ἈΣΎΣΤΑΤΑ.  
THE Repugnancy and Inconsistency OF THE MAINTENANCE OF AN Orthodox MINISTRY, And Toleration of HERETICAL OPINIONS.  2 Cor. 6.14, 15, 16. 
What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? What agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols?  Ephes. 5.11. 
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.  Galat. 5.19, 20. 
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, etc. variance, wrath, strife, divisions, heresies.  Isaiah. 5.20, 21. 
Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.  
Printed in the Year, 1659.   

1. FRom rational principles it is clear, that those things that are of contrary qualities are inconsistent, because they expel one the other, as fire, and water, light, and darkness, the introduction, or coming in of the one, is the destruction of the other, there is such an antipathy betwixt some Trees, that they will not grow and prosper near one unto the other; the strings made of the guts of the Wolf and the Lamb, will not hold together in one instrument; an Orthodox Ministry, and heretical Opinions, are as opposite; therefore the toleration of these latter, must needs overthrow the former.  
2 Their ends are contrary as their principles and qualities which actuate them; of the Ministry, 
Ephes. 4.11, 12, 13, 14.  the perfecting of the Saints, edification of the body of Christ, keeping Men from being always children, carried about with every wind of Doctrine, etc. of heresy, and error, the unsettling of the Saints, overthrow of the body of Christ, making Men, and keeping them, children; and, like the waves of the Sea, turned this way, and that way, with every blast of erroneous Doctrine.  
How absurd therefore is it? For a Physician to say he will cure such a man perfectly, keep him in a sound constitution of his body, and yet give him leave to eat any thing. For a Gardener, or Husbandman, to say, they will look to the prosperity, and fruitfulness of their Trees, Herbs, Flowers, Corn, and yet suffer the suckers weeds to grow, and overgrow the rest. For Statesmen to say, they will take care of the Commonweal, and suffer the commotions, and troubles therein, with their causes, (which heresies and errors too have no small influence into) to abound: This is like the practice of late, the Act for sanctification of the Lords day, (a Mock-act, smelling strongly of hypocrisy, that most odious sin to God and good Men) and yet, men might meet any where to profane it, and draw others so to do, by their wicked doctrines, and practices. Should the Lord Major of London, say, he will be very diligent, for the preservation of the City, from the Plague, and other infections and noisome Diseases, and yet suffer all the Carrions and nastiness to lie in the streets; who will believe him? So, if our Governors will say, they will do all for the truth, nothing against it, and yet bear with that which is most against it, who will be induced to imagine the possibility of it?  
3. What hath been the practice of pious Princes, amongst the Jews, Christians, the Scriptures, and Ecclesiastical Histories, abundantly witness; They did, not only set up, and maintain the true, and pure worship of God; but removed every thing that was destructive, and impeditive thereof, and this they did, by command from God, which is still in force: the ground, and reason thereof, being still in force, and there being no repeal thereof. Do any think, that God is not zealous now for his glory, as heretofore? and should not his Deputy be so too? By what artifices, hath the POPE held up his bundle of Heresies? by hindering, remooveing, destroying that which would destroy it.  
Master NEWCOMB'S Sermon, on the fifth day of November, 1642. The BOHEMIAN PERSECUTION. CONTZENS ARTIFICE, to expel the protestant Religion, and the Practices of our Bishops, and the BOHEMIAN PAPISTS, according thereunto, are stolen odious things; and why then, should they be imitated, by those, that profess such great love to the PROTESTANT RELIGION? Can it arise from better Principles? Or produce any better fruit? Let all unprejudiced reasonable Men judge.  
4 From the event, or rather natural effect, which it always produced, it hath overthrown the Ministry, and consequently the worship of God, (which consequence many will deny even against sense and experience) in all places and ages of the world, under all models and forms of government, and laid those various governments together with the people under them in the dust. Look upon the Jewish Nation beautified so exceedingly, and beloved of her God, the Queen and Princess of the Provinces, did not her Kings & rulers by suffering Idols, as many as their Cities, cause her most glorious & jealous husband to departed from her, and give her a bill of divorce, and deliver her into the hands of her enemies, and did not her misery come in at this door, the pollution of, y●a trampling under foot her Priesthood, and all the holy appointments of God by that Toleration. Did it not presently after the rejection and crucifixion of their expected Messiah, the fruit of their many sects and divisions bring inevitable desolation upon them, under which they lie to this day. Did n●● the pol●●heisme of the Heathens, like a worm, eat asunder the roots of their seemingly eternally settled Monarchies, commonwealths, and Nations? Is it not in the mouths of most? That the Toleration of sports on the Lord's day, winking at the Bishop's introduction of Popery, out off Charles Steward, him and his, stubbed up Episcopacy, Roose and Branch, which would have rooted up the godly Ministry. Have you so soon forgotten, that this Carnal Stratagem, in the late Lord Protectors days, (who therein laid the foundation of all our misery.) blasted the Ministry, and rendered it very unsuccessful. The consideration whereof, probably, sunk his spirit, and hastened his death, and hath he not provided ill, for his posterity, hereby: though he thought to have established it? But you will say, our neighbours of Holland prosper, notwithstanding their practising the same. How can you say so? Have not you been under God, the instruments of his vengeance upon them? have they not lost the power of godliness; do we not follow them apace; can we look upon them, but as a people hastening to their period? and shall we dream of an exemption, from their plagues, being guilty of their sins; allowed of and established by a Law; what can be objected, from scripture unwrested, and right reason, I know not. What hath been, to the unhallowed violation, of the divine oracles, and abuse of reason, hath been fully answered by those, that have wrote, of the Magistrates power in taking care for the observation of the whole Law of God, and against the Toleration of all, or, some erroneous opinions: And the so much merely pretended liberty of conscience. I will not, actum agere, but pray you to look into them. Wherefore consider, O ye heads, of the Tribes of our Israel, in whom is the quintessence of reason, is it suitable to your wisdom, to make resolves, militant, one against the other: Destructive one of another? Should not the wisdom of the only wise God, and his authority preponderate your conceits, 
Psal. 2.10, 11, 12. Fourth and Fifth Commandment, Rev. 2.2.20.  and make you stoop and yield submissively to him? Would you not have others yield obedience to you, in your lawful commands? and will you not give the same to Jehovah the righteous Lawgiver and Judge of the World; Though you have power to cast down Monarchies here on earth, are you so fool hardy, as to kick against the pricks, in opposing his supreme Monarchical Sovereignty; must you not be brought to his bar in the most glorious Parliament of Angels, and Saints that ever will sit; how will you answer Christ, for preferring your own imaginations before his revealed will, in his word; for designing, any of you, the erecting the Idols, you dote upon, and adore, upon the ruins, and blood of Millions in these Nations. What evasions, and distinctions, will help you? When you are required to give an account, of the hindrance of the propagation of the Gospel, conversion of souls, and the glory accrueing to God thereby. How will you answer the people, that have trusted you with all that is dear to them? How will you still the Clamour of their own consciences? Which will speak, out, one day, when you will have more leisure to hear them. With what heart can you, now, or will you hereafter hear, the Lamentable cries of the souls murdered by your bloody hands? Have you no bowels of pity and compassion in you? Have you greater mercy for the wolves than the sheep? O cruel bloody mercies! Where is the sincerity of your love to that Christ you own if you are to seed hi● sheep, as Christians, and see them, fed as Magistrates, with wholesome food, will you let them graze any where, on any poisonous and baneful herb? Our love to Christ here i● best 〈◊〉, by our love to his members, and should not his truth be 〈◊〉 to you, than your lives, estates, etc. Much more opinion? and can you love it, and hug its enemies in your own bosoms, and in others? is it not very sinful, to Tolerate evil in yourselves? much more in others, most of all to enact it by a Law. The good Lord, keep you, from further kindling his wrath, that hath burnt already, so hot, and so long, against these three Nations, hastening to their final consumption. Amen Amen.   
FINIS.