flourishing of your way but not as that which is necessary to your way now in a busines which is but of conveniency not of necessity according to your principles though you had a liberty priviledge to enjoy it yet where so muchscandal may come of your liberty and it cannot be avoyded for though one of the more sober and conscientious Ministers and people could use it better yet most would abuse it as the rigid Brownists Anabaptists and many weake Christians you should not use it but forbeare so the Apostle teaches us 1 Cor. 8. v. 9. So Gal. 5. v. 13. 14. 15. Now a scandall is some word or action giving an occasion of ruine to a weake brother which practice of yours would certainely doe now to the avoiding the scandall of the weake All those things are to be done or omitted which may be done or omitted without sinne as Amesius grants lib. 5. de Cons. cap. 11. So Gerson speakes part 2. Reg. moral A man is bound to desist from every act to which be is not necessarily tyed where upon good grounds the scandall of the weake is feared Now the setting up of separated Assemblies in this Church may be omitted without sinne neither are ye necessarily tyed to it as will appeare by this sixth Answer Besides considering all the former answers wherein you see what you may enjoy in this Kingdome in liberty of Ordinances and Consciences you are not tyed for some matter of convenience which you might enjoy in another Kingdome to withdraw from this Church and to leave your owne Country for your satisfaction in which point I had rather Doctor Amesius should speake then I to whom I referre you who in his cases of Conscience about this point saith thus A man may keepe Communion with a Church wherein wicked men are suffered and good men depressed and that upon severall reasons amongst others upon this ground Because from such a Church to a purer there is oft times no removing without great dammages and hinderance which ought to be avoyded alwayes as much as may be without sinne yea such dammages and losses doe sometimes cause that an affirmative precept ceases to bind A man may joyne himselfe and live in such a Church in which many defects are necessarily to be tolerated yea and joyne to that Church where the power of removing scandalls and casting out wicked men is taken away if he cannot without great prejudice and hurt goe to a freer Church and men sinne not either in joyning to such a Church or continuing in it But yet further he grants a man may be a member of such a Church in which some things instituted by Christ are wanting and where some things appointed by men are introduced So that I beseech you Brethren lay all these six answers together and consider sadly whether God requires of you unlesse you may have a Toleration to leave the Kingdome to run many hazards and dangers for Churches after your way when as you may enjoy so much at home without a Toleration of exempt Assemblies as I have opened in these six answers Seventhly If notwithstanding all that is said to you you will not be satisfied without setting up Churches against the Church it were better for you to leave the Kingdome and to returne backe to your charges and families into Holland and others of your minde who cannot be satisfied to leave the Land and to goe to New England or else where rather then by erecting of Churches by Toleration or without it to disturbe the good and peace of three Kingdomes and this will be no great harme to many of you for you may easily returne being able to live and subsist there comfortably as you say your selves and for my owne part were I of your way so farre as I know my owne heart I had rather goe to the uttermost parts of the Earth though to live in a hard and meane condition than to disturbe the peace or good of three Kingdomes as you would doe by a Toleration Looke what is commonly said praestat ut pereat unus quam unit as It is better that one perish than unity so I say it is farre better a few Ministers and people wanted some outward accommodations of their owne Countrey than that the good of the whole should be so in danger neither is there any cruelty or persecution in it as they will be apt to phrase it for if the purity of Doctrine holinesse of life peace of the Church cannot be preserved by such a Toleration as I have in part shewed and can make it plaine then it ought not to be and I will speake for my selfe and in the behalfe of hundreds of my Brethren painefull in the Ministery who have borne the brunt of the times that we professe we will submit to the reformation and government established by Law which we doubt not but will be very blessed and glorious but however things should fall out we would either patiently tolerate what is not in our spheare to reforme or quietly sit downe in the Kingdome or else with leave betake our selves to some other Countryes being fully resolved in our Consciences that circumstances in and about externall formes of Government in matter of order can never be sufficient grounds to us to set up Churches against a Church where true Churches are and so to prove meanes of eternall divisions and heart-burnings between Ministers and people Reason IIII. I But if these Ministers and some such Churches be not tolerated they are afraid that in time they shall draw most of the good people out of the Land after them First Answer I heare one of them say so but I suppose they rather hope then feare it and this plainely shewes they have a good conceit of themselves and of their owne way Secondly For their feare we feare too but not as they doe but this that if they have a toleration they may draw away many good people especially if the ceremonies and the Liturgy stand in full force and their Churches tolerated they will make brave worke in a short time though I am confident God will preserve many judicious advised Christians from their way notwithstanding but let there be no Toleration granted and they once well shipt and a reformation amongst us in government and Ministers that feare is over with me we feare it not that many will follow them for when that which first bred these men the violent pressing of ceremonies the casting out of good Ministers the many notorious persons suffered in the Church without all censure shall be removed many will not be bred and others will be satisfied and I doubt it not but that the godly and painefull Ministers of the Church of England may and will both out-Preach them and out-live them and may be compared with them for all excellencies and abilities for my part I shall speake as I finde I knew many of them long before they fell to this
way and know them since and have not seene any of them better or more profitable in life and Ministry for their charge onely this I am sure of for some of them whereas whilst of the Church of England they Preacht often now seldome they goe looser in their apparell and haire they take lesse care for the publicke in things that concerne the glory of God and Salvation of mens soules their principles spirits grow very narrow like their Churches they grow more strange reserved subtile in a word they minde little else but the propagation of their Independant way as The Protestation Protested witnesseth abundantly and I shall speake my Conscience from the experience I have had of many of them having studyed and observed them and their writings and never saw nor heard of any men who fell fully to that way that ever had so large a spirit for good afterwards to take that care of propagating the Gospell and preaching the Word to men without I never knew any man that ever God honoured so much after he fell to those principles as before though the same persons before have beene active for God doing famously and worthily yet when they fall to this way they either blemish themselves or doe little and the truth is those principles of separation be such as God did never honour much the men who held them looke what is sayd by them of Episcopacie that the very calling of it hath such a malignity in it that it hurts the best men that are placed in those chaires that I may say truely of this way there is a malignity cleaves to it hurting the men that fall to it by altering their spirits and contracting their hearts though many of them continue good in the maine Reason V. THis is no other but envie in the Ministers that makes them against a toleration because they feare their people will desert them and come to us being so pure in Ordinances and Churches and thus The Protestation Protested speakes and t is frequently in some of their mouths Answ. 1. It is not out of envy to their ministers and Christians for first I hold their practise sinfull and unwarrantable to separate from our Churches and to erect such Congregations and therefore I speake against it and that by the helpe of God I shall make good in a following discourse 2. It cannot be counted envie in Ministers to be unwilling to have their flockes and people fall from them is it envie in a father to be unwilling to have his children stollen from him and tempted away by strangers I aske such of you who be fathers if you would be willing to have your Children forsake you and that with renouncing the womb that bare them the paps that gave them sucke throwing dirt into the face of Father and Mother Now this is the case for Ministers to have their spirituall children whom they have begotten to God who are their comfort and the fruite of all their Labours to fall from them and to despite them afterwards cannot be pleasing neither ought it looke what the Jewes gave out falsely concerning the naturall body of Christ that his Disciples came by night and stole it away that may be sayd truely of his Mysticall body Beleevers you by your tolerations would have your Disciples come by night and steale them away and therefore we ought not to sleepe but to watch against you Answ. 3. I envie you not but pity and love you and would not have you have such a sword as a Toleration put into your hands though some amongst you perhaps might use it better to hurt your selves with and to have such an occasion to run upon the rocke of Schisme and to goe out of the way dayly turning into errours on the right hand Answ. 4. This Author would intimate and make the world beleeve as if only the honest soules were with them and would be for their way but as for them who be against their way and toleration they are not such honest soules but let them know honest soules are not onely with them for in the Church of England there ever have beene and are as honest ministers and people that have rejected your way as ever any that fell to it nay the greatest Non-conformists and most able in that way have writ the most against you and laboured upon all occasions to preserve people from falling to you as Mr Cartwright Mr Brightman Mr Parker Mr Hildersham Dr Ames Mr Bradshawe Mr Ball Mr Dod Mr Baines with many others Reason VI I But they be good men and men of great gifts and therefore they should bee tolerated to have such Churches t is pity they should leave the land and we lose their prayers Answ. 1. The better men they be and the more able the worse to set up separated Churches for they will the more endanger the peace of the Kingdome and make the Schismes greater 2. For their prayers we may have the benefit of them as well when they are absent as present and some of them have sayd they pray'd more for England when out of it than when in it 3. They left the Kingdome when it was in greatest danger and in most neede of helpe and provided for themselves to keepe in a whole skin and without them we stood here in the gap and prevailed with God and rather than to buy their company at such a rate as a Toleration it is better to want it as I shewed before and I question not but the Kingdome will doe well enough though they returne and the better unlesse they cease sowing of their principles 4. For this objection of being good men I shall answere it at large in another Tractate wherein I shall minde men of many dangers that may arise to them from good and eminent men and fully shew what little strength there is in that Reason clearing also many things in reference to that Objection Quest I but may not conscientious men who agree with us in the maine in points of Doctrine and Practise be tolerated and spared in some things wherein they differ from what is commonly received Answ. Yes I doe in my judgement much allow of bearing and forbearing one another in many differences of opinions and practises so as Christians ought not to judge nor censure one another nor refuse communion and fellowship by not admitting men into their Churches and to the Ordinances upon such points which is the great fault of the Independant Churches denying communion to many Saints for some differences in Judgement about Church government and Orders which practise of theirs is expresse against the 15. Rom. 7. neither to force men to change their mindes and opinions by casting them violently out of the ministry and Church which was the practise of many in these late times and hath caused so many Schismes and stirres amongst us I approve not such practises but desire to be a follower and lover of all
and they in one bed shall be so divided as that they shall not be of one Church nor worship God together in Word Sacraments Prayer but apart O how will this overthrow all peace and quiet in families filling husbands and wives with discontents and setting at variance Fathers and children each against other weakning that fervent love in those relations O how will this occasion disobedience contempt neglects of Governours from the inferiors of the family whilst the Governours be looked upon by them as not in a true Church O how will this toleration take away for every Saint must bee free to joyne himselfe voluntarily to what congregation he please that power authority which God hath given the husbands fathers and masters overwives children servants whilst that they shall joyne against their wills to such Churches and be stollen from them against their pleasure neiâ—her can the Governours be able to judge of their proâ—â— in the Word nor be certaine they sanctifie the Lords day according as God hath layd the charge upon them in the fourth Commandement when as the children and servants are of other Churches so that by these and many other things which will be found in experience this toleration will pervert disturbe that Order of Gods owne appointing namely the relations duties and workes of families which were there nothing else to be sayd against it this were enough God certainely appointing no such Church wayâ—â—s is crosse to the good and peace of families one orcer of God certainely not destroying another Now how strong this Reason is against this toleration I submit to the Judgement of that Court which hath the Legislative power they knowing well that both Churches and Common-wealths are made of families all issuing out from thence they being the Seminaries and Nurseries for both and if there be a ground-worke layd for disturbances divisions and disorders there what can be firme peaceable or sure Reason IIII. THere will be great danger of continuall Divisions distractions disputes amongst us not onely from the different forme of government and worship in their Churches and ours but from other Doctrines and practises held by some of them for the present as for instance that Saints when they dye goe not to heaven where Christ is but they goe to a third place the sitting with their Hats on at the receiving of the Lords Supper c. and others that will be dayly broached and then their Churches being Independant and not under the government of any out of themselves they will goe on without being hindred and whereas we have now too many new and strange doctrines we shall have nothing but errours and novelties broached and so greater contentions and breaches amongst us Reason V. THe most eminent Ministers in this Kingdome for parts grace and Labours can have little assurance of the continuance of their flockes to them if such a toleration be granted for they will draw away their people and admit them into their Churches and even gather and encrease their Churches out of the labours of the best Ministers the Ministers shall doe little else but spend and be spent for to fit men for them when Ministers have travelled in birth of children and should have comfort and joy in them then they will be stollen away This toleration upon any discontent taken or any light occasion of demanding dues or preaching against any thing they like not opens a wide dore and will invite them to desert their Ministers and what a sadding of the heart and discouragement in the worke of the Lord this must be to the Ministers of the Kingdome let all judge Reason VI A Toleration of Churches to bee erected as Independant to enjoy liberty and exemption from the estabilshed will be undoubtedly a meanes and way of their infinite multiplication and encrease even to increase them 30. fold so that if the Parliament could like to have more of the breede and have a delight to have multitudes to be exempted from the Ecclesiasticall Lawes of the Land which Parliaments never did no way like this for we see within this nine moneths though there be no toleration of their way yet having not beene lookt after how are they increased and multiplyed and that there will be a mighty encrease upon a toleration to say nothing of casting a snare upon the people by this to make doubts nor nothing of the wantonnesse and instability of many professours nor of the activenesse of many to spread these principles that their party may be considerable this may evince it In many if not in most Townes and Parishes it cannot be helped but that there are and will be for many yeeres men of no great popular gifts for preaching who also according to their principles not having beene brought up to it cannot so comply with their people now many that live in these Parishes seeing they may keepe their houses and places of abode upon the newes of a toleration will for the benefit of more powerfull practicall and zealous Preaching betake themselves to goe to their Churches which liberty they cannot have in the Churches established for the Law it is likely will provide for men to keepe to their owne Ministers where there is sufficient preaching and so will fall to their principles and so wee shall have upon this grouud swarmes of them Reason VI THe Prime and fundamentall principles of this Independant way upon which they erect their Church way and independancy are very prejudiciall dangerous and unsufferable to this Kingdome as for instances Saints qua Saints two or three of them or more they onely have an immediate independant power from Christ their immediate head to gather and combinde themselves into visible Churches without expecting warrant from any Governours whatsoever upon earth as also being thus gathered and joyned into a Church to chuse all officers among themselves and to exercise all Discipline and Ecclesiasticall Government even to Excomunication without and against the good will and consent of the Christian Magistrates but the Magistrates whether Kings and Princes or States they have no power but in all things of the Visible Church Christ is an Immediate Governour to the Saints having put none of his power out of his hands to any Magistrate whatsoever but though he hath given much power to Magistrates over goods liberties and lives of his Saints yet this Spirituall power of gathering and making Churches and of the power of exercising censures and Discipline so as it may not be exercised without their power and leave he hath not given them so that I desire them to consider and enquire whether this denying to Kings and Princes power and authority in causes Ecclesiasticall in the Church and giving all Spirituall Ecclesiasticall power immediately and independantly under Christ to the particular Congregations and not to the King be not against these Lawes and Statutes of the Land made in 26. Henry the 8. cap. 1. 25. yeere of Henry the 8. cap. 19.
of them and enter into Covenant among themselves and be a Church and live without Ministers and Sacraments along time upon pretence that they can finde none fit for them yet as these Independant men doe and when they doe chuse then chuse such of their owne opinions and wayes and so they may live together at liberty in ways pleasing themselves neither can this helpe it to say this belongs onely to Saints 't is their Prerogative Royall and not others for all Heretickes Sectaries or Libertines will count themselves Saints as well as our Independant men they may be their owne Judges and will say that they are Saints as well as you say for the Ministers and Magistrates of the Kingdome shall not have the power to determine who be Saints and who not so that if the State should tolerate the Independancie they know not what they tolerate but in the belly of this Independancie they tolerate and make way for Libertinisme Heresie and what ever Satan and the corrupt hearts of men have a pleasure to broach and fall into Reason X. I Propound this question what these men would have in this toleration whether the number of these Independant Congregations that they would have tolerated should be five or six Congregations onely and no more or shall the number be left undetermined to bee free to multiply into as many Churches as they please if the number must be determined this will overthrow their principles and Churches quickely as when one Church breakes into two or three as upon their principles it must and oft times doth as at Amsterdam into two at Roterdam also and at London and when one of the Tolerated Churches breakes into two or three which shall be reckoned that that is the Church allowed of by the State for each part will pretend to it but now if they say the number must be left undetermined then we may quickely have halfe a dozen of their Churches in some one Parish of a City or Towne nay two or three Churches in a place sprung out of one of their owne and we may have every where three or foure men of an opinion differing from others to goe make a different Church and so they will encrease in infinitum and there will be no end of divisions and subdivisions But before I conclude I will answer five or sixe Reasons that be commonly alledged by them for their Toleration in this Kingdome Reason I. THis is no more than what is granted to the French and Dutch who live amongst us and have Churches and Government of their owne way exempt from the Government established Answer The case is quite different and that will appeare by these particulars First Those French and Dutch Protestants have nothing nor desire nothing but that which is Originally according to the Church and people they were borne and brought up in they enjoy nothing as Contra-distinct to the Protestants of France and Holland but the Independant men move for that which is Contra-distinct to their owne Church and Nation Yea and to all reformed Churches Secondly This liberty was granted by our pious Princes in times of persecution to the Protestants that so they might have here the exercise of their Religion in their owne tongue when they could not enjoy it at home and it hath beene of great use upon occasions in this way ever since for a refuge to the persecuted Protestants but what is your case to this you may enjoy the Protestant Religion in this Land and that by the Law and Authority of King and Parliament what colour then that you should move for an exemption of your Churches Thirdly these French and Dutch Churches will willingly be joyned in Government and in one way of Discipline with the Kingdome if there be a reformation which you will not Fourthly These Churches are not in an Independant government neither doe they hold your Principles of the Church but be as much against them as we they doe admit of appeales and in all businesse of greater moment have Synods Fifthly They being strangers amongst us of different Nations and Tongues not having those relations of Kindred and acquaintance with us but keeping themselves for the most part among themselves there is not that danger of drawing away the people nor of causing Schismes as from you that are of our Nation and tongue neither have they or doe ever vent principles against our Church and Government as you doe but content themselves with their owne way they neither can nor will admit ours to be members of their Congregations in respect our people understand not their language so that the people are so farre from leaving our Churches and becomming members of theirs as that our people cannot so much as resort to their Congregations to heare them Preach they Preaching in a language the people understand not all which is quite contrary with you Sixthly there is a great reason and necessity of allowing them Churches and places to Preach and bee by themselves because many of them understand not English at all and for the benefit of strangers of their Religion who come over who else could not enjoy the publicke exercise of their Religion at all and they may well be allowed some Discipline among themselves in respect they maintaine al their own poore not charging the Parishes where they live with them all which will not hold as a ground for Toleration of Independancy Their meetings by themselves are not upon your principles of a Church or Church government but because of different language c. Reason II. VVE seeke no more then what is granted us in Holland and what wee may enjoy there in a Countrey where we be strangers 1. Answer If your toleration in Holland be a good ground for a toleration here that we should doe so because Holland doth it then there should be a Toleration for all Religions amongst us as Jewes Anabaptists c. And if you would have it so speake out plainely there are some of you have whispered it and often spoke of it in private in the answer you give to these reasons Speake your mind and if you justifie a Toleration of all Religions I will discusse that question with you and take it up against you as not fit neither in Divinity nor policy as both against Rules of Conscience and Policy Secondly There may be a Toleration of you in Holland with much more safety to the government established and peace of that Church then can be here in this Kingdome the people of that Country not understanding your language having little or no relation to you nor you to them of kindred friendship where as it is quite otherwise here Thirdly That people of the Hollanders generally are an industrious people minding their businesses profits and keeping to what 's established by their Lawes not troubling their heads so much with other points of Religion but here in England and especially in the City of London and great Townes
many Professors are more idle and busie bodies tatlers also as it is said 1 Tim. 5. 13. ver. Very wanton also in their Wits affecting novelties in Religion and liking of points that are not established nor commonly held Fourthly Holland tolerates you and many others but it is more upon grounds and necessitie of worldly respects because of that benefit of excise towards the maintenance of warres which they have from them who live amongst them so that they are paid well for it so that in this they measure things rather Vina Mercatoria than by the rule of Scriptures and were it not for that and such respects which the state of that State hath put them upon they would never grant tolerations but there is not the same reason here in any respect our riches and strength standing in one way of Religion and not in tolerations Reason III. IF wee may not have a toleration and a liberty of erecting some congregations among you this will force us to leave the Kingdome that wee may have the liberty of our consciences and if you doe what cruelty is this 1. Answer There is no need of a Toleration for you and yet no need of forcing you to leave the Kingdome that you may enjoy your Consciences and that will appeare if you calmely and meekely be content to heare Reasons and Principles which you your selves agree to as namely you hold that our Churches be true Churches our Ministers true Ministers Ordinances of word Sacraments true and that you can partake with us in our Congregations in all Ordinances even in comming to the Lords supper provided that scandalous and ignorant persons be kept backe and ceremonies removed why then should you desire to set up other Churches as different from ours you can have but Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline in your owne that you may enjoy in ours is this any good reason for you to leave the Kingdome I pray consider well some of your Ministers at first comming over said as I have beene told from good hands they could take the charge of Parochiall Churches amongst us upon the reformation hoped for and they could yeild to Presbyteriall government by Classes and Synods so not enjoyned to submit to it as Jure divino but since they have gotten some more hopes I know not upon what grounds they are now very hot for a Toleration and will not heare of growing into one body with us Secondly Seeing our Churches Ministers and Ordinance be true for you to erect new and to withdraw from such Churches though suppose they were in some things defective and not every way so rightly ordered as were to be desired I know can never be answered to God especially you having not the power and authority from God to order those Churches otherwise and I desire you againe and againe to waigh whether you may not live in the Communion of such Churches where some thing may be yet desired that is not where it is not in your power to helpe but that you are bound by the Command of God in such cases either to leave the Kingdome for that liberty or else being private men in a Land where true Churches Ministers and Ordinances are to goe and set up divided Churches in that Land both against the Lawes of the Land and to the scandall of all the Churches I beseech you thinke upon it what is become of Fraterna toleratio and of giving scandall not to one Brother but to thousands of Congregations of Christ And whether nothing wanting in matter of Order may be Tolerated so long as a man is not put upon the practise of that which is unlawfull As for those Brownists whose Principles and Consciences though very erroneous hold that we have no true Church Ministery Ordinances but all is Antichristian they have a better warrant to set up new Assemblies or to leave the Kingdome to enjoy their way but as for you to withdraw and set up separated assemblies upon no greater grounds or causes can never be justified and I shall be ready upon that point to deale with any of you and for your better satisfaction for the present I wish the conscientious and sober Ministers to read two pages in Master Robinsons Apologie Chap. 12. De Eccle. Anglic. pag. 86 87. Wherein he grants that Churches may not be departed from for circumstantiall corruptions nor for many inconveniencies affirming that it is neither Christian prudence nor charity to doe so he shewes it is not an intolerable evill though an evill to be lamented for evill men to be suffered in the Church nor that Discipline as it is called or that Ecclesiasticall government instituted by Christ is neglected or violated but that 's it that the plaine contrary to it should be established by Law and so he goes on Now supposing our reformation it will be otherwise with England then when he writ and the most that can be said supposing your principles the Truth though that 's denyed by us there will be but evill men suffered and not men of the most profligate life and Discipline instituted willbe but neglected or violated not that which is quite contrary as established by Law take place Thirdly You your selves live in and are members of such Churches and thinke it unlawfull to forsake them where for many yeares together you beare with defects and want some parts of government and Officers appointed by Christ more materiall then will be in ours upon a reformation as namely without Pastors Elders Widowes many yeares together without Sacraments a long time without censures especially unlesse you allow people to be the instruments and exercise Excommunication without having Ordination of Officers without prophecying also many yeares Why can you not beare with some defects in our Churches and be content to waite some yeares till God either give you light to see your mistakes or else till we have more light to perfect what is wanting You tell us that some things may be omitted for a time as Circumcision was in the Wildernesse and that affirmatives doe not binde too alwayes and that exercise of Discipline may be forborne for a time when it is evident it will not be for edification to the Church but destruction what shall hinder then but that you ought to incorporate into our Assemblies though something yet were to be desired there is nothing contrary that will be put upon you nor quite another thing Fourthly You may safely be members of our congregations in the reformation of us and in these times because you may without danger shew your dislike and speake against scandalous persons and against the fault of the Church if they admit such to the Sacrament which being done your selves grant you may communicate with them so a Letter sent from Roterdam grants And I have heard this alledged as the reason why you first left our Churches but that reason now ceases seeing either such persons will be wholly kept away or else you may
protest against them though I must tell you that practise you judge your selves tyed to is founded upon a false principle namely that the power of government is given by Christ to the body of the Congregation Fifthly There is a medium betweene persecution as you terme it and a publicke Toleration a middle way betweene not suffering men to live in the Land and the granting them a liberty of separated Assemblies so that there is no necessity either of leaving the Land or of enjoying exempt Congregations for there is a third datur tertium as for Instance Persons may be tolerated to inhabit in a Land to enjoy their Lands and liberties and not be compelled to professe and practise things which are against their consciences It is one thing to be forced and compelled positively to doe things against conscience and another thing not to be suffered the publicke practise of some things in separated Congregations as to illustrate it thus suppose the Papists upon their petitions to the Parliament should have those statutes repealed which enjoynes them to come to our Churches which they say is against their consciences though indeed they are bound by the command of God to come and ought by the Magistrate to be compelled to come as Doctor Davenant hath cleerely showed yet the granting the Papists a Toleration of the publicke exercise of their Religion to the scandall of the Reformed Churches and dishonour of God were quite another thing insomuch as the Papists though they petition the first upon deepe Protestation of living peaceably and according to the Lawes of the Land yet they move not for the last so I judge you may live in the Land freely and enjoy your liberties and estates comming to our Churches enjoying the ordinances and are like never to be compelled to professe or practise what is against your judgements the greatest inconvenience is but the forbearing of something you would have which considering the questionablenesse of the thing and the many other evills which would attend it if you should enjoy it you may in point of conscience be well satisfied without it so that consider well and you may find a medium betweene leaving the Land and enjoying a Toleration of exempt Congregations Sixthly If all these former answers satisfie you not fully because though these things be true yet besides these Ordinances and Ministers you must be in a Church way and Fellowship as now you are then know according to your Principles of a visible Church laid downe by Master Robinson and by your selves in all your Manuscripts you may enjoy your way in having severall visible Churches and that without that offence and scandall to Magistrates and Churches and yet neither leave the Kingdome nor have a Toleration and that I will demonstrate thus two or three Saints joyning together in a Covenant make a Church a greater number is not required neither Officers to the essence of a Church a greater addition of company to this two or three though they may make for the well being and flourishing of the Church yet they are not of the essence of the Church Now then every one of you in your owne Families as the Husband Wife Children of age and Servants who are visible Saints may be joyned in covenant to walke in Gods wayes and to watch over one another so that here is a Church and every Master in his Family may set up holy exercises and exercise Discipline among themselves for their Families and thus in the Church that is in their house they may exercise what Discipline they judge is wanting in ours so that comming to our Churches to the Word Prayer Sacraments they may serve God in their owne Families among themselves in a Church way in wayes of admonition reproofe and other censures nay every Church Family or most of them may have Officers also amongst them the Ministers Families may have a Pastor or Teacher each Minister being made Pastor of his owne Family chosen also he may be by his Family who also may Preach and instruct his Family and exercise Discipline amongst them great Families as Gentlemen or Citizens may themselves be teachers of their Families according to your Principles or may have some in their Families fit to be chosen Elders and Teachers to them especially such of them who keepe Schollers in their houses and still chosen by the Church of this Family But if there be some Church Families who have none fit for Officers to their Church which can hardly be in these kindes of Churches yet this is not of the essence of the Church But as for single persons as Young men and Mayds who are of your judgement if you aske what they shall doe seeing they have no Families and cannot joyne two or three in a Family to make a Church I answer they may be Servants unto men of their owne judgement and live in the Families of their owne way and so may be in a Church And thus you may enjoy your owne way without scandall or division the Lawes not forbidding or medling what men doe in this kind as how oft men pray in their owne Families or catechise them or whom they shut out from their Prayers and holy duties But if it be said how shall such as are bred Schollers the Ministers of this way be maintained it is not being Ministers to their owne Family will maintaine them I answer I have taken care to show them a way for maintenance also how they may enjoy their Country their Consciences and maintenance that so they need not be forced to seeke a Toleration of Churches that they may be maintained and that is thus Supposing they will not take Pastorall charges of Parishes but onely be Pastors of the Church in their house yet holding it lawfull as they doe to Preach in our Congregations they may take Lectures amongst us and so be maintained there will be want of many men for Lectures setled by gifts of the dead and then no question but the government of the Church which shall be established by Law will be so moderate that if men hold the maine points of Doctrine with the Church be pious in life and peaceable so as not to Preach nor speake against what 's established by Law nor doe not make Schismes to goe and set up separated Assemblies which practises caused troubles in the Church they may enjoy all liberty and as many Scriptures show freedome though in point of opinion and judgement there may be some difference from things established by Law for I suppose we shall not have subscriptions enjoyned to formes of government and Discipline but onely to Doctrines and that also in maine and cleere poynts so that by all this you may apprehend how without a Toleration you may in a secret and peaceable way enjoy your Church fellowship with maintenance also What ever else you seeke for by a Toleration of many Families to make a Church is but for the more comfort