The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

20. From the time of these New Causes and Changes, especially the destroying the King, violating and casting out the Parliament men, imposing the engagement &c. the Ministers called Presbyterian in England, some few compliers excepted (many of whom since Conform) declared themselves against all this, and were looked upon as enemies; though kindness was offered to reconcile them. Some were imprisoned, many cast out of their places in the Universities, some sequestered, and Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons (a Gentleman) beheaded. Mr. Gee with the ⟨p. 130⟩Lancashire Ministers, with some of us, wrote against these proceedings of the then Power: Many Preached against them, so that the sober Religious people of the land grew commonly disaffected to them: And what the Scots did and how they were conquered, we need not here relate.

20. From the time of these New Causes and Changes, especially the destroying the King, violating and casting out the Parliament men, imposing the engagement &c. the Ministers called Presbyterian in England, some few compliers excepted (many of whom since Conform) declared themselves against all this, and were lookt upon as enemies; though kindness was offered to reconcile them. Some were imprisoned, many cast out of their places in the Universities, some sequestred, and Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons (a Gentleman) beheaded. Mr. Gee with the ⟨p. 130⟩Lancashire Ministers, with some of us, wrote against these proceedings of the then Power: Many Preacht against them, so that the sober Religious people of the land grew commonly disaffected to them: And what the Scots did and how they were conquered, we need not here relate.

21. The Ministers who were then in possession of the Parish Churches were of many minds about Church Government. 1. Many were for the old Episcopacy and Liturgy 2. Many were for a reformed Episcopacy: 3. Many were for Presbytery (that is, Church Government by Presbyteries, Classes and National assemblies, of Teaching and of Governing unordained Elders Conjunct, as jure divino) 4. Some were for that which is called Independency. 5. Some thought that no form of Church Government was jure divino. 6 But the most of our acquaintance were peaceable, moderate men that thought several parties had somewhat of the right, and that the points of difference were so few and small, that they might well live in peace and love, and that none of the parties was so right as that in all things they should be followed, and others trod down to set them up: And many of these were young men that, being at the Schools, had not been engaged in the first quarrels, and desired not to side with any dividing parties, and modestly professed that they had not maturity enough to study themselves to any great confidence in the Controversies.