than a Roman; he Forfook all Thefe Endearments to come Hither, where War was Kindling apace, to Affift with the Utmost of his Abilities on the Side where He judg'd Truth was. if any had faid to him as the Elder Brother of David faid to that Stripling. 1 Sam. xvii. 28, 29. Why cameft thou down Hither? and with Whom haft thou left thofe few Sheep in the Wilderness? I know thy Pride, and the Naughtiness of thine Heart, for thou art come down that thou mightft fee the Battle. he would have Anfwer'd as David; What have I now done? is there not a Caufe?

Who Now would Expect he should Dawb with Untemper'd Mortar? he Writes in all his Controverfial Works with the Same Ardour his Soul Felt, let Men call it Virulence, or Zeal as they happen to be Inclin'd.

but his Fervour was not Unreftrainable When 'twas Evident it could be to no Purpofe; for after the Reftoration, he no more Engag'd in the Old Disputes; he had given Sufficient Proofs of his Courage in Former times: but even Now he Scorn'd to Flatter Power, as Many did; the Same Openness and Honesty was seen in him, his Old Principles were well known to continue, they are seen even in Paradife Loft.

if it be Suggested, that he had Bafe and Unworthy Ends in View, Applaufe, Gain, Revenge, in fhort, Any Paffion that was not Honeft; Befides what I am just come from faying

a 4

faying concerning the Greatnefs and Undif-
guis'd Openness of Heart which seems to have
been Natural to him, 'tis Certain by All the
Accounts we have, that he Engag'd in the.
Quarrel, and Long continu'd to Write, with-
out any Recompence more than the Ease he
found in Undertaking what his Monitor
Within call'd upon him to do, and a Con-
sciousness of having done what He Conceiv'd
was his Duty. This he did though Other-
wife the Work was his Averfion. for This
he ceas'd to Wander where the Mufes haunt,
the Flowry Fields of Parnaffus, to tread the
Thorny, Rough, Miry, Gloomy Ways of
Difputation; for This he Sacrific'd his Health,
and Repofe, his Eyes, and Probably Some
Years of Life, not without Some Hazard of
doing So in a manner very Ignominious. I am
not Justifying his Principles, but his Sincerity,
That is what I am pleading for, and for Your
Indulgence to the Ashes of a Man, to Whom
I owe Much of the Happiness of my Life, of.
a Man who Meant Well to Us all, and to our
Pofterity; and that You, Looking on his Urn
might Incense it with your Kind Sentiments
and Benedictions, as I fhall to my Latest
Breath. But behold Here he is, he will Speak
for Himself, and he has a Right to be Be-
liev'd in a Cafe which Himself can only Know,
and when his Teftimony is Supported by all
the Other Parts of his Character, and by the
Other Circumftances of his Life.

I Invoke the Immortal Deity, Revealer and Judge of Secrets, that wherever I have in This Book Plainly and Roundly (though Worthily, and Truly) laid open the Faults and Blemishes of Fathers, Martyrs, or Chriftian Emperours, or have Otherwife inveighed against Error and Superftition with Vehement Expreffions, I have done it neither out of Malice, nor lift to speak Evil, nor any Vain Glory, but of meer Neceffity to Vindicate the Spotless Truth from an Ignominious Bondage, whofe Native Worth is Now become of Such a Low efteem that She is like to find Small Credit with Us for what She can fay. See his Treatife of Reformation; Toland's Edit. of his Profe Works p. 252. and This was Publish'd when he firft Set out on this Unpleafing Task. in Another Difcourfe of about the fame Date (Reafon of Church Government) Profe Works p. 220. he Thus Opens his Heart at Large.

For Surely to every Good and Peaceable Man it muft in nature needs be a Hatefull thing to be the Difpleafer and Molester of Thousands; much better would it like him doubtless to be the Meffenger of Gladness and Contentment, Which is his chief intended business, to all Mankind, but that they Refift and Oppoje their own true Happiness. but when God commands to take the Trumpet, and blow a Dolorous or a Jarring Blaft, it lies not in Man's Will what he fhall Say, or what he fball Conceal. If he fhall think to be Silent, as Jeremiah did, because of the Reproach and De

rifion he met with daily, and all his familiar Friends watcht for his Halting, to be Reveng'd on him for Speaking the Truth, he would be forc'd to confels, as be confeft; his Word was in my Heart as a burning Fire fhut up in my Bones, I was weary with Forbearing, and could not Stay. Which might teach thefe times not Suddenly to condemn all things that are Sharply Spoken, or Vehemently Written, as proceeding out of Stomach, Virulence, and Ill Nature; but to confider rather that if the Prelats have leave to Say the worst that can be faid, and Do the worft that can be Don, while they ftrive to keep to Themfelves, to their great pleasure and commodity, thofe things which they ought to Render up, no man can be justly Offended with him that shall endeavour to Impart and Reftore without any Gain to Himfelf thofe Sharp, but Saving words which would be a Terror and a Torment in him to keep back. For me I have determined to lay up as the beft Treafure, and Solace of a good Old Age, if God voutfafe it me, the Honeft Liberty of Free Speech from my Youth, where I fall think it Available in So dear a Concernment as the Churches good. For if I be either by Difpofition, or what Other Caufe, too Inquifitive, or Sufpicious of my Self and mine Own doings, who can help it? but this I Forefee, that should the Church be brought under heavy Oppreffion, and God have given me Ability the while to Reafon against that Man that should be the Author of fo Foul a deed; or fhould She, by Bleffing from Above

on the Industry and Courage of Faithfull Men change this her Distracted eftate into Better daies without the leaft Furtherance or Contribition of thofe few Talents which God at that prefent had lent Me, I forefee what Stories I should bear within my felf, all my life after, of Difcourage and Reproach. Timorous and Ingratefull, the Church of God is now again at the foot of her InJulting Enemies: and Thou Bewailft, What matters it for Thee, or Thy Bewailing? When time was, thou couldst not find a Syllable of all thou badft Read, or Studied, to utter in Her behalf. Yet Eafe and Leafure was given thee for thy retired Thoughts out of the Sweat of other Men. Thou hadst the Diligence, the Parts, the Language of a Man, if a vain Subject were to be Adorn'd or Beautifi'd, but when the Caufe of God and his Church was to be pleaded, for which purpose that Tongue was given thee which thou haft, God Liften'd if he could hear thy Voice among bis Zealous Servants, but thou wert Dumb as a Beaft; from hence forward Be That which thine own Brutish Silence hath made thee. or Elfe I fhould have heard on the other Ear; Slothfull, and Ever to be Set light by; the Church hath Now overcom her late Diftreffes after the Unwearied Labours of Many her true Servants that stood up in her Defence; Thou allo wouldst take upon Thee to Share amongst Them of Their Joy: but Wherefore Thou? Where canft thou Shew any Word or Deed of Thine which might have haftned her Peace?

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