A Declaration of the faith and order owned and practiced in the Congregational churches…

Secondly, let this be added, (or superadded rather) to give full weight and measure, even to running over) that we have all along this season, held forth (though quarrelled with for it by our brethren) this great principle of these times, That amongst all Christian States and Churches, there ⟨image 5⟩ought to be vouchsafed a forbearance and mutual indulgence unto Saints of all persuasions, that keep unto, and hold fast the necessary foundations of faith and holiness, in all other matters extrafundamental, whether of Faith or Order.

Secondly, let this be added, (or superadded rather) to give full weight and measure, even to running over) that we have all along this season, held forth (though quarreled with for it by our brethren) this great principle of these times, That amongst all Christian States and Churches, there ⟨image 5⟩ought to be vouchsafed a forbearance and mutual indulgence unto Saints of all perswasions, that keep unto, and hold fast the necessary foundations of faith and holiness, in all other matters extrafundamental, whether of Faith or Order.

This to have been our constant principle, we are not ashamed to confess to the whole Christian world. Wherein yet we desire we may be understood, not as if in the abstract we stood indifferent to falsehood or truth, or were careless whether faith or error, in any Truths but fundamental, did obtain or not, so we had our liberty in our petty and smaller differences: or as if to make sure of that, we had cut out this wide cloak for it: No, we profess that the whole, and every particle of that Faith delivered to the Saints, (the substance of which we have according to our light here professed) is, as to the propagation and furtherance of it by all Gospel-means, as precious to us as our lives; or what can be supposed dear to us; and in our sphere we have endeavoured to promote them accordingly: But yet withal, we have and do contend, (and if we had all the power which any, or all of our brethren of differing opinions have desired to have over us, or others, we should freely grant it unto them all) we have and do contend for this, That in the concrete, the persons of all such gracious Saints, they and their errors, as they are in them, when they are but such errors as do and may stand with communion with Christ, though they should not repent of them, as not being convinced of them to the end of their days; that those, with their errors (that are purely spiritual, and intrench and overthrow not civil societies,) as concrete with their persons, should for Christs sake be born withal by all Christians in the world; and they notwithstanding be permitted to enjoy all Ordinances and spiritual Privileges according to their light, as