A DIALOGUE BETWEEN R— and F—,  
Concerning a Discourse entitled, The View of an Ecclesiastic in his Socks and Buskins: OR, A Just Reprimand given to Mr. Alsop.  
Wherein is discovered, An unheardof Discord between the Author and Himself.  Quid dignum tanto feret hic Promissor hiatu. Hor. Art. Po. 1 JAMES 8. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways. 
By a Friend to the Cause of Mr. Lob, the Worth of Mr. Williams, and the Persons of both.  
London, Printed for J. Marshal, at the Bible in Gracechurch-street. 1698.   

A DIALOGUE BETWEEN R— and F—.  R. 
WELL met, Sir.  F. 
I wish it may be so; for some think we never as yet met well; that never was the least Harmony, but greatest Discord imaginable, as in our Principles and Practices, so in our Discourses and printed Books too: especially about Politics. I therefore more than believe we shall certainly fall out, and make sport and merriment for all that see us, and hear us talk. But do you not think Mr. Alsop is justly charged with a ludicrous way of speaking of the Eternal Counsels of God, and of the great Articles of the Christian Faith, as he is charged in the Preface, and often in the Book [The Reprimand]?  R. 
No man doubts it, every man blames him here, himself excepted; and I now hope this Exception will not be long lived. It seems to his Adversaries and Advocates too to be a Sin of a deep dye, that hath too great an affinity with his 5 Dan. 3, 4, 5, 6. when they brought the golden Vessels of the Temple, as common ones, in their Feasts, for which was a Handwriting against the Wall. Let him remember this in his Writings, which are too much tinctured with Levity: If he or any other doubt it, I only pray them, melius inquirendum, that they would better inquire. That he is a man of an unbridled Fancy, cannot be denied: A Joke, and sometimes an unsavoury one, (and the more profane when sacred) tickleth like a Sneeze, that there is no rest till it be out, though never so offensive to chaste Ears. Non tutum est ludere sacris is in every man's Mouth. This Sin makes great breaches in the Conscience. D. Wild (as is hinted) some months before his death, paid dear for his Levity, and so may Mr. Alsop in time; I hope on this side the Grave. Give, I pray, your Character of him.  F. 
I will so behave myself in the Reflections I am to make, as not to departed from the Rules of good breeding, p. 14. And therefore I say Mr. Alsop is delirious, a madman, distracted. He slanders and lampoons an Adversary, when his business should be modestly to confute him— This is not consonant with, nor reconcilable to me. I therefore promise, There shall be nothing course or unsavoury, but all palatable and well dressed: I will perform a Duty that I conceive to be lawful.—  R. 
I doubt you are (not he) distracted, I am sure you talk as such: Do you make Promises only to break them, and that in the same breath too? Is it not your business modestly to confute an Adversary as well as his? Or mean you this is his Province only, not yours? You promise well tho brokenly, You will do it. I assure you it is high time, for you have never done it yet; your Practice hath hitherto confuted you, I wish ●●●●ay not still. I must deal plainly with you, You are the most inconsistent man I ever heard.  F. 
You are a K— to talk thus.  R. 
It may be so, Sir; for I have always been so conversant with you, that I may be such as you; and it is often said, The Oyster-women and Apple-women at Billingsgate seldom speak truth, but when they call one-another Whore's and Toss-pots. But there seems to be such Confusion in your Discourse, as in the Babel-building: You require one thing, and use another; which puts me in mind of those known witty Verses of Du Bartus.  
Bring me, quoth one, a Trowel, quickly quick. He brings him up a Hammer; hue this Brick Another cries, and then he cleaves a Tree: Make fast this Rope, and then he lets it flee. One calls for Planks, another Mortar lacks; He brings the first a Stone, the last an Ax.  F. 
Hear me then about another thing. Mr. Williams and Mr. A. insinuate, p. 18, That Mr. Lob hath been criminally acquainted with Friend, Fenwick, and Charnock: He accuseth the Prefacer of the Defence of the Report as a man disloyal, and yet knows not who he is.  R. 
If Mr. Lobbe were guilty, you have said too much in his vindication: if not, too little. You should, in short, have said more, or nothing; unless you, as some young Conjurer, would raise a Spirit you could not allay: Were you a Lawyer, and to plead the Cause of a Client at this rate,  Fee would be too much by a Groat. Mr. Lobbe may be as true to the King and his Cause as any man in the Three Kingdoms, for aught I know; but You, Sir, are a woeful Compurgator.  F. 
I say, It ought to alarm all Mankind, whose Misfortune hath brought them within the Circle of Mr. Williams 's acquaintance and conversation, to find how precariously they hold their Lives, if he, through Caprice and Humour, should be displeased, or but grow jealous, that they pay not a profound Devotion to his Person and Opinions.—  R. 
Oh Brother, say no more of him, not so much for his sake (for as you hate him, I do not love him) but for our own: There are many foul Stories of him, I wish they had been true, but they wanted Proof, his Enemies confessed; and Truth too, say his Friends.  F. 
Say what you will, His Conscience, Breeding, and Judgement be of a piece, p. 19 and his Language is of alliance with his Birth and Breeding, his Rhetoric is boorish and clownish.—  R. 
Some that are intimate with him (and no Neonomians or Baxterians, I assure you) are forced by much observation to acknowledge the contrary to the former part of your Charge, and his Writings justify him against the latter part.  F. 
The Presbyterians are tinctured with Republican Principles, and therefore not so loyal and zealous for Monarchy.—  R. 
You cannot but know, where there is one Presbyterian so, there are five Congregational Men; but any thing to serve a Turn: You once blamed the Presbyterian for not being so.  F. 
Mr. Williams also, p. 20, prostituted and debauched the Pulpit by harranguing his Auditors with an Invective against K. James and the Jesuits, when his whole work in that place should have been to preach the Gospel, and not vented a satire, or read a Lecture of Politics—  R. 
Did you not say, That neither your Nature, nor Education, nor Religion would suffer you to be guilty of that fault, for which you censure your Adversary Mr. A. and yet you outdo him by ten fold. When treated he an Adversary at this rate? Thus, according to our English plain Proverbs, The Devil reproves Sin, The Kettle calls the Brandice smut, Catalina Cathegos; when Passion is up, Reason is down; Speak soft, speak soft, Treason will out. Is it become an Offence to preach against King James, what man, and the Jesuits, too? Hath ●e done, as you, preached against him, and for him too? Did he blow the Trumpet to raise the Nation for King William, and against King James, and after so happy a Change, without any just Cause, against King William, and for King James? Did you never triumph at the death of the Martyr, and repeat such Verses as those (I have not the Copy, and therefore may content myself with the sense) on the Thirtieth of January?  
See the Sot to Church reels out,  
Who now is plaguily devout:  
It is the Day in which he fell  
Martyr to the Cause of Hell:  
It is our Saints Canonization,  
Justly crowned with Decollation.  
To us of late in wrath were given  
Two cursed Tyrants and a Stallion.  
Fill the Glass with sparkling Red:  
Look, 'twas thus the Tyrant bled;  
Thus our Fathers let us see  
Kings are Flesh and Blood, as we.  
Now may our banished Tarquin's Fate  
Prove as just, but not so great:  
May blest Lewis for old Scores  
Turn him poorly out of doors;  
A cursed shameful Death attend him,  
May a friendly Halter end him, etc.  
Or did you never please yourself with hearing or reciting the Epitaph made by a Boy, on Ned Hyde?  
Here lies Ned Hyde,  
Because he died:  
But I had rather  
It had been his Father:  
Had it been his Sister,  
No one would have missed her.  
Well for the three Nations  
Had it been all the Relations, etc.  
How often have you roared over strong Liquors the known Verses on the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales, and the day of Thanksgiving?  

Two Toms and a not  
In Council sat  
To rig out a Thanksgiving,  
And to make a Prayer  
For a thing in the Air,  
That's neither dead nor living.  
The Dame in the East,  
As 'tis expressed,  
In her last blessed Epistle,  
Unto our Lady  
Bequeathed a Baby,  
With Coral, Bells and Whistle.   

For this intent  
To her she sent  
Her Diamond-Rings and Bodkin,  
To give her leave  
For to conceive:  
Pray was not this an odd thing?   

Here's a Cup of Ale  
To the Prince of Wale,  
Tho' some are of opinion,  
When all is out,  
A double Clout  
May cover his whole Dominion.   

Caesar to keep the Laws did plight his troth,  
He made his Will his Law to save his Oath.   
Did not you talk every where of the Suppositious Child, which you now say was not so? And that the Earl of Essex cut not his own Throat, and now say ●he did, and that you invented that Lie? Who then can take your Word for any thing? And it is often said, You will never be quiet till you are hanged.  F. 
My Word will be taken, I am sure, (without any one's being bound for me) that I shall be quiet then, if not before. But however R. they say, Marriage and Hanging come by Destiny; and if so, you may be hanged as soon as I, R. and with the same Cord too.  R. 
You know it was often said of John Lilbourn, If there were but one man in the World, there would be no Quietness; for John would quarrel with Lilbourn, and Lilbourn with John. So it is said of you; but this cost both dear, for John had Four hundred Stripes when whipped in London Streets, and Lilbourn had Four hundred more; between them both Eight hundred: I wish you better Luck, Sir. And for your Writings, you know the witty Letters of Mr. Glanvil and Sherlock, in their Account of your Common-place-book, where Mr. Glanvil proves, when writing against him, you stole many of your Rhetorical Flowers out of his Books, particularly the Vanity of Dogmatizing; and, as he merrily expressed it, you at the same time picked his Pocket, and cut his Throat.  F. 
Let us go on, honest R, to other matters.  R. 
I have no more Honesty than you, nor never shall, whilst so conversant together.  Waque conspecta livorem ducit ab uva. F. Mr. 
Alsop, p. 22, lays claim to a Talon Nature hath indisposed him for: The most that can be allowed him is, that he is fit to be a Droll or Buffoon— He can be accounted a Witty man only among little people, that have no Genius or good Relish— Among none whose excellency of Sense, and accuracy of Gust, distinguishes them from the insipid and rude Rabble— All that can be allowed him is, He may set up for a Merry Andrew, or hire himself at a Bartholomew-Fair. True Wit, p. 22, consists in jnstness of Thoughts— to have Ideas of a matter, p. 23, comprehensive of all that imports and reaches to the utmost dimensions of it,— and the Harmony that is among them, etc.  R. 
Many, almost all, acknowledge as once you did, Mr. Alsop to be a Wit. I am sure I did; and, to be plain, to my knowledge so did you, when he wrote against your Adversary as well as his; and now he hath crossed you a little, you shamefully recall what you have said times without number, and clap (which is worse) the quite contrary in its place: But, Sir, you rather give us a description of Wisdom than Wit; that is seated in the Understanding, this in the Fancy: And such a description give you too, that I dare pawn my Credit (if I had any) that every man wants; no mere Man, but the Protoplast, had it, or ever will.  F. 
Mr. Alsop will not allow himself to be a Lunatic, and delirious, p. 24. I tell him of Gentlemanly breeding, and of Vngentlemanly things—  R. 
I pray tell me some of Mr. Alsop's Expressions, that prove him to be no Wit.  F. 
He says, When Mr. L. would ride in triumph over dull Presbyterians, some one should have adorned his Chariot, p. 25, and talks of S. L. that is, Slanderous Libeler; and that a Libel is a Lie with a Bell at the end of it.  R. 
What ails all this?  E. 
He talks also of Ordures, p. 27.  R. 
So do you in the same Book; and what if all be not of a piece? Was Mervil a Wit? Was Etchard another? Both stumbled now and then, as well as Mr. Alsop, tho' it may be not so unhappily as he, on the Threshold of a particular Book about the Shoehorn. I know, Sir, you love amorous Songs, is not this Wit to a Sweetheart?  
When first I saw thee thou didst sweetly play  
The gentle Thief, and stolst my heart away;  
Send me it back again, or send thine own,  
For two's too much for one, since I have none.  
But if thou wilt not, I will say thou art  
A sweet-faced Creature with a double heart.  
Or that of Dr. Wild to John Cross, when sitting against him:  

I doubt John Cross that thou hast wed thy woe,  
Thy Wife is Cross, but thou hast made her so.   
He answered:  

My wife is cross, 'tis true, but sometimes mild;  
But it's well known thy wife is always Wild.   
Were the Replies to K. C. (You have the Valour of your Grandfather, the Policy of your Father, the Honesty of your Mother, and Religion of your Brother) Wit? Was Here is Lauder dale the pretty, etc. he that should say No, one would think he should lose his own Wits; if Yes, answered they your description of Wit?  Mars ad opus Veneris, Martis ad arma Venus; 
and many other things, said of K. C. the 2d, (and by him too) but no end here.  F. 
Say what you will (for so will I) I say, Mr. Alsop is equally boorish and inpure: All he says is wholly impertinent, or else clownish, or downright Ribaldry; and I blush to go on repeating—  R. 
I pray tell me some of those Impertinencies.  F. 
When he chargeth Mr. Lobbe to have misrepresented him, see how he phraseth it: By his extracting water out of a Flint, and by his being in possession of an Engine that can find Draining-work in Salisbury-Plain, p. 32.  R. 
What then, is not all this well enough?  F. 
All his wit is the wit of Cobblers and Tinkers, rather than either of a Fresh man in the University, or of a common Tradesman in the City— His best Turn of Thoughts would hardly be tolerable in a Farce, but would by no means be allowed in a Comedy, p. 35. He ought never to venture into the light, for fear of being booted at.—  R. 
I dare be bold to say, you need no Answer from me, nor any Man, to all this; you know, as well as we, the contrary; you do not, you cannot believe as you say, and therefore, no doubt, you will be reckoned to Posterity; as the once Grand Defamer of the world, and that when writing against such. But, Sir, you say Mr. Alsop should with meekness instruct them that oppose themselves, 2 Tim. 2. And should not you? Yet you presently add, Mr. A. is a man of a Luciferian pride and hatred; and, p. 35, He gives occasion to think he never acts a part in preaching in reality and seriously, but to gain a livelihood. No more therefore play with Scripture, the thing you charge your Adversary with: Is this meekness? Is this according to your Promise, All should be clean?  F. 
Hold thy Tongue, I say, it is pity Dr. Erchard is dead, there being more ma●ter and occasion given in two Pamphlets o● Mr. Alsop, for writing Volumes of the Contempt of the Clergy, than that Author could furnish his Adversary with some years since.  R. 
What! than the Story of Father Slipstocking! then the Doctrine on 4 Mal. 2. But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise, with healing in his wings: That the coming of Christ into the World was a Zodiacal mercy, yea, a mercy truly Zodiacal: That Christ passed through th● twelve Signs of the Zodiac, Aries, Taurus, etc. And in the Application, Ungodly Men are Arctic and Antarctic Reprobates. Wrote Mr. Alsop, or talked he, at such a● rate?  F. 
I say, p. 37, If the least corrupt communication (i. e. nasty or unclean, as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth import) is forbidden every Christian, in his divertive Discourse, 4 Ephes. 29, etc. he compares Christ's entering into Bond with us to the Pacta Conventa of Poland, etc.  R. 
Stop, I care to hear no more, it is worse than bad: I own a Commutation of Persons as a good Phrase, tho' not a necessary one.  F. 
Mr. Alsop says, He would not for a Groat run the hazard of falling into the Infernal Pit: So he turns Hell into a Jest, which his best Friends may call Vnpardonable Levity. Is it not worth more than the expense of a Groat to avoid Damnation? Would he not disburse more to purchase Heaven than he hath fixed the price of escaping Hell?—  R. 
Oh, for Shame! you would make quidlibet ex quolibet; I know your Heart in this thing; He thought no danger in the Cloak.  F. 
Whoever justify and excuse Mr. Alsop, they are not only a dull and insipid sort of People, but have neither Grace nor Modesty, p. 40.  R. 
No man that knows you, thinks you overladen with either, by your words or actings.  F. 
I say, All the Presbyterians who meet at St. Helen's, and their Auditors, may consider what Character they will unavoidably come under, unless they bear some public testimony against Mr. A 's Buffonery. The Odium Theologicum, as is observed, is greater than other men's, p. 44. I say, p. 45, This is the work of the Coward, the Knave, and the Madman. Mr. A 's Forehead is Brass, p. 46, double gilt, his Conscience is callous and dedolent.  R. 
What! you run down Communities. They will tell you, the Independents a●● as much bound to appear against you 〈◊〉 they against him, for prodigious Slanders and Diabolisms, for a Mouth as an op●● Sepulchre, etc.  F. 
Mr. A. hath usurped the Throne 〈◊〉 the Omniscient, by telling men's Thoughts.  R. 
And did not you, by saying, Mr. 〈◊〉 p. 52, hath done contrary to the practic● dictamen of his own Understanding? H● is, p. 48, deliriius, and raving,— bein● of one mind in the Intervals of his Paroxisms, and of another in his fits of distraction. Such words do you no kindness I pray tell me F, how came your late Boo● to be so pleasing to some Antinomians an● Crispians? Is there any thing in it to favour them?  F. 
They are generally such Childish me● that they had need learn a Catechism: the● think every thing is for them that is against Mr. Baxte●, or Mr. Williams. I comment in the Book Mr. Lobbe, and say, None opposeth the foppish, novel, Antievangelica● Tenets of the Antinomians more than he● And I censure Dr. Crisp by Name.  R. 
Mr. Lobbe not only deserves Commendation, but hath it, for his Plainness, Honesty, and Fidelity in this respect. He chargeth Dr. Crisp's Doctrine as Blasphemous, etc. when too many Independents, to ●heir shame, have their Mouths muzzled.  F. 
I commend Mr. Humphreys the Baxterian, tho' corrupt, as a man of meekness, humility, and charity to them that dissent; ●ot like Mr. Williams.  R. 
I once received a Letter from this ●an of Modesty and Charity, in which I ●ound him one of the most immodest and ●ncharitable men I ever met with, when ●ave found the Character you give of him ●o answer Mr. Williams. He wrote me, He could hardly in Conscience pray for me, ●elieving God would never forgive me, un●●ess I repent writing against Mr. Baxter. To whom I replied, Is this the Language ●f you men of Love, Unity, Peace, and Con●ord? That if he could hardly in Conscience ●ray for me, I could not but in Conscience ●ray for him. This man of Charity to Ma●ometans, believing their Salvation without Faith in Christ, and living and dying, ●wning an Impostor, and never repent of ●his, could not have so much Charity for ●e, as to hope God might put this thing ●n the score of the Sins of Ignorance. This ●an of Modesty and Charity hath been an ●l Agent all his days. When it pleased God to work that Glorious Reformation ●y the Assembly of Divines and Parliament, to cast out from the Lord's Table ungodly wicked men, this man of Modesty com●● out and trigs them with his Free Admissio●● He stops not here, but flies in the Face 〈◊〉 our first Reformers, and that not in a sma●● point about Discipline, but in a weight 〈◊〉 point about Doctrine. He disowns th● Doctrine of Justification by imputed Righteousness, under the very notion as Prot●●stant; which neither his Master nor Eld●● Brethren had the Face to do. He stops n●● here, but contrary to the Papists as well 〈◊〉 ourselves, asserts the Salvation of Heathe●● by the Light of Nature, without Faith i● Christ, and knowledge of his Word. Th●● man, so much applauded for Modesty an● Charity, and that in opposition to M●● Williams, I speak my Heart, by his Let●●● to me, and by the Account I can get o● 〈◊〉 by some others, is a conceited uncharitab●● Opinionist.  F. 
This Mr. Williams you talk of ca●● neither speak nor write Syntaxical Latin, 〈◊〉 he can understand a common Roman Author p. 55. And I can show Mr. Alsop too to 〈◊〉 a Dunce in Philology; he hath neither grace nor good manners, p. 72. The Beli●● and Doctrine of the man are not to be take● on his Rave, on his Fits of Lunacy an● Distraction, but by his Antisozzo, which h● wrote before he became delirious, or under the decay of the Moon, or in his Lucida, p. 75. Only it will be necessary for his Auditor's carefully to remark how the Tide flows 01 at London-bridge, and Westminster-stairs, that they may thereby calculate at what seasons they may give Credit to the Doctrine of their Pastor. Yet, I say, after all, p. 81, I do freely acknowledge, that there is no man of more Latitude, as to Principles, or measure of Charity, Good-nature, or Civil manners, than I desire to be. Nay, I take pleasure, p. 81, in myself, to find I am by Education, Principles, and Temper carried into the greatest Aversation imaginable against them who are given to— Calumny, etc.  R. 
I must deal plainly with you now; is this your Meekness and Civility? you have contrary to your repeated Protestations and Promises outdone your Adversary by a hundred fold. Say next, that Mr. Williams is no Man, but an Elephant; and, that Mr. Alsop is a Horse:— All will say, Never were there more impudent Untruths told the World: no wonder hardly can I find the man that cares to own or justify the Book.  F. 
I call Mr. Alsop, p. 96, This Holderforth—  R. 
Was not this a term invented by the Atheistical and Profane, and therefore more to be abhorred on this account tha● the Story of the Cloak so invented, as your say; against D. B?  F. 
I call him also Westminster Parson, p. 97, and say, He can be at one time Fool, at another time Knave, p. 104.  R. 
This will please no sober Independent sure, but only some little Crispianish sort of them.  F. 
They sure will never be pleased by me, for I say, as the Atheists Heaven hath no God in it; the Socinians Hell hath no Devil in it; so the Antinomians Justification hath no Faith in it.  R. 
That too great a Load may not lie on Mr. Alsop, I must confess, it was his great unhappiness that he should fall on a mistake about D. B. where he might have made his choice. I am not of their mind, who sa●● Had all been true, it ought to have been covered; No, say I, but openly protested against with the greatest Zeal and Indignation imaginable. Do men think they are on Stages when in Pulpits? Every thing Theatrical should be banished thence. Our common Cause of Nonconformity throughout all England suffers (and that not a little) by this Theological Mountebank. I never heard him but once, and then he took up the Hourglass, and held it forth, raving like a madman, Look here— Even so— I have heard from 〈◊〉 worthy Divine (now dead) who was his Auctor, woeful Pulpit-stuff of his. His first Book●● Meditations is intolerable, unworthy impudent ●●ssages about God— World hang thee, and all ●●at love thee, etc. Yet a Preface is there before ●●e Book, with an Epistle of a Friend of his, to ●im, who magnifies him (as he modestly prints 〈◊〉) for his Ingenuity greater than that of his brothers. I know whatever Zeal he pretends to ●or Nonconformity Purity of Worship, he was about to conform a little before K. James' Indulgence came out. How well antic Tricks, Ceremonies, and a Liturgy had been matched together! would others had had this Pedantic, Self-admirer, and Villifier (notorious Villifier) of Ministers to the injudicious Multitude, rather than we. Must such a man be caressed, and a man of Mr. Williams' parts, gravity, and 〈◊〉 preaching, be postponed to a Jack Puddin! I ●ay, it is well known Mr. Williams' natural parts are to admiration, and his acquired parts above contempt. One ounce of Mother-wit is worth a pound of Clergy, is a common and true Proverb.  F. 
I censure Mr. Alsop for talking of the seasonable death of two known Antinomians (Mr. mather's and Mr. Cole) and say, p. 119, Mr. Alsop can never hope to die the death of the righteous, nor to deserve the burial of a man; he must expect to departed under the Infamy (if he escape the Horror) of the wicked, and to have his remembrance perpetuated by such an Epitaph as might be written upon a Tiger, or a Bear— M●● sop, p. 22, a little pitiful Tool himself, t●● others so too—  R. 
What mean these Heats, these preter●ral Heats, Had the Charge been true! b●● meant no more, than that their death was s●●nable for Mr. Lob, who, as he imagined, (〈◊〉 I think without cause) took liberty to exp●●● himself more like an Anti-antinomian than 〈◊〉 durst to do had they been alive. Many wor●● Congregational men bewailed their too gr●● Propensities to some of Crisp's mad Notions.  F. 
I blame Mr. Alsop for making Mr. Ho●● Trimmer, that is, a Hypocrite, and a Dissembler, and one ●ho guides himself in his politi●● and moral conduct by no other Principles, sa●● by those of Worldly Safety, and Secular Intere●● This is equivalent to Rogue and Rascal, p. 10 And thus is he brought forth as a Knave in 〈◊〉 view of the world, p. 108.  R. 
You cannot in your Conscience believ●● Mr. Alsop intended any such thing. You kno●● how many Ministers talk of Mr. H. (as well a● Hearers) as a kind of Temporizer, and think h● hath not at last imitated Gentlewomen by kirching so often in the Pulpit, with his Hands on his Belly, (then on one side, then on t'other) for nothing: tho' no doubt they are to blame who talk too much of this; and therefore remember, Mr. Alsop hath great company, and good too, in his Censure, though it may be all to blame.  F. 
I say, Mr. Daniel Burgis is above Mr. Al●●, and Mr. Williams, in Uprightness and In●rity.  R. 
Comparisons, they say, are odious, and I 〈◊〉 sure this is so; and the worse, because re●●te, exceeding remote from Truth.  F. 
Well R, believe me, I have my Thoughts ●●der the antecedent Government, as well as the ●terior Examination and Censure of my reason.  R. 
Tho' we have your word for it, no man ●●ll or can believe you.  F. 
Say what you will, p. 122, I have done this ●●rk with the manners of a Gentleman—  R. 
Some will say, (whom I cannot confute) ●ith the rudeness of a Tinker.  F. 
I sa●, most of the Salt and Pepper, as well 〈◊〉 Vinegar, which this work would have born, are 〈…〉 till the next encounter with Mr. Alsop, 〈◊〉 he throw himself in my way again— Mr. Alsop ●●e Presbyterian Preacher, say I, hath outdone the ●ost libertine and licentious among the Poets in ●ll that is unmannerly, rude, clownish, detra●ive and impious.  R. 
You must then f●tch your Salt, Pepper, ●nd Vinegar out of some Quackers writing George ●o● will help you to▪ thou Conjurer, thou ●itch, thou Devil, etc. or Mr. Penn, or Sam. ●isher, thou B●lz●bub the Pr●nce of Devils.—  F. 
I confess, in your Book are fine Strokes, ●ood Apothegins, but the Sentences are too numerous, and of the same import. Here's a Tree ●ull of large Leaves, but little Fruit; much Sauce, but little Meat; many phrases, but li●● matter: the substance of all might have bee● two Sheets, but you have done the same thi●● ad nauseam, and yet promise as to your 〈◊〉 (and counsel us too) âgainst hard words 〈◊〉 provoking reflections. Thus, when I have b●● reading the Book, I have imagined myself befo●● a drunken man, who in the midst of his C●●● had heated his Nose, and unhinged his Tongue 〈◊〉 and yet before and after every Cup would re●● a Lecture of Sobriety and Temperance, and 〈◊〉 claim against Drunkenness, till he either f●● asleep, or dropped under the Board by his excessi●● drinking. Suppose he should say, Oh my friend I desire you all to be temperate— Drunkemi●● metamorphoseth a man into a be hast.— Then ta●● off the other large Cup or Glass,— then wh●● his Eyes stared, he goes on with pious Counse●●● Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, 〈◊〉 filled with the spirit.— I am glad, Sirs, my Te●●per, my Education, my Religion will not perm●● me to drink immoderately. Off goes the othery Cup or Glass; at last he tells them who neve● were intemperate as he, O ye drunken Dog● learn to speak soberly, as I do— You Rogues an● drunken Devils, act soberly, as I do, etc. So, Sin have you written and spoken, and therefore 〈◊〉 am resolved to reason with you no more, no● to hear one word you say.  F. 
Then I will hear thee R; what have you to say to me, or what Counsel to give me?  R. 
Void no more Books, you have too man● ●f late, which give a woeful hogo; then for a ●ause, and then against it: get an honest Heart ●nd beware of a Sceptical Head: put off the Mask of a Layman, by which you put a Trick ●n the World by Niceties: learn some temper ●nd moderation in a Controversy; these are ●hings you once pleaded for, and seemed to ●ractise. I believe it to be a great Error to assert the Suffering of Christ not to be properly or formally, but materially or analogically called Punishments; or to say man's Sin was not the Causa meritoria, but pro causa, or Occasion of Christ's Death and Sufferings: that let some men do what they will to distinguish Mr. Baxter into Orthodoxness, no man sure can into Pru●dence. It must be fatal to lay aside terms used 〈◊〉 the Orthodox in a Controversy, and to take up with such as are used by the worst of Heretics, tho' men say, He meant not this, but meant that— I dare not say with Dr. Goodwin, that I greatly doubt Mr. Baxter 's Conversion; nor with Mr. Herle, that it had been good for the Church of God if he had never been born; nor with Mr. Capel, that his Parents might repent that ever they sent him to School: nor will I say what the famous Jasper Hicks in the West said of him; yet I cannot but bewail the Errors he hath set on foot. I think (to be plain) Mr. Lob hath granted the Baxterians too much, by rejecting any such gloss on 2 Gen. 17, Thou shalt die, or thy Surety: For is that Sentence definitive, or comminatory only? if a Threat, that might be revoked, like that of 3 Jon. Within forty days Nineveh shall be destroy●● or to Hezekiah, Set thy house in order, for t●● shalt die, and not live: if so, then after man 〈◊〉 sinned, God could have pardoned him without satisfaction, or without giving a Redeemer 〈◊〉 the World, will not this (too much) ma●● Christ to die in vain? What God might ha●● done antecedently to this Sentence, I will n●● say; and I think it was a bold Question for 〈◊〉 Owen and Mr. Gilbert, but consequently on the he could not. If the Sentence were definitive and being once gone out of the mouth of Go● could not be recalled: then if not thou or th● Surety be intended, I cannot see, but that a S●●viour is precluded: God could not be true 〈◊〉 his word, if ever a Saviour died for man, an● not man himself: with me there is no rem●●●●● the immediate Offender, the actual Transgressor and his Descendants must die. But I wi●● not launch out here.  
Mr. Alsop, Mr. Williams, and Mr. Lob an● all three men of great worth, and there is n●● necessity in a Controversy to magnify one and depretiate another. Mr. Lob, when young▪ was an Old Boy, one of great learning and deep thoughts, and therefore it was no small Error to represent him to the World as an unfit man● for an Argument or a Disputation. I have hear● Mr. Williams laugh at them that have censure● Mr. Lobb's preaching, and heard him say, H● was a great Preacher; and I think these two might soon be good friends, were it not for ill Agents between both.  
They both have written well against the Crispians or Antinomians, the impenitent Believers, as I often call them, of this Age, who make Faith Assurance, and this to be had without any Grace or Change in man, fetching its Ranges in the Regions of Love, as I heard a D. lately to preach, and so this Faith brings down Sanctification. Now I would fain know, whether this Faith be a living Faith, or a dead Faith; if a living Faith, whether this be not a part of Sanctification; if a dead Faith, whether there be any thing in God's Promise, or in the nature of the thing itself, that this dead Faith should bring down Sanctification. We are often asked, would we not advise ungodly men to come to Christ?  
1. If they mean by coming to Christ a believing Christ is the Author and Finisher of every Grace, none deny it; here we direct them.  
2. But if they mean a persuasion they belong to Christ, tho' they have not repent, this we deny; Repentance, we know, among those men is nothing; they keep the Name, and make it as Faith, but part with the Thing, Compunction, and Sadness, and Heartrending. When Peter saw three thousand pricked to the heart, and they asked him and the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do? he said unto them, Repent. Some would think the Answer wa● more legal than the Question: What! bi●● nose pricked to the heart repent! Yes, and things enough. They ask us, How will we bid me● come to Christ? I answer, in his way, and after his manner, Mar. 28. Come unto me you tha● labour, and are heavy laden. 55 Isa. 1, Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters: Rumpent, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, wa● the preaching of Christ, his Forerunner and his Followers. Repentance and Faith is the Scripture-method and order, 20 Acts 21. If Faith be sometimes mentioned without Repentance▪ it supposeth it; as when Repentance is mentioned without Faith it intends it.  F. 
Alas R. you talk as if you were preaching to the Author of Justification on Satisfaction. The Interest of Reason in matters of Religion, &c▪ when I have done with those things, and am the: Author of a Book wherein K. W. is charg●● 〈◊〉 with having Testimonials by him at Kensington, of his being reconciled to the Church of Rome, and the late Book against Mr. Alsop, now discoursed of. As for Religion, I trouble not myself about it, but to serve a Turn. I am of Glanvil's mind in the Vanity of Dogmatizing, 〈◊〉 or what his Friend says before,  
There is no demonstration,  
But only thine, which shows there's none.  
You know the two Reynolds and D. Allebasters ingenious Verses,  
Concurrere pares, & cecidere pares, etc. I will never trouble my Head or Heart abouts was did Mr. K. of T. College in Cambridge, 〈…〉 ●●leful Verses I have heard coming from 〈…〉 cut his own Throat— From  
From Heaven, as a Scourge of Pride,  
All Decisiion is denied, etc.  
The burden of the whole was, 
Weep Eyes, sigh Soul, and Body pine,  
Was ever Sorrow like to mine?   R. 
All that can be proved from hence is, that we should lie humbly at the Feet of God for Direction, carry it charitably towards our Brethren for tolerable Errors, and search our heart whether there be not some beloved Lust, which may make that Holy Spirit to withdraw its Irradiations or Consolations. But on this, to sit down with the Drunkard, to be partaker with 01 the Adulterer, to rap out an Oath sometimes to comport with the company, will be Bitterness in the latter end. You know, Friend F. that I do many thousands of times reprove and counsel you, when no one is present but you and I: at Bed, at Board, in Closet, at home and abroad, I many thousands of times ring a woeful Pealin your Ears; you will not hear, but drown all Convictions in your Cups with a wicked Generation—  
And whereas you so much censure Mr Alsop, for being so jocular, condemn only the Excess. I remember I have heard what Mr. Capel s●ud to, one that reproved him for Jests, Repartees for 2 or 3 hours together, Sir, this is my Physic for the Distempers I carry about me.— I grant the Remedy may be (and sometimes is) worse than the Disease, when unseasonable for time, and excessive for use, but to damn men for those things, and say, they ●●●e no Grace, is a sour humour much worse than Levity. Good Mr. Showers lately, in a well studied Sermon at Salters-hall, greatly bewailed our late Divisions, as hardening the profane, sadning the righteous, putting back the well inclined, spoiling even civil conversation, etc. Sir, I desire you (desire your Friends too) not to lie out of sight when you writ Books, let the Accused know, one way or other, who the Accusers are. Mr. Lob, Mr. Williams, Mr. Alsop, are known to be the Authors of their Books, but as for the little sneaking Union Historian, and the Socks and Buskinman, some can but conjecture, others not that.   

Postscript.  
IF any think my appearing once again after an intended Silence seems contrary to my once intention, let them remember what made Atys dumb (all his days so) to cry out.  
I declare myself to be of Mr. Lobb's Opinion in our Controversies, who writes like a Man, like a Scholar, like a Gentleman, like a Christian, and like a Divine. Yet as zealous an Anti-Baxterian as I am, I would not be such a mad one, as to write or speak at this rate, as doth our Author.  
And of all men, I have least reason to appear for Mr. Alsop; for when I was, Bartholomew last was twelvemonth, silenc d by the Baxterians, (and continue ever since under Suspension) that I must not come into their Pulpit, unless I recall my Vindi●iae, (which will be ad Graecas Calendas) Mr. Alsop at that time (if Fame be true) when I had preached a Morning Lecture, (and that in Mr. G— 's M●eting) said, That if ever I preached there again, he would never come among them more. My Interest would lead me one way, my Conscience doth another, Honesty will reward itself. When I saw the foul-dealing of many Anti-Baxterians against Mr. Williams, (who would n●ver tell us to this day how far they owned Mr. Williams' Gospel Truth stated and vindicated against Dr. Crisp, but make a noise against it like little Crispians) it gave me the curiosity to inquire, whether that Leaven was not gotten amongst some of those Defamers.  
I am in those circumstances in the World, that I value not what either Antinomians or Neonomians can do, between whom the old Protestant Orthodox Doctrine of Justification by Faith only is almost lost. Mr. Baxter ran away with the word Only, and Dr. Crisp with the word Faith; so that, between them both, nothing is left.  
I desire the Reader to take notice, that I make myself no Judge in the Controversy of late on foot, who were guilty of the breach of the Union, perhaps both Parties, one for giving the occasion, t'other for taking it.  
Whatever noise there is about me, I have this to glory in, That I plead for no Novel Doctrine, but the old Doctrine, wherein the old Prelates and Puritans were agreed, Justification by Faith only, against Innovators on either hand. If it be therefore asked, How I come ●o plead for Mr. Alsop? I meddle not with his Opinions, but am troubled (as no doubt many of our own are) to see such a Critic in Philology, such a Champion in Philosophy, and such an Oracle in Divinity, ridiculed and defamed beyond all measure. I acknowledge this Abuse of him, Mr. Williams, and other 〈…〉, every way more civil and gen●●●● 〈…〉 ●●●der provoked me to appear. I 〈…〉, there are great Truths in the now c●●● 〈…〉; many and good Arguments laid do●● 〈…〉 ●●●ity in Ministers, etc. far be it from me 〈◊〉 contra●●●t, what is sound and seasonable.   

Ad Reverendos, & perquàm eruditos, D●●●●mum Lobb, Dom. Alsop, nec non Do●● Williams, Theologum sapientissimum.  
NON vos latet, non eundum est igitur mihi infici●s, 〈◊〉 Davus non Ocdipus: suppl● a●e tamen au● 〈…〉 quod inter vos Harmonia sit continuata. Si dicitier, S●● Minervam, ingenium, modeste fateor, vobis nupsit, no●c mihi. 〈◊〉 quibusdam nullus dubito, quin ●●t●edozus ego, sed ign●●●● q●●bus, supra modum tam●n aliq●a●do elatus & iracund●● 〈◊〉 aliis succenseo, utinam mihi ●●piw. In measententia error 〈◊〉 ●●●n●● vis argumenti loco fur●rem Ponere & Victoriae ergo 〈◊〉 ●●●●●i.  
Non Liber aeque, non acuta  
Sic geminant Corybante, aera.  
Tristes ut irae—  Hor. 
Haec olent superbiam, ut dicit Jacobus unde Contentiones? Qui s●●i volunt ign●s massiles? Sic obtinuit usus nuperrime! No fugiat, ore, memoriam senrentia eorum, qui audterunt Ref●r mantes, & R●f●rmati ●obtra omn●s Novatores, Aphoristam Antinomistam, quod repetatur antiqua & dulcis melodia, 〈◊〉 omnia dexterrime. Crispianorum d●gmata (prob do●●●● pessima reperi, non ibv●ni. Nemo abhorret aqu● ac ego. Om●●● in haec contend●ntes (me dempto) docti & periti. Si de a●● quid erravi, pa●●ociam vellem. Si non—  
Si si●●ametis alii al●os, qu●madmodum Deus & ego,  Sublimi feriam sydera vertice 
Sic genibus flexis orat Deum, sic quasi Genibus flexis o●● vo● vestrum Obsequentissimus, Vernacule.  
Sam. Reconcileab●●