1 "Laudatur ab his, culpatur ab illis."— [Hor. Sat., lib. i. 2, 11.] 3 See August., Ep. 7, 28, 157, De Orig. Anim. 3 " Deferar in vicuiu vendentem thus et odores,
Et pii)er, et quiequid charLis amicitur ineptis."— [Hor. Epist., lib. ii. l.J " Oocidit raiseros crambe repetita magistros." — [Juv.l " Semper ego auditor tantum ? " — [Juv. Sat. i.] i '' Imniortale odium et nunquam sanabile vulnus,
Ardet adhue. Umbos et Tentyra. Summus utriuque Inde furor vulgo, quod nuniiua vicinorum Odit uterque locus."— Juveii., [xv. 35.] " Grxce scire, aut polite loqui, apud illos hiieresis est."— Eras, de Scholiatt.
44 PREFACE.
but men whose bowels are full of gall. In this spring of humours, lenitives for our own spirits may perhaps be as necessary as purges for others' brains. I'arther, I desire to provoke ' none ; more stings than combs are got at a nest of wasps ; even cold stones, smitten together, spai'kle out fire: " The wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood." Neither do I conceive it wisdom, in these quarrelsome days, to in- trust more of a man's self with others than is very necessary. The heart of man is deceitful ; some that have smooth tongues have sharp teeth : such can give titles on the one side and wounds on the other. Any of these considerations would easily have prevailed Avith me " stultitia hac caruisse," had not mine ears been filled, presently after the preaching of the precedent sermon, with sad complaints of some, and false reports of others, neither of the lowest rank of men, as though I had helped to open a gate for that which is now called a Trojan horse ; though heretofore counted an engine likelier to batter the walls of Babylon than to betray the towers of Zion. This urged some to be urgent with me for a word or two about church government, according to the former suggestions, undermined, and a toleration of different persuasions, as they said, asserted. Now, truly, to put the accusers to prove the crimination — for so it was, and held forth a grievous crime in their apprehensions (what is really so God will judge) — had been sufficient.- But I could not so evade ; and therefore, after my sermon was printed to the last sheet, I was forced to set apart a few hours,' to give an account of \\hat hath passed from me in both these things, which have been so variously reported; hoping that the reading may not be unuseful to some, as the writing was very necessary to me. And here, at the entrance, I shall desire at the hands of men that shall cast an eye on this heap of good meaning, these few, as I suppose, equitable demands ; —
First, Not to prosecute men into odious appellations, and then themselves, who feigned the crime, pronounce the sentence, — like him A\ho said of one brought be- fore him. If he be not guilty, it is fit he should be; — involving themselves in a douljle guilt, of falsehood and malice ; and the aspersed parties in a double misery, of being belied in what they are, and hated for what they are not. If a man be not what such men would have him, it is odds l)ut they will make him what he is not ; — if what he really is do not please, and that be not enough to render him odious, he shall sure enough be more. Ithacius will make all Friscillianists who are any thing more devout than him.self.* If men do but desire to see with their own eyes, presently they are enrolled of this or that sect ; every mispersuasion be- ing beforehand, in petitions, .sermons, &c., rendered odious and intolerable ; — in such a course, innocency itself cannot go long free. Christians deal with one an- other in earnest, as children in their plays clap another's coat upon tlicir fellow'.s shoulders, and pret^ending to beat that, cudgel him they have clothed with it. " What shall be given unto thee, thou false tongue ? " If we cannot be more charitable, let us be more ingenuous. ]\Iany a man hath been brought to a more favourable opinion of such as are called by dreadful names than formerly, by the experience of false impositions on himself.
Secondly, Not to clothe our differences AA-ith expressions fitting them no better than Saul's armour did David ; nor make them like a little man in a bombast coat upon stilts, walking about like a giant. Our little differences may be met at every stall, and in too many pidpits, swelled by unbefitting expressions into such a for- midable; bulk as poor creatures are even startled at their horrid looks and appear- ance; whilst our own persuasions are set out pr.i^ain ^uaaUon,^ with silken \\ords
I "Noli irritare crnbroncs. Si lapidcs terns nonne ignis eruinpit r " — Anibros., lib. i. cnp. 21; Prov. XXX. XT; .Job xiii. l;t: I'rov. xxv. 18. Vid. Remcd. coiitru Gravam. Nntiouis Gcrni;mioa>. Luth jinot'iit. ad Lib. de Coiicil. Trotest. 34 niinistroruiu. 4. Couolus. And generally all writers at the beKiniiini; of tlie Keforniation.
- Si aci'usasse sufliciet, quis crit innocens ?
3 " Me,, iios obniti cDiitr.'i, nee tondere taiitum
Sutticimus." — [Virg. yTi. v. 21.] » Sulp. Sever. Kpist. Hist. Eccles. -'Hut. Apopbth.