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

Answ. His most Excellent Majesty had knowledge ⟨p. 25⟩of divers of that way, who were commissioned by him for the Review and Alteration of the Liturgy; and his Majesty is pleased to give them a better Character in his Gracious Declaration about Ecclesiastical Affairs. His Royal Expressions are these: We must for the honour of all those of either Persuasion, with whom We have conferred. Declare, That their Professions and Desires of true Piety and Godliness, are the same; their professions of Zeal for the Peace of the Church, the same; of Affection and Duty to Us, the same: They all approve Episcopacy, they all approve a set Form of Liturgy, and they disprove and dislike the Sin of Sacrilege and Alienation of the Revenues of the Church. And now his Majesty hath so far testified for them their, good Behaviour; Hear them speak for themselves, and that when they were in Council too. "Tis the Duty of People to pray for Magistrates, to honour their Persons, to pay them Tribute and other Dues, to obey their lawful Commands, to be subject to their Authority for Conscience-sake. This they teach as Doctors in Synod in their Confession of Faith, and this they would have other Teachers teach all others in their Larger Catechise, and in part by their own example, in the Directory for public Worship. And as for their practise, I say, greater Loyalty than this hath no man, than that a man lay down his life for his Sovereign; and yet such were some of them; (as Mr. Love and Mr. Gibbons.) ⟨p. 26⟩Some of them also had trial of cruel Mocking for their Loyalty; some of them of Bonds and Imprisonments, of Sequestration and Banishments. There are to be found among the present Nonconformists, who solicited Heaven and Earth with their Prayers and Tears, for the saving of the Life of his late Majesty of Blessed Memory. And whereas there were threescore and three unjust Judges that condemned his Majesty, there were just as many Minister, all except two, accounted Presbyterians, who appeared with the hazard of their Livings and Liberties, (if no also of their Lives) with Scripture-Reasons, and most earnest Entreaties, to dissuade men from and to declare against, so horrid a wickedness Which very thing was the occasion that afterward some of them were driven from their Houses others imprisoned, sequestered, an• threatened to be hanged.¹