AN EXHORTATION Unto the Learned Divines assembled AT WESTMINSTER To set an order touching Faith and Religion in the Church of ENGLAND.   printer's or publisher's device 
In AMSTERDAM. Printed for the Author, and are to be sold by john Cross Bookseller in the Bagijne steegh near the English Church, Anno Dom 1643   

AN EXHORTATION Unto the Learned Divines assembled AT WESTMINSTER To set an order touching Faith and Religion in the Church of ENGLAND.  
BEloved Friends and high learned School men, on whom both high and low, both Rich and poor, do depend, believing that (through your great learning) you can so judge of matters of Faith and Religion, that all what you shall judge, approve, and allow therein, must of necessity be holden for the truth, as also, all that you shall not judge, approve, and allow, must not be holden for the truth.  
Therefore I thought it good, and also my duty (beloved in the Lord) to put you in mind, that in this your Synod, you follow not the order of the Church of Rome, as to set such an order & Rule in Faith and Religion, that shall bind and compel men, to believe your Articles of Faith and Religion, as also not to be your own judges therein except for your own Assembly but not for others) as if you can not Err, and so forbidden others, that agree not with you (touching your Articles of Faith and Religion) to teach, pryut and publish their Faith and Religion, on pain of Imprisonment, Banishment &c as the Papists, Lutherans and other Sects do, in forcing men to their Assemblies against their consciences.  
But jexhort you herein, to follow the Apostles Doctrine, and order (they as Master buylders) have set down, for a Pattern and Rule for every man to follow and practise: so that you, nor any whosoever have Authority (though of high degree, or learned) to set down an other order, Rule or Pattern of Faith and Religion, for all men to follow and practise, seeing that is done already by Christ and his Apostles, which we all ought to follow and practise, but none other order on pain of the curse. Gal 1.8.2. Tim. 1.13. Luk. 9.49. notwithstanding, seeing there are many Assemblies of Christians, and each think (as you do) their own Faith and Religion to be best, you may set orders therein for yourselves. upon condition that you tolerate others, as you ought to do, else you shall do contrary to christs command. Math. 13.28.30. Mark. 9.38. Luk. 9.49. and so judge an other man's Servants, which you ought not to do, as you mayread. Rom. 14: 4: 18. it is Christ's office only, to judge in matters of Faith & Religion, unto whom as to our only judge, we all do stand or fall; there fore I exhort you, not to persecute any, for their Faith and Religion.  
It may be you will say, shall we then tolerate every Sect? I say yea, you ought to do it, if you will obey Christ, and not displease him, who forbiddeth you & the Magistrate to pluck up the Tares, and commandeth you both, to let them grow till the harvest, that is the end of the world. Matth. 13, 30. Here may you see that both the Magistrate & you ought to obey Christ, who will not have you to forbid any that teach in his name, though they be Tares and follow not you, Mar. 9.38. Luk. 9.50. If you will not have any Sects (as I also would hinder them; if I might lawfuly do it) I will show you a way, how to hinder them. without breaking Christ's commands: the best way is (under correction) that you set down a Rule, how all men may certainly know, a Sect from the true Church & the true Church from a Sect which being done (as it can well be done) all men that truly love their Salvation, will Separate from the Sects, and join themselves to the true Church: for then all men that will, may search the Scriptures, and so easily know the true Church from the Sects.  
For the better knowledge herein, all parents ought to bring up thyer Children, to Read perfectly in the Bible, so that they may (as Christ exhorteth) seareh the scripture for the begetting & settling of their Faith: If any parents through poverty, are not able so to bring up their Children, let free Schools be provided, in every Town & village for that purpose, with godly teachers therein this order being taken & ordained, the Sects will soon be hindered, if not, yet Sects must be tolerated, seeing thereby, those Assemblies which are conformable, to the Pattern of God's word, will be the better known and approved, as you may read. 2. Cor. 11.19.  
Also you shall please to understand, if you will ordain such an order, as Christ hath ordained, touching the administration of his Baptism, and his Supper, as also touching the doctryns of God, his son & holy ghost, as Christ, his Prophets & Apostles have taught, than no Godly persons, shall have just cause to except against it, and so we shall be of one heart & of one mind therein: But if you shall ordain, such an Erroneous & Tyrranical order of doctrine & discipline, as the fathers of the Church of Rome, have taught & ordained then all godly men shall have just cause to except against it, seeing we ought not to follow them, but Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, in the doctrines of Faith & Religion: which if you please todoe, as you ought, then shall we not be divided into so many Sects as now we are: nor then shall the doctryns of Christ, his Prophets & Apostles be borne down & suppressed, by the Authority, & sword of the Magistrate as now it is. Therefore I exhort you, only to use the sword of the spirit which is the word of god for the suppressing of Sects; but not the Magistrates sword, except against such as use that sword (as the Papists now do) against you, as you have done against us, for which God is so displeased, that he will not release you, till you establish Christ's jubilee and freedom of conscience: Luk. 4.18.  
I pray considet if the blood of those men, you name Anabaptists, and Brownists, and others, which your Church have bnrned, banshed & hanged, do not cry to God for vengeame against you: seeing they suffered for Righteousness sake, being faithful to God, in that they believed: therefore Christ saith Math. 5.10. blessed are they that suffer persecution, for Righteousness sake, and saith, the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs: and though they erred in some things (yet seeing it was of ignorance, and not of obstinacy) that, made them not unrighteous, nor worthy of death: you Know the Apostle saith, Rom: 14.14. though he was persuaded, that nothing is  in itself, yet to him that so judgeth, to him it is unclean: so if a man judge some doctrines to be Error, though it be no Error, yet to him that so judgeth, 'tis error: if he suffer death for that he judgeth to be truth, he suffreth for Righteousness sake, being truth in his judgement: therefore judge you not according to the outward appearance, but judge Righteous judgement as Christ exhorteth you for whosoever in thee things serve christ, is acceptable to God, and is approved of Godly men, as the Apostle teacheth. Rom. 14.18.  
Further, I exhort you, not to study the Romish fathers any longer, but the holy scriptures of the Prophets & Apostles only, nor yet to prove your doctrines from Romish fathers, but from Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, whose doctrines only establish the Conscience, being truly translated & expounded, which may well be known, if it make no contradiction, for they teach not contrary one another; but the Romish fathers teach not only contrary Christ, his Prophets & Apostles, but also contrary one another; and all of them are found very ignorant in the knowledge of God's word, and in the exposition thereof: So that you shall do well, to ordain that no Teacher allege any fathers, but God's word only for proof of their doctrines; which being done, there willbe great hope to diminish the Sects, and to establish a true Church in unity of Faith & Religion: Also I exhort you not to condemn yourselves, towards others, in the same things you allow in yourselves: namely; you will not that the Papists be judges over you, in their own causes, so you ought not to be judges over others in your own causes; for wherein you judge & condemn others, and yourselves do the same things, therein you shall judge & condemn yourselves, as the Apostle teacheth. Rom. 2.1. Also seeing you (like the Jews) have more zeal than knowledge, touching the Keeping of the weekly Sabbath, I desire you better to consider of the Apostles doctrine therein Rom. 14.4.5. shall you not force men, to observe that Shadow, more than the other shadowing Sabbath? seeing the weekly Sabbath was a Shadow, so well as the yearly Sabbaths, and now all abolished by Christ's coming: therefore condemn no man therein, nevertheless; will you esteem one day above another, yet you ought not to condemn others that esteem every day alike for then shall you do contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle, Col. 2.16.17. let no man oppress, or defraud his brother in any matter, For the Lord is an aveuger, all of such things. 1 Thess, 4.6.  
Also I desire good order may be taken for the maintenance of the poor that so no men, women nor children, be forced & dryven (through want) to beg from door to door; verily the lord loveth the poor now sowel as he did afore time, when he ordained alaw for their maintenance as you may read in Deutr. 14.28. saying, at the end of the year, thou shalt bring forth all the tithes of thine increase the same year, and lay it up within thy gates, than the Levite shall come because he hath no inheritance with thee) and the stranger, the fatherless, and the widows (that are poor) within thy gates, and shall eat and be filled, that the lord thy God, may bless thee in all the work of thine hands which thou dost: Levit. 19, 10. & 23.22. & Deut. 15.9.11.  
I beseech you, zealously to consider, if this Moral law of God be now abolished through Christ's coming, if not, let it I pray you be zealously practised: for as the maintenance of the Teachers and poor was then, even so is the maintenance of the Teachersand Poor now: Thus hoping a Reformation (of all Romish doctrines, Ceremonies, and Tyrannical discipline) according to the pattern of God's holy word: I commend you to the God of Peace, who make you perfect in all good works, to do his will, working in you, that which is pleasing in his sight, through jesus Christ, Amen.  
I beseech you to suffer the words of exhortation, for I have written to you in few words and in love, though not in the enticing speech of man's wisdom, yet in plain evidence of the power & spirit of Christ. 1. Cor. 2.4.7.10. you shall please to read. Mat. 7.22. They that love instruction, shall increase in knowledge, but they that hate it, shall remain in Error and ignorance. Proverb. 12.1. Esay. 2.3. & Micah. 4.2. As you would that men should do to you, so do you to them likewise. Mat. 7.12. Luk. 6.31. otherwise Christ will pronounce you unrighteous. Written in Zion (not Babylon) the 23. of the 8 month called October. by Mark Leonard Busher, in the 72 year of his Age a Citizen of the Famous and Honourable City London: though above 36 years, a Pilgrim in Holland, for the word of God and Testimony of jesus Christ. Reve 12.17. Anno Dom. 1643. Ro. style Anno Dom: Zion's style. 1659.  
THE END.