Apostles in those Books which by way of eminency we call the Scriptures So that whatever Worship is not according to those holy Oracles is not true and acceptable but false and vain In vain do ye Worship me c. It being an undoubted Truth That God hath as much right to appoint the way of his own Worship as to be Worshipp'd There are moreover we know two parts of Religion Credenda Agenda Truths to be believed and Duties to be performed in order to Salvation and in both these the Scripture is our Rule and Direction He therefore that is Punished either for believing those Truths or for doing those Duties the belief and performance of which holy Scripture requireth of him or he that is punished for not believing those things as Truths which are but falsities and lies or for not doing those things as Duties which are sinful and unlawful he I say who is punished upon these accounts is properly Persecuted The Case then about Persecution as it respects the Nonconformists is briefly this If those Instances for which they are punished be no way required of them in holy Scripture either for belief or practise and if it shall appear upon inquiry that the Church of England requires nothing of them that is in side Erroneous or in facto Impious if she neither enjoynes them to believe Lies nor to commit any Sin if nor so nor so let the world then judge where the fault lies and who they are that without Repentance must one day Answer which I fear is now little thought on for all those Separations and Divisions in the Church all those Distractions Confusions Wars Murthers Rapines c. the natural consequents of the former in the State which these poor miserable divided Kingdomes have so sadly experienc'd 'T will be replyed and I find it no unusual Plea That Preaching and Praying are necessary Duties But they are punished for Preaching and Praying Therefore they are punished for performance of religious Duties and consequently according to the now mentioned definition are Persecuted They tell us e Prop. for Saf of King and Kingd p. 10. There are certain inoffencive persons and they meaning their Rulers have really no more against them only that they meet and preach and pray together Innocent folks who are dragged to Prison for doing nothing in earnest but endeavouring to save their Souls That I may if possible convince my Brethren of the weakness and vanity of this plausible Argument I 'le give them my Answer I hope Methodically and clearly in these following Conclusions Concl 1. By Preaching and Praying as they are the Subject of our present Disquisition is meant the performance of them in publick not in private this latter being liberae observation is since every man of what perswasion soever may not only Pray with his own family when and how he pleaseth but also Preach or Instruct them and that without fear of punishment in what manner he thinks fit Concl 2. In Preaching and Praying there is considerable Substantia Circumstantiae Res Modus the substance of the Duty or the thing to be perform'd and the circumstances or manner of its performance Preaching and Praying quoad Substantiam are necessary necessitate Praecepti Medii i. e. God hath Commanded and the condition of the Church whilst Militant in viâ doth require that these Duties be attended Nor is the Substance only but also the Circumstances of these Duties in Thesi and in the general necessary i. e. when these Duties are considered in actu exercito whenever they are put into practice we must necessarily make use of Circumstances some or other Concl 3. These Circumstances however in Thesi necessary in Hypothesi and in Particular are not determined in Scripture which I do not mean as to their Lawfulness but as to their being duties if they be there must then be produc'd some clear and distinct Precept perpetually obligatory to the Church requiring our observance of such or such Circumstances for this and nothing else though other things are pretended can constitute a Religious Duty Thus though Prayer be a Duty yet whether it be a Set Form or Extemporary The Minister whether habited in a Surplice or without His Gesture whether kneeling or standing The Place whether in a Deske or at the Communion Table or at both So for Preaching whether in a Gown a long Cloak or a short How many Sermons in one day whether three or two or but one I say none of these or such like are determined in Scripture to be our Duties those who assert they are must produce the Command making them to be such for Duty and Command have a necessary Respect and Relation to one another Concl 4. These Circumstances though still free and indifferent quoad naturam being neither commanded nor forbidden yet must not be left undetermined quoad usum i. e. Private persons must not be left at liberty to do what they think fit in Circumstantials as if an agreement in Substantialls only were sufficient so as if there be but Preaching and Praying if these Duties be but performed one man may use a Set Form another may pray Extempore this Minister may wear the Surplice whilst his Neighbour rejects it as Popish and Antichristian Does not any man who hath not enslaved his Reason to support a Faction very easily observe that the bare mention of this Fancy such I am forc'd to call it is its own Confutation was it ever so much as thought on but in the heat of a Dispute Did ever any Constituted Church in the world allow such Liberty Are not my Brethren themselves convinc'd of the contrary If they deny it I could very easily refresh their Memories in so obvious a Theam I could turn them to their Directory and their Ordinances to enforce it c. but I spare them In short g Mr. Newcomes Serm. at Pauls Feb. 8. 1646. pag. 18. There is scarce any difference so small and inconsiderable but the divulging and propagating of it may prove dangerous and pernicious and in the event intollerable Therefore to allow private persons the Liberty to order these Circumstances in the publick Worship pro modulo Conscientiae as their own Conscience perhaps humour or interest shall Dictate is the ready way to destroy all Order and Government in the world And this I hope is sufficiently made plain to any man that will but read and consider in the following Collections Well then to rise yet a little higher Since it is necessary that there must be some Circumstances made use of in the exercise of these Duties Preaching and Praying it being impossible to perform any Action and therefore Religious Action without them and since Scripture hath determined nothing either by requiring some as necessary or forbidding others as unlawful and since to leave them undetermin'd for private Persons to do what seems good in their own eyes is apparently destructive both to Church and State
Subscriptions and Declarations to give the Magistrate assurance that he is Orthodox and Peaceable m Mr. Newcomen Serm. at Pauls Feb. 8. 1646. p. 40. Possibly they will all say They are of the same Opinion with the Reformed Churches in Fundamentals as well as we and their differences are but in minutioribus Now supposing this to be true as it may be in some of them why do they then transgress the Apostles Rule why do they not if it be in matters of lesser moment wherein they differ from us why do not they keep their Opinions private and have their Faith unto themselves before God why do they upon so small Differences if the Differences be so small withdraw from Communion with us and the rest of the Churches and gather themselves into distinct and separate Churches n Vt supra p. 21. Had all that Profess the Gospel in England made Conscience to be of the same mind and the same Judgment with their Brethren and the rest of the Churches of Christ as far as possibly and where they cannot where there is a necessity of differing had they made Conscience to keep their Differences from appearing in Publick to have their private Opinions and Faith to themselves and not intangle the weak with their doubtful Disputations forbearing to judge or despise those that are not of their Opinion loving them still as Brethren not censuring them as Prophane Antichristian Fighters against God men that will wilfully shut their eyes against the Light had these things I say been attended to on all hands our Breaches had never been so great as now they are nor should the lovers of Truth and Peace have had so much cause to lament them But o Mr. Baxters Cure of Church divisions pag. 254. O the deceitfulness of the heart of man Little do many real Separists who cry out against the spirit of Persecution suspect that the same spirit is in them whence is Persecution but from thinking ill of others and abhorring them or not loving them And do not you do so by those whom you causelesly separate from p Mr. Newcomen ut supra p. 40. Who are they that brand their Brethren with the Title Proud Time-servers Prelatical Tyrannical Antichristian And what is this less then Persecution q Rom. 2. 1. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for in that thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things r Matth. 7. 3. 4. 5. And why beholdest thou the More that is in thy Brothers eye but considerest not the Beam that is in thine own eye Or how wilt thou say to thy Brother let me pull out the Mote out of thine eye and behold a Beam is in thine own eye Thou Hypocrite first cast out the Beam out of thine own eye and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the Moat out of thy Brothers eye I have a fair occasion could I allow my self the liberty of its improvement to return my Brethrens Argument upon their own heads by assuring them and I beseech God to give them grace to consider and bewaile it that the Persecution so much complained of lyes at their own Doors they being not innocent Sufferers but injurious Aggressors These I know are very harsh and unpleasing words but the Truth of them will appear when we shall have remembred that there are more sorts of Persecution then one of which St. ſ Lib. de Vnit Eccles contr Peril Epist cap. 17. Augustine thus informes Gravius persequitur filius Patrem male vivendo quam Pater filium castigando Et gravius ancilla Saram persecuta est per iniquam Superbiam quam eam Sara per debitam Disciplinam Et gravius Dominum persequebantur propter quos dictum est zelus domus tuae comedit me quam eos ipse cum eorum mensas evertit eos flagello de templo expulit There is you see Persecution of the Tongue and of an irregular Life as well as of the Hand and if my Brethren are not at present guilty of this latter whether through restraint or their own good nature I shall not determine I am sure the former is their constant Practice For to insist only upon that 't is even amazeing to mention what bitter Taunts rude Sarcasmes unmannerly Jeers fabulous Stories scandalous Reproaches are their daily exercise whereby they vex the Righteous Souls weaken the Hands discourage the Endeavours of their honest Orthodox Conforming Brethren Are not all Places all Companies all Occasions sufficient witnesses of this Truth Really 't is very sad and to be lamented with Tear That the great work of Religion the Preaching of the Gospell and the Salvation of Souls should be thus obstructed by these unfortunate practises But I hope no faithfull Son of the Church will be discourag'd at these Things or in the least neglect his Duty though all the World should be offended at him The Rule is fixt We must obey God rather them Man 'T is our Dear Lords case in whom there was no Sin neither was Guile found in his mouth and yet he was accus'd for a Wine bibber a Glutton and that he had a Devill t Math. 10. 24. c. The Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord. It is enough for the Disciple that he be as his Master and the Servant as his Lord if they have call'd the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his Houshold Fear them not therefore Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both Soul and Body in Hell I cannot now stay to expostulate with my Brethren otherwise I should tell them there is such a thing as Scandal and that Christ hath little ones the meanest of whom if they offend hinder from their Duty and stop them in their way to Heaven by speaking Evil of the Ways of God it were better a Milstone were hanged about their necks and they cast into the midst of the Sea But I shall only desire them to consider that of Saint James If any man among you seem to be Religious and u James 1. 26. bridleth not his Tongue but deceiveth his own heart this mans Religion is vain w Mr. Baxter ut supra p. 245. And yet how contrary is the practise of no small number of the Religious In all Companies how forward are they to talke of the sins of Princes and Parliaments of Courtiers of Nobility and Gentry especially of Ministers And not onely of the scandalous that are guilty indeed but of the Innocent that are not of their way whose faults they rather x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make than find I have done and must intreat the Readers Charity in pardoning those excesses of my Pen which whilst I was intent upon the matter may possibly have
fall'n from mee God he knows it and t is my comfort when the world condemnes mee I have no designe to exasperate any man but to reforme him If this do not satisfy for some men are very hard to please take this farther Apology in the words of that Reverend Person now mentiond whose Piety and Moderation I wish his Brethren would imitate y Mr. Baxter ut supra p. 251. 253. Woe to the Land and People that can multiply Sin and cannot Repent And woe to them that pretend Repentance and love to be flatter'd in their Sin and cannot endure to be admonish'd but take all the discoverys of their Sin to be injurious reproach Among the Prophane wee take this to bee a deadly sign of Impenitency And is it so bad in them and good in us It is part of my Office to cry with holy Bradford REPENT O ENGLAND and to say after Christ Except ye Repent ye shall all likewise Perish And can I call men to Repent when I must not dare to tell them of what nor to mention the Sin which is most to be repented of I use all this Preface because I know that Guilt and Impenitency are touchy and tender and galled and querulous and such will bestow the time in backbiting their Monitor which they should bestow in lamenting their sin But shall I therefore forbear and betray their Souls and betray the Land through cowardly Silence Must I shew that I hate Professours by not admonishing them Lev. 19. 17. when I must shew that I love the looser sort by my sharp reproofs Must I not fear them that can kill the Body and must I fear to displease a professed Christian calling him to repentance in a time of Judgements Read on now with these Memento's in your eye And if after so plain a Premonition you will venture to charge mee with that which I disclaime do it at your own perill I stand or fall to the Judgement of God and look for a better reward then the Hypocrites which is To have the good Opinion of men be they Professours of Piety or Profane And with me by Gods grace it shall hereafter be accounted a small Thing to the hindering of my Fidelity to Christ and mens souls to be judged of men 1 Cor. 4. 3. And if there should be any Pastors of the Churches who instead of concurring to heal the Flocks of these dividing Principles shall rather joyne with Backbiters and encourage them in their misreports and slanders because it tendeth to the supposed interest of their Party or themselves let them prepare to answer such unfaithfulness to their Consciences which will shortly be awakned and to the great Shepherd of the Flock who is at the door and who told even the Devills Agents that a House or Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand but is brought to nought Matt. 12. If alas alas experience hath not yet not yet not yet done enough to teach them this TOLERATION Disapprov'd and Condemn'd c. Humbly presented to the serious Consideration of all Dissenting Parties My Brethren THE Lord Jesus who knows all our Hearts and before whose great Tribunal both you and and I must one day appeare is my witness that the cheif designe of my present undertaking is the Peace and welfare of the Church the continuance of the Gospel and the eternal Salvation of pretious and immortal Souls I do therefore much hope though we are all naturally impatient of opposition that you will favourably receive and seriously consider these plaine yet well meaning lines which have no other patronage then the charity of the Author and the candor and piety of those persons to whom they are directed The solemnity of this Preface as it may raise your expectations so it may possibly invite your riosity to inquire who or what manner of person I am that have taken the confidence of so important an Address And though the knowledge of my name would signifie little I being not so considerable as that it should add any weight to my performance yet that I may in some sort gratify such obliging Readers as I hope to find you I shall farther acquaint you that though I am not a person very ambitious to be known yet upon occasion I shall either publickly own and vindicate or if duely convinc'd as publickly recant my present opinion and in short to secure you and Apologize for my selfe since concealed names are ever suspitious I do solemnly protest that I am no scoffer at Religion nor railer at true Piety that I love an honest religious good man that endeavours to save his soul and come to heaven under what profession soever I find him that I will pitty and according to my poor ability rectify but never make sport with his errours and mistakes and herein I doe readily subscribe to the learned L a Advertisements touching the Church of England in his Refuse â— 165. Verulam That to turne Religion into a Comedy or Satyr to search and rip up wounds with a laughing countenance to intermix Scripture scurrility sometimes in one sentence is a thing very far from the devout reverence of a christian and scant beseeming the honest regard of a sober man Two principal causes saith this honourable person have I ever known of Atheisme curious Controversies and prophane scoffing And no less do I admire what I hope you will grant I have endeavoured to transcribe that incomparable saying of the judicious b The Preface to hiâ— Eccl Pol Sect. 2. Hooker There will come a time when three words uttered with Charity and meekness shall receive a far more blessed Reward then three thousand volumns written with disdainful sharpness of Wit But if an irregular heat which I will yet endeavour to suppress should some little display it selfe it being very difficult to contend coldly and without Affection about things which we hold dear and pretious and certainly the Peace of the Church is eminently such if Passion and Interest should obtrude themselves under the notion of Zeale which God knows is no less common then fatal mistake in the management of our Controversies I do then humbly beg of you that you would seriously consider the following Words of the fore-cited good man that the manner of mens writings must not alienate our hearts from the Truth if it appear they have the Truth Having now as far as 't is judged convenient given you an account of the Author t' will in all likelihood be next demanded since this Subject hath been of late so fully and as some think unanswerably discust what convincing Reasons I have to trouble either my Brethren to read or my self to write so common and whilest proposalls are on foot so unwelcome a discourse Really my Brethren did I nor fear that such frequent protestations might seem too affected or that Conscience and Reality might be mistaken for humour and designe I would once more call the searcher of all Hearts to witness
adversaries which must be watched and suppressed for ye bear not the sword in vain ye are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Magistrates and Ministers have as ye see one common style of Office that ye in your place and we in our Function and Order should mind and promove the things of God ye by the Sword and we by the Word you are keepers of both Tables the first and great commandment as well as the second that is like unto it both come sometimes as occasion is under your cognizance a P. 51. And ye know what a brand sticks to this day upon Gallio though an Heathen Magistrate that he cared not for the matters of the Law and Worship according to the Law when question was brought no though there were insurrections and tumults upon that occasion and for Gamaliels counsell Refrain from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or this work be of men it will come to naught but if it be of God ye cannot overthrow it lest happly ye be found even to fight against God b If this be true the Auth of the Prop. for King and Kingdome shewed more zeale then knowledge when having mentioned the Counsell of Gamalielhe thus addes though it be found within the Bible yet it is not of like Authority with one of Solomons proverbs or maximes of Policy it hath no otherwise the approbation of God for good then the designe of Pharaoh or I wish to the Lord the great Ministers of our state woâ—ld be content to be no wiser men then Gamaliel P. 36. the crafty counsell of Achitophel which are also recorded in the scripture it will not consist with other rules of the word and hath been condemned as unsound and unsafe by many godly and wise men we have more sure words of scripture out of which we draw the doctrine of the Magistrates power and duty in the matters of God and Religion then the loose speech of such a Neutralist and time serving Politician as Gamaliel was Go on therefore I beseech you as you began take us the little foxes as well as the ravening wolves c p. 26. These be they who seperate themselves sensual not having the spirit They Boast indeed much of the spirit but they manifestly do the works of the flesh They plead for liberty but it is licentiousnesse Liberty of Conscience they term it but it is Liberty of practise that every man may do what is good and right in his own eyes They pretend to nothing but Piety and Godlinesse and seem as if they would be content if they might but have a bare subsistence in the profession of it So did the Jesuites to learning when they first appeared upon the Stage but when they had once insinuated themselves into the good Opinion of Princes and States how well they answered the expectations and required the kindnesse of those who nursed them up all the Christian world sees and feâ—ls to their cost at this day They aske But Connivence and Toleration but if they once meet in a confluence and find themselves strong enough to run in a streame let but a damme be Pitcht down to restraine or oppose their madnesse or men follow not on to indulge and gratiâ—y their humour it would soon appeare whether oâ—â—o they would rage swell get over or bear down afore them all that should stand in their way They did seem a while to cry up the Order of Parliaments and of the Civil Magistrate and have their persons in admiration but meeâ—ly for advantage that so they may get above all Ecclesiasticall Authority when they are once up to their height what they will do with the Ladder they hope to climbe and ascend by is not hard to conjecture They reckon themselves the VVheat in the field and when once they are ripe they will easily be content to have all that threshed of by which they received their growth Ye have heard of the fable of the Snake and the Countryman that brought it unto the fire I shall not need to apply it Already they begin to remove the old land markes and Straiten their bounds they deny their claime up to an high water marke and make their bankes and inclose for themselves to the very channel side But whether it be holden fit or seasonable that these Libertines be decried for my part I cannot yet discover by any activenesse to suppresse them onely seeing the evil and foreseeing the mischiefe I have given the warning that at least I may deliver mine own soule I pray God the remedy be not deferred till it be too late and ye be driven to play an after-game to an extreame hazard and disadvantage a Mr. Willam Good Serm before the Comm March 26. 1645. Loâ—d printed for C. Meredith 1645. P. 36. I doubt not but your Souls abhor that bloody Tenet to the soules of men That it is the duty of the Magistrate to Tolerate all Religions You have carried out the Dust behind the door and this Opinion will bring all the mire in the streets into the house of God againe Cambyses had a lust to marry his sister and his Counsellers told him there was no law whereby to do it But with all they told him there was a law that the Kings of Persia might do what they list and by this he might marry his Sister What is it that shall be unlawfull if this be lawfull for every man to make a Law and Religion for him selfe Put some stop by your Authority to the growth of Errours that are destructive to the power of Godlinesse and let not this suspend your sanction because some that broach them pretend to Godlinesse an enemy the more like he is to a freind the more dangerous a The third use of Confutation it is of the Remonstrants a Sure this Gentleman is mistaken I alwaies thought Remonstrants and Arminians had been the same Arminians Socinians who endeavour from my M. Thomas Thorowgood Serm before the Commons at a solemn fast Dec. 25. 1644 his Text Phil. 4. v. 5. Let your moderation be known unto all men Lond printed for Chr. Meredith 1645. p. 10 Text to get countenance for that Babylonish Errour the allowance of all opinions as if because the Apostle saith let your moderation be known unto all men therefore all mens conceits must bee born with in Religion and every one suffered in what he supposeth to be truth It is a cunning and cousening devise that strikes in with corrupt nature but because it offers violence to my Text I cannot be true to it or you if somewhat be not added by way of vindication and it shall be in these six particulars First is it probable that our Apostle who elswhere almost every where is so zealous for Vnity against Schismes should in any sort Tolerate them and so voluntarily open a wide doore for division in this very Epistle he writes
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