An apology for the nonconformists ministry containing I. the reasons of their preaching, II.…

The attempts which we made for the Churches healing upon these encouragements, did quickly meet with gracious acceptance, and yet greater encouragement from the King: And we had no reason to think, that among all the rest, the Clergy should be averse to such a work, or yet should spoil it at such a season for want of skill; because we had on both sides been deep in those experiences ⟨p. 3⟩that should instruct us, and many not the least and last, either in the former sin, or present interest; and our calling and understanding in such things, were supposed such, as should make us Leaders to all the people, in any just attempts for Concord.

When we had humbly craved of his Majesty, that such persons of both sides as he should appoint, might bring in Proposals, containing such Approaches, and Abatements, and Accommodations, as each part could yield unto, without sin against God, and against their consciences; and his Majesty had more than granted our requests, even expressing his Gracious resolution to draw you on to such Concessions; we did accordingly give notice to the London-Ministers, that our Concord might be the more extensive, to meet at Zion-College, and give in their sense of the necessary means to so good an end. Bishop Reynolds and Bishop Worth, and some others that Conform, concurred with us in our Proposals: We never spake a word against a Liturgy, nor set-forms of Prayer, nor against the festival Commemorations of the Saints, nor many other things, which many had formerly excepted against; but only desired some emendations of the Liturgy, and that some other forms of Prayer might be added to the several offices, with a Liberty of using this or that. And for the Government of the Church (which was accounted the matter of greatest difference), we never made one offer for Presbytery (That is, the Government of the Church by Classes and Presbyteries constituted of Lay and Clergy-Elders), nor did we ever speak a word for Lay-Elders: Not that we presumed to Censure those Churches that used them: but as many, or most of our selves were never for them; so we knew that no forms in which the Churches were known so much to differ, could be the proper terms of Concord: We never made any Proposals against Episcopacy, no not against the Lordships of the Bishops, nor against the greatness of their Revenues, nor their places in Parliament; nor made we any offer of any other way of Discipline, but the frame which by Archbishop Usher had been presented to the late King, called, The Reduction of Episcopacy, &c. In which he thought that he had hit upon the ancient Primitive Government, by Bishops, with their Clergy-Presbyters as their College. Not that we approved all the forementioned things which we passed by, but that we knew we must yield for the Churches peace, as far as we could do without committing sin our selves.