in Edw. 6. first reformation were at that time only commended as it were and all that while there was no matter of strife about them The sad and sorry contentions came in with those destructive imposings The Litourgie and Rites in the reformed Churches which they term their Agenda are not such bones of Contention any where as with us and this is the reason they have not been enforced under pain of deprivation for not conforming And in the present CASE what variety of Catechisms though a form setled by the State for almost an age were in use in the several Congregations throughout this Nation and yet in all that age neither by Pen or Pulpit the least noyse of contention about it which could not have been if that or any one form had so severely been imposed §. 10. The malignity and evil of such penal impositions and how prejudicial and binding when we would try the truth and reasonablenesse of mens assertions is demonstrated by our suffering Brethren in their Case with the Bishops thus A superstitious or some doubtful practice with the Magistrates establishment and consequences of it put together in one scale and what is evidently a necessary Scripture DVTY into the other and you you finde that in the common esteem and judgement of men this duty is of little weight or consideration in comparison 2. But on the other hand let these prejudices and carnal intrests be removed and nothing but truth and Scripture grounds on each side weighed one with another you will hardly find the weight of a feather for their Cause or against ours 3 Let the same impositions and penalties bee put into the other scale against Episcopacy and Ceremonies If the Law had said it shall be the losse of a mans Living to practice or preach for Episcopacy Common-Prayer-Book or Ceremonies these things even in their own opinions would have been light as vanity That you may have our Brethrens own words in this experiment There were presented certain Propositions to King James in Anno 1606. as their tenets and opinions against Episcopacy c. and for Presbytery and thereupon they thus write The former Propositions are such as there will not bee found any one conformable Minister in this Kingdome except he be a masked Papist that will refuse to subscribe to any one of them if so bee it would please the King and State by Law to urge them thereupon under such penalties as the Ministers are urged to subscribe to the Articles devised by the Prelats Yea we are out of all doubt that the Prelates themselves if it were pressed upon them by the King and State under paine of deprivation from their Bishopricks would not stick to avouch upon their oathes that the Ceremonies and subscription for which the Ministers stand suspended and deprived are wicked and ungodly and such as no good Christian ought to yeeld unto Nay if the case stood but upon the saving of their temporalties thereby which else they should lose wee doubt not but with heart and hand to subscribe to any one of the aforesaid Propositions The conjecture or ghesse our Brethren made of the Episcopal party wee have found very true having been so happy as to see some comfortable changes and the trials of their spirits in them For when the authority and countenance of our superiours came to bee set as much against these superstitions as it was formerly for them how easily were they laid down by those that were most zealous for them before And we find very few truly conscientious if any silenced rather than not to use the Ceremonies whereas formerly of those that were against the use of them near three hundred eminently godly were deprived in the space of a year All which declares in effect that the Ceremonies and these forms are not of any such necessity or real worth in themselves It is that to which they are raised by the Magistrates authority and settlement that hath rendered them the matter of such contention the imposers themselves doe in a manner say so The keeping or omitting of a Ceremony in it self considered Preface to Com. Pr. Book is but a SMALL THING yet the transgression of a Common Order is no small offence before God There is nothing in the Service and Worship of God offensive to him but the omission of some DVTY or the transgression of some Commandement about it And therefore when such small things as are neither of these come to be thus greatned and more offences against God in his service by reason of Human impositions then God himself hath made and the faithful Labourers of Christ turned out of his Vineyard for such offences only this is the Gravamen And against this thraldome and bondage our Brethren the Servants of God in the former age did humbly contend in their generation that is to have no more nor other things imposed or received as necessary and duties in the service of God but what hee in his Word hath made so And this is the great felicity and happinesse through their prayers and sufferings the Lord by the present reformation hath restored unto us And we have been possessed now some years with the sweet fruition of that liberty those our Brethren saw only afarre of rejoycing in the hopes of it and so fell asleep in the Lord. I say to suffer our selves again to bee brought into bondage and not to stirre and doe our duty and what belongs to each in our places for the preventing hereof is to degenerate in respect of the courage our Fathers had for the Lord in their times Had they prevailed for themselves by their contests with the Episcopal party and enjoyed ten or twelve years freedom as grear or greater than was hoped for and tasted the sweetnesse of it in the purity of Ordinances for such a time would they have been the more or lesse patient in being brought again to their former thraldome Can any reasonable man imagine then that the returning of like impositions in as great severity again as ever formerly and for the like matters will not occasion greater contentions and differences Schisms and distractions amongst the people of God than ever was heretofore especially when besides Scripture-light that laies it upon our Consciences thus to contend Jude 3. Gal. 5.1 and stand fast in our liberty wee have had also the experience which our Fathers never had that such humble yet zealous contendings and strivings for truth and purity of Ordinances hath been blessed and made successeful There have not been any reformed Churches in the world more oppressed in this kind or any that have prayed and sought God more in their sufferings no people that have obtained of the Lord a more full deliverance and greater Gospel liberty than the godly people of England this day enjoy abroad formerly but at home also now Can it bee imagined that a people after an age of praying and sufferings after part of an age
sort of his Congregation §. 8. The truth is this silencing and depriving of Ministers for matters of Discipline or Worship upon account of their opinions or practices if it be in a matter disputable and not apparently necessary and these Ministers persons of Learning and Piety persons for Life and Doctrine in other things unblameable it is and alwaies hath been so heavie a load upon the mindes and spirits of Gods people as will never bee borne by them without sad complaints to God and man both for their Ministers sake and in their own behalf and losse With what difficulty and disturbance doe people bear the ejecting of the worst of Ministers Is it not with many Parishes as with Micha in his complaint and out-cry to the people of Dan his Idols and Idolatrous Priests being taken away Alas saith he I am undone what have I more Judg. 18 But to have such Teachers removed into corners who formerly our eyes have beheld with comfort and their very feet have been beautiful such as from the feelings and manifold refreshings of our souls wee cannot but honour and have in great estimation for their works sake To have such Lights put under a Bushel must needs leave a sad and dark house §. 9. The Apostle speaking of the Ministry and Ministerial duties made this demand 2 Cor. 2.16 Who is sufficient for these things The scarcity and fewnesse of such who are able and conscientious in this work is unknown to no man But in time of reformation and when such as are found totally unfit are ejected the want of able persons to supply in their places is much greater and more felt by the people What low and poor work was Clergie work in former times the ability to read a piece of Latine being a sufficient qualification for it and yet then that work was so much prized by the State that a crime deserving death shall be pardoned rather than a person that could but legere ut clericus should be taken from the work The highest qualifications and such as are according to the Word are now required and if persons that are accordingly worthy shall bee ejected for a scruple in Conscience and not pardoned in what is but Circumstantial to the work it cannot bee judged wee are equal in zeal though wee have more light for the Ministry with those of darker times CHAP. VII Of the prejudice to the Ministry and evil consequences of such an Imposition §. 1. The former branch p. 101. THe second branch of this Argument is that such an imposition hath had evil consequences in former ages and likely so to bee followed still whereof this is one Such great and breaking penalties render the Calling of the Ministry lesse desirable Thus our Brethren formerly complained The fear of such RUINING penalties make many convert their studies to Physick Law or some other profession Trial of Sub. p. 19. So the Advertiser How many worthy men saith hee are discouraged from the Ministry How many have no use of their gifts How many are turned Lawyers and Physicians Advert p. 13. or at least are such that otherwise would have been Ministers Mr. Parker out of Hyperius notes two impediments that hinder from the Ministry whereof this is one A too ridgid exaction of certain traditions and the observation of unprofitable Ceremonies to which men are tied that are set over Charges He further tells us being sensible how great an evil it is to discourage from the Ministry out of the Tripart History Valentinian rejoyced when he heard that Ambrose was made a Minister whom he before had made a Pretor and praised God for it On the other side what losse saith he is there even in one able Preacher turned to some other course of life and how irrecoverable O take up a lamentation yee that love Sion over the MANY that are gone over some to Gallen some to Justinian some to Littleton whom wee might long since have seen in Moses Chair had not the subscription like the blade of a fiery Cherubin kept them out Of the Crosse cap. 4. §. 8. §. 2. The Lord himself judgeth Ministers such as labour in the Word and Doctrin to be worthy not only of Hire 1 Tim 5.17 18. but in such a proportion as is Honourable and something sutable to House-keepers that are able to keep Hospitality 1 Tim. 3.2 A man cannot bee Hospitious if hee have not more means house-room Servants and a more plentiful Table than will barely suffice for himself and Family Those that serve their Country with their Lives 2 Cor. 9.7 such as goe a Warfare have rewards and a pay that is plentiful and honourable And times have been that even this Calling of a Minister in respect of the means annexed hath tempted men to covet it 2 Pet. 5.2 for filthy lucre It is utterly otherwise now not but that there is a very liberal maintenance appertaining to Ministers and greater by the bounty of the Honourable Parliament than the preaching Ministry have formerly enjoyed But the discouragement lyeth in this then slender and UNCERTAIN TENVRE It is supposed in the Law that every Parson and Vicar hath the interest of a Free-holder but it proves no other than a dum bene se gesserit and the Rules and Law of his deportment is so mutable upon all occasions and made up of such small and circumstantial concernments in respect to his high and honourable Calling that his tenure proves to him little better than a holding at will and that upon this account because seldome any Lawes or Rules are given in this kind with a lesse penalty if any than silencing deposing ejection from his livelihood and the like It is not so in any other Profession or Calling whatsoever in so much as we are in the eyes of most a generation separated to servitude and vassalage and under great contempt and by nothing more than by the great and peculiar mulcts and punishments upon all occasions inflicted upon us Whereas of all callings the hazard of this is such as it deserves the greatest incouragement Confer at H. p. 53. For §. 3. 1 In the breeding up a childe towards the Ministry Besides the chargeable education for some years and painful industry for the obtaining a competency of Learning there is over and above and that which is a hazard to this Calling an expectation what the person will prove to bee for his Piety and Morals also of which we are and may bee long uncertain and doubtful It is true in former times before this blessed and happy reformation the door was so wide into Christs Sheep-fold the qualifications according to the then legal establishment were so loose and uncertain that the very Bishops themselves complained The Bishop of Winchester in the conference at Hampton Court thus informes King James The insufficiency of the Clergy saith he comes not by the Bishops fault but partly by Lay Patrons who present
5.1 Col. 2.20 21. 1 Cor. 7.23 and the like §. 1. For further explication of this argument The reverend Divines of the Assembly in their Preface to the Directory for worship express themselves thus Our care hath been to hold forth 1. Such things as are of Divine institution in every Ordinance 2. And other things wee have endeavoured to set forth according to the rules of Christian Prudence agreeable to the generall rules of the Word of God To these two heads therefore in their opinion the substance of what Church Governours have either to injoyne or commend in the Worship of God may bee reduced For the former It will I suppose bee granted as wee have already endeavoured to prove the particular Catechisme or any one forme for method and words is not of an express institution for if it were it ought to be the same in all Churches and Ages For the second it is of such things or circumstances of Worship as are not absolutely necessary but compared with what is expresly instituted indifferent only This I suppose to be Mr. B. meaning in what hee speaks of set Formes of Prayer It is granted saith he Mr. Ball of Separation p. 4 that no set forme of Prayer or Liturgy it simply necessary either in publick or private for then our Saviour Christ would by his Apostles have expresly set downe such a one for an exact rule to all Christians and Churches And the like may wee say in the words of Reverend Mr. Cotton Answer to Mr. B. p. 3 of set formes of Catechising To devise and prescribe saith hee a set Forme of words wherein all the questions and answers shall run and no other wee know no warrant for that from Scripture If God would have his people limited to a set forms of words in Catechising he would himself have prescribed some set forme of his owne inspiration which might be defective in no Principles nor incommodious in any expression This Catechisme then or any the like are of no other consideration as a Catechisme or peculiar forme or method of instructing but as such things which are of an indifferent nature according to the vulgar use of the word and left to Prudence and the general rules of Scripture for particular determination in practice Now as Church Governours ought not by a Law to institute or make sacred what the Lord hath not consecrated by some word of institution so where the Lord hath left any matters common or indifferent in Worship wee must not impose them as necessary for as the former is against Christian Piety so is this against Christian Liberty Two particulars here will need further explaining 1. What is meant by things indifferent 2. What by Christian Liberty §. 2. A thing indifferent is either absolutely so and such a thing which ratione objecti nihil includit rectae rationi conforme aut difforme that is it is neither good nor evil for the Moral goodness of Humane action stands in its conformity to right reason and the Word of God Comparativelie indifferent may bee explained thus all deliberate actions are to an end what is most conformable or conducing in right reason and the minde of God to such an end is best but where many things are found equally useful for such a purpose so that no more reason for the one than for the other though each of these hee necessary in respect to the end yet neither of them necessary but each indifferent in comparison or respect one to another Againe we further distinguish Humane Actions are considerable either In actu signato quoad speciem or in actu exercito quoad individuum An Action hath its efsence or kind from the object and end but when it comes to exist and in being Nulla est individua actio Humanâ— quae est indifferens sed propter circumstantias necesserio vel bona vel mala si Thomae omnibus Thomastis credimus credendum est omnino Morton Apol. p. 1. lib. 1. cap 47. there are other Circumstances that are inseparable as time place person c. wee may conceive or think of an action in our minde in the bare specifical nature of it without any of these but wee cannot doe or practise but such Circumstances being necessary to all Humane Actions must be taken in likewise which Circumstances doe not only change the nature of the action by its becoming Morally good or evil which before was indifferent hence the School-men assert there is no individual action or action existing indifferent but some one of these Circumstances proves effectual many times Humani actu non folum ex objecto veâ—um ex circumstantiis boni vel male esse dicantur Aq. p. 2. 918. ar 3. to change that which was good in the general consideration into evil by reason of such and such Circumstances In the Worship and Service of God those Circumstances that are not expresly instituted but in their general nature the same as the other Humane actions we term indifferent but when wee come to practise if the holy Service become less decent orderly or less to edification by reason of such Circumstances though these Circumstances are indifferent in their general nature yet as applied to such services and actions they cease to bee indifferent in their use and become evil and the service it self becomes evil by reason thereof To Preach Pray to give Sacraments these are holy duties yet such may bee the Circumstances of time place when and where occasions or persons to whom as these services become evil and to be refused if imposed as to be at our private Devotion in the Publick Assemblie * As it is the manner of him that preacheth in Scotland so soon as in the Pulpit Master Marshall when in Scotland refused this practice being intreated to conforme to them and Master G. droven out of Edenburgh and another place afterwards for scrupling this conformity in the corner of the streets Mat. 6.5 To give Sacraments in private Houses at the Bed-sides of sick Persons to such as are notoriously scandalous to read Service or Preach at Funeralls this also hath been esteemed evil from the Circumstance * Burial Sermons are put in the place of Trentals whereout spring many abuses and therefore in the best reformed Churches are removed Admon p. â—3 It was never recorded or found in the New Testament or the Old that God either appointed or there was used any Service for or at and in the Burial of the dead it is no part of the Ministers work it belongeth to him no more than to another who played the Priest when Abraham buried his Wife and Jacob his and Stephen c. who preached at any of these Burials A reproof of the view par 2. S. 4. Many both godly and learned considering the original of Funeral Sermons from whence they came and the end for which for the most part they are now observed the honour of the
receive as it was termed once a year at the least Now without such an expresse and precise form of words in this administration as are pleadable in a Court of Justice recusancy could not legally bee thence adjudged For if such forms had not been thus strictly held to by little alterations backward possibly no more than what was done in that Book sent to Scotland towards the Masse-book out of which they were taken the Service and Sacraments might have been so superstitiously administred as a Papist would not scruple to be present at them §. 5. There is no such State necessity for this forme Neither is there such disability in Ministers now to Catechise as there was then to pray and preach from their own gifts these being performances requiring greater ability and learning For certainly thus to ask questions by the Book and receive answers by the Book requires no great gifts or study Parents Masters of Families and those of lowest parts or learning may sufficiently perform it Mr. Baxter his advice yea Master Baxter and so doe others grant persons not set apart to any Office in the Ministry may thus Catechise and instruct Worstersh Asso not only their own Families but the whole Parish Such are the abilities of Ministers generally we blesse the Lord for it as they stand in as little need of books to Catechise and instruct youth by as books to say prayers by or to preach by And it being so it is a very sad consideration that having through mercy persons qualified and approved for Ministerial gifts and graces Such must now in an age of light and experience be silenced and put from the imployment to which Christ hath called them for not submitting to a Form or Circumstance which is neither peculiar or of absolute necessity to ministerial work or service §. 6. The younger sort of a Parish may bee instructed according to Scripture direction in the Fundamentals of Religion for so are the elder and many of them as ignorant though not in such a method of Catechising as is injoyned This strict method may bee practised as it hath been for many years and yet no one particular Catechisme enjoyned The crime lieth in the omission only of a form or rather circumstance of such a form to instruct in such a method is but a form but an arbitrary form some other method may bee as good this or that particular Catechisme is but a circumstance of such a form the punishment is as great as for omission or negligence in the great and essential duties of the Ministry This is not equal the Canonists say Penor Cic. de off Poena non debet excedere delictum And a Heathen Cavendum est ne poena major sit quam culpa Mag. Cha. cap. 14. The old Law of Magna Charta was this Ex quantitate poena cognoscitur quantitas delicti quia paena debet esse commensurabilis delicto and our suffering Brethren pleaded it against the unreasonablenesse of the penalties imposed upon them for omissions in Forms and Ceremonies pretending they did it with contempt to Authority which is the greatest aggravation of an omission No Free-holder for contempt of the Kings Commandement may bee punished with the losse of his Free-hold when the great Charter of England telleth us that a Free-man shall not bee amerced for a small fault but after the quantity of the fault and for a great fault after the manner thereof saving unto him his Conteniment and Free-hold If then unto every Free-man punishable by the law though his fault bee great his Conteniment or Free-hold ought to be reserved it seemeth much more reasonably to follow that no Church-man being a free-man may so be punished c. Certain considerations printed anno 1605. p. 43. where the justification of a more severe proceedings against Church-men than other Free-holders because these hold virtute officii only is also debated and concluded that if the crime of which hee is guilty bee not inconsistent with his office hee ought to enjoy the same priviledge granted to other Free-holders by Magna Charta So that if the not observing a Ceremony or form or the not owning Episcopacy If the not instructing in such an order or by such a particular book enjoyned or not coming up to such forms of Discipline as are established Be not a defect which is in it self destructive to the Office of a Minister according to our Brethrens opinion such ought not to bee put out of their Livings under any such pretence §. 7. Silencing and putting Ministers from their places for such matters was argued formerly by those holy men to be an unjust and unequal kind of punishment from another consideration also namely that such punishing of Ministers is a greater punishment upon the people Such stopping of the mouthes of painful and profitable preachers is no lesse punishment to the Church it self than to the Preachers Prov. 29.18 yea farre much the greater for where there is no vision the people perish Trial of Sub. p. 18. So in the Petition of the House of Commons to King James Anno 1610. Ministers being removed from their Ecclesiastical Livings for not conforming in some points it is a great grief to your Majesties Subjects seeing the whole people that want instruction are by this means punished and through ignorance lye open to the seducements of Popish and ill-affected persons Congregations saith one in this miserable condition Advertisements to the Parliament in Anno 23. p. 11. and every member of them may say to you most Honourable high Court of Parliament as Job said to his friends Job 19.21 Have pitty upon us oh yee our Honourable and Christian Friends for the hand of God hath touched us in suffering our Ministers to bee taken from us our souls are starved by keeping back our Spiritual food Job 30.18 Wee goe mourning without the Sun for these things we weep our eyes run down with water because the Comforters that should refresh our souls are farre from us Lam. 1.16 Punishments of this nature light most heavie upon the most innocent The people who are most concerned and for whose supposed good this punishment is inflicted upon their Minister but proves indeed a greater evil to them than the evil it self for which hee is punished For he may bee a person well accomplished able and willing to instruct the whole Parish Old and Young To feed with milk and strong meat and yet upon the reasons before mentioned scruple the submission to such a particular method or help where it is needlesse Arguments ch 2. 5. or some other in his Conscience more useful and suitable to his charge Let the person bee of ever so much worth and beloved of his people he and his Ministry is wholly taken away from them Old and Young for a defect if it were so in a part or circumstance in his duty and in respect only to a part the younger
known but doubtfully assented to Truths nourish love no further than mutually beleeved and agreed in hence ignorance weaknesse in judgement dubiousnesse and the like or what keeps us from a clear and full cloze with truth are very prejudicial to love and intirenesse amongst brethren Truths also are either about what is of necessity and a Christians duty or what is indifferent and a Christians liberty Where these are not held distinct and weight laid upon them accordingly but matters of duty in a liberty or indifferency or things left to our liberty held to and required in our practice as necessary Herein so farre as wee divide from truth in our apprehensions in like proportion we are disposed to divide one from another in our affections Ignorance Error mis-apprehensions alienation in affections these and the like dispose us to Schisme and Divisions Aquinas 2◠2◠q. 39. yet Schisme is a sin distinct from each Wee must propria sponte intentione separare ab unitate quam CHARITAS facit before we become Schismaticks Knowingly and purposely to take up or impose that for duty which is not so or to make such things indifferent that are necessary To bee wilfully ignorant or through sluggishnesse and indisposednesse to search to take upon trust with a party and thereupon endeavour a wilfull separation and dividing from our brethren this whatsoever other thing besides it may justly bee termed Schisme And it is then most visibly and properly schism when it is a dividing where a more visible and professed union as in or from Churches as Sedition is most apparently such when it is a faction in a formed Common-wealth §. 3. These and the like Roots of Schisme lye many times secret and under ground our darknesse as well as our light may be under a bushel our infirmities and mis-apprehensions yea want of Love it self is sometimes covered with love so that differences break not forth to an open contest and professed disowning either of opinion practices of persons But when the matter of such differences falleth under an IMPOSITION Governours thinking to bring all into unity by an enforced uniformity These differences then that before were private or in a lesse compasse are scattered as it were and carried forth by the hand of these Lawes and injunctions become more publick and professed Yea what before was of infirmity and weaknesse grows up apace to wilfulnesse and stifnesse at least so judged by one of the other in the opinion of each party respectively In matters that are indifferent and granted to be so by the imposers or if necessary yet when not evidently so but doubtful and disputable let it be in Worship or Discipline there is no severity of the Civil Magistrate or Censure of the Church can reduce all no not all that are holy sober and judicious into an uniformity The experience of many years and the extremities and sufferings upon this account of many precious learned men doe sufficiently confirm it And if by such severity unity and uniformity bee not obtained divisions distractions and differences will from thence arise and grow more open and fixed by reason of such impositions And this cometh to passe many ways §. 4. ¶ I SUch matters though in themselves indifferent and arbitrary or if otherwise yet if not clearly but doubtfully so by an imposition of this nature are evidently held forth and as it were asserted to bee both clear and necessary and this hath ever been a foundation of great breaches 1 Necessary and a duty For what is imposed by wise and righteous Governours with such enforcements as if it bee not submitted unto the most necessary duties of the Ministerial Function as Preaching Sacraments c. Abridg. pag. 38. must bee omitted at least by the most tender and conscientious Ministers throughout the Nation it was so argued in the Case of Ceremonies questionlesse whatsoever shall bee so imposed Bradsh 12. Arg. arg 1 interprets it self thereby to be equally necessary with some or all these Ministerial duties And in my submission and practice in respect to such imposition I own them to be of the same necessity and there is no means to give testimony to the contrary and to what I judge the truth but by Non-Conformity and submitting rather to the penalty For where there is an opinion of necessity say our Brethren known to bee annexed unto that which in my Conscience is not so it is a part of that Confession which every Christian is bound to make of his Religion Abridgement pa. 38. to reject them and this reason for it is given by them The yeelding obedience in using such Forms or Ceremonies or what is of an indifferent nature in it self wherein others place holinesse or necessity is an occasion of confirming and hardning such Governours or others in their errours Again 2 Such a penalty as silencing or ejection implies these commands to have very clear evidence and undoubted warrant from the Scriptures at least in the opinion of the Governours that inflict it otherwise it were great injustice to require submission upon such terms He that cannot clearly know his Masters will should not be chastised with such stripes If we refuse to submit though it be out of tendernesse and fear to offend the Lord being doubtful yet such commands speaking these things not only necessary but evidently so Wee shall suffer under the reproches as our Brethren formerly did of persons that were proud Powel in his Consider wilful obstinate disobedient to Government disturbers of the Church Schismaticks and the like §. 5 Our differences being thus heightned by impositions and becoming greater by prejudice misinterpretation upon that account than what indeed they are in themselves The persons engaged are accordingly judged of and Censured and a distance kept as if they were guilty of wilful disobedience or neglect in some great and necessary matters of the Worship and Service of God and accordingly we hold off from one another and abate in affections When the foundation is removed when TRUTH hath changed its station LOVE that is built upon it must needs vary if not vanish quite away And that party which soever it is that from any consideration interprets up those lesser matters to such an odious height will bee judged by the other to be the first that declines in affection and that is the beginning of all breaches and schisms The load of that reproach was laid by the Episcopal Party on the Ministers that left their Charges who in Conscience were not able to conform Offer of Conf. p. 5 But with a great deal more reason our Brethren that suffered charged the Schisms and disturbances in the Church upon Episcopal severity and rigour of their power in keeping on and heightning penal impositions upon Ministers and taking advantage thereby to suspend some and weary others out of their places And if then such a decession of Ministers from their Churches were a Schisme the