Apostle we may here easily understand what and how farre we ought to judge in matters of Religion and Conscience Judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brothers way Wherefore I. How farre we may judge of the Doctrine and Religion of the erring we must not judge the persons whether they are damned before God or not but properly and principally the matter it self whether it be an article of faith or life of doctrine or worship and only so farre and to this end that it may not become a stumbling block and offence of Conscience unto us and others But the persons we may judge so farre that we may avoid to give them the like offence or we our selves to be offended at them II. And not only in those things which are commanded or forbidden by God to beleeve or to do and therefore are necessary but also which are in themselves free indifferent things which is to say neither commanded nor forbidden and therefore not necessary to do or to omit them which neverthelesse we must judge thus far lest by our liberty we put a stumbling block in the way of the weak whereby they might deal against their Conscience having no knowledge of such liberty but holding them for necessary in their erroneous Conscience or doubting of them III. Being we must be so cautious in free indifferent things because of the weak how much more in things that are necessary and commanded or forbidden by God lest we may teach or do somewhat against our knowledge and wilfully what God hath rejected and prohibited in his Word as unlawfull or
deny or omit what God hath ordained and commanded Whereby we should give yet a more dangerous offence first to our own Conscience who have the knowledge thereof out of the Word of God and then to others whether they have the knowledge thereof or not not only to do against erroneus or weak but against true-beleeving Consciences and withall against Gods command it self IV. But most of all when such false Doctrine or Religion which God hath forbidden is pressed upon us not only as sound and true but as necessary unto salvation or on the contrary when the true sound Doctrine and worship which God hath commanded is forbidden and condemned not only as unnecessary or erroneous but even as hereticall Which also if we did confesse or practice that and did deny or omit this against Conscience would not only prove a common sinne and offence to our and our neighbours Conscience but also idolatry and a denying of God For since we ought not to give way that such things which God in the Gospel left free and indifferent unto us as for example the Mosaicall distinction of meats or the Circumcision which was injoyned to the people of Israel in the Law should be as necessary imposed on us lest we might seek our salvation without Christ Gal. 5 v. 1 2 3 4. How much lesse then ought we to countenance those things which God hath absolutely forbidden whereby we would seek our salvation not only without but against Christ and because of mens Traditions and Doctrines make Gods commandement of none effect Matth. 15. v. 6. Whether and how farre we may separate ourselves in the doctrine and religion of the erroneous Church V. From whence we conclude further when we because of such erroneous doctrine or Religion inforced upon us as necessary against the Word of God as much as in our conscience we may have knowledge of it are cried downe for Hereticks condemned excommunicated shut out and cut off from the Christian Church and the communion of the Saints That then we have not only good reason but also are in conscience bound and constrained of necessity and force to separate our selves and with-draw from that Church thus proceeding with us And not consequently those who of necessity as excommunicate and rejected men must separate themselves but those which do reject and force them to such a separation are properly guilty of the unjust uncharitable judging of mens Consciences and also of the scisme and division of all the miseries and distractions depending from the same VI. Yea that no man who in his Conscience acknowledgeth that this Doctrine is the truth of God which by such erroneous Churches or those that have charge over them is thus excommunicated and condemned may with a safe Conscience remaine in their outward communion and fellowship First because he cannot but play the Hypocrite and dissemble thereby against his own true beleeving Conscience and against the Word of God so that he would become to himselfe a heavie offence and stumbling blocke to his own conscience Then because he would also by his example be scandalous and offensive to other true beleevers who together with him did acknowledge the same and were excommunicated for it yea should strengthen and confirm their excommunication and condemnation as much as did lie in his power which certainly is a most grievous sinne not only against the confession of faith but against the Christian brotherly charitie Thirdly because he would also give an offence to the erring partie by confirming him both in such errours and in the uncharitable excommunication and condemnation with his own example and assent and by making himself partaker of their sinnes and persecutions VII Moreover when such Church or part of it although it doth maintaine such erroneous doctrine and religion yet inforceth it not upon ' its fellow-members as necessary nor excommunicateth or reiecteth them for it but in such erroneous points of doctrine permitteth the true-beleevers to inioy their liberty of conscience These then though they have reason to avoid and beware of the Communion of the erroneous doctrine and worship as of an abominable and pernicious leaven and to contradict it out of the word of God in due time and place with Christian charity and meeknesse yet in their other points of doctrine and Religion agreeable to the word of God ought not as yet utterly to withdraw and separate themselves from such a Church lest by their separation an occasion may be given to further scisme and division which many times is more prejudiciall and offensive then the errour it self Whereof we have set before our eyes not only the Prophets and other true-beleeving Israelites who lived in the idolatrous times at Bethel and during the Baal-service in Israel and yet not bowed their knees unto him But also the example of Christ himself and his Disciples before and after his ascension who did not separate themselvs from the Jewish Temple and Synagogues as long as they could be tolerated in them because of the leven of the Pharisees and Saduces yea the Lord rather exhorted them that though they should take heed and beware of the leven Mat. 16. v. 6. yet should labour to do and to observe whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees did bid them observe in Moses seat out of the law Matth. 23. v. 1 2. VIII Out of all this we inferre yet further When and how farre we may undergo the Refomation If not only private particular persons but whole Congregations or the greatest and principall part of them especially they that have charge over them acknowledge and discover by the Word of God any dangerous errour and abuse which hath peradventure taken root in them Whereby somewhat that is erroneous and pernicious is added or somewhat that is sound and necessary is diminished or perverted in the Vniversall indubitable saving doctrine and worship That then they have good reason yea are bound in their Conscience and function to reform such dangerous abuses and errours according to the Word of God and the example of the Primitive undoubted Apostolicall Church yea withall to exhort and animate out of Gods Word other Congregations unto like Reformation lest they cast any further stumbling block and occasion to fall both in their own and their posterities way Deut. 13. Jos 22. Judg. 6. v. 10. 1 Sam. 7. 1 Chron. 13. 15. 2 Chron. 15. 17. 29. 30. 31. 34. c. 1 Cor. 5. v. 7. 11. v. 16. Gal. 5. v. 1.10 Revel 2. v. 5.14 15.24 3. v. 2 3. Yet so that they do not therefore rashly condemn other particular Churches which do not acknowledge such errours but rather carefully endeavour to conserve the bond of Christian charity and unity in the rest of the Universall undoubted Doctrine till they are likewise edified by their example and delivered from such dangerous errours But if other particular Churches are so much scandalized and offended at such
I think it needlesse at this present Seeing it is for the most part agreed on in Thesi or position of it But in Hypothesi or application of it each one favoureth his side best and transferreth the fault and cause of all dissentions and divisions upon his adversary Wherefore for the conclusion thereof we must apply such common and generall Doctrine to the modern differences and controversies and especially to the three dissenting parties afore mentioned without any partiality and passions CHAP. X. Whether or how farre the Protestant Churches ought or are bound to judge the said Roman-Catholicks in their Doctrine and Religion or to separate themselves from them or to undergo any Reformation AMongst all Schismes and Divisions in Churches which ever since the Apostles times arose amongst the Christians we shall hardly find any one which hath been fomented with more vehemency and fiercenesse then that which in our Predecessours dayes sprung originally in Germany and afterwards was spread over all Europe and at this present is divulged witnesse our own eyes to a most lamentable desolation and destruction of Christendom so that some long continuance thereof which is feared will draw at length upon the necks of all Western Churches like punishment and oppressions as formerly the Eastern suffered under the Turks Tartars and other Barbarous Nations unlesse the Lord doth shorten and prevent them by the day of his apparition Wherefore every one hath good reason to be carefull and to search out which side properly is guilty and the cause of such pernicious Schismes that we may know to which to give assent and to which not Whereby it is not imaginable that one side should be only and totally guilty and the other absolutely innocent and guiltlesse For it may well be that there hath been faults on both sides either in the excesse or defect whereby their minds were exasperated and the divisions grown to such a high pitch And the differences and disceptations in Churches are much like the warre or judiciall law-businesse where many times the most just and equitable cause is very ill managed and commonly prolonged and extended to a great inconvenience if not to the utmost ruine of both disagreeing parties But since indifferences in Religion especially when a resolute Schisme and Division is already formed in the Church no Neutrality nor therefore a totall separation from the Christian Church or the settlement of a peculiar Church is admitted but assent is to be given either to one or the other side in the saving Doctrine and Religion though not all its actions may be approved At least thus far must be determined of the guiltinesse and innocency of the different parties to the end that men may know which Church is to be imbraced and which not Which subject fully and punctually to handle and maintain would require a peculiar book in regard that all modern writings whether they concern Divisions and Dissensions or Ecclesiasticall Unity are in some kind directed to this scope But we shall here be constrained only to touch it in a short and compendious way as much as will conduce to our present intention and to declare it briefly by the aforementioned principles And first whether and how farre we have reason to judge their Doctrine and Religion to separate our selves from them or to reform them Then secondly whether therefore by any means we ought to judge and condemn the persons or whole Churches I. Where then first it is to be exactly examined How farre the Protestants are separated from the Romish Church how farre the Protestant Churches have separated themselves from the Roman-Catholicks Seeing they have not withdrawn themselves one from another in al points of Christian Doctrine and Religion but remain still united in many great and weighty Articles which have been unanimously acknowledged of both sides out of the Word of God For both sides professe and receive the whole Vniversall Apostolicall Creed whereunto we are Baptized on all sides Likewise both sides retain the ten Commandements and the Prayer of the Lord And although they omit in their Catechismes the second Commandement concerning Images yet they retain it at least in their Bibles so that we remain undivided at least according to the letter in three most necessary Symboles or Articles of the Universall Christian Religion credendorum faciendorum petendorum what is necessary to beleeve to do and to aske as was mentioned heretofore And notwithstanding they have added many other human Ceremonies and Traditions to the holy Sacraments which Christ himself hath instituted yet we acknowledge that they have thus farre kept the true Baptisme being the most necessary Sacrament that we nor they desire to rebaptize those that were baptized by us and them Moreover they receive and acknowledge with us the whole Sacred Scripture of the Old and New Testament to be the indubitable Word of God whose Interpretation and meaning in many sound Doctrines yea I dare say in the most is unqestioned betwixt us and them Yea likewise in the Symbols of the Primitive Church of the first and principall Councels which we receive on both sides agreeable and warrantable by Scripture and finally in all points of their Doctrine and Religion which are true Vndoubted Ancient Catholick we remain as yet united with them against all other erroneous Sectaries as hath been declared before Wherefore we cannot nor will judge them Hereticks but rather we must judge and determine by those undoubted and undeniable grounds of both sides all other differences in Doctrine that are left And if we only might be tolerated by them without compulsion of Conscience we nor they had then no cause to separate and with-draw our selves one from another And we would sufficiently find in the said articles whatsoever is necessary unto salvation II. Neither do we judge and condemn them in those things which we generally and on all sides acknowledge and receive as free indifferent matters which neither directè or indirectè in the Word of God are commanded nor forbidden to beleeve or to do but rather confesse that men ought herein to conform themselves to each Church and Lawes of the Countrey Customes and Ceremonies lest because of unnecessary things a separation and scandall be caused according to Augustins rule Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Epist 118 But in such things which We for our part account for free indifferent matters but they for necessary either out of custome or because of the Tradition of their Church or out of a mis-apprehension of the Word of God as for example in Fasts and Holy daies we ought to judge the matter thus far lest according to the rule of the Apostle we may cast a stumbling block or scandall before them by our liberty and knowledge in their pretended necessity but rather dispense with our exteriour liberty in such
indifferent things because of them that are weak in faith If but they reciprocally permit us the liberty of Conscience that we are not constrained to receive acknowledg them as necessary unto salvation As also contrariwise in those things which We for our part esteem necessary because of Gods Ordinance but they as free indifferent things as for example the Communion under both kinds We must then judge their erroneous opinion thus farre lest we omit and neglect Gods Ordinance against our Conscience for their sake Yet neverthelesse as long as they do not yet acknowledge with us such necessity and Ordinance of God We have no reason therefore to judge their Consciences nor to separate our selves from them in all other points of Doctrine and Religion wherein we agree as yet together If they would but let us enjoy our liberty therein lest we should be constrained to do against our Consciences because of their pretended liberty III. Morover concerning such differences in Doctrine and Religion where both sides account their opinion for absolutly necessary and godly consequently the contrary opinion as repugnant to the word of God and his Ordinance for false and erroneous or even for superstitious and damnable of those we ought and must judge so far that we stedfastly adhere to Gods truth since we have gotten the knowledge thereof out of the word of God and avoid to have any communion with the contrary errours and abuses especially Idolatry and Superstition lest we dangerously wound and offend our own Consciences Yet if they would not presse such Doctrine and worship of theirs which they for themselves hold necessary as necessary upon us against our Consciences who know it to be repugnant to the word of God but at least would tolerate us amongst themselves as erring and weake beleeving Christians If also their Religion and worship were so constituted that we could have a fellowship together for the other points wherein we yet agree without communion of any Superstition and without hypocrisie or denying of Gods truth and without scandall to other weake beleevers We would or should then not utterly separate our selves from their Churches in the remnant of the true Religion because of their errours and abuses which they have added unto it but carry and behave our selves therein according to the example of the true beleevers in Judea who under the idolatrous Kings in Juda forsook not quite the Temple of the Lord though it was polluted with manifold idolatries But performed their godly exercises therein according to the Law Yea after the example of Christ himself and his Disciples who although the House of God was made a den of theevs and defiled with much leaven of the Pharisees and Saduces and although they were aware of their leaven yet neglected not with them to teach and to pray in the Temple and Synogogues as long as they could be tolerated therein Joh. 18. v. 20. Acts 3. v. 1. 5. v. 42. 13. v. 5. 21. v. 27 28. But now at this present the difference and breach betwixt the Romish and Protestant Church is in a quite other case Why we must of necessity separate our selves from the Romish Church so that the Schism and Separation is unavoidable especially for these reasons following First because the Romish Church besides the Doctrine which on both sides is received for Christian and Catholike will not let the Protestants enjoy their liberty in many such Doctrines and forms of worship whereof they themselves must confesse that they are not necessary in themselves unto salvation but inforce those upon them as absolutely necessary because of their Traditions and Ordinances of the Church sub anathemate upon excommunication and pain of damnation And even in such things which we for our part hold not only not necessary but expressely repugnant to the Word of God and partly Superstitious As for example The Communion under one kind contrary to the commandement of Christ Drink ye all of this The Invocation of Saints and adoration of Images repugnant to the Commandement Thou shalt not make to thy self Images Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them c. The prohibition for all Priests to marry and commandment for all Christians to abstain from certain meats at certain times which the Apostle calleth Doctrines of Devils 1 Tim. 4 v. 1 2 3. and more such like points which for the most part were specified before in the 4. Chap. Secondly because they have introduced some such Doctrines and Religion as necessary fundamentall Doctrines whereas they cannot shew us any evident and certain warrant from the written Word of God that they are of God but we may produce to the contrary more certain and manifest grounds from the undoubted written Word of God being convinced in our Consciences that they are false erroneous and repugnant to Gods Word and Ordinance or to the very fundamentall Doctrine if not expressely yet by a necessary consequence and also absolutely damnable in themselves especially to them who should entertain them against their Consciences For example That the body of Christ must daily be formed of bread by the Masse-Priest or transubstantiated offered again for the quick and dead and adored under the shape of bread That we must deserve eternal life through our own condign merits make satisfaction for our sins we our selves and yet even be doubtfull of our salvation That all men on earth are subject to the Pope in stead of Christ upon pain of their damnation and must beleeve and receive as the words of Christ himself whatsoever he teacheth and ordaineth by vertue of his Supreme Popish power And such like points which they for their part maintain not only as necessary and sound Doctrines but inforce them upon the whole Christian Church as principall points of most necessary fundamentall saving Doctrine Thirdly because their chief and daily Religion and worship is so qualified that we cannot even have a communion with that which they retain with us out of the Word of God unlesse we would thereby against our consciences make our selves partakers of such erroneous Doctrines and Superstitious abuses especially in the Masse Fourthly and principally because they will not tolerate us who cannot allow against our Consciences and the known Word of God of their un-Catholick by-Doctrines and Ceremonies which they have added to the Ancient Catholick Doctrines nor receive us either as true-beleevers nor as erring weak beleeving fellow members of the Christian Church but utterly condemn and excommunicate us as unfaithfull Hereticks yea in many places persecute us with banishment fire and sword as it is apparently manifest to the whole world so that they have solemnly published and authorized their un-Christian sentence in the Councell of Trent in such a manner that it cannot be recalled and consequently no melioration or reconcilement and agreement on their side can be hoped for as long as they stand to the said Councell By all which I conceive