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

I know how unable the old Separatists were to answer the many Arguments of the famous Arthur Hildersham, John Paget, William Bradshaw, Brightman, John Ball, and other old Nonconformists, for the lawfulness of Communicating with our Parish-Churches in the Sacraments, and the Liturgy. I was exceedingly moved against Separation (truly so called) by considering, 1. How contrary it is to the principle of Christian love. 2. And how directly and certainly pernicious to the interest and cause of Christ, and of his Church, and of the souls of men, and how powerful a means it is to kill that little love that is left in the world. 3. And how plainly it proceedeth from the same spirit that persecution doth. For though their expressions be various, their minds and principles are much the same; which is to vilify our Brethren, and represent them as odious and intolerable, and overlook that of Christ which is amiable in them. In which when they have agreed, as Children of the same Father, they differ in their way of serving him. One saith, He is such and ⟨p. 9⟩such, therefore away with him, silence him, imprison him, banish him: The other saith, He is such and such a one, therefore away with him, have no communion with him. He that eateth not, Rom. 14. will say, Away with him because he eateth: And he that eateth will say, Away with him because he eateth not. Both agree in murdering love, and accounting their brother unlovely and intolerable. 4. And I was greatly moved in thinking of the state of most of the Churches in the world; if I travelled in Abyssinia, Armenia, Russia, or among the Greek Churches, I durst not deny to hold communion with them. When I go to God in prayer, I dare not go in a separate capacity, but as a member of the Universal Church, nor would I part with my share in the Common prayers of all the Churches, for all the world; but am joined with them in spirit, while I am corporally absent, owning all their holy prayers, though none of their faults or failings in them, (having many in all my own prayers to God, which I must be further from justifying than other mens.) And having perused all the foreign and ancient Liturgies extant in the Bibliotheca Patrum, I doubt not but our own is incomparably better than any that is there.

I know how unable the old Separatists were to answer the many Arguments of the famous Arthur Hildersham, John Paget, William Bradshaw, Brightman, John Ball, and other old Nonconformists, for the lawfulness of Communicating with our Parish-Churches in the Sacraments, and the Liturgy. I was exceedingly moved against Separation (truly so called) by considering, 1. How contrary it is to the principle of Christian love. 2. And how directly and certainly pernicious to the interest and cause of Christ, and of his Church, and of the souls of men, and how powerful a means it is to kill that little love that is left in the world. 3. And how plainly it proceedeth from the same spirit that persecution doth. For though their expressions be various, their minds and principles are much the same; which is to vilifie our Brethren, and represent them as odious and intollerable, and overlook that of Christ which is amiable in them. In which when they have agreed, as Children of the same Father, they differ in their way of serving him. One saith, He is such and