And as ro the nmnber and length of my Writings, it is my own labour that tnaketh them fo, and my own great trouble, that the world cannot be ti.Jfliciendy inlhuaed and edified in fewer words. But 1. Would not all your Sumons fet together be as long ? And why is not much and long preaching blameable, if long Writings .be? 2. Are not the works of.Au• .znjlim an&["ryfoftom~, much longer? Whd yet bath reproached Aqr~m.u or Suarc;::,, tol11in or Zanchy, &c. for the number and greamefs of the Vo– lume s they have written? Why do you comradic:t your felves by a!Ie– cring great Libraries? +When did I ever perfwade any one of you, to buy or read any Book of mine ? What harm will they do thofe that let them alone ? Or what harm can it do you for other men to read them? Let them be to you as if they had never been written, and it will be nothing to you bow many they are. And if all others take not you for their Tutors to choofe for them the Books that they mufl: read, that is- not my doing, but their own. If they err in taking themfelves to be fitter Judge s than you, what tendeth moll: to their own Edification, why do you not teach them better? 4· Either it is Cods Tmth, or Ehorwhich I w'rite. . If Error, Why doth no one of you fhew fo much Charity, as byWord or Writing to infl:rucr me better, nor evince it to my face, but do all to others by backbiting? If Truth, What harm will it do ? If men had not leiflne to read our Writings, the Bookfellers would lilence us 1 and• favc you the labour: For none would Print them. 5· But who can pleafe all men 1 Whilefl: a few of you cry out of too mlJcb, what If twenty or an hundred for one be yet for more? How fhall I know whether you or tbcy be the wifer and tbe better men ? ' Readers, you fee on what terms we mull: do the \Vork of God? Our !1otbful fletl1 is backward, and weary of fo much labour : Malignant enemies of piety are againil: it all. Some !1othful brethren think it ne– ce!fary to cloak their fldhly eafc, by vilifying the diligence of others. Many Seers whom vlie oppole, think it the interefl: of thetr caufe (which th ey call Gods caufe) to make all thats iaid againfl: them .feem vain, contemptible and odious ; which becaufc they cannot do by Co'nfuta– tion, they'le do by backbiting and confident chat. And orrc or tw'o Re• verend Breduen, have, by the wifdom defcribed exacrly, ]a1izes l· 1) ,'HS arrived at the liberty of backbiting and Magiflerial fentencing ehe wotK\> ?f others, (which they confefs they never read,) that their Reputation ofl be~1g m of!: Learned, Orthodox, Worthy Divines, may keep theChair at ·eaher rates, than the wailing of their flefh in unwearied labours to know rhe truth, and communicate it tO the world. And feme are ano-ry;who are forward to write, that the Bookldlers and Readers lilence n~t· others as well as them. Objefr. I[. Yom· Wi·iting< differing from tiJe common jt1dgement ha11e already cat<}ed offwce to the t;odly. , Anjw 1. To the Godly that were of a comrarf opinion only ; Sores tiJat wtll not be healed, ufe to be exafperated by the Medicine. 1.. It was none bm healing Pacificatory Writin'gs, th at bave caufed that offena. 3· Have not tbofe dijJenters Writings more offended the Godly tint 1vere againft them 1 Tbey have but one tnck, to honour tbeir denyal, which more difho-
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