YOu are most earnestly in­treated to take notice, and to be warned of a most pestilent and dangerous designe lately practised by some hellish Polititians, tending to the dividing of the honest party a­mongst themselves, thereby to weaken them, and to give advan­tages to the Common Enemies.

[Page 80] The ground of their designe is, The difference of judgement in matters of Religion amongst con­scientious well minded people, oc­casion being taken from thence to make them not only to despise and hate one another, but as odious to the generality of good men as are theeves, murderers and harlots.

The means they use to promote their designe, is principally to broach some grosse and foolish er­rours; and then to father them on all those that are called Anabap­tists, Antinomians, Brownists, Se­paratists or Independents:

Perswading and possessing the people:

First, concerning the Anabap­tists, That they hold all govern­ment in the Commonweale to bee [Page 81] unlawfull; which you are to know is most pernicious delusion, for they approve of, and doe sub­mit unto all government that is a­greed on by common consent in Parliament; and disapprove only of arbitrary and tyrannicall go­vernment, usurpations and exorbi­tances in Magistrates and Officers; and have disbursed their monies and hazarded their lives as freely for their just government, and li­berties of this Nation, as any con­dition of men whatsoever.

Secondly, That the Antinomi­ans doe hold, that a Beleever may live as he list! even in all licenti­ousnesse: which is most grossely false: there being no Scripture more frequent in their mouthes then this, namely, The love of God bringing salvation to all men hath [Page 82] appeared, teaching us to deny all un­godlinesse and wordly lusts, and to live righteously and godly, and sober­ly in this present world.

Thirdly, That the Brownists, Separation and Independents doe hold that all other Protestants are in a damnable condition, who doe hold fellowship, Church society, and communion with grossely, vi­tious and wicked persons: which also is most notoriously false: for they doe not so judge of any; but doe judge that themselves having (to their apprehensions) grounds in Scripture, proving the unlaw­fulnesse of such mixt communions, may not, nor dare not so commu­nicate: And as concerning others they judge (as themselves would be judged) that they exercise their Religion in that way which ap­peareth [Page 83] to them most agreeable to the Word of God.

When these sowers of division have possest the people, that these and the like absurdities are held by them: Then they advise them to flye from them as from Serpents, and not to heare them or discourse with them, as they tender the safety of their souls; & make them glad & rejoyce when they heare any of them are imprisoned or silenced; or their bookes (though slightly and absurdly) answered: and when they heare that many of them are forsaking the Kingdome, and be­taking themselves to the West-Indies and other places for Li­berty of their Consciences (as void of all remorse) they cry out, Let them goe, a good riddance, it will never bee well in England [Page 84] (say they) so long as these Sects are permitted to live amongst us; nor untill the Parliament do set up one expresse way for exercise of Reli­gion, and compell all men to sub­mit thereunto, and most severely to punish all such as will not.

But you will finde that this is the very voice of Prelacie, and the authours thereof to bee the very same in heart, what ever they are in cloaths and outside—And that it is not the voyce of the Apostles, who required that every man should be fully perswaded in his owne minde of the lawfulnesse of that way wherein he served the Lord; and that upon such a ground as no authority on earth can ever dispence withall, namely, That whatsoever is not of faith (or full assurance of minde) is sin.

[Page 85] Our Saviour Christ did not use the Sadduces in so unkinde a man­ner, and yet they held more dange­rous opinions then any that are ac­cused in our times; for they be­leeved that there was no resurre­ction, and that there was neither Angell nor Spirit; though they came to him in a kinde of insolent confidence in these their opinions, which he knew sufficiently, He, ne­verthelesse both heard and answe­red them gently; he did not revile them with reproachfull language, telling them that they were not worthy to live in a Common­wealth; nor did he warne others to discourse with them; hee did not command their persons to be imprisoned, nor declare their lives to be forfeited: It is likely they li­ved quietly, and (in all civill re­spects) according to the loves of [Page 86] the Country, and were honester men then the Scribes and Pharisees who were hypocrites: and so, as the true authour of his Apostles do­ctrine, he allowed them to be fully perswaded in their owne mindes, using no meanes but argument and perswasion to alter or controle their judgements: He knew that men might live peaceably and lo­vingly together, though they differ in judgement one from another: Himselfe was composed of love, and esteemed nothing so pretious as love; His servant and Apostle Paul was of the same minde also, affirming that though hee had all faith and al knowledge, and under­stood all mysteries, though he could speak with the tongues of men and of Angels, and have not love, he is nothing, a meere sounding brasse or tinckling symball: he desires that [Page 87] who are strong in the faith, should beare with those that are weak, ad­viseth him that eateth that hee should not condemne him that ea­teth not: where one observed a day to the Lord, and others not (though a matter of great mo­ment) yet he alloweth every one to be fully perswaded in his owne minde: Now if our Saviour and his Apostle, that could infallibly de­termine what was truth, and what was error, did neverthelesse allow every man to bee fully perswaded in his owne minde, and did not command any man upon their au­thority to doe any thing against judgement and conscience—What spirit are they of, whose Ministers are they, that would have all men compelled to submit to their pro­babilities and doubtfull determi­nations?

[Page 88] The Apostle perswadeth those whō he instructed to try all things: These allow not things to be com­pared, they take liberty to speake what they please in publike against opinions and judgements, under what nick-names they thinke fit­test to make them odious, and write and Print, and licence the same, wresting and misapplying the Scri­ptures to prove their false asserti­ons; but stop all mens mouthes from speaking, and prohibit the Printing of any thing that might be produced in way of defence and vindication; and if any thing bee attempted, spoken or published without authority or licence, Pur­suivants, fines and imprisonments, are sure to wait the Authors, Prin­ters and publishers.

And though experience of all times under Popery and Prelacie, [Page 89] have proved this a vaine way to bring all men to be of one minde, yet these men are not yet made wiser by the folly of others, but suffer themselves to be outwitted by the devillish policies of those that put them on in those compul­sive and restrictive courses, as knowing it to be the only meanes to obstruct the truth, to multi­ply opinions, and cause divisions, without which they know they should in vaine attempt the bond­age or destruction of the honest party.

Be you therefore wise in time, and speedily and freely unite your selves to those your brethren, though reproached with never so many nick-names, and use all lawfull meanes for their ease and freedome, and for protection from reproach, injury or violence, that [Page 90] they may be encouraged to abide in, and returne unto this our di­stressed country, and to contribute their utmost assistance to free the same from the bloudy intentions of the common enemies, and give them assurance of a comfortable freedome of conscience when a happy end shall be given to these wofull times: you cannot deny but that they are to bee trusted in any imployment equall to any con­dition of men, not one of them ha­ving proved false hearted or trea­cherous in any publike employ­ment: sticke you therefore close to them, they will most certainly sticke close to you; which if you doe, all the Popish and malignant party in the world will not be able to circumvent you: but if you suf­fer your selves to be so grossely de­luded as to despise or renounce [Page 91] their assistance and association, you shall soone perceive your selves to be over-growne with malignants (the taking of a Covenant will not change a blackamore) your bondage will be speedy and cer­taine: The ground upon which you renounce them is so unjust and contrary to the word of God, that God cannot prosper you; you have therefore no choice at all; but if you joyne not; you perish: Your destruction is of your selves. (com­plaine of none else) your pride and disdaine of them will be your ruine.

Thus have you the faithfull ad­vice of him who is neither Ana­baptist, Antinomian, Brownist, Separatist or Independent: But of one that upon good ground (as he conceiveth) holdeth fellowship and communion with the Parochi­all [Page 92] congregations, who observing with a [...]ad he [...] the manifold di­stractions and divisions amongst his brethren about difference of judgement in matters of Religion; and finding the same fomented and made use of to the destruction of the common freedome of his deare Country: He could not forbeare to give warning there of to all sorts of well-affected persons, hoping that they will labour to informe themselves more truly of the opini­ons and dispositions of those their too much despised Brethren; and (as himselfe hath done) resolve henceforward to joyne heart and hand with them in all offices of love and mutuall assistance of the Commonwealth.