A modest apology occasioned by the importunity of the Bishop of Derrie, who presseth for an answer to a query, stated by himself, in his second admonition: concerning joyning in the publick worship established by law. In answer to the query, the pondering of some weighty exceptions is first desired: and then such a resolution is given to the query, as the word of God, and thereby the safety of our consciences will allow. / By a minister of the gospel, at the desire of some Presbyterian dissenters.

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

THou mayst justly expect some account of this little Treatise, what hath been the Occasion, and for what End it is now Published: Know therefore that the Bishop of Derry hath been at pains to di∣rect two Admonitions to the Dissenters of his Diocess; of whom We are a part, wherein he hath taken the trouble of industrious and par∣ticular searching into our Manner of Worship. As to his first Admonition several Replies were made, which he hath never yet answered, as to the most material Questions under Debate; though many of his Assertions were contradi∣cted and confuted by plain Scripture and Rea∣son. His second Admonition much of it, being Repetitions of the first, and pure Matters of Fact, as how often the Presbyterians in his Diocess have celebrated the Lords Supper, and where,

and when and such little Things; as hims•• calleth them wherein the Merits of the Ca•• is nothing concerned: We shall therefore henc•• forth be little concerned with them, judgi•• the account given in Answer to his first Adm••¦nition sufficient (if not more) we never havin•• subjected to his Episcopal Inspection: and th•• Reasons for our not subjecting the ensuing Di••¦course shall discover.

There is nothing in this last Admonition w•• shall notice at present, but the Authors Persw••¦sives for our joining with them in publick Wo••¦ship; which he insisteth upon Pages fifth a•• sixth, it were tedious to Transcribe all, b•• what is quoted shall be his own words Pa•• fifth. If then it be their Opinion that it is La••¦full for you to Join in our publick Worship, at le•• when ye cannot go to your own Meetings, and th•• you had better do so than stay at Home, espec••¦ally where the established Ministers are Sober•• Able, Orthodox and diligent as those of this Dy••¦cess I presume generally are, I desire you to call, •• mind, whether your Ministers have declared th•• Opinion in this Point or no &c. ibid. but if yo•• Ministers have not made any such Declaration of th•• Opinion in this Point, though they know it to be la••¦full; Judge with your selves whether they have disch••¦ged the Office of faithfull Guides to you &c. Ibi••

And therefore you ought every one of you to require ••our Ministers direct and positive Resolution in it &c.

This is the most material Passage in his Book, and the occasion of the following Discourse whereby the Reader will perceive how much we are concerned, and constrained to make a Reply; otherwise our Ministers shall be under the odious imputation of Unfaithfulness, and if we should be silent now when so pushed to a positive Answer and Resolution many would say fugisti quia tacuisti that we desert our Cause by Silence: and whatever be his Design who urgeth this Declaration, and thereby a dis∣covery of our Reasons for not Joining in their publick Worship: which is Suspicable considering how often he hath been our Accu∣ser; yet therein we leave him to the Great Judge, who judgeth Righteously: and shal now as he hath publickly exposed, and given us the Challenge; so shall We by the help of GOD manifest to all who shall please to consider the Reasons convincing and obliging Us to steadi∣ness in the Communion whereof we are Mem∣bers; Judging our manner of Worship foun∣ded on the Word of GOD, and therefore nei∣ther Wearied nor Ashamed of it. As also our just Exceptions against that manner of Worship urged by our Monitor for our own Vindicati∣on,

and the Satisfaction of those who may be Prepossessed, with such an uncharitable Opini∣on of us; as if we had nothing to say for our selves, nor any thing to Object but ignorant trivial Scruples. But let the impartial Read∣er after perusal Judge if the Exceptions following may not rationally determine us to an Aversa∣tion, and keeping at distance from that manner of Worship we except against, at least these parts of it that are exceptionable.

If any shall say that Debates of this Nature are now Unseasonable. Answer 1. It cannot be expected that any thing appearing in the defence of Dissenters, will be at any time Sea∣sonable to Some; so that their Season would be never: Yet their exposing of Us is never thought out of Season; But whoever be displeased, yet the Author of the Query of all Men hath least Cause to offend; Himself giving the Occasion for all that is here Debated. 2. If any healing of our Breaches were appearing (which VVe earnestly Pray for) it could not be Unseason∣able to discover the Wounds that need healing; We think rather the sight of these painfull Wounds and Grievances should excite all to ex∣ert what is in their Power for our Healing: it's said of some of the Grecians that when any of their People were long and dangerously diseased,

no Cure proving effectual that such Persons, were taken to some Place where there was greatest Con∣course of People, that all who passed by might take notice of their Disease, and in compassion do what they could for their Remedy: And what is here written is neither intended, nor hath of it self a tendency to irritate any: no Railing, no Re∣viling, no satyrick Invectives, shall appear; but rather a peaceable narrative of our VVounds and their Causes: all which might be healed by relieving us from confessedly unnecessar Imposi∣tions which we cannot conform to without woun∣ding of Conscience.

3. If some Masters of Policy cannot or will not be perswaded of its Seasonableness; yet we desire them to be so just, as to consider that it's now extorted from us: Others have ex∣posed us as unfaithfull to one another, and our Ministers both by Word and Write Reproach∣ed, for not giving Counsel to their People for joyning with the Paroch-Churches: and is it ad∣viseable that we expose our selves by Silence; and so perpetuate the Imputation, and harden such as seek occasion against us?

If any shall say that there are plenty of Books already extant, whereby our Principles and man∣ner of VVorship, are sufficiently Asserted and Justified; and our Practice in not Joyning with

the Establisht Church vindicated from Schis•• and all culpable Separation. Yet let the Rea••¦er consider that by the late Confusion, and Co••¦bustion in this Countrey; many of these Boo•• are destroyed, at least in this Part of the Na••¦on, whereby many of the People want that he•• to stand up for their own Perswasion, whic•• formerly they had: And of all People we kno•• Dissenters in this Diocess, do most need suc•• help the weakest of them, being often acco••¦ed with Questions more proper for studied D••¦vines, than poor Countrey-People; and if th•• Answers of these poor People do not relish, •••• shall have it published that the Dissenters here are a most ignorant People, insulted over, and exposed to Contempt: Therefore we thought it necessary in our Circumstances, because of our Love to the Truth, and to the Weakest •••• these who adhere to it, to afford what He•••• we could; Acknowledging that this pres•••• Undertaking might have been performed •••• greater Advantage, by some abler Pen (which i•• hoped will yet be done) but whatever weaknes appear in this little Tractat, shall not be imputa¦ble to many, but to some of those to whom the Authors Admonition was Directed, and thereb•• concerned to exoner their Conscience, by mak¦ing it appear that neither trifling Scrupl••▪

Peevishness, nor perverse Obstinacy; but meer ••y that our Consciences cannot be stretched to ••he Latitude, that others take in the VVorship of GOD; hath procured the following Reso∣••ution, to the Authors Query. If it be displea∣sing to him it's that which we could not prevent but himself might have prevented it by permit∣ting us to Live in Peace without such Queries: For he could not but foresee, our Answer would be conformed to our own Principles, and Pra∣ctice, though we have no Pleasure in provock∣ing him, or any other, being desirous to live Quiet and Peaceable in the Land giving thanks to GOD, the Author of all Good, and to his Majesties Clemency, under whose happy Go∣vernment, we enjoy Protection; and to whom we owe most entire Acknowledgements of Gra∣titude; which we are desirous to testifie on all Occasions, and at this present are confident that when many are found Guilty of these execrable Conspiracies to take away his Precious Life, there shall not one of our Principles be stained with Disloyalty, but all in a cheerfull readiness for his Majesties Preservation, and Service.

There is one thing more that the Reader is desired to Notice, that notwithstanding the Ex∣ceptions hereafter mentioned, stand in the Way of our Communion with the Establisht Church:

yet we doubt not but many of that Communio•• are Godly Persons, and are known to be of su•• a Christian-Conversation; that we could free partake with them in Gospel-Ordinances, p••¦viding we could obtain it without danger of Si••¦ning; nor do we take it on us to Judge the•• for following their own Judgement: only •• cannot see with their Eyes, nor they with ou•• but must wait untill GOD reveal it to them w•• are otherwise minded: Perswading our Sel•• that the Sober, and Judicious of another Pers••¦sion, whom we Love and Honour in the LOR•• will not Condemn, but rather approve of o•• Ingenuity in allowing Men to know the weig•• of these Reasons, that binds Us up from t•• Communion, which otherwise we would Co•• for the Churches Peace.