THE PROTESTATION PROTESTED: OR, A short Remonstrance, showing what is principally required of all those that have or do take the last Parliamentary PROTESTATION.  ECCL. 5. 45. When thou vowest a Vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldest vow, and not pay. 
Printed in the year. MDCXLI.   

THE PROTESTATION PROTESTED.  ECCLES. 5. 4, 5. When thou vowest a vow unto GOD, defer not to pay it: for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow, then that thou shouldst vow and not pay. 
WHen in the Scale of Conscience rightly informed, I weigh the words of the Protestation, and of this Exhortation of the Holy GHOST together, I cannot but tremble, when I see what small account most men do make of so solemn a Vow, as they so solemnly take upon them in the said PROTESTATION.  
For when Ministers and persons have taken the Protestation, and have solemnly vowed to maintain the Doctrine of our Church, so far as it is opposite to Popery; do they withal presently set upon the performance of this their Vow? do they not further defer to pay it? Surely if they do defer it, the holy Ghost calls them fools, in whom God hath no pleasure. And it had been better for them never to haye vowed, then to vow and not pay.  
Object. But how do they defer to pay their Vow thus made?  
Answ. In that they do not presently renounce, and protest against all Popery, and for ever disclaim and abandon all Communion with it.  
Obj. Why, will they say, what Communion have we Protestants with Popery? We do all renounce it.  
Answ. In words we do renounce it, but indeed we retain it, and have close Communion with it: so far are we from keeping the Vow thus made.  
Obj. But what Popery do we Protestants of the Church of England retain with us, or hold Communion with?  
Answ. we hold Communion with Popery, so long as we do publicly retain and maintain any of the Doctrines of Popery. And the Doctrines of Popery which we retain and maintain, are these. First, The imposition of the liturgy. Secondly, The Discipline. Thirdly, The Government. Fourthly, The Ceremonies.  
Obj. But these being as yet established by Law, we may not cast them off, till the Law which set them up, be abrogated, which must be by Act of Parliament. And we protest against Popery to cast it out, as far as lawfully we may, and no otherwise.  
Answ. First, All laws are to be interpreted according to their clear intention and end. Now the Law for Reformation never intended to allow or set up Popery in this Church of England. Secondly, If any human laws be found to be contrary to God's Word, they are invalid and void ipso facto. And it will appear, that imposition of a devised liturgy, human Rites and Ceremonies, praelatical government and Discipline, are directly contrary to God's word. Thirdly Having once made this solemn Protestation and vow, against all Popery, and finding that the particulars aforesaid are branches of Popery, we are bound ipso facto forthwith to have no more Communion with them, but utterly to renounce them.  
Ob. But what if the Parliament did not intend or understand by Popery, the foresaid things, as the liturgy, Discipline, Government, Ceremonies used in our Church, and by Law established? Shall we presume to extend the sense of the Protestation further than the first makers thereof intended. And the Prelates (We presume) would never so readily have subscribed to the Protestation, had they dreamed any such sense to lie hid under the name of Popery, as their Hierarchy, with their liturgy, Rites, Ceremonies, Discipline, Government; for than they had in the Protestation protested against all these, and should have given their hands and votes, for the rooting of them out of this Church.  
Answ. First, This we are sure of, and 'tis most clear by the express words of the Protestation, that they intended it against all Popery. Secondly, They express themselves and profess thus far, that the words of the Protestation are not to be extended to the maintaining of any form of Worship, Discipline, or Government; nor of any Rites or Ceremonies in the said Church of England. Ergo, we do not, we may not protest for the maintenance of these. Thirdly, suppose that at the first making of the Protestation in the Parliament, these particulars aforementioned were not reckoned in the Catalogue of all Popery: yet no good Christian will or can deny, that the Honourable House of Commons did not at all intend to exclude what ever should be found to pertain to Popery as a branch thereof. And therefore we may boldly conclude, that if the forementioned things shall be found to be, and that no small branches of Popery▪ the Protestation hath an edge to cut them off all at one stroke. Fourthly, we are all in an erected hope of such a Reformation intended by this most noble Parliament, as cannot justly challenge the name of Reformation, unless all Popery be made to be packing, which of necessity must carry with her all trinkets and baggage, with all her pompous equipage, among whose sumpters, the Hierarchy, with all its Pontificalibus of Service, Ceremonies, Discipline, train, Courts may challenge to go in the foremost rank. Fiftly, and lastly, suppose it could be supposed by any rational man, that the House of Commons could have no such thought as implicitly to include the aforesaid particulars in the farthel of Popery: or that they could possibly intend the maintaining of those things still, of which they expressly say, That the words of the Protestation are not to be extended to the maintaining of any form of Worship, Discipline, or government, Rites or Ceremonies; or that these things should not be removed but maintained still: What then? Shall private and particular Christians, knowing these things to be Popery and Antichristian, being also bound by their solemn Vow and Protestation, never reform themselves, until they see a general Reformation over the whole Land? What if they shall never live to see this? Will they against their Conscience, against their knowledge, against their Vow and Protestation, live and die Votaries and Communicants in that Service, schoolboys and Punies under the Ferula of that Discipline▪ Vassals under that Government, Conformists to those Rites and Ceremonies, all which are very Popery and Popish Innovations?  
Ob. But how doth it appear, that the forementioned particulars are branches of Popery? If our Conscience could be convinced hereof by the Word of God, then surely are we bound both by God's Word, and by our Vow and Protestation presently to renounce and abandon these things, and to have no longer any Communion with them.  
Ans. It is most true, that nothing can resolve, regulate, and settle the Conscience, but the Word of God in the evidence of it. Now most clear it is by the Scripture, that the liturgy, Discipline, Government, Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, are all of them so many branches of Popery. For proof hereof: first for the liturgy; this is a branch of Popery in two general respects: First, in regard of the whole frame and matter of it, as being translated out of the Romish Latin liturgy, as is confessed in the book of Martyrs; see for this the late Parallel between the English liturgy, and the mass-book. I omit to say any thing here of the many vicious particulars throughout the service-book, which run as the corrupt blood through all the veins of it, and are by others sufficiently discovered. This is enough to show it to be Popish. The second general is, the imposition of it upon all men's Consciences. Which bare imposition alone, were the liturgy in itself never so free from other faults, yet being a Service of men's devising, the imposition (I say) makes it a branch of Popery. For Popery (We know) is Antichristianism. And Antichristianism is an opposition to Christ, so as this imposition upon the Conscience is an opposing and overthrowing of Christ's Kingly Office, who is the sole King and Lord over the soul and Conscience; an office incommunicable to any Creature, or Power in Heaven or Earth. Whereupon John saith, 
〈…〉  Who is a liar, but he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ, He is Antechrist. Now to deny Jesus to be the sole anointed King of his Church, is to deny him to be the Christ. And he that sets up man as Lord over the Conscience, in prescribing and imposing what Service of God he pleaseth of human invention, denyeth Jesus to be the Christ, to wit, to be the sole King of his Church, who is the sole lawgiver to the commonwealth of Israel, in his spiritual kingdom.  
And for this cause the Pope is proved to be that Antichrist, who is 
* ●2 Thes. 2. 4.  the Advesary that exalteth himself above all that is called GOD, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in or over the Temple of God (which is every man's conscience) showing himself that he is GOD. Now in nothing doth Antichrist exalt himself more, then in usurping Christ's power in giving laws, whereby he exerciseth a Tyranny over the true Temple of God, over the spiritual kingdom of Christ. And this tyranny is chiefly exercised in usurping dominion over our Faith and Conscience in the worship and service of God, which they place in the liturgy. This is the highest pride and presumption of Antichrist that possibly can be. This is that will-worship, or a worship invented of man's will and choice, which the Apostle 
* Col, 2● 23.  expressly condemneth and brandeth, as the highest Tyranny, which to be subject unto is the spoiling and cheating men of their salvation (as we read at large Col. 2. v. 8. 18.) and a separating us from our Head and King Christ, v. 19 and an evacuating of his death, v. 20. The Imposition therefore of a liturgy upon the Conscience devised by men, and pretended for the worship and service of God, yea and the only divine public worship of his Church, is a main branch of Popery, as being the Character of Antichrist or Antichristianism, which is the very with Popery; Popery & antichrianism being convertible terms. Thus it is as plain, as brief, that the imposing of a liturgy of man's devising upon the Conscience is the pretended Service of God (though indeed it is rather the service of many, 
* Math. 15. 9,  and which God condemneth as a a vain worship of him) is a main branch of Popery.  
Secondly, for Ceremonies of man's devising in the worship of God, and imposed upon the Conscience, these being the same nature with, as being a part of the liturgy, are by the same reasons (as before) proved to be Popery.  
Third●y, for Discipline (which stands chiefly in correction of manners, and inflicting of Censures▪ as Excommunication, such as is and hath been exercised in the Church of England by the Prela●●s ever since the prete●ded Reformation in this po●●t) that this is also another main branch of Popery, do but compare it with that Discipline in the Church of Rome, and you shall find it in all points so to jump and agree, as you must of necessity conclude, i● Rom●s Discip●i●● be Popery, then certainly our Engl●sh D●scipline is Popery too. For in nothing (I say) do they differ, so as Discipline of our Church being false, and counterfeit, because Popish; and so our Church wanting the true Discipline, which ought to be one of the three marks of a vi●●ble true Church, as it is noted in our Homilies: the Church of England wants this mark at the least. And if the Sacraments be not duty administered, as being mixed and corrupted with a service of man's devising, and ministered pell-mell (as in the Lords Super) to ignorant and profane persons: then for aught I see, it wants a second mark of a visible true Church. And if (as lately, and still in many places) the word of God in the preaching of it be generally corrupted, as when the full, and free liberty of it in sundry points of Evangelical truth, is restrained and prohibited by orders and edicts, not yet called in, and damned; by this reckoning it should want the third mark, & so much the more, in case the calling of the ministry itself should prove a piece of Popery too. But this by the way only it leads us the way to the next point, which is the Government of the Church of England.  
Fourthly then, for the government of the Church of England, by Archbishops, Bishops, Arch-Deacons, D●anes, Commissaries, Officials, and the rest of that fraternity: if this be not Popery, yea and a top-branch of it, I know not what is? sure we are, not any one of all this rabble is found to be in the Scripture; and therefore of divine Institution this Government is not: And consequently, Christian it is not. It must needs then be of Antichrists Order, and papal merely. So as if Rome's Hierarchy be the top-branch of Popery in that Church: how can it be denied, that the Hierarchy here in England is the top-branch of Popery in this Church? For if we look upon this Hierarchy from Canterbury to ●arlile, and go through all their Courts, their Officers, their Offices, and Administrations therein, we shall therein behold the perfect image of the papal Beast, from horn to hoof. And if any will object here that the subordinate Ministers bear a part in this Government: (alas!) that's but a mere mockery. For these are but the Prelates Curates, and a company of Priests little differing from Rome's Order of Priestho●d in the estimate of our Prelates, saving that they are not shaven, and have been of late prevented of being Sacrificers. But a part in the hierarchical Government they have none, unless a dumb Priest commonly, or some Doctor now and then be the mouth to thunder out Excommunication in their Courts, which the poor Curate at the Commissaries beck must publish in the Congregation. And to these Curates consideration I refer it, whether they be able truly out of good premises to conclude themselves to be the Ministers of Christ lawfully called, whom all of them do immediately derive their Ministry from the Antichristian Hierarchy, or papal prelacy, as the sole foundation thereof. But this suffice briefly to prove the government of the Church of England by archbishops and Bishops, &c. (False and usurped Titles) to be a top-branch of Popery. 
Object.  If here it be objected, that the Government of archbishops and Diocesan Bishops was before Popery came up, or Antichrist was mounted on his throne: I answer, first, that the Government of archbishops and Diocesan Bishops was anciently much different from the papal hierarchical Government afterwards, whose Courts and sole prelatical Jurisdictions were not known in the Primitive Ages long after the Apostles. Secondly, the Government of archbishops and Diocesan Bishops, at the very best, and when they first sprung up, was even from the well-head corrupted, as being an human device, and the first spring of the mystery of iniquity which the further it run, the more corrupt it grew, till it had its ●ull confluence in muddy Tiber, the See of Rome, by whose innundation Antichrist, having boysed up his main sails, could easily compass in the whole 〈…〉 World. Thirdly, the hierarchical Government in England, as a main arm of that sea; so 〈◊〉 hath altered nothing of its former property, when it was a limb of the Papacy▪ Saving that before the Reformation they held immediately from the Pope, and now especially of later days, they hold by the same false pretended title which the Pope himself holds by, namely from Christ, and by divine Authority. Witness Dr. Hall's sweaty discourses. And Dr. ●oclington shows us a brief Pedigree of the present titular Archbishop of Canterbury, saying,* Mis●rable men were we, if he that now sitteth Arch Bishop of Canterbury, could not derive his succession from Saint Augustine, St. Augustine from St. Gregory, St. Gregory from St. Peter. So he▪ Only, here he fails, and so becomes miserable, that though he can prove Canterbury's succession from Rome, yet never Rome's from Peter. And so a several misery follows upon it, that our hierarchical government being a limb of the papal, and so a top-branch of Popery, it is now universally of all good Christians in England protested against, as worthy to be cut off and cast out, as a fruitless withering branch, and to be plucked up by the roots as a tree twice dead, and as a plant not of God's planting.  
Ob. But if it be thus, that for the reasons aforesaid the whole Government of the Church of England ought to be irradicated, together with the liturgy, Discipline, and Ceremonies, in stead thereof.  
I answer briefly: First, understanding the Church of England to be none other, than a national Church it will be very difficult, if not rather impossible to constitute it so, as is agreeable in all points to a true and visible Congregation of Christ. For a particular Church, or congregation rightly collected and constituted, consists of none, but such as are visible living members of Christ the head, and visible Saints under him, the one and only King of Saints: but so is it not with a national Church: all the members thereof are not visible Saints, or visible living members, when the greatest part of a Nation commonly is found to consist of persons either ignorant or profane. 
* Isa. ●●. 22  For as the Scripture saith, Though the Children of Israel be as the sand of the Sea, yet but a remnant shall be saved. And yet that was a national Church without parallel: so as in the Reformation of such a national Church as this, which hath been so universally overspread with profaneness, and darkness, so long beslaved under the yoke of prelatical tyranny, under Egyptian taskmasters, under manifold Romish Superstitions, formal service, will-worship, universal false and loose Discipline, innumerable either false, or unprofitable, or idle Teachers, Non-residents, 
* Isa. 26. 10.  dumb dogs, so as whole Counties for want of good Ministers, (who have been everywhere cast out) and whole Countries, yea the whole Land in comparison are overgrown with Papists, or Atheists, or those that know not what true Religion means: where shall we begin to reform? Alas! in comparison of the true Religion indeed (which stands not in abare profession, but in power not in a bare name of Christianity, but in the nature of it; not in the mixture of men's inventions, but in the purity of Christ's own Ordinances) the Religion in England is very far degenerate, and but a while ago was almost wholly slidden back into the very puddle of Popery: yet not all, but as it was said of the Church of Sardis, Thou hast a name that thou livest, but thou art dead; yet in it were a* few names, which had not defiled their garments: Even so in England, there are a few, yea I trust many thousands of Saints, though (in comparison of the whole Land) but a few names, a remnant; whose hearts are perfect before God. Where then shall the Reformation begin now in England? surely in the new forming of a Church, such as God requireth in his word, Christ's voice must first be heard, to call forth his sheep, and to gather them into their flocks, and folds. For {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Church is properly a congregation of believers, called out from the rest of the world. For so saith the Lord 
* 2 Cor. ●▪ 17.  Come out from among them and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. A strange speech, And be ye separate? Surely God's people must be separatists from the world, and from false Churches, to become a pure and holy people unto the Lord. And he saith to the Prophet Jeremy, 
* 〈◊〉. 15,  If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth; let them return unto thee, but return not thou unto them. And surely in a corrupt Church (as this is, and a long time hath been, by reason of the great Aposta●●●, and especially the wickedness of the Prelates) we 〈…〉 do as the Apostles did when they came to plant 〈…〉 in a Country where the gospel had not been 〈…〉.* First they taught the people, and 〈…〉 heard and believed, were form●d 〈…〉 be God) many people already fitted to make up holy assemblies or Churches. Well then, let it be the first degree of Reformation to begin and call forth all those into several Congregations, who are fitted, and who desire to draw near unto Christ in a holy Communion with him in the purity of his Ordinances▪ And thus let God's word run, and have a free passage, in calling in such as God shall draw unto him, in what place soever they shall be found. Nor can we think at the first especially, that every assembly of people collected in their several Parishes, is fit to make up a Congregation, and so qualified, as Christ requireth For how many Parishes in England will be found, where scarce one is able to give a reason of the hope that is in him?  
Ob. But shall not good Preachers be set up in every Parish, that the People may be instructed, and so fitted to be members of a congregation, such as afore is mentioned.  
Ans. No doubt of that, so so far as is possible to provide Preachers.  
Ob. But what shall the People do in the mean time, who are ignorant, and profane, though not notoriously wicked? For have they not received baptism? Are they not Christians? shall they not then be admitted into the Communion of the other Sacrament?  
Ans. For this, every Minister ought to be very diligent and careful to see, that ordinary profane and ignorant persons be not admitted to the Sacrament 
* 〈…〉 21  The lame or the blind is not to be offered up in Sacrifice.  
Ob. But admit that such as are ordinary profane persons, and have little or no knowledge of God, be admitted to the Sacrament pell-mell: may not godly persons communicate with them, and therein not sin?  
Ans. For that, let such as are godly look to it. For if God's Ordinances be profaned (as they are by profane and ignorant persons coming to the Lord's Table, than others also that communicate with them are guilty of the same profanation with them. 
* 〈…〉  A little leven leveneth the whole lump. The Apostle applies it to a mixed Communion. Let us keep the feast (saith he) to wit, in participating of Christ our Passeover in the Sacrament, not with the old leven, &c. And thereupon he tells them, I writ unto you in an Epistle not to company with fornicators, &c. And 
* 〈…〉  This ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ. Be not therefore partakers with them.  
Ob. But in Congregations be so mixed, as they cannot, or are not secured, shall godly men for that cause deprive themselves of the Ordinance?  
Answ. First, there is no necessity, that men in using the Ordinance should sin by communicating with others in the profanation of holy things. Secondly, It is not God's Ordinance, that his holy things should be profaned. 
* 〈…〉  Cast not your pearls before Swine, nor your holy things to dogs. 
* 〈…〉  Who required these things at your hands, to tread in my Courts? And yet their Oblations, their Sabbaths, their solemn assemblies, were God's Ord. But because they were polluted and profaned by those that joined in them, therefore the Lord abhors them. 
* 〈…〉  Wash you, make you clean, &c.  
Ob. But what's this to godly persons communicating with profane?  
Ans. To communicate with known evil doers (which even in their presuming to communicate in the Ordinances, do evil in their doing of evil, is to partake of their evil deeds. 
* 〈…〉.  Be not mingled with such (saith) the Apostle) that they may be ashamed. And v. 6. We command you Brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother, that walketh disorderly, &c.  
Ob. But if it be so, where can a godly man communicate without sin? For where are not the Congregations mixed?  
Ans. It is true, that if there be none other Congregations allowed, but such as are in Parishes, this confession cannot be avoided. Therefore of necessity there must be Liberty granted of setting up Churches, or Congregations, where Christ's Ordinances are administered in their purity, and so where none are admitted members of the Congregation, but such as are approved of by the whole Assembly for their profession and conversation, as against which there is no just exception.  
Ob. But would you have other Congregations, than such as are limited to every Parish? How will this stand with a national Church, such as is the Church of England? This would make a division, and separation.  
Ans. We must look in the first place, what Christ commandeth, and what manner of Congregations he requireth, and how qualified. If a State will set up a national Church, wherein many things out of reason of State are tolerated, and prescribed for order sake (as they call it) and if there be such a necessity, necessity hath no Law: but let not this exclude and bar out the free use of such Congregations, as whereof the spiritual commonwealth of Israel consisteth, over which Christ as King immediately reigneth by his Spirit and Word in the beauty and purity of his ordinances. Let not the Consciences of God's people be bound, where Christ hath purchased liberty. And where Christ's Congregations are set up, however they are separate from the world in the corruptions thereof, yet they are not separate from the Civil State, but are peaceable members thereof, subject and obedient to all the good and just Laws thereof. Yea where such Congregations are erected and allowed or by a Civil State, they are both a strength and beauty, 
〈…〉  and procure many blessings unto it. They are unto a Civil State, as that fulminatrix legio, that thundering Legion in the Emperor Antoninus his Army (as he called it) which consisting wholly of Christians, among his other Heathen Legions, did by their Prayers procure refreshing showers to the whole Army, when it was sore distressed with drowt, and terrible storms on the other side, to the disconfeiture of the enemy. And therefore the Apostle exhorts his Christians 
* 〈…〉  to pray for Kings and such as are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. And ●er. 29, 7. Pray unto the Lord for the City of your captivity: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace; implying, if it is the duty of Civil Princes and states, heathen or Christian, to protect, or tolerate the true Christian Religion in their kingdoms as well; as of the true Christians, and Professors to pray for them. For Christ's kingdom being spiritual, is so far from being any prejudice to Civil states, that it is the very glory and safety of them. And therefore the Emperor Domilian (under whom was moved the second persecution, and by whom the Apostle John was banished into Pathmos) hearing that Christ's kingdom was celestial, and not of this World, recalled his Edict for the Persecution (Euseb. Eccl. Hist. li. 3. c. 15.) so as thereupon it ceased.  
Ob. But that there shallbe an order of Church government established in a national Church, and withal a liberty left ●or other Church assemblies, exempted from this government, this may be a means to foment factious and envious emulations in a State, to the disturbing of the peace thereof.  
Ans. For this, first, there be good laws for civil government. Seriously, that any one among the exempted Congregations do incorrigably misbehave themselves, the Law can take order with them. Thirdly, let no man blame them, before they cry them. Fourthly, it hath been an old stratagem of Satan still to lay all the blame of what ever disaster, upon the Christians, as Nero did. Fiftly, it cannot be expected, but where ever the Gospel cometh in its power and purity, it will kindle coals, and stir up debate, as Christ saith, it sets the Father against the son, and the son against the Father, 
〈◊〉 10 21.  &c. But this is accidentally, in respect of the malegnant objects it meets withal, though natural too, in respect of the good subjects, in whom it is, and by whom it is sincerely professed, for it fills them with zeal and plain dealing in reproving of sin, which the world cannot away withal. Thus it hath done in all ages. And God in the 
* 〈…〉  beginning after the fall, upon the revealing of Christ, put an unreconcilable enmity, and deadly forehead between the seed of the Serpent, and of the woman, between the Elect and Reprobate to the world's end. And if for this every civil state should shut out the true Religion, where would there be left any true Church upon the earth?  
Obj. But the churchway of independency is too strict, and cannot be content with a mediocrity, but aspires to such a perfection of purity, as men are not capable of; and therefore such will of necessity be envied and maligned, which will be cause of divisions.  
Ans. As i fall true Christians were not exhorted every where, and so bound, to strive for perfection, so much as is possible, As we read Matth. 5. 20. 48. Phil. 3. 12. Col. 1. 28. and 4. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 17. and everywhere in the Scripture is perfect holiness required, as Ephes. 4. 12. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us (saith the Apostle) cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. See also Heb. 5. 12. and 6. 1. &c. And for envy, were there but once set up amongst us some such Congregations, as come nearest to the rule of God's Word, both in Church-constitutions, and in Graces suitable, they would draw no less love and liking to them, when we should see in them the beauty and glory of Christ more shining forth in them, then ever this Land hath yet seen. And however the world accounts strictness, yet none are admitted members thereof, but such as are both willing and desirous, and do freely enter into Covenant to observe all the condiditions and orders thereof according to God's Word: and who so are over, in, and of this Congregation, they find in it nothing that is grievous, but Christ's sweetness 
* Mat. 11. 29, 30.  whose yoke is easy, and his burden light.  
Obj. But if such Congregations were set up, which are not confined to any one Parish, but collected out of many places, or out of many Parishes, it would perhaps stir up the Patochiall Ministers, or some at least, to envy and malignity, when they should see the best Christians in all their Parish to be under another Ministry, and members of another Congregation, and by this means also should their wages be diminished.  
Ans. First, if Christians, living in a Parish, shall find just cause of separating themselves from such a Congregation, as wherein great scandals and offences are constantly given, so as they cannot with a good conscience, and without dishonour to God and his Ordinances communicate with such an assembly, whereof the greatest part consists of profane and ignorant persons (as aforesaid) but are forced to join themselves with such Congregations, where no such offences be: shall any Ministers be so unchristian, as to envy this? Or if they do, let them reform their own Congregations, and take away all such scandals, and separate the precious from the vile, and administer the Ordinances of Christ purely and holily, and set up Christ's government in their Congregations, that so they may retain those honest souls, which otherwise are forced to forsake the pudled streams, to enjoy the sweet, fresh, and pure fountain of living waters. Nor will the Ministers and Pastors of such Independent Congregations look after any such wages, as the parochial Ministers challenge to themselves, as Tithes, or the like. No surely, they are, and will be content that such competent maintenance as the members of their several Congregations respectively, shall freely, without any compulsion (as is used in Tithes) allow unto them. Now let any that profess to be the Ministers of Christ, malign other, either Ministers or people, who are desirous to enjoy Christ's Ordinances, in as much purity as may be, and with as much liberty of conscience, as Christ hath privileged them withal.  
Obj. But the Parliament now being about a Reformation, as the removing of all Antichristianism and Popery, as the hierarchical Government, and Ceremonies purged, the liturgy, and Discipline, what government shall be set up in this national Church?  
Ans. The Lord strengthen and direct the Parliament in so great and glorious a work; and blessed be God who hath raised up such instruments for such a work, and who hath put in their hearts to be so zealous and unanimous for the perfecting of it so far as is possible, and may stand with the nature of a national Church. But as for the manner of Government of a national Church, because it hath no pattern in the Scripture now under the gospel, who can herein perscribe or advise any thing. But first of all, if good Preachers be set up in every Parish, the naughty and scandalous being removed, and then for the better and speedier supply hereof, the Universities and grammar schools be purged, and better Governors and Ministers set up: so shall the people be taught, that they perish not for want of knowledge. As for the manner of Government of Parishes, whether by a presbytery, or otherwise, that (as being, for its external form and frame, of a politic Nation) I leave to the prudence of those, in whose hands it is put: let it be what it will, so as still a due respect be had to those Congregations, and Churches, which desire an exemption and liberty of enjoying Christ's ordinances in such a purity, as a national Church, is not possibly capable of. And what ever liturgy, or Ceremonies, or Discipline, are left to accompany this natural Church-government, 'tis indifferent with us, so we may enjoy our Christian liberty in the true use of such ordinances, and of such independent Church-government, as Christ the only lawgiver of his Church, and Lord of the conscience, hath left unto us in his word.  
Obj. But independent Churches, being absolute in themselves, and exempted from a superior jurisdiction of others, and yet not exempt from posibility of erring: what Law is left to reduce them from their error? or that they persist in their obstinacy, what power shall censure, or correct them.  
Ans. First, they have Christ's Law to regulate them. Secondly, they have the Law of Christ, which is by love to serve one another. They have the law of association and confederation with other Churches to consult, advise, and confer with, in matters of doubt or question. And if after all other remedies any be obstinate in his, or their error, they are liable to excommunication, either in the same Congregation, if it be a particular person, and the error great, or from other Churches, if the whole Congregation have offended, and do stiffly maintain a dangerous error, which yet is rarely seen in a well constituted Congregation, consisting of meet members. And if at any time such a thing should fall out, which cannot grow but from some root of apostasy, particular or general: if the offence do reflect also upon the Laws of the civil state, which are made against known Heresies, or blasphemy, or Idolrtry, and the like, the offenders are obnoxious to the civil power. So little fear there is, that any independent Congregation, or any member thereof, should be exempt from condign censure, where just cause is given either ecclesiastical or civil.  
FINIS.