A defence of the principles of love, which are necessary to the unity and…

And for these reasons I wrote, I pleaded, I earnestly contended with them as I did, while ⟨p. 34⟩there appeared any hope, as being loth to have seen the things which I have already seen, and God knoweth to how much worse we are going, if Grace and Wisdom yet prevent it not. And though I exasperated the sore which I would have cured, and have ever since my self lain under their displeasure, yet I have peace in the testimony of my Conscience, that I did my best, to have prevented our miseries while I had time.

2. And I would give notice to the other party, that whilst I pleaded for their liberty, and against the Imposing of unnecessary things, I took not all the things in question for unlawful to be done, which I thought unlawful to be made necessary to our Communion or Ministration. All knew that my judgement ever was for the lawfulness of kneeling at the Sacrament; (especially since the Rubric is inserted, which disclaimeth both all Bread Worship and the Bodily real presence.) And we all as is said, thought a Liturgy lawful; and when we wrote our Reply to the Answer of our Exceptions, we said these words (which may tell you, whether I change my mind, and what was then our common sense) pag. 3. [While we took it to be a defective, disorderly and inconvenient Mode of Worship, it would be our sin to use it of choice, while we may prefer a more convenient way, whatever we ought to do in case of necessity, when we must worship God inconveniently, or not at all.] And pag. 12, 13. [What if it be only proved unlawful for you to impose it, though not for others to join with you when you do impose it? Is this no reason […] alter it? Should you not have some care to avoid ⟨p. 35⟩sin your selves, as well as to preserve others from it? An inconvenient Mode of Worship is a sin in the Imp•ser, and in the Chooser, and Voluntary user, that may offer God better, and will not: And yet it may not be only lawful, but a duty to him, that by violence is necessitated to offer up that or none.] By this you may see what we all thought then of not only hearing, but reading a defective Liturgy in such a case. If you say, that this was but my own Opinion; I answer, Though as they wrote the particular Exceptions without me, so I wrote this Defence of them by their appointment, yet it was examined and consented to by the rest, who were not men apt to take things on trust, nor to be imposed on by such a one as me.