Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 114. Object. 3. But the English Presbyters have broke their Oaths of Canonical obedience, and therefore at least are schismatical. Answ. 1. Many never took any such oath, to my knowledge: For my part I did not. 2. The particular persons ⟨p. 239⟩that are guilty must be accused: and neither must they be judged before they speak for themselves, nor yet must others be condemned for their sakes. In these parts, there is not one Presbyter I think of ten, who differs from the Prelates about Ordination, that ever took that oath. And therefore it is few that can be called Schismatics on that account. Yea 3. And those few that did take that Oath, have few of them that I know of, done any thing against the Prelates.

Sect. 114. Object. 3. But the English Presbyters have broak their Oaths of Canoical obedience, and therefore at least are schismatical. Answ. 1. Many never took any such oath, to my knowledge: For my part I did not. 2. The particular persons ⟨p. 239⟩that are guilty must be accused: and neither must they be judged before they speak for themselves, nor yet must others be condemned for their sakes. In these parts, there is not one Presbyter I think of ten, who differs from the Prelates about Ordination, that ever took that oath. And therefore it is few that can be called Schismaticks on that account. Yea 3. And those few that did take that Oath, have few of them that I know of, done any thing against the Prelates.

Sect. 115. Object. 4. The English Presbyters have pulled down the Prelates, and rebelled against them, and therefore at least are guilty of Schism. Answ. 1. The guilty must be named and heard: their case is nothing to the rest. It is not one often I think, perhaps of twenty, that can be proved guilty. 2. It was not the Scripture Bishops that they Covenanted against or opposed: but only the irregular English Prelacy before described: And the endeavour of reforming this corrupted Prelacy, and reducing it to the Primitive frame, is in it self no schism.