An enquiry into the original, nature, institution, power, order and communion of evangelical churches.…

(2.) That notwithstanding these things yet many learned Protestant Divines, have pleaded for Union and Communion with them, which upon our Principles and Suppositions, they could not have done. But whether they plead for Union and Communion with them, by admitting into their Churches, and submitting unto those Ceremonies and unscriptural Impositions, which is alone unto the Doctors Purpose; or whether they judge their Members obliged to Communicate in local Communion with them, under those Impositions, he doth not declare. But whereas neither we nor our Cause are in the least concerned in what the Dr. here insist upon, yet because the Charge is no less, then that our Principles give disturbance unto the Peace and Union of all Protestant Churches, I shall briefly manifest that they are not only conducive thereunto, but such as without which that Peace and Union will never be attained.

(2.) That notwithstanding these things yet many learned Protestant Divines, have pleaded for Ʋnion and Communion with them, which upon our Principles and Suppositions, they could not have done. But whether they plead for Union and Communion with them, by admitting into their Churches, and submitting unto those Ceremonies and unscriptural Impositions, which is alone unto the Doctors Purpose; or whether they judge their Members obliged to Communicate in local Communion with them, under those Impositions, he doth not declare. But whereas neither we nor our Cause are in the least concerned in what the Dr. here insist upon, yet because the Charge is no less, then that our Principles give disturbance unto the Peace and Ʋnion of all Protestant Churches, I shall briefly manifest that they are not only conducive thereunto, but such as without which that Peace and Union will never be attained.

1. It is known unto all, that from the first Beginning of the Reformation, there were Differences among the Churches, which departed from the Communion of ⟨p. 299⟩the Church of Rome. And as this was looked on as the greatest Impediment unto the Progress of the Reformation, so it was not morally possible that in a work of that Nature, begun and carried on by Persons of all for us, in many Nations, of divers Tongues and Languages, none of them being divinely inspired, that it should otherwise fall out. God also in his Holy Wise Providence suffered it so to be, for Causes known then to himself, but since sundry of them have been made manifest in the Event. For whereas there was an Agreement in all fundamental Articles of Faith among them, and all necessary means of Salvation, a farther Agreement considering our Sloth, Negligence, and proneness of men to abuse security and Power, might have produced as evil effects, as the Differences have done; For those which have been on the one hand, and those which have been on the other, have been and would have been from the corrupt Affections of the Minds of men, and their secular Interests.