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under thefe fair Colours and handsome Pretexts Sectaries infuse their Poyfon, their Pernicious, God-provoking, Truthdefacing, Church-ruinating and StateShaking Toleration.

To which Author I fhall only add the more Publick Testimony to the Truth of Jefus Chrift, and to our Solemn League and Covenant, as also against the Errours, Herefies, Blafphemies of thefe Times, and the Toleration of them, fubfcribed by the Minifters of Chrift within the Province of London, Decem ber 14. 1647. Which I have already mentioned,but in this part of the Argument fhall infift fomething more largely upon; because they were such a Body of men as were looked upon as very confiderable, and fufficiently qualified to speak the fence of their whole Party to great advantage: And befides that some of them are yet living and Preachers at this day to the separated Congregations about the Town. Now I would fain know of these Gentlemen, whether they are of the fame Judgment now about Toleration, as they were then? if they

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they are, then methinks they should do very well to declare it, and fo much the rather, because that by their behaviour one would guess that their minds were altered in that they do fo far comply as to joyn Counfels and Interefts with those whom formerly they bore teftimony againft: Again, if they are of the fame mind about Toleration now as they were former ly; then all the under Sects have great Cause in time to beware of them, ought to look upon them as very falfe brethren, who want nothing but opportunity to take away that Liberty which now indeed is common to them with the rest of their Brethren, but they never intended it for any but themfelves. And on the other fide, if they are not of the fame mind about Toleration now as they were formerly; then they ought in all Honesty to declare to the World how much they were formerly mistaken, in that they raised fuch fearful Outcries against that Toleration which is an innocent and an useful thing; the giving of which is (as it

is now faid) the Duty and Interest of all Government, is indeed no o ther than the permitting to us that Liberty with which Chrift made us free, or rather, which is the Right of Nature, the Common Birth right of all Mankind.

In the Preface to the aforefaid Teftimony they tell us of the spreading Hereftes and curfed Blafphemies of those Times, which had born down the Authority of the Scriptures and our Solemn League and Covenant (very fitly joyn ned:) And then they add, But above all our Souls are wounded to think with what hope and industry, a Toleration of all thefe Evils is endeavoured,and with what a wellcomed boldneß fundry odious Hereticks, which in other places have been banished and branded with infamy, do vent their poysonous Opinions amongst us; as if they intended to make England a common receptacle of all the finful Dregs of Foreign Countries as well as former Ages,pag.29. As if all the Errours, Herefies, Sects, Schifms, Divifions, Loofeness, Prophanenes, and Breach of Covenant among us, were small matG 2

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ters; what fecret and publick Endeavours, Projects, Methods and Practices are there amongst us to bring in an univerfal, boundless, lawleß, abominable and intolerable Toleration, to the filling up of the measure of our Iniquities, and the pulling down God's fierce indignation upon this Nation, and pag. 30. Inftead of Unity and Uniformity in Matters of Religion, we are torn in pieces with deftructive Schifms, Separations, Divifions, and Subdivifions, &c. and instead of Extirpation of Herefie Schifm, Prophaneness, we have fuch an impudent and general inundation of all thefe Evils, that Multitudes are not afhamed to press and plead for a publick, formal, Univerfal Toleration. And having thus fhewed how great their Zeal was in this Cafe, I fhall likewise lay down their Reasons for it, which with great earneftnefs they did exprefs in these following Words, pag. 32. A publick and a general Toleration will prove an hideous and complexive evil of most dangerous and mischievous Confequence, if ever (which God forbid) it should be confented to by Autho

rity, for hereby, First, the Glory of the most high God, will be laid in the very duft, Secondly, the Truth of Chrift, yea all the Fundamentals of Faith will be razed to the very ground; Thirdly, all Chrift's Ordinances, Offices, Worship, Religion, yea and the very Power of Godlinefs will be utterly overthrown ; Fourthly, thousands, and ten thousands of poor Souls which Christ hath ranfomed with his own blood, fhall be hereby betrayed, feduced, and endangered to be undone to all eternity. Fifthly, Ma gistracy and Ministry, and with them all Religions, and comely Order in the church and Commonwealth will be plucked up by the very roots. Sixthly,Reformation in Religion, in Doctrine,WorShip, Difcipline and Government shall be utterly made voyd. Seventhly, England fhall be swallowed up with Sects, Schifms, Divifions, Disorders, and Confufions,and become an odious fink, and a common receptacle of all the prodigious Errours, Lies, Herefies, and Blafphemies, Libertinism and Profanene in the World; fo that Rome it felf fhall not be a more odious puddle and cage of all aG 3 bominations

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