The defence of the nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of the matter…

2. But yet is it true? Remember it was but Presbyterians and Independents that you speak of: Read the Book of their Assembly Debates: Read all their Writings against each other: I will not except Mr. Edward's Gangraena, and see whether they do not acknowledge more of God's Grace in one another, and own more of the duty of Loving and Forbearing own another, than the Prelatists do by either. Read the Canons that Excommunicate them ipso facto as for wicked Error; and read Doctor Heylin, Fowlis, the Book against Mr. Calamy's Farewell Sermon, the Counterminer, L'Estrange, the Friendly Debate, Mr. Parker; and a multitude more such; and of old Bishop Bancroft; and in a word, the Ordinary Visitation Articles, or Peter Studley, and a multitude such, that Preached and Wrote against them as Hypocrites, Pharisees, Schismatics, and such like, and then consider how far you have here swerved from known truth. I may say that I knew all those Times, and the sorts of Persons mentioned, much better than you: Many Sectaries were very bitter, and some too bitter against them. The Presbyterians and Independents contended with too much intemperance and unskilfulness. But sure if they had thought as ill of one another as the Prelates did of both, when they had power, they would as much have Silenced and Ejected one another; which they did not. I remember not ever to have known any mere Presbyterian or Independent, especially ⟨p. 100⟩Ministers, but openly declared that they looked on both parties as the Servants of Christ, whom they should love and honour. But this is nothing to our Cause.

2. But yet is it true? Remember it was but Presbyterians and Independants that you speak of: Read the Book of their Assembly Debates: Read all their Writings against each other: I will not except Mr. Edward's Gangraena, and see whether they do not acknowledg more of God's Grace in one another, and own more of the duty of Loving and Forbearing own another, than the Prelatists do by either. Read the Canons that Excommunicate them ipso facto as for wicked Error; and read Doctor Heylin, Fowlis, the Book against Mr. Calamy's Farwel Sermon, the Counterminer, L'Estrange, the Friendly Debate, Mr. Parker; and a multitude more such; and of old Bishop Bancroft; and in a word, the Ordinary Visitation Articles, or Peter Studley, and a multitude such, that Preacht and Wrote against them as Hypocrites, Pharisees, Schismaticks, and such like, and then consider how far you have here swerved from known truth. I may say that I knew all those Times, and the sorts of Persons mentioned, much better than you: Many Sectaries were very bitter, and some too bitter against them. The Presbyterians and Independants contended with too much intemperance and unskilfulness. But sure if they had thought as ill of one another as the Prelates did of both, when they had power, they would as much have Silenced and Ejected one another; which they did not. I remember not ever to have known any meer Presbyterian or Independant, especially