that it was a standing law for all Pastors and Teachers to the worlds end 1. Because it fully appeareth that water-baptisme was never intended by God but either onely or cheifly for an introductory or planting Ordinance at its first coming unto a City or Nation till it should get some considerable rooting and interest among them not for a staple Ordinance in one and the same place with many other such like Pleas as this is to render it doubtful To which I answer but with much grief of heart to find such noble parts and abilities as God hath endowed you with so desperately engaged in so bad a cause But Sir if I prove by the Scriptures that it is sinful for Disciples to remain unbaptised and that by the precept of Christ then all your farre fetcht pleas will fall to the ground To prove then by the Scriptures that it is sinful by the precepts of Christ that his Disciples should neglect Baptisme I prove from the 2. Acts 37 38. that the commandments of the Apostles are to be looked upon as the Commandments of Christ it appeareth in that they had them from Christ Acts 1.2 Vntill the day in which he was taken up after that he through the holy Ghost had given commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chosen Paul 1 Corinth 11.23 pleadeth what he delivered them he had from the Lord. Peter therefore 2 Pet. 3.2 saith he wrote to them meaning the scattered Disciples to stirre up their pure minds by way of remembrance that they might be mindfull of the Commandments of VS saith he the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour besides the foundation of Religion laid by Christ and that laid by the Apostles the Spirit in Scripture maketh one and the same 1 Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ Now the same Apostle to the Ephesians Ephes 2 20. saith thus And are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets So that to build upon Christs doctrine and the Apostles doctrine is the same and that for the reason specified I conclude then that if the Apostles command every one to be baptised then Christ hath commanded every one to be baptised But the Apostle Peter in the 2. Acts 38. when the Disciples that were pricked at the heart by the word preached asked him what they should do He commandeth them to repent and be BAPTISED EVERY one of them for the remission of sins So that here is a plain positive command to all and every of the persons at whose heart the Word cometh not onely to repent but to be baptised If sin then be the transgression of the Law which the Apostle saith it is and that the Apostles Commands are Christs and that the Apostle hath commanded every one that repenteth to be baptised then doth the conclusion lift up its head that there is a precept of Christ in Scripture whereby it is made sinful for some persons to remain unbaptised But it may be Mr. Goodwin will object 'T is true this was a command which lay upon those new Converts as a duty but doth that prove it lieth upon us I answer Yes if the duty of repentance lie upon us as well as on them for they are both put together by the Apostle and if the precepts of the Apostles to the primitive Churches in any thing be precepts to us then is Baptisme as well as other things for as Repentance and Baptisme are both enjoyned to the first Churches by the Apostles so are they both put together in the Commission Math. 28.19 Disciple me all Nations baptising them and Mark 16.16 Goe and preach to every Creature He that beleiveth and is baptised shall be saved and the same presence promised to the end of the world as well to baptising as to teaching Mr. Baxster saith by the end of the world to understand a period of time is a peice of impudent violence This then is my first Argument for the standing of the Ordinance of Baptisme it is joyn'd with Teaching in the Commission and Christ saith what God hath joyn'd together let no man put assunder But God hath joyn'd Baptisme and Teaching together and for any man to presume to part them what is it but to offer an affront to the great God and God will surely reckon with them for it first or last how many are there of such that for slighting Christ in his Ordinances Salt marsh and his followers which was the first stone they stumbled at have had strong delusions sent them by God that they might beleive lies and since proved forlorn wofull spectacles of Gods indignation But to set home this Argument for the standing of Baptisme as long as Teaching I shall use Mr. Goodwins own words upon which I would fix the eye of the Reader Water dip p. 12. No Authority can discharge or dis-oblige but that which is either greater than or at least equall unto that which bindeth If so then are you not bound by your own principle to find us out an Authority equall to Christs that hath discharged Baptisme which is by so great an Authority enjoyned as is Christs the Lords the great Judge both of quick and dead which I am sure is impossible for you to do and therefore Baptisme standeth in full force and vertue and all your suggestions rendring it doubtful must not nor will not go for gold but dirt except with some that in matters of Religion are neitheir hot nor cold which luke-warm temper God abhorreth and without repentance will one day spue them out of his mouth Good Reader let but thy esteem of Baptisme stand till Mr. Goodwin shew us an Authority equal to Christs that hath discharged it and I will promise thee that mine and thine shall fall together My second Argument to prove Baptisme standing is this That opinion which tendeth to the destruction of all Religion can never be the truth but to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of all Religion That to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of all Religion I demonstrate that thus 1. By dividing Religion into two parts 1. That which is external standing in the exercise of external Ordinances and 2. That which is internal standing in a holy frame of heart and life Now that to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to destroy the external part of Religion I prove it thus If the standing of Teaching and breaking bread and other acts of Church fellowship have no other foundation but what Baptisme hath the same then to conceive Baptisme out of date is to disparage the standing of all the rest as out of date also because the same God out of the same infinite wisodme ordained Baptisme that ordained breaking bread and all the acts of Church-fellowship may he hath cast some degrees of honour more upon Baptisme then upon some other of the Ordinances in as much as he singled out Baptisme from
do without the joynt concurrence both of God and the Creature So also in the new Testament Acts 26.17 18. Delivering thee from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Is not here much more put into Pauls Commission than he was able without God to do or will any body say that Paul acted short of his Commission or falsified his trust if he did not actually open all the eyes of the Gentiles and turn them from the power of Satan to God But Sir to convince you that there is more included in the Commission than was in the Apostles power to effect supposing the word Teach should signifie onely what you apprehend namely the speaking such things which are proper to make Disciples Consider this They are charged to baptise all they taught and was that in their power could they baptise any more than were willing to be baptised or should they have been judged falsifiers of their trust or acting short of their Commission for not baptising all those that should take horses and ride away from them when they had heard the Word It appeareth therefore undeniably that the very principle whereupon you found the absurdity is not good and consequently no force in your argument but this being all you have levied against my Brother Allens Argument built upon the Text and being found weak his conclusion lifteth up its head and that is that it is disorderly for persons to hold Church-Communion before Baptisme because Baptisme by Christs order was the next thing to be done after discipling and that immediately Secondly A second Argument to prove it a disorderly Practise for the Disciples to hold Church Communion before Baptisme is this If the Scripture maketh Baptisme the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Then is it a most disorderly practise for persons to sit down in Church-society without it But the Scripture maketh Baptism the gate or entrance into the visible Church or Body of Christ Mr. Goodwin denâ—eth now in effect that Baptisme is the Ordinance of entrance into the visible Body of Christ yea he is so far from thinking so P. 61 Of his Water dipping that he thinketh the injunction of it is but after the manner of the free-will offerings under the Law so that men may either obey or not obey without sin yea P 48 Water dipping that a Church may be of as sound and worthy a constitution without Baptisme as with it Now before I make particular answer to Mr. Goodwins Exception to the interpretation of the Scripture alledged to prove it I desire to make one observation which I would commend to the serious consideration of the Reader which is this That notwithstanding the vast variety of differences in the judgement of Professors about other matters of Christian Religion both learned and unlearned in so much that setting aside some few famous fundamentals it is a hard matter to find two men universally agreeing Yet for this opinion that Baptisme is the Sacrament of entrance into the visible Church of Christ all the Professors of Christian Religion hath met in it as one man as far as I ever yet heard or read of whether Papal Prelatical Presbiterial or Independant or Anabaptist except some few persons lately the most whereof are given to Seekerisme And is not that opinion justly to be suspected for an error that crosseth the judgement of almost all the world reputed Christian as well those that are under no temptation by worldly respects to baulk the naked truth as those that are This Argument I confess amounteth not to a demonstration but it justly provoketh an eye of jealousie over that opinion that singleth a man out from all his brethren of like pretious faith and rendreth him like the Widdow Paul speaketh of desolate I shall now proceed to establish this truth by shewing the invalidity of your great exception to the interpretation of the 1 Corinth 12.13 which Text my Brother Allen insisteth on to prove it the words these By one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body my Brother Allen understandeth with Mr. Baxster and the generally reputed Orthodox the word baptised properly of water Baptisme P. 342. Of plain Scripture Mr. Goodwin will needs understand it just now of Spirit Baptisme but why P. 68 72. Of his water dip because the Text saith By one Spirit we are baptised and as for water it is not mentioned To which I answer 1. The not mentioning of water is no Argument that the Text is not to be understood of water Baptisme because the word water is not mentioned in the Commission it self for baptising which yet notwithstanding is plainly enough interpreted by the Apostles to be meant of water Baptisme because of their practising it by vertue of their Commission So also in the 1 Corinth 1.13 14 15. the word water is not set down but no body in their right wits will understand the words otherwise Were you baptised in the Nume of Paul I thank God I baptised none of you But you say the Text speaketh of another Element P. 342. Of Insânts Châ—rch-Membership namely the Spirit 'T is true it doth mention the Spirit as a concurrent cause saith learned Baxsten but the Text speaketh of reall Baptisme 2. How frequently are effects attributed to the Spirit in Scripture in this sence Is not Baptisme the Doctrine of the Spirit as well as other duties Acts 1.2 Acts 2.38 Act. 8.29.38 Act. 1.48 and that which the Spirit exciteth to amongst other acts of obedience did not the Spirit send Phillip to the Eunuch as well to baptise him with water as preach to him and did not the Spirit inspire Peter to command Cornelius to be baptised and is not the proper office of the Spirit to excite men to and guide men in the performance of all dutie why then may not reall Baptisme with water being an act of obedience be attributed to the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.22 as well as any other acts of obedience whatsoever 3. To understand these words By the Spirit as a working cause and Baptisme as the effect agreeth to the context from the first verse to the 12. At the first verse No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost and is not that by the agency and working of the Spirit upon the heart perswading it to think so honourably of Christ as to call him Lord. The Spirits work is to raise the esteem of Christ in the soul The soules calling him Lord is the effect of that work In the like sense I humbly apprehend all the gifts spoken of to the 12. verse are attributed to the Spirit namely as so many effects of his operation as the cause producing them Which having treated on at large he cometh in the 13. verse to tell them that by the
with Teaching in the Commission without the least hint of parting them Math. 28. 2. By promising the same presence to the end of the world as well to Baptising as Teaching 3. By the singular use of Baptisme to all Beleivers in all ages of which more hereafter which I suppose maketh Mr. Baxster call Baptisme a great Ordinance P. 302. Of plain Scripture But for persons that are baptised to sit down in a Church body with unbaptised will make Baptisme sleighted I prove thus If unbaptised Disciples enjoy all the self same priviledges of the Church that baptised persons do which they do if they sit down together in a Church body then must the reputation of Baptisme needs be in danger 1. Because it admiteth to no priviledge of the Church but what may be had without it 2. Because the act of Baptisme is irksome to the flesh which if not ballanced by some considerable advantage will upon that account suffer if this be not reason set them to judge that are least esteemed in the Church 4 That practise which consulteth the loss and spiritual dammage of the Disciples can never be an orderly practise But for baptised Disciples to admit of unbaptised into full communion is to consult their losse and spiritual dammage That to admit Disciples to full Communion before baptisme is to consult their loss I prove thus If they are not baptised before joyning in probability they are not like to be after because such confused joyning secretly whispereth a low esteem of the Ordinance even by the baptised themselves otherwise they would not hold their communion without it having no such president in the Word 2. Because the act is unpleasing to the flesh 3. because they are in possession of the priviledges of the Church without it and consequently one great Argument of considering the grounds of it is as it were over so that it is a rare thing if ever they be brought to submit Now not to obey every Ordinance of Christ must needs be a losse to the Creature because in their institution as well as in the creation In wisdome he ordained them all aiming as well at the Creatures good as his own glory Therefore the Pharisees that reject Baptisme Luke 7.30 are said to reject the Counsell of God AGAINST themselves 5. That practice in the worship of God which in reason is like to lay the foundation of jâ—rrs discentions and discords in the Church can never be of Christs ordering because jarrs and discentions in the Church standeth in direct enmity to his interest wherefore he would not have the Church onely be at peace amongst themselves but as much as in them lieth live peaceably with ALL men But for persons that are baptised to sit down in Church bodies with unbaptised in all reason will breed jarrs Can two walk together except they be agreed I suppose he meaneth that they cannot walk comfortably together for otherwise they may walk together after a fashion besides such Interrogations in Scripture affirm with Emphasis the matter Interrogated So that when he saith CAN two walk together he would insinuate not onely some degrees of improbability but that it is next to an impossibility that they should maintain sweet communion but those words except they be agreed must be understood warily not of every light difference in opinion for then there would be little sweet communion in the Church at all there being few that agree in every thing But in matters of moment as this will easily be apprehended to be by any indifferent person that weigheth it it cannot lightly be but there must be jarrs discentions to the embittering their fellowship That difference about meats and dayes what trouble did it work in the Church at Rome Roman 14.3 Let not him that eateth DESPISE him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not JVDGE him that eateth yea at the 10. verse Why dost thou judge thy Brother why dost thou set at NOVGHT thy Brother So that despising judging and setting at nought followed that poor difference about meats and dayes What difference then in reason would this about Baptisme work when that one party namely the unbaptised shall look upon the other as practising will-worship and making their Religion ridiculous and adhering to a generation of men scarce worthy to live as now Mr. Goodwin thinketh of them And on the other hand the baptised they shall look upon their brethren sprinkling childrens faces presuming to call that the Ordinance of Baptisme which in their judgements is a meer mockery and doing it too in the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit which in their apprehensions is little less than blasphemy How should these two parties of Beleivers walk together without sore differences and the more by how much the more zealous they are for the pure worship of God a luke-warm Spirit will best befit Churches of that constitution this is so plain a case that I think I need not proceed further in the demonstration 6. That practise which in the worship of God is not onely beside the custome of the first Churches which was settled by the Apostles but directly contrary can never be an orderly practise 1. Because they did what they did therein by special Commission 1 Cor. 11.23 2 Cor 10.8 2. We have no reason to doubt the faithfulness of the Apostles in excuting it for though they had frailties as other men yet in what they did in settling the religion of Christ they did by special direction and extraordinary assistance Math. 28.19 and so their example is as Lawes to us Excellent is Mr. Baxster to this point Moses being appointed to the forming of the old Church and Common-wealth of the Jews Saints Rest 212. to the building of the Tabernacle his precepts and examples in these works though we could not find his particular direction are to be taken as divine so also the Apostles having commission to form and order the Gospel Churches their doctrine and examples therein are by their general Commission warranted and their practise in stablishing the Lords day in settling the Officers and Orders of Churches are to us as Lawes still binding with those limitations as positives onely which give way to greater The ground of this position is because it is inconsistent with the wisdom of God and faithfulness too to set men to a work and promise to be with them and yet to forsake them and suffer them to erre in the building of that house which must endure to the end of the world That practise then in the worship of God which is directly contrary to Apostolical custome can never be orderly And Sir if I mistake not very much you have heretofore said as much to this point as any man in the world can say for you have these words in your fourth Caution for Reformation The best patternes and examples under heaven are but seducers in what they fall short of or besides the Word of
some others and put it in the Commission by name with Teaching and ordained it in some sence or other to serve the grand interest of remission of sins and salvation Acts 2.38 Mar. 16.16 Mat. 28.19 and gave such a particular charge to have it done with so great solemnity even In the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit Now what is the foundation of the standing of any of the Ordinances but the unrepealed Word of God which as much respecteth Baptisme as any other therefore disparage Baptisme and disparage all they live they die they stand they â—all together But 2. That to conceive Baptisme out of date tendeth to the destruction of the more spiritual part of Religion namely that which consisteth in a holy frame of heart and life I prove thus If the use of Ordinances be the soules edification then to dis-use them is the way to make havock of all our spiritual treasure but to conceive Baptisme out of date is the way not onely to disuse that Ordinance but all others because they all stand upon the same bottome as I have proved already Now that the use of Ordinances is the edification of the soul appeareth by many Scriptures Ephes 4.11 12 13 14 15 16. and that Baptisme by name hath a rich tendency to edification I have proved already at large by shewing the design of God in it which is to affect the heart by the death buriall and resurrection of Christ in that Ordinance SEEN as well as in the Gospel preached those truths are HEARD with other respects of edification which I shall not now mention But for more full satisfaction at this point let me give Mr. Goodwins judgement concerning the edifying nature of Baptisme p. 26. of his water dipping 1. That it is operative to the engaging the judgement and conscience to become the loyall Disciples of Christ And 2. the building up of the inward man in grace and peace If so how cometh so many suggestions from you rendering the standing of Baptisme doubtful Hath Christ appointed more wayes of teaching the Gospel and building up the inner man in grace than needs and might you not as well think that God intended to make darlings of the Christians in the first times and but step-children of all the rest of Beleivers to the end of the world as to think that he would take from them any part of the meanes of their edification and spiritual comfort and not give them others in the room I conclude then and I hope with evidence clear enough that Baptisme was not onely intended by God for an introductory Ordinance to last for a time but for a staple standing Ordinance with Teaching to the end of the world and that too ordained for the Creatures good and consequently as sinful a thing to neglect it as it would be to neglect ones daily bread If all that hath been said be not enough to satisfie the Reader concerning the standing of Baptisme I referre thee to Mr. Baxster P. 542. Of plan Scripture proof who hath in his book of Baptisme offered ten Arguments all grounded upon the plain Text of Scripture to prove it and in the end concludeth thus I will add no more because it is but on the by and because this is sufficient to those that can judge of Scripture evidence when they hear it and will be ruled by it when they know it and for others it is not many words that can cure their disease And if any body think me over zealous in this matter let them consider the words of Calvin p. 208. of his Commentary upon the Acts though he doth most ingenuously confess that since the beginning the Church did grant liberty to her self to CHANGE the Rites meaning from putting all the body into the water to sprinkling Now the use saith he is to sprinkle the body or the head But though they took the boldness to do that which Calvin justifieth the Church in yet for the continuance of Baptisme it self we ought rather saith he to fight a hundred times to death for the ceremony it self of Baptisme in as much as it was delivered us by Christ then that we should suffer the same to be taken from us But I say that there is the same reason to fight a hundred times to death for the right subject and the right form of administring it 1. Because God is wiser than men and because any body with half an eye may see that the change from dipping to sprinkling frustrateth the great design of Christ in the Ordinance it self as I have shewn already and in a manner maketh it useless and because changing of the Ordinances we find to be a hainous provoking thing to God of old Isaiah 24.5 The earth mourneth and fadeth away the earth also is defiled with the Inhabitants thereof because they have transgressed the Lawes CHANGED the Ordinance Mark not for a totall laying aside of them onely but for transgressing the rule and changing them yea the 29.16 Mark how hainously God taketh the wise mens turning things upside down I say mark all yee wise men and consider Surely your TVRNING things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters clay yea he threateneth at the 14. verse for this very reason that their FEAR that is their worship was taught after the precepts of men The WISDOME of their WISE men should perish and the understanding of the prudent should be hid And if any one ask why God was so severe upon this account the conclusion of the 16. verse telleth all Shall the thing framed say of him that framed it HE HAD NO UNDERSTANDING This then is the account God maketh of mens changing the Ordinances that it is a reflexion upon God as if he wanted understanding changing Gods Lawes is no other but a charging God with that weakness which poor fallible men are subject unto which maketh them many times upon experience to change theirs Come close then oh world and discern the difference between us and our adversaries and judge whether our brethren that hate us and cast out our name as evill have any just ground for what they doe the difference is easily seen they have changed the great Ordinance of Baptisme thou seest Calvin honestly confesseth it whereas we think Christ wiser than Calvin or the Church he speaketh of and have we not reason for it and that instead of changing his Laws it becometh us to be humbly obedient to his Lawes and do not we do well in it They think they have mended the Ordinances we think they have spoiled them and do plainly see the ground of their first tampering with them was pomp profit and ease and that it is our duty Jude the 3. on Christs behalf to endeavour with all our might the recovery of them to their primitive purity As I have given thee good Reader the judgement of Calvin as to the form of baptising of old so take his words about the subject p.
faith in Christ to be true by this that they were not ashamed to put on Christ to bear his Name publickly whatever it should cost them And then 2. Whereas he saith AS MANY OF YOU as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ They and onely they that were baptised into Christ were judged by the Churches as persons that had put on Christ in distinction from Moses and that had now embraced the Religion of the Lord Jesus And although it be very true that beleiving persons are not in so-good a way of perfecting by the gifts of Christs pastors and Teachers out of Churches as in Churches yet that will not justifie the Church in breaking any of Christs rules for their admission their suffering is through their own fault the mouth of God being open and his heart enlarged towards them And thus good Reader how easily maist thou see that the Scriptures complain of the yoak wherein Mr. Goodwin forceth them to draw Your two and twentieth Consideration hath many parts and for substance thus FIrst we understand by books and writings of such authority and credit that we have no ground as all to question their truth that the generation of men whose judgements have gone wandring after dipping and re baptising have from the very first originall and spring of them since the late reformation been very turbulent and trouble some in all places where they have encreased to any numbers considerable and wiser men than I are not a little jealous over the peace of this Nation lest it should suffer as other places have formerly done from the tumultuous and domineering spirit of this sort of men so numerously prevailing as they doe There is a strong tide of report both from Ireland and Scotland that as farre as the interest and power so far the insolency also and importune haughtiness of that generation we speak of extendeth in both these Nations and that all persons of what integrity or worth soever who are not enlightned with their darkness about their dipping are trodden under foot like unsavoury Salt and judged unmeet for any place of trust or power with them being allowed onely the preferments of drawing water and hewing wood One of this faction or party in England and he no small beggar neither speaking of a person who though not of his judgement about the necessity of dipping yet otherwise a man that had very well deserved of that way in severall respects yet speaking of this person he said in the presence of several persons of quality that He deserved to be hanged an Aphorisme consonant to a latter saying of a Preacher of that way about the City who in discourse with a person walking in communion with me about his judgement and being as it seemeth worsted in the skirmish at last recovered the lost ground with this or the like Epiphonema that she might find her Church at Tyburn and the Gallows These words I regard but as muck notwithstanding it may concern others to look after the fire But surely these men when they come into their Kingdome of authority and power will execute judgement without partiality if so then he that deserveth to be hanged must expect no better quarter than that of the halter and if Justice be administred without partiality all that are in the same condemnation of anti-dipping with him may bear him company in the same expectation Before I make particular answer to this Consideration I must say it cannot passe my observation how strangely Mr. Goodwins zeal in opposing us transporteth him how it maketh him forget his old brave sayings wherein he certainly had the Spirit of God with him he once said The truth would never be made great by the suggesting of morral imputations against the enemies of it Ye a in his Cautions for Reformation he beginneth as well he may thus They who intend a reformation according to the Word of God must take heed of admitting humane passions into their consultations For in James his divinity The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God that is saith he MARK subjecteth a wan to an incapability of doing that which is truly agreeable to his will And doth not these words come home to Mr. Goodwin for hath he not left calm reasoning from Scripture ground and betaken himself to wrath and the weapons of reflexion his spirit being as it were of a light fire no marvell then if he manage this controversie upon termes so disagreeable to Gods will and that he come to shake hands with the old enemy of the truth Gangrena in many of his methods and will heaven or earth like of it He once said Gangrena would be found a strumpet of the race and lineage of the great scarlet whore that the vine of the Author was as the vine of Sodome and his grapes grapes of gall his clusters bitter his wine the poyson of dragons and the cruell poyson of aspes And hath not Mr. Goodwin now justified it But if the question be How Mr. Woodwin hath justified Gangrena The answer is by doing himself just as that Author did which hath made some lift up their eyes to heaven and say LORD WHAT IS MAN THAT THOU ART MINDFUL OF HIM If the question be wherein it is answered 1. By taking up disparaging reports against his brethren that never did him harm and publishing them to disgrace their religion by This was the great fault of Mr. Edwards for which Mr. Goodwin reproveth him thus p. 4 of Cretensis The form of those accusations Mr. Edwards hath levied against his brethren is much more inexcusable than the matter of them We do not read that either Cham or Doeg though sons of much unworthiness ever traded with Satan for these black commodities or compassed the earth too and fro with 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 lip against any man upon either the loose or malitious suggestion of others BVT ONELY mark that RELATED and informed what themselves SAW WITH THEIR OWN EYES and that casually without any waiting the opportunity But Mr. Goodwin hath not onely taken up a report against a man but against many even the generation as he calleth them that he is now writing against 2. He hath not onely taken up these reports into his lip but like Mr. Edwards he hath published them to the world in print to be an everlasting monument of dishonour to them which hainous sin of yours against the royal Law of love will he found agravated by these two notorious circumstances 1. The matter of the story it self being utterly untrue though you did not think so And 2. Against persons many whereof have had honourable thoughts of you and much love for you Secondly To convince you that the same spirit or a worse acted you in writing this book that inspired Mr. Edwards in his Gangrena