The Truth of the Times Vindicated, Note to the reader
An Advertiſement to the Reader.
THou mayſt perhaps wonder that this Anſwer was no ſooner returned to the Doctors Reply, which came forth ſo long agoe, ſo that now it may ſeem to come forth too late: Know therefore firſt, that the Doctors Book it ſelfe, ſome while went up and downe in the darke, ſeen onelyonly of a few. Secondly, that the Author of the Anſwer living farre from London, it was much longer before he could have the ſight of it: After he had it, he ſoone diſpatched his Anſwer, which he left in the hands of ſome friends here, a monethmonth ſince, to be publiſhed, but new Licencers being appointed, much time was ſpent in carrying of it from one to another for leave to travell ſafely: as alſo Printers being full either of buſineſſe or negligence, it comes to paſſe, that it hath been much longer in the birth then in the breeding. I hope it comes not too late to ſatisfie the conſcience of the well-affected, or to encourage thoſe that are engaged in this ſo neceſſary a defenſive warre; and it may be much more ſeaſonable then if before, whiles peoples mindes are generally inclined to goe up with one unanimous conſent perſonally to maintain the true Religion, Life and Liberty of the Subiect, which ſeems to be the likeliest way to put an end to our unnaturall uncivill warres, and happy ſhall that man be called, that ſhall help forward that great worke, and be a meanes to ſtill the ſtorme, the end of a inſt warre being peace, as the lancing of the wound is for the cure of it. Farewell.
I. A.
AN INTRODVCTION TO THE READER.
GOOD Reader, you ſee into what ſad times we are now fallen: our Engliſh Sunne is almoſt ſet, out day of peace and plenty is almoſt done; workmen go from their labour, & beaſts go forth to their prey. And it war be the worſt of all miſeries, and civill warre the worſt of all wars (as indeed it is: For there the parents do bury their children; aNemo it a amens eſt ut bellum quam pacem malit: nam in pace filii patres, in bello patres filios ſepeliunt. Herod.whereas otherwiſe the children do bury their parents) then is our condition of all the moſt lamentable. The diſputing time is almoſt now over: The Doctor hath ſtared ſo long in bringing up his Rear, that I fear the controverſie depending, is now rather to be determined with the dint of the ſword, then with the ſtrength of the pen: yet becauſe the Temple muſt be built in troubleous times, and the tide of truth doth uſually at the firſt creep up by the bank ſide againſt the ſtreame; I am not unwilling for truths ſake, once more to appeare in this cauſe, that I may deliver it from thoſe exceptions wherewith the D ctor hath burthened the ſame. It is not long ſince I met with the Doctors reply, and at the firſt I thought it not neceſſary to give any anſwer unto it; partly beeauſe the ſubject is ſo well beaten, that he is almoſt anſwered before he hath objected; partly becauſe I count that Reply ſcarce worth a ſober anſwer, which is clothed with ſo many ſcoffing jeeres, and vile reproches, things unworthy▪ of a D. D. eſpecially ſuch as pretend ſatisfaction of conſcience: but it will finde entertainment with conſcience according to its owne nature: For what Luther ſpeakes of certaine Preachers, is true of Writers alſo.bMulti ſunt Praedicatores aeſtuantes & tumultuantes, artibus qui ut dixerint omnia facta velint, non tam volentes audiri quia verbum Dei dicunt, quam quia ipſi ſunt verbi doctores, organum magis quam ſonum commendari petentes horum portio, qui meditatis & conceptis à ſe verbis permittunt ſibi ipfis nunc bos nunc illos pungere & mordere, & ſtatim convertere, ubi fit miro Deiconſilio, ut nihil minus impleant quam quod cogitaverunt. Sentit enim naturaliter anima bominis verbum arte ſuper ſe compoſitum eſſe, & ſtercore humano ut apud Ezek. eſt opertum, id eſt, humano affectu pollutum; ideonauſeat ſuper illo & potius irritatur quam convertitur. Luther. Multi ſunt (ſaith he) there are many hot and tumultuous Preachers, who would have all things done as they ſay, not ſo much willing to be heard becauſe they ſpeake the word of God, as becauſe they are teachers of it, deſiring rather that the Organ then the ſonnd may be commended; who having meditated aud conceived ſome words, do promiſe to themſelves preſently to convert thoſe that heare them: Whereas through the wonderfull wiſedome of God, they do nothing leſſe then what they thought: For the ſoule of man perceiving that the Word preached is compounded with their Art, and covered over with humane dung; that is, poluted with humane affection and paſſion, it doth therefore nauſeat the thing delivered, and is rather provoked then converted. Yet becauſe I have been earneſtly deſired by friends, to open more fully the nature of government and civill government of England, I am not unwilling to ſet pen to paper againe. For your better ſatiſfaction therefore give me leave to lead you on by ſome ſteps or propoſitions which I ſhall lay down in the firſt and ſecond chapters, and then ſhall come more neerly to anſwer the Doctor.