are, and fundry Texts ofScripture, thatare ufually produced, and urged in the defenceof he cantle under confderation , that I have not infifted on: nor vindicated from the exceptions of the Adverfaries. Not that I judge them indefenfible againft their moil cunning or molt fu- rious affaults,and foflighted what I couldnot holdfor urdeed I knownot any oneText of fcri- pture;commonly ufed or thisend, nor any Argument byany fober man framed to the fame purpofe, that is not capable ofan eafy and faire vindication : but meerly bccaufe they fell nor in regedarly,in the method 1 hadpropofed to my l'elfe , nor would fo do , unlefs i had gone forth to the iffue ofmy fiat intendment, and had handled the abodeof Believers withGod at large , from itsprinciples and caufes as I had done , that part of our doctrine which con- cernes the Continuanceof the love of God with, and unto them ; which the growth of the Treadle under my hand , would not give me leave todo. What bath been,or mayyet fur- ther be done, by others who have made, orfhall make it their bufinefs,to draw thePaw of this Controverly , to and fro which Mr. Geodwin,1 hope will give fatis£adion, as in other things, fo in the particularsby me omitted. As to what I have to fpeak,or at leaf} think it conveni- ent to (peak, concerninghim, with whom in this difcourfe I have much to do,and the manner ofmy dealing with him, beinga thingofperfonal Concernment , not having any influencing AfpedOn the merit of thecaufe , I [hall, in not many words, abfolve you ofyour trouble in the Conlderation thereof. My Adverfary is a perfon, whom his worth,paines,dilígence,and opinions, and the contefls,wherein on their account he bath publikely engaged,havedelive- red from being the object ofanyordinary thoughts , of expreflions. Nothing not great,not confiderable, not fome way eminent, is by any Ipoken of him, either confenting with him,or diffenting from him. To interpole my Judgment inthe crowd, on the one fide or the other, I know neither warrant ,orfuffcient caufe : Weall hand, orfall to our own maffers ; And the fire will try all our orkes. This only I fhall crave Liberty to fay ; that whether from his owngeniva,and acrimony of Spirit , or from the provocations ofothers , with whom he bath had to do, manyofhis Polemical Treatifes have been [prickled with Satyrical Sarcafinec, and contemptuousrebukes of the perfon with whom he hath had to do. So that were I not re- lieved in my thoughts by the confderation ofthofe Exacerbations and exafperacions offpi- rit', which upon other accounts, betides baredifference ofopinion in religious things , have fallenout in thedayesand feafons which have patted over us , all of them labouring to exert fomethingof themfelves in everyundertakingof the perfons brought under their power , I fhould have beenutterly difcouraged from any contefts of thisnature. Much indeed ofhis irregularity in this kind,I cannot but afcribe to that prompt facility he hath,in putting abroad every paillon ofhis mind , and all his conceptions, not only decently clothed, with language of a full and choice Ggnificancy , but alto trim'd and adorn'd with all manner of fignal im- provements, that may render it keen or pleafantaccording to his intendment ordefrre ;What the Latine Lyrickfaid of the Grecian Peet may be applyed tohim. t lZontedecarrens velo; amni:, imbres emfuper norm alaireripae, Ferver , immenfufgr rui: profundo Pindarue ore. And he is thereby plainlypoffeftedofnot a few advantages. It is true that when the proof . ofhis opinion by Argument , and the orderly purfuit of it is incumbent on him, (a coserle of all other wherein he foonefl faileth,) themedium heuferh, and infifierh on, receivethnot the leaf} contributionof real ftrength from any dcefs ofwords , and Expreflions wherewith it is adornedand accompanied:yet it cannot be denyed but that his Allegorical amplifications, illufirations and exaggerations ofthe things he would infinuate , take great impreflions upon the mindsof them, who are in any meafureintangled with the feeming probabilities which are painted over his Arguments,by theirfophiftry,and pretence ofTruch.The Apottle giving that Caution to the Collofans that theyshould take heed, Nfi zrs vi 's.4a aoy'fnmr i,, sr9xvo- aoy10, manifefteth theprevalencie offalfe reafoningi when in Conjondion withRhetorical per- fwa,.4ons.The great ¡tore altoof wordsand expreflions which for all occafions he bath lying by him, ate of no little ufe to him, when being preffed withany Arguments,orceflimonies of Scripture , and being not able to evade, he is forc'c to raife a cloud of them , wherewith after he bath a while darkned the wifdome and Connedof that , wherewith he bath to do, he.in- fenibly flipps out of thecord , wherewith he appeared tohave been detained, and triumphes as in a petfeaConqueft , when only an 'inarticulate found harts been givenby his trumpet, but the charge ofhis Adverfaries not once receivedor repelled. But not any where, loth he more indultrioufly hoift up,and fpread the failes of his luxurient Eloquence,then when he aimes to render the opinionofhis adverfaries tobe , morflrum horendum , informe ¡agent, cui lumen
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