ἙΑΥΤΟΝΤΙΜΩΡΟΎΜΕΝΟΣ , OR , THE SELF-REVENGER Exemplified in Mr. William Barlee .

By way of Rejoynder to the first Part of his Reply , viz. the unparallel'd variety of Discourse in the two first Chapters of his pretended Vindication .

( The second Part of the Rejoynder to the second Part of his Reply being purposely designed to follow after by it self , for Reasons shortly to be alledged . )

Wherein are briefly exhibited , amongst many other things , The Rigidly-Presbyterian both Principles and Practice .

To which is added an Appendage Touching the judgement of the right Honourable and right Reverend Father in God , Iames Lord Primate of Armagh , and Metropolitan of Ireland , irrefragably attested by the Certificates of Dr. Walton , Mr. Thorndike , and Mr. Gunning , sent in a Letter to Doctor Bernard .

By THOMAS PIERCE Rector of Brington .

LONDON , Printed by R. DANIEL , for Richard Royston , at the Angel in Ivie-lane , M DC LVIII .

HAd we such eyes and other instruments , as ( by the help of a Macroscope ) might suffice for the Dissection of an emmet , or a Flye , we are told by a * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Et pueri nasum Rhinocerotis habent . Habet & musca splenem . Greek and a Latin Proverb , that we should find a Gall in the one , and a Spleen in the other . Even a gnat , or a puneze , may break the sleep and Repose of the strongest man living . And Brasidas , though a stout and a valiant Captain , did yet acknowledge this Truth , when he was bitten by a Mouse . I am not making any Comparisons , as being too odious to serve for my use . I desire only to signify , that 't is so far from being manlike , to contrive mischief unto a neighbour , that 't is a sordid Privilege to be hurtfull , and common to men with the meanest Creatures . How manifold a mischief hath been designed upon my Person , by one who utterly despaired of disadvantaging my cause , I foresee an occasion to shew anon . In the mean time I will desire this common favour , from all indifferent , unbyass't Readers , that they will take some acquaintance , in case they have none , or that in case they have any , they will send back their memoryes upon the All that hath passed betwixt my Neighbour and my self .

I had , by way of prevention , set out a Copy of some Notes , which I had written for a Friend , upon God's Decrees . How well I kept to the Subject , hath been as clear as that light , by the help of which it hath been cleared . How much beside the whole Subject my Neighbour pretended to frame an Answer , I have discovered in my account of that his Correptorie Correction . And now how much his second Book is more exorbitant then his first , I am again obliged to make apparent . I say , obliged in Conscience , as well as in ordinary Discretion , and that for diverse good reasons hereafter mention'd . Had he disputed against my Notes , though not as a Christian , yet at least like a Man , I had receiv'd and treated him as a generous enemy ; and by how much the stronger I had found him , I should have lov'd & honor'd him so much the more . But if the venerable Grotius might say of Mr. Rivet , much more may I of Mr. Barlee , that in stead of a Confutation , he only presented me with a † † Qui à me nunquam nominatus de illis se defendit , & in me velut de Plaustro convitia exspuit , &c. Grot. Vot . pro pace p. 63. Dung-Cart , fully laden and running over with all sorts of muck , wherein his Doctrins ( belike ) were to lye and batten . For besides the worst names , and the uncleanest Epithets , which could have dropped from the Pen of a Consistorian , ( of which Tribe we have a * * They rail against all they dislike with more then heathenish scurrility . Survey of Ho. Discip . p. 123. Character from the Wise and Provident Bishop Bancroft ) whatsoever ill things he was able to fancy , or to hear , or but to say that he had heard , concerning my Person , and my Opinions , all that was my Portion , heaped up , and fasten'd on me , with the profusest liberality I ever heard of . I knew that vengeance was none of mine ; for , by a peculiar right , God had challeng'd it to * * Rom. 12. 19. Heb. 10. 30. Himself ; nor durst I venture to break in upon Gods † † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Inclosure . I was contented to make my self some little part of amends , by giving my Reader no other tast of his stile and temper , then what I had met with in his first nine sheets , and by exhibiting the weaknesse of all his pertinent Argumentations , wheresoever I could find them throughout his Book . I did not give him ill language , unlesse it were an ill language to say what language he had given ; nor did I do him the least wrong , unlesse it could possibly be a wrong to shew the wrongs which I had suffer'd : but even * * Luk. 21. 19. possessed my soul in patience , and † † 1 Pet. 2. 23. committed my cause to Him who judgeth righteously . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , Hom. Iliad . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .

I confesse it had been more for my secular interest , to have pai'd my Neighbour in his * * In proverbium abiit , Malis viris ne Draconem quidem audere dentes admoliri , Bonos vel à m●re morderi solitos . own coin , or rather to have made him pay soundly for it . For had I impleaded Him at Law upon an Action of Slander , ( as some , who were learned in the Law , thought most convenient , ) I had probably sate down in Peace and safety . But see how well I am requited , for having but shew'd , and so pardon'd , his misdemeanours . My Neighbour observing my Resolutions neither to raile , nor to raise Reports , nor to take Advantages of Law , but only to shew that I am * * Psal. 19. 13. Innocent from the great offenses imputed to me , ( in the doing of which I was constrained , by unavoidable necessity , to demonstrate the injustice of my Accuser ) he took the boldnesse thereupon to persevere in the course which he had begun ; as being well assured by my Principles , that when he had done his very worst , ( both as a bitter speaker , and as a Bearer of False witnesse , ) he could not fail of my forgivenesse , and that upon no dearer Termes , then his own willingnesse to accept it . It seems he did esteem it so great a Punishment to be shew'd , ( though in no other colours then he had put upon himself , and such wherein he had chosen to make his appearance upon the stage ) that nothing now would content him , unlesse he might shew himself worse . After many * * Epist. Ded. p. 1. Travails , and much pains-taking , † † Ibid. labouring in the work , and * * p. 5. thrashing hard , a second Volume was squeezed out ; which , for the better sound 's sake , he adorned with this Title , A Necessary Vindication . For , whatever the Contents of the thing required , he thought it could not be seemly to call it A Necessary Revenge . To that he added in the Title-page , A full Abstersion of all * * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Calumnyes : because it was grievous to Flesh and Blood , to Declare A Confession of former Faults . When men have drank too deeply of the Waters of † † Deut. 33. 8. strife , hardly any thing but vengeance will quench their thirst . They will never leave dabling in Printer's Ink , till they have made themselves blacker then any Negroes . [ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . ] But yet their lives are bitter to them , when they come to the † † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Dreggs of the guilty potion ; and they do commonly rake up those putrid things out of the Grave , to which they wish they had given the deepest Buriall . There were many grand fictions in my neighbours first Book , which having proved to be such , I meant should dye , and be buried in perfect silence . But being raised again to life by him who gave them their Being , and that by a new kind of Clyster , to which is given the Name of a Full Abstersion , I shall be forced ( do what I can ) to make their life very miserable , and ( for ought I know ) to give them a wofull Immortality .

Yet very far shall I be from doing this upon design , but only by such a meer Accident , as will inseparably follow my Vindication . For had he confessed his perpetrations , and thereby taken off the Scandals , which have been given to as many as have read his writings , I had readily embraced him with both mine Armes . Nor shall I fail to forgive him ( by the help of God's Grace ) though he shall still offend against me more then * * Mat. 18. 22. seventy times seven . Or had he only bitten me with a neat piece of Drollerie , I had been pleased with his wit , and taken all in good part : For that which I have complained of , hath not at all been the sharpnesse , but only the noysomnesse of his Teeth . So far have they been from being sharp , that ( to speak the very Truth ) I have thought them the obtusest I ever felt . And in biting at any thing of mine , they have but broken themselves in pieces ; perhaps much more then if they had chewed upon a flint . Or had he charged me in his second Book ( as he had done in his first ) with now and then a volley of Railing , by calling me Dragon , or Devil , or Atheistical Lucianizer , or a Belcher forth of damnable Blasphemies , and the like ; and having given that Vent to the exuberances of his Passions , ( as † † Epist. Ded. p. 2. himself is pleased to make it out ) had not proceeded any farther to things incomparably worse , I had either not answer'd , or only answer'd with the Angel , * * Iude 9. the Lord rebuke thee . Nay farther yet : Had he raised such idle Rumors , as had reached no farther then the outward man , as that I had 17 or 18 fingers , and about some 13 or 14 toes , I had confuted him no otherwise , then meerly by shewing my Hands and Feet . Nothing then but his Doctrins should have falne under my Pen. But when I am publickly charged with things of that Nature , that if I really am guilty , I must not live ; and of which if I am silent , I may by some unkind people be reported to consent ; I do conceive it to be a duty , to the performance of which I am in reason and conscience indispensably obliged , to shew the groundlesnesse and falsehood of such suggestions , lest I appear ( by my omission ) to bear false witnesse against my self . 'T is true , that some of my Neighbours storyes are so incredible in themselves , and so bewrayed to be Inventions by his very indeavours to prove them none , that many may think it had been better to tread them only under foot by passive silence , then by a solemn confutation to cast them back in their Author's Face . But when I see , and consider , that the Things are twice printed , and with much more boldnesse in the second indictment then in the first , nay with confident affirmations that they shall be justifyed to my Face , if need require ; I do conceive that my silence might help to lend them some credibility , though without my silence they can have none . And this may serve for the first reason of my following enlargements ; especially of those in my two first Chapters . Which being premised and suppos'd , there are others so cogent , as I know not how they can be resisted . For

First , how shall I hope to serve God in my calling , with any considerable Successe , by any Doctrin I shall deliver from Presse or Pulpit , if I am judged before-hand to be a piece of an Atheist , Hin-Quarter of an Anabaptist , the bigger half of a Papist , 3 quarters of a Ranter , a whole Socinian , an Angel of Darknesse every Inch , as highly a Pelagian as Pelagius himself when at his worst , and not only guilty of much Hereticall pravity , but an Helvidian anti-Scripturist , and whose Design in highly Iesuiticall ? Nay if besides all this , I am a frontlesse , absurd , and gracelesse Person , dementate by God for perdition , a kind of a Sorcerer , the Quakers Darling , ☜ and worthy to be reckon'd among the witches , and a hundred things more , ( of which * * See ch. 4. §. 1. Note that this is but a specimen of a world the like stuff , which Mr. B. calls the boyling up of his Piety , ( c. 1. p. 6. in marg. ) the doing like Christ and his Apostles , ( Ibid. ) doing the part of an orthodox cordiall zelot , ( p. 8. ) his godly jealousy , ( p. 12. ) the playfulnesse of his stile to tole-on Gallants to read his Book , who if they be not toled on with somewhat of mirth and cheerfulnesse , are ready to swear they be weary of over much reading , ( ch. 2. p. 45. ) hereafter , ) what sort of men will take part with me ? Sure not the Papists , because I am a Protestant , and ( upon all occasions offer'd ) dispute against them : nor yet the Protestants , because I am ( forsooth ) a Cassandrian Papist . Not the Quakers , because I am a Black-coat : nor yet the Anabaptists , because a Socinian : nor the Socinians , because a Sorcerer . nor the Sorcerers , because a Pelagian . Much lesse the Pelagians , because an Atheist : no nor the Atheists , because an Arminian : nor the Arminians by any means , because a witch : nor the rest of mankind , because I am not a Presbyterian . Neither the Town in Barbary which was all turn'd into stone both man and beast , nor yet the Monster brought forth at Weerted on the Elder-Sconce near Ardemburg , were any way comparable to the Monster which Mr. B. hath described ( I may say ) in his News-book . I will propose no more ( in an Epistle ) then two particulars to consideration . First , if I am not only thought , but said in print to be the Monster , who did not only think , but boast aloud , [ * * See the first Chapt. of this Book , §. 9. p. 15 , 16 , &c. ☞ That there was no sin in me , that I was above sin , and that by my own power I could abstain from all sin , ] how can I rationally hope to fare better then Servetus , who never spake any thing like it that I can learn , unlesse I prove it to be a groundlesse and witlesse Slander ? for what were this but to make my self God , who alone by his own power is above all sin ? Our blessed Saviour did but say , Son , thy sins be forgiven thee , when straight the Scribes accused him of * * Mar. 2. 5 , 7. Blasphemyes ; alledging this reason , that to forgive sins was for God only . With how much a greater force of Reason should he have stones cast at him , who should affirm himself sinlesse , nay above sin , nay above all sin , nay suopte Marte , by his own power above it all ? To clear my self from so foul a charge , and to shew the impertinence , the unskilfulnesse , nay the demonstrable falsenesse of that Aspersion , I † † See Divine Philanth . defended , ch. 3. p. 81 , 82 , 83. answer'd in a Section of 10. Particulars . All which Mr. Barlee doth tacitly confesse to be irresistible , by his wilfull omission of a reply ; and yet he asks no pardon , makes no confession , but ( on the contrary ) denyes it flatly to be a fault , and ( without the least colour or shew of proof ) professeth to stand to his Accusation , and ( twice in a Breath ) calls me impudent for denying what he is pleased to affirm , and talks of proving it by a Minister without a Name , and seeks to cover it with new Slanders , so unluckily chosen , that they become their own Traitors , as I shall shortly demonstrate in the following papers . Secondly , if I am not only a Papist , but Iesuitical ; nor only such , but also a Seminary Priest ; nor only one of them who creep privately into houses , but one in possession of a Parsonage ; if I am one of the * * Mr. Baxter's Christian concord , p. 45 , 46 , &c. cited and applyed by Mr. Barlee in his Necess. Vindic. c. 2. p. 73 , 74 , 75. Conspirators against the Protestant Religion , who having more wit then Dr. Vane , Dr. Goff , and Dr. Baily , do only stay here in England under the Names of Episcopal Divines , because we think we may do our party more service then by declaring our selves Papists ; and if our Design for the Introduction of Popery is so strongly laid , that it gives a strong probability of prevailing , if God do not wonderfully blast it ; I say , if I am one of these Popish complotters ( as Mr. Barlee now publisheth ) against whom Mr. Baxter † † In the page above cited . professed to take himself bound to proclaim a publick warning to the inhabitants of the Nation ; then by the Law of this Land must my Quarters be hung up on the high places of the great City , for the striking a Terror into those who are partakers of the plot . And the great plot ( saith Mr. Baxter ) is design'd to be carried on with no lesse then * * p. 46 , 47. 5 subservient plots , of which the least is a swinger ; and of which I am publickly † † Mat. 15. 19. charged by Mr. Barlee , as well with the greatest , as with the least .

By these two instances it is evident , that I am now to deal with an other thing , then the most who are ingaged in any controverted Doctrins : Not only with a weak and unskilfull Disputant , but also with an outragious and false Accuser ; who layes things to my charge , which ( if he is able also to prove ) will make my Native Country too hot to hold me . So that now Mr. Barlee hath brought affairs to this passe , that I must either be suspected for the worst Creature in the world , or else I must manifest to the world that I am slander'd . Had he kept to the Questions of God's Decrees , the Death of Christ , the Grace of Conversion , and the like , and in prosecuting them had shew'd but a shortnesse of Discourse , bewraying nothing but his Cause and his understanding , I had had no more to do then to * * 2 Tim. 2. 25. instruct him in meeknesse opposing himself , if God per adventure would give him Repentance to the acknowledgement of the Truth . For as he should not have been offended that I saw not with his eyes , but with mine own ; so could I never have been displeas'd so far forth as to be angry , that he saw no farther then he was able . But when a man is accused of committing a murder , or of stealing a horse , or any other matter of Fact of very dangerous importance , he must prove the negative by such mediums , by which negatives are to be proved . As by catching the Accuser in diverse contradicting Tales ; by proving him [ virum non fide dignum ] a Customary Raiser of false Reports ; by shewing the vast improbability of the thing ; by evincing the inconsistence of circumstantials ; by making it evident and clear , that the life and Temper of the Defendant is known by thousands of worth and credit to have ever been * * Wisd. 2. 15. quite of another Fashion ; last of all by the exerting of a Hand from Heaven to compurge him . How much of this is my case , the intelligent Reader will see anon . And if my Neighbour did pretend he was to publish his Reply , to secure [ the * * Introduct. p. 4. credit of his ministerial office , his Name , and Fame , ] it may well be one reason of my Rejoynder , that besides those things I must also provide for Truth , and safety .

Secondly , as I must not hate my Brother in my Heart , † † Levit. 19. 17. so in any wise I must rebuke him , and must not suffer sin upon him . If I should not resist a growing evill , I know not to what it may aspire , or whither at last it may arrive . It is so dangerous a thing to go along with impunity in any lewd Course , that Faelix & prosperum scelus virtu● vocatur , the greatest mercy to malefactors is to arrest them in their Carriere . Why did Diagoras turn Atheist , but because he saw a Plagiarie not struck with Thunder ? When * * Bancr . Dang . Pos . practised under pretense of Reformation , and for the Presbyterial Diseipline . ch. 15. p. 176. Mr. Hacket and his Adherents were apprehended and examin'd , they did then confesse before witnesse , [ that their extraordinary purposes were nothing else , but illusions of Satan , cruell , bloody , and Traiterous Designments , which yet before they were detected , they protested even with tears , fastings , groans , and imprecations , to have proceeded from the Dictates of God's good Spirit . So much wholsomer it is for evill Doers to be caught , then to be cruelly permitted to grow successfull .

Thirdly , there is some such thing in Plato's Gorgias , as that offenders are to be punished for three gooduses . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the revenging of Pateat quod noxium est , ut possit conteri cum patuerit . Hieron . advers. Iovin . l. 2. the offense , and paying satisfaction to injur'd Iustice ; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the admonishment of the offender , that he never again commit the like ; and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , for the giving a timely warning to Lookers-on , that they amend their lives by that example . It was one of the menaces of God to Israel , * * Ezek. 5. 7. 8. That he would execute his judgements in the midst of them in the sight of the Nations round about them . Which was no doubt for this reason ( as I collect from the Context ) that as their exemplary sins had been apt to hurt many , so by their exemplary punishments many also might be healed . And this is openly expressed to be one end of punishment , that † † Deut. 17. 13. which compare with Ezek. 39. 7 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 26 , 27. all the people may hear and fear , and doe no more presumptuously . These are the things at which I ayme , and ( I hope ) very sincerely . First , the clearing of mine innocence , as to that whereof I am accused ; next , the good of my * * Quae per insuavitatem medentur , emolumento curationis offensam sui excusant . Tertull . de poenit . cap. 10. Accuser , whom I would fain be instrumentall to promote unto Repentance and change of life ; lastly , the benefit and instruction of both our Readers , whom another man's harms may render circumspect and wary : but the Glory of God more especially , both first , and last , is the end and scope of my undertaking .

I have not been ignorant , or unmindfull , that I am put by my Neighbour in slippery places , and that in the doing of my duty I am not freed from all danger : it being possible for the injur'd to seek Revenge against the injurious , under the righteous pretense of a vindication . And truely the fear of the former hath sometimes put me to the Question , whether it were not my safest course to omit the later . It being absolutely impossible to clear my self , but by extenuating the credit of my Accuser . To this I answer'd within my self , that should I be so very impotent , as to requite his Railing with Railing , and his false Accusations with false Accusations , I might conclude my self guilty of a defensive vengeance . And yet what might I not say , ( would I make use of my invention ) with greater credibility then He hath done ? Nay should I but faithfully repeat what I have heard from persons whom I can name , Iam more then confident I could make his Ears Tingle . But whilst I keep to this Rule , of divulging no more of his misdemeanours , then I find divulged by Himself , ( which yet will so vehemently tend to his disadvantage , that his Abettors will be apt to think me cruell , unlesse they consider all along that I am no more then a Defendant , and that the follyes of my Neighbour were wilfully printed in both his Books , before it was in my power to reprint them in mine own ) I say , whilst I keep to this special Rule , I am hitherto perswaded I do not deviate from my duty . To prove that I am slander'd , is but to do my self right ; and to do my self right , is no man's wrong . To punish an evil Doer , is no injustice . It is rather a great Mercy , to punish him lesse then he deserves ; because in the doing of corrective or vindicative justice , an Arithmetical proportion is still allow'd . Yet should I think my self cruell , for having shew'd how out of measure I have been wrong'd and injur'd by my provoker , but that I find within my self a perfect . willingnesse to forgive him ; and upon competent satisfaction ( though but half so much as I may require ) I shall readily offer him a solid Friendship .

But now in order to this end , I must convince him of his guilt ; and let him see his necessity of coming in , by shewing the dangers of holding out . I must make it undeniable , that he hath charged me with things , which ( because I am not able to expresse their nature any otherwise ) I must discover and expresse by the name of Slanders . Diverse of them being such , that the Cabbidge whose Diameter was half a mile , and the Furnace erected to boyl it in , were but puny Fictions in Comparison . I am very well aware , that whilst I am using the means for the attainment of the end , ( that undeniable conviction of which I spake ) he may say in a third Book , as now he doth in a second , that I am much more pungent in my Defense , then he hath been in his Accusations . Concedo Torum , I am exactly of that opinion : It being not the pungency , but the Rancidity of a writer , which men of clean nostrills are wont to nauseat . Very far were the Pharisees from being pungent , unlesse by moving our Saviour's pity , when they called him Glutton , Wine-bibber , a Friend to sinners , & one who wrought by the power of Beelzebub : But sure our Saviour was very pungent , when he proved them malicious and senselesse slanders . To shew that another is abusive , is much more smarting , then to abuse . And therefore ( with pardon to the comparison ) I think it more my Neighbour's Torment , that he is evinced to be injurious , then it can possibly be mine , that I am injur'd . It is not a little for my comfort , that my greatest severity doth consist in a manifestation that he is cruell ; and that no other miseryes do fall upon him as from me , but what he hath pulled upon himself with all his might . It is not so little as seventeen Times that he hath called me an impudent and a brazen-fac't Person , which I never could indure to call him once . Without a circumlocution , he hath often given me the Lye , for having spoken the greatest Truths ; much more then I had given Him , for having printed the greatest falsehoods . Times without number he calls me proud and insolent . much good doo 't him with all his meeknesse . To sum up all in a word ; The more injustices and wrongs he hath industriously done me , I shall be still the more resolute to do him none . I confesse that slander is a very hard word ; but unavoidable to those , who are obliged to distinguish it from other species of untrue speaking . Whatsoever is not true comes under the notion of a lye , but one sort only is call'd a slander . And to call a thing slander whilst it is proved to be such , ( and in part confessed , as well as denyed , by its Author , ) cannot possibly be a slander , unlesse ( which implyes a contradiction ) it be also proved to be none . In so much as for the usage of this one word , it will be needless to ask my neighbour's pardon .

There are now remaining but 3 things more , of which my Reader may be pleased to be premonish't .

1. Mr. Barlee seeming to me to be * * Note , that after he had proposed a Method , p. 5. he profesfeth to quit it , and to speak immethodically , p. 11. professedly immethodicall , and to have made a kind of Thicket wherein to hide his Argumentations , which he hath also so fenced with Thornes and Briars and hollow Teeth , as to forbid the Reader an Accesse unto the nakednesse of his Doctrins ; I determin'd so to order my account of the whole , as that his Doctrins and his manners may no longer afford an umbrage to one another . This is therefore no more then the first part of my Rejoynder . It is indeed but the prolusion to those approaching Calamityes , wherein Mr. Barlee and Mr. Whitfeild will be made appear to have involved their dearest Doctrins . For I reserve the second Part for a peculiar work , to follow this at some Distance , with a strict injunction upon my Stationer , that he shall never permit the one to be bound up with the other . And I contrive it thus to this End , that what concerns Gods Decrees , and the subjects depending thereupon , may be put farr asunder from those exorbitant subjects , which ( however very usefull in severall kinds ) are wholly forreign and impertinent to the professed subjects of our Debate . My Aime being now to set out personals by themselves , that I may shortly with greater comfort fetch all his Doctrinals out of their Dens , and expose them stark naked , ( divested of those Capparisons wherein they are labour'd to be disguis'd ) that the abused people of the land may behold them clearly as they are , and start back at their Appearance , & keep aloof from the Danger of being ever again led captive by them .

2. As I have now d●scharged but half my Debt to Mr. Barlee , so he may probably stay the longer for what remaines , because of grave Mr. Whitfeild , his Fellow-Labourer in the work who , it seems , conceiving ( & very wisely ) that one at once was insufficient for the maintaining of many errors against one single man , ( who hath never a Second but the Truth to take part with him in this Contention ) took advantage of the time to joyn his forces to Mr. Barlee's ; as being very well assur'd , that my Actions are successive , not instantaneous ; that I must first do one thing , and then another , before it is possible to do a third . Now because his whole Book is at least Intitled against mine , ( though the greatest part of it is against no-body-know'swho ) and because he is superiour to Mr. Barlee ( in point of manners at least , though not at all in point of learning , ) & in regard of some other things of which I shall shortly give account , I do intend in the next place to make him acquainted with himself , to whom I find he hath been hetherto a very great stranger ; & all for want of such friends , as I shall shew my self to him , if God permit . I shall not reflect on those indignityes most uningenuously put upon me in his Poetick and b●tter Prose before the Correptorie Correction , ( wherein he instructed Mr. Barlee how to raile , & calumniate , by the tacit exhortative of his Example ; ) but immediately falling upon the matter of his last printed Book , and that in conjunction with his Collegue's , I shall charitably indeavour to make him see that his greatest * * Isa. 30. 7. strength had been to sit still .

3. Whatsoever is found spoken , in the ensuing sheets of this Book , concerning the Principles and Practise of Presbyterians , I have only spoken as an Historian upon matters of Fact . Nor have I done it from my self , but from the credit of the most questionlesse and authenticall Records . Nor have I sought out occasions of such discourse , but patiently received occasions offer'd . All is to satisfy Mr. Barlee , who ( if we may judge by his writings ) would not otherwise be content . Nor are my words to be extended unto all Presbyterians indiscriminately , but to such , and such only , of whom the Authors by me cited are found to speak . For I know there are many , who at least are esteemed to be of that judgement ( how truly or falsely I cannot tell ) whom for their peaceable Dispositions , their Christian Temper and moderation , I do very unfeignedly both love and honour . In Rem , non in Personam , scripta est mea Actio . I intend those zelots , to whom my character doth agree , let their Names or Qualityes be what they will . What I say from the History of Mr. Knox , I mean of those men whom Mr. Knox himself meant , who was a chieftain of the party . When I name Paraeus , Buchanan , Hacket , and the like , it is plain I mean Them . If , when no body is nam'd , any one or more persons shall name themselves , & apply my words to their particulars , which I had left only in common , ( to be seized on by none but the proper owners ) they will be , in that case , their own Accusers .

There is nothing else in my thoughts , which seemeth needfull to be premised . And this at least is enough for the no-greatlength of the following Treatise ; whose great variety of matter ( whereof the third Chapter will afford the best choice ) is represented to the Reader in the Generall Contents which now ensue .