Truth Prevailing Against the Fiercest Opposition, Part 20
Your two and twentieth Conſideration hath many parts, and for ſubſtance thus:
FIrſt, we underſtand by books and writings of ſuch authority and credit, that we have no ground as all to queſtion their truth, that the generation of men, whoſe judgements have gone wandring after dipping and re baptiſing, have from the very firſt originall and ſpring of them, ſince the late reformation, been very turbulent and trouble ſome in all places where they have encreaſed to any numbers conſiderable, and wiſer men than I are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation, leſt it ſhould ſuffer as other places have formerly done, from the tumultuous and domineering ſpirit of this ſort of men, ſo numerouſly prevailing as they doe. There is a ſtrong tide of report both from Ireland and Scotland, that as farre as the intereſt and power, ſo far the inſolency, alſo, and importune haughtineſs of that generation we ſpeak of, extendeth in both theſe Nations, and that all perſons, of what integrity or worth ſoever, who are not enlightned with their darkneſs, about their dipping, are trodden under foot like unſavoury Salt, and judged unmeet for any place of truſt or power with them, being allowed onelyonly the preferments of drawing water and hewing wood. One of this faction or party in England, (and he no ſmall beggar neither) ſpeaking of a perſon, who though not of his judgement about the neceſsity of dipping, yet otherwiſe a man that had very well deſerved of that way in ſeverall reſpects, yet ſpeaking of this perſon, he ſaid, in the preſence of ſeveral perſons of quality, that He deſerved to be hanged; an Aphoriſme conſonant to a latter ſaying of a Preacher of that way about the City, who in diſcourſe with a perſon walking in communion with me about his judgement, and being as it ſeemeth worſted in the skirmiſh, at laſt recovered the loſt ground with this or the like Epiphonema, that ſhe might find her Church at Tyburn and the Gallows. Theſe words I regard but as muck, notwithſtanding it may concern others to look after the fire. But ſurely theſe men, when they come into their Kingdome of authority and power, will execute judgement without partiality; if ſo, then he that deſerveth to be hanged muſt expect no better quarter than that of the halter; and if Juſtice be adminiſtred without partiality, all that are in the ſame condemnation of anti-dipping with him, may bear him company in the ſame expectation.
Before I make particular anſwer to this Conſideration, I muſt ſay, it cannot paſſe my obſervation, how ſtrangely Mr. Goodwins zeal in oppoſing us tranſporteth him, how it maketh him forget his old brave ſayings, wherein he certainly had the Spirit of God with him; he once ſaid, The truth would never be made great by the ſuggeſting of morral imputations againſt the enemies of it. Ye a, in his Cautions for Reformation he beginneth, as well he may, thus; They who intend a reformation, according to the Word of God, muſt take heed of admitting humane paſſions into their conſultations, For in James his divinity, The wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſs of God, that is, ſaith he, MARK, ſubjecteth a wan to an incapability of doing that which is truly agreeable to his will.
And doth not theſe words come home to Mr. Goodwin? for hath he not left calm reaſoning from Scripture ground, and betaken himſelf to wrath, and the weapons of reflexion? his ſpirit being as it were of a light fire, no marvell then, if he manage this controverſie upon termes ſo diſagreeable to Gods will, and that he come to ſhake hands with the old enemy of the truth, Gangrena, in many of his methods, and will heaven or earth like of it? He once ſaid, Gangrena would be found a ſtrumpet, of the race and lineage of the great ſcarlet whore, that the vine of the Author was as the vine of Sodome, and his grapes grapes of gall, his cluſters bitter, his wine the poyſon of dragons, and the cruell poyſon of aſpes: And hath not Mr. Goodwin now juſtified it?
But if the queſtion be, How Mr. Woodwin hath juſtified Gangrena?
The anſwer is, by doing himſelf juſt as that Author did, which hath made ſome lift up their eyes to heaven and ſay, LORD, WHAT IS MAN, THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM? If the queſtion be, wherein? it is anſwered.
1. By taking up diſparaging reports againſt his brethren that never did him harm, and publiſhing them to diſgrace their religion by. This was the great fault of Mr. Edwards, for which Mr. Goodwin reproveth him thus, p. 4 of Cretenſis, The form of thoſe accuſations Mr. Edwards hath levied againſt his brethren, is much more inexcuſable than the matter of them. We do not read, that either Cham or Doeg, though ſons of much unworthineſs, ever traded with Satan for theſe black commodities, or compaſſed the earth too and fro, with their Eves-droppers, Agents or Factors, to gather up and furniſh themſelves with the ſins or infirmities of the Saints, no, nor that they ever took up a report into their lip againſt any man, upon either the looſe or malitious ſuggeſtion of others, BƲT ONELYONLY (mark that) RELATED and informed what themſelves SAW WITH THEIR OWN EYES, and that caſually, without any waiting the opportunity.
But Mr. Goodwin hath not onelyonly taken up a report againſt a man, but againſt many, even the generation, as he calleth them, that he is now writing againſt.
2. He hath not onelyonly taken up theſe reports into his lip, but like Mr. Edwards he hath publiſhed them to the world in print, to be an everlaſting monument of diſhonour to them, which hainous ſin of yours, againſt the royal Law of love, will he found agravated by theſe two notorious circumſtances.
1. The matter of the ſtory it ſelf being utterly untrue, (though you did not think ſo.)
And 2. Againſt perſons, many whereof have had honourable thoughts of you, and much love for you
Secondly, To convince you, that the ſame ſpirit or a worſe acted you in writing this book, that inſpired Mr. Edwards in his Gangrena, it appeareth by your drawing ſore concluſions from words, upon ſuppoſitions, that are utterly falſe, viz. from hence, that a baptiſed perſon ſaid of an unbaptiſed, he deſerved to be hang'd (though it is not affirmed for what) much leſſe is it affirmed, that he ſaid, he deſerved to be hang'd for not being baptiſed, and how unreaſonable ſuch a conceit is, I leave to any body to judge. Yet you conclude ſorely, againſt the Baptiſts, upon that uncharitable preſumption, thus, in theſe words, if ſo, then he that deſerveth to be hang'd muſt expect no better quarter than that of the halter, and if juſtice be adminiſtred without partiality, all that are in the ſame condemnation of ANTI-DIPPING with him, may bear him company in the ſame expectation, which cruell concluſion, that if the baptiſed were in power, the undipt may look for the halter, all men may ſee you draw from that wreſted ſuppoſition, that the baptiſed perſon ſhould ſay of the unbaptiſed, he deſerved to be hanged for not being baptiſed, the concluſion otherwiſe being no wayes drawable from the premiſes.
Oh Sir, Truth is too noble a thing to deſire ſuch weapons to fight its battels.
3. Your likeneſs to Gangrena appeareth in this, that the faults of ſome that were the moſt unworthy of the Independents, he charged upon the generality of them, for which you belabour him thus; Doe not all men know, that the compoſition of the world it ſelf, and of all the parts of it, conſiſteth, ex flore, & faece, of what is excellent and what is excrement, for Mr. Edwards to judge of Indepency by the miſcarriages, whether in practiſe or opinion, of ſome few, that ſhould make an eſtimate of Cheap-ſide by the channel that runneth in the midſt of it, and give ſentence againſt the holy and elect Angels by what is found in ſin and wickedneſs in the devill: The moſt accurſed hypocrites that ever the earth bare have been of the profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and yet Chriſtianity the beſt of all profeſſions, with a great deal more to the ſame purpoſe, both rationall and pleaſant to read.
But yet as if no ſuch words had ever proceeded from Mr. Goodwin, or elſe that he had repented of them, he can now find in his heart to argue againſt the Generation, as he calleth them, of the Baptiſts, upon the account of the wild expreſſions of two perſons inſtanced in, But ſurely THESE MEN: Again, let no man think I doe not walk charitably to THESE MEN: Again, My conſcience bears me witneſs, I have been freindly to THESE men: Well Sir, the time will come, when you ſhall look upon theſe men, whom you have peirced, and mourn
4. Mr. Edwards ſtirreth up the Mageſtrate to ſuppreſs the Independents, which you do not in ſo many words, but you foment jealouſies againſt them, and endeavour a frowning brow towards them, by your bitter inſinuations, let all the world judge elſe by the words following: That wiſe men are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation, leaſt it ſhould ſuffer as other places have done formerly, from the tumuliuous and domineering ſpirit of this ſort of men: and alſo after your two inſtances of perſons here at home, thus Theſe words I regard but a… muck, notwithſtanding it may concern others to look after the FIRE. Whereas amongſt all the profeſſors of Religion in the Nation, they are found to be as peaceable ſpirited, if not more, than any other ſort of men, witneſs the Declaration of the Meſſengers and Elders of many Congregations, met in London, from many if not moſt parts of the Nation, publiſhed about eight or nine moneths agoe, ſpeaking their peaceable diſpoſition, as all the world may ſee that will read it: beſides, let but experience ſpeak to it, what fire have theſe men kindled for this many yeares, that the Nation hath had experience of them? wherein hath their turbulency, domineering and tumultuouſneſs of ſpirit appeared? nay, are they not branded this day by ſome for dulneſs in their generation, work, upon this very account, becauſe they are not of a more ſtirring ſpirit?
5. Your ſimilitude to Gangrena appeareth in this, that as he urged the writings of other men againſt the Independents to diſgrace their Religion, ſo doe you againſt the Anabaptiſts, p. 64. of his Gangrena, being part of a letter to him ſent out of the Country, We have a few Independents in our Town, but we are more troubled with them, than ſome are with many, they are ſo TURBULENT and VIOLENT. Juſt what Mr. Goodwin writeth from other men, concerning the Anabaptiſts, the ſame doth Mr Edwards write from men, concerning the Independents, which was, that they were proud, turbulent, and every wayes ſtopping the progreſs of the work of Reformation. But Sir, will not after ages give as much heed to the writings of Mr. Edwards, and Mr. Jenkins, and Mr. Walker, in your diſparagement, as you now do to the writings of Luther and the reſt, &c. to the diſparagement of the Anabaptiſts? if they do, what manner of man will you be in the thoughts of future generations? Doth any of thoſe Authors ſay worſe of the Anabaptiſts than theſe men do of you? Doe not theſe men ſtrive to render you one of the moſt odious men living? not onelyonly a Schiſmatick, but an Heretick in grain, yea, a Blaſphemer.
But are you ever the more ſo for all that? and would you hold them excuſed that ſhould beleive the reports of cruel profeſſed adverſaries.
To come a little cloſer, I look upon your ſelf as a man of as good a conſcience, as the moſt, if not as the beſt of thoſe famous Writers you ſpeak of, yet ſo tranſcendent is your prejudice againſt us, that every light appearance you have taken for a reality, (as if your were greedily deſirous to beleive ſome ill of us) inſomuch that you your ſelf have given as unrighteous judgement of us, and printed it too, to the perpetual infamy of our perſons and way, as the worſt of them have done of you: I am ſure what I ſay is true, and that you will find one day.
I conclude then, that the teſtimony of profeſſed adverſaries, though good men, is not to be depended on: And if Mr. Goodwin hath not as much need of the truth of this propoſition as the poor Anabaptiſts, let the world judge.
To conclude then, the truth is, this two and twentieth Conſideration, in moſt of the nine parts of it, is ſo like Gangrena, that one would think Mr. Goodwin had conſulted that book in drawing it up, as the Reader may eaſily perceive; which being made up of ſuch dirty ſtuffe, without the leaſt breathing of the Spirit from any word of Gods, I think I may take my leave of it without blame, and the rather, becauſe of that floud of contempt which he let in upon the Author of Gangrena, for uſing ſuch weapons to fight the Lords battels.
OnelyOnly what he ſaith in the ninth and laſt place I take my ſelf bound to make ſome anſwer too, becauſe I ſuppoſe I am principally aimed at in it: The ſubſtance this:
1. That you never heard of any that got any ſpiritual good by Baptiſme.
2. But you have known, yea, you have known ſome, who have loſt by it: (I ſuppoſe you mean my ſelf, and my Brother and Companion in the Lords work, Mr. William Allen, with ſome few others, whom you had more cauſe to take notice of than any others.)
Now Sir, having firſt obſerved how in this way of arguing you and Gangrena jump:P. 22, 72, 73. of Gangrena. They (ſaith Mr. Edwards) generally (meaning the Independents) walk looſely and at large, ever what they did before they turned Sectaries, and in compariſon of the godly Presbyterians; I doe not know nor hear of a Sectary in England, that is ſo strict in his life as he was before, and as thouſands of the Presbyterians are; they goe to bowles and other ſports on dayes of publick thanksgivings. As Mr. JOHN GOODWIN. This I premiſe to ſhew to your ſelf, and confirm the Reader, that the ſame Spirit that ruled in Mr. Edwards, in whoſe ſtrength he ſtrives (but in vain) to hinder trembling ſoules from obedience to the truth, and to hold them under the dominions of Antichriſt. The very ſelf ſame ſpirit hath filled the hears of Mr. Goodwin, out of the abundance whereof he ſpeaketh the ſame language, to fright humble ſoules from following their dear Lord and Maſter, who ſaith, The ſheep (meaning his own ſheep) follow him, for they know his voyce, and a ſtranger they will not follow, BƲT WILL FLEE from him, for they know not the voyce of ſtrangers, John 10.4.5.
But Mr. Goodwin, through deſire ſeperateth himſelf to all wiſdome, even that of the Prophets enemies, Jerem. 18.18. Then ſaid they, Come and let us deviſe devices againſt Jeremiah, for the Law ſhall not periſh from the Prieſt, nor counſell from the wiſe, nor the word from the Prophet: Come and let us SMITE HIM with the tongue, and let us not give heed to his words. Judge elſe by what followeth: Many have we known, who went into the water Lambs, and came out of it WOLVES and TIGERS; wany who went in Doves, and came out of it SERPENTS, as if they had met with the Spirit that ruleth in the air under the water, inſtead of the ſweet Spirit of Chriſt; yea, we have known ſome, who ſoon after their dipping have done things ſo unworthy and unſuteable to their former Genius, which if any man had challenged them before their dipping, that they would doe after, we have reaſon to judge, they would have replied to the challenge, as Hazael did to Eliſha, in ſomewhat a like caſe, But what is thy ſervant a dog, that he ſhould do this great thing? 2 King ….13.(That thing was, He would rip up the women with child, daſh their children, ſlay the young men with the ſword, and ſet the ſtrong holds of Iſrael on fire.) So many ſad STORIES (they are ſtories indeed) and ſpectacles, wherewith our eyes and eares are filled from time to time, put us into ſome feares, leaſt as God in his juſt, though ſecret judgement, giveth Satan a permiſſion to haunt ſome houſes, and to miſuſe and terrifie thoſe that ſhall lodge in them, ſo he ſhould, for cauſes beſt known to himſelf, have granted unto this enemy of mankind ſomewhat a like power ever the opinion and practiſe of rebaptiſing.
Oh unmerciful Pen, that nothing will ſatisfie, but the very life of the reputation of thoſe it dealeth againſt! There is this onelyonly difference between you and Mr. Edwards in your war againſt the truth and people of the moſt High, he was your match in rage and fury, but he wanted your keen wit and roaring language to ſet it off with. Mr. Goodwin, all men know, delighteth in figurative ſpeaking, if he be to praiſe men, then he will lift them up to heaven, and ſet them too near the Throne of God; if he be ſet to diſpraiſe them, then down he throweth them as farre on the other hand, he hath words at will to ſerve both purpoſes: but ſurely to hiperbolize in the diſparagement of any man, much leſs his brethren, let ſuch ſtraines be of what account they will in Rhetorick, I am ſure they are nought in Chriſtianity, they will hardly look that Text in the face, Speak evill of no man, Titus 3.2. Reader what thinkſt thou?
Or will Mr. Goodwin own theſe words for words of truth and ſoberneſs, That we went into the water Lambs, and came out ſuch ſavage beaſts, as Wolves, Tigers, Serpents, and that ſince we have done things ſomething like Hazael, Who ript up women with child, ſlew the young men with the ſword, daſht their children, and ſet the ſtrong holds of Iſrael on fire? Is there truth in theſe words, and will not the righteous God of heaven and earth call you to an account for theſe hard ſpeeches againſt your intimate friends, that was alwayes as tender of your reputation as the apple of their eye? were it not well for Mr. Goodwin, if it might be truly ſaid of him, when he wrote this book, that which he mockingly ſuggeſteth of us, that we are perſons of a maimed fancy? would not his guilt be the leſſe?
Honeſt Reader, the ſenſe of guilt breedeth fear and trembling in the ſoul, but on the contrary, the conſcience of righteouſneſs, innocency and uprightneſs, eſpecially where abſolutely perfect, as inparticular caſes men may be, as it filleth the ſoul with courage, ſo it emboldeneth it in the preſence both of God and men, If our heart condemneth us not, ſaith the Apoſtle John, 1 John 3.21. then have we BOLDNESSE towards God. Mark, a full teſtimony of conſcience emboldneth the ſoul before God, much more before weak miſtaking men.
Again, The righteous are as bold as a Lion: Prov. 28.1.How then ſhall we hold our peace, that can call God to record upon our ſoules, that we know not any one thing we have done, that ſhould give Mr. Goodwin any juſt occaſion thus to ſpeak of us: ſo that if ever there were a pack of ſwelling words of vanity put together, they are here, that are every jot as vain and empty of truth, as they are ſwelling of poyſon, inſomuch that if I had not had former and long experience of Mr. Goodwins holy bent in his Miniſtry and converſation (excepting the inordinate ſharpneſs of his pen) of which I had rather ſpeak (God he knoweth) a thouſand times, than of any thing that looketh towards his diſparagement.
But I ſay, if I ſhould judge Mr. Goodwin according to the truth of what he here affirmeth concerning us, I ſhould look upon him as a man void of all ſenſe of conſcience and fear of God, by taking liberty to ſay any thing to blaſt his adverſary, that his luxuriant wit prompted him unto.
But to anſwer a little more particulerly what theſe things are, that we have done ſince our baptiſme, which maketh you collect our great ſpiritual loſs; I bleſſe God I know not any thing, and I am certain no body elſe doth know any thing, that will judge righteous judgement, and not take face for heart, ſhadow for ſubſtance; what our gain is, we think it becommeth us to ſpeak modeſtly of that, and to ſtrive to make it good by actions (wherein oh mighty God help us) rather than words.
And now, good Reader, to convince thy conſcience, that we were not like to doe any ſuch ſtrange things ſoon after our Baptiſme, that ſhould render us ſuch ſavage beaſts. Thou muſt know, that Mr. Goodwin and the Church were the dearly beloved of my ſoul; our relation thereto, and fellowſhip therein, I reckoned one of the cheifeſt comforts of my life; I wanted not, but abounded with reſpects from them, above what my conſcience told me I deſerved, (and who that knoweth me knoweth not this to be true:) I doe profeſs in the fear of that God (whoſe I am, and whom I ſerve) that if I know my own heart, no body could have hired me from the boſome of that Church with hundreds a year: And when the time came, that for pure conſcience I muſt be ſeperated from the embraces thereof, teares was my meat day and night; my greif was ſuch at that time, that it made the thoughts of death ſweeter to me, than ever they were in my life before: my ſtudy and ſecret workings of heart were, how to make my withdrawing as little offenſive to Mr. Goodwin, and the Church, as I could deviſe how to do with a good conſcience: I perceived they were not able to bear any publick diſcourſes to the point in difference: Mr. Goodwins teares, at the mention of ſomething relating thereto, went to my heart, and weakened my hand to thoſe further applications which I had thought to have made to them. The truth is, my high (indeed undue) reſpects to Mr. Goodwin kept me in a kind of bondage, that I was not at that perfect liberty to diſcharge all the parts of that duty which their reſpects obliged me unto.
So great was my reſpects to Mr. Goodwin and the Church, that beſides my own frequent addreſſes to the Lord, for the communication of that light to them, which he had vouchſafed to me and ſome others, I got ſome time ſolemnly ſet apart by ſome godly friends, and for his cauſe cheifly did we bow our knee: this was the frame of heart we were in, honeſt Reader, ſoon after our baptiſing, and whether then we were like to perpetrate any ſuch unworthy things, as Mr. Goodwin writeth of, I leave to thy conſcience to determine; or rather, whether this Water dipping therefore be not the very monſter of ingratitude? Mr. Goodwin hath indeed calumniated us ſtoutly, ſuppoſing that ſomething will ſtick on us, and I beleive doth; which if it coſt him not teares here, I am ſure will ſhame hereafter from that God that vindicateth the innocent, and then Mr. Goodwin will find the vanity of ſporting himſelf with the ruine of the good names and reputations of the people of God, which are as much his intereſt as their eſtates, health, or any dear injoyment they poſſeſs, and as much againſt the law of love to violate.
I conſeſs the pleaſantneſs of Mr. Goodwins wit-in writing is ſo luſhious, that it is marvellouſly apt to tickle and pleaſe the fleſh; but as the ſoul of any man groweth ſeaſoned with the ſalt of heavenly wiſdom, it is affected more with ſollid matter than enticing words, it is ready to cry, what will great words do good at the judgement day; yea, I bleſs God I have lived to that day, to value more the breathing of Gods Spirit, in a holy humble gratious ſoul, than the greateſt words of the gallanteſt Rhetorician in the world, (and that I have got ſince my Baptiſme:) I confeſs for Mr Goodwin, ſet aſide theſe controvertal writings, and conſider him in the tenor of his converſation, I think him, nay, I know him to be a pattern of patience, humility, meekneſs, temperance; neither do I remember one Sermon that ever he made to the point of Tythes, or any conſideration for preaching in all his dayes, though I lived under his miniſtry almoſt twenty yeares: and more than all this, all the Arguments of the Goſpel, and out of the Goſpel, to preferre holineſs and cloſe walking with God, I beleive there are not many men in his time, if any at all, that hath managed them with more authority, life and power, I ſay it, I ſay it again, and delight to ſpeak it, and will perſiſt in it to my laſt breath, though he grind us to pouder with his mill ſtone language.
Some change Mr. Goodwin may find in my Genius, I confeſs it, for heretofore, having his perſon in admiration, it was to ſome degree a ſnare upon me, to call him Maſter in that ſenſe, wherein the Lord Jeſus dehorteth from it, Math. 23. whereas now that by the help of Gods Spirit and my own experience, I ſee clearly, that in the communication of light in the things of God, God tieth not himſelf to this or that man, I conſult with Chriſt, and lean not to the underſtanding of any man I ſee by experience, that God taketh liberty to reveal to babes the truth, which at ſome time he hideth from the wiſe and prudent:Math. 11. And the more ſelf-ſufficient any man groweth in knowledge of the reaſon of things, the leſſe is he led by examples.
'Tis more noble for a man to eſchew evill and do good, becauſe 'tis evill and good, then becauſe ſuch and ſuch men that are good do ſo: And though I was apt enough to leane that way, and to thoſe opinions Mr. Goodwin leaned too, (that under God had been the great meanes of any ſpiritual comfort and edification) yet I bleſſe God I was not ſo rankly guilty of that evill, but when Mr. Goodwin came to open that text, Math. 28.19. and to give it for truth, that by the word Teach in the Commiſſion was meant, not actuall diſcipling, but the ſaying ſuch things onelyonly, which was proper to make men ſo. I palpably diſcerned the Text wronged, and the interpretation was like gravell in my mouth, and not onelyonly mine, but that perſons alſo, of whom Mr. Goodwin ſaid at his buriall, his worth was ſo great, that it was a temptation on him to break promiſe to ſpeak of it, and enough to caſt a man into an agony of ſorrow to think of his death, I ſay, he was as much diſtaſted as I at that ſtroke of the Text. Except in theſe reſpects, or ſome others like theſe, I know no change in my Genius, nor I am ſure no body elſe doth.
But I confeſs there was one unhappy miſtake of a word of mine by one of the brethren, which gave me a viſit ſoon after my baptiſme, which hath more appearance of evill in it of my part, than any or all the things can be laid againſt me I am ſure: to which I deſire to give both you and all the Church ſatisfaction, and that was this, That brother ſpoken of before, giving me a viſit at my houſe, where ſome part of the Church was wont to meet on munday nights, to edifie one another in faith and love: Amongſt other diſcourſe, which I cannot now remember, I affirmed, that the ſight of them, meaning our friends, was a greif and burthen to me, which following ſome words of eaſie miſconſtruction, he concluded they proceeded from an abſolute fall of affection to them, and ſo preſented them to others of the brethren that were wont to meet there, which conceit got further rooting in the minds of the brethren, by another unhappy circumſtance: The brother appointed to ſpeak the next meeting, before he began his Sermon, began with this ſtory, making it the ground of no more meeting at my houſe.
To which I anſwer, 1. Thoſe words, The ſight of the Church was a greif and a burthen to me: I ſaid, but the principle of them, was not the want, but the abundance of affection to them, I ſay again, the abundance of affection to them (God is my witneſs) who had indeed obliged me much, which made parting with them the more gr…vous, and the neceſſity of that made me willing to be eſtranged from them, that I might the better undergo the burthen; this is the perfect truth, which God the ſearcher of all hearts knoweth, and this alſo was one main reaſon amongſt others, why I eſtranged my ſelf from Mr. Goodwin afterwards.
But if it be ask'd, why I did not reply to the brother, who underſtood juſt contrary.
I anſwer, I intended to do it, after he had done his Sermon (for it was before his Sermon that he began to ſpeak of it) but after his Sermon, falling upon ſome diſcourſe with Mr. Goodwin relating thereto, I quite forgot, being preſſed with trouble and grief at ſome high words Mr. Goodwin then gave me.
This is the truth, which the righteous God of heaven and earth knoweth, for whoſe ſake we now ſuffer by Mr. Goodwins unmerciful Pen: To be injured by a common enemy … no matter of wonder, but to be wronged by ones father, as it is a matter of more ſtrangeneſs, ſo of harſher recentment: But it may be God hath bid you to cu…ſe me, to take me off all glorying in men, that I may be the more intire to himſelf; me thinks I now find that Scripture hath a freſh edge upon my ſpirit, Ceaſe from man, whoſe breath is in his n…ſtrils, Iſaiah 2.22for wherein is he to be eſteemed, 1 Cor. 3.21. Therefore let no man glory in man