INNOCENCY CLEARED, True worth Predicated, AGAINST FALSE ASPERSIONS: IN A LETTER SENT To Mr Henry Burton.  
From a Christian Friend; In Defence of Dr Bastwick, one of his Quondam Fellow sufferers.  Rom. 2.1.3. 
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art, that Judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest dost the same things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them that do such things, and dost the same, that thou shalt escape the Judgement of God?  James 4.10, 11. 
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another (brethren) he that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the Law, and judgeth the Law; but if thou judge the Law, thou art not a doer of the Law but a Judge.  Heb. 12.14. 
Fellow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.  
London, Printed by John Macock. 1645.   

To the impartial Reader.  
Christian Reader,  
I Delight not to show myself in Print, yet as it is my duty to admonish a brother, which in this ensuing Letter I have done, so the like obligation lies upon me to publish it, that I might clear the innocency and predicate the worth of that Godly, Learned, Gentleman Dr. Bastwick: A man on whom the Independents have privately, and publicly, laid loads of defamations; for it satisfied them not to give him reproachful language to his face, (which was sad to hear, and even a shame to repeat) but they set forth in Print, known untruths, premed tated Lies, to make him odious to the World: witness Lieut. Col. John Lilburne his book; accusing him for an ungrateful man (which is a vice, not only hateful to God and all good men, but to the very heathens) which charge of his against the Doctor was most false. I hen came out another under the name of a Presbyterian, (but whether in truth, or thew for feme particular benefit may be suspected) and he accuseth him to be a proud self-conceited man, etc. yea he taketh the boldness to lay this deep charge upon him in the name of all his godly Presbyterian friends; which accusation all the Doctors godly Presbyterian friends and acquaintance, that I know (and I am no stranger to the most of them) do utterly disavow; and for this Presbyterian (if one, for I do not think he is) he drives the Innependents design, as may be proved, for when this Letter was framing, an Independent said to some that I know, that he and others of his parry were to meet that day, to draw a moderate Letter to be sent to Doctor Bastwick. But the Letter was never sent unto him; only a day or two after this meeting, a booke-feller brought a written book, made ready for the Press, and shown it to the Doctor, saying as a neighbour, and a friend, he gave him a fight of it, for he was to put it in Print; then this was no Letter, sent unto him, as on the frontispiece of his book, he falsely pretends, but at is plain the Author thereof, call him what they will, consulted with the Independents about this Letter, and they and he together, framed it after such a manner, as they supposed would make their design no way suspected, yet by the course he took, and the printing, but not sending it to the Doctor, every man may perceive this Letter was writ and published merely to defame Doctor Bastwick. And that coming forth under the name of a Presbyterian, it might render him the more infamous. But this wrought not effectually, and therefore one of his quondam fellow-sufferers, he comes out against him, and with his full strength aiming at his head, that so (if possible) he might strike him down in the opinion of all men, never to rise again; (but the hand is too feeble) he presented this holy, worthy, learned Doctor to the people as a mad man, casting many reproaches upon him, and amongst his accusations, p. the 24 He complains of stinging nettles in the Doctor's Book, but one sharper than all the rest: whatsoever construction he makes of the Doctor's words there, they are no more but this, Doctor Bastwick out of his pious zeal for God's glory, and earnest desire of the Church's peace and tranquillity writ against Independency, and exhorts magistrates, masters of families, and parents of children, to labour to keep the people from error, that are under their charge, and with faithful Abraham to instruct their families in the knowledge, fear, and worship of the true God, and with holy Joshua, Josh 24.15. to see that they and their house do serve the Lord: surely this is no bad Council nor will never sting a well grounded, settled, established Christian. For if a father presents wholesome food, that which he knows is good for his child, but the child either out of ignorance of wantonness refusech to taste of the meet, because he seethe variety of other dishes, and so set out and garnished, that they seem pleasant to the eye, and to be desired; like to the forbidden fruit Gen. 3.6. And if a learned Physician tell the father that those dishes which seem so pleasant to the eve, are mingled with such ingredients as will prove very pernicious to his child's health, he is a sl●p father and not a loving father, that causeth not his child to forbear to taste of any of those dishes; and that persuadeth him not to eat of such food, as he knows is wholesome and good for nourishment, and that 〈◊〉 is no Incendiary for advising the father for the welfare of his child; this is the result of all, and directly Dr Bastwicks' case. Courteous Reader, it may be some will censure me for being too large, but Seneca and many excellent Authors have delivered their minds in Letters far more prolix●● 〈◊〉 now 〈◊〉 a Petitioner unto thee for a licence to add a few words more, to let thee know, that I perceiving the Independents grand design is to use all means publicly to reproach disgrace 〈…〉 and falsely accuse this worthy sufferer and faithful servant of the Lord, (who the glory of God the ultimate end of all his endeavours) I could do no less than present to the public view of all men, the real worth, and unfamed goodness, which I know to be in the Gentleman. This I have done in faithfulness without flattery, and I assure thee in the presence of the Lord (who knows all things) I speak the truth, I lie not; that Dr. Bastwick nor 〈◊〉 on living and know of this Letter until it was sent to Mr. Burton; neither doth Dr Bastwick yet know that there was any such Letter writ, sent, or is to be published; I beseech thee read, consider, judge impartially.  
Farewell. Thine in the Lord, B. S.   

To the Reverend and Honoured Mr Henry Burton, etc.  
SIR,  
SOme few days since a book entitled Vindiciae Veritatis, came into my hand subscribed with your name, which deliberately I perused, and was grieved at heart to read such lines from Mr. Henry Burton, against his quondam fellow-sufferer (Doctor Bastwicke) I meddle not with your Arguments about Presbyterian dependant, and Presbyterian independent: but I question the selfeishnes, the false accusing, the fiery spirit, the aspersing Language, which you have scattered in several pages of your book against your fellow-sufferer. Sir, God hath bestowed on Doctor Bastwicke, yourself, and others, extraordinary gifts, for to you it was given, not only to believe, but to suffer for his sake; yea, and to suffer at one time, yea and at that time for one cause, (your judgement then being different to that it is now) so that there was an oneness in the cause, and sufferings; O then why maintain you not this oneness still! (at least in your affections) but page the second, you seem yourself to insinuate this question (for say you,) How comes it to pass that my two fellow-sufferers, and myself, should fall at this odds? was it by any divine providence ominated, or presaged, by your two standing on one Pillory, and mine alone on the other, that we should come upon one Theatre, to become spectacles to the world by mutual digladiations, as if the one Pillory should contend with the other? thus you. Sir before I answer your question, I beseech you in all christian love give me leave to advise you: O take heed, take heed, how you harbour such a thought, as to charge divine providence with your humane frailties, and self seeking Vindications, make not God the author of your divisions, who is a God of unity, peace, and love; it is true by way of permission, there is no evil in a City, that the Lord hath not done: Amos 3.6. and the Scripture tells us, it must needs be that offences come; but woe be to that man, by whom the offence cometh: and therefore I cannot but deal ingenuously with you, and for answer to your question, tell you, what Godly, holy selfe-denying men, not only converts in part, as you censure all of a contrary judgement to yourself to be, but some of your own judgement have said, which is this, That it came to pass by your unadvised thrusting yourself in, to contend with Mr. Prynne by name, one of your quondam fellow sufferers, whereas according to all rules of friendship you were the unfittest man for that work of any, there being many other sober minded christians besides Mr. Henry Burton: and as some of your own party have said, more able to defend, and maintain their cause then yourself; but for my part I question not your abilities; but this is very clear, that you, and you only did make this odds, with your fellow-sufferer: and so primarily and originally you have caused all the difference between you, by proclaiming all of a contrary judgement to yourself, though otherwise never so godly, to be enemies to the government of the Lord jesus Christ; which opinion Doctor Bastwicke Learnedly and Christianly confuted and reproved, naming no man: Sir I honour you, and in the name of our Lord jesus Christ beseech you, who am a fellow-sufferer with you, and that in as deep a measure as any, though not to blood; lay this to heart, that you have had a hand in causing offences in the Church by your unchristianing and censuring the dear people of God. O pull down every high thought that exalteth itself! and humble yourself before the Lord for this miscarriage, lest you be liable to that woe pronounced, Mat. 18.7. Thus in christian love I have faithfully and truly, as in the sight of God, answered your question. But you will say, how make you good that charge in the beginning of your Letter? Sir, I shall do it from your own writings, for I find in them that your chief labour and pains is spent to vindicate and exalt yourself; for the Arguments of difference they are but coldly and unsatisfactorily handled; but when you come to yourself, who you say have been unsufferably wronged, than you are so heated, that while you seem to blame the Doctor, you forget your promise, page 2. where you say, [you will answer him in soberness and in the spirit of meekness and love] and you fall into unadvised, unseemly, unbrotherly Language, and false accusations against Doctor Bastwicke: But you have been provoked not a little [for say you] the Doctor speaks of a grave man, with a white basket-hilted beard [though not naming any, yet you were the man aimed at.] Why, good Sir, if you were: Here is gravity acknowledged, which speaks a reverence borne to the man, though a dislike of his uncharitable and unwarrantable writings: But the Doctor expresseth himself with a scurrilous Epithet (say you.) I deny it, for it is but a harmless jest, and no other; it can never hurt you; and truly a meek hearted Moses, would have passed it by, and have taken no notice of it, nor have made such acclamation about a merry word. But it is a disgrace which you cannot bear; O! Oh! self appears exceedingly in all your lines; and because you have made such an outcry, and make a man an offender for a word, take a view of your own Language to your quondam fellow-sufferer, worthy Doctor Bastwick, but before I give you in your Catalogue of unsavoury words, I here protest in the presence of God [who knows the secrets of all hearts, and from whose eyes nothing can be hid] that neither Doctor Bastwick, nor any mortal man, as yet, doth know of this Letter unto you: for the noble Doctor did ride into the Country before your book came forth, and is not yet returned, so that he hath never seen your book, therefore no instigation from him hath procured me to write; but when I saw how all along your book, you falsely accused that deserving Gentleman, labouring to take away his good name, which Solomon saith, is better than precious ointment; Ecclesi. 7.1. And I having had such experience [as none in England hath had more] of the Doctor's worth, Zeal for God's glory, and Christian Conversation; it made me that I durst not be silent, lest I should be partaker with you in your sin. And for the Doctor's expressions in his books, which you make so much ado about, I assure you the many affronts, the base unworthy Language, that he hath from time to time undergone, from many both men & women, of your judgement, vilifying, reviling, & scorning him to his face some of them being of no mean account amongst you, was the cause of them; for before he had published any book [only they heard he was writing against their opinion] they daily abused him most unworthily, for which he privately in Christian love reproved them, but when he saw that his silence and patience did no good, this caused him to make his Postscript, and the other book truly relating their unchristian Carriage, and laughing at their unreprovable folly. And doth not God laugh at the wicked, who will go on in their sinful and perverse ways, and will not be reproved; see Prov. 1.25.26. Truly Mr. Burton, I am confident had you been so provoked by the Contrary party, as Doctor Bastwick hath been by your party, your spirit would not have brooked it, with so much patience as he hath done.  
Sir, this by the way being premised, I beseech you now take and peruse the catalogue of all your unbrotherly Invectives against your quondam fellow-sufferer. You render him to the world an Hypocrite, pag. 17. (one that hath but fair flourishes of holiness) pag. 18. You conclude him an Adversary to Christ's King doom, and an open enemy and persecuter of the Church. Pag. 20, you charge him with doing wrong, and walking scandalously, to the great offence and shame of the very name of Christian Religion. Pag. 21. You make him to be worse than a natural Heathen, a base, and barbarous man. Pag. 25. You aver, and do seem to take upon you to prove him one of the greatest Incendiaries in the Land. Pag. 28. You speak of him as of a dishonest man, and subtly calling him Serpent. You then run yourself out of breath with calumnies, pag. 29, telling him, he is a hollow-hearted man, hath a shallow brain, which in plain English is a Fool, And that not only his heart is divided, but his head, etc. So that by your railing Rhetoric you present him to the world, a mad man. You say not as joab, he hath smote you in the fift rib; but I dare say and affirm it, you have unchristianly and causelessly laboured to wound him in the head, the most excellent part of man; And all this hot and furious pursuit after the good Doctor, is for nothing else but because he played with your Beard. But, pag. 28. you seem to have a further charge against your brother, in that he speaks of some that did set in the frontispieces of their Books, Christ's words, Mat. 10.34, 35, 36. And because he [out of respect to the Author] named no man; but with Christian wisdom reproved the unseasonableness of applying that place of Scripture, in a time when divisions are already so great and many amongst brethren; insomuch that every man, especially such a one as you, should improve all your time, graces, knowledge, wit and learning, to make up these breaches, and to compose the sad differences. For certainly, to urge such places of Scripture in a time of so great distractions, will give too too much encouragement to the ruder sort of your party, who are not afraid to do whatsoever seems good in their eyes, and to say they will have liberty of conscience, now they have the sword in their own hands, [for thus some of them have said] yea, where they think themselves strong, if a Minister preach against their way, they rise up against that man to destroy him. This I speak of, because, pag. 24. you mention a late misrule at Colchester [but you do not say it was your party that was so unruly] you call it, the Doctor's Town of Colchester. The Doctor indeed for many years lived in that Town, and did much good among the people, and there I had the happiness to enjoy his society very frequently: But the Prelate of Canterbury by his Purseuvants fetched him from thence above eleven years ago, and cast him into prison, since which time he was never in Colchester. But you say, upon his Books, and T.E. his preaching, this misrule happened. Sir, the mentioning of this disorder, in my judgement discovers some weakness in you; for it may be a great disadvantage to your Cause, and ratifies what the Doctor hath said of your party: for, because a Gentleman hath written against their way, and that the Ministers do preach against it, conceiving there is not any ground for it in God's word; was this a sufficient warrant for them to rise and make a tumult: wherefore did they come into the Congregation? for they knew before they came, that Mr. T.E. was of a contrary judgement to them, and they at other times will not endure to hear any other Ministers but their own: so that it is plain, they then came on purpose to make a disturbance in the Congregation. I hear in that Town several Opinions do increase, and this action of theirs speaks loud in the ears of every sober-minded Christian. Where that party is strong, they will not suffer any of a contrary opinion to write, or preach any thing against their way. Sir, I never heard of this uproar, until I read of it in your Book: but the last night I spoke with some that were at Colchester at that time when the Independents so molested the people, (to the shame indeed of the very name of Christian Religion) And they told me, That had not the Magistrates aided the Minister, it was feared they would have killed him. We see what it is like to come to where they have power. Sir, you preach, and write, and other of your Ministers preach publicly against the Presbyterian way, and you are not in danger of your lives, nor are you molested when you preach publicly; and yet, as with one consent, you have of late set yourselves to preach up your way, where ever you come; truly it is time for a settled Government, when your party comes to this height, that they will not suffer any thing to be preached or writ against their way, but they will rise, (they will give Laws at last, if this goon) I know there are some truly Godly, that are different in judgements: but there are, we see by this precedent, and that tumultuous Company that abused Doctor Bastwick at Westminster, many of your judgement that misaply our Saviour's words, Mat. 10.34, 5, 36. And therefore I am of this mind, and many who are godly and wise do agree with me, and the Doctor herein, that this was not a time nor leason for such as desire the peace of God's Church, to urge that Scripture; so that all things considered, you complain causlessely against the Doctor still. O Mr. Burton! I humbly entreat you bethink yourself what you have done; you blame bitter speaking (and it is blame worthy in any) but you know the Apostle saith, he is inexcusable, whosoever he be, that judgeth another, and doth the same thing, Rom. 2.1. This is your case, the Lord lay your sin open before your own face as it lies open to the view of all men, and to every impartial Christian. Sir, I would draw to an end, but I cannot with the discharge of a good conscience conclude, until I have declared unto you, the truth of what I know, concerning Doctor Bastwick, with whom I have had the honour to enjoy intimate acquaintance above this twenty years: and if I should say no more of him then this in general, (which without all partiality I speak in the presence of God) I know him to be a man whose whole frame of foul is set against all sin; this might be enough to wipe away those black Calumnies which you have laboured to besmear both his soul and body with; for indeed you have struck your strokes so, as aiming to hit both; therefore give me leave to speak a little more particularly, to manifest his inocency and set forth his integrity. First, for his shows of holiness they are no flourish but the fruits of his sincerity to God; his natural inclination is to be merry, yet with sobriety [allow a few drams of lawful mirth to his constitution] he is a man not easily provoked to wrath; he is a man, of an aimable, loving, and courteous carriage; and however malice may seek to detract from him, yet I can truly say, and many of the poorest of God's people, which tries humility, can testify the same with me, That he is of a most sweet, humble spirit, pitiful to all, but transcendently compasionate to the poor people of God; an honest man, and just in all his actions; one of them, David speaks of, Psal. 15.4. A man much in meditation, and walketh closely with his God; so that he may defy the Devil, or any man, in that particular, who shall accuse him, as a scandalous walker.  
He traveled for nine years together into other Countries, and hath as large and ample testimonies from all the reformed Churches where he lived beyond the seas, for his godly life and blameless conversation, and his abilities in learning, as ever I saw or read of any man; also he hath as ample a testimony from the magistrates and ministers of the town of Colchester, for his godly life, quiet, and peaceable conversation, whilst he lived amongst them; and what I speak is not from hearsay, but all of my own Knowledge, through the intimate and long acquaintance I have had with him. He hath several Languages in perfection, so as he is able to do service, to the Church and State at home, and abroad. O Sir! much more may be said in the due commendations of this your quondam fellow-sufferer, and that without flattery, for the gifts and graces of God are to be acknowledged and honoured in an enemy, much more in a friend, and sufferer; and God hath given to Doctor Bastwicke a rich portion of spiritual and natural endowments; and will you, good Sir, suffer yourself to be so fare transported with passion, as to deny the graces of God that is in him, because he is not of your Judgement, or because he played too familiarly with your beard; the Lord show you the evil of your so doing; and give you a self-derving heart, a sorrowful, humble, and contrite spirit, for the offence you have occasioned in the Church of God, and strengthen you so with his might, that now you may spend your whole endeavours to make up the sad breaches amongst God's people. This shall be the daily prayer of;  
Sir, Your faithful friend to serve you in the Lord, B. S.