SIR , the danger of the Kings Dominions by our Irreligious Contentions about Religion , possesseth the observers with just indignation ; but all know not on whom to lay the blame ; some lay it on the Bishops , and some on the Nonconformists , and some on both : I am unwilling to wrong any ; but when I think of our danger , and hear that it is but Ceremonies , and things indifferent for which you break the Law , and make a Schism in the Church , and weaken us by divisions ; I cannot but think you deeply guilty .

How long have you so judged ?

These twenty years , ever since you were put out .

Did you ever by Reading and Conference with those that you censure , acquaint your self truly with their Case .

I have seen some of your Books , but I have not talkt much of these matters with any of you , but I read and hear from the Doctors of the Church what you are , and what you hold .

Will you take us to be the just reporters what they are and hold ?

No , you are Adversaries and partial .

And are not they as much so to us ? Is not every man fitter to profess his own Faith than his Adversary is ? And have you done well to judge before you heard and tryed ? Shall Judges do so on the Bench ? Have you not all these years , continued guilty of false judging and uncharitableness , and that against a great number of the innocent ? And if you every day prayed for forgiveness but as you forgive , even an enemy and real injury , what have you done all this while in condemning the guiltless ?

Why have you not in Writing given the World just satisfaction if you are guiltless ? What sin have you proved to be in the Conformity required of you ? I see no such proof .

You know what penalties the Law layeth on any that deprave the Common-Prayer Books , and that all are Excommunicate ipso facto , that do but affirm any thing to be against Gods Word , in any Office of your Church Government , in any Word or Ceremony in your Liturgy , &c. Can. 5. 6 , 7 , 8. And you know what follows Excommunication here . And you know that till of late years the Press was shut up to us : But have you seriously read and studyed what is written by us ? I my self have told you ; 1. In a Book called A Plea for Peace , what things they be which Nonconformists take to be sinful in Conformity , and how great and hainous the sin is which they fear ; and what separation is unlawful and what is necessary . 2. In a full Treatise of Episcopacy I have shewed what Episcopacy we are for , and what we are against , and why , and what Antiquity held hereabout , and what we have to say to most of the Learned Men that have written for that Diocesan form , which we cannot approve 3. In an Apology , I have proved it our duty to Preach , though forbidden , as far as we are able , and mens necessities require it . 4. In a second Plea for Peace , I have fully given the World an account of our Doctrine , of Magistrates Power and Subjects Duties in matters Civil and Ecclesiastical , &c. 5. In a Treatise of Church Concord , I have fully proved that the Primitive simplicity in things divine , few , plain and sure is the only possible matter of Universal Christian Unity and Concord . I know not of any one of these that are Answered , or any thing like an Answer to them written , save that to some part of the first , some meer impertinent noise was made by some one that is confuted .

We that have other Employment have not leisure to read so many tedious Writings : Tell us your Case in a few words if you would have us understand you .

Did you get your skill in Law by so easie and so short a Study ? Or is any kind of Knowledge so easily got , where Controversie hath drowned the matter in contradicting words . You know that it is multitudes of Volumes that are written on the other side : And it 's impossible to Answer them all in a few words : And if they be unanswered , they will say , we have done nothing . But had you as seriously studyed but one or two of these Books , ( e.g. my first Plea for Peace , and Treatise of Episcopacy ) as you do Law Books , I scarce think you would have been long unsatisfied . But if indeed you have no time to hear , read and study , say also you have no time to know or judge : And no more censure what you know not .

How comes your Case to be so little understood if you have done so much to open and justifie it ?

You may know by your self . 1. Men study their own matters in which they feel themselves concerned ; and as for ours they think they are not much concerned to know them . 2. At least not at the rate of any hard and diligent study , which neither love nor necessity leads them to . 3. Most are strangers to us , even they that dwell near us , and converse not with us . 4. The rather because that as we are out of the rising way , and are under publick discountenance , and banished from Corporations , and much from converse with men of publick place and interest , so our familiarity is become fearful , lest it brings those that are familiar with us into suspicion . 5. And they converse with those that through Ignorance or Malice do describe us and our Cause and Books , as they would have all men think of us ; and it is not good manners or safe to contradict them . And so the notice of our Mind and Case must be received , not from us , but from our accusers . Do you observe this method in Westminster minister-Hall . 6. And how much interest can byas mens judgments , common experience too easily tells us : They that are uppermost seldom want applauders , nor dejected men accusers . Every School-boy can tell you out of Ovid. de Trist. Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos : Nullus ad amissas ibit amicus opes . Aspicis ut veniunt ad candida tecta Columbae : Accipiet nullas sordida turris aves . A few serious Believers that look for a more righteous and important judgment after death , do not lose the treasure of Truth and Innocency in Shipwrack , it being as near them as themselves : But caetera fortunae non mea turba fuit .

But if there be no cause , how come you to be so odious to others ?

If you that dwell in England cannot answer that your self , when you have taken a survey of the quality and lifes of them that hate us , and them that they hate , and of their distinct interests and motives , I will not answer it to you ?

But whence is it that Clergy-men of the same Profession so much disagree ?

The former answer shall serve to this : Whence is it that the Clergy by disagreement about Opinions and Superiority have broken the whole Christian World into that state of doleful division , in which in Asia , Africa and Europe , it lyeth to this day ? If you know not read the History of the Church .

Which part of you soever is guilty , the guilt must needs be very hainous , when the Preachers of the Gospel of Love and Peace , so hate each other , and perswade all to do the like , and will not let the World be quiet .

No doubt but Love and Concord are so great Duties and Blessings , and there is so much of Satan in the contrary , that you can hardly aggravate the guilt too much . If it were better for that man that offendeth or stumbleth one of the least , that he had never been born , or he had been cast with a millstone about his neck into the Sea ; what a case are these Church Pastors in that tear the Church , and Preach down Love , and harden thousands in Ungodliness and Cruelty , and endanger the loss of Religion to the Land .

If I knew which of you had done most for Love an Peace , and least against them , I should know to whom to impute our troubles .

But why could not you Conform to the Law as well as they ?

1. Can men believe what others list because they bid us ? Is there nothing that you or they would refuse if it be but commanded you ? What use have we for a Law of God then ? If we must disobey it as oft as we are bid , that were to renounce God , and all Religion and Salvation . And we have not our own understandings at command ; we have offered them our Oaths these twenty years , that we would obey them in all , except at the rate of sinning and damnation .

2. And if we had done as they did we must have profest our Assent and Consent to all things contained in and prescribed by a Book which we never saw : For so did we suppose above seven thousand men , the Book not coming out of the Press till about the day that they were so to Assent to it , Aug. 24. so that no doubt they did it on an implicite trust in others ; except the few that were in or near London : This fully shews that , though almost all the nine thousand or more Ministers that were in possession when the King came in , did before conform to the way of the Directory , and not to the Common-Prayer Book , yet there was a great latent difference between the seven thousand that conformed , and the two thousand that did not .

But seeing all the stress lyeth upon the question , Whether it be only things Lawful , indifferent or good , which you refuse , or any thing which God forbiddeth : I pray tell me plainly , what it is that you take to be sinful in the Conformity required ? And what it is that you would have as necessary in its stead .

I will tell you on these Conditions ; 1. That you pardon me for repeating here what I have already written . 2. That you bring not your self a Conscience so laxe as will take nothing for sin , which men use to make light of , though God forbid it , and then think that our Consciences should be as wide as yours . 3. That we may premise the things presupposed as agreed on .