o The 'Preface. I thought allo to have proceeded with an Account of the Dec/en/ion ofthe Churches from their firft Inftitut% on, in their Matter, Form and Rule. But becaufe this would draw forth my Difcourfe beyond my prefent - tention, I [hall forbear, having fufficiently vindicated my Affertion in this one Inflance. It is no Part ofmy Defign to give an Anfwcr at large unto the great Volume that Dr. Still. hath written on this Occafion; much lets to contend about particular Say- ings, Opinions, the Pra&ires of this or that Man, which it is filled withal. But whereashis Treatife, fo far as the Merit ofthe Caule is concerned in it, doth conffl oftwo Parts, the firft whereof contains fuch Stories, Things, and Sayings, as may load the Caule and Perrons whom he oppofeth with prejudices in the Minds of others, in which endeavour he exceeds all Expectation ; and what dothmore directly concern the Argument in hand ; I [hall at the end of the enfuing Difcourfe fpeak diflin&ly unto all that is Material of the frond fort, efpecially fo far as is needful, unto the Defence ofmy former Vindi- cation of the .Non-conformis from the Guilt ofSchifine. For the things of the firft fort wherein the Do&or doth foabound both in his 'Preface, and in the firft part of his Book, as to manifefl himfelf o(I fear) to be a lit- tle too fenfible of Provocation, (for the adings of In- tereft in wife Men are ufually more fedate) I [hall only oppofe force general confederations unto them, without arguing or contending about Particulars, which would be endlefs and ufélefs. And whereas he hath gathered up almofl every thing that bath beendone, written or fpoken, to the Prejudice ofthe Caul and Perfons whom he
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