church is advancing in a course of reformation, and a time wherein she is

declining and sliding back from that degree of reformation unto which she

had already attained. In a time wherein the church is but coming out of

darkness, and the day is but beginning to break up, many things may then

be comported with and tolerated which may not be submitted unto after

the church hath got all these abuses reformed. Every believer and every

church is bound to stand fast in that which they have attained unto, and

not to cede in a hoof: so that Christians living in a time wherein the church

is but beginning to wrestle up from under the heap of error and

corruption, may be allowed to do many things which must not be done

when the noontide of the day is come. In the time of the reformation

begun by Luther and others, many things might have been comported

within the church (reformation being a gradual motion that hath but small

beginnings and risings) which now, since the reformation hath been

carried on, through the blessing of God, to that degree it was advanced to,

cannot be allowed. When God hath wonderfully, by his mighty power and

outstretched arm, brought a church to a great length in reformation, it will

be the duty of that church, and of the members thereof, to adhere to that

degree unto which they have attained with all perseverance. It will be

lawful for the church which is but coming up the hill to stand at such a

step until they gain another, when yet it will not be lawful for the same

church to go backward after they have advanced. The truth once bought

should never be sold. So then the consequence is null. Their forefathers

stumbled not nor did scruple at the doing of such or such things; therefore

those in this generation who have advanced, through the blessing of God,

unto a farther degree of reformation, should not scruple either. It is a poor

consequence to say, The posterity may return backwards because their

forefathers could not advance further. Much more may be seen when the

sun is up than in the twilight: therefore the scrupling of honest people now

doth no way condemn their forefathers; but, on the contrary, the

steadfastness of their forefathers, in standing to the degree to which they

had reached, and their endeavouring to advance, will condemn this

generation for backsliding. In their days those abuses and corruption were

not remedied,-- the church was not then freed of that yoke of oppression,-

- and, further, their after consent unto such ministers made up this defect;

but those in this generation are not at liberty to give or grant their after

consent, because they are engaged to stand to the work of reformation, and