It doth not a little grieve my spirit to heare what sadd things are reported dayly of your tyranny and presecutions in New-England,--=_as that you fyne, whip, and imprison men for their consciences_=. First, you compell such to come into your assemblyes as you know will not joyne with you in your worship, and when they shew their dislike thereof or witnes against it, then you styrre up your magistrates to punish them for such (as you conceyve) their publicke affronts. Truely, friends, this your practice of compelling any in matters of worship to doe that whereof they are not fully persuaded, is to make them sin; for soe the apostle (Rom. 14 and 23.) tells us; and many are made hypocrites thereby, conforming in their outward man for feare of punishment. We pray for you and wish you prosperitie every way, [and] hoped the Lord would have given you so much light and love there that you might have been eyes to God's people here, and not to practice those courses in a wildernes which you went so farre to prevent. These rigid wayes have layed you very lowe in the hearts of the saynts. I doe assure you I have heard them pray in the publique assemblies that the Lord would give you meeke and humble spirits, not to stryve soe much for uniformity as [instead] to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. When I was in Holland about the beginning of our warres, I remember some christians there, that then had serious thoughts of planting in New-England, desired me to write to the governor thereof to know if those that differ from you in opinion, yet houlding the same foundation in religion (as Anabaptists, Seekers, Antinomians, and the like), might be permitted to live among you; to which I received this short answer from your then governour Mr. Dudley; =_God forbid_= (said he) =_our love for the truth should be growne soe could that we should tolerate errours_=: and when (for satisfaction of myself and others) I desired to know your grounds, he referred me to the books written here between the Presbyterians and Independents;--which if that had been sufficient, I needed not have sent soe farre to understand the reasons of your practice. I hope you do not assume to yourselves infallibilitie of judgment, when the most learned of the Apostles confesseth he knew but in parte and sawe but darkely as through a glass; for God is light, and no further than he doth illuminate us can we see, be our partes and learning never soe great. Oh that all those who are brethren, though yet they cannot thinke and speake the same things might be of one accord in the Lord. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be thus mynded towards one another, after the example of Jesus Christ our blessed Savyor, in whose everlasting armes of protection hee leaves you who will never leave to be Your truly and much affectionate friend in the nearest union, RIC. SALTONSTALL.