C5) M. We Juftifie not our felves, and we leave othersto their Judge : We have deferved worfe fromGod, than we have fuf fered. But we muff fay ; i . That we impofe not our words, our books, our forms, our different rites on any, nor would do, . by violence, had we power : We put no Oaths, Subfcriptions, Covenants, Profeffions or Prac`lices doubtful upon any :. To them, that tell us we did fo in former times, we fliil fày, let them ufí: no other fo but thofe that ufed them fo, and we are fatisfied : I know not fix in Englandof all the prefent Nonconformifts that did fa : We are not for Silencing or im:prifoning them, nor for- bidding them to worthip God : In 166a we motioned no change of Church Government, which fhould take down any of their Lordfhips Maintenance or Epifcopal Power, but only Arch-Bifhop.._ Vihers Draught of the ancient Epifcopacy, and thankfully ac- cepted what. the King then granted in his Declaration of Ecc1e fiaflical Affairs. 2. Wenever craved Preferment of them, but. leave to ferve Chrift and his Church in the Office which we were: Vowed to. We certainly knewwhat impediments hindered the defired Unity, and what divifions muff needs follow were, they, not removed, whichby others they might eafily have been, with- out coil or danger. We Pleaded, we Wrote, we Petitioned,. and. Leg'd for Peace, even for that which the King had granted And what could we do more ? Since then abflve twenty years we have laboured as we could, fometime to few, and fometime to more ; Ad: have patiently lived upon. Charity, and fuffered -- I need . not tell you what. L. But why couldnot you Conform to the Lary ds well as they ? M. -t. Can menbelieve what others lift becaufe they bid us ? Is there nothing that you or they would refufe if it be but com- manded you ? What ufe have we for a Law of God then ? If we muff difobey it as oft as we are bid, that were to renounce God, and all Religion and Salvation. And we have not our own underílandings at command ;: we have offered them our Oaths thofe twenty years, that we would obey them in all, except at the rateof finning and damnation. 2. .And if we had done as they did we muff have profeft our Aflènt andConfent to all things contained in and prefcribed by a Book which we never faw : For lb did we fuppofe above fevers thoufand men, the. Book not comingout of the. Prefs tiaabout the day
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