5

We are not ignorant that (besides those aspersions

of Heresie and Schisme) other Exceptons are

also taken at o^r way of church Govdmt; but (as

we conceive) upon as little ground; as first

“ shal by admitting none into y^e fellowshipp of

“ o^r churches but saints by calling, we robb many

“ parish churches of their best members, to make

“ up one of y^e congregations, w^ch is not only to

“ gather churches out of churches, (a thing unheard

“ of in Scripture) but also to weaken y^e hearts

“ and hands of y^e best ministers in y^e parishes, by

“ despoiling them of their best hearers. Secondly,

“ that we pvide no Course for joyning & calling

“ in of Ignorant & Scandalous & Erroneous psons

“ who we refuse to receive into o^r churches. Thirdly,

“ that in o^r way we sow seeds of division, &

“ hindrance of Edification, in every family, whilst

“ admitting into o^r churches only Voluntaryes,

“ the Husband will be of one church, y^e wife of

“ another, y^e parents or one church, y^e children

“ of another; and so y^e parents and m^rs [masters] being of

“ different churches from their children & servants,

“ they can not take a just account of their pfitting

“ by what they heare: yea by this meanes, y^e

“ Husbands, parents & m^rs shall be chardgeable

“ to y^e maintenance of many of y^e churches and

“ church=officers besides their owne, w^ch will

“ prouve a chardge & burden unsupportable.

But for answer, as to y^e first, for gathering

churches out of churches, we can not say that

it is a thing unheard of in Scripture. The