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

3. Their judgment of the sinfulness of Ministerial Conformity, they declared to his Majesty and the Bishops in many Writings, when they had encouragement to attempt once the healing of the divisions: And when, because they agreed to leave out all harsh provoking words, in their accusations of the Church-Orders and Ceremonies, the Lord Chancellor had put into the first draught of a Declaration, That we do not in our judgments believe the practice of those particular Ceremonies, which we except against, to be in it self unlawful. In our next Address we desired that those words might be expunged, and so they were. Yet this extended not to Subscriptions, Oaths, &c. And afterward many particulars were mentioned which we thought sinful, and the supposition vindicated in a Reply; to which the Bishops never answered. And in a long Petition for Peace, p. 6. we make this Protestation following: Who can pretend to be better acquainted with their hearts than they are themselves? For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? And they are ready to appeal to the dreadful God, the searcher of hearts, and the hater of hypocrisy, that if it were not for fear of sinning against him, and wounding their consciences, and hazarding and hindering their salvations, they would readily obey you in all these things; That it is their fear of sin and damnation that is their impediment, they are ready to give you all the assurance that man can give, by the solemnest professions, or by Oath, if justly called to it. And one would think that a little charity might suffice to enable you to believe them, when their non-compliance brings them under suffering, and their compliance is the visible way to favour, safety and prosperity in the world: And if men that thus appeal to God, concerning the intention of their own hearts, cannot be believed, even when the state of their worldly interest bears witness to their professions, but another shall step into the throne of the heart-searching God, and say, It is not as they say, or swear: It is not conscience, but obstinacy or singularity: All humane converse upon these terms will be overthrown: And what remedy have they but patiently to wait, till God whom they have appealed to, shall decide the doubt, and show who were the assertors of truth or falsehood. And p. 19.

3. Their judgment of the sinfulness of Ministerial Conformity, they declared to his Majesty and the Bishops in many Writings, when they had encouragement to attempt once the healing of the divisions: And when, because they agreed to leave out all harsh provoking words, in their accusations of the Church-Orders and Ceremonies, the Lord Chancellor had put into the first draught of a Declaration, That we do not in our judgments believe the practice of those particular Ceremonies, which we except against, to be in it self unlawful. In our next Address we desired that those words might be expunged, and so they were. Yet this extended not to Subscriptions, Oaths, &c. And afterward many particulars were mentioned which we thought sinful, and the supposition vindicated in a Reply; to which the Bishops never answered. And in a long Petition for Peace, p. 6. we make this Protestation following: Who can pretend to be better acquainted with their hearts than they are themselves? For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in him? And they are ready to appeal to the dreadful God, the searcher of hearts, and the hater of hypocrisie, that if it were not for fear of sinning against him, and wounding their consciences, and hazarding and hindering their salvations, they would readily obey you in all these things; That it is their fear of sin and damnation that is their impediment, they are ready to give you all the assurance that man can give, by the solemnest professions, or by Oath, if justly called to it. And one would think that a little charity might suffice to enable you to believe them, when their non-compliance brings them under suffering, and their compliance is the visible way to favour, safety and prosperity in the world: And if men that thus appeal to God, concerning the intention of their own hearts, cannot be believed, even when the state of their worldly interest bears witness to their professions, but another shall step into the throne of the heart-searching God, and say, It is not as they say, or swear: It is not conscience, but obstinacy or singularity: All humane converse upon these terms will be overthrown: And what remedy have they but prtiently to wait, till God whom they have appealed to, shall decide the doubt, and shew who were the assertors of truth or falshood. And p. 19.