The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

M. I told you before that, 1. Some of the Ordinaries are Lay-Men, sitting in Corners to Decree Excommunications and Absolutions, proper to the Clergy. And we ought not to consent to the guilt of this. 2. Other Ordinaries are single Presbyters that have no Power of the Keys from Christ over their Brethren, and over a multitude of Churches. 3. Other of the Ordinaries are Diocesans over Hundreds of Churches that have no Bishops of their own under these. And we ought not to own any of all these.

L. II. What Reasons have you from your selves?

M. If we should accuse to the Ordinaries all that we ought to keep away, it will utterly destroy our Ministry. 1. We are bound to keep away all that desire not Episcopal Confirmation. 2. All Ignorant Persons that are unready to be Confirmed. 3. All Atheists, Infidels, Heretics, scandalous Sinners, and that live in malice to others (much more to the generality of Godly Men.) ⟨p. 104⟩4. All the Nonconformists whom they call Schismatics, that Kneel not, &c. And in a Parish of 30000 or 40000 in London, it's well if of all these sorts there be not many Thousands. And 2. The Ordinaries Courts are full of other Work: And in the Country they are oft far from most Ministers. 3. Ministers have usually much more Work than they can do at home, and less Money than they need: And the Prosecution of all these, and bringing up Witnesses, will take up all their time, and leave them none for their Studies, or many other Offices at home: And it will undo them in their Estates. 4. It will make the People so much to hate them, that their Preaching will do little good. 5. And when they know all this, none of the Ministers will practice it, as Experience tells us; and so they will all live in the breach of the Covenant which they made; and when to get a living they have falsely professed Consent to all this Accusation and Prosecution, Self-love will not suffer them to do what they consented to.