(we are perfwaded) did not intend, nor would fore-fee till they found it too late for to prevent them: Alterations are things which the Generality are naturally apt to be very fond of, but it is very feldom, and for a very little while, that they are found to answer the hopes conceived of them: Indeed if it were once agreed upon what those things were which would * give a general fatisfaction, and put an abfolute end to this long and uhappy Controverfie, fuch a Propofal were at least worth a Confideration: But if there be as great variety of Demands as Perfons, and if it be as earnestly defired among great Numbers, that their Neighbours fhould not be indulged, as that themselves should, and we have for many years found it by a dear bought Experience, that when men are once gone beyond the Rule, they wander every where, and without end; why fhould you not at last look upon it as adviseable to return to the Rule again? Especially confidering, that those of the greatest Confi. deration among you are not against

the

the having any Rule at all, neither as yet have you been able to agree upon any other.

If it be to be wished that there should be any Church at all that Church must have Articles, and must have Canons; there is not the smallest Society in the World can be kept together in order to the meanest end,but there must be fome Rules which all its Members must submit unto, and be guided by: If therefore there ought to be kept up among us any fuch thing as the Affembling our felves together in order to the Publick Worship of Almighty God, then this must be done at fome time, in fome place, and after fome manner,in fome words, and by fome Perfon appointed to attend upon the doing it: Now if there be nothing of all this left to be determined by humane Wisdom and Authority, but that this whole Thing with every one of all the Circumstances of it are already determined in Holy Writ: The Church of England would be fo far from oppofing any thing of this, that she would glad

ly

ly conform in all particulars to these divine Establishments, and would be hugely thankful to any of our diffenting Brethren, if they will please to fhew her whereabouts fhe may read the Form of publick Worship, and withal the precife Method of that Order and Decency which ought to be used in it: For the hath been hitherto fo unhappy, as not to know of any but general Directions, which the hath endeavoured with all Faithfulness to purfue: But after this Dif covery the will take care, that her Children shall ferve God in no other way than that of his own immediate appointment, if she can but once learn Directions where to meet with it. But if there be no fuch way of Worship, both for the thing it felf and all its Circumstances, prefcribed by God; then fo much of it as is not done by God, must unavoidably be done by fuch men whom God hath fet over us, and who in fuch Cafes are to be to us instead of God.

And let us confider, that the Ce remonies which are retained are very

few,

few, very ancient, and very becoming; and to prevent all jealousies of the least manner of Superstition in the retaining them, the Church hath taken care to declare against all the Abuses which they were liable unto in the times of Popery. You value your felves upon being Succeffors to the old Puritans; but do you imagine that they would in the least have allowed many of those things which you have been the Authors of, or at leaft of which you have been the Instruments, and into which we hope you were not brought by any formed Refolutions of your own, but driven upon by thofe neceffities in your af fairs which your Zeal had unawares drawn you into? Inftead therefore of being jealous of any concealed mifchiefs in a few decent Rites and comely Ufages, you are highly concerned to remember what have been the Evils of your own Schifm, which you know your felves to have begun, and we are willing to believe did not fee to the dismal end of; and which upon your ownPrinciples you will ne

ver

ver be able to provide against: The Liberties which you take, have encouraged and defended others in taking fuch Liberties, as no doubt you have been often forry to fee your selves undeniably alledged as Patrons and Examples of. And unless you can alledge fome more neceffary Cau. fes of Separation than you hitherto have been able, you must be very partial Judges in your own Cafe, if you do not look upon your felves as refponfible for the Confequences of all those Separations, which by your Arms and Authority any elfe was enabled to make, first with you and after from you. Whatever fufpicions you may entertain concerning Conformity, you will never be able to make a Bar strong enough to keep out the dreadful Effects of Non-conformity. If no Settlement is to be complied with, but fuch a one which each particular Man doth in his own private thoughts take to be the most adviseable in all refpects as to Matter and Circumstance, and no longer than it doth appear to be fo, then

there