Reply to a Book, Title page – Preface
AN APOLOGETICALL REPLY To a booke Called AN ANSVVER to the unjuſt complaint of VV. B.
Alſo an ANSWER to Mr. I. D. TOUCHING His report of ſome paſſages.
His allegation of Scriptures againſt the baptiſing of ſome kind of infants.
His proteſtation about the publiſhing of his wrightings.
BY IOHN DAVENPORTE BD.
Prov. 18.17.
He that is firſt in his owne cauſe ſeemeth juſt: but his neighbour cometh, and ſearcheth him.
Hieron: ad Nepot.
Cave ne aut lingnam, aut aures prurientes habeas: ne aut ipſe alijs detrahas, aut alios detrabentes audias. Nemo invito auditori libenter refert. Diſcat detractor, dum te videt non libenter audire non facile detrahere.
Horat: Epiſt. 16. ad Quint.
Mordear opprobrijs falfis? mutemque colores?
Falſus honor juvat, et mendax infamia terret.
Quem? niſi mendoſum, et mendacem?
AT ROTTERDAM, Printed by Iſaack van Waeſberghe upon the Steygher at the Fame. Anno 1636.
The Preface to the Reader.
CHriſtian Reader.2. Cor. 1.12. Though the teſtimony of a good conſcience, is of it ſelfe a ſufficient cauſe of rejoycing in all the tribulations of this pilgrimage,Act. 23.1. 1. Pet. 3.16. Act. 24.16. and of confidence in our Apologies againſt falſe accuſers, in which reſpect Bleſſed Paul, according to the wiſdom given unto him, did herein excerciſe himſelfe, to have alwayes a conſcience voyd of offence toward God, and toward men: yet, next to a good conſcience, every man is bound to provide for his good name, it being,Eccleſ. 7.1 in Salomons judgment, better then precious oyntment, which ſerveth to cheare a mans owne ſpirits, and to make him amiable to others, and as any man is of more publick uſe, ſo it is both more diffuſed, and more apt to be tainted by the ſhew of any infirmity: according to that holy proverbe.Eccleſ. 10.1. Dead flies cauſe the oyntment of the Apothecary to ſend forth a ſtincking ſavour; ſo doeth a litly folly him that is in reputation for wiſdom and honour. But the regard of our good name muſt be excerciſed upon higher, then ſelfe-reſpects, elſe it is but vaine glory, which flowing from pride falleth into unwarranted contention. Gods name muſt be more deare unto us then our owne, and our care muſt be, not ſo much to ſhun our owne, as his diſhonour, our eſteeme whereof ought, in ſome proportion, to anſwer to his dignity and eminency. We ſee that among men the ſame reproach which is but a ſlander of private perſons, is ſcandalum magnatum, when it reflecteth diſhonour upon peeres of a realme, and it is crimen laſae Majeſtatis, when it aſcendeth to the ſoveraigne majeſty. For which cauſe it is not to be wondred that God hath ſhewen himſelfe ſo jealous of the honour of his owne name, not onelyonly upon the ſonnes of Aaron and Eli, and thoſe wicked Preiſts in Iſrael,Mal. 2.5.8.9. but alſo upon Aaron and Eli themſelves, and upon Moſes, and David, in whom, though he pardoned their ſinne, yet he paſſed not by this conſequent of it, the diſhonour of his name, without a temporall judgment.Ioſu. 7.9. Pſa. 8.1. Pſal. 111.9. Mich: 5.4 For his name is a great, excelent, holy, and reverent name, it is a name which hath Majeſty in it, and is as farr above all names, as his Majeſty is above all creatures.
Gods honour being principally intended, the good of men is not to be neglected, that they within the Church be not aſhamed, or offended, nor they without, hindred, or hardned.Luther on Gen. 9. Gen. 9.22 For ſuch is the malignant genius of the Serpents ſeed, that they delight in obſerving the ſlipps and falls of Gods ſervants, as ſwine doe to nuzzle in filth and excrements, vvhichwhich evill inclination was ſo ſtrong in Cham & Canaan that it brake the bonds of nature, and therefore it is the leſſe to be wondred at, if Sanballat and Tobiah,Nehem. 6.13. to hinder the worke of the Lord in the hands of his ſervants, did ſeeke matter of an evill report, that they might reproach them. And, as it would not ſatiſfye Hamans malice to lay hands upon Mordecai alone,Heſt. 3.6. but he ſaught to deſtroy all the Iewes: ſo theſe are accuſtomed, for the miſcarriage of any one, to miſjudge the generation of Gods children. Which David much feared, and earneſtly deprecated,Pſal. 69 5.6. ſaying. Let not them that wayte on thee O Lord God of Hoaſts, be aſhamed for my ſake. Let not thoſe that ſeeke thee, be confounded, for my ſake, O God of Iſrael. And the laying of a ſtumbling block,Rom. 14.13. or an occaſion of falling, in the way of weake Chriſtians, by giving them offence, is of no leſſe dangerous conſequence to him by whom the offence cometh (for whom it had bene better that he had bene caſt into the ſea with a milſtone about his neck) then it is to him who is ſcandalized,Mat. 18.6. who is wounded, and made weake, 1. Cor. ….13.and in danger of being deſtroyed thereby, which cauſed holy Paul to reſolve rather to eate no fleſh, whileſt the world ſtādeth, then thereby to cauſe his brother to offend. And the ſame thing which maketh the hearts of the righteous ſad, Ezeck. 13.22.uſually ſtrengthneth the hands of the wicked, that he ſhould not returne from his evill way. Thus it falleth out in ſcandalous reproaches rayſed againſt thoſe that feare God by the worſt of men, but much more when Iſraelites thruſt their ſwords into their fellowes ſides,Exod. 21.22.27. eſpecially when thoſe who are as women with child are ſpurned, hurt, and indangered, by reproaches, to miſcarry, of ſome ſpirituall children, of whom they travayle in birth, Gal. 4.19till Chriſt may be formed in them.
Theſe conſiderations may ſerve to be an Apology to others for this my Reply, and for an admonition to my ſelfe, and direction about my wholl carriage in it.
They, who have read the Anſwer, whereunto this Reply is made, will teſtifye, on my behalfe, that the honour of God, and the good of the Church, both for maintenance of truths oppoſed, and for vindicating myne owne name, and the names of others, far more worthy then I, from calumny, did neceſſitate the publiſhing of this Apology. It had bene more to the Anſwerers comfort, if he could have as truely pleaded the ſame neceſſity, as he readily pretended it. But, 1. how eaſily might he have prevented it, in the cauſe: either by not making an unjuſt oppoſition, or by yeelding to ſuch aequall meanes of accommodation as were propounded, or by propounding other wayes ſufficient to ſalve the ſore, or by referring the matter to the Church as properly belonging to their cognition, or by fairely ſeeking the advice of the Claſſis (ſeing he would bring it thither) without praepoſſeſſing the Dutch preachers with cauſeleſſe praejudices, and jealouſies againſt men whom they knew not. 2. Seing due care was not taken to prevent the kindling of the fire: yet, how eaſily might it have bene quenched, when the ſmother of it began to breake forth apparently! at leaſt, the fuell might have bene ſubtracted, and it ſuffered to have gone out, and to have dyed of it ſelfe, but, in ſtead, thereof, oyle is caſt upon it to make it flame out, and the force and violence of it, is, by his booke (as by bellowes, or a ſtrong wind) driven upon the faces of thoſe, who have done, and ſuffered much that they might extinguiſh it. Alas! what benefit could redound to the Church by ſuch perſonall vindications publiſhed to the world, ſeing a ſufficient anſwer given in wrighting to their written complaints would have ſatiſfyed their deſire, and ended all difference among them? And, what though theſe private wrightings were printed? yet, what neceſſity was there of printing any anſwer to them? ſeing the Anſwerer had many wayes to have ſuppreſſed them at the preſſe (being made privy to the printing of them, by the printer himſelfe, which I was not) and ſeeing I proteſted, in print, againſt the firſt part, which concerned me, and the Complainants profeſſed theire diſlike of publiſhing the other part of it? How tender I was of the Anſwerers reputation my Proteſtation ſheweth, in part, and my labour to have the booke ſuppreſſed more fully manifeſteth. For I procured that all the copies unſold might be bought up, ſo that (I am told) about foure hundred and fifty, of the five hundred, were ſtopped. How he hath requited me let his booke ſpeake.
And howſoever he pretendeth that the printing of that pamphlet compelled him to print, in his owne defence, yet it is evident, 1. that he declared his purpoſe of printing about theſe matters before any wrighting was made by me, in myne owne defence, or by them, in way of complaint of their greivances. 2. that his theatning to print an anſwer to their complaints, which then were onelyonly written, and left in the Conſiſtory privatly, and the report of one, who ſaid that he had ſeene ſome of the ſheets which the Anſwerer had prepared to print, were the cauſes moving W. B. to print that wrighting. 3. that himſelfe declared in a letter, which the freind, to whom he ſent it, ſhewed me, that he purpoſed to print an anſwer to that ſhort wrighting which was left by me, when as nothing had bene printed by W.B. Which proveth that the printed pamphlet was not the cauſe of his booke, but that he tooke occaſion thereby to publiſh that which he had before purpoſed. 4. When he acquainted the miniſters of the Claſſis with his purpoſe of printing an anſwer to that pamphlet, they diſuaded him: yet he againe importuned them to conſent to it, threatning to get it printed in England, if they oppoſed it here. To conclude. He ſo wearyed them with importunityes, as if his life had layne in the doing of it, that they left him to himſelfe (after they had adviſed him to leave out ſome paſſages which they diſliked in his copy) but ſtill profeſſed that, as they did not hinder him, ſo they would not counſail him to doe it. This ſome of thoſe learned & prudent men have affirmed to ſome of the members of that Church, whereby the Reader may ſee with how ſtrong a bent of ſpirit he was carryed hereunto, but upon what argument, or motives, I leave it to his owne conſideration in the ſight of God.
Yet, if he would print, needleſly: ah, that he had not done it ſo reproachfully, ſarcaſtically, bitterly! Not that I have cauſe to be troubled thereat, in reſpect of my ſelfe, who have, in ſome meaſure, learned to be content (if God will have it ſo) to be as a lampe deſpiſed in the thought of him that is at eaſe, Iob. 12.5. Heb. 10.35.and to be made a gazing ſtock, both by reproaches and afflications, & by becoming a companion of them that were ſo uſed, but for the truthes ſake, for the Churches ſake, for his owne ſake, whom I doe unfeinedly reverence, and love in the Lord, though I am by him compelled to this unpleaſing conteſt. I confeſſe, that when I read his booke, and conſidered how to anſwer it, upon a ſerious pondering of paſſages, I thought upon Herods ſhort letter to Caſſius (foreign) and if I had ſo written to him,Philoſtr. in vit. Herod. though I ſhould have cenſured my ſelfe, as not dealing according to the reſpect which I beare to his gravity, and long ſtanding in the Church, & miniſteriall abilities &c. Yet he could not anſwer as Paul did a like (though more unjuſt) chalenge, that he wrote the words of truth and ſobernes. Act. 26.25.For how untruely (though, I hope, but by ignorance, or forgetfullnes, or miſapprehenſion, or inadvertency) paſſages are reported, I am compelled to declare in the ſeverall anſweres. How unſoberly let the Reader judge, without my raking into that finck, which maketh the wholl booke the more unſavoury and uſeleſſe. This alſo (remembring my praecedent admonition) I would cover, for the better moderating other mens cenſures, by imputing it to ſome aptnes in his naturall ſpirit to cauſeleſſe jealouſies, or to the infirmity of his age, or to his melancholy temper, or to the inſtigation of others, or to the violence of temptation, or to a miſguided Zeale, as our love cauſeth us to impute unbeſeeming carriages of our freinds in violent feavers &c. to the diſeaſe, not to the man.
As for me; what reproaches ſoever I ſuſtaine, I hope the ſpirit of underſtanding and counſaile, and the feare of the Lord will ſo guide me, that I ſhall not, by returning rebuke for rebuke, 2. Pet. 3.9 Rom. 12.21. Aug. ad Catech:give juſt cauſe of ſuſpicion that I am overcome of evill. But ſuch a neceſſity is now layed upon me, that I may ſay, with Auguſtine, Cogimur non tacere, cum potius expediat flere quam aliquid dicere. I am conſtrained to wright, though (in ſome reſpects) it were more expedient to weepe then to ſay any thing. My deſire is to make a modeſt defence of the truth, and of mine owne innocency, without injuring or irritating any body. Wherein I purpoſe to propound to my ſelfe excelent patternes, whom I wiſh the Anſwerer alſo had imitated, ſuch as Baſil and Nazianzen,Greg: Naz: Monod: in Laud: Baſil. whoſe ſpirits were ſo ſweetly compoſed in a difference betweene them, that notwithſtanding it, they gave due reſpect each to other, Baſil calling Nazianzen. Vas electionis, puteum profundum, os Chriſti, An elect veſſel, a deepe well, the mouth of Chriſt, and Nazianzen winding up his invention to the higheſt ſtreine in Baſils praiſe, as appeareth in an oration made by him for that purpoſe, though he noate an unkindnes received from him, which he could not well digeſt. In like manner Auguſtine differed from Cyprian about rebaptization, yet he doth not reproach him, but excuſeth his errour rather,Aug. lib. 2. de bapt. contr. Donat: Cap. 7 ſaying, nondum erat diligenter iſta baptiſmi queſtio pertractata. That queſtiō about baptiſme had not bene diligently diſcuſſed unto that time, and honoureth his name with excelent titles. Beatus Cyprianus, vigilantiſsimus Epiſcopus, glorioſiſsimus Martyr. Bleſſed Cyprian, a moſt vigilant Biſhop, a moſt glorious Martyr. And, comparing Cyprian, & Stephanus,Idem lib. de unico Bap. contr. Petil. cap. 14. & Donatus together, in their different carriage about that queſtion, he did not reproach Cyprian as ſchyſmatically affected, but ſhevved that both Cyprian and Stephanus and thoſe that adhaered to them preſerved unity each vvith other,Idem contr Donat. lib. 5. Cap. 11. and did not, as Donatus, ſeperate from the Church for that cauſe; and for himſelfe, he profeſſed (hovvſoever he held as he did touching the Baptiſme of Iohn) ſe non acturum pugnaciter &c. that he vvould not quarrrell thoſe that held othervviſe. In latter times Beza ſhevved the ſame ſpirit tovvards Bullinger and Gualter;Praef. in lib. de preſbyt: et excom. contr. Eraſt: for though they ſeemed to incline more to Eraſtus his opinion then he could vviſh, yet he ſpeaketh honourably of them, calling them, after their deaths, non tantum Tigurinae, ſed Chriſtianae totius Eccleſiae lumina, lights not onelyonly of the Tigurine, but alſo of the wholl Chriſtian Church, and elſevvhere they are ſtiled by him, optimi illi beatiſsimae memoriae fratres, ſummâ tum pietate, tum eruditione praediti, his excelent brethren of very bleſſed memory, men of ſingular piety and learning, and he taketh occaſion to excuſe their difference from him in that point, not to brand them with any black noate for it. Thus in thoſe men the ſpirit of love vvraught, as it had done before them in the Apoſtles of Chriſt: For, howſoever Paul juſtly reproved Peter, as the caſe required,Gal. 2. yet Peter did not lye at the catch (as vve ſay) to recriminate him, but tooke occaſion, from ſome paſſage in Pauls epiſtles, to make an honourable mention of him ſaying.2. Pet. 3.15. Account that the long ſuffering of the Lord is ſalvation, as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wiſdom given unto him, hath written unto you &c. ſuch a carriage of differences amongſt Chriſtians, ſpecially Miniſters of the Goſpell, vvould much conduce to the advancement of the truth, and ſtopping of the mouthes of adverſaries, vvhichwhich are apt to be opened upon tvvo advantages. 1. The differences in judgment amongſt profeſſours. 2. The bitternes of ſpirit vvhichwhich they diſcover in thoſe differences. To prevent (as much as in me lyeth) any hurt that may come from theſe tvvo praejudices, I thinck it requiſite that I add a word or two, upon occaſion of this advantage, which ſome bitter paſſages in the Anſwer doe ſeeme to give all ſorts of adverſaryes to blaſpheme the trueth.
1. All ſorts of people are apt to object againſt the truth, that the profeſſours of it doe not agree amongſt themſelves. This the ancient Philoſophers objected againſt the Chriſtians in the firſt 300 yeares after Chriſt, whoſe mouthes the worthy lights in thoſe times ſtopped, with the different ſects among the Philoſophers thēſelves. In like manner I may tell the Papalls of the 26 Schyſmes in the Romiſh Church, others of the troubles in Franckford rayſed in Queene Maryes daies, about bringing in the Engliſh liturgy into that place, (for the effecting whereof they ſpared not to endanger the life of that famous Godly man Mr. Knocks who oppoſed it.) others, of Troubles about excommunications in Amſterdam extant to the view of all men, and all men of differences about their ſeverall wayes and projects.
2. Bellarmine, to prove that our Religion doeth not produce holynes in mens lives, inſtanceth in the violence of Luthers ſpirit, which appeared in much bitternes even againſt thoſe vvho agreed vvith him in oppoſition to popery, becauſe they differed from him in ſome particular tenets. That this is but a fallible ſigne, may appeare, not onelyonly in this, that ſhevves of holynes may be vvhere holynes in trueth is not, as in that gravity, conſtancy, and humility vvhichwhich vvas obſerveable in that enimy of Gods grace Pelagius,Aug. Epiſt. 120. Mat. 7.15. according to our Saviours praediction, concerning Wolves in ſheepes cloathing; but alſo in this, that diſtempered paſſions have bene found in eminent ſervants of God, as in the difference betvveene Paul & Barnabas, the onelyonly vviſe God, for his ovvne glory many vvayes, by ſome infirmityes ſtayning the glory of all fleſh. Hovv hot vvas the contention betvveene Cyprian and Stephanus! vvhat violent and troubleſome diſſention vvas there betvveene Theophilus and Chriſoſtom! alſo betvveene Cyrill of Alexandria and Theodoret, boath Biſhops, Catholicks, boath learned, boath godly, boath excelent pillars of the Church, and yet he that readeth both their vvrightings vvould thinck that boath vvere dangerous enimyes of the Church. The invectives of Ierom and Ruffinus one againſt another are extant, and Auguſtines Epiſtles, vvherein he bevvayled the ſame. Hovv many unkindneſſes paſſed betvveene Chriſoſtom and Epiphanius! Did not the one refuſe to pray vvith the other? Did not the one chalēge the other for manyfold breaches of Canons? Did not the one profeſſe that he hoped he ſhould never dye a Biſhop? and the other that he ſhould never come alive into his country, boath vvhichwhich things fell out according to their uncharitable vviſhes, Epiphanius dying by the vvay as he vvas returning home, and Chriſoſtom being caſt out of his Biſhoprick, and dying in baniſhment? And theſe things came to paſſe, 1. partly, by the inſtigatiō of others. Thus Epiphanius vvas ſtirred up againſt Chriſoſtom by Theophilus. So that their contentions aroſe from a verſatilous wit accompanied vvith a malicious and vindictive ſpirit in Theophilus, & imprudence accōpanied vvith too much credulity in Epiphanius. 2. partly, by ſome ſtiffnes & inflexibility of ſpirit in ſome of them, accōpanied vvith much hardnes to be reconciled vvhen once offēded, to thoſe vvith vvhom they vvere diſpleaſed, from vvhichwhich blemiſh Chriſoſtom vvas not altogether free, and that cauſed him ſomevvhat the more trouble. 3. partly by miſtakes, as in the differēce betvveene Theodoret and Cyrill, and in the diviſion betvveene the Chriſtians of the Eaſt, and thoſe of the Weſt, the one ſuſpecting the other of haereſy, upon a miſtake, For the Romans beleived three perſons in the Trinity but vvould not beleive three hypoſtaſes, & thence the Orientall Chriſtians thought them Sabellians, vvho held that there is but one perſon in the Godhead called by three names. The Eaſterne Chriſtians beleived three hypoſtaſes in the Godhead, but vvould not admit three perſons, vvhence they of Rome thought them to be Arrians, vvho beleived that there are three diſtinct ſubſtances in the Godhead. Athanaſius, perceiving that they differed not in judgment, brought them to accord, by ſhevving them that they meant one thing, though their expreſſions vvere different, ſo that there vvas a difference ariſing from ill ſuſpition which was grounded upon miſunderſtanding one another. Laſtly, from an ill guided Zeale, whereby (beſide the former) Luther and thoſe that adhaered to him were carryed too far in oppoſition againſt Zwinglius, about the Sacrament, which afterwards Luther ſaw, and confeſſed to Melancthon, a litle before his death, that his wrightings, in that controverſy had bene too bitter, & profeſſed his inclination to publiſh ſome thing for the qualifying of them, but that be feared the ſcandall that might grow upon ſuch his retractation, as is to be ſeene in the Admonition of the Divines of the County Palatine concerning the booke called liber concordiae. Thus a groundleſſe jealouſy ſharpened Luthers ſpirit in that controverſy, and a groundleſſe jealouſy hindred him from retracting what he had written. Had the ſame jealouſy hindred Auguſtine, the wholl Chriſtian world had bene looſers thereby, wanting that helpe by his booke of Retractations, which now they have. Which unproffitable jealouſy, whereby men will make good what they have ſaid or done, leaſt they ſhould ſeeme to have erred, Ambroſe piouſly caſt off, and confeſſed that his wrightings had need of a ſecond review, et qnantumlibet quiſque profecerit, Ambr: offic: lib. 1. Cap. 1.nemo eſt qui doceri non indigeat, dum vivit. How much ſoever any man hath profited, every man hath need to be taught whileſt he liveth.
Theſe things being premiſed, for prevention of ſcandall, which may be taken at the Anſwer, whereunto the enſuing Reply is made, I will breifely conclude, after I have added one or two words for prevention of unaequall cenſures upon the Reply it ſelfe, with reſpect to the matter, and to the manner of my proceeding in it.
1. For the matter. I muſt intreat the wiſe hearted Reader to vouchſafe a benigne & favourable conſtruction of things that may ſeeme lyable to ſome miſconſtruction, and to conſider that in all the paſſages of this diſcourſe, I have a particular reſpect to the queſtion betweene us, avoyding by-matters. As, for inſtance, when I ſpeake of the ſummity of the power of particular Churches, in re propriâ, in ſuch things as are properly their owne, & doe inſtance in the choyſe of their miniſters, it may be, ſome captious polititian will thinck that I abridge the povver of the civill Magiſtrate, which is farr from my purpoſe (though I ſpeake as I doe, limiting my ſelfe to the queſtion betweene the Church and the Claſſis onelyonly, which was the foreign) For I acknowledge, not onelyonly that ſubmiſſion & obedience is due, by the fifth commandment, both to the higheſt Governours in every common wealth, according to the ſeverall lawes and cuſtoms thereof, as to Emperours, Kings, Conſuls Princes, Dukes, States, and to other officers and miniſters under them, as Senators, Counſailours, Iuſtices, Majors, Sheriffs, Balives, Conſtables, &c. (theſe, and the like, being in reſpect of their ſeverall kinds,1. Pet. 2.13. Rom. 13.1 that foreign, every ordinance of man, yet in reſpect of their common nature and power, foreign, are ordered or ordained of God) and that for conſcience ſake, in all their civill lawes and conſtitutions, but alſo in matters eccleſiaſticall & ſpirituall, it belongeth to the cheife governour or governours to be nurſing fathers of the Church, as well as of the Commonwealth,Iſa. 49.23. to be Cuſtodes et vindices utriuſque tabulae, and that they may, and aught to eſtabliſh, by their authority, the true Religion, & pure worſhip of God, and to forbid and puniſh, not onelyonly civill perſons for civill crimes: but even Churchmen alſo, and boath ſorts for crimes againſt Religion, as Blaſphemy, Haereſy, Idolatry, Sacriledge, Schyſme, &c. and to take order (as occaſion may require) that the Churches make choyſe of fit officers, and that Church officers doe their duety in every kind, according to all Gods ordinances and inſtitutions, and that the wholl worſhip of God, and all the parts of it, be adminiſtred in the congregations decently, 1. Cor. 14.40.without uncomelines, and orderly, without confuſion, of which care they have excelent praecedents ſet before them for patternes in the Scripture, ſuch as David, Salomon, Hezekiah, Ioſiah. Nor are the matters of the Lord, 2. Chron. 19.11.and the Kings matters of ſo different a nature, that the care of the things of God doeth not appertayne to the King, but onelyonly to the high Preiſt, but they are diſtinguiſhed in the manner of their performing them, the Magiſtrates diſcharging their part, civilly, & politically, & the Church officers executing theires eccleſiaſtically, and ſpiritually, that ſo piety and policy, the Church and Common wealth, religion and righteouſnes may dwell together, may kiſſe each other, and may flouriſh together, in the due ſubjection of all ſorts of ſubjects to Princes and Magiſtrates, and of both princes and people to the ſcepter and government of Ieſus Chriſt,Iames 4.12. that one lawgiver, who is able to ſave and to deſtroy.
2. For the manner. 1. I have endeavoured to carry my ſelfe inoffenſively, in this wholl treatiſe, without wronging or provoking any, and for that purpoſe have concealed the name of the Anſwerer, wiſhing that it may not be remembred, upon this occaſion, to blemiſh any of his well deſervings, in any other ſervice to God, or to his Church. 2. I have laboured ſo to temper my ſtile that the truth may be manifeſted by his owne actions ſincerely related, rather then by my verball cenſures. 1. His owne words I have truely repeated and anſwered, and when I have bene compelled to contradict thoſe things whereunto I could not conſent, I have laboured to ſhew reaſon more then paſſion therein. If any thinck it might have bene done more ſmoothly, and plauſibly, let him know there is a difference to be made betweene perſonall vindications, and doctrinall ventilations, there being not the ſame degrees of provocation to paſſion in the latter as in the former: and that ſome of the perſonall aſperſions, whereunto I am enforced to make reply, are ſuch as whereunto a ſimple cold negation, without ſome vehemency, would ſeeme incongruous, as Ierom ſpeakes of the ſuſpicion of haereſy or ſchyſme, wherein, he ſayth, it becometh no man to be patient. To conclude; let the Chriſtian reader, if he meete with any ſuch paſſages, ſuſpend his cenſure, till he have bene put upon the clearing of his innocency to the world, in anſwer to a printed booke made in ſo provoking a manner, by ſuch a man, upon ſuch an occaſion, himſelfe being excerciſed with the ſame tryalls & difficulties wherewith I am excerciſed, in theſe toſſings to and fro, yet with much quiet in my ſpirit, thorough inward ſupportments, wherein I may ſay, to the prayſe of Gods grace, in my meaſure. As the ſufferings of Chriſt abound in us, 2. Cor. 1.5ſo our conſolation alſo aboundeth by Chriſt.
Laſtly. If any man ſhall thinck that my Reply is too large, let him conſider, 1. that the particular matters of fact, wherein myne innocency was neceſſarily to be defended are many. 2. that I could not declare and maintaine the truth which I hold in points of doctrine, and which is in word or actions oppoſed by the Anſwerer, in a breifer diſcourſe. 3. that a neceſſity was layed upon me to wright ſomewhat on the behalfe of other Reverend miniſters, ſome whereof are at reſt, as Mr. Parker, Dr. Ames, Mr. Forbes, ſome are abſent, as Mr. Hooker, Mr. Weld, Mr. Peter. 4. that he ſo interweaveth his diſcontents againſt the Elders, & the complaints of the members with the paſſages which concerne me, that, in many things, I could not cleare my ſelfe without ſaying ſome thing alſo in their juſt defence, which I have done ſparingly, and but when it was made neceſſary by his joyning us together. 5. that he hath ſo frequently mentioned my name, almoſt in every paſſage, that I could not make a ſatiſfying Reply, on myne owne behalfe, without examining almoſt the wholl booke, which I was conſtrayned to doe alſo more particularly (and according to the order of his Sections) then elſe I would, leaſt it ſhould be thought that I had bene unable to anſwer what I had praetermitted. Wherein what I have written the Reader ſeeth, but he knoweth not what I could have added, and therefore is to be intreated to ſuſpend his cenſure concerning what I have ſaid till he may underſtand the reaſons whereby I am able to juſtifye ſuch particulars, 6. that, for the helpe of the Reader in comparing the Reply with the Anſwer I have inſerted his owne words every where. 7. that I thought it unaequall to cauſe the Reader to lay out his mony, and ſpend his precious houres upon a fruitleſſe diſcourſe of our perſonall concernments onelyonly: and therefore have added many things, upon this occaſion, for his intellectuall advantage, whereby the Reply is made much larger then elſe it ſhould have bene. The benefit whereof, will, I hope, with Gods bleſſing, recompence his expence of mony or time upon it. Which I beſeech the Father of lights and of ſpirits to grant for the advancement of his truth in the hearts of many! Amen.