The Preface. 3 3 Sons of Men, any Officers ofthe Church fence the days oftheApoftles, fir(t Reformers, or thofe that followed them, to judge that they were not infallible, that their work was not abfolutely perfect, like the work of God whereuntonothingcan be added,nor ought taken away. Wherefore, 3. We are not obliged to make, what they did, and what they attained unto, and what they judged meet as unto the Government and Woríhip of the Church, to be our abfolute Rule, fromwhich it (hould be our Sin to diffent or depart. Theynever defired nor defigned that it (hould be fo for to do fo, would have been to have cafe out one `Papacy, and to have brought in another. And the Arguments ofthe Papiíts for their abflute ítd- herence unto the Men of their Veneration, thofe who havebeen formerlyof great Reputation in their Church, for Learning, Holinefs, and Devotion, are as forcible unto them, as any can be unto us for an Adherence un- to the firft Reformers in all things ; but yet are theynot excufed in their Errors thereby. Had we received a CommandfromHeaven to hear them in all things, it had altered the cafe, but this we have received only with refpeft unto yefits Chrif , and (hall therefore in thefe things ultimately attend onlyunto what he fpeaks. And we have fundryconfiderations which confirm ús in the ufe and exercife ofthat Liberty wherewith Chrift bath made us free, to enquire our felves into our Duty in thefe things, and to regulate our Duty in them by his Word, notwithstanding what was done by our firft Re- formers. For, t. They did not think themfelves obliged, they did not thinkmeet to abide within the bounds and limits of that Reformation of the Church, which had been at- F tempted
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