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

Quest. But what's the reason that now adays their is such Alteration and Innovation in Worship and Discipline desired and laboured for?

Quest. But what's the reason that now adayes their is such Alteration and Innovation in Worship and Discipline desired and laboured for?

Answ. Divers things have along time, even all along more or less, been complained of, as grievous; and the Removal of them have been requested from our Kings and Parliaments almost ever since the Reformation. Some of the Bishops, and other men in great place, have felt the burden of some things required of them; Bishop Hooper would willingly have been dispensed withal, as to some of the Episcopal Habits. Dr. Sampson, Dean of Christ-Church in Oxford, was turned out of his place for Inconformity. Peter Martyr professor, and a Canon of Christ-Church, could yet never be persuaded to put on a Surplice all the time be was in Oxford. The Commons in Parliament, in the thirtieth year of Queen Elizabeth, presented a Petition to the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, for the Redress of sixteen Grievances: The six first, saith the Historian, were against insufficient Ministers: The seventh, That no Oath or Subscription might be tendered to any at the entrance into Ministry, but such as is expressly prescribed by the Statutes of this Realm, except the Oath against corrupt Entering. The eighth, That they may not be troubled for the omission of some Rites or Portions prescribed in the Book of ⟨p. 22⟩Common-Prayer. The ninth, That they may not be called and urged to answer before the Officials and Commissaries, but before the Bishops themselves. The tenth, That such as had been suspended or deprived for no other offence, but only for not¹ subscribing, might be restored; and that the Bishops would forbear their Excommunication ex Officio mero, of Godly and Learned Preachers, not detected for open offence of Life, or apparent Error in Doctrine. The thirteenth, That the high Censure of Excommunication may not be denounced or executed for small matters, nor by Chancellors, Commissaries, or Officials, but by the Bishops themselves, with the assistance of some grave Persons. Di. Full. Ch. Hist.