The English nonconformity as under King Charles II and King James II truly stated…

M. Did you get your skill in Law by so easy and so short a Study? Or is any kind of Knowledge so easily got, where Controversy 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 studied 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.

M. 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.

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

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

M. 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 public discountenance, and banished from Corporations, and much from converse with men of public 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