A treatise of liturgies, power of the keys, and of matter of the visible…A treatise of liturgies, power of the keyes, and of matter of the visible…

Indeed some brief Answers sent over to some particular persons, to satisfy Brethren what our practise is, (with some brief touch of our reasons) rather then to discuss those points, have been printed by some without our knowledge, or assent, upon what grounds they best know. And some short Treatises by some reverend Brethren have been published to declare their affectionate desires of the unanimous endeavours of all our dear Brethren, for a general and holy Reformation: But what hath been said or done that either may justly offend the minds of the godly, provoke their spirits, disunite their affections, or hinder a godly Reformation? Yea, we have been too slow to clear our Doctrine and practise from the many objections, harsh interpretations, and manifold criminations cast upon the same, wherein we fear our loathness to intermeddle in these Controversies for fear of making the breach wider amongst Brethren; and our desire rather to attend what light we might receive from others in these points wherein we profess our selves seekers after the truth, have made us guilty of neglect in this our duty. But now we see our selves pressed hereto, by a necessity of justifying our ways against ⟨p. 3⟩the many aspersions cast upon them, as well as against the Reasons used against them, for we perceive by the first Letter of our Brethren, how the with-drawing of Christians from the Liturgy was imputed to us, and by this Reply both in the Epistle and divers passages, we cannot but see what apprehensions are raised of us; yea, many are apt to think, that if we had said nothing, yet our very act in forsaking the Churches of God in our dear native Country, and the Cause of Christ there, together with the practise of these Churches thought to be so different from the reformed Churches, have been, not only a great weakening to the hands of the Godly, (that have stood by the Cause of Christ) but also have caused great disturbance to the Reformation in hand: To which much might be said, but that we should exceed the bounds of an Epistle. Yet let us entreat all the Godly wise, to consider and look back upon the season of this great enterprise, undertaken by us, and the manner of our proceedings in it, with the admirable workings of Gods Providence first and last about it;

Indeed some briefe Answers sent over to some particular persons, to satisfie Brethren what our practise is, (with some briefe touch of our reasons) rather then to discusse those points, have been printed by some without our knowledge, or assent, upon what grounds they best know. And some short Treatises by some reverend Brethren have been published to declare their affectionate desires of the unanimous endevours of all our deare Brethren, for a generall and holy Reformation: But what hath been said or done that either may justly offend the minds of the godly, provoke their spirits, disunite their affections, or hinder a godly Reformation? Yea, wee have been too slow to cleare our Doctrine and practise from the many objections, harsh interpretations, and manifold criminations cast upon the same, wherein wee feare our lothnesse to intermeddle in these Controversies for feare of making the breach wider amongst Brethren; and our desire rather to attend what light we might receive from others in these points wherein wee professe our selves seekers after the truth, have made us guilty of neglect in this our duty. But now we see our selves pressed hereto, by a necessity of justifying our wayes against