he point of church-officers and
government, in the matter of oaths and of the magistrate's power, and do
maintain Erastianism, an exploded and abjured error in this church: And
we seek no more but that all be removed who are scandalous, and none but
they, if intruders, covenant breakers, perjured subscribers of
scandalous oaths and tests, schismatics and persecutors, be counted
among the scandalous.

Some things are indeed extraordinary, which we here urge; but as
extraordinary exigencies do force us, to move without a precedent; so
they furnish you a power, to make a precedent for the like cases
thereafter: We confess also, it may seem precipitant to press all these
things so hard, and so soon, in a bruckle time, before things be better
settled; but we fear, if new delays be procured, till all things be
fully settled, that the observing of wind and clouds shall hinder both
sowing and reaping. But it, laying aside the plaisters, wherewith the
wounds of our backslidings have been slightly covered rather than cured,
you put to your hand to the healing of your breaches, in condescending
to these our humble desires, you shall win the blessing of many souls,
rent and racked with these divisions; you shall disburthen the land of
many weights and woes, whereof it is weary; you shall send to all the
neighbouring churches a pattern, transmit to posterity an example, and
erect to all ages a monument of self denying, zeal and wisdom; a work to
be paralleled with the glories of former times. If herein our hopes
shall fail us, we shall not know whether to wish, we had died with our
brethren, by the enemies hand, and had never seen this reviving in our
bondage; for it will be a death to us, and not a reviving, if there be
not a returning together to the Lord, searching and trying, and
discovering the iniquities of our ways. But however, we intend not to
separate from the church, but to maintain union and communion in truth
and duty, with all the ministers and members of this church that do, and
in so far as they do follow the institutions of Christ; and to approve
ourselves, God assisting, as much for peace and concord, as ever we were
suspected to be men of divisive principles; hoping it shall appear, we
are seeking _where he feedeth, and where he makes his flock to rest at
noon_, and are not as such, _who turn aside by the flocks of his
companions, but going forth by the footsteps of the flocks, beside the
shepherds tents_: Yet wit