The Mth\'cnrs P rcarr.blc: rL~ t orted,COII fu- .<cd ~Ritr. M~ttto. Pmbyt· Dt t a- 'VVnU ullnla4 rMm tf;tmnamul n b11n;in[auu & ci1Tttt 'V~Iuta:ideEp,ftopu {tattiltiamfiri mm:Q.t.]df.;cit fllhtllmu.r~~:~; t tntU i t!it~s 41J.WIJ14.C]p.l.)· tp.9.H,rcj11t.'t i1fjti;z J,rr,t•cDJ"Mm,Ntj;bif!.;- u ant, htpr.rpr jiri#IJ(MJIOhl tlltr.OTt C{IIIU11)- 1r.tJIIt, H•ri{PZ OCI(ttheus, m Pfal.ut. of JfrotHIU A ilrt· chrifii~!l pride and b:ttcmdfc, !te-fw.pr~f,J,f. Br,nfl.:yhs pr~£tothe :1. w~~~c Opt.1t.Mil.d~ V•n,U.C~tfl::_t IMJtriti;ftnobtii, {ratrts lb,&c. D1~d:Un~by tl.c:mfdvcs. Anf..,·era.;ainll l!mtf,LUI fil[,.t ,. An Apologic againjl Brownijls. kholrl jit(ha< theJ oppoft too overl~e,ond not rNil·••ttontemrt,•ndfo are rjttifllcs en. t•ld-. A ~~ed to ro11lt: ztpOfJ thtt»lll [rfJm awft ·z,;UJ n-·eal.! andWetgMiejfe dift~;trju, tlink.fng ar;J flei&ht ondjle1111<roppojition fojficient to oppreJ!etf.ojeH1tdedings , "'h•m ti:•Jhave ( 41 thryJ•ppoft)otJogreat .,, adv<~•tage.Vpon thir VeTJ prefumpti011 it commeth topaJ!e,that thrr Autborundertaketh thur JolemniJ amifevmlyto cenfirre acmrft, rvhereof(a1 aJpearttb in tbe]<f•elloft!Je difco•rft) be is utler/J ignorant : which hadhe bem brrt halje Jo '"•f•ll to have •nderjlood, ar he bath beenfomard to cenf•re, heWouldeither ha'l!e been ( 1 doubt not) "'""f"o/1 towardr it,., moreweightJ oga;,rjl it. I ~ At this Epijfle if ;omet• min~hondr foi.wijh the Anjwer ofitmaycome to the haMdrof : hifiJ tbat occaji•ned zt : lnlr<atm& theChrijltan Reader, m the nameofthe Lord,unparti- · 8/iy to beho/dwitho•t eitherprejudiceofcauft, or rejpefJofperfon,what lr writtmonboth Jidet,andJofrom the Court ofaJoundC.nfcienceto givejrtjl jHdge~mnt. B SECTION II. IT is an hard thing even for thofetharwouldfeem fober-minded men, in cafes · ofControverfie, to ufe foberly the ffownes and di fadvanrages of cimfes and , times : whereby whilesmen are deje8:ed and rrodden down, they ufetobehold their oppofires mounted on hi~h, too repiningly, and not without defperate envy: andfo are oft-timesmoved to fhoot up atthem, as from below, the bitter arrowes offpightfulland fpleenifh difcourfes; thinking any hatefull oppofition fufliciently charitable, to oppugn~ t~ofe adverfari~s1 which h~ve them (as they feele)at fo great an advantage; upon thJS Impotent mahciOufnetfe,!T commeth to palfe,that this An- C fwerer undertaketh thus feverely and peremptorily, to cenfure thatcharitablecenfure,ofignorance,which (as fhall appeare in the fequell)he ~ither limply or willingly und~rfi<;>o~ nor : and to brand ad eare Church ofChTifiwith Ap<;fralie,R.ebel!ion, Anuchnltianifme: What can bemore ealie than to return accu{auons? · Your Preamble (with agravebitterneffe) chargesmewith, Firfr, Prefumption upon advantages; Secondly, weake and weightleffe dilcourfe; ThirdJy,lgnorance , of the caufe cenfured : It had been madnetfe in mee ro write, lif I had nor pre.. fumed upon advantages; but of the caufe of the rrurh, nor ofthe times: Though (bleffed beGod) the rimes favour the truth, and us: if you fcorne themand their f.wours, complaine nm to be an underling : rhink that the times are wifer than to beflow theirfavonrsuponwilfulladverfaries; butinfpighroftimes, youarenot D more under us in efbte, than in conceitabove us : fo wefay, The Sunne is under a Cloud, we know it is above it. *WouldGodoverlineffeand contemptwere not yours, even to them which are mounted highefi upon befr dcfert; and now you that have nGt learned fobriety in jufr difadvantages, rax us, not ro ufefoberly the advantages oftime: therewas no gall in my pen,no infultarion, I wrote to you as brethren and wilht you companions: there wasmore danger offlattery in my fiilc, than bitrerneffe: wherein ufed l not my advantages foberly ? Notin that I faid toomuch, but not enough; Not in that I was too fharpr,but not weighty enough; My oppo- !itionwas nor roo vehemen~, but too tlight and tlender : So, !lrong Champions blame their adverfary for frTiking roo eafily: you might have forbornethis fault, it E was my favour rhat I didnor myworfi: you are worrhyofmoreweighr, tharcomplaine ofcafe. The dilcourfe rhat I roll'd down upon you, wasweak and weightletfe: you fhall well finde,this wasmy lenity, not my impotence. The fault hereof is partlyin yourexpechtion,not inmy letter: I meant btu afhort Epiflle,youlook't belike for a volume,or nothing· I meant onlyagenerall monirion; you look't for a folid profecmion of particulars~ It is not foryou ro give tafkes to others pens. By wh11 Law, mufl we write nothing but large Scholafricall Dilcourfes ? Such Tomes as yours: May wee not touch your fore, unlefl'e wee willlaunce and fearch it? I was not enough your enemy; forgivemethis error , and youfhall(martmore: Bnr,notonlymyomiffionswereofignorance, but my cenfures, rhough fevere and folemne : Aneafie imputation fromfogreata comrouler: I pardon you, and take this as rhe common lot of enemies. I never yet could fee any Scribler fo
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