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

The most of the Conformable Gentry of my acquaintance that were put upon it took the Engagement against the King, and House of Lords. VIII. The Nonconformable Ministers of Gloucestershire, (Mr. Geery, Mr. Capel, Mr. Marshall, &c.) were against the Parliaments War, though the Parliaments Garrison was over them. Mr. Bampfield (who hath lain six or seven years in the Common Goal for Preaching) (with his brother (sometimes Speaker of the House of Commons) was so much against the Parliaments cause, that to this day (even while he lay in Goal) he most zealously made his followers renounce it. Many Nonconformists in many Counties were of the same mind. IX. Many of the Nonconformists lived in the Kings quarters, and never were drawn the other way, as Dr. Conant (lately one of them) and others in Oxford, and so in other parts. X. Some of the Nonconformists were in the Kings Army. Poor Mr. Martin of Weeden lost an Arm in his Army, and yet the other arm lay long with him in Warwick Goal for Preaching. XI. Almost all the Nonconformists of my acquaintance in England, save Independents and Sectaries, refused the Engagement, and took Cromwell and the Commonwealth Parliament for Usurpers, and never approved what they did, nor ever kept their days of Fasting or Thanksgiving. (To tell you of the London Ministers Printed Declarations against the intended death of the King, you will say is unsatisfactory, because too late.) XII. Most of the Nonconformable Ministers of my acquaintance were either boys at School, or in the University in the Wars, or never meddled with it; so that I must profess, that setting them all together, I do not think that one in ten throughout the Kingdom can be proved to have done any of these things that you name against the King. XIII. We have oft with great men put it to this trial, Let them give leave but to so many to Preach the Gospel as cannot be proved ever to have had any hand in the Wars against the King, and we will thankfully acquiesce, and bear the silence of the rest; make but this match for us, and we will joyfully give you thanks. ⟨p. 145⟩XIV. Who knoweth not that the greatest Prelatists were the masters of the Principles that the War was raised on, Bilson, Jewel, &c.) (and Hooker quite beyond them all.) XV.

The most of the Conformable Gentry of my acquaintance that were put upon it took the Engagement against the King, and House of Lords. VIII. The Nonconformable Ministers of Gloucestershire, (Mr. Geery, Mr. Capel, Mr. Marshall, &c.) were against the Parliaments War, though the Parliaments Garison was over them. Mr. Bampfield (who hath lain six or seven years in the Common Goal for Preaching) (with his brother (sometimes Speaker of the House of Commons) was so much against the Parliaments cause, that to this day (even while he lay in Goal) he most zealously made his followers renounce it. Many Nonconformists in many Counties were of the same mind. IX. Many of the Nonconformists lived in the Kings quarters, and never were drawn the other way, as Dr. Conant (lately one of them) and others in Oxford, and so in other parts. X. Some of the Nonconformists were in the Kings Army. Poor Mr. Martin of Weeden lost an Arm in his Army, and yet the other arm lay long with him in Warwick Goal for Preaching. XI. Almost all the Nonconformists of my acquaintance in England, save Independents and Sectaries, refused the Engagement, and took Cromwell and the Commonwealth Parliament for Usurpers, and never approved what they did, nor ever kept their days of Fasting or Thanksgiving. (To tell you of the London Ministers Printed Declarations against the intended death of the King, you will say is unsatisfactory, because too late.) XII. Most of the Nonconformable Ministers of my acquaintance were either boys at School, or in the University in the Wars, or never medled with it; so that I must profess, that setting them all together, I do not think that one in ten throughout the Kingdom can be proved to have done any of these things that you name against the King. XIII. We have oft with great men put it to this trial, Let them give leave but to so many to Preach the Gospel as cannot be proved ever to have had any hand in the Wars against the King, and we will thankfully acquiesce, and bear the silence of the rest; make but this match for us, and we will joyfully give you thanks.