IT was the enquiry sometime of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (What do men say of me? or, who do they say I am?) not that he cared for the popular vote, nor that he was ignorant of the opinion the world had of him, or the construction or interpretation they gave of his actions; he knew the world was evil, and therefore would speake evil: but he was more inquisitive to know what the godly said of him, and there­fore demands a second question: But who do (you) you, my Disciples, say I am? It would be convenient for a man, for a Christian man to say sometimes, what do the godly and wise say of me, and what interpre­tation do they give of my actions? for by this means sometimes they may hear by others what is in their own hearts, and come to know that in themselves, which because of selfe they knew not before. Such a question as this, S^r, I heard you not long since aske in company where providence cast both you and me, viz, what acceptation hath my book (meaning, the Presbyterian dependent, &c.) found among the people? but I must confesse it was in modest termes beseeming you; the answer then returned was not so plain as was desired. S^r, I shall give you now an account of what approbation that book and two more, viz. hath had by the wise and godly; but before I speake to that, let me say something of the first question, viz. what men say of you? S^r, they re­cognize and call to minde, that not long since God called you to suffer under a proud and insulting generation of men, which for their pride and partiality God hath made them vile and base before all the people: herein God honoured, I say honoured, because God honoureth us more to set us about any of his worke, though it be to suffer for him, then we honour him; I say again, honoured you, and two or three more, whereas if he pleased, he might have honoured many others of his then upright [Page 4] servants to suffer for him, which by the same assisting and supporting grace God gave you, they would have honoured God as much as you did; But as if you three were the only three Worthies, to you it was given to suffer for his Name. For the carriage and constancie you all shewed in your sufferings, where your persons were not known beyond the confines of three Kingdomes; your names were honoured, and were like a precious box of oyntment poured out, sending forth an odoriferous and fragrant smell, God brought you out of your suffer­ings, heard the prayers and tears of his people for you, inlarged you, imprisoned your adversaries: a great mercy and to be had in everla­sting remembrance. This called for thankefullnesse and circumspection at your hands. Suffering Saints, when delivered, should walke humbly, or else they lose their glory. Hezekiah as faithfull and upright a ser­vant of God as God had any, was sick, sick to the death in the opinion of his doctors, and in the observation of the Jews, the first man say they that ever recovered of that disease; but his heart was lifted up, he ren­dred not to God according to his great goodnesse, you know the con­sequence. S^r, this is the fear, the godly jealousie your friends godly and wise have of you, that you are lifted up, that you render not to God ac­cording to his great goodnesse, and they fear this is the effect that will ensue upon this, that as when you humbled your selfe and honoured God, God honoured you, so now you beginning to exalt your self, and so dishonouring God, God will humble you. S^t Paul was beholding to God for a preventing Pill in this kinde, a thorne in his flesh, a messenger of Satan: S^r, in one word, your friends, your godly wise friends, your Presbyterian friends, must I call them so, fear you have lost a great deal of the exercise of your graces, by which you have lost a great deal of the lustre of your graces, and clowded that good report you had once a­mongst the Saints; and this is that which the godly say of you; and I shall say no more to the first query, only the Lord shew you your own heart, and humble you for your own sin.

Now, S^r, I shall give you an account what men say of your late workes; As for your Presbyterian dependent Gods ordinance, the wise and godly say, that for the first part of it, there is worth and weight in it, being founded upon the Scripture; though they that are of the contrary opinion slight it, and pufte at it; a fault of theirs, and savours too much of pride and selfishnesse: yet I do not see they shake those Arguments by any of their encounters. But as for many passages by the bye, many expressions, especially in the latter part of that book, [Page 5] wherein more particularly you disparage their learning and their preaching, the Presbyterians dare not own but do disclaim, they being not of the number of them that commend themselves, and discommend and disparage the gifts and graces of dissenting Brethren: they can I fear too truly say of some of the Independent party, they are too proud, and censorious, and selfish, that they are passionate, and carry on pri­vate interests under publike pretences, and that there is more selfe and passion in some of their Arguments, then there is reason or Divinity: yet for all that, they can acknowledge their parts, their graces; they can say, such an one is an Independent, for distinction, and yet say he is a godly man, and a learned man, and they can spie grace, and love grace in a dissenting Brother: If there be any that fail herein among the Presbyterians, as why may there not be one that may somewhat disparage that party, as there is in the contrary party those that are a shame to them, those whom they disclaim either their persons or pra­ctices; I say, if there be any such amongst them or us, let them bear it themselves, but let not the whole suffer. This is the fault you charge upon M^r I. L. charging the whole Parliament, when but some par­ticular persons do offend. I conceive, S^r, you have to do with the worst of them, and suppose they are the very worst of men, yet your Master Christ never taught you to revile them that revile you, and to upbraid all for the folly and weaknesse of some of that party: Michael the Arch-Angel disputed with the Malignants father, the grand Ma­lignant, yet me thinks there is a great deal of emphasis even in the translation, it saith, he [durst] not bring in, and he durst not bring in [a] or one rayling accusation against Satan: how then should any dare to bring many railing accusations against them, whereof some of them at the least are dissenting brethren? and if we should ungrace some of them, if I may so speak, we should be as faulty as some of them are for unchurching us.

It may be you will say, S^r, all this is too generall, and charges must be particular, but wherein in particular do my godly friends and Pres­byterians dislike and disclaim me? In these things more especially do your friends bewail your apparent mistakes.

First, In your commending of your selfe, and there is a veine of this that runs thorow your three last books; this I am sure as Solomon doth dislike, and counsels the contrary, so you never learned it of your Master Christ, nor of any godly, wise, sober and praiseworthy Presbyterian. It is the fault (and worthily taken notice of) of some [Page 6] of the Independent party, for commending themselves as the only learned, the only Saints, that they look as impartially on things as flesh and bloud can in any juncture of time (a phrase of theirs) when others that indeed are impartiall in this can see the contrary in some of them, and do bewail it, in stead of upbraiding them with it.

Secondly, Your Presbyterian friends think you faulty, and herein go not along with you, in discommending and disparaging the gifts or graces of the contrary party. S^r, cannot the Nut-shell be thrown away; and the kernell kept? must the least of good be thrown away, because it hath much drosse? doth God see a little grace in us in a deal of cor­ruption, and shall not we do so too? because some of that party have done much disservice to the Church and state, shall we say all of them do so? I my selfe know to the contrary, and of some I dare say, it is through their weaknesse and infirmity. It is the fault of the Caviliers, where they come and finde a little goods, they leave none: will you where you finde but a little goodnesse, plunder them of all? this is a fault, and worthily calls for your taking notice of it. You will fetch an argument from Bellarmine, or another Popish writer, yea and com­mend his learning. We say, give the Devil his due, much more to a dis­senting Brother.

Thirdly, The Presbyterians disclaim your charging of the whole party to be such as the worst of them are: Some are proud, imperious and impetuous in their way, censorious, uncivill, full of wrath, they can see nothing praiseworthy but in themselves, no light like theirs, nor no reason like theirs; others are unlearned, irrationall and brutish in respect of those; now to say all are thus and thus, as this and this man is, so are all the rest; this the wise and godly do disclaim.

Fourthly, The bitternesse of your expressions are justly disliked and disclaimed. S^r, it needs not; let them that have bad causes use bad words and Billingsgate dialect: ill words, bitter expressions prove nothing, nor commend not the cause vindicated. The Presbyterian Cause is no such Cause that needs rayling expressions, or bitter speech­es. S^r, to speak plain, there are many expressions in your first, se­cond and third book, that are much below the parts and learning of D^r Bastwick; many of them are unbeseeming, unsaintlike, uncivill ex­pressions. Look but in your just defence to I. L. pag. 39. and 40. and many other places. I am ashamed to name the expressions: And in the mean time you cry out against them for their unchristian and uncha­ritable [Page 7] expressions; as Plato charged Diogenes, to tread down his pride (as Diogenes call'd it) with greater pride. What needs so much gall? one would have thought you of all other men had learned the just measure and proportion of every ingredient. Doth Jests and Jears, light and extravagant expressions become D^r Bastwick? they are quite below you; and you put these jears in their mouthes to de­ride your friends, for truly, S^r, this is the fruit of many of your expres­sions in your books, where you have eased your selfe, you have burthen­ed your friends, and they lie under them.

I shall name no more; but herein in these particulars especially I dare say, and that not without some ground of what I say, all the godly and wise that are of the Presbyterian party, that I do hear of or meet with upon any occasion, do dislike you, and do bewail your mi­stakes herein.

As for your Adversary M^r I. L. you easily perswade your friends that he hath wronged and abused you; he sticks at none, but strikes at all; a learned and religious Assembly of Ministers, yea the Supream Court must passe under his Satyricall lash, and he impetuously must rage and rayle at both of them. I am confident that if God loves him he will lay his proud spirit low enough, before God hath done with him; Yet I will not Reprobate him by no means, he may come and see his errours, and obtain pardon of the Parliament; yea and God yet may make use of him, when he is fitted for imployment; so I shall leave him with this request to him, that whilest he writes and fights against an Arbitrary power, he be not a servant to his own lusts and passions, whilest he speaks against the powers that are of God.

And for you, Noble S^r, let this request be granted by you, that which you desire of others, Reade your own Books over with candid ingenuity, because your Pen is not infallible; take it once more in your hands, not to write more till you have got more humility, because we suffer much by what you have written, but to correct what you have written; such a margent as this I presume would be very pleasing to God, and profitable to your selfe and others: by doing this you will make your parts to be acknowledged, your graces to shine; you would endear your friends, and stop the mouthes of your adversa­ries; and which is more then all, in this God would be glorified. [Page 8] The Lord put it into your heart to do that which will be most for Gods glory and for the Churches good, increase all the graces of his Spirit in you, make you shine more and more like the Sun to the mid-day, when the light of the wicked shall be put out like a candle: This is the prayer of,