The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

M. Had you read a Book called, The Samaritan, and another called, The True and only Terms of Church-Concord, you would need no further answer to that objection. If you would have all of one mind and way, it must be in that which it is necessary and possible for all men to agree in, and to make things unnecessary or impossible your terms, is the certain way of pernicious division. Will you extirpate all that dissent in Controversies of Law, of Philosophy, Astronomy, Physic, Grammar; or that differ in Reason, Constitution, Statute? &c. Do you think that all will consent in all the Mysteries of Divinity, while knowledge is so low and rare? Yea, do you think that even in circumstances and things doubtful, all good Christians will ever be so much of one measure of knowledge as to agree? How happy are we if we all agree in great, plain, necessary things? But to understand also all little circumstances, and humane Orders and Phrases; which be lawful, and which not, supposeth all Plough-men, Trades-men and Work-men, to be far more perfect in the knowledge of Divinity, than the most learned Philosophers are in Physics, who agree in little but a few principles, and things within the reach of sense: When yet alas, we can scarce teach half the vulgar, the meaning of the Creed, or Baptismal Covenant. If the King would extirpate all Lawyers, Physicians, or Philosophers, who in a multitude of little and controverted points, cannot tell which side is in the right; he may have so much the more success in it, by how much the more men will be bold to dissemble their opinions in matters of such a nature. But about the matters of God and Salvation, Consciences will be more afraid to stretch and dissemble. It's far less wise to take this way, than for School-masters and Tutors to destroy or cast out all Scholars and Pupils, that have not just the same degree of knowledge. And at what age must this perfect knowledge begin, which must extend to the most minute things that men will command? At sixteen years of age you compel them, volentes, nolentes, to receive ⟨p. 269⟩the Lords Supper; and do you think then that all at sixteen years old, in England, should be presumed to know more of the Lawfulness of all your impositions on them, than I can reach to know at 68 (now near 74) after the long and hard Study of my life?

M. Had you read a Book called, The Samaritan, and another called, The True and only Terms of Church-Concord, you would need no further answer to that objection. If you would have all of one mind and way, it must be in that which it is necessary and possible for all men to agree in, and to make things unnecessary or impossible your terms, is the certain way of pernicious division. Will you extirpate all that dissent in Controversies of Law, of Philosophy, Astronomy, Physick, Grammar; or that differ in Reason, Constitution, Statute? &c. Do you think that all will consent in all the Mysteries of Divinity, while knowledge is so low and rare? Yea, do you think that even in circumstances and things doubtful, all good Christians will ever be so much of one measure of knowledge as to agree? How happy are we if we all agree in great, plain, necessary things? But to understand also all little circumstances, and humane Orders and Phrases; which be lawful, and which not, supposeth all Plow-men, Trades-men and Work-men, to be far more perfect in the knowledge of Divinity, than the most learned Philosophers are in Physicks, who agree in little but a few principles, and things within the reach of sense: When yet alas, we can scarce teach half the vulgar, the meaning of the Creed, or Baptismal Covenant. If the King would extirpate all Lawyers, Physicians, or Philosophers, who in a multitude of little and controverted points, cannot tell which side is in the right; he may have so much the more success in it, by how much the more men will be bold to dissemble their opinions in matters of such a nature. But about the matters of God and Salvation, Consciences will be more afraid to stretch and dissemble. It's far less wise to take this way, than for School-masters and Tutors to destroy or cast out all Scholars and Pupils, that have not just the same degree of knowledge. And at what age must this perfect knowledge begin, which must extend to the most minute things that men will command? At sixteen years of age you compel them, volentes, nolentes, to receive