said wise Homer of old; and another to the same purpose, " He that speaks what lie will, must hear what he would not." Is it actionable with you against a Protestant, that he will not take your whole sword into his bowels without complaining? Sir, the author of the " Ani-
pheface to the reply considered. 193
madversions" doth, and ever did, abhor swords, and guns, and crusades, in matters of religion and conscience, with all violence, that may tan- tamount unto their usual effects. He ever thought it an uncouth sight to see men marching with crosses on their backs to destroy Christians, as if they had the Alkoran in their hearts; and therefore desires your excuse if he have reflected a little upon the miscarriages of your church in that kind, especially being called thereunto by your present contrary pretences.
" Quis tulerit Gracclios de seditione querentcs ?" — Juv. ii. 21. And, —
" Major tandem parcas insane minori." — Hor. Sat. ii. 3, 325.
It wei'e well if your ways did no more please you, in the previous prospect you take of them than they seem to do in a subsequent re- flection upon them. But this is the nature of evil, — it never comes and goes with the same appearing countenance : not that itself changeth at any time, for that which is morally evil is always so ; but men's apprehensions, variously influenced by their affections, lusts, and in- terests, do frequently change and alter. Now, what conclusions can be made from the premises rightly stated, I leave to your own judg- ment, at your better leisure.
Thirdly, You add, " Your prophetic assurance, so often inculcated, that if you could but once come to whisper me in the ear, I would plainly acknowledge, either that I understand not myself what I say, or, if I do, believe it not, gives a fair character of those fanatic times wherein ignorance and hypocrisy prevailed over worth and truth, whereof, if yourself were any part, it is no wonder you should think that I or any man else should either speak he knows not what, or believe not what himself speaks." That is, a man must needs be as bad as you can imagine him, if he have not such a high opinion of your ability and integrity as to believe that you have written about nothing but what you perfectly understand, nor assert any thing, in the pursuit of your design and interest, but what you really and in cold blood believe to be true. All men, it seems, that were no part of " the former dismal tempest," have this opinion of you ; " credat Apella." If it be so, I confess, for my part, I have no relief against being concluded to be whatever you please : Sosia or not Sosia, the law is in your o\nx hands, and you may condemn all that adore you not into fanaticism at your pleasure; but as he said, " Obsecro per pacem liceat te alloqui, ut ne vapulem." If you will but grant a little truce from this severity, I doubt not but in a short time to take off from your keenness in the management of this charge; for I hope you will allow that a man may speak the truth without being a fana- tic. Tiaith may get hatred, — I see it hath done so, — but it will make no man hateful. Without looking back, then, to your " Fiat Lux," I
VOL. XIV. 13
194 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
shall, out of this very epistle, give you to see that you have certainly failed on tlie one hand, in writing about things which you do not at all understand, and therefore discourse concerning them like a blind man about colours; and, as I fear, greatly also on the other, — for I cannot suppose you so ignorant as not to know that some things in your discourse are otherwise than by you represented : nay, and we shall find you at express contradictions, which, pretend what you please, I know you cannot at the same time believe. Instances of these things you will be minded of in our progress. Now, I must needs be very unhappy in discoursing of them, if this be logic and law, that for so doing I must be concluded a fanatic.
Fourthly, You add, " Your pert assertion, so oft occurring in your book, that there is neither reason, truth, nor honesty in my words, is but the overflowings of that former intemperate zeal;" whereunto may be added what in the last place you insist on to the same pur- pose, namely, that I " charge you with fraud, ignorance, and wicked- ness, when in my own heart I find you most clear from any such blemish." I do not remember where any of these expressions are used by me; that they are nowhere used thus all together, I know well enough, neither shall I make any inquiry after them. I shall therefore desire you only to produce the instances wherevmto any of the censures intimated are annexed ; and if I do not prove, evidently and plainly, that to be wanting in your discourse which is charged so to be, I will make you a public acknowledgment of the wrong I have done you. But if no more was by me expressed than your words, as used to your purpose, did justly deserve, pray be pleased to take notice that it is lawful for any man to speak the truth : and for my part, 'Eyw ug 6 ■/.o/j.iahg ecprj, ciypoixo: £/,(/,;, rriM ey.d(pr]Vj Gy.d<pr}v Xlyuv, as he said in Lucian; — " I live in the country where they call a spade a spade." And if you can give any one instance where I have charged you with any failure, where there is the least probability that I had in my heart other thoughts concerning what j^ou said, I will give up my whole interest in this cause unto you : " Mala mens, malus ani- mus," Ter. And. i. 1, 137. You have manifested your conscience to be no just measure of other men's, who reckon upon their giving an account of what they do or say: so that you have but little advanced your charge by these undue insinuations.