I Am here convened before you, under the Notion of a Scandalous man in life and conversation; and on that ac­count to be ejected out of the Ministry. The Ministrie of the Gospel I know to be so sacred a Function of ap­proach to God, as that Holinesse should adorn the sub­jects of it: A Ministers practice I well know is so obvious to the peoples view, that he that is prophane, must needs unpro­fitably preach the Word of Holiness: it hath ever been a Pe­tition in my Lerany, From an ignorant and profane Ministry, the scandal of Christianity, Good Lord deliver us. And on that ac­count I have in my late A Book so cal­led. Right Re-entred declared to all the world, and told mine enemies, I am so zealous for a pious Mi­nistry, that let me but have just Judges, judicial Process, and faithful Witness, and if I be found guilty of a scandalous conver­sation, let me be cast out as unsavory salt; for though I cannot bear recrimination, as the answer of my Right yet I desire not to retain forfeited priviledges, the forfeiture being regularly demand­ed. Hereupon the enemies of my Ministry having loudly cla­moured, that I was a person vile and scandalous, and that they may audactèr calumniare, reproach with impudence, not doub­ting, but that though they miss their design, they may with so [Page 2] much impudence make some dirt to stick. To this end they have exhibited a charge in sundry Articles against me, unto which I now appear to give this ensuing answer.

I am a Man, and so subject to infirmities, and hard it will be to pass through the sieve of envy, and rake of malice, and have the whole course of my life reviewed by revengeful foes, and not something of guilt found, which may be charged and must not be denied; but yet though as a man I have been surprised with some failings, yet this I have to say, That as a Minister I have (by Gods grace) for more then fourteen years exercised this holy calling, not onely without the least clamor and charge of scandal; but with the fame and repute of a godly man among such as are godly, both Ministers and peo­ple; to the evidence of this, I crave that your Clerk may read these annexed Certificates from the people and Ministers among whom I lived in the Countrey before I came to Lon­don:

And since Providence cast my Ministry into this City, such hath been my course of life, known to my brethren in the Mi­nistry, with whom I have conferred, and intimately associated, as that they are pleased to give of it this ensuing Testimony.

And in this Parish, where these men labour to render me vile such hath been my conversation, that the people who hath seen and known my manner of life (these men excepted, whose first quarrel was, and greatest is, at my * ministry) in an open Assembly (not by gathering names to blanks from door to door in a clandestine way, as did mine enemies) with an una­nimous and cheerful acclamation, give this annexed Testimony of me, and protest against these prosecutions of my name and ministry.

So that I doubt not but you now see, that till this, and at this time to none, but these men; who to revenge their own desired lust, and to wrest out of my hands the authority of my ministry, and civil right of my place: and the better to pal­liate their horrid impiety, and to cloude mine integrity, do labour might and main, right and wrong, to make me vile, whom blessed be God they cannot so finde. And now as to the Charge, I shall desire to note of it in general,

1. That it is exhibited under the specious title of the major part of the Common Council-men, Churchwardens, and divers in­habitants of the Parish of Bottolphs Aldgate, London And yet no one Common Council man, or Churchwarden hath signed it; nor any one Inhabitant, John Levet (one of the basest and vilest for constant enmity to Gospel ministry, com­mon lying and cozoning in the course of his calling, and con­tempt, in the point of his estate excepted) unlesse Capt. Tho. Harrison (that known enemy of Gods Ministers, and impu­dent invader of the pulpit (who as I am informed) purposely to avoide the charge of pragmatical busying himself in other mens matters, hath about a fortnight since taken some lodg­ings in the parish, must be deemed an inhabitant. I well know indeed that the major part of the Common Council-men in point of number; and two Churchwardens are confederate in this design, protested against by two Common Council-men, and two Churchwardens, and many hundreds of the Parish: and if quality may but counterpoise, the five exhibiting will be found much too light for one of the four disowning this Charge; two of the three Common Councilmen being vene­rable Carpenters in their Taffety doublets, Iohn Wildgoss. Iohn Pits. William Iellie. and the other a Tallow-chandler, who gaping for a Deputiship, did on pur­pose to remove them, help the two opposite Common Coun­cilmen to the dignity of Aldermen, and yet lost their design: and as to the point of their practice, let the whole Warde witness, whether it possesseth more proud, ambitious, turbu­lent, deboist, envious and profane persons, more profound Sack-suckers, and substantial Alehouse-supporters, then are these five men. And I will be bold to charge them to be malicious enemies to Gospel ministry; one of them to be forsworn, another convict before the Council impudently [Page 15] to assert a notorious lie, and yet four several times offered to swear it: the third it is well known hath many times high heels under an heavy head, and knows how in Vestry Coun­cils to pay his Tavern Reckoning; and the two Churchwar­dens will scarcely bring their action against such as shall say they are common drunkards and swearers, but they have made the whole Congregation witness, that they can apply this general confession in prayer, Lord, there are in the midst of us men mighty to drink wine, and such as put their bottle to their brothers nose to make them drunk. In a word, they are the shame of the Ward that keeps them in office, and a great dishonour to the honourable Common Council of this City. And as these five, so their divers inhabitants confederate, will be on enquiry found to be men most desperately profane, and at a deadly enmity to the power of godliness. I doubt not but you will easily judge these are fit instruments to appeare against a Minister, and eject him out of this office, whom men of Civility, Gravity, Honesty and Piety do own as godly, and contend to enjoy.

The second thing that I desire to note, is, That this Charge is meerly frivolous, and visibly malicious; containing in it nothing really criminal or scandalous: Suppose a truth in the whole, it accuseth humane infirmities, and chargeth some acts of weakness, which yet are not inconsistent with piety, or ministerial fidelity; nay, and the whole charge lieth without the Cognizance of this Court, and although there were (as indeed there is not) never so much truth in it, yet it is Coram non Judice: you being to judge by a Law, and that law enu­merating such particular crimes as shall be deemed scandalous, none of which is in this Charge objected against me, and therefore unto it I am not bound to pleade, or give any an­swer: Nay, I doubt not but you wil see that you are bound to reject the charge as meerly frivolous; for as to that part which seems to come nearest the criminals, you are appointed to judge, (viz.) many expressions which are pretended to be spoken against the Lord Protector; had I (as I professe in the presence of God, Angels and Men, I did not speak them) yet they are no publication of disaffection to the government, but onely Querulous expressions of the carriage of Governours, [Page 16] and that in the case of a personal and particular grievance, and these two are distinct. The Government may be just, good and allowed, where the Governors may act unjustly, oppress and occasion groans and grievous expressions of complaint, which yet must not be deemed disaffection to the govern­ment.

So that whilst in pleading and giving answer to this Charge, I may render scandalous and criminal what is not so, and be­speak you a Court altogether Arbitrary, who are not so, and become an evil President to such as shall come on this stage af­ter me; and be an occasion for men to fancy, that your Com­mission, piously intended to reform the Ministry, may be used as the humor of envy, and means to ruine Gospel Ministry, on the discontent of any malicious men. I cannot but crave your judgment on the charge, and its consonancy to your Law, and if in your judgments (as in mine) it appeareth to be out of your cognizance, that you will please so to declare it, and accordingly to reject it as meerly frivolous; the which being done, if you and mine enemies please, I shall as before so ma­ny private persons, whose judgements are amicably desired, give answer unto the several particulars of this Charge, by which wide-mouthed and weak men may know, that I plead not your want of Judicial Power to palliate my wicked cause, and cloud my course of life, the which, as it hath, so it shall (with the allowances due to frail man) undergo the strictest scrutinie of envy it self, if God deliver me from false witnesse, with which I have been afflicted.

I having made bold by way of demur to note what is in gene­ral observable in the Charge, do now crave liberty to give un­to the particular Articles this particular answer.

Unto Article the first and sixth, the one charging me to have said unto John Farmantle, If I should consult the divel, what is that to you? And that of my self I should interline the name of Roger Walden into a Justice of Peace his Warrant.

I answer, Though neither of them are criminal, and are qua­lified with such mistaken circumstances, and notorious falsities that I might plead Not guilty, and evade by disproving the circumstances; yet I say to them, as Austin to the accusing Manichee, Quae tu accusasti egomet damnavi, Mine own accu­sation [Page 17] ought to have saved them the labor; whilst had not mine own in genuitie and simplicitie owned, they could never have convicted me, especially of the latter. Is not that a right Christian charge, when a mans own confession must be the only ground of the accusation? Is not repentance the spunge of impiety, much more of infirmity in the pious, and these were no other; if so much; for neither was the one spoken, nor the other acted wilfully, but under visible temptation, or mature advice and counsel.

John Farmantle as a faithful witness should tell the whole truth, he as an overbusie man neer three yeers past, packing with, & put on by Will. Turner, and other his profane compani­ons (who rage at the least restraint or bar to the Lords Table) purposely to disturbe the serious debate to that end agitated, did restlesly and clamorously querie, How will you know who are profane? to which he received that mild answer, Friend, I will resolve you in that anon when this debate is ended: yet he pursued to disturb, and was repelled with this second answer, it may be some of your neighbors may inform me; yet not abiding silent, he received this third answer, Why do you so busie your self in that which concerneth you not? I shall endeavor to know who are profane, and if God by his Spirit should reveal it, what need you care? He yet proceeding to interrupt our debate, at last received this unadvised check, What a strange busie man are you thus to enquire of that which concernes you not? if I should consult the divel, what is that to you? So you see passion pro­voked to the height before it uttered this expression; and a meek Moses may wrathfully call Israel Rebel, and by the Spirit of God canonizing his Saint-ship be shadowed with this charge, They vexed his Spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.

And as the expression was not uttered, so the action was not done without temptation. And concerning it, I say it was an error, but I blesse God on my spirit there is no aggra­vating guilt, nor any thing more save actum agere, I wrote the name. The case was thus; The Justices Clerk having o­mitted Waldens name (purposed to have been in the Warrant) I was running to the Old-Bayly to have it inserted, and met [Page 18] with an eminent and antient Atturney of this City, who told me, I might put in his name my self, for it was ordinary so to do, and in that case for which the Warrant was grant­ed, he was apprehensible without it.

Passing from him, I met with an Alderman, who told me, I might do it and the Justice would own it, who never did disowne it. On which advising, and knowing that the Alder­man was busie at the Sessions, I did interline his name; and al­though one Justice did acquit him, yet before the Lord Chief Justice he was convicted of a Conspiracie laid at the Fountain Tavern by Aldersgate to pull me out of the Pulpit; to which end he combined with Tench and Finch two profane and blasphemous Constables, who made a Ryot in my Church, and came up to the Pulpit to pluck me thence, and disturbed our assembly in the time of Publick Wor­ship, and therefore gave just cause for a Warrant to apprehend him.

And now what will this Charge amount to; Mr Crofton is guilty of an unadvised expression and action, extorted by the visible force of a temptation. This is indeed an infirmity de­serving fraterna correptio, Brotherly reproof, which I have, and am ready to receive from my Brethren in the Ministrie, and desire to be humbled for, as they open the mouths of profane men, that delight to blaspheme.

But are these criminal acts inconsistent to piety, & making the Ministry odious, that he must for them be cast out, and trodden under foot of men. The men that can thus loudly clamor upon his unadvised expression, never once discover the provoked pas­sion which uttered it, nor consider their own terms deliberate­ly uttered, as, That the divel is in you that you own Mr. Crof­ton, as Thomas Harrison said to M. Vanhack, and we will consult the divel, but we will have that shall do against him to ruine him, as they were heard to say in the Guild­hall on Wednesday the second instant. This is not a check of pragmatick curiositie, but a publick resolution. May I not justly say, Pull the beam out of thine own eye; but recri­mination is not my work.

Unto the second Article, which chargeth me to have answer­ed M. Sabin when be asked me, VVhy I did not observe his High­nesse dayes of Thanksgiving, &c. An honest man may receive a courtesie from a Thief on the High-way.

I answer, That this is not criminal, for it is an evasive an­swer, and no Argument of disaffection to the government; for it is the usual Simile brought by such as press subjection unto government irregularly acquired. I remember Judge Mack­worth used a more homely similitude after the cutting off the late King, pressing subjection to the changed government, he said, I will presuppose your former husband was most cruelly and unjustly murdered, were you not then at liberty to mar­ry another? It is well he is dead; these men would endea­vour to make him a Traitor: But these words I never spake, and that M Sabine himself is steady on his oath to witness when ever he is called. And what they mean by words to this purpose, I know not, nor need I care; for they that will make a man an offender for a word, ought to charge and prove syllabically. Words to this purpose, was deemed a very great grievance in the late High Commission Court, and I hope shall not be admitted in these dayes of liberty. For Words to this purpose, may be so in their apprehension, which are not so in the speak­ers intention: Evasive answers are usually ambigu­ous. Presuppose that I should say in answer to such a Que­rie, a man may receive a courtesie on Hounslow Heath. These men cry it amounts to the same sence, as if none but Theeves did travel over Hounslow Heath; but charity can easily find another sence, and make the simile run thus, A man may receive a courtesie from a stranger travelling over Hounslow, whom he knowes not, nor what right he hath to give, only he finds him possessed. Words to this purpose, will easily hook in the best friends that have pleaded plenary possession to cre­ate a right to punish acquirements; and according to accusers mistaken apprehensions, I must be charged as I am in the next Article.

Unto Article the third, which chargeth me to have said, The Lord Protector was not a competent Judge, because he had prejudg­ed me in giving away the half of my Pulpit to Simpson; and fur­ther, that he was an unrighteous Judge, for he that could [Page 20] make a nose of Wax of the Law, as he had done, was an unrighte­ous Judge an unrighteous; or words to that effect.

To this I answer. This is a complaint of unjust administra­tion, but no declared disaffection to government; but as to these words, as charged, I never spake them: The Harrison told me, He would have the Protector hear the foolery clamou­red of my maid: To which I answered, I have offered, and do offer to cast my credit on the verdict of twelve men amicably chosen, or returned by the Sheriff, but as for the Protector he is no competent judge, for he hath prejudged me: and that I had cause to say so there are some anong you know: And if a man may not deem his Highness in some cases an incompetent judge, why doth the Lord Chief Justice sit on the Bench in causes to him relating? And how is he capable of being im­pleaded? But, as for the giving away the halfe of my Pulpit, and saying, That the Protector was an unrighteous judge, and made a nose of Wax of the Law, I never said or thought it: For I am yet to be convinced, that by any colour of law I should be interrupted in publick service, or hindred from preaching twice a day to my people, and that statis horis, on the Sabbath. And therefore unto this part I plead, Not guilty, and to convince me, you must expect the Oath of John Wildgoss, and William Jellie, both accusers, but have not sub­scribed, that they may be witnesses; and these men if they would swear truth must tell you, these were Tho. Harrisons words, not mine. For they coming to my house, and know­ing that I would not speake with them alone, brought with them Nathaniel Duckfield and Edmund Man (now at rest) both men fearing God, and they heard what past in discourse between us.

And if these two Common Council-men do swear (as they are desperate enough) that I spake these words, I shall pro­duce, Nathaniel Duckfield and one Roger Morris (a Mini­ster in North Hamptonshire, who was in my house) to wit­nesse that when I said, The Lord Protector was no competent judge; Thomas Harrison said, What, do you say the Protector is an unrighteous judge? I replyed, No, he that is an incom­petent, is not alwayes an unrighteous judge: He answered, I [Page 21] will swear you said so; and he now attempts to accomplish his word: and when these two Common Council-men were gone away with this accuser, I and my friends did bewail their wickedness, that would gloss on my words, and then swear I spake them; but thus they make up their words to that pur­pose.

Moreover I should (if not furnished to disprove them) except against their testimony as incredible, not onely as they are accusers, in whose name the Charge is exhibited, but as the one is forsworn, and the other a convict lyar.

Unto Article the fourth, Relating to the incivility pretend­ed to be acted on the body of Mary Cadman, I say it is here added to no other end save audactèr calumniaere to fasten with impudence their own slander; were it true, it is no crime; and modesty hath been more violated by the fame, then act it self if done.

But these men are most notoriously impudent, to charge what they can prove by none, save a notorious thief and liar, and one that hath to many in discourse, and on her oath denied it; and that which she never owned, till by a Justices Warrant brought to the Pye and Hoop Tavern hefore their very selves, who have circumstantiated it most ridi­culously; and taught her and others to swear the things in which they are palpably forsworn, and so proved, as doth appear in the late book to you directed, called Perjury, the Proof of Forgery, penned by a friend of mine that well knew all circumstances relating to that businesse. To this there­fore I plead, Not guilty; and will hold mine integrity until I die, and not justifie these mine accusers.

Unto Article the fifth, I say, that I did say, That the Order concerned not me, it being directed to M. Grafton. I knew not the Order to come from the Council, it not being signed by the Clerk as was usual. On August the 8. I gave an an­swer to that order which provided M. Simpson a liberty of Lecturing in my Church, which answer was, That I would do my duty statis horis, and leave him to his liberty when I have done; and I am sure Stepney would give 50 l. per. ann. for such [Page 22] a grant. On August the 9. I kept my pulpit, being so advised by council, and knowing that if I stept out they would seizeit, and to that end Simpson preached at Creed-Church that morning.

The Constables out of Middlesex who had their staves were Parishioners, and on their duty defending me in my right, from such as had at the Fountain Tavern conspired to pull me out of the pulpit, who were these very accusers and prosecu­ters of this charge. For this I was had before the Council, and acquitted; and these Constables were by these men indicted for a Riot who did but their duty, as was evidenced on Tuesday the first of December instant, before the Lord Chief Justice, where they were acquitted, and the conspiracy of these men was discovered. And it must not be made a scandal for a Minister to contend for his just liberty to do his duty, and to have the Officers to defend him in the same against the plotted, viotent assaults of his enemies.

Unto the four first additional Articles, charging me on the Lords day August 16 in my Church and Sermon to have said,

1. That Moses could prevail with the Lord in Prayer, but I could neither prevail by Prayer nor Law, because ungodly men have prevailed with the unjust Judges of this Nation, who have gon contrary to their oath, tyrannically disinheriting me of my right, and letting an erronious turbulent spirit enjoy it.

2. And that their sword was their Law, and therefore their Tyranny was the greater, whereunto law could notreach.

3. And if that I were to plead my cause with either godly, or honest, or pious, or civil, modest or just Judges, according to Law, I were confident I should enjoy my right; and said, That the wickedness of ungodly men had so prevailed against me, with the ty­ranny of unjust judges, that I was inforced to leave my right; and if any of the souls of my people be damned, for ought I know their blood would be re­quired at the hands of the unjust Judges, or Erronious intruders.

I have received an order for Simpsons teaching in my pulpit, and I am here to surrender my just re-entred right to Simpson, contrary to all law, right and rea­son, & as a certain King said, what I wil do, I wil do, so Iam disre-entred by that power that what they wil do, they wil do, contrary to all law, right and reason.

Unto this whole charge I desire it may be noted, That these are the highest but querulous expressions in apprehension of of oppression in a particular case. They all relate to the intrusion of Iohn Simpson into my church, and are charg­ed on that occasion to be spoken, as being thereby provoked. It is the observation of the preacher, That oppression will make a wise man mad. These men make me cry, and then endeavour to have me beaten for crying. His Highness grants I. Simpson a liberty, taking it for granted, that he and his people have so much ho­nesty [Page 23] and modesty as to obtain both ministers and peoples consent. They dis-ingenuously decline that, and by his liberty violently bring me and my people and Gods Ordinances into Captivity.

Can I chuse but be grieved? Can a grieved spirit chuse but speak? And must not their unadvised speeches meet with in­dulgence? Our common proverb saith, Losers may have leave to speak. All men must needs judge, that to have my Church commanded against the common and just priviledge provided for, and possessed by all other Ministers, must needs provoke passion: I, but to be commanded by Jo. Simpson a man of tumults, witness Pauls Church yard, Bishops-gate and Spittle fields: a man of sedition, witness Blackfriers, & Alhallows fifth Monarchy Lectures: A man of Error, even damned errors, a convicted Antinomian, the men yet live in Aldgate Parish that convicted him of saying, The Law is of no use, not so much as a rule of life to a believer: Since his intrusion into my pulpit, he hath decried and degraded Gods holy Ordinances; at one time preaching, he said, To learn a Catechism is not to worship God, you may as wel take your children to the Market or Fair, and buy them Bawbles, Rattles and Hobbie-horses as Catechismes; And when I took notice of it, most impudently denyed in the ears and to amazement of the same Assembly, that ever he spake it, insomuch that some ran out of the Church charging him with a notorious lye. And at the same time he utterred this expression, That it was grosse ignorance for any to think by catechetical heads to bring a man to the knowledge of Christ. Thus in the same place where I had vindicated, he hath vilified this needful Ordinance of Catechizing. And in my own hearing he did most grosly abuse Scripture by false interpretations, as in the Sermon he preached on 1 Pet. 3.19. he noting Christ by his Spirit preached to the spirits which are in prison: By Spirit of Christ, he understood, the Works of Creation and Providence to such as lived remote from Noah, and the voice of Noah to such as were neer him: and by Prison he understood an estate of sin and unregeneracy.

And on Wednesday the 2 of Sept. 1657, he preached, and most vigorously pressed this Familistical, and Baptism degrading [Page 24] Notion, (viz.) Baptism is not the ground of communion with the Church, but real grace, the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead; and though a man were altogether ignorant of the Doctrine, and had never passed under Water-Baptism, he could own him as a member of the Church, and give him all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ. And greatly he did inveigh against all such as would not continue in com­munion with the unbaptized. And although the same day I taxed him with error, and soberly demanded his Arguments, noting some against this notion; nay, and on the following Wednesday I by another Letter did demand and provoke his answer, but so dis-ingenuous and obstinate he is, that I never obtained any.

Now to have such a man to be intruded upon my people, will it not provoke ministerial zeal to loud complaints, and give me cause to say, If any of my peoples souls be damned, their blood will be required from the erroneous intruders.

So that I hope unadvised expressions in this case shall not be deemed disaffection to the Government, under which I li­ved peaceably without the least expression or suspition of dis­affection, untill hereby provoked; and if God and those in Government will but take this yoak from off me and my people, I should be found as silent as the most submisse to the present Government: and a favourable apprehension of any expressions uttered in this provoked complaint, is the rather desired, for that I was one who fought for my liberty, and expect to enjoy it, no lesse then others: so far was I from being in armes for the King (as mine accusers have repor­ted) as that under Sir John Meldrom and Colonel Shuttle­worth, I was in armes against him, as Lancashire and Cheshire can well know, where I encountred those dangers that the proudest of mine enemies I believe never did. I will not except Captain Harrison, nor yet Major John Simpson, of both whom I much mistake if it may not be said, Tutius est contendere ver­bis, quam pugnare manu: And in that Parliamentarie quarrel I did persevere to the last stroak, and the Principles thereof I do with constancy retain. Nor was I ever sequestred on any account of disaffection as mine enemies have falsly suggested: [Page 25] It is indeed true, our Nation hath of late been subject to some revolutions, wherein I can better dread providence then defend instruments; herein I (as many other good men) stand dissatisfied, but not declaredly disaffected: and I hope if the childs complaint do flie something too high, it will be an Apology to acquit from the charge of disaffection that the parents have provoked unto wrath.

But why do I stand to apologize where I am falsely accu­sed: unto this whole charge I do really plead, Not guilty. I did not on the 16 of August speak any of these expressions in the Sermon preached at Aldgate, nor did I speak them at any other time in any other place or Sermon: and I much wonder who must witness these expressions to be mine, where did they sit? I can already read that they trusted their me­mory more then their pen, and I hope when they come to proof they will give you a convincing account of the Sermon in which these expressions were uttered. Sure I am that my whole Congregation will on the first view of them say, Mr. Crofton never uttered such words in their eares, nor is it his Dialect or stile of speech; it sounds much more like the rash conceptions and rude expressions of an All-hallows Lecturer, and those who penned that daies Sermon can finde nothing like this Charge, though mine accusers charge with confi­dence, and without their wonted Salvo, or words to that effect; nay, so far are these words from being mine, that though I would justifie the matter, I should blush at the form: I do not usually speak non sense, and these expressi­ons are no other; in the very first, note the connexion, Mo­ses could prevail with the Lord in prayer, but I can neither pre­vail by prayer nor law: I pray you who is the object of Prayer and Law? is not the Lord, with whom Moses prevailed? and doth it not sound like M. Crofton? He could not prevail with God by prayer or law because ungodly men had prevailed with unjust Judges, &c. And again, thinks any that I deem a Church-living an inheritance, that I should account the intrusion of Joh. Simp­son into the whole (who is in no part) a disinheriting me of my right. Again, Thinks any that I understand not the term Pious or Godly, that I should Tautologize in my expressions? Let [Page 26] my brethren Judge whether it is probable that I would fetch a Similitude from a certain King that said, What I will do, I will do, as if I knew not sic volo, sic Jubeo, to be a faeminine reason; so that the whole is such an heap of non-sense, that could I be convict I spake it, I should rather be convened be­fore you as an insufficient, then a scandalous Minister, but the very face of the child sheweth it to be the brat of some ma­licious brain; For I profess before God, Angels and Men, that I spake them not: Nay, by Gods grace, it hath been my care not to mingle my passionate complaints with his pure Word; and therefore whatever I have done, I did it distinct from my Sermon. I did the 16 of August expresse a complaint against John Simpson and his confederates, and expostulate with them as men of neither reason nor civility, honesty or piety, and they reflect what is charged on themselves upon the present Government, whereas in the whole complaint I did not once mention tyrants, or tyrannically disinheriting, nor unjust Judges, nor the sword being their Law, nor indeed any thing in this whole Charge. The complaint I did make, I (foresee­ing the malicious misapprehensions and misrepresentations of it) I did commit to writing, communicate to some before I spake it, and did read it syllabically out of the paper unto the people, and I can if need be produce it. But these men that have openly enveighed against the Lord Protector, as As did Iohn Simpson in Al­hallows Le­ctures. Tyrant, Great man at White-hall, and provoked against him an Ehuds dagger, calling him As did Wil. Iellic. Juggler, and one that regarded not oathes, and that out of disaffection to his Highness government; can put him into their room, and reflect on him the complaint made against themselves, who in this very case of mine have done no mean dishonour to his government, as I have noted in my Right Re-entred.

Unto the fifth Additional Article, I answer, That preach­ing on the 3 of September, was not commanded none was un­to me propounded to preach that day at Aldgate, and though I preached not at Aldgate, yet I preached at Alhallows Bark­ing; and I am not the only man that omitted that Dayes Ex­ercise, Communis error fit jus.

Unto the last Additional Article, I answer, That there is [Page 27] in it a notorious falsitie; for none of the neighbors desired of me that John Simpson should preach; one indeed put out that querie, when they desired the libertie of the Pulpit, What if we chuse M. Simpson? but he desired no liberty for him; but with their swords by their sides they brought him into the Church, and I would not let him preach, nor will I let him him preach in my Pulpit one moment longer then I cannot help it, and I think, such as love the truth will say, that the care of the souls of my people will nourish, maintain and justifie this resolution.

And now, Gentlemen, I have brought out my cause before you, and given a plea unto this Charge, and that not meerly formal, but real and true, by which I doubt not, but you will see that I had cause to say of it, it is false and frivolous: And hereupon if it come within your cognizance, and the compasse of your Law, I joyn issue, and am ready to proceed to proof, by which it will be more plainly manifest, that malice against Ministry, not any scandal in my life, is the ground of my long vexation, and present prosecution; and that I have cause to say with the Psalmist,