Also by this ship, they, some of them, sent (in y^e name of y^e rest) certaine reasons of their breaking of from y^e plantation, and some tenders, upon certaine conditions, of reuniting againe. The which because they are longe & tedious, and most of them aboute the former things already touched, I shall omite them; only giveing an instance in one, or tow. 1. reason, they charged them for dissembling with his majestie in their petition, and with y^e adventurers about y^e French discipline, &c. 2^ly, for receiving[BV] a man[BW] into their church, that in his conffession renownced all, universall, nationall, and diocessan churches, &c., by which (say they) it appears, that though they deney the name of Bro[=w]ists, yet they practiss y^e same, &c. And therfore they should si[=n]e against God in building up such a people. Then they adde: Our dislikes thus laid downe, that we may goe on in trade w^th better contente & credite, our desires are as followeth. First, that as we are partners in trade, so we may be in Go[~v]^rt ther, as the patente doth give us power, &c. 2. That the French discipline may be practised in the plantation, as well in the circumstances theirof, as in y^e substance; wherby y^e scandallous name of y^e Brownists, and other church differences, may be taken away. 3. Lastly, that M^r. Robinson and his company may not goe over to our plantation, unless he and they will reconcile themselves to our church by a recantation under their hands, &c. Their answer in part to these things was then as foloweth. Wheras you taxe us for dissembling with his majestie & y^e adventurers aboute y^e French discipline, you doe us wrong, for we both hold & practice y^e discipline of y^e French & other reformed churches, (as they have published y^e same in y^e Harmony of Confessions,) according to our means, in effecte & substance. But wheras you would tye us to the French discipline in every circumstance, you derogate from y^e libertie we have in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paule would have none to follow him in any thing but wherin he follows Christ, much less ought any Christian or church in y^e world to doe it. The French may erre, we may erre, and other churches may erre, and doubtless doe in many circumstances. That honour therfore belongs only to y^e infallible word of God, and pure Testamente of Christ, to be propounded and followed as y^e only rule and pattern for direction herin to all churches & Christians. And it is too great arrogancie for any man, or church [135] to thinke y^t he or they have so sounded y^e word of God to y^e bottome, as precislie to sett downe y^e churches discipline, without error in substance or circumstance, as y^t no other without blame may digress or differ in any thing from y^e same. And it is not difficulte to shew, y^t the reformed churches differ in many circumstances amongest them selves.