CRETENSIS: OR A brief ANSWER TO an ulcerous Treatise, lately published by Mr THOMAS Edward's, entitled, GANGRAENA: Calculated for the Meridian of such passages in the said Treatise, which relate to Mr John Goodwin; but may without any sensible error indifferently serve for the whole Tract.  
Wherein some of the best means for the cure of the said dangerous ulcer, called Gangraena, and to prevent the spreading of it to the danger of the precious souls of men, are clearly opened, and effectually applied; By the said JOHN Goodwin, a well-willer to the Saints, in the work and patience of Jesus Christ.  The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts, &c. This witness is true: Wherefore rebuke them sharply ({non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, cuttingly) that they may be sound in the Faith, Tit. 1. 12, 13. And I heard a loud voice saying in Heaven, Now is come salvation and strength and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ; for THE accuser OF our BRETHREN is cast down, &c. Revel. 12. 10. Let not an evil-speaker be established on earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him, Psal. 140. 11. But they shall proceed no further; for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was, 2 Tim. 3. 9 Qui ergo bene mentitur, & absque ullâ verecundiâ, quicquid in buccam venerit, confingit in fratres, magistrum se optimum probat▪ Hieronymus. l. 1. Apol. adversus Ruffin. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}. Musaeus. 
Published according to Order.  
LONDON, Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head Alley. 1646.   

CRETENSIS; OR A brief answer to an ulcerous Treatise, lately published by Mr Thomas Edwards, entitled, GANGRAENA.  

BEhold (saith the Lord Christ to Peter) Satan hath desired you, that he may sift you as wheat 
a Luk. 22. 31. . Men use to sift wheat more carefully and thoroughly, than other grain. The reason is, because it being the purest and richest of all grain, a little beggary or soil left in it, is so much the greater eyesore, whilst it is yet in the heap, or hand; and besides any mixture of dross being ground with wheat, is (for the same reason) the more offensive in taste, when bread comes to be made of it. So that our saviour's meaning in the recited passage is; that the devil hath a very great desire to obtain leave from God of sifting the Saints thoroughly, i. by liberty of temptation to try them to the uttermost, what may be gotten out of them by way of weakness and corruption; not indeed to make them the more pure, (though this be God's design in the permission) but to render them the more sinful and polluted, and to abate and pull down their high interests both with God and man.  
The Author of the late Treatise, known by the mark of a Gangrene 
Sect. 2.  or Cancer in the forehead of it, being (as it seems) of Satan's counsel, and partaker of his intentions against the Saints, hath diligently swept his floor, and gathered together his siftings, all that dross and beggary of weaknesses and infirmities, which Satan within the compass of four years (by his own confession) was able to sift out of them, and he to come to the knowledge of; and hath ground, kneaded, and baked it, and made showbread of it, for such of the Presbyterian Sons of Levi, and their retinue, to eat, as are of his own diet and constitution. But (Doubtless) the man suffers loss in his design, upon the same terms, and by the same occasion, upon which his Grand Tutor many times suffers the like also in his; who, though his subtlety and industry to promote his kingdom, be very great and formidable, yet is ever and anon befooled by his malice, which is predominant, and magnifies itself above them both. This still importunes him for present action against the Saints, and suffers him not to preconsider, whether the winning of the Rests, be not like to lose him the race. So (Doubtless) Mr Edw. being overcome, even to an intoxication, with the sweetness of his end, the defamation of his poor innocent helpless Brethren, surnamed (by himself and many others, who of late have acted themselves into a far deeper merit of the name, and that in the worst sense & construction of the word) Independents; had not his prudential's free, to consider, whether the course which he hath steered to drown them in the black Sea of infamy and reproof, be not more like to carry them into the fair Havens of honour. For he that chargeth his enemy, whose reputation in every kind he sets himself to tread and trample under foot, like clay and mire in the streets, only with such and such crimes; he doth not so much charge him with these, as acquit and discharge him from all others.  
There is no reasonable man, but will abate and deduct, and that 
Sect. 3.  to a good proportion, from such reckonings and accounts, which are drawn up and given in to him by the hand of envy: much less will he judge such accounts short, or defective in particulars. So that whereas Mr Edw. conceits, that he hath now in his Gangraena informed the world, how bad and vile these Sectaries and Independents are; the Truth is, that he hath done this but faintly, and with the extreme hazard of his own reputation; but he hath justified and acquitted them with an high hand from all other crimes and imputations of any worse resentment or import, than those wherewith he asperseth them; and consequently, hath represented them unto the world as better and far more deserving, then far the greatest part of his own Presbyterian generation. For first, as to matter of practice, look of what crimes or miscarriages soever, he hath with any truth, impeached those men, of his indignation; I here (in his own phrase elsewhere 
a Antap. p. ) cast the glove to him, that if he will accept of the challenge, I will produce both as many for number, as foul (yea far more foul) for nature, perpetrated and done by a far less number of his classic Proselytes, than they are, amongst whom he pretends to find so many things of such portentous demerit. Yea and that I will give another manner of account of the reality and truth of what I bring upon the Stage in this kind, than he hath done, or ever will be able to do, of a very considerable part of those things, which his gangred pen hath uttered against his Sectaries.  
And secondly, for matter of opinion; I cast my glove unto him the 
Sect. 4.  second time, that I will do the like. 1. That I will discover and find out as many errors and heresies, and those of every whit as dangerous an import, as those which he pretends (or at least is able to prove) to be at this day extant among those who by the authority (or passion rather and precipitancy) of his pen are voted Sectaries, in a far lesser number of his classic party; only upon condition, that he shall undertake to persuade those, amongst whom I shall undertake to make this discovery, to answer, and give an account unto me what their judgements are, in all such points and questions, which I shall propose to them. Yea whereas he makes such a tragical outcry, that there should be 180 errors and heresies amongst us, as if he were afraid that he should lose his Presbyterian Religion in the crowd; I verily believe (and not without ground) that if he would vouchsafe but freely and candidly to declare his mind and judgement, in all such points, as I would tender unto him, and not profess that scepticism himself, which he so much abhors in others, I could make a discovery of as many (errors and heresies together I mean) in himself alone. Nor do I judge, that the most Orthodox Presbyterian under Heaven (no nor Independent neither) errs much beneath the like rate or number of errors and mistakes in matters of Religion.  
And suppose the man were relieved with this supposition (Cujus 
Sect. 5.  tamen contrarium verum est, as will be attested by many authentic witnesses) that all the tales he tells to make that crown of honour to languish and fade, which God hath set upon the heads of those which to him (it seems) are Heathens and Publicans, I mean Sectaries and Independents, were true; yet certainly they that scattered them were more innocent than he that gathered them up, especially with so polluted an intention, as to call the world together to see the nakedness of the Saints, and to rejoice with Satan in his victories and triumphs over them. If the man had thought good to have served his God in verse as he hath done in prose, he might have begun his work with this Hexameter,  Fortunam Satanae, & magnos cantabo triumphos. 
Failings through infirmity, are but the footsteps of Flesh and blood: but bloody insultations over men because of failings, bewray Principalities and powers, and more, spiritual wickednesses. doubtless, the sin of Cham in discovering the nakedness of his Father unto his Brethren, was greater than the sin of his Father in being drunk: Cursed be Canaan, (saith Noah as a Prophet) a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren 
a Gen. 9 25. . And so the fact of Doeg the Edomite in informing Saul against Ahimelech the Priest, about what he had done for David 
b 1 Sam. 22. 9, 10. , was by many degrees more stigmatical than any thing that Ahimelech did. The form of those accusations 
Sect. 6.  which Mr. Edwards hath levied against his brethren, is much more inexcusable than the matter of them. Nor do we read that either Cham or Doeg, though sons of much unworthiness, ever traded with Satan for these black commodities, or compassed the earth to and fro by their Eves-droppers, Agents, or Factors, to gather up and furnish themselves with the sins or infirmities of the Saints; no nor that they ever took up a report into their lips against any man, upon either the loose or malicious suggestion of others; but only related and informed what themselves saw with their own eyes, and that casually and without awaiting the opportunity. Whether therefore the man we know, hath not comforted these sons of shame by doubling the spirit of their unworthiness upon himself, I leave to the consideration of such men, who have not sacrificed the principles of their ingenuity upon the service of the classic cause. In publishing the failings and miscarriages of persons engaged in the profession of Religion, what hath he else done but sown the world with the seed both of blasphemy against God, contempt of his ways, and obduration of the hearts of wicked and profane men? yea, he hath spread a table for Satan with the shame and sorrows of the Saints, and made more joy in hell with the noise of his Gangrene going forth into the world, than that climate hath known for these many generations; yea, he hath made Belzebub himself drunk with the blood of the Saints, and reputation of his enemies, and hath lifted him up half way towards that heaven from which our Saviour long since saw him falling like lightning e Besides, do not all men know 
Luke 10.  that the composition of the world itself, and of all the parts of it, consists ex flore & faece, of what is excellent and what is excrement? For Mr. Edwards or any man to judge of Independency by the miscarriages, whether in practice or opinion, of some few that (it's likely) are the retrimentitious part of that way, is as if a man should make an estimate of Cheapside by the channel that runs in the midst of it, or give sentence of the holy and elect Angels by what is found in sin and wickedness in the Devils. If Independency hath its tens, Presbytery hath its thousands of the sons of Belial in her retinue. And if the man will deal fairly in comparing them together, he must not set the head of the one against the tail of the other, but measure head with head, and tail with tail. All may be true which the man chargeth upon Independency, and yet independency lift up her head in worth and dignity as high above Presbytery,  
Quantum lenta solent inter viburna cupressi, as the Cedar in Lebanon is by the hand of nature advanced above the Thistle in Lebanon. The most accursed hypocrites that ever the earth bare, have been of the profession of Christianity, and yet Christianity the best of all professions. That Wolves are oft found in sheep's clothing, is so far from being matter of disparagement unto it, that it rather commends it for the best and most innocent clothing of all other: Nor ought the sheep (as Augustine said long since) either to lay aside his clothing, or think the worse of it, because the wolf sometimes puts it on to deceive by it. The Angels of light are not out of love with their shining, because the ministers of Satan transform themselves into their likeness. Nay, it is a glorious testimony to the outward deportment of the blessed Angels, that the Angels of darkness desire to assume it, when they desire to conceal and hide themselves. The ordinary wisdom of the flesh teacheth men to take of the best to cover the worst withal.  
But what atonement can be made for the man and his demerit, 
Sect. 7.  in case he shall be found to sycophantise, to fill the world with forged cavillations and slanders against the Saints? and a great (if not the far greater) part of what he hath written, be evidenced to be not of the race or issue of the folly and weakness of those that are accused, but of the wisdom of the flesh, and strength of envy in the accuser, and some others, who by the mediation of the same dear interest, are both one flesh and one spirit too with him? Should not the world have cause to fear lest the Sun would be ashamed, and the Moon abashed at the very sight of such a monster of impiety as this; and mourn in sackcloth over the deplorable and sad condition of men, that such things should be found with them? yea, and to interpret the birth of it, as a sign that her dissolution approacheth, and is even at the doors? I have neither leisure nor opportunity to search to the bottom, or sift to the bran, all that the man storieth, per se and per alios, in his Gangrene; nor do I hold Intelligence with any man to inform myself of his haltings, but I am able of mine own knowledge to avouch the untruth of some things asserted by him: the untruth of more hath been avouched unto me by others; and I make little question but that when all his accused ones shall have had time and opportunity to stand forth & plead their innocency, there will be very little truth found remaining in any thing reported by him, except (haply) in such things which are transgressions against no Law.  
In the mean while he hath taken a pretty politic course to save 
Sect. 8.  the stake of his own repute, and to prevent as much as may be, the through examination of the greatest part of what his Gangrene represents by way of disparagement to the Independent party, by printing so many letters so full fraught with these commodities, without the names of their Authors. For by this means he may put down in ink and paper, and make up letter-wise what he pleaseth, and yet no man be able to say unto him that black is his eye for so doing. If he will affirm that such or such letters were sent unto him, or came to his hands, and withal refuse to produce the authors, or pretend reasons why he should not name them; well may we suspect juggling: but yet the juggler hath a city of refuge to fly unto to save himself out of the hand of a detector. And to me it seems not a little strange, that Mr. Edwards should keep the names of his informers, who have contributed so liberally towards the same design with himself, under hatches, or within the veil; when as he prostitutes his own name with so much confidence (that I say not impudence) in the frontispiece of his book. If he judgeth it honourable in himself, to be taken notice of for Commander in chief in the classic wars against Sectaries and Independents; he had no reason to hide the names of his Captains, and those that served in inferior place of command under him in the same service: except he either thinks that they have been too timorous and low-spirited in the action, and in this respect is tender of their reputation, hoping they may quit themselves more like men hereafter, and then he means to bring forth their names with honour; or else judgeth that his own interest in the glory of the achievement, will rise the better, and be the greater and more entire, if no man shall be looked upon, or known by name, that gave assistance to him in the work. Or else thirdly, feareth lest the contents of the letters being evicted of forgery and untruth, should reflect dishonour upon the indighters, and so discourage and weaken their hand as to any further service in so laudable a cause. But the truth is, that I cannot attribute so much either to the first of these reasons, or to the second, nor yet to the third (though this hath most in it) as to be able to believe, that he suppressed his names for any other end, then to suppress the examination of the truth of the letters. I know, that if I would borrow but a little Presbyterian faith, I could with this, without any demur or consideration at all, believe that all that is contained in the letters from the first to the last of them, is pure and simple truth; and that M. Edwards did very virtuously and commendably in sending away the names of the writers into a land of darkness. But these being no fundamentals, I hope we shall be tolerated without believing them with our own faith.  
One of his apocryphal letters (p. 66.) comforts his friend, Good 
Sect. 9  Mr. Edward's (as he styles him) against me, thus: But whatsoever Mr. John of Colemanstreet says, they (the Independents he means) will be found the fighters against God. I grant, they may be so found in the Presbyterian almanac, through a mistake, but in the original, the Ephemerides of heaven, they are called Fighters WITH and FOR God. Except the letter-man means, they will be found fighters against the God of this world, in that Militia which he hath armed against the nation and servants of the God of Heaven in it. Against this God in his Militia, I confess, they have fought, and (I doubt not) will fight still more cordially and more courageably than many Anti-Independent souls have done. Indeed if the Independents should turn Turks, and betray their principles, and pass over into the Tents of High Presbytery, they will be found fighters against God, as well as others. But in the mean season let Mr. Anonymus and his compeers know, that there is no Sect of men in the Land, the sons of high Presbytery and Episcopacy only excepted, that being true to their Principles, are capable of fighting against God, at least in that sense, which both Gamaliel in the Text, and Mr. John of Colemanstreet in his Commentaries intends and prosecutes. Nor let any man think that I breathe the least air of disparagement in the face of Presbytery, by ranging Episcopacy with it: in as much as Mr. Edwards himself, springs an engagement upon Presbytery to persecute the Saints under the veil of suppressing errors, from the laudable practice of her elder sister Episcopacy in the same kind.  
In another letter of the same Packet (or packing rather,) viz. 
Sect. 10.  p. 55. he presents the honourable and grave Assembly of Parliament (for to them he dedicates his Gangraena, quanta quanta est, from the one end of it to the other) with such a painted piece of lasciviousness and profaneness, kissing together, which might probably have found acceptation and thanks, had he presented it to the company of free Traders in Turnbolstreet, for the beautifying of their Hall: but by exhibiting it to those persons of Gravity and Honour, he hath traduced the modesty of their eyes and ears, and attempts no less than to draw them into part and fellowship with himself in his own reproach, by seeking to make them patrons of all the filthy, slanderous, and abominable practices of his pen.  
In the very front and entrance of his Dedicatory unto them, he 
Sect. 11.  tells them that he presents them with a Catalogue, or black Bill: he might have added (in stead of what he doth add) of the same nature, tendency and import with those, which the black Accuser of the Brethren was wont long since by his agents to present unto the Heathen Emperors and powers of this world, against the Saints of the most high God. And whereas (a few lines after) he professeth that he much feareth lest the subject matter of his Catalogue may prove unto England like the Bill of Divorce given unto Israel; I profess also that I fear the same fear with him, in part, because a great, if not the far greatest part, of the subject matter of his Catalogue consists of defamatory untruths, forged cavillations, and bloody insinuations against the servants of God in the Land. And such practices as these in a Nation, (unless some speedy and effectual course be taken to prevent them) portend indeed little less than a bill of divorce from Heaven to that Nation. But for the Errors, Heresies, Blasphemies, and Practices of the Sectaries of this time, which he makes the subject matter of his Catalogue; by that time, 1ᵒ all those Tenets which he very erroneously makes Errors and Heresies, to advance his Catalogue; and 2ᵒ all those, which are forged in his own brain, falsely fastened upon others, no man holding or owning them: and 3o, all those, which it may be have fallen from the lips or pen of some one inconsiderable and half-distracted person, no man seconding him therein: and 4ᵒ all those that he hath perverted in the setting down: 5o, all those that (for substance) are repeated the second, third, and forth time over. 6o, and lastly, all those Blasphemies and practices, which without cause or ground of truth he chargeth upon his Sectaries; by that time (I say) that all these shall be struck out of his black Bill, the Bill will appear much blacker and fouler than yet (perhaps) it doth in the eyes of many, and so resemble the Author more to the life: But the formidableness of the subject mattrr of his Catalogue will be much eased, and the form of it be found much more formidable than the matter.  
But I marvel how Mr Edw. having (it seems) an authorised 
Sect. 12.  power to make errors and heresies at what rate, and of what materials he pleaseth, and hopes to live upon the trade, could stay his pen at so small a number as 180; and did not advance to that angelical quotient in the Apocalypse, which is ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousand thousands. If he had consulted with a book, not many years since printed, which maintains that dangerous heresy of the Cosmoselenitaes, i. of those that hold there is another world in the moon, and with another, printed within the compass of his four years, entitled, Divinity and Philosophy dissected and set out by a mad man, with some few others, that I shall shortly be able to name unto him; I will undertake, that out of these he shall be able to increase his roll of errors and heresies, from 180, to 280, if not to 500; and that upon more honest and honourable terms, than now he hath advanced it to his own number. And if he pleaseth to repair unto me before the course of his menstruous or monthly labour comes upon him, I will undertake to enrich his treasury of errors and heresies, by twenty and ten, out of his own antapology. For certain I am, that every contradiction affords an error, either on the one hand, or on the other: and if I do not find twenty and ten, and a better number than so, of birds of that feather in that Element, let Mr Edward's pen plough as many long furrows more upon my back, as it hath done. In the mean time, I must crave leave to say (or at least to think) that it is a most importune and unsufferable presumption, for a poor, weak thimbleful of dust, that knows not how to range his parts of speech in a sentence, nor to put the nominative case and verb together regularly in English, nor how to frame the structure of a period according to the common rules of reason, Grammar, and common sense; to advance himself into a Paper Throne, and from thence, satis pro Imperio & tribunali, pronounce the formidable sentence of Error and heresy, against all opinions and judgements of men whatsoever, which will not comport with his understanding (or fancy rather) as the standard of all Truth. Yea and Nebuchadnezzar-like, to slay and smite 
Dan. 5. 19  what opinion he pleaseth: what he will to set up, and what he will to pull down. For I profess ingenuously, that I know not by what other rule or measure, besides his own humour and will, he judgeth of error or heresy. certain I am, that if he will stand either to the arbitrement of the Scriptures, or to the principles of clear & sound Reason, he must discharge and justify many of those Tenets for innocent, yea and well-deserving Truths, which now he hath arraigned at the bar of his tribunal for Errors & Heresies. If his Touchstone be, the major vote of his own party, I desire to recommend unto him the conscientious perusal of a passage from the pen of a conscientious and learned man of the same side, (I hope he will not say, that he is known ex professo, to be of another judgement, than what he plainly expresseth in writing; a base calumny, wherewith to honour himself, he dishonoureth Calvin, p. 45.) If dissensions and schisms (saith Musculus 
a Si oriantur dissensiones & schismata in Ecclesiâ, in culpâ sunt qui falsam sidem defendunt, non qui impugnant: Nec refert utri sint multitudine superiores. Ecclesia namque nec judicat ipsa secundum multitudinem, nec judicanda est secundum majoris numeri consensum, sed secundum manifestam veritatem in sacris Scripturis expressam, Musc. Loc. Tit. de Eccle. Sect. 9 ) arise in the Church, they are in fault who stand up to maintain a false faith, not they who oppose it. Nor is it material which party is the more numerous. For the Church, neither herself judgeth according to the multitude, nor is she to be judged according to the consent of the greater number, but according to the manifest truth expressed in the Scriptures. If the man will but own the verdict of as learned and ingenuous a pen as ever wrote on his side, he must release the better half (I believe) of his prisoners, and instead of an 180 Errors and Heresies, take his tables and write down, fourscore. Secondly, I would know of him, whether this be a regular process in Law, To ask my fellow whether I be a thief. If Mr Edw. thinks that he ought to be reputed, and honoured as a man Orthodox, till men of his own judgement vote him erroneous; I know no reason he hath, but to measure out the same measure unto others; and consequently to judge no man or men erroneous or heretical, until they be adjudged such by those that concur in opinion with them. As for twenty and ten of those opinions, which he hath impeached of error and heresy, (and I will not say for how many more) I do here cast the glove to whosoever will take it up, to bring them off with the honour of truth, from all that the man hath to lay to their charge. For I evidently see, that he hath dealt with many precious Truths of God, as the Jews did by Christ himself, when they numbered him with Transgressors. And particularly, for that which he hath arraigned in the 70th place in his Catalogue of Errors, viz. that Faith in a proper sense is imputed to justification, and not Christ's righteousness; (in the sense by me rejected) I think I may with far less boasting say, what he saith of his abilities in the Church-Controversies; I am (saith he) so far versed in these Controversies, that I challenge, etc 
b Antapol. p. 117. . So may I say without offence, that I am so far versed in the controversy about the Imputation of faith & Christ's active obedience in Justification, that I here challenge all the Presbyterians one after another, assembled, or not assembled, in England, Scotland, France and Ireland, to prove either by the Scriptures, or by dint of argument, either that faith is not imputed in a proper sense, or that the active obedience of Christ, is in the formality of it, imputed in Justification.  
P. 45. He labours to justify the devil, only to make me appear like 
Sect. 13.  unto him; for in saying, that I deal just by him, as the Devil did by Christ; doth he not plainly imply, that the devil did no worse by Christ, than I do by him? So than if it appear, that I dealt fairly by him, and did him no wrong, in my citation of his words, than will the devil be found to be Mr Edward's client, and he the devil's Advocate, and that by the verdict of his own pen. Now than whether I have wronged the man the least hair of his head, let the world, and the great Judge himself of the world, judge. The case is this. In my innocency's Triumph, p. 8. I cite these words from his Antapologia, p. 169. The power of the Magistrate by which he punisheth sin, doth not subserve to the kingdom of Christ the Mediator. Now to take an occasion of resembling himself unto Christ (which he doth more than once in his Gangrene 
a See his Preface, p. 4. ) and me unto the devil, he chargeth me, that citing the former part of the sentence, I leave out the latter: adding further, that had I but named this latter part, it would have been an evident confutation of me. Let any sober and intelligent man, but consider, what that latter part of the sentence is, how incongruous and illcoherent with the former, and he will clearly see, that in omitting it, I rather cast a covering upon his nakedness, than any way prejudiced him; unless (haply) he counts this a prejudice to him, not to have his nakedness and weakness appear to the world all over. But the latter part of the sentence he speaks of, the naming whereof would have been so evident a confutation of me, is this; that he may apply efficaciously {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the prophetical and Priestly office of Christ: he doth not affect the inward man and conscience with spiritual punishment. Where, first, it is observable, that himself, citing here so much of the latter part of the sentence, as (it seems) he would have had me have cited in my innocency's Triumph, leaves out the latter part of this latter part itself, viz. these words (distinguished only by a comma, from the former) neither is this instituted of God, and sanctified as the means for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of Christ. So that if I have dealt by him as the devil did by Christ, merely by citing the former part of his sentence without the latter, he deals himself by himself as the devil did by Christ, (which is more unnatural of the two) yea he deals by himself, with a far more exact conformity to the pattern he speaks of, the Devils dealing by Christ, than I, though his charge against me could be justified. For the devil did not leave out the latter part of the sentence which he cited, but only the last words, or latter part of the latter part of this sentence. For Mr Edw. in affirming that the devil left out these words, To keep thee in all thy ways, deals far worse than the devil did by Christ; for the devil did not lie unto Christ, though he tempted him; but whether Mr Edw. doth not dash his foot against this stone, in saying the devil left out the words mentioned, let the Evangelist speak; And he brought him to Jerusalem, (saith Luke) and set him on a pinnacle of the Temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence. For it is written, he shall give his angel's charge over thee, to keep thee 
a Luk. 4. 9, 10●. . So that the devil left out but part of those words which Mr Edw. chargeth upon him, viz. these, In all thy ways; which being the very last words of the sentence, it is Mr Edw. that hath copied out the devil's delinquency to an hair; dealt just by himself, as the devil did by Christ, not I. But whereas other Authors frequently make use of the figure Synecdoche, in putting down a part for the whole; Mr Edw. makes much use in his writings of a new figure, which we may call an Anti-Synecdoche, by putting the whole, yea and sometimes more than the whole for a part. But however, I must give him the testimony of a man impartial between the devil and the Saints; for though he speaks falsely of these, yet he will not flatter the other with the truth.  
2o. I would fain know, in case the former part of his sentence cited by me, be false, whether the addition of the latter would have made it true. If the power of the Magistrate by which he punisheth sin, doth not subserve to the kingdom of Christ the Mediator (which are the words I cite) would the naming of the following words, that he may apply efficaciously {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, &c. render or make it subservient thereunto? Therefore I know not how, or wherein I have trespassed either upon the man or his words in the least. If his meaning be, the whole period, former and latter part being taken together, that the power of the Magistrate by which he punisheth sin, doth not subserve to the kingdom of Christ the Mediator, by an efficacious applying of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of the prophetical and Priestly Office of Christ, &c. First, the Grammar of the sentence will not bear it. And secondly, if it would, yet such a sense is little better than no sense; the sentence thus taken, being of the same form and character of speaking with this: The bread by which Mr. Edward's lives, doth not subserve to the maintenance of his life, by making his drink effectual to quench his thirst. Or this: The learning by which Mr. Edwards confuteth the Sectaries, is not subservient to their preferment by giving them houses or lands, or great rewards, &c. If there be sap, savour, or sense in either of these, then may he have some cause to complain of wrong done unto him, in that the body of that sentence he speaks of, was not produced by me whole and entire, lower parts and upper parts together. But if the period taken together, was of the very selfsame shape and form with those, than was it centaur-like; and then I did him more right than came to his share, in showing only the upper parts of it, wherein it was rational, and like to a man, and concealing the nether parts of it, the discovery whereof makes it appear like a monster, strange and uncouth to behold. The truth is, that the passage he speaks of, and over which he mourns, finding it without the tail in my citation, though he calls it a Sentence, yet a sentence it is none, having neither form, feature, nor any property of a sentence in it. And in this my sentence and censure of it, I refer myself to all those that have but their senses exercised in discerning between sensible and senseless sayings.  
Notwithstanding the man (in his Preface) is tumultuously importune 
Sect. 14.  for an answer to his antapology, and calls all the speeches that have been given out by the Independents concerning an answer to it, but mere flourishes and swelling words of vanity; as if to talk of answering him, were a swelling word of vanity, a word of too much confidence to proceed from the mouth of a mortal man. Yea, in the very first page of his preface he vapours at an insufferable rate, pouring out contempt upon the poor Independents (whom he calls dogs, making himself or his antapology the moon) as if they were not only not able to answer it, but as if they knew not so much as which way to go about to answer it: as if they who mean to answer him, had need to be furnished with other manner of parts, learning, knowledge, wisdom, then were any ways requisite to answer all the seraphical disputants in the world besides. Paul himself (it seems) with some others, had given out some speeches of his coming to Corinth, some while before he came. And because through occasional diversions his journey was for some considerable time deferred, some in this Church that were obnoxious, were puffed up (it seems) as if the bitterness of death had been past, and Paul never meant to come amongst them. Some (saith he) are puffed up, as though I would not come unto you 
a 1 Cor. 4. 18. . But he cuts the comb of this their confidence in the next words, by acquainting them with his resolution in that behalf. But (saith he) I will come unto you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know not the words of them which are puffed up, but their power 
b Verse 19 . Because an answer to his antapology hath been so much spoken of, and through many interruptions following like the waves of the Sea one in the neck of another, hath not yet been brought forth, therefore the man is so far swollen & puffed up with conceit, as if the world were not wide enough to contain him. But the answer which he calls for with so much fierceness of importunity, will ere long (if the Lord will) be with him: and the world shall know, not what the words are, (for these are big enough, & known unto the world already) but what the power is (or weakness rather) of the antapology. There were some sons of Belial, and yet sons of Confidence too, among the Jews, in the days of the great provocation of that nation, when the day of that soar judgement of the 70. years' captivity drew near, and was even at the doors, who (it seems) derided the predictions of the Prophets concerning the judgement, and were so confident as to desire and call for that day of the Lord, (under which expression the Prophets of the Lord were wont to forewarn them of it) as for a treasure. But what saith the Prophet Amos to these? Woe be to you that desire the day of the Lord: to what end is it for you? The day of the Lord is darkness, and not light 
c Amos 5. 18. . I verily believe that the Answer to Mr. Edward's antapology, will not be for his honour: in which respect he hath no great ground to be so restless or importunate in calling for it; or to insult over those, who have told him once and again, that (if the Lord will) an answer shall be given him. Whereas he talks of his worthy piece being published 18. months since, he supposeth (it seems) that men have little or nothing to do, but to attend the motions of his pen, and to expedite and dispatch him out of hand. Indeed if Independent Ministers had either the privilege of ease, to preach to the bare walls and pews in their meeting-places, or that shamelessness of forehead to make the subject matter of their Sermons little else but loose, and lying, and frivolous reports and stories, or virulent invectives against the Saints and servants of God, (with which kind of material, this world, and the God of this world together, will be glad to furnish Preachers at a very low rate, either of time or study, for their building) they might (I confess) be men of more expedition in writing, than they are, and be as like the Tree spoken of in the Revelationa, as Mr Edw. himself. It is sufficiently 
Gangrena. Pref. p. 2.  known, that since the 18 months' Mr Edwards speaks of, I have given some account unto the world, and that by public writing, and this more than once, twice, or thrice, (besides my constant and standing labours with those who have committed themselves unto me in the Lord) that I am not so loose, or idly disposed, as Mr. Edwards would insinuatingly persuade and possess the world concerning me (p. 73.) And known also it is, though somewhat more privately, that I had given some further account in the same kind, of my time spent, (within the said compass of 18. months) had not the way, by which light and truth should go forth into the world, been hedged up by clergy-classic Counsels, as with thorns, against me. But however, I can hardly believe, that Mr Edwards himself, notwithstanding all the advantage of liberty and freedom from other engagements which he had above other men, took much less than 18. months' time, for the building and beautifying his antapology. And who knows not how much more easy it is, to be first in writing, or to object, then to answer; according to the common saying in the schools, Plura porest interrogare Asinus, quàm respondere Aristoteles: i. An ass may soon ask more questions, than Aristotle be able to answer?  
In the latter part of his Preface, he arms himself with constancy 
Sect. 15.  and heroic resolution, to triumph and rejoice in what he shall suffer in way of hatred or reproach from the Sectaries, for his faithful and noble service done both to Heaven and Earth in opposing them; animating and flattering himself in his course, with this, that in case he shall suffer in this kind, he shall ride parallel in the triumphant Chariot of honour with those great worthies of the world, Calvin, Luther, and Austin; yea with the Apostle Paul himself; nay, with the great Lord of all the Apostles & Patriarchs, the Lord Christ himself, blessed for ever. See the 4, 5, and 6 pages of his Preface. But poor man! little doth he consider, how diametrally opposite he is in his cause and course, both to Christ and Paul; and how unlike those other men. Was either Paul or Christ, of his occupation? did they spend their time, or engage their friends, in gathering up vagrant, loose, scandalous and lying reports against the Saints, and servants of God, under the names of Sectaries, to bless the vanity and wickedness of the world with the venting of them? Did Paul or Christ, set their faces like an Adamant, to inflame and set on fire the Powers of this world, with hatred, bitterness and bloodiness of spirit, against the sons and daughters of God, though full of weakness, and unworthy in the highest? Or did they importune and clamour upon the secular arm, even to the wearying of it, to avenge them on their adversaries; and little less than threaten those in place and authority, if they would not comport with them in their carnal ends and desires, and lift up their iron rod to break their enemies in pieces like a potter's vessel? This, (saith Christ to the Jews, speaking of their murderous attempts against him) this did not Abraham 
a Joh. 8. 40. . Nor did the Lord Christ, or his blessed Apostle any of the things mentioned: but whether Mr. Edw. hath done any thing else (almost) either in his Lion, or in his bear, I mean either in his antapology, or in his Gangrene, especially in this latter, I appeal to the judgements and consciences of all, that either have, or shall please diligently to peruse them, and withal have but their wits and senses free from classic bands. When the Lord Christ was solicited by some of his disciples, and that by those whom he loved best, to call for fire from Heaven to consume those that would not receive him, he turned himself, and rebuked them, telling them that they knew not what spirit they were of. Whereas Mr. Edwards calls and cries, might and main, for fire from Hell to destroy, not those who refuse to receive the Lord Christ, but such as do receive him with all their hearts, and with all their souls, only because their faces are not instantly set to receive the Traditions of his Discipline and Doctrine; and yet conceits that he knows well enough of what spirit he is, making no question for conscience sake, but that it is Heavenly. And for Paul, we know he burned (viz. grief and sorrow) when any Christian, though never so weak, was but offended: his Doctrine and desire was, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men: for Kings and all that are in authority, that we [Christians & believers, of what judgement soever, for he excludes none] may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 
b 2 Tim. 2. 12. . But Mr. Edwards is so far from burning when weak Christians are offended, that he is offended, when they burn not. His Doctrine, practice, and desire is, that supplications and prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks, be made for, and to, Kings and all in authority, that Christians and believers may either not live at all, or at least be so far from leading quiet and peaceable lives in godliness and honesty, as to have their faces ground, and their bones broken, and their hearts filled with heaviness, unless they will receive the clergy-classic Faith, as well as the Faith of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. O miserable man! who shall deliver him from this dangerous snare of death; I mean of conceiting himself like unto Paul and Jesus Christ, in the course he steers against Sects and Errors! And as for Calvin, Luther, and Austin, though these had much more flesh and blood in them, than the two former had; yet for him to strengthen his hand in the way he goes, by their example, is as if a murderer should encourage himself in his way, from the practice of a Surgeon when he lets blood, or the proceedings of a Judge, when he slays a malefactor with a sentence of death. For when, or in what age of the world did any of these spread the world round about them with snares of intelligence, in every place, to catch the failings, and haltings and infirmities of the Saints; and when they had taken a proportion of them, to spread a table with them to entertain and feast the profane world? Especially when did any of these, ever publish such a rhapsody, of loose, light, lying reports and tales, all or the greatest part of them calculated for the shame of the Saints, and glory of the Sons of Belial? Or when did any of them deal so importunely or imperiously with those, whom God had set in authority over them, to crush the generation of the righteous, the lambs of Jesus Christ, under the names of Sectaries, only because in some things they held not conformity in judgement with them? I do not all this while say, that either Mr. Edward's writing, or printing, or preaching, against errors, heresies, or Sectaries, is that, which simply makes him unlike either unto Christ, or Paul, or those others named; for doubtless they did, interpretatively at least, all this; and who hath not engagements upon him, to go thus far both with him and them, if he be able, and hath opportunity? But first, the blaspheming many Truths of God, under the names of errors and heresies (a stone at which his pen frequently dasheth) maketh him extremely unlike unto Christ and Paul; yea and unto those others also, except only in their failings. Secondly, his turning himself, especially with that fierceness of countenance, and furiousness of importunity, upon the civil Magistrate, to provoke men of this Interest, to pour out themselves in wrath and indignation upon all those, whom he thinks good to make Delinquents by his pen. Thirdly, His sending forth of Emissaries (wherein, through a mistake of the word Independents, in stead of Presbyterians, he chargeth the Independents to resemble the Jesuits) to discover, and report unto him, the slips and weaknesses of the servants of God. Fourthly, His inveterateness, and dragon-likeness of spirit, by which he manageth all his endeavours against Errors and Sectaries. Fifthly, His importune confidence, and overgrown presumption of his own parts, learning, knowledge. Sixthly, His drinking in with so much greediness, all, and all manner of reports, that are brought in to him, whether with ground or without, that will but make dirt to throw in the faces of those, whose understandings are either longer or shorter than his, be they otherwise as dear to him whose Name is jealous, as the apple of his eye. Seventhly and lastly, His virulent and viperous design, to preach the nakedness of the Saints, yea the nakedness of vile and unworthy men (I mean their false, base, and putrid suggestions against them) as their nakedness, upon the housetop, and to call upon all the world to hear; these things make him so extremely unlike Jesus Christ, and those others whom he pretends to imitate, that that drop of resemblance wherein he partakes with them, is quite drowned and swallowed up in this Great Ocean of dissimilitude. And let Mr. Edward's know, and let his Conscience and Compeers know, that whatsoever he shall suffer, whether from his Sectaries or others, in this bloody negotiation, he shall suffer not as a Christian, nor with Christ, but as a malefactor and an evil doer.  
But I marvel with what profound Oracle of policy the man 
Sect. 16.  consulted with, about the title of his book, calling it, A Catalogue and discovery of many Errors of the Sectaries. Was it not that tyrannical and bloody principle: Pereant amici, dummodo & inimici una pereant. i. Let friends go to wreck too, so that enemies may but wreck with them. For certainly, by this title he makes Presbyterians Sectaries, as well as any others. Wherein I should not have faulted him, but only to show how that the zeal of High Presbytery, hath eaten him up, and not left him so much of himself, as wherewith to know his friends from his enemies. For if men be therefore Sectaries, because they hold such opinions, as he rallieth in his Catalogue under the Name of Errors, I know many Presbyterian Sectaries. First, for that which he makes the 104 error in his Catalogue, viz. that paedobaptism is unlawful, it is sufficienrly known, that the strongest shield and buckler wherewith that cause was ever protected, was the workmanship of a Presbyterian hand. So for that opinion, that there is no Scripture against a man's being often baptised (mentioned in the 110th place) it calls a Presbyterian, Master. That the calling and making of Ministers of the Word and Sacraments, are not jure divino, &c. which is the 116th. That there is no distinction concerning Government of Ecclesiastical & Civil, &c. (the 141.) are the opinions of one, who professeth himself to be no Separatist ᵃ, and then I know not by Mr. Edward's principles, 
Compassion. Samaritan. p. 4  to make him any thing but a Presbyterian.  
I know divers of the Presbyterian judgement, as well Regular as Secular, that own the 70th error▪ (so called, or miscalled rather;) viz. That faith in a proper sense is imputed in justification, and that Christ's righteousness (i● his active obedience) is not imputed (in the formality of it) in justification; though for his {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} credere, it is a patch of his own piecing to the opinion, and is no expression of theirs, who otherwise are not ashamed of the opinion. To pass by many others of like patronage and relation; that which he cataloguizeth for the 64. viz. this, That natural men may do such things, as whereunto God hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation: and that if men improve their natural abilities to the utmost in seeking grace, they shall find it. I desire to be informed by any understanding man, whether there be not every inch, yea every jot and tittle of the substance of it, asserted by a great Doctor (while he lived) of the Presbyterian school, and who being dead, yet speaketh much for that way. I mean Mr. John Ball, in his Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, not long since published by M. Simeon Ash. The said Treatise being further subscribed and recommended unto the world by five great Masters of the Assembly itself, all of them of intemerated fidelity to the Presbyterian Cause; viz. Mr. Edward Reynolds, Mr. Daniel Cawdrey, Mr. Edmond Calamy, Mr. Thomas Hill, Mr. Anthony Burges. In this passage (p. 44.) of the said Treatise, No man is hindered from believing through the difficulty or unreasonableness of the command, or through his own simple infirmity, as being willing and desirous to believe, but not able, (which inability deserves pity) but his inability is of corruption and wilfulness: he doth not believe because he will not: he is unable because he doth not covet or desire, which is inexcusable.  
Doubtless, if no man be hindered from believing, either through the difficulty of the command, or through his own infirmity; and all the reason why a man doth not believe, is, because he will not, natural men by improving their abilities to the uttermost, may believe, and consequently do that, whereunto God hath by way of promise annexed grace and acceptation. For hath he not promised, that he that believes shall be saved? or doth not salvation amount to as much, or more, than grace and acceptation? And if men should improve their natural abilities to the uttermost, and yet not to be able to believe, the reason why they do not believe, cannot be said to be this, Because they will not: for their will in this case puts forth itself to the uttermost, in engaging men to such an improvement of their abilities. So doubtless the same errror (if an error it be) is asserted by Paulus Testardus, Pastor to the reformed Church of Bloys in France, in a Tract called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}, seu Synopsis Doctrine de Natura & Gratia, published not simply by the permission or licence, but ex mandato, by the command of a whole Synod of the Reformed Churches in the Province of Orleans, p. 91. Thesi 121. where he saith, that God in all the three ways or methods of calling sinners unto salvation (which he had opened before) doth not only show unto the sinner what he should, or aught to do, but gives power to all that are invited or called, to perform and do it, and so to be saved if they will. So that if even he that is called only in the most general manner of all, be not saved, he is inexcusable before God. This Paul expressly teacheth, That (saith he) which may be known of God, is made manifest in them (namely the Gentiles,) for God hath made it manifest unto them, that they might be without excuse before him. But certainly (he infers) excusable they had been, if they had been fully willing to do it, and only wanted power 
a Quod in omnibus vocandi rationibus Deus peccatori, quid debeat non modo oftendit, sed & omni invitato, vocato det posse illud praestare, & salvari, si velit: adeo ut si non salvatur is, qui generalissimâ tantum ratione invitatus est, sit prorfus inexcusabilis coràm Deo. Id expresse docet Paulus. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} (inquit) {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} manifestum factum est in ipsis, (Gentilibus scilicet) Deus enim manifestum fecit, &c. ita utinexcusabiles ipsi sint. At certè, si, etsi maximè voluissent, non potuissent, fuissent excusabiles, &c. Paulus Testardus, Eiren. p. 91. Thesi 121. : with more of like importance in the seqeul of the same Thesis. So that if M. Edw. will make this an error, and a brand of a Sectary, to hold, That a man by the uttermost improvement of his natural abilities, may do that, whereunto God by promise hath annexed Grace and Acceptation (though all this while I do not say that I own the opinion) he will involve one whole Synod, not only with the guilt of the error (which is less,) but of an authoritative command, to have the error both printed and published, which is enough to separate between all Synods, and their authority and esteem for ever; yea, and make the crown of orthodoxism to fade and languish upon the head of our present Assembly, by arraigning five of the principal members of it at once, as men tainted with the errors of the Sectaries of the time. Therefore let him either strike these opinions mentioned (with many others) out of his Catalogue of errors, or else let him number his own party amongst the Sectaries.  
To draw towards a conclusion; I shall put a measuring Reed 
Sect. 17.  into the hand of the Reader, wherewith to measure the truth and honesty of the Gangrene and her Author, from the one end of both unto the other, made of a straight observation of some crooked passages and relations in the Gangrene, ready to stink for want of the salt of truth. I shall begin with such particulars as concern myself, and close with others of another aspect and relation.  
First, though he doth not set my name in the margin against 
Sect. 18.  his 70th error, (p. 25.) as he had done a little before in the same page against another, yet his intent clearly enough was (and I think himself will not deny it) to arraign the opinion held by me concerning the imputation of faith, and non-imputation of Christ's righteousness in justification, in my Treatise upon that subject, entitled, Imputatio fidei, for an error 
a Pag. 128. he talks of far smaller errors in justification than mine. . Now how falsely and forgingly he represents the opinion, appears first, in that he fathers that mongrel expression, {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} credere upon it, only because it is an expression ad invidiam comparata, but nowhere used by me throughout the controversy: yea, p. 91. of the former part of that Treatise Sect. 3. I expressly deny that Faith justifieth as it is an act. Secondly, in that he makes this opinion to say, That the righteousness of Christ is not imputed in justification. Whereas I expressly affirm, (p. 54. of the second part of the Treatise) that in a sense (which I there explain) as well the habitual holiness of Christ's person, as the moral righteousness, or active obedience of his life, may be said to be imputed to those that believe in him. And very often in the said Treatise, upon occasion, I declare in what sense I admit, as well as in what sense I refuse the righteousness or active obedience of Christ in justification. I suppose he is not himself a son of that profound ignorance, as to hold, that the righteousness of Christ (as he calls it, whether meaning▪ his active or passive obedience, or both) is in every sense imaginable imputed in justification; and yet it's ill presuming of overmuch understanding (especially in the point of justification) in him, who going about to rectify the mistakes of others, shall himself affirm, That the redemption and reconciliation purchased by Christ, is the moving and meritorious cause of our justification and salvation: and that the instrumental cause whereby the same is imputed, is the blood of Christ. Of which▪ atheological and putrid assertions, who would have thought that the great Aristarchus of the errors & heresies of the times, could have been the Author and Assertor, had not Mistress Gangraena in the margin of her 22. page betrayed him? But if he, only denying the imputation of Christ's righteousness in justification in one sense, but asserting it in another, should be simply and indefinitely charged to deny it, would think the charge base and unjust (as indeed he should have cause to do,) he himself must bow down his back to the same burden, and be content to be looked▪ upon as a man of this baseness, until he hath made his atonement with God and men for it. Ex ungue leonem. You may by this one instance judge with what truth or honesty he hath laid down the rest of the opinions in his Catalogue. Well may he call them errors, when once he hath lift up his pen upon them. Forgery hath a mischievous omnipotency, and is able to create what errors or heresies she pleaseth.  
Again, p. 45. he chargeth Mr. John Goodwin, that in his point 
Sect. 19  of justification, he quotes Calvin, Bucer, and others, who are known ex professo to be of another judgement. Surely the man is not either so simple, or free from the guilt of false speaking in this assertion, as his words bear. Doubtless he doth not intend to make it a matter of charge against a man, in the handling of a controversy, to quote Authors who are known ex professo to be of a judgement differing from his. How many doth himself quote in his Gangrene upon as deplorable terms as these? But the man's meaning is, if he knew how to get it out, that Mr. J. G▪ in his point of justification, quotes Calvin, Bucer, and others, as being of the same judgement with him, who are known ex professo to be of another judgement, If this be his sense and charge, either he shows himself to be a very illiterate man, and not able to construe a piece of plain Latin; or else charges Calvin, Bucer, & the reft, with being of a judgement as contrary to themselves as to me. If he can construe Latin, let him confess in English whether Calvin be ex profess of a differing judgement from me in the point of justification, in these passages following (to omit very many others of the same import.) x autem justiciam in se repositam non habeant homines, imputatione have adipiscuntur, quia Deus fidem illis fert acceptam pro justiciâ, Calvin in Gal. 3. 6. And again, Quare Abraham credendo nihil aliud quam oblatam sibi gratiam amplectitur, ne irrita sit. Si HOC illi imputatur in justiciam, sequitur non aliter esse justum, nisi quia Dei bonitate consisus, omnia ab ipso sperare audet, Calv. in Rom. 4. 3. FIDES reputatur IN justiciam, non quod ullum à nobis meritum afferat, sed quia Dei bonitatem apprehendat. Ibidem. Yet again: Quibus etiam verbis do●emur, iusticiam Paulo nihil aliud esse quàm remissionem peccatorum. Calvin Rom. 4. 6. Manet ergo salva nobis pulcherrima sententia, iustificari hominem fide, quia gratuita peccatorum remissione coram Deo purgatus sit. Ibid. Abraham fidem habuit Jehova: & reputavit id ei iusticiam: hoc est, habuit ei pro iusticia HANC FIDEM. Credendo igitur id accepit, ut Deus eum pro iusto haberet. Bucer Rom. 4. 3. I forbear to English these passages, because I desire to make an experiment upon Mr. Edwards, whether he be able to do it, or no. If he shall publicly acknowledge that he hath abused both me and himself, and many more, in charging me with quoting Authors for me, who are known ex professo to be of another judgement, I shall conceive the better hopes of some competency of a Latin faculty in him; but if he shall stand to avouch a charge of so palpable and manifest untruth, to them that understand the author's language 
a The Reader for his further satisfaction about Calvin's judgement in this controversy, is earnestly desired to peruse the 11th chapter, as also the 5, 6, & 7. Sections of the fift chapter of the first part of my Treatise of Justification. , I profess ingenuously that I know no reason but to judge him uncapable of the English sense of a Latin sentence. But whether Calvin, Bucer, and those other he speaks of, quoted by me in my point of Justification, be of the same judgement or no, with me in the point, let neither me, nor he, nor Mr Roborough be Judges, (for we very possibly may all be partial) but let us refer the decision to two sufficient men, and without exception, both for learning, and integrity, and knowledge of the case, the one a foreign Divine, some years since at rest with God, never known to me; the other a neighbour Minister indeed, and of the Assembly itself, but between whom and myself, there was never any acquaintance, beyond a casual interview, and the exchange of a few words of course. The former of the two is David Pareus, sometimes chief Professor of divinity in the university in Heidelburgh: who in his Tract concerning the Active and Passive righteousness of Christ, having laid down his judgement (in the controversy depending) thus, (pag. 176.) that remission of sins for the satisfaction of Christ imputed to us, is our whole and entire Justification, and argued accordingly (pag. 177.) in the following page, addeth as followeth; I might here produce the Authorities of the Fathers, who likewise place our righteousness (meaning, in Justification) in the alone forgiveness of sins for the death of Christ: and accordingly citys several testimonies out of Austin, Oecumenius, and Ambrose. And immediately after these testimonies, thus; I might also allege the consent of Luther, Melancthon, Zuinglius, Oecolampadius, Calvin, Bullinger, Martyr, Musculus, Hyperius, Vrsine, Olenian, &c. from whose doctrine in the point of Justification, I do not vary a nail's breadth. So that the light of this man's reading and judgement together, could discover no other opinion touching the formal cause of Justification, either in the Fathers, or any of the chief Protestant Writers in his time, but that it should stand only in remission of sins. The latter of the two mentioned is, Mr Thomas Gataker, a man of approved learning and integrity amongst us: who in Mr An. Wotton's Defence against Mr Walker's charge, lately published in Print by him, acknowledgeth (p. 58.) that however he for his part deemeth it erroneous (and so do I too, taking the word Justification in that large sense which it seemeth he doth where he argueth against the opinion, as viz. in his Animadversions upon the disputes between Piscator and Lucius, p. 9 Besides sundry other places) to hold that Justification consisteth in remission of sins, yet that Calvin, Beza, Olenian, Vrsine, Zanchie, Piscator, Pareus, Musculus, Bullinger, Fox, and divers others of great note and name, yea whole Synods of ours are found so to say: adding further, And yet were these men never yet, that I ever heard or read, for so saying, condemned as heretics, much less as blasphemous heretics, but had in high esteem, as their worth, parts, and works well deserved, by those that therein dissented from them. I trust the servant is not greater than his Master; nor the authority of the Clerk, equal to that of the Justice of Peace. If Mr. Gataker hath spoken, I hope Mr. Roborough will hold his peace. And since two such men, as David Pareus and Mr. Thomas Gataker, have so clearly and confidently affirmed, every mouth (I trust) of clamour and contradiction will from henceforth be stopped. For in the mouth of two or three witnesses (saith the Divine Law itself) shall every word be established 
a Deut 19 15. 2 Cor. 13. 1. &c. One affirmative testimony is more valid in Law, than many negative. : Yea I am not without some hope, but that Mr. Thomas Edwards himself, may in time be reduced, though I know that in clamorous and aspersive bickerings, he emulates the glory of that martial zeal which was in him, who still affected to appear,  Primus inire manu, postremus ponere bellum, i▪ The first to fight, and last to quit the field. 
Pag. 45. he affirms, that quoting his antapology, and citing the 
Sect. 20.  former part of the sentence, I leave out the latter; adding this palpable untruth; that had I but named it, it would have been an evident confutation of me. I clearly proved (Sect. 13. of this Answer) that the latter part of the sentence he speaks of, especially construed with the former part which I cite, is absolute and complete nonsense. And was any man ever evidently confuted in evident nonsense? except it be in such a sense, as he that drinks puddle water, confutes him that chooseth rather to drink at the clear fountain or stream.  
Pag. 67. he chargeth his Sectaries or Independents, that they use to 
Sect. 21.  give great and glorious Names, and swelling titles to their books, as (for instance) Innocency and Truth Triumphing together, &c. I perceive by his aggrievement at this title, first, that if High presbytery be advanced, neither Innocency, nor Truth, are like to triumph: this keen piece of presbytery is not able to bear the mention of such things. Secondly, that matters of Truth any ways tending to the disparagement of Independency, are very rare, and scarce, and not to be had for love or money. For otherwise, (Doubtless) the man would not have played at so small game, would not have strained himself to catch at this fly. As much love as a single halfpenny, would have served to have covered this Transgression. What? not so much liberty meet to be allowed to Independents, as to give what Names they think best to their books, without a synodical debate, and permission? I confess, Gangraena, is no Great or glorious Name, but it is a title swelling with poison, and the gall of asps. But for me, I shall take no offence at it: the proverb is but fulfilled, Similes habent labra lactucas; like lips, like lettuces. Both title and book (I presume) are savoury meat to those for whom they were prepared, and such as their soul's love, as marrow and fatness. But what reason he hath to call innocency and Truth Triumphing together, either a great and glorious Name, or swelling Title, we desire to gather from the Tree of paradise the next month of her fructification. In the mean season, Mr Edwards must suffer as an unjust asperser in this charge also.  
Pag. 54. He chargeth Mr. John Goodwin, in a Sermon to have uttered 
Sect. 22.  that against the Parliament, and the power of it, as opens a gap to all slighting of their authority and power: and further addeth, that he believes there was never any such speech from any before himself. But first, if any such gap (as he speaks of) be opened, I know no wild beasts that have broken in at it, but some such Presbyterians, who (as I hear) demanded, What hath the Parliament to do with Inferior Courts? And who charge some of the worthy members thereof, to be heretical and factious; yea ninnies and grolls, and men that have no more wit, then will reach from their nose to their mouth, and are only sensible. I confess in respect of such Presbyterian spirits as these, there had need be no gap opened to the slighting of parliamentary authority and power: and that the Parliament itself had need keep power out of such hands, which without it know how to be Imperious enough. But secondly, it is so far from being true, that I in the Sermon he speaks of, have uttered any thing against the Parliament or power of it; much more, any thing which opens any gap to all slighting of their authority and power; that he himself in this charge against me, dasheth his foot against the stone he speaks of. For first, that which he insinuates as uttered by me of such a consequence, is nothing else but manifest and clear truth; yea and hath passed the trial of Presbyterian fire itself, and is come forth in full weight, without suffering the least damage or detriment by it. Secondly, most certain it is, that no Truth whatsoever hath any prejudicial or endamaging influence upon any just and lawful authority; for God is not divided in, or against himself. Therefore he that shall affirm, that any authority or power whatsoever, is any ways endangered, prejudiced, or disparaged by any Truth, doth by an unavoidable consequence, deny that authority or power to be lawful, or from God. Nor could Mr. Edward's lightly have uttered any thing, that would have struck more dangerously at the very root of all parliamentary authority and power, then to say, that he that speaks the truth, speaks against them, and opens a gap to all slighting of them. But thirdly (and lastly) let Mr. Edwards and his abettors in this charge know, that it is not they who speak the Truth, whether to Parliament or Princes, that open a gap to the slighting of their authority or power; no: but they are the men of this demerit and impiety, who for their own ends flatter them, and have their persons in admiration for advantage; who strain their wits and consciences together, to lift them up nearer to the Heavens than God will bear, that so they may be masters of an opportunity and power, to gratify them in their carnals. And the Truth is, that had not God by more than an ordinary hand of grace, both towards themselves, and towards the Nation, made those honourable and worthy Counsellors, wiser than their Teachers; Satan had a most dangerous advantage against them, to have made them more unwise than their enemies.  
Page 73. He chargeth the Independents, That many of them play at 
Sect. 23.  Cards and Tables, are very loose on the Sabbath days, go to Bowls and other sports on days of public thanksgiving, as Mr. John Goodwin, and several of his Church, &c. Whether his intent be to justify and make good the first and second branches of this charge, viz. the Independents playing at Cards and Tables, and their looseness on the Sabbath days, by the instance of Mr. John Goodwin and several of his Church, I will not determine. Certain I am, that according to the common rules of construction, his words import it, and I believe that not one Reader of ten but so understands him. If this be his sense, abhorred of all men be his lying: for Mr. John Goodwin neither plays at Cards nor at Tables; neither hath he done either since his first coming to the city, nor of many years before; nor doth he know any of his Church addicted to either of these recreations. But however, I marvel the man should think to burden the Independents with these exercises of Cards and Tables, when as it is so generally known, of what light account, and general use they are in the best reformed Presbyterian Churches. And if there be any of the Independent way so much addicted to them, as Mr. Edward's charge seems to import, I believe they are chiefly, if not only, those whom Mr. Edwards calls Malignants, complaining of them for falling to this way; and who lately drank of the same waters of episcopacy with the far greatest part of the Presbyterian party, and now accompany them in their schisming or rending off from that way. And (alas!) who knows not how hard a thing it is for men that have a long time drunk old Wine with their old Friends, presently to drink new?  
For his charge of looseness on the Sabbath days, the net of Independency, like that of the Gospel (as it seems by the many bitter complaints made by Mistress Gangraena in that behalf) gathering fishes of every kind, good and bad 
a Mat. 13. 47▪ 48. , and that in such abundance, as the tenor of the said complaints imports, I am not able to speak for the whole circumference. But for M. I. Goodwin and several of his Church, who are the only persons in whom instance is given to make good the truth of the charge, we desire that when his great labours of pouring out the vial upon the Sun be over, he will please to refresh himself with telling out the story at large, with the particularities of it, viz. on what Sabbath, or Sabbaths it was, whether before Saint Jeffrey or after, that either himself or his Informers saw that looseness in Mr. John Goodwin and several of his Church, and what looseness it was, and who of his Church they were, that transgressed this transgression with him. For my part, I shall not go about to justify myself, or all of my Church from more looseness than well becomes us, on such days; but I know no looseness comparable to that, when Ministers of the Gospel, (whether such, or so called by themselves) shall take liberty under the name of preaching to vent vagrant, loose, light, lying tales and reports, on purpose to defame the good ways and servants of God; or else to make loud challenges to all the world, to make good what they deliver, and yet shrink and decline the encounter with a few plain conscientious men. Doubtless neither Mr. John Goodwin, nor any of his Church, ever trespassed the trespass of any such looseness as this on any Sabbath day; nor of any other equal in demerit to it.  
But though he should cavil himself off from the charge of charging, either Mr. John Goodwin or any of his Church, either with playing at Cards and Tables, or with looseness on Sabbath days, yet he must own the charging of them with going to bowls, and other sports, on days of public thanksgiving. Therefore, first, because he speaks of days in the plural number, as of many; we desire him, that in the next return of his monthly course upon him, he will throughly purge himself from all malignancy in this particular of his charge, by naming those days of public thanksgiving wherein this heinous offence (but against no commandment or law, either of God or Man) was committed. We cannot allow it, no not by his own law for a sufficient come-off, to say that on such a day of public thanksgiving, the men impeached trespassed the said impeachment, except he can give instance of the pretended miscarriage in more days than one, of that denomination. For himself in his antapology, p. 54. quarrels with his You five (as ever and anon he calls the Apologists) only for saying, that some of their brethren in their printed books do candidly testify of them; telling them (by way of reproof, and charge of untruth in their Assertion) that it is but one of them, not some that do so testify. Therefore by his own rule, an assertion of the plural number cannot be justified by a single instance or example of what is plurally asserted. And yet who knows not the very law of Nature allows a man a greater indulgence of phrase and expression in his own purgation, than it doth in charging or impeaching others?  
Secondly, we desire of our grand-accuser, the next time he comes amongst us with his monthly visitation, to let the world know, what other sports they are that Mr. John Goodwin, and some of his Church use to go unto on days of public thanksgiving, besides bowls: they are not conscious to themselves of transgressing either in bowls or in any other sports on such days.  
Thirdly (and lastly) we desire of him for the further vindication of himself in this charge, when it shall next be with him after the manner aforesaid, that he will please to speak it out, that the world may hear, on what day of public Thanksgiving, about what time or hour of the day, whether forenoon, or afternoon; whether in the morning, or in the evening it was that Mr. John Goodwin, with several of his Church went, or on such days are wont to go to bowls and other sports. For if it were on the evening of such a day, that the deed was done, it is no clean strain to say it was done in the day itself, especially except some notice were given in the margin, that he chargeth by the day natural, not artificial. And besides, if it proves but an evening transgression▪ the constant practice of the gravest Presbyterians themselves, going to see the Fire works usually made in several places of the city, on every fifth of November, being the most ancient, and honourable day of public thanksgiving unto the Nation, will be an abundant atonement for it.  
But (Reader) that thou Mayst understand ab ovo ad mala, from the top to the toe, the nature and tenor of that grand delinquency in point of looseness, which is here charged upon Mr. John Goodwin and several of his Church, the story truly and briefly is this: upon the day ordered by Authority for public Thanksgiving unto God for his gracious and good hand upon the new model in the victory at Nazeby the last Summer, having preached somewhat long, and to weariness in Michael's Cornhill in the forenoon, and being hereby somewhat indisposed to further labour that day, I kept my house privately in the afternoon, till about five or six of the clock. At which time two of the brethren coming in, and finding me in no better posture, desired me to walk out a little into the fields with them, suggesting that a walk in the fresh air might do me some good. So a walk we took, the season being pleasant and fair; and having walked about a quarter of a mile, or very little more, and being now upon returning, one of those that were with me told the other and myself, that if we thought good to ease ourselves a little before we returned, there was a garden-house of a friend of his (a man familiarly known also to myself and the other, though of a differing judgement from us in point of discipline) near at hand, and that if we pleased we might step in thither, and repose ourselves for a while. Coming into the garden, we betook ourselves to an Arbour, and there fate about half an hour. During which time (and I know not how long before) there was a company playing at bowls in a little Alley in the Garden; whom (I presume) we shall not wrong in case we judge them Presbyterians, though (I confess) we did not examine them upon the point. But before this company had given over their exercise, there came into the Garden to us some more of our acquaintance, some of them of our, others of them of M. Edward's judgement in point of Church-government. When the company that all this while had been bowling, quit their ground, one in our company, (I remember not who, or of what judgement) asked me if I would not stir myself a little by casting a bowl before I went home. The motion being made, and the rest inclining to it, we went, whether 6 or 8, of us, I do not remember; but that the one part was Presbyterian, and the other Independent, I perfectly remember, and betook ourselves for about half an hour to the exercise; the Sun by this time being either down, or very near it; and so returned home. This is the story of that drop of water which M. Edwards hath got upon the tip of his finger to cool his tongue, being (as it seems) grievously tormented in the flames of passion and indignation, that the world should no more wonder after the Presbyterians for holiness and religion, then to think that the Independents had equal part and fellowship with them therein.  
But let us animadvert a few things upon the story before we leave it. First, it is very observable that the man, who (it seems) holds correspondency with the world, and with all parts in the kingdom, to receive intelligence of all the miscarriages and undue deportments of all such as are independently given, is notwithstanding necessitated for the carrying up his great design of their defamation, to article against them supposed miscarriages and misdemeanours, in stead of those that are truly and really such. Mr. Edwards I presume knows, that where there is no Law, there is, there can be, no sin, no transgression 
a Rom. 4. 15. : For that sin (all sin) is a transgression of some Law 
b 1 John 3. 4. . Now then till Mr. Edward's shall produce some law either of God or Man, against which Mr. John Goodwin and those of his Church he speaks of, trespassed in bowling as aforesaid, (which I know he will not be able to do till the day after doomsday) it must be acknowledged that all their offence and miscarriage therein, amounts to no more, then only to an unhappy occasion of causing Mr. Edwards to give testimony unto them, whilst his heart was up to dishonour them.  
Secondly, it is considerable, that as there were some of Mr. John Goodwins Church: so there were some (and, as I remember, more) of Mr. Edward's his Church also, (I mean of the Church of England) who were involved in that innocent transgression of playing at bowls; yea, the owner of the Garden and Alley, a godly and honest man, and competently warm in the Presbyterian 
The Proverb saith, Is is an evil bird that defileth his own nest.  way, was partaker with them in the supposed oversight. But (as was said before) his maxim is, Pereant amici dummodo & inimiciuna pereant. Let us bespatter our enemies, what ever becomes of our friends.  
Thirdly, for myself, I neither so much as handled a bowl for many months, (I think I might truly say, for some years) before; nor have I done it since: nor would I then have drunk this cup of cold water, could I have thought the weakness of any brother so great, as to be offended at it. But now perceiving the Presbyterian weakness to be so excessively and importunely great as it is, I do hereby, in the word of a Minister of the Gospel, secure Mr. Edwards, and all his tender retinue, that I will drink no more any such waters, I mean cast a bowl on a day or night of public thanksgiving, whilst the world stands, lest I should offend them. But  
Fourthly, if I had a mind to demand a tooth for a tooth, I could call some Presbyterian stars by their names, and those of the first magnitude, who upon a day of public thanksgiving, fell every whit as far from heaven, as Mr. I. Goodwin and those of his Church did. Yea, if you sift the Doctorate itself of the Assembly, I believe you will find a man dropping through your sieve, who with three more (of his com-or sub-Presbyters rather, four Ministers in all) consecrated the greater part (if not the whole) of an afternoon upon a public thanksgiving day, to a service that had no more Religion in it, than the fisherman's daily occupation and employment: nor did their exercise (it seems) receive any great testimony from heaven, they ate but very little of the labour of their hands; two Roaches (as saith the History) being all that Providence and they could agree upon for the reward of their afternoon service. But Presbyterians (I perceive) have a privilege asserted to steal horses, without sin: but poor Independents must not have so much as a Toleration to look on. And if Mr. Edwards will not take fair warning when it is given him, and give over telling tales of Independents, I know who is resolved to sift the forementioned heap yet nearer to the bran: and to make the world judge, whether Presbyterian mistakes in the night, be not far worse than Independent bowlings on days (or evenings rather) of public Thanks givings. Yea I know who hath a story of a Presbyterian Angel, which doth but wait for the opening of Mr. Edward's mouth in reproaches and slanders against his Independent Brethren the second time, to clap into it, and stop it for ever. Yea I myself have a Manuscript by me, which came to my hands above a year since, concerning Mr. Edwards himself; which discourseth his juggling and indirect walking between the two towns of Godalmin in Surrey, and Dunmow in Essex. The writing will be attested by good hands: and if there be no remedy, will be content to submit itself to the press. In the mean time, how woeful and sad is the method, wherein the case depending between Presbytery and Independency, must now (it seems) through Mr. Edward's his horrid and portentous proceedings, be argued and debated through! the arguments on both sides being only or chiefly, firebrands of Reproaches and Defamations, thrown in faces of the one side by the other. So that that way of the two, which is able to render the sons of her competitress most odious and hateful unto the world, must sit as Queen, and wear the crown. Mr. Edwards by the method, wherein he hath begun to plead the cause of Presbytery, and threatens to proceed, hath devoted the Names and reputations of all of his own party, at least of such of them as are any ways obnoxious, to the universal abhorring both of the present, and future ages. Therefore it concerns all Presbyterians in general, and the Doctorage of this way more particularly, that are any ways conscious, to heal the Gangrene of his pen, & to restrain the further spreading of it: otherwise their Names and Reputations are but so many dead corpses.  
5. Whilst Mr. Edwards so conscientiously refraineth from casting a bowl upon the evening of a thanksgiving day, and takes liberty to recreate himself with revilings and bitter speakings against the ways and servants of God in the heart and strength of such days, (as his manner is too too frequently to do) doth he not strain out gnats, and swallow camels? and run parallel in practice with those Priests & people, who refused to go into the common hall, left they should be defiled 
a Joh. 18. 28. ; but feared no defilement from prosecuting that Just One, even unto death? Yea doth he not by such distinctions as these, imitate the temper and spirit of the goddess Diana among the Heathen, who (as Iphigenia in Euripides saith of her) was wont to drive from her altar, as unclean, whoever did but touch a woman in childbed, or a person slain; and yet delighted to have men slain in sacrifice unto her?  
6. (And lastly) May it not be some Question, whether the particularity of that day of public Thanksgiving, wherein Mr. Edwards finds Mr. John Goodwin and some of his Church so tardy, might not occasion him to sift the Independents more narrowly on that day, then on many others? It was said of King Philip, that though he loved the treason, yet he hated the traitor. So we have many spirits amongst us who love victories, and yet do little less than hate the victors, I mean those by whom it pleaseth God to give many of these unto them. Mr. Edward's administers a strong ground of suspicion, that he himself is a man of this dark complexion, in the last page (save one) of his Dedicatory Epistle, where, having first stripped himself naked of all principles of reason and ingenuity, he thus shamelessly bespeaks the two Honourable Houses of Parliament. And who knows but that all these victories are sent to take away all excuse, to answer this objection, and to encourage you to this work? The work he speaks of, and whereunto he supposes that no man can be ignorant, but that the Parliament are encouraged from God by those many victories which he hath given them, is (as appears by the tenor and strain of the whole Epistle) the crushing and utter undoing of all those, whose consciences cannot submit to the laws of Presbytery in all things appertaining to God. So then, it being generally known, that many considerable persons, whom God hath honoured, by making them eminently instrumental in the victories he speaks of, cannot presbyterialize in things of God; that which he saith to the Parliament in the words mentioned, being interpreted, is this; Who knows but that the many victories, which God hath given you, were intended by him as a means of encouragement unto you, to quash and crush the greatest part of those men, who were signally instrumental and serviceable both to God and them in the obtaining of them, together with all those that adhere in judgement to them in the land. Now the spirit of the man being so extremely incomportable with the honour, comfort, or peace of many of those who were prime Actors in the service at Naseby, lest the valour and faithfulness of these men being commended by God unto the Nation with such remarkable success, should plead with too nigh an hand the goodness of the way wherein they serve and worship God, in the minds and thoughts of the generality of men, he (probably) conceived that the best way to prevent this misery from coming upon him, was to inquire out how men professing the same way with them, behaved themselves on that day, whereon public thanks were to be given unto God for that victory: that so in case any unseemly or unworthy thing could be found out and charged upon any of them, as on this day, the divulging of it, might help to break the strength and interest of that other plea in the minds of men.  
Page 70. He observes, that two of my children were taken away by the 
Sect. 24.  plague of pestilence, upon the making my house a meeting for the Sectaries. That two of my children were taken away, by that hand of God he speaks of, others so reporting it besides Mr. Edwards, (for touching the manner or means of their taking away, I know nothing but by report, myself having been far absent several weeks, when God took them away) I shall not deny. And if he had stayed his pen and closed the period here, he had wrought little less than a miracle; for he had uttered one whole sentence of Truth. But now he may take up the poet's lamentation; Sed mea me in culpam nimirùm fata trahebant: the spirit that attends him, (it seems) envied him the crown of that glory. For in saying, that this was done upon making my house a meeting for the Sectaries, he makes the sentence like unto its fellows, I mean void of Truth. For first, my house is a solid substance; whereas Mr. Edward's meeting is a fluid accident. I never heard of an house, that was made a meeting till now. And if mine be transformed into such a thing, doubtless Mr. Edwards hath done it by some magic incantation; I have done no such thing to it myself. But it is the man's unhappiness to be ever and anon tardy, in nonsense, as well as in non-truth.  
2. If his meaning be, that I have made a meeting place of it, whether for Sectaries, or whosoever, he doth not herein neither nick the Truth. For if by my house, he means, my dwelling house, consisting of that building and rooms, wherein I keep and converse daily with my family, (which is the ordinary acception of the word) this is no ways altered by me since my coming to it. Or  
3. If his meaning be, that I have ordered and disposed some part of the buildings which I have hired, with an intent to have Sectaries meet there; neither yet doth the man or his meaning agree with the Truth. I confess one room in these buildings, is ordered with an intent that such persons who think it worth their time to attend my ministry, whether Presbyterians or others, may be some ways accommodated to partake thereof. But that I ever made it, or intended to make it, a meeting-place for Sectaries, well may it be one of Mr Edward's assertions, but Truth it is none. Nor do I know any sort of persons that ever met in it yet, that any whit more deserve the denomination of Sectaries, than the Presbyterians themselves. But  
4. (And lastly) If the man's meaning be, (which is simply the best construction can be made of his words) that I have permitted and given way, that some part of the buildings which I have taken, should be used by such persons, as in his miscarrying dialect are called Sectaries, to meet in; neither will this relieve him against the habituated foulness of his pen, or make the sentence clean. For it was not upon that permission or grant of mine, that my two children were taken away, nor yet upon the furnishing of the room for conveniency of meeting, (for the Sectaries he speaks of, both Presbyterians & others, had met therein several times before the least hair of the heads of either of the children fell to the ground) but it was upon my deserting and disuse of it for a longer time, than God (it seems) was well pleased with; at least if I should look upon the taking them away, as a stroke of anger or displeasure from God. But as touching the Providence itself about my children, whether I should look upon it as having more of mercy, or more of judgement in it, I am not satisfied to this day. Though the children (I confess) were dear unto me, & their lives very desirable, upon hopes that God (howsoever) would have provided for them, if he had thought it meet they should live; yet considering that the best part of that livelihood and means of subsistence which I had, was by a strong hand taken from me, I could not so much look upon the taking of them away by God, as a taking them away from me, as from that misery, whereunto the undeserved hatred and injustice of my Presbyterian neighbours, in wresting and detaining my means from me, had exposed them. Men took away my means; and God made up the breach (in part) by diminishing my charge. Neither were they taken away alone: there was a greater number of children taken away out of a Prebyterian family near to them, by the same hand of God; where yet there was no meeting-place made for Sectaries. And besides, I could soon be out of Mr. Edward's debt for this story concerning two of my children being taken away; by telling him of three Grave men (and two of them Great) who were principal Actors in my troubles and ejection, taken away by death since the good service they did to the Presbyterian party in that transaction. God hath cut off both head and tail of those my adversaries: But I leave Mr Edw. to make observations upon it: for my part, I make none.  
I have now perfected reckonings and accounts between Mr. Edwards 
Sect. 25.  and myself, and have set straight the foul errors and falsifications of his books in these. I have yet another small parcel of accounts to clear with him in the behalf of others: and by that time I shall have issued these, though I shall be very brief in this transaction, yet I fear I shall make him uncapable of any Quietus est for ever. For doubtless the man hath sold himself to write all, and all manner of untruths that he can but scrapple together, from what mouths or tongues or pens he cares not, so they be but Presbyterian in their constitution, and carry any antipathy in them either to the honour or peace of independency. I presume that Mris Gangraena hath not as yet paid me the tith or tenth part of her forgeries: it is like in time she will be more honest in this, and I shall receive knowledge of the whole substance of her iniquity.  
I shall begin this latter account, where Mr. Edward's well-nigh 
Sect. 26.  makes an end; with a story related by him in the very last leaf, (save one) of his book, viz. p. 181. concerning one Cousins of Rocbester in Kent. By the way, if the common Proverb, which saith, That the best is at the bottom, takes place in his book; forgery of forgeries, and all is forgery, all over it. For in this Relation, (by which you may judge both of those many that go before it, and those few that follow after it) there are well-nigh, quot verba, tot mendacia: and yet even this also hath this banner of confidence displayed before the face of it; I was informed for certain: upon which preface we shall animadvert presently.  
First, His Relation here reports, that one Cousins of Rochester in Kent, that Jesus Christ was a Bastard. Hoc primum: let this be the first lie in this Catalogue: the man never said it.  
2. This report avoucheth, that the said Cosens said, that if Jesus Christ were upon the Earth again, he would be ashamed of many things he then did. This is another of the same, and the second in order. For neither did the man speak any such words as these; the witness, upon whose single testimony, (originally) both these and the former words were charged upon him, upon reexamination, and that upon oath, before the Committee of the county, waved both the one and the other; as appears by the said Examination under the hand of the Clerk of the said Committee, which I saw & read; and is forthcoming for any man to peruse for his satisfaction.  
3. This Information of Mr. Edwards affirms, that the said Cosens, for the said Blasphemies, was put into prison in Rochester. Keep tale: this is a third stumble. The occasion of the man's imprisonment, was a matter of a quite differing nature; as by inquiry may be found out by any man; though for some reasons the party thinketh not so fit to have it printed.  
4. The said certain Information informeth; that the said Cosens being committed, at the Sessions there came an Order from some in place to the Recorder to release him. score up: this is the fourth word of folly in this Narration. For there came no Order from any in place, nor unto any in place, Recorder or other, for the release of the man; but upon the sight of the forementioned Examination taken upon oath before the Committee, by the Justices, the man was discharged. This untruth may well stand for two (or at least be printed in a capital letter) because men of honour and place are aspersed by it, as if they interposed with their interest or power to obstruct the course of Law and Justice.  
5. The Information now under impeachment, further averreth, that upon the receipt of the said Order, the Recorder a sergeant at Law, and a grave man, used these words; Cosens, know you must shortly come before another Court to answer for these words, where you shall have no Order to release you. tally on: this is a fift (if not a fift and sixt) phib in the Relation. For here is a big lie with a lesser in the belly of it. For, first, the Recorder he speaks of, never, upon no occasion, spoke any such words as these to the man: nor secondly, did he ever receive any such Order, as is here spoken of; and so could not speak, either these words, or any other, upon the receipt of it.  
6. This loud-lying Information, further attests, that this man (Cosens) being at liberty, entertains in his house the Sectaries that come from London, or other places into those parts, as Denne, Lamb, Woodman, &c. Keep tale; this is a sixt flaw (at least) in the certain Information. For the man professeth that he knows no such man, as Woodman; nor that (to his knowledge) he ever saw the face of the man.  
7. (And lastly) The said Presbyterian Information, for uniformity sake, that it may end as it began, affirms (in the close of it) that this Cosens is so bold, that he dares threaten to question and trouble godly Orthodox presbyterial Ministers, and goes to some of their Churches to see if he can get any matter against them: for example, he hath gone to one Mr. Claroes, a godly Minister, and threatened upon hearing him to complain of him, and put in Articles against him. Remember the account: for this is the seventh and eighth time (at least) that the Information prevaricateth with the Truth. For first, the man is so far from daring to threaten to question or trouble any godly Minister whatsoever, that he professeth it to be his judgement, that neither godly, nor ungodly, whether Ministers or others, aught to be questioned or troubled for their judgements in matters appertaining unto God. Therefore secondly, though he confesseth that he went to Mr Clare upon the preaching of a Sermon, and told him that he had not delivered the Truth; yet that he any ways threatened Mr. Clare, he absolutely denieth. I find nothing more to be excepted against in this Information of the 9th of February, as matter of untruth: the reason (I conceive) is, because there is no more of it. This Counter-Information, I had from the mouth of the said Cosens himself, and have the particulars under his hand.  
Now though there be never a sentence (scarce a clause or piece of a sentence) true in all this Relation, yet it hath Mr Edward's seal upon it, and this foundation; I WAS INFORMED FOR CERTAIN: But first, by this speciality of honour, I was informed for certain, bestowed upon this Relation, doth he not plainly grant and imply, that he was informed of many other things in his Gangrene, for uncertain? If he had been informed of the greatest part of them for certain untruths, his Information had been orthodox, and no guile found in the lips of it.  
But secondly, If Mr. Edward's signal and choice reports, of which he was informed for certain, be of so dark and dismal a complexion, that there is scarce so much as one beam, or the least glimmering of the light of Truth in the whole body of some of them, what shall we think of those that have no such image or superscription of confidence upon them? If his Chariots and Horsemen fail, surely his infantry will yield the field.  
3. (And lastly) I would gladly understand, by what character of difference the man discerns between his Informations for certain, and those that are but of vulgar repute with him, and for which he alloweth three grains of non-belief: I suppose such as come from his godly Orthodox Presbyterian Ministers, he holds for certain: those which come from hands whose heads have not been anointed with the hands of Consecration, more ambiguous and doubtful; and yet certain enough to be reported and spread, if their faces be but set against Independency. But who is Mr Edward's godly Orthodox Presbyterian Minister? Is he not such an one, who works stoutly at the forge, and feeds both himself & the world with all manner of scandals and falsehoods against the Independents, without fear? We have reason to judge so by the rule of proportion. For p. 57 he pronounceth a man, a Person Religious, and well-affected to the Parliament, only upon occasion of a Letter written by him, full fraught with false and foul stories and insinuations against his Sectaries; who is looked upon by men as godly, and as judicious as Mr. Edwards, yea and who have better opportunity to know the spirit and ways of the man, in reference to both those particulars, than he; by such (I say) this man is looked upon, as a man no ways deserving either of those commendations, except it be by the figure {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}; as will appear (in part) by a Letter, whereof we shall give a copy before we end.  
You have seen the man like himself in a Kentish story: let us cross the water, and see whether we can find him in any better shape on this side. Pag. 78. & 79. He tells you a long formal story of one Nichols, living about moorfield's, that comes into Stepney-Parish to draw away people: That to Mr. Greenhils' face did justify and maintain many wicked opinions, &c. Upon occasion whereof there was a meeting concluded, and Mr. Greenhill and Mr. Burroughs, with many others, were at it. he tells you further when this meeting was, viz. a little before Mr. Burroughs fell upon the preaching of the power of the Magistrate in matters of Religion. And further adorns the relation with many good words that Mr. Greenhill should speak at this meeting; with others that Mr. Burroughs should speak, as particularly, that in regard of these things, matters being so, there was a necessity both of the government of the Church, and of the power of the Magistrate, &c. As likewise with others that should be spoken by divers others there present. This story is long, and the particular forgeries in it numerous beyond measure. In which respect I shall desire the Reader at his leisure to make the computation, which he may do with exactness enough, if he shall please to compare Mr. Edward's Relation with these ensuing lines which I received from Mr. Burroughs himself in writing, anent the business:  
That story Mr. Edwards hath, page 79. of one Nichols, and of a meeting concluded of, occasioned by some wise opinions vented by that Nichols, where Mr. Greenhill and myself (he says) was, together with divers passages that he relates came from me at that meeting, is all false. I know no such man as this Nichols, I never heard there was such a man in the world, till I read it in Mr. Edward's his book. I to this day know of no meeting about him, or any of his opinions, either intended, desired, or resolved upon, much less that there was any such meeting. The next Lord's day after Mr. Edward's his book came forth, M. Greenhill asked me whether I knew of any such meeting with that Nichols: for his part he wondered to see such a thing in Mr. Edwardshis' book, for he knew of no such meeting. Thus far M. Burroughs.  
And because we have had occasion here to mention Mr. Burroughs; 
Sect. 27.  and Mr. Edwards takes occasion p. 33. not only to deal by him as he doth by his other Sectaries, whose opinions he arraigns (ad placitum) for errors; but seldom either names their persons, or encounters their opinions by argument; whereas he hath expressed himself in both against him; I desire to insert a few lines for the vindication of him that is unjustly charged, by detecting the weakness and groundlessness of the charge. The opinion wherewith Mr. Burroughes stands there charged amongst the Sectaries, as with an error, is this: Whatsoever errors or miscarriages in Religion, the Church should bear withal in men, continuing them still in communion with them, as brethren, these the Magistrates should bear with in men, continuing them in the kingdom or Commonwealth, in the enjoyment of the liberty of Subjects. But first it is to be considered, that Mr. Burroughes, p. 34. of his book, had laid down this position, That notwithstanding any plea of conscience, yet if the error be destructive to the State, a man may be dealt withal by the State for it. And secondly, this, (p. 35.) That no pretence of conscience can excuse a man in any matter of apparent injustice. These two conclusions pre-asserted, he comes, (p. 67.) to give this Rule for forbearance in matters of Religion: That whatsoever miscarriages in matters of Religion the Church should bear with, these the Magistrate should bear with: because though it should be never so much granted, that the Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae, yet his charge in matters of Religion reacheth not further than the charge of the Church doth. Now Mr. Edward's to confute this, instanceth in a man whose conscience is not satisfied in the point of subjects taking up arms against Armies raised by a Prince, and therefore refuseth bearing arms, and all maintenance to such a war, &c. Such a man as this (saith he) the State may sequester, and the Parliament I think hath sequestered many upon such occasions, taking their estates, &c. Surely this confutation is so far from being fit to satisfy any Scholar, that it hath hardly strength or colour enough to take women or weak people with 
a H saith, that this & others of Mr. Burroughs' principles and rules about Toleration, will be found both unsound and weak, fit to take women and weak persons with, but not to satisfy any Scholar. The truth is, that many principles, the more sound & strong they are, are like to prove the less satisfactory to such Scholars as he. Engaged men are ususually more offended at a truth, then at an error with opposeth them in their way. . For doth the State deal with such a person as he gives instance in, as for an error, or matter in Religion? or for injustice to the State; yea, apparent injustice, and that which is destructive to the State? For forbearing that, which if others should for bear also, the State must needs be destroyed? Now evident it is, that Mr. Burroughs' Doctrine or Rule touching for bearance, concerns matters of Religion, when the subject matter is Religion, not matters of State, wherein men may pretend conscience; yea, it may be, are conscientious indeed so far, and in such a sense, as men of an erroneous conscience may be such.  
But this confutation of Mr. Burroughs is (it seems) but a forlorn hope; the forerunner of a great Army of confutations advancing. Troilus (I see) will needs be trying his valour with Achilles, whatsoever it costs him:  Infelix puer, atque impar congressus Achilli. 
How his Pen hath abused Mr. Ellis of Colchester, and other faithful servants of God in those parts, with base calumnies and slanders, the world (I conceive) will shortly understand by an express from thence: For Mr. Ellis himself writes thus to a friend in London. The aspersions cast on me, and some others here, by Mr. Edwards, are as false as foul: which because they are a great part of his book and strength, those who are here concerned in it, will, if God please, shortly make reply.  
Page 57 He affirms that the preceding letter beginning thus: 
Sect. 29.  (p. 54.) Worthy Sir, the consideration of those many, &c. was written to him by a person religious, and cordially affected to the Parliament. I know not the man myself, and therefore shall not attempt to infringe this testimony of him out of any personal experience which I have of him, or of his ways: but shall only refer the Reader for his satisfaction, both concerning the man, and the testimony given to him, to this ensuing letter, written by one well enough known to himself, to a special friend of his about the city.  

DEarly beloved and much honoured in Christ, grace, mercy and peace be multiplied to you, and to as many as are enabled by the power of God to look towards Zion. As I was hastily perusing a book writ in Mr. Edward's name, among sever all letters therein contained, I found one written by a person with whom I have more than ordinary acquaintance. In which letter the glory of God, the pure institutions of the Lord Jesus, with the Saints practices, are maliciously abused, as also yourself not a little concerned. In consideration of the which, I was not a little pressed in my own spirit, neither indeed could I refrain, but needs must declare unto you the person that wrote it (as he himself acknowledgeth,) not knowing but it might seem strange unto you, and remain as a burden upon your spirit, that the author of so many falsehoods, and, as they appear to me, palpable untruths, should be (by such a one as Mr. Edward's) termed a man religious, and cordially affected to the Parliament. But not to withhold you any longer, his name is Josiah Ricraft, the same man in whose name the Reply to your Answer was printed, the which whether he did indite, or no, I will not affirm, only I may think, but it matters not much whether he or another did indite it, only this I am confident of, he is a man so far from▪ being religious, and cordially affected to the Parliament, (as Mr. Edwards would make the world believe, that I shall, and am able by evident testimonies, yea and by that knowledge I in particular have of him, perspicuously make it appear (and had done before this, had I not been extraordinarily prevented) that he is an enemy to the Parliament, State, and kingdom, by concealing, countenancing, & bearing correspondency with such as endeavour nothing more than the overthrow of religion & the subjects liberty. At present I shall speak no more concerning him, than what I myself distinctly know of him: After he had taken the solemn league & covenant, he did inviolation thereof, conceal a colonel the which came out of the King's Army, and from him did receive the King's Picture. This colonel not daring to go abroad in the day time. All this he did declare in my hearing; nay, during the time this colonel was in town, he did carry, as now he doth, a great correspondency with one Mr. Roberts, Minister, being one in fellowship with him, whose life this Colonel would have taken from him, if I be not misinformed, the which as I am credibly informed, had Mr. Robert's known of the Colonels being in town, he would have endeavoured the hanging of him, & that not without cause, for former discourtesies received from him, too tedious to relate. I shall defer the naming of him until I am called to testify what I here declare, the which I hope will be suddenly. And though he was wished & desired to discover him, pressing the Covenant upon him, yet would he not: I shall at the present, as not desiring to be tedious, present you with one passage more; it is concerning one who being to go to Oxford with an intent to take up Arms for the King, he well knowing he was a malignant, and would not take the covenant, yet him did he furnish with money to carry him to Oxford, and hath since taken up arms. This I shall through the help of God make appear to be really true, and will declare his name and where he lived, the which I now forbear in regard of some friends whom I am not willing in the least to grieve; were not the glory of God and the Kingdoms good interessed in it, I should not at present have mentioned any thing of this nature, but not knowing any way more tending to the vindicatiou of both, I take this method.  
Truly, should I declare unto you how contrary his carriage and conversation is to the gospel's rule, I am confident it would sadden the spirits of conscientious men, and cause admiration in those who profess themselves to be followers of our Lord Jesus. I do assure you, the Lord hath so carried on my soul with divine contemplation, and sweet communion & fellowship with the Father and the Son, that all the unreasonable dealings I have received from him, have not made any impression upon my spirit: only this the righteous God knoweth hath been no small saddening to my spirit, to see his averseness of spirit to those who are of his own judgement. But these miscarriages I shall let pass until a more convenient season, desiring with all my soul the Lord may through the glorious and rich discoveries of himself powerfully upon his spirit, cause him to be ashamed of his folly, and to own his weaknesses, that the Lord may yet be honoured by him, and his soul comforted in the day of our Lord Jesus. And now that God who hath made such rich discoveries, and glorious manifestations of his tender love to you in the Son of his love, strengthen you throughout, that you may be able to stand, and withstand all the opposition you shall meet withal from any generation of men, and that you may increase with the increasings of God. And this is the request of him who is Your brother in the Rock Christ,  
G. C.    

As to the contents of the letter written to Mr. Edw. by that religious 
Sect. 30.  person, and so cordially affected to the Parliament (as you have heard) how notoriously false are a great part of them! As first, that Mr. Kiffen, and some others, upon their disputes with Dr. Featley, M. Seaman, M. Calamy, M. Porter, and others, gave out to their members that they had the better, and that M. Calamy durst not dispute with them. Both which are disavowed by the persons charged, and with certainty of knowledge that the reporter can never prove either the one or the other of them.  
2. The said letter affirmeth, that M. Kiffen was left out from that disputation which was held and to be held with M. Calamy▪ &c. whereas it is so far from the truth, that he was left out from this disputation, that earnestly soliciting an exemption from that engagement, his motion herein was absolutely refused by the rest that were to dispute.  
3. He affirmeth, that the said M. Kiffen was put to do the drudgery, to fetch up members scattered to and fro in the country &c. This also is as false as falsehood itself can make a report to be: The said M. Kiffen never stirred a foot out of the city, further than his own house all the while.  
4. This religious person in the same letter saith, that not only M Kiffen, but others also of them did the like good service (as Hobson the tailor) in their places. This again is so far from truth, or likelihood of truth, that this Hobson he speaks of, with Mr. Kiffen, were (amongst others) made choice of by their friends to attend the disputation, and to manage their interest in the controversy against their opposers, and therefore could not do that, besides which there was nothing possible to be done by them, or any others, that can now save the pen of Religious I. R. from the pollution and reproach of a false pen.  
5. The said letter advanceth yet further in her way of folly, and affirmeth, that one of their members, whose name is Palmer, being recovered, came into their Conventicle house, and there before many people said, That physicians left her as they found her. This is a very emphatical untruth; the woman never making use of any physician all the time of her sickness.  
6. This letter (which seems to be Gangrena's chief favourite among all her fellows) being loath that any other should carry away the whetstone from her, pleads for this prize with such an argument, which makes all the quaint inventions, and bold fictions, and daring relations in the book besides, to give place and yield the crown. This is a story of a woman that was to be rebaptised; a story which makes the tale of Gargantua and Don Quixote with his windmills, to look like Gospels in comparison of it. It is pity the relator should either eat or drink, till either he hath proved the truth, or else confessed the untruth of it.  
This letter boasts what mischief it could do yet further, as when it saith, Many such Heathenish & atheistical passages WITH baseness, I could relate of this man & some of his members, &c. It is very likely that what ever you can do in this kind, you must do it WITH baseness, or else let it alone. But indeed you have given the world a very full account of your great ability to relate what heathenish and atheistical passages you please of any man. He that can report and avouch the last mentioned story for a truth, may be confident that his forehead will not fail him in any adventure of impudence whatsoever.  
For a conclusion, I shall only point you to some few more spots 
Sect. 31.  which appear here and there in the body of the Gangrene, which plainly show the very vitals & inward parts of it to be pestilentially infected; & I make no question but ere long you will see the whole body of it full of such spots all over, which will plainly bewray the constitution of it to be the poison of Dragons, and gall of Asps. Pag. 93. he affirms, That several Sectaries went early to Bristol (he means since the retaking of it by the Parliament,) and into Wales also; instancing in two, with an &c. viz. one M. Bacon, and M. Symonds: This M. Symonds professeth, that since the recovery of Bristol, he came not near either Bristol or Wales by forty miles. But if M. Edw. comes within forty miles of the Truth, he makes a commendable voyage. I believe he came not near it by twice forty, when p. 100 speaking of great livings, he calleth them, a thing which their Presbyterian souls abhor. The tenor of the passage is this: He chargeth M. Peter's, frequently to have preached in city and country, that were it not for livings of two or three hundred pounds a year, there would be no difference between the Presbyterians and the Independents. And glozing this text, addeth, wickedly and maliciously insinuating unto the people, as if Presbyterian Ministers opposed the way of Independency because of great livings, A THING our souls ABHOR. If his meaning be, that the practice here gently insinuated against them▪ viz. that the opposing the way of Independency because of great livings, is a thing which their soul abhors, not the great livings themselves, I say no more but this; I wish the rule were as true as the exception: i. that the opposing the way of Independency for great livings, were as truly the abhorring of Presbyterian souls, as the great livings themselves are NOT.  
Pag. 70. he affirms, That one of Lilborns eyes was put out by 
Sect. 32.  a Pike in the street, immediately upon his letter coming forth against Mr. Prynne and the Assembly. By the way it seems he hath forfeited his honour of being Lieutenant-Colonel, by the high crime of writing a letter against M. Prynne and the Assembly; yea and all his interest in the honour and gentry of his House and Family. But had not M. Edw. a great beam in his own eye, he might easily have seen, that neither of Lilborns eyes are put out. He is able to see and read twenty untruths and ten in M. Edw. book, with the worst of them. That which he reports of him, p. 96. that he is reported to be one, who is a player at cards, either is a false report itself, or at least a Report of a Report which is false, and so little better. The man protested that he never played a game at cards since his coming to London. The rest of the aspersives in the same retinue, as that he is reported to be a man of a loose life, profaning the Lord's day in sports, one who will sit long with company at wine and tippling, &c. are grapes growing upon the same thorn. In the page last named, he talks of one Thomas Moor of Lincolnshire, a great Sectary and manifestarian: I believe M. Edw. himself is the greatest manifestarian under heaven. There is no man hath manifested that weakness of judgement, that strength of malice against the Saints, which he hath done. And for Thomas Moor of Lincolnshire, a Sectary of that magnitude which he imports, I no more believe there is any such man, than I do that there is any such woman at Brasteed in Kent, as he speaks of, p. 88 89. that is a Preacher, and that with others breaks bread in her order. Mr. Saltmarsh in his late book affirms, that the contrary is known to himself and all the town.  
Pag. 128. He talks of Bishop Hall, or one of his Chaplains, as holding 
Sect. 33.  far smaller errors than I (he means chiefly, in the point of Justification, as appears by the context.) But that I hold any errors in Justification, greater than himself, yea or any so great by many degrees, who yet (I make no question) presumes himself as Orthodox in the point as either the Bishop he speaks of, or any of his Chaplains, will be a thousand times said, before once proved, either by himself, or all his party of godly Orthodox presbyterial Ministers. Pag. 8. of his Dedicatory Epistle, his forehead serves him to abuse the honourable Houses of Parliament with this loud untruth, that there are eleven meetings, at least, of Sectaries, in one Parish in this city. What shall be given unto thee▪ or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, and coals of iuniper 
a Psal 120. 3, 4 . Setting aside the Presbyterian meetings, confident I am, that he cannot find the one half of that number he speaks of, of meetings of all other Sectaries, in any Parish whatsoever in the city.  
But this saying of his needs not be melancholy for want of company; it hath Brethren enough in the iniquity of it. And because the pages of his book are not large enough to contain the shameless untruths he hath a mind to utter, he quarters them here and there in the margin of it. You shall find two together in the margin of the second and third pages of his Preface. Here first he saith, that Overton an Independent bookseller boasted that an Answer (to his antapology) was in the press. Whereas he only said (and that without boasting) that there was an Answer to it entered in their hall-book, and ready for the press. 2. He adds iniquity to iniquity; and saith, that Eton an Independent, Milliner, said the same words, who yet spoke not so much; for he neither said that it was in the press, nor yet that it was entered into the Hall book. And who should report, that some of John Goodwins Church reported, that some of his Church-members preached for him, because he was answering the antapology; I believe he no more knoweth, than declareth. And why he calls Eton an Independent Milliner, I believe, if he were called to an account, he could give none; but like unto himself, i. either some vagrant and loose report that he was so; or some poor reason, 89 degrees of logic latitude from a sufficient proof or demonstration. But the saying is, Tractant fabrilia fabri.  
Pag. 33. speaking of Mr Burroughs' opinion formerly mentioned, 
Sect. 34.  which he makes the 150 error in his Catalogue, he brands it with this false mark in his margin: This is an error destructive to the power of civil Magistrates, and safety of commonwealths, in divers cases. The truth is, that the opinion, 1. is no error, but a Truth: and 2. so far from being an error destructive, either to the power of civil Magistrates, or safety of commonwealths, in any case or cases whatsoever; that it is a Truth of a sovereign importance, both for the support and strengthening of the Magistrates power; as also for the safety of commonwealths. The smoke of the exception made against it, was before scattered. And if he were examined how he came by that story, p. 104. concerning Mr Kiffen (formerly spoken of) viz. that he should tell the Church, that he would relate the whole matter (concerning the woman's recovery that had been anointed) I fear he could hardly prove, that he came honestly by it. The man assures me, that there was no such undertaking, nor relation made by him at all.  
Reader, I have (for the present) given thee only a taste of Mr 
Sect. 35.  Edward's grapes: yet sufficient (I presume) to convince thee, that his vine, is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; his grapes, grapes of gall; his clusters bitter; his wine, the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps 
a Deut. 32. 32, 33. . I profess truly, that I have not read one quarter of the book, as yet; nor know whether I shall ever care to read it thorough or no. The far greatest part of the particulars detected, were observed by others, and presented unto me. A few days (I make no question) will give thee more light, wherewith to comprehend his darkness. By that time the boughs of his tree are a little more withered, they will be broken off: the women will come, and set them on fire 
b Isa. 27. 11. . The day will come, and is even at the door, when there will be scarce one stone left upon another of all this false building, which will not be pulled down by the hand of Truth. And when the servants of God shall have had the opportunity to wash off that dirt and filth which Mr. Edwards hath now cast upon them, Gangraena will be found a strumpet, yea and of the race & lineage of that Great scarlet whore, which corrupteth the Earth with her fornication 
c Revel. 19 2. .  
The Cretians are always liars, evil beasts▪ slow bullies. This testimony is true: wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith 
d Tit. 1. 12, 13. . I trust that this brief Answer, will contribute a proportionable influence toward this blessed effect upon Mr Edward's, and help to make him more sound both in Faith, and manners also.   
FINIS.