The grand debate between the most reverend bishops and the Presbyterian divines appointed by…

Most Reverend Father and Reverend Brethren;

When we received your Papers, and were told that they contained not only an answer to our Exceptition against the present Liturgy; But also several Concessions, wherein you seem willing to join with us in the Alteration and Reformation of it; Our expectations were so far raised, as that we promised our selves, to find our Concessions so considerable, as would have greatly conduced to the healing of our much to be lamented Divisions, the settling of the Nation in Peace, and the satisfaction of tender Consciences, according to his Majesties most gracious Declaration, and his Royal Commission in pursuance thereof: but having taken a survey of them, we find our selves exceedingly disappointed, and that they will fall far short of attaining those happy Ends, for which this meeting was first designed; as may appear both by the paucity of the Concessions, and the inconsiderableness of them, they being for the most part, Verbal and Literal, rather then Real, and Substantial; for in them you all allow not the laying aside of the reading of the Apocrypha for Lessons, though it shut out some bundreds of Chapters of Holy Scripture, and sometimes the Scripture it self is made to give way to the Apocryphal Chapters; you plead against the addition of the Doxology unto the Lord's prayer, ⟨p. 31⟩you give no liberty to omit the too frequent repetition of Gloria Patria, nor of the Lord's Prayer in the same public Service, nor do you yield the Psalms be read in the new Translation, nor the word Priest to be changed for Minister or Presbyter, though both have been yielded unto in the Scottish Liturgy; you grant not the omission of the Responsals, no not in the Let any it self, though the Petitions be so framed, as the people make the prayer, and not the Minister; nor to read the Communion service in the Desk, when there is no Communion, but in the late Form instead thereof, it is enjoined to be done at the Table, through there be no Rubric in the Common Prayer book requiring it; you plead for the bolinesse of Lent, contrary to the statute; you indulge not the omission of any one Ceremony; you will force men to kneel at the Sacrament, and yet not put in that excellent Rubr. in the v. and vj. of Edw. 6. which would much conduce to the satisfaction of many that scruple it.