An humble apology for non-conformists with modest and serious reflections on the Friendly debate…

Answ. No: The Pharisees in our Saviours time were great Zealots and Sticklers for the Ceremonies of the Jewish Religion, and particularly for mens Traditions and Humane Inventions; were high Conformists themselves, men in Power and Place in the Church, and great Haters and Persecutors of the Nonconformists of their times.

Quest. Can any man that is not either very simple, or very scrupulous, question any thing in the public Worship, in the Liturgy, or Ceremonies? Is not the Liturgy so perfect, that nothing can be added to it, or taken from it?

Quest. Can any man that is not either very simple, or very scrupulous, question any thing in the publick Worship, in the Liturgy, or Ceremonies? Is not the Liturgy so perfect, that nothing can be added to it, or taken from it?

Answ. It was not always so. Time was, and ⟨p. 18⟩that but in the year 1644. when learned Mr. Chillingworth preaching before King Charles the First at Reading, used these words: At what time, soever a Sinner doth repent him of his Sins from the bottom of his heart, I will put all his wickedness out of my remembrance, saith the Lord: saith thus: The plain truth (if you will hear it) is, The Lord hath not said so; these are not the very words of God, but the paraphrase of men; and (by reason of the mistake to which it is subject) I fear very often a pernicious paraphrase. The Right Reverend the Bishops have done very well to remove this stumbling block at the beginning of the Liturgy; O that they would go on to remove out of the way every thing that offends! That the Lessons out of the Apocrypha-Books might be either exchanged altogether for the Canonical Scripture, or at least reduced to that small number that was appointed in the late Scottish Liturgy, where were appointed only two Chapters out of the Apocrypha, one out of Ecclesiasticus, the other out of the Book of Wisdom. That the new Translation of the Psalms might be read, as well as of the Epistles and Gospels: That the three Ceremonies, the Cross in Baptism, the Surplice, and Kneeling at the Sacrament, whether nocent or innocent, night be removed out of this, as out of divers other Reformed Churches, by means of the Bishops Mediation with his Majesty and the Parliament, on that behalf, as was thought advisable