PUT II. Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter. 211 prelfed Terms. And that the Party that is Rill under might not be lookt upon, and ufed as a Se&, and Divifion might not be cherifhed among us, we much ra ther defire anAccommodation thana Toleration : that we may be hut one Bodya and flick together whatever Changes come. To this end, we firft defire that our Rule for-Do&rine, Difcipline and Worfnip, be fuchas may force for an Univer- fat Concord : and next, that we may be fecured from Encroachments on our jolt Liberty, and fuch Impofitions ( betides or above the Rule) as we know will caufe Divifions and Perfecutions. That whichwe defire to thefe Ends , from the Di- vines to whom we offer our Propofals, is that they will exprefs their own Defire that fo much may be granted by the Magiftrate, as they find meet to be granted; and agreeing on the fitteft Terms among themfelves, will profefs and promife their faithful Endeavoursin their Places and Capacities, to'procure the -Conceffton and Approbationof thefe Terms from the Magiftrate. And this any tingle perfon may ( to prepare for a furche; Communication) confider of, and confent unto; s iz. to improve his Interelt tothef Ends. Now to the Particulars, r. We defire that you will profefs your Judgment, and promife your juif Endeavours inyour place that [noLaws] maybe made, (or conti- nued) that are contrary to theft Chrillian Duties (and I know of none fuch ex- iffent) : And then we confent that all Perfons be re(onfible for their Mifear- riages. 2. This is the chief of our Deliires, that you will profefs your defire, and promife your endeavourin your place, that the power mentioned in the eighth Article, may by Law be granted to the Re&ors of each Parilh; we fuppofethat theirOf- fice is of Divine Inftitution : and therefore that Magiftrates may not change it: what is by Law eftablifhed, the Poffefforsof the Government, will Rill be Judges ó£ Did we believe that the Paltors ofparticular Churches are not of Divine In- ftitution, unchangeable by Man ; or that Diocefan Bithops could exercife Chrill's Difcipline over fo many hundred Parilhes, tò that it would not certainly be call out by their undertaking it, we would not have infifted on this Article, but yield that Rellors(hallnever Rule. ;. We might hope that the Ceremonies night be left indifferent, and fo there might be no Divifions about them. As we find it now by Experience in our Af- femblies, in the finging of Pfalms, the Gefture is left indifferent, and there is no trouble about it: So in many places the Sacrament Gellure is left indifferent; and onekneeleth, and another Randeth, and another fitteth, and there is no diftur- bance aboutit; but Cullom having takenoff theirPrejudice,they havethe Charity to bear with one another. And fome Congregations fing one Verfionof thePfalms and force another, and (though Uniformity in that be much more defirable than in a Crofs, or Surplice, or Kneeling at Receiving theEucharift, yet)there is nodi- fiurbanceanrong usahout it. And when our Unity is not laid upon our Uniformity in theft unneceffry things, we Ihall not be neceflitated to perfecute one another about them, nor to make Se&s by our Toleration of Diffenters: And doubtlefs if your Toleration be of all that profefs Tendernefs of Confcience in thefe Points, youwill find fuch abundance of godly Men avoid your Ceremonies and accept of your Toleration, that you will think your felves neceffftated to perfecute them, as dithonouring you, anddifcouragingUniformity by their diffent. But if you tole- rate force, and not others that can lay the fame claim to it, your partialitywill quickly breakall into pieces. Weare certain that leaving thefe unneceffary things at liberty, to be ufed only by thofe that will, is the way to Unity : But if this cannot be attained, we Ihall be glad of a Toleration in our PublickCharges. 4. The Patron's Right ofNomination may be preferved, though the Commu- nicantshave their Confent preferved, without which none is to be obtruded on them : Though in cafe ofunreafonable refufal of fit men,much means may beufed by Church-Officers and Maggiftrates to bring them to confent : But.how can Peo- plebe governed in the Worfhip of God, and in a Holy Life, by any Pallor with- outtheir own confent á y. The multiplyingof Bithops is in our Account, the making Difcipline be- come pofftble, that elfe is not (to any purpofe) : And though our own Judg- ment be that everyParilh that is great Ihould have a Bithop and Presbytery ; yet we yield toyou for Concord and Peace, that there be a Bihhop and Presbytery in every City, that is, Corporation orMarket-Town, and r)lefe (as is expreffed in the Articles) to have one in every County or Diocefs to whom they (hall be re- fponfible. We defire only the profellïon of your Confent to this Change, and promife of your promoting it in your place by jug means, that fo our Differences Ee 2 may,
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