THe Reasons under the first head, viz. That the desires and endeavours of the Independents for a Toleration, are at this time extreamly unseasonable and preproperous.
1. The gap is not wide enough for the enemy to break in upon us, Therefore it is at this time extramely unseasonable and preproperous, to make it up by endeavouring a Toleration of Independency.
2. The Independents great service and faithfull assistance in the rescue of the Kingdome near lost, is now fresh in every ones eye, Therefore the desires and endeavours of the Independents for a Toleration are at this time extreamly unseasonable and preproperous.
3. The State for the present hath great need of the continuance of their assistance, Therefore their desires to the State for a Toleration are at this time extreamely unseasonable and preproperous.
4. The Independents have hopes for the considerations mentioned, that if now they move, their desires and endeavours may speed for a Toleration, Therefore it is extreamely unseasonable and preproperous for them so to doe.
5. The Parliament have appointed a Committee to find out a way of Accommodation and Agreement between the Presbyterians and Independents, and out of our large experience of your Zeale of Gods glory and care of his afflicted Church, and earnest endeavours to promote the compleat Reformation of it, and of your ready concurrence with us to improve any meanes that may be found conducible to this end; We are perswaded through you it will come to nothing; Therefore it is extreamely unseasonable and preproperous for the Independents to desire and endeavour a Toleration.
6. The Independents will not be perswaded, to joyn with us as some of the City did in Petitioning the Parliament to alter their rule that we might be invested with full power, and so to intrust us with their Liberty, Therefore it is at this time extreamely unseasonable and preproperous for the Independents to desire and endeavour and Toleration.
Reasons under the second head, which is, That their desires and endeavours after Toleration are unreasonable and unequall in divers regards.
1. We are the Major number and have the Major part in the [Page 3]Kingdom adhering to us even those that have no Religion, Therefore the desires and endeavours of the Independents for a Toleration are unequall.
2. There is an exceeding great want of godly and learned Ministers to instruct the people in the knowledge of Iesus Christ, so that many parts of this Kingdome must be left destitute except the Independents be imployed, Therefore their desires and endeavours for Toleration are unreasonable and unequall.
3. A Toleration should be given the Independents without asking in consideration of their good service (above specified) if no more, The King said what hath been done to Mordecay for this, the Kings servants said, There is nothing done for him, Hest. 6.3. Therefore the Independents desires and endeavours for Toleration are unreasonable and unequall.
4. The Independents are perswaded in their consciences, that the Order, Discipline and Government, they hold forth, is of Iesus Christ, Therefore their desires and endeavours for Toleration are unreasonable and unequall.
5. Wee doe acknowledge the Independents, godly and and learned Brethren, and such as God hath received, Rom. 14.3. Therefore do judge it unreasonable and unequall to heare from them of dwelling in unity with them by a Toleration.
And this appeares further from those Scriptures, Rom. 15.1. Phil. 3.15, 16. & Gal. 6.1. beare one anothers burthens, Therefore a Toleration is unreasonable and unequal.
Also that Mat. 9.13. Goe yee and learne what that meanes, I will have mercy and not sacrifice, Therefore the desires and endeavours of Independents for Toleration, and mercy in the different manner of sacrifice or outward worship is unreasonable and unequal.
And that Scripture, Rom. 13.10. Love is the fulfilling of the Law, which we preach all of us against the Antinomians in such a way as doe beare the name of Legall Preachers. Now love beareth long, and is kind, envyeth not, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evill, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, 1 Cor. 23.4, 5, 7. Therefore the Independents desires of love to be expressed in Toleration are unreasonable and unequal.
6. The Bishops would never allow us a Toleration, Therefore the desire is unreasonable, &c.
[Page 4] 7. Many of us it is well known suffered with our Independent Brethren under the Bishops tyranny, and groaned under sad burthens, then, Therefore we judge it unreasonable and unequall, that they dissenting from us now, should desire a Toleration.
8. All things are not to be tolerated, nor all men to doe what they list, as we in our ordinary preaching doe plead against the Independents, Therefore the Independents desire to be considered in the smaller matters of uniformity, is unreasonable and unequall.
9. Your selves have undertaken to the Independents long since, namely in your Considerations tendered Dec. 23. 1643. in these words, That no doubt the counsels of the * Ego & Rex meus. Assembly, and the care of the Parliament will be not only &c. but to preserve whatever shall appeare to be the rights of particular Congregations according to the word, and to beare with such whose consciences cannot conforme in all things to the publike Rule, so farre as the word of God would have them borne withall. Therefore it is unreasona le for the Independents to desire and endeavour a Toleration.
Reasons under the third head, viz. That Independency is a Schisme.
1. The Independents doe depart from the corruptions of our Churches; therefore Independency is a Schisme.
2. The Independents doe professe they cannot approve of all that we doe or would have established, nor joyne with us therein without sinning against Christ, therefore Independency is a Schism.
3. The Independents by holding out their way, and by the successe thereof, are to us an occasion of envyings, strife, and division, so that we walk as men, and appeare to be carnall that should bee thought to be spirituall; therefore Independency is a Schism.
4. The Independents designe is to divide and separate the Saints from the World, which we would piece together, for the Churches coat may be of divers colours, as we say in the begining of our Letter; therefore Independency is a Schism.
Reasons under the fourth head, viz. Many mischiefs will inevitably follow upon this Toleration, and that both to Church and Commonwealth.
First, To the Church.
[Page 5] 1. God is now pulling downe Antichrist, and pulling up the foundation and stump of that Monster which lies in the Pride, Ambition and Worldlinesse of the Ministry, which the Independents by their preaching are daily discovering and rooting up; and the perfecting of this is a mischiefe that will inevitably follow upon the Toleration of Independency. Now shall not Dagons stump stand? shall the Saints proceed further against Antichrist then Antichrist can against them? (the Lord still leaving them a seed;) therefore it is but time to cry with that Watcher from heaven, Dan. 4.23. Leave the stump of the root thereof in the earth.
2. Our Trade and living would by degrees fall to the ground by Toleration; for either we must part with all the godly that will not endure mixture, or else we must make a Schisme, and displease the worldly party, and where is then our subsistence? so that Independency endangers the cutting off of a Tribe in Israel, not Benjamin but Levi; therefore Independency is a mischiefe to the Church.
3. The Independents by their preaching and other deportment do insinuate into, and gaine upon the people the reputation of painfull and humble spirited men; so that they will in time cloathe themselves with the love of all that are but civill and rationall, and we the godly, painfull and Orthodox Ministry of the Land, if wee shall proceed as is our desire to doe, we shall not only lose our maintenance, but our honour and esteeme; therefore the toleration of these men is mischievous to the Church.
4 The Independents do intrust the people in a Liberty which they say Christ hath given them, and cry up the Scripture for the only Rule, and that compleat and perfect, and exalt Christ in his propheticall Office, directing all men to a dependance on the Spirit of Christ for deciding Controversies, and resolving Doubts, and by this meanes Ministers and Synods will not have that Authority they have formerly had, when the people shall examine their determinations, by which they ought to be concluded. Therfore Independency is mischievous to the Church.
5 Independents are not only against Archbishops, Bishops, Deanes, &c. but against all whatsover Prelacy of Ministers, (and so directly against that Presbyterian power we would have established;) judging it a plant which God hath not planted, and [Page 6]therefore will root it up; therefore Independency is a mischiefe to the Church.
6. The Independents will ever bee looking for further light, and go on still in Reformation, and would carry the people along with them to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 3. last, by which meanes things will never bee setled perfectly while the Church is militant, therefore Independency is a mischiefe to the Church.
7. The Scripture saies, Persecution shall alwayes await the Saints in the world as being appointed thereunto, 1 Thes. 3.3. Now if there be toleration, there will be no persecution; and then this mischiefe will follow, the word of God will fall to the ground, and the Church will want that glory of Martyrs sufferings and suffrages to the truth, and trialls of Faith, and that glory of Gods justice in executing judgement on such as will not see when his hand is lifted up, whom yet he will make to see and bee ashamed for their envy at the people (according to that Scripture Isa. 26.11.) and the fire of the enemies themselves shall devoure them.
8. It is impossible the whole Land should be of one minde and judgement in all the matters of Religion, be it never so much endeavoured on all hands, unlesse those that be contrary minded be destroyed; therefore toleration is a mischiefe to the Church.
9 The tares are forbidden to be puld up, lest the wheat be rooted up with them, which danger will bee avoyded by a toleration; therefore toleration is a mischiefe.
10 The Independents notwithstanding all our Declarations (both in Pulpits and publike places) and private suggestions against them, as that they are Antimagistraticall, that they will not make known their way, that they cannot suffer Presbytery, that they will in the end use the sword for themselves, that they are the Authors of all the divisions, that Independency is the inlet to all Errors and Heresies; in which we are credited by some, and notwithstanding our endeavours to keep them and cast them out of Lectures, and to withdraw the stipend from the Exposition Lectures; yet for all this they encrease daily, and whether they do draw tis sure enough the godly cleaves to them: Therefore this mischiefe must needs grow by the toleration of them; and therefore [Page 7]how unequall and unreasonable it is for them to desire such a thing?
2 Branch. Mischiefs to the Commonwealth.
1 In the multitude of people is the safety and honour of the Commonwealth: if there be no Toleration, there will be a diminution of people; therefore a Toleration is mischievous to the Commonwealth.
2 Gods blessing goes along with his people that truly feare him, and redounds to the benefit of Families and Nations that entertaine and che [...]ish them. I will blesse them that blesse thee. Therefore the toleration of Independents is a mischief to the Commonwealth.
3 The unthankfulnesse of a people to those that have bin the instruments of their salvation, hath brought judgements upon them, as in that instance of Abimolech and the men of Shechem, between whom God sent an evill spirit, whereby fire came forth to the mutuall destruction of one another; and this for not remembring the Lord their God, and not shewing kindnesse to the house of Gedeon, according to all the goodnesse he had shewed to Israel, Iudg. 8 34, 35. Therefore the toleration of Independents who have bin instruments of so much good to the kingdom, is mischievous to the Commonwealth. For which of these good works do you stone me?
4 The honour and wisdom of Commonwealths is, to nourish those that are peaceable and beneficiall; therefore it is mischievous to the Commonwealth to tolerate Independents.
5 The principles of the Independents carry them to suffer where they cannot obey, though under those who owe their safety to them (in a great measure) under God: therfore the toleration of Independents is a mischiefe to the Commonwealth.
6 It is a Maxim or Rule in Policy, Make much of knaves, honest men will do you no hurt: Therefore the toleration of Independents, is a mischiefe to the Commonwealth.
7 The sight of those that have been so obliging as cannot be requited, is an eysore: therefore the toleration of Independents is a mischiefe to the Commonwealth.
Reasons explicitly drawn forth, that were but implicitly couched in the Letter it selfe.
1 We are exceeding apprehensive of the desirablenesse of the Churches peace, and of the pleasantnesse of Brethrens Ʋnity: Therefore our Brethren the Independents must not be tolerated.
2 Page 1 By reason of different lights and different sights among brethren, there may be dissenting in opinion: therefore there ought not to be a toleration of any opinion differing from us.
3 Page [...]ad. The Churches Coat may be of divers colours, yet why should there be any rent in it? By Non-toleration it is de facto rent asunder: Therefore there must be no toleration.
4 Pag. ead. Have we not a Touchstone of Truth, the good Word of God? The Independents desire no other; holding it to be the only one, and will not admit an Assembly of Divines into the place thereof: therfore the Independents are not to be tolerated.
5 Page 2 The Independents will not unbosome themselves to us their most affectionate Brethren. Now we being their most affectionate Brethren, cannot permit any Toleration of them in such things, as we reckon the disputes ingendred about them to be but frivolous and vaine janglings, as Reason 5, under the first branch of the fourth Head.
6 Page 6 None should have more rejoyced then our selves in the establishment of a brotherly, peaceable and Christian Accommodation, which can be attaind by no other means then a Toleration: for our worldly interests and prudentiall principles will not suffer us to go to them, and their Consciences will not suffer them to come to us; therfore we cannot judge it reasonable they should be tolerated; nay, we detest and abhorre the much endeavoured Toleration.
7 Pag ead, Our bowels, our bowels are stirred within us, therefore they must not be tolerated that have kept the sword out of our bowels, and preserved our liberty of professing the doctrine of Salvation. O our bowels, our bowels, all does us no good whatsoever we do enjoy or have in hope, so long as Mordecay sits in the Kings Gate