3. In cafe of Tyranny, ufurping Dominion over Mens Confciences by making new Articles of Faith, or impofing any thing really finful, or things indifferent, as if they were intrinfecally neceffary to, or meritorious of Salvation.

Thefe were the true and juft Reasons of our and other Reformed Churches renouncing the Church of Rome's Communion, and protesting against her moft grofs Errors, Idolatries and Superftitions; and (bleffed be God) from them were we in this Kingdom happily delivered by as regular, as it was a Glorious Reformation. Now let but our Separatifts prove that the Church of England (thus reformed) is really guilty of any of thefe, or impofeth any finful Terms or Conditions of holding her Communion upon any that couch within her Pale, and we will not only approve and allow of their Separation, but alfo take the fhame of the grievous Sin of Schifm to the Established Church, and to our felves, who are her profeffed Minifters and Members. But there have been publifhed from time to time innumerable good Books by our painful and Learned Clergy, fufficiently qualified to convince all that are ingenuous, unprejudiced and teachable, that no fuch Caufe can be alledged to justify that Separation which hath been made by the policy of the fower of Tares in this Church. And it is lamentable to behold, how many well-meaning People are led into a fhare therein by mere Prejudice, or by a bad Education, or by too high an efteem of the feparating Teachers or their Followers as very godly Men, and in no wife by the Divine Authority of the

Holy

Holy Scriptures or any found Reasons ground ed upon the Scriptures, unto which they should (like good Proteftants) bear the greatest Reverence as the true Rule of Truth and Righte ousness.

Now, How is it poffible for any faithful Minifter (seriously careful to fave himself and them that hear him) to fee his beloved People by this means difperfed, and daily wandring out of his Sheepfold, and be unconcerned? Apparent Schifin is no fuch light Matter, no fuch venial Sin, that he can daily observe Men, fome through grofs ignorance, and others in wantonnefs, having itching Ears, running head-long into it, and he all the time lay his hand upon his mouth, neither faying nor doing any thing, either towards the reducing of Strays, or preventing others from following them in fo pernicious a course, who are hitherto in the Church's Communion.

It may peradventure be faid, to excute a good Minifters fad refenting of this, that the People may (if they please) buy and read fuch excellent fhort Difcourfes of fmall price, as have been fer forth of late years by the London Divines for their better Information; and this is true, and whofoever is tender of his Soul will do this, and spare no coft, and not thruft himfelf blindfold into fo great a Sin as Schifm and Separation; and without doubt, whofoever doth this rafhly, and wilfully goes on in it, without making ufe of thofe great Helps of knowing his duty to God and his Church, which God hath graciously provided for the People of this Kingdom, he will be without excufe: ftill it is apparent, that not one of a thou

1

*

a thousand doth it, no nor can by any Art be induced to it, nay nor will fo much as read a Difcourfe of that nature, if it be put into his hands, and how plain foever the Precepts of Unity with God's Church in Scripture be, and particularly (to name no more) that of St. Paul to the Ephe fian Chriftians, to endeavour Eph. 4. 3. to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace: And how plain foever the cautions of not following Divifions in Scripture be, particularly (to name no more) that to the Chriftians in Rome, to mark them that caufe Divifions and to avoid them; yet do the generality of common People flock to Separate Meetings in a most wilful heady way, without taking any due course to inform themselves better, either what is their unqueftioned Duty or what will be their Sin or Danger.

† Rom. 16.

*7.

If then it be further faid in a good Ministers behalf, that he for his part hath not been dumb, he hath freely and faithfully warned his People of all thefe, and having delivered his own Soul, their Blood will be upon their own Heads. This alfo may be very true, and yet one thing may in reafon put him upon other methods of faving their Souls, if poffible, viz. in all probability, the Perfons that stood in most need of the Medicine provided by their Spiritual Phyfician, did not fo much as taft it; they were then a wandring to the Convenţicle, when he endeavoured their Conviction in the Church, fo that he, fpent his ftrength in vain; all his care and labour was loft as to them.

But

But if it be faid moreover, That he also made tryal of reducing fome in private. If he did fo, (I answer) his Work and Reward is with the Lord, though Ifrael would not be gathered; and yet he cannot but in tenderness to precious Souls refent it with grief to find any fo inflexible and even fettled upon the lees of Separation,that they either turned a deaf Ear to his most charming Exhortations, peremptorily (perhaps) telling him to reft himfelf, they were refolved; or they fpurned at the very naming of Schifin, or made a Ridicule thereof; or if at all affected therewith, had recourse to the Intruder, and his Words were to them Oracles, and all he faid as good as Gofpel. Much of all this may be the Author's cafe, and in fine, after all attempts of this nature, How often hath he received fuch a repulfe as this? I am not able to talk with you, the Teachers we go to are godly Men, and they affure us we are in no Schifm, and they are able to defend the thing to your face; or fay what you will, I cannot believe fuch godly Men are deceived, or will deceive us.

Now this may deferve a fhort Animadverfion; and this I fay, It is no new thing for thefe Teachers to flatter, and even to canonize their Followers as the only godly People, and for their Followers to requite the Teachers with a loud applaufe as the moft godly Minifters, both of them taking their measures merely by being of this or that Opinion or Party; and of this we have a fresh and daily experience, little more being faid by the Vulgar in their own defence, when reproved for going to Separate Meetings,

than

than this amounts to. Oh, if Separation were fo great a Sin, as you for your own intereft reprefent it, fo many godly Minifters would not then live and die in it as they do. Now is any understanding Perfon in good earnest careful of his Salvation when he refts it on so broken a Reed? That Separation without fuch a caufe as I have mentioned is a great Sin, will be evident (I hope) in this following Difcourfe, and if a Sin, will any rational Man think it at all lefs fintul for any number of Mens (whatsoever they be, or what Sheep's clothing foever of feeming godliness they appear in) living or dying in it? Nor will it be any offence (I hope) to tell the common People how eafily they may mistake in their admiring fome (whether Sectmafters or their FollowErs) for godly Men, true godlinefs being really another thing than many judge it. There is often a form of godlinefs without the power thereof, all is not Gold that glifters, and I (uppofe it will be very difficult to name any Author of Schifm in the Church that did not make a great fhow of Piety; to be fure Schifm and Separation can be no part of true godliness.

But if this be thought too invidious a fuggeftion, I hope yet, I may without blame direct them who fteer by the Authority or Example of Men whom they fo repute, to have thofe in their Eyes rather whofe real godlinefs the Separatifts themselves will acknowledge without hefitancy; and then I would mind them of the Noble Army of our Proteftant Martyrs, Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, Bradford, Taylor, and the reft, and from them we receive our Church by

an