The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

XXX. 28. When able faithful Pastors are lawfully set over the Assemblies, by just Election and Ordination, if any will causelessly, and without right silence them, and command the people to desert them, and to take others for their Pastors in their stead, of whom they have no such knowledge as may encourage them to such a ⟨p. 50⟩change, we cannot defend this from the charge of Schism, which puts a Congregation on so hard a means of Concord, as to judge whether they are bound to that Pastor that was set over them as Christ appointed, or must renounce him and take the other when they are Commanded. So Cyprian in the case of Novatian says that he could be no Bishop because another was rightful Bishop before.

XXX. 28. When able faithful Pastors are lawfully set over the Assemblies, by just Election and Ordination, if any will causelesly, and without right silence them, and command the people to desert them, and to take others for their Pastors in their stead, of whom they have no such knowledge as may encourage them to such a ⟨p. 50⟩change, we cannot defend this from the charge of Schism, which puts a Congregation on so hard a means of Concord, as to judge whether they are bound to that Pastor that was set over them as Christ appointed, or must renounce him and take the other when they are Commanded. So Cyprian in the case of Novatian sayes that he could be no Bishop because another was rightfull Bishop before.

XXXI. 29. In England it belongeth 1. to the Patron to present, 2. to the Bishop to ordain and institute and therefore to approve and invest 3. to the people jure divino to be free Consenters, 4. and to the Magistrate to protect and to judge who shall be protected or tolerated under him: If now these four parties be for four Ministers or for three, or two several men, and cannot agree in one, the culpable dissenters will be the causes of the Schism.