IT is the Word of God Deut. 19 15. alleadged, and averred by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Mat. 18.16. That in the mouth of two or three wit­nesses every word shall be established; We therefore (whose names are hereunto subscribed) having seene a Booke (in­tituled, A Testimony to be truth of Jesus Christ) subscribed by many of our Reverend Brethren within the Province of London, and considering that Jesus Christ was borne, and came into the world that he might beare wit­nesse to the truth, John 18.27 and that not onely the Apostles in their times, Act. 1.8 but all the Ministers of Christ in the severall Ages and successions of the Churches, are called Witnesses, Rev. 11.3.7. have thought it our duty, to Artest their Testimony, for as much as the grounds and motives of that their under­taking (as we conceive) were not Provinciall only, but of a N [...]tionall, if not an Universall influence. For ought not Gods glory, and the presence of his grace, the government of Jesus Christ, and all his standing Ordinances, the au­thority of Scripture, and power of godlinesse to be deare and pretious unto all? Are not all the Ministers of Je­sus Christ in every Congregation and County of this [Page 2]Kingdome, set for the defence of the Gospell? Philip. 1.17. and bound to marke them which cause divisions, and dissentions con­trary to the doctrine which they have learned, and to avoid them? Rom. 16.17. Are they not charged to Preach the Word, to be in­stant in season, out of sea on, to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering, and doctrine; because the time is come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but (after their owne lusts) will heape unto themselves Teachers, having itching eares, and doe turne away their eares from the truth, and are turned unto fables? 2 Tim 4.1, 2, 3, 4. Are not all the Elders of the Church (as well as those of Ephesus) Act. 20.17. ver. 28 29, 30. to take heed unto themselves, and to all the flock over whom the Holy Ghost hath made them Over-seers, to feed the Church of God; which he hath purchased with his owne blood? Especially when they see, that grievous Wolves are entred in among them, not sparing the flock, and that of their owne selves, men doe arise speaking perverse things, to draw away Disciples after them? For though this King­dome is not yet formed into Provinces throughout, as Lon­don is, yet are we set in the Church, 1 Cor. 12 28. and so in the body, Heb. 13.3. and bound to all endeavours for preventing Schisme, 1 Cor. 12 25. and have upon us the care, not only of our owne parti­cular Congregations, but in some sort likewise, of all the Churches; 2 Cor. 11 28. And though we cannot but acknowledge, that we have been much provoked, and put on to what we doe, by our Reverend Bretherens zeale, 2 Cor. 9.2 yet are we many other waies engaged and obliged to it; for can our solemne League and Covenant so lately sworne, and so successeful­ly ingaged in by both the Kingdomes, be so soone laid aside, forgotten, and thought invalid, and out of date? Is the unquestioned Doctrine of the Church of England con­tained in the Creeds, and nine and thirty Articles (where­in the said Errours are adjudged and discovered) of no au­thority? Have not our Reverend Brethren, now fitting at Westminster, by authority of Parliament, in that lear­ned, pious, orthodox, unparallel'd Confession of Faith, (presented by them unto the Parliament, and since pub­lished) spoken our very thoughts, and in that, and their [Page 3]Advice concerning Church-Government, and Ordination of Ministers, made an ample, seasonable, and full supply of those things wherein before this Church and King­dome were defective. Wherefore we doe not thinke our Bretherens Testimony, or this our Attestation of it, to be needlesse or unseasonable, but a necessary & proper confes­sion and profession of our former manifold Obligations & Engagements. We therefore that have hereunto subscribed our names, for the clearing and acquitting of our selves, the incouraging of our Brethren, who have gone before us in the worke, the supporting of the weake, setling of the wavering, and reclayming of the wandering; Doe assert, and signe this our Attestation, not doubting but by the blessing of God upon our innocency and sincerity therein, it may doe good: for howsoever Errours are not here discussed and disproved by way of Argument, yet they are noted, and called Errours by proper Judges, and of un­suspected integrity and interests: that, as many have been seduced and led away by the sole authority and practise of some they valued, so they may be reduced by the con­current judgement, testimony, and authority of many others; yet (with our Reverend Brethren) we doe not thinke all Errours equally destructive and pernicious, but, on some we have compassion making a difference; others we would save with feare, pulling them out of the fire, Jude 22 23. and instruct all with meeknesse, who oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the ac­knowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devill, who are taken captive by him at his will, 2 Tim. 2.25, 26. onely we are carefull and so­licitous, that our tendernesse and mildnesse towards the truly weake, and really conscientious, and scrupulous, in­courage not the wilfull and ingaged, and expose not our serious and affectionate endeavours unto contempt and scorne, and therefore would be glad to borrow and be­sprinkle this our Attestation, with so much of our Reve­rend Bretherens animosity and zeale, as may make our gentle Phisick worke. Paul doth compare himselfe, and [Page 4]others of his Fellow-labourers in the worke of God, to Nurses, 1 Thes. 2.7. and was as tender, compassionate, and fellow-feeling as any other; Who is weake (saith he) and I am not weake? Who is offended, and I burne not? 2 Cor. 11 29. yet when truth stag­gered, Gal. 2.5 ver. 11. ver. 14. and men of place and worth began to be ingaged in unwarrantable condescentions, and complyances, his meeknesse vanisheth, and the onely jewell he adornes him­selfe with, is plaine dealing, not onely withstanding the great Apostle of the Circumcision to his face, but recor­ding that Encounter, and Contest to all succeeding Gene­rations; and when he findes an Elymas withstanding him, and seeking to subvert his Hearers, Act. 10 8 ver. 9, 10. Joh. 1. [...]9. he is impatient, and dips his Pen in Vinegar. Our Saviour was the Lambe of God, before his shearers dumbe, Act 8.32 anoynted to preach the Gospell to the poore; Luk 4.28 and thought a friend to Publicans and sinners, Mar. 11.19. yet when he meets with Scribes and Phari­sees, disdainfull, proud, dissembling, hypocriticall decei­vers, and seducers of the people, he is a Lion, Rev. 5.5 and can Mat. 23.13 ver. 33. thunder woes, and talke of Hell, and of Damnation to them. The Lord in mercy grant, we may in both endea­vour imitation, and being sent forth as Sheepe in the midst of Wolves, we may mingle wisdome with simpli­city, Mat. 1 [...].16. and so affect the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ in some cases, 2 Cor. 10 1. as not to forget his resolution and zeale in other, John 2.15, 16, 17. wherein as we are assured to approve our selves to him (which is our comfort and incouragement in what we doe) so we hope we shall, and desire we may, to all who love him in sincerity, Eph. 6.24. which is the ayme, de­signe, and expectation of