BEloved Freinds and high learned Schoole men, on whom both high and low, both Rich and poore, doe depend, beleeving that (through your great learning) you can so judge of matters of Fayth and Religion, that all what you shall judge, ap­prove, and allow therein, must of necessity be holden for the truth, as also, all that you shall not judge, ap­prove, and allow, must not be holden for the truth.

Therfore I thought it good, and also my duty (beloved in the Lord) to put you in mynd, that in this your Synod, you follow not the order of the Church of Rome, as to set such an order & Rule in Fayth and Religion, that shall bynde and compell men, to beleeve your Articles of Fayth and Re­ligion, as also not to be your owne Iudges therein except for your owne Assembly but not for others) as if you can not Erre, and so forbid others, that agree not with you (touching your Articles of Fayth and Religion) to teach, pryut and publish theyr Fayth and Religion, on payne of Impri­sonment, [Page 4]Banishment &c as the Papists, Lutherans and other Sects doe, in forceing men to theyr Assemblyes against theyr consciences.

But Iexhort you herein, to follow the Apostles Doctryne, and order (they as Master buylders) haue set downe, for a Pattern and Rule for every man to follow and practise: so that you, nor any whosoever haue Autho­rity (though of high degree, or learned) to set downe an other order, Rule or Pattern of Fayth and Religion, for all men to follow and practise, seeing that is done already by Christ and his Apostles, which we all ought to follow and practise, but none other order on payne of the curse. Gal 1.8.2. Tim. 1.13. Luk. 9.49. notwithstanding, seeing there are many Assemblyes of Chris­tians, and each thinke (as you doe) theyr owne Fayth and Religion to be best, you may set orders therein for your selues. upon condition that you tolerate others, as you ought to doe, else you shall doe contrary to christs command. Math. 13.28.30. Mark. 9.38. Luk. 9.49. and so judge an other mans Servants, which you ought not to doe, as you mayread. Rom. 14:4:18. it is Christs office only, to judge in matters of Fayth & Religion, vnto whom as to our only Iudge, we all doe stand or fall; there fore I exhort you, not to persecute any, for theyr Fayth and Religion.

It may be you will say, shall wee then tolerate every Sect? I say yea, you ought to doe it, if you will obey Christ, and not displease him, who forbid­deth you & the Magistrate to pluck up the Tares, and commandeth you both, to let them grow till the harvest, that is the end of the world. Matth. 13, 30. Here may you see that both the Magistrate & you ought to obey Christ, who will not have you to forbid any that teach in his name, though they bee Tares and follow not you, Mar. 9.38. Luk. 9.50. If you will not haue any Sects (as I also would hinder them; if I might lawfuly doe ir) I will shew you a way, how to hynder them. without breaking Christs commands: the best way is (under correction) that you set downe a Rule, how all men may certainly know, a Sect from the true Church & the true Church from a Sect which being done (as it can well be done) all men that truely loue theyr Salva­tion, will Seperate from the Sects, and Ioyne them selves to the true Church: for then all men that will, may search the Scriptures, and so easily know the true Church from the Sects.

For the better knowledge herein, all parents ought to bring vp thyer Children, to Read perfectly in the Bible, so that they may (as Christ exhorteth) seareh the scripture for the begetting & settling of theyr Fayth: If any parents through poverty, are not able so to bring vp theyr Children, let free Schooles bee provided, in every Towne & village for that purpose, with [Page 5]godly teachers therein this order being taken & ordayned, the Sects will soone be hindred, if not, yet Sects must be tolerated, seeing thereby, those Assemblyes which are conformable, to the Pattern of Gods word, will bee the better knowne and approved, as you may read. 2. Cor. 11.19.

Also you shall please to understand, if you will ordayne such an order, as Christ hath ordayned, touching the administration of his Baptisme, and his Supper, as also touching the doctryns of God, his son & holy ghost, as Christ, his Prophets & Apostles haue taught, then no Godly persons, shall haue just cause to except against it, and so wee shall bee of one heart & of one mynd therein: But if you shall ordayne, such an Erroneous & Tyrra­nical order of doctrine & discipline, as the fathers of the Church of Rome, haue taught & ordayned then all godly men shall hane just cause to except against it, seeing wee ought not to follow them, but Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, in the doctrines of Fayth & Religion: which if you please todoe, as you ought, then shall we not be divided into so many Sects as now we are: nor then shall the doctryns of Christ, his Prophets & Apostles bee borne downe & suppressed, by the Authority, & sword of the Magistrate as now it is. Therfore I exhort you, onely to use the sword of the spirit which is the vvord of god for the suppressing of Sects; but not the Magistrates sword, except against such as use that sword (as the Papists now doe) agaynst you, as you haue done against us, for which God is so displeased, that he will not release you, till you establish Christs Iubile and freedom of conscience: Luk. 4.18.

I pray considet if the bloud of those men, you name Anabaptists, and Brownists, and others, which your Church haue bnrned, banshed & hanged, doe not crye to God for vengeame agaynst you: seeing they suffred for Righteousnes sake, being faithful to God, in that they beleived: therefore Christ sayth Math. 5.10. blessed are they that suffer persecution, for Righ­teousnes sake, and sayth, the Kingdome of Heaven is theirs: and though they erred in some things (yet seeing it was of ignorance, and not of obstinacy) that, made them not vnrighteous, nor worthy of death: you Know the Apostle sayth, Rom: 14.14. though he was perswaded, that nothing is vn­clean in it self, yet to him that so judgeth, to him it is unclean: so if a man judge some doctrynes to be Error, though it be no Error, yet to him that so judgeth, tis error: if he suffer death for that he judgeth to be truth, hee suffreth for Righteousnes sake, being truth in his judgement: therefore judge you not according to the outward appearance, but judge Righteous judge­ment as Christ exhorteth you for whosoever in thee things serve christ, is ac­ceptable [Page 6]to God, and is approved of Godly men, as the Apostle teacheth. Rom. 14.18.

Further, I exhort you, not to studye the Romish fathers any longer, but the holy scriptures of the Prophets & Apostles only, nor yet to proue your doctrines from Romish fathers, but from Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, whose doctrines only establish the Conscience, being truly translated & expounded, which may wel be knowne, if it make no contradiction, for they teach not contrary one another; but the Romish fathers teach not only con­trary Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, but also contrary one another; and all of them are found very ignorant in the knowledge of Gods word, and in the exposition therof: So that you shal doe wel, to ordayne that no Teacher alledge any fathers, but Gods word only for proof of theyr doctrines; which being done, there wilbe great hope to diminish the Sects, and to establish a true Church in vnity of Fayth & Religion: Also I exhort you not to condemne your selves, towards others, in the same things you allow in yourselves: namely; you will not that the Papists be judges over you, in theyr owne causes, so you ought not to be judges over others in your owne cau­ses; for wherin you judge & condemne others, and your selves doe the same things, therein you shall judge & condemne your selves, as the Apostle teacheth. Rom. 2.1. Also seeing you (like the Jewes) haue more zeal then knowledge, touching the Keeping of the weekely Sabbath, I desire you better to consider of the Apostles doctryne therein Rom. 14.4.5. shal you not force men, to observe that Shaddow, more then the other shaddowing Sabbath? seeing the weekely Sabbath was a Shaddow, so wel as the yearly Sabbaths, and now all abolished by Christs comming: ther­fore condemne no man therein, neverthelesse; will you esteem one day aboue another, yet you ought not to condemne others that esteeme every day alike for then shall you doe contrary to the doctryne of the Apostle, Col. 2.16.17. let no man oppresse, or defraude his brother in any matter, For the Lord is an aveuger, all of such things. 1 Thess, 4.6.

Also I desyre good order may be taken for the maintenance of the poore that so no men, women nor children, be forced & dryven (through want) to beg from doore to doore; verely the lord loveth the poore now sowel as he did afore tyme, when he ordayned alaw for theyr mayntenance as you may read in Deutr. 14.28. saying, at the end of the yeare, thou shalt bring forth all the tithes of thine increase the same yeare, and lay it vp within thy gates, then the Levite shal come because he hath no inheritance with thee) and the stranger, the fatherlesse, and the widdows (that are poore) within thy gates, [Page 7]and shall eat and be filled, that the lord thy God, may blesse thee in all the work of thine hands which thou doest: Levit. 19, 10. & 23.22. & Deut. 15.9.11.

I beseech you, zealously to consider, if this Morall law of God be now abolished through Christs comming, if not, let it I pray you be zealously practised: for as the mayntenance of the Teachers and poore was then, even so is the mayntenance of the Teachersand Poore now: Thus hopeing a Re­formation (of all Romish doctrines, Ceremonyes, and Tyrannical discipline) according to the pattern of Gods holy word: I commend you to the God of Peace, who make you perfect in all good works, to doe his will, working in you, that which is pleasing in his sight, through Iesus Christ, Amen.

I beseech you to suffer the words of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words and in loue, though not in the enticing speech of mans wisdome, yet in plaine evidence of the power & spirit of Christ. 1. Cor. 2.4.7.10. you shal please to read. Mat. 7.22. They that loue instruction, shal increase in knowledge, but they that hate it, shal remayne in Error and ignorance. Proverb. 12.1. Esay. 2.3. & Micah. 4.2. As you would that men should doe to you, so doe you to them likewise. Mat. 7.12. Luk. 6.31. otherwyse Christ will pronounce you unrighteous. Written in Syon (not Babylon) the 23. of the 8 moneth called October. by Mark Leonard Busher, in the 72 yeare of his Age a Citizen of the Famous and Honourable City London: though aboue 36 yeares, a Pilgrim in Holland, for the word of God and Testimony of Iesus Christ. Reve 12.17. Anno Dom. 1643. Ro. style Anno Dom: Syons style. 1659.