i36 The Z; I FE of the Farr III° "Strict. And Churches abroadbothhave been avid willbe ourCcmpurgators, and " I with the Presbyterians of England and Scotland would be content to stand to the " Judgment of all the PresbyterianChurches abroad, whether they may not with 'C fj conform to'ail that (by our Chinch) is requited of them. Nay, whether " they can refufe to Conform without fin. ,' n/: Content : I and all of my mind profefs, that we will accept your offer : But we withas fincerely that you would fraud to it. Not that we take any Men for the Lords of our Faith: but let them hearus fpeak, and ifthey fay, that it is lawful ( or not a heinous fin in as ) to Conform, we will acguiefceand never more accufe you as Perfecutors, but filently undergo all the Accelhtion or Schifm. But thenby the Churches, you mutt not mean any odd perfons, but the Churches indeed. " trict. Efpecially in this Conjnnaute of time, when we have fo great reafon to "fear the prevailing ofthe Common Enemy againft us.both ; and confeguently, not " only the Endangering, butthe utter ruiningof the Proteilant Religion, and that "not only here, but perhaps in all the Worldbefides ; the guilt whereofwill lie e- " fpecially at our Doors if we do not agree. nf. t. What is the great reafon you have to fear the prevailingof the Common Enemy, and utter ruin of the Proteftant Religion. Is it from our State at home ? Or from abroad? If the later, we underftand it not, nor who is theCarafe. If the former, Where lyeth the danger ? Is it in the increafe of Papifts , as to Quality or Number of. perfons? Did not you caufe the Silencingof Soo Mini,fters, and there- by ( and otherwife ) the difaffeedngof many. Hundred thoufand people (I think) who would ha-e loved and Served you ? Did not you help to Banilh them Five Miles from ( not,the Court only ) but all Cities and Corporations, and Places of their former Miniftery ? Did you not undertake all the Minifterial Work, without them ; And fay, you could do it better without them than with them, as being fuffi- cient your Pelves. - Did not one of you tell me, that you thought any Congregation was better to have none, then fuch as I ? Do you not Still here conclude, that unlefa we will conform to every Oath, Subfeription, Word, Crc. It's better that we be out ofyour Church than in it? And . doyou, after all your Undertakings and Sufficiency, nowbring us fo fad an account of your fuccefs ? Have youbeen bringing our Reli- gion to no 'better a pats? Have high and low betano better inftrufred and prefer- red by you? Hach Popery been no better refilledby you in thofc Places whence you Lanilhedass? Do you now come and tell iss,-thatwe have great reafon to fear the titter ruin of the Proteftant Religion ? Is this your account of your underta- ken Stewardfhip ?- What hands then is the Church fain into, if it be fo ufed ? a. O let us all hear and fear what. Man may come to : Would our Agreement do anv thing to prevent this terribledanger whichyoudefcribe :; Andwit(. you frill tell all theWorld, That rather than we (hall not be compelled againft our Confci- ences (to our Damnation ifwe obey) toDeclare; that we affent and confent to eve- ry word, yea, agçhgfe every word in all your Liturgy, to Declare, That Millions whom we know not, if they Vowin their.Places and Calling, to endeavour a Refor- mation of the Church ( were it but inLay-Men's poseer of the Keys) are not ob- liged by that Vow : rather than we lhall be fuffered not to Swear Obedience to the Bif'ops ( though we are refponfible to the Law for any Duohedience; ) rather thanwe (nail be Suffered to forbear the Image ofthe Crofs in Baptifm,or to forbear topronouuce every wicked Mass Paved that weBury, or to Puffer a Parent. to Cove- nant in Baptiln'for his own Child ; -or rather thanwe Ihall be endured to forbear turning Godly People that dare not kneel from Church-Communion, and pro- nouncing thetas Excommunicate every fix Months-if the Chancellor or Bilhop bid tis; Rather than this -lhall -begranted us, we: fhatlrhave no Agreement, theCorn- Mon Enemy.(hall prevail , the Proteflant Religion fhall not only be endangered, but utterly ruin'd here, and throughout the World! And is it fo indeed? And yet would you make us believe that youare againft the ruin of it ; who will not preventit at fo,eáfie a rate? What good cloth it doyou for me to fubfcribe as ex Anima, that there is not a word in your Liturgy or Ordination, contrary to the Word of God and that I affent and confent to all that is in it? When I am without this reiporfible for all Omif ion, or Oppofition to it. We offer, if ne- celfary, to take our Oaths, as in the prefence of God , the Judge of all, that we would agree with you, and obey you too in any thing, except that which we judge to be forbidden of God: Weoffer our Reafons, which perfwade us, that you
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