Catholic communion defended against both extremes, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…Catholick communion defended against both extreams, and unnecessary division confuted in five parts ...…

[Assent and Consent to all things contained in, and prescribed by] [on any pretence whatsoever, as against any Commissioned,] &c. And when I remember that to this day, I never heard a Conformist own his taking these Universals, without Limitation, universally; but in a particular Sense, and with more ⟨p. 21⟩Limitations than the Earl of Argyle did; it doth not so much glad me, that I never took them, as it grieveth me for the English Clergy, who take these with such Limitations, that it falls out so unhappily, that less should be Death in Scotland, than they thought had been no Sin, but a Duty in England. But if the slur change not their Judgments, I hope it will make them pardon us, who were neither willing of the stretching Exposition or Punishment.

I dare not think that that Parliament were such men as would rather have silenced the whole Ministry, and shut up all the Churches, than have spoken a limited Sense in limited Words, or have expounded their Universals, if they meant not universally, if the Body of the Clergy had but let them know that it was needful: But their Obedience was such, as told the World that Alterations and Explications were to them unnecessary.

XVII. I would not drive the Conformists from us, by departing too far from them! By such reasons as you plead for separating from them, you will teach them to justify separating from us: Tho our faults be not the same, we are all faulty: And so we shall run away from each others, to the increase of our too great distance. Yea, experience of the contrary course encourageth me: In both the places where my Ministry was first exercised, is an honest Conformist, and a Nonconformist, (since the writing of this, one is dead, and the other expelled,) who live in as great Love and Peace, as if there were little difference between them; the Nonconformists hearing and loving the public Minister. If you think not this better than Church-wars, I do: And I am sure Religion there prospereth much more, than it would do by mutual avoidance.