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

The strain of these Papers we fear is like to persuade many that your design is not the same with ours: Being assured, that it is our Duty to do what we can to the peace and concord of Believers, especially when we had the past & present Calamities of these Nations to urge us, and His Majesty's Commands, & gracious Promises to encourage us, we judged the fittest means to be by making known the hinderances of our Concord, and without reviving the remembrance of those things that tend to exasperate, to apply our selves with due submission to those that may contribute much to our recovery, and without personal reflections to propose the Remedies which we knew would be most effectual, and humbly and earnestly to petition you for your consent. But instead of Consent or amicable debates in order to the removal of our differences, we have received from you ⟨p. 34⟩a Paper abounding with sharp accusations, as if your work were to prove us bad, and make us odious, which as it is attempted upon mistake, by unrighteous means, so were it accomplished, we know not how it will conduce to the Concord which ought to be our common end. If we understand Christs Commission, or the Kings, and our duty as Christians, or as Ministers, our work now assigned us, was not to search after & aggravate the faults of one another, (though of our own in season we are willing to hear) but to review the Liturgy, and agree upon such alterations, diminutions, and enlargement, as are needful to our common unity & peace. What is amiss in us we shall thankfully accept your charitable assistance to discover, but we take not that for the question which his Majesty called us to debate: nor do our judgements or dispositions lead us to recriminations, nor to cast such impediments in the way of our desired accord: And were it not that our Calling and our Masters work are concerned somewhat in our just vindication, we should not trouble you with so low, so private, and unnecessary a work, but leave such Causes to the righteous Judge, who will quickly, impartially, infallibly and finally decide them.