of England, Bleffed be God! do practice.

Moft certainly Schifm is a damnable Sin, but if they perifh in it, their Destruction is of themfelves; 'tis their own fault: Religion is a matter of our freeft Choice, and God has provided no Remedy for the Obstinacy of Men.

'Tis no wonder that they who (with itching Ears) make a Thorough-fare of the Church, fhou'd be frighted at the Doctrine of Schifm, for in their Conventicles they fearce ever hear of any Juch thing, or if they do, tis, I judge, by their continuing in them) fo tenderly and Gently

touch'd

See

*

touch'd upon, as to be reckon'd only a Venial Sin, if any at all. But however flack their Teachers may now a Days be in preaching up the Sinfulness of Schifm, and the Evil of different Opinions, yet when Power was in their Hands, they loudly harangued upon both. Then they could tell Mr. Bax- US, from Diverfity in Opinion, ter's Epift. and external Rites refulteth Dif Congr. like; thence Enmity, thence Oppofition, thence Schifm in Church, and Sedition in State; the State not standing fecure without the Church, nor the Church without Unity, uor Unity without Uniformity. Then 'twas a moderate Doctrine, that Thousands were gone to Hell, and Ten Thousands upon their March thither,

to Sep.

thither, that, in all Probability, had never come thither, if they had not been tempted from the Parish Churches, for the Enjoyment of Communion in a purer Church.

+ See

Godly

Then their Flocks were warn'd tot take heed of Separating from the Publick Affemblies of the lamy's Saints; to take heed of unchurch-man Ark ing the Churches of Christ, left they proved Schifmaticks, instead of being true Chrifti

ans.

*

Direc. 14.

See

Dr. C.Bur

5.Nov.Ser mon before Commons, 164

At that time they faid, Sects and Schifms did every where budges' forth, and threaten'd all Order, her Unity, and Government; that no Hydra was fo fertile of Heads,

as

See Mr. E.

as Error and Schifm, grown to fome Strength and Maturity. It will ask but a short time of Connivance; afterwards, there will be no curbing nor fhaming of it: For nothing is fo confident as Ignorance, impudent as Falfhood, and catching as Error.

The Toleration of all Religions, was then a damnable Sin; the Allowance of a Parliament in that refpect, was fo heinous a Crime, as to call for a Parlia ment-Repentance; and the Wif dom of the Nation, the Parliament was intreated to fearch their Hearts, and to confider how Cfar they were acceffary to fuch Sins: * If do not labour you

lamy's Ser

mon before

the Com

mons, O. according to your Duty and

22. 1644.

Pow

Power to suppress the Errors and Herefies that are spread in the Kingdom, all these Errors are your Errors, and thefe Herefies are your Herefies; they are your Sins, and God calls for a Parliamentary Repentance from you this Day.

In that Golden Age, thefe Godly Paftors were far from think ing the Parliament capable of judging what Doctrines were fit, and what not, to be preach'd, for they arrogantly pretended to teach their Senators Wisdom.

Now, from hence we cannot be furprised that this Party of Men will not afford the Title of an boneft Churchman, to any but fuch B

as