24$ The LIFE of the LIB.Ì A Defence of our Propofals to his Welly for Agreement in Mat- ters of Religion. Concerning the Preamble. § z. WE jE are notinfenfibleof the great Dangerof the Church , through the VV Do&rinal Errours ofmany of thofewith whom we are at difference alfo about the Points of Government and'Worfhip now before us. But yet we chofe tofay of the Party, that we are agreed in Do&rinals, becaufe they fubfcribe the fame Holy Scriptures and Articles of Religion, and Books of- Homilies as we do. And the Contradictions to their ownConfellions, which too many are guilty of, we thought not juit to charge upon theParty ; becaufe it is but Perfonal guilr. As to the differences ( which in Charity and for Peace, we had rather extenuate than aggravate ; ) it is of Objective Conceptions that we fpeak , there being a diffe- rence in the things, as well as in our apprehenfons, And we conceive that [ The Ancieist Formof Church-Government, and the Soundnee f ofthe Liturgy, and freedomfrom corrupting unlawful Ceremonies, ] are Matters that are worthy a confcionable re- gard : andno filch little inconfiderable things as to be received without fuffrcieirc trial, or ufed againft theDiffwafionsof our Confciences. NoSin fhould feem lis fmall,as to be wilfully committed efpecially co Divines. He that will fin for little ornothing, is not to be trufted when he path great Temptations. Whofaever fall break one of tbefe leaf Commandments, andfhall teach men fo , he fall be called the leafs in the Kingdom of Heaven bidwhofoever fall do , and teach them the fame , fba/l be calledgreat in the Kingdom of Heaven, Match. S. rq. And whether the Impofor or the Forbearers do hazard and difturb the Church, the nature of the thing declareth. To you it is indifferent before your Impofition s and therefore you may without any regret of yourownConfciences forbear the Impofation,or periwade the Law -makers to forbear it. But tomany of chofe that diffent from you, they are f:nful; and thereforecannot be yielded toby them without the wilful violation of their Duty; to the abfolute Soveraign of the World, If in the Churchof Rome, the Çonfci- ence of a Subje& forbid the ufe of Crucifixes, and Images, and Chrifm; and Ho- ly Water, etrc. is it therefore they.? or is it the Pallors that needlefly impofe thefe Things, that are the Difturbers of the Church? The Princes might have for- born to make a'Law reftraining Daniel three days from Prayer ; but Daniel could not forbear praying three days, though the Law commanded it: And which of them thenwas the Difturbersof the Peace ? Ifyou fay that we are wilful, and our Confciences are peevilh and mifnformed.; Charity and Modally requireth you not to overvalue your own, or groundleflyvilifie the Judgments and Confci- ences of your Brethren. We ftudy as hard as you and are ready to joyn With you in thefolemneft Proteflations, as before the Lord, that we are earnehly deft - rous to know theTruth : and we fuppofe we hand on the calmer fide the Hedge, in.point'òf Temptation: for if we err it is to our colt and loll, and have littlebut Reproach and Suffering to entice us willingly to miftake. And we are always- ready to try by Argument which Side it is that is miftaken. § a.Maynot we crave that neceffary things may be fecured tous, without being interpreted to feem to infinuate Accufations againkyou ? As it is not the Authorsof this Anfwer periònally confidered, that we could be imagined to accufe, becaufe we knew them not;' fo there are others befides the party with whomwe are Peeking- a Reconciliation, that may be averle to the pra&ice of thofe things about which Divinesare .do&nnally agreed in, efpecially that part of the Vulgar who are pra - &ically of noReligion. And it isvery difpleafingto us to be called out to anAc- cufation of others ; as being a Courfe that will tend more to exafperatethan recon- cile. Fain we would have had leave to Petition for our Liberty and for the fecu- rity of Religion, without accufing any of being injurious to it. But it is the un- happy Advantageofthofe that areuppermoft, that theycan cut out atpleafure fach work for thofè that they would ufe as Adverfaries, that (hall either make them teem their Adverfaries, or appear to be really the Adverfaries- or Betrayers of the Truth, and caft'them upon Inconveniences andOdium which way foever they go. But tobe plain with you, if you would but agree with us in the pra&ifingand pro- tnoting the Pra&ice of chafe things about which you'profe& to be agreed in Prince,
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