The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

§ 2. Having thus proved that which I denied not, you proceed to add Nineteen Propositions about the Case in question, in all which it is not easy to be sure which side you conclude for: You grant most of my premises, which make against ⟨p. 101⟩Perjury. You confess, that If any one Person be bound by that Oath to endeavour an alteration of Church Government, no Man may with a safe Conscience subscribe this. And, If there be evil in the Government of the Church, which may well and conveniently be reformed, you do not see but that all that have taken that Oath, stand bound in their Places and Calling to endeavour it: There can be no just Reformation without some Alteration. A great deal more than this you grant, how Rulers are bound to yield in things confessed indifferent, which others account Sin, were it but to heal our Breaches: And what a Sin it is to cast out of the Church multitudes of holy Conscientious Men for a small and tolerable Error, when all have some, &c. But yet instead of a Conclusion, if you are intelligible, you induce Men to subscribe, though that which they fear, be (not accusing any) lest they should be guilty of many hundred thousand Perjuries.

§ 2. Having thus proved that which I denied not, you proceed to add Nineteen Propositions about the Case in question, in all which it is not easie to be sure which side you conclude for: You grant most of my premises, which make against ⟨p. 101⟩Perjury. You confess, that If any one Person be bound by that Oath to endeavour an alteration of Church Government, no Man may with a safe Conscience subscribe this. And, If there be evil in the Government of the Church, which may well and conveniently be reformed, you do not see but that all that have taken that Oath, stand bound in their Places and Calling to endeavour it: There can be no just Reformation without some Alteration. A great deal more than this you grant, how Rulers are bound to yield in things confest indifferent, which others account Sin, were it but to heal our Breaches: And what a Sin it is to cast out of the Church multitudes of holy Conscientious Men for a small and tolerable Error, when all have some, &c. But yet instead of a Conclusion, if you are intelligible, you induce Men to subscribe, though that which they fear, be (not accusing any) lest they should be guilty of many hundred thousand Perjuries.