I fhall be heartily forry for fo unhappy a mistake. Indeed, when I confider'd how much above your wonted loftinefs) you were pleas'd to condefcend fo far, as to call us your Neighbours (prefuming you were not ignorant of our Saviours Notion thereof, Luke 10. 30. to the 38.) I was in a manner constrained to conjecture, that it could not be you, who had treated us fo Indecently, and Rudely too, in loading us with fo many odious Characters of ignominy and contempt; and that without any (even the least) provocation (on our parts) to you, or any of you given: calling us Ignorant, Malicions Perfons: and again, angry Perfons that have more Ignorance, than true Devotion. And again, Rambling noifie People, who get together, to be Judges of things they underftand not.

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Surely, thought I, a man of Mr.Vivers's excellent temper, and Spirit, will never own all this: but doth abfolutely deteft, and fcorn to be guilty of fuch fcurrility. But if he will own it, and affume it to himself. Then to him will I address my self hence forward in particular. And fay,

Since that you (Mr. Vivers) have difdained Mr. Bugg, fo much, as to declare him not to be worth your notice.

And fince you have provoked him to a printed debate: Declaring "That there is no proportion "between what's talked among a rabble in one "Country Town, and what may be spread in "these feveral Nations:

And fince he has now gratified you therein, and hath Printed all thofe Quotations, which were by him, in that Meeting in that Meeting produced a

gainst you:

I hope therefore, you will now gratifie us with your full, and speedy Answer thereunto: And (if not

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for Mr. Buggs fake, yet) for the fakes of us who were then and there prefent, to give us that fatisfaction in print, which we fhould have expected from you, Viva Voce, had you then Vouchfafed us your perfonal appearance; that we may now at laft know your plea whether you are Guilty, or not Guilty: Whether the fix blafphemous Propofitions, charged by Mr. Bugg on your Writers, were by him rightly charged, or no: And if they were, Whether you, and your Oxfordshire Friends will own, or difown them, renounce, or defend them.

These are the things we expect from you. For now all your frivolous excufes are at a period. All are now obviated, and over. Besides, you have the way now offer'd you, which you your felf defired. To the Prefs you have Appeal'd (Mr. Vivers) And to the Prefs we Challenge you to go.

But if you decline this too: if you will ftill be filent, and not defend your felf, and party; We muft, and will pronounce, and proclaim you to be guilty of all thofe damnable Herefies, and Blafphemies, Mr. Bugg has charg'd you with. And fhall (in a friendly way) advise you, to cease your farther fcornful contempts of him; whom you dare not look in the face, before an intelligent Auditory; nor contest with, by fpeech, or writing: Having been already, fhamefully, egregioufly, and miferably many of your party baffled by him.

And now I come to acquaint you with the true Reasons of my engaging against you.

You know, in that Letter before mention'd, you made this one main excufe for your non appearance, before mention'd alfo (viz.) "That pub"lick Debates and Conferences, tend to the "breach of the Peace, and have no tendency to "thofe good Ends propofed by the Gouvernment, of uniting the Queens Proteftant Subjects.

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These words, I must tell you, were the great Occafion of a great Scruple, which (upon reading them) offer'd it felf unto my thoughts. And forth-with put me upon the most exact Search into your Principles, and Practices: And after a moft diligent Scrutiny into your printed Books, and comparing them with thofe of the Papifts. I found that a Quaker (as fuch) is neither true Proteftant, nor the true Friend of a Proteftant. Whereupon I drew up a general Verdict to that effect, the which is contained in the treatife following.

Which I defire you to Perufe without partiality, or prejudice. And if you can thereupon convince me that that Hypothefis is erroneous, I will then publickly Retract what I have now written: and will give you what farther Satisfaction you can reafonably expect from me.

As for your part, Mr. Vivers, most of your Friends, and Neighbours do conclude that You are not to feek for the best defence in this matter. You call your felves the Queens Proteftant Subjects. And they think you both know what you fay, and how to defend it.

I confefs (Mr. Vivers) you have been a bufy fpeaker many Years among this People: and have often, very often, offer'd extraordinary Violence to your Lungs, in my Parish. But I beseech you confider well, who feat you thither: and whofe errand

nd you came upon. I am forry it was such an April one, that (for all your bold Pretences to the Infallibility of the Holy Spirit in you) I must be compelled to tell you, You neither knew the Mafter fpring of your Motions, who it was that fent you, nor what it was which you deliver'd. I pity your Igna rance, you knew not popery when you preached it. Nor will you I Fear believe it, when it is made evident to you.

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Be not Angry with me (Mr. Vivers) for this my plain dealing with you. For you are not alone, in this Ignorance I charge you with: you have many fellows. I write not this to disgrace you, but for your Honour. For had you known whofe Tools you have been (all this while) made, I cannot but have fo much Charity, both for you, and for many others of your fellow fpeakers, that I verily believe you would have declined the Office, and have left it to your Popish Directors (in their next Years meeting) to find out fome fitter Inftruments. The Truth is, when you, and others of your fellows, came into my Parish [You cannot fay, Mr. Vivers, to Unite the Queens Proteftant Subjects there. No, no, your liberal Difcourfes against Priefts and Tythes, and Preaching, and Ordinances, fhewed another defign, yet] the ferious Confideration, that you knew not all this while whofe game you plaid, incited Pity and Compaffion, rather than Anger, and Revenge, in my breaft towards you. And in this I comforted my felf, that I could, and did pray for you, as our Saviour did for thofe which crucified him, and that in the very fame words too: Saying, Father forgive them for they know not what they do, Luke 23. 34.

The Lord open your eyes, that you may now at laft fee how you have been deluded your felves, and how you have deluded others hitherto. For my hearts defire for you all is, that you may be faved. And indeed, I bear you witness that you have a Zeal, tho' not according to know ledge.

If you would have the Patience to give this fmall Treatife the ferious and fedate Perufal; I hope it would reflect fome Light into your benighted Souls. Be not Angry with me, for what I have herein Written: I did it not to Hurt,

Hurt, but to Heal you. If my Applications feem now and then too Bitter to you, I affure it was from the Nature of your Distemper, which required it; and not from any delight in me, or design to distaste

you.

The Lord remove the Scales from your Eyes, that you may fee your danger and avoid it.

And if the Almighty God fhall in Mercy, think fit to convince you: O then give him the Glory, and be not ashamed to confefs your Errours, and forfake them. The best of men have done as much, which has ever redounded to their greatest Honour, and not unto the leaft Difgrace. Mark (I pray with what Holy Indignation the Pfalmift expreffed himself (upon a far lefs occafion) in his Holy Confeffion unto God: Saying, Se foolish was I and ignorant, I was as a Reaf before thee, Pfal. 73. 22. Confider it well, He had not half fo much reafon to fay fo, as you have. His Ignorance was but of a Circumftance, in comparison of yours: For yours, is of the whole design, and Scope of the Gospel.

For I must tell you; unless you can fully, and fairly clear your felves from Mr. Buggs impeachments (how much foever you flight him) unless you will difown the curfed Tenets of yourChiefest Writers, and publickly declare your abomination of, and hatred against, what he has clearly proved to be written by them; And will declare profefs, and own, that they are not your Doctrine, not your Belief, but the very contrary. I must tell you [Mr. Vivers] unless this be done by you, the evidence your defpifed Antagonist has brought against you, out of your own printed Writers, will inevitably faften this Black Character upon you, and your Principles; nor can you (with all your Pains and Skill ever be able to Wash it off.

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