A petition for peace with the reformation of the liturgy, as it was presented…

With grieved hearts we now renew the lamentable divisions, ⟨p. 15⟩occasioned already by these Impositions, ever since the Reformation in the days of King Edward 6th. and the grievous fruits of those Divisions! How they destroyed Charity (the character of Christs Disciples) and exasperated mens minds against each other: How they corrupted mens prayers and other exercises of devotions, and made them pray and preach against one another: How their tongues were emboldened to the censuring of each other, one party calling the other, Factious, Schismatical, Singular, and Disobedient; and the other calling them Antichristian, Proud, Tyrannical, Superstitious, Persecutors and Formalists: And such language still increasing the uncharitableness and divisions; till the increase of imposing rigour on the one side, and of impatience under Sufferings on the other side, was too great a preparation to those greater calamities which are yet bitter to the remembrance of all whose interests or passions have not Conquered their humanity. And the continuance of so much of the causes and effects, doth infallibly prove, that if the same impositions be settled upon us, the same Heart-divisions will be still continued: Brethren will disdain the name and love of Brethren to each other; which yet Christ himself by condescending and reproving love, vouchsafeth to them all. Instead of loving one another with a pure heart, fervently, there will be, if not hating, yet grudging at one another, censuring and despising one another; Which effects will still increase their cause, and make one side think, that they are necessitated to be more rigorous in their Coercions, and the other think that they are allowed to be more censorious against those by whom they suffer.

With grieved hearts wee now renew the lamentable divisions, ⟨p. 15⟩occasioned already by these Impositions, ever since the Reformation in the daies of King Edward 6th. and the grievous fruits of those Divisions! How they destroyed Charity (the character of Christs Disciples) and exasperated mens minds against each other: How they corrupted mens prayers and other exercises of devotions, and made them pray and preach against one another: How their tongues were emboldned to the censuring of each other, one party calling the other, Factious, Schismatical, Singular, and Disobedient; and the other calling them Antichristian, Proud, Tirannical, Superstitious, Persecutors and Formalists: And such language still increasing the uncharitableness and divisions; till the increase of imposing rigour on the one side, and of impatience under Sufferings on the other side, was too great a preparation to those greater calamities which are yet bitter to the remembrance of all whose interests or passions have not Conquered their humanity. And the continuance of so much of the causes and effects, doth infallibly prove, that if the same impositions bee setled upon us, the same Heart-divisions will bee still continued: Brethren will disdain the name and love of Brethren to each other; which yet Christ himself by condiscending and reproving love, vouchsafeth to them all. Instead of loving one another with a pure heart, fervently, there will bee, if not hating, yet grudging at one another, censuring and despising one another; Which effects will still increase their cause, and make one side think, that they are necessitated to bee more rigorous in their Coercions, and the other think that they are allowed to bee more censorious against those by whom they suffer.