The Preface. as he that woad ;corn at the very name of Holinefs, and drink and fwears as if he had defied God. This is trmsr, and England knows it; and if qou will after this th;nk that youhave wiped your mouths clean, by paying as Mr Pierce,that by Puritans,he means none but [men of blood, (edition, violence, defpifers of dominion, painted fepu.i- ehres., Protefants frightened out of their wits, &c. j the righteous God that loveth righteoufnefs, and bath faid, 'e ye holy for I am holy, willmake you know to year penitent or tormenting furrow, that the thine which commonly was reputedPuritan/fin in England, was no fach thing as you defcribe : And that ifs none of your ,wifdom to l ick againjl the pricks,andplaywith the appleofGods eye and bring men to bate the membersofChrifl,and then tell them you meant the members of the Devil and to thruft men into Hell in jeft : I have heardbefore the King many a Sermon ogainf Puritans, which Ijudged impious, but yet had this excufe, that much of the auditory partly underflood, that it was not Piety as fuck, that was direó ly reviled: And fo per- haps itmight be in the )seiverfties, and fume few intelli- gent aue itories : but fo it was not among the common peo- ple through the Land. 4 Puritan with them Fvae of the fame f gnifrcation as a lerious Chriftian is with me. And if you bring the Land to an hatred of (tech as Ore called Chr ftians , and then fay that by Chriftians you meant none but madmen, feditious, bloody, &c. you (hall an/wer in earneft for fpitting in the face of Chrifl in jef ; and that before him that will not take your fears or jingles, or adding reproach.unto reproachfor afufficient excufe. I knew alp that the cafting out ofthe c..'einifters of your way, is much that offendette you : concerning which I flailonly fay, that Imeet with none, or very few that pro fefs not their wiliingne,fs that at men of your mind that truly fear God, and are able anddiligent, fbould bekept in c a) .Ana`
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