Long-fuffering, forbearing one another in Love. Our present ftate is this: There are many and great Divifions amongst us; the Government, as the best way to their Cure, or at least-wife, to give a stop and check to their growth, doth think fit that they fhould by Summons, by Inftructions, and by several sorts of Admonition, be put in mind of their Error, invited, and required to amend it; and probably fuch as perfift willfully in their Divifion, will fall under Ecclefiaftical Cenfure, which, befides the Spiritual disadvantages of it, is followed by confiderable Evils Inflicted by the Civil Power.

That in this state of things I may dif charge my self with that Charity that I truly have for those who have divided our Church, with that Obedience which I do out of Confcience owe the Government,and with that Duty and Vigilance I owe my Cure, I will take the Liberty to confider this Rule or Method of Unity.

1. With Refpect to fuch who are Actually in the state of Divifion or Separation.

2. With Respect to the Government, and thofe who Act under it in this prefent Method.

3. With

3. With Respect to us our felves as private Persons, that fo they who Err, may as far as lies in me, be inform'd, that the Government, and they who Act under it, may not lie under the Burden of Afperfions, or any undeferved Imputation; And that,

Laftly, We in our particular Converfations may know how to behave our selves towards our Diffenting Brethren.

1. Of this Rule, with Refpect to those who are Actually in Separation from us.

I suppose we may take it for granted, that this Rule of Lowlinefs, and Meeknefs, and Forbearance in Love does as ftrongly Oblige the Subject and private Men towards their Governours, as it can the Magiftrates and the Government towards their Inferiours and Subjects; how well this Duty has been discharged by these Men, will appear from three Confiderations.

1. Whether those grounds by which they pretend to juftific themselves be a juft and neceffary Cause of Division.

2. Whether they have done all for the Nations and Churches Peace, which they themselves acknowledge they Lawfully may do. 3. On

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3. On supposal, that their Pretences for Separation were both juft and neceffary, whether they have observed that Lowlinefs, and Meeknefs, and Forbearance, to which this Rule doth Oblige them, in the Forming, Propagating, and Defending their Separation.

1. Whether those grounds, &c.

You will eafily be able to judge of this, if I can make it appear, that there is no juft ground of Separation from our Church, either upon the Account of its Doctrine, Government, or Rites.

1. Not upon the Account of its Do&rine. The Articles of our Church are fuch, in which moft of those that are divided from us do agree with us, excepting in thofe which relate to the Government of the Church, (of which in its place) whatever be our difference in this point, in any Article wherein they differ from us, they do therein as widely differ from one another. But fuppofe the People fhould not approve of every thing contain'd in our Book of Articles, what Neceffity is there that they should? Are they bound to Declare their Affent to them by Oath or Subfcription? Or are any of them ever excluded our Communion for Diffenting

from

from these Articles in fome one Opinion or other? What fummary of Faith is there in any part of our Churches Liturgy, in which the People joyn in our Affemblies,befides the three Creeds? And I do not know any of them unless Socinians and Quakers, &c. which have renounc'd the Belief of these; if they have, we hope we shall be Pardoned by God and all the Reformed Churches, if we will not part with our Creed for the fake of Unity: In a word, fo well do we agree in the points of Doctrine, that it has been of late Difputed with fome heat, which kept closeft to the fenfe of our Articles, the Clergy of the Church of England, or those of the Separation. We have no Anti-trinitarian Doctrines, which divided the Primitive Churches ; we Teach no Infallibility, no Power of Indulgences, no Tranfubftantiation, no Adoration of Images, Invocation of Saints, &c. which gave Occafion, and that a just one, to the Modern Divisions of the Reformed and Roman Churches; we continue in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and Prayer, Acts 2. 42. As to the Credenda we hold fast the form of found words, 2 Tim 1. 13. And as to the Agenda,

we

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we Teach those things that become found Doctrine, giving unto Cæfar, the things that are Cæfars, and to God the things that are Gods. We admit of nothing but Truth and Juftice, Obedience and Charity, and will not allow of Equivocation or Perjury; or in a word the doing evil, that good may come thereof: I think this is confefs'd on all hands, and it is a matter of no small moment for it follows from hence,

1. That our Church is a true Church, for all of the Reformed Religion think nothing more Effentially neceffary to a true Church than the Confeffion of the true Faith, and right Administration of the Sacraments; and both thefe, I think, our Diffenting Brethren will allow us, excepting Anabaptifts, a Sect of no great Reputation through all Christendom for many Years together, as every one knows, who has fo much History as to understand its Birth and Progress, and at this day Condemn'd with much bitternefs by all other Profeffions of Christi

ans.

2. It follows from hence that our Brethrens Separation from us is Condemn'd by all those who deny Separation Lawful from that Church, where the Word

of