The first of these is sufficiently answered in my Disaster, Paradox, and Vindication, and the latter is likewise answered in my Addition to those in my Apologie.
But therein I did forget to give his Worship hearty thanks, for his kind respects towards me & now I could wish that I had followed his grave advise, then should I have neglected the consures of men upon me and my Books, and so have been victorous by Patience, which is much better then strife and contention: For I do humbly acknowledge that I have overwatched or overwrought my self in making Books, and therefore thinke it is now best to surcease and leave; yet my minde is very much troubled which is the greatest misery that can happen to a man in this world, as the wiseman hath it in Pro. 18.14. The spirit of a man may bear bodily infirmities, but a wounded spirit who can bear? Therefore to ease my minde of this intollerable burden I have lately supervised my works, and therein finde some litterall faults escaped in the Presse, by reason of my haste to have them printed: But all the wit I have cannot finde so many substantiall errors, as to make it the work of the devill, as some affirme, except that be one in my bitter Pill, where I do affirme that my supposed grand Adversary hath vilyfied as honest a man as himself, but pray let my modesty excuse my smooth language towards him, for though he doth, I do not delight in railing terms, because I know that in me, that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing, that I am not able of my self to thinke a good thought, that I am the greatest of all sinners: and therefore have nothing whereof to boast, but my infirmities, and those I glory in for sure I thinke it is the finger of God that by my foolishnesse hath struck to the heart root some guilty persons hypocritically and maliciously affected: and therefore to those that say my Bookes are like a rope of sand which will not hold together, but crumble and moulder into inconsistent, uselesse, and unprofitable things, I affirme and declare, that my Heavenly and Divine Ejaculations, and my Morall Satyricall Fancies are so farre unlike that simile, that they are as strong as a chaine of Iron, as true as Steele, and as precious as Gold. For the ground of the first worke is apparent in the Epistle to the Reader; and how firmly at hangs thereon all men may judge. And if any new inspired Teacher, with assistance of the most Orthodox Divines in this Kingdome dare set pen to paper against my Angry Labours of good will to satisfle a troubled minde, which spring from the two former Letters, and some opprobrious [Page]speeches of any malignant parties. I have already by the assistance of the Almighty on these my weake endeavours, made it manifest in the view of all men, in my Disaster, Paradox, &c. that as the Hydrean heads of the Hypocrite began to appeare in my view, so according to my skill I have cut them off with the two-edged sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, and Reason, which I hope is so potent that all my malicious adversaries are not able to breake one link thereof with the said instrument; though I must acknowledge they may abuse me with their Militia, which they have made Malitia, as some have done to divers others of farre better worth then I am for smaller matters. And therefore to expend my money in printing my owne fancies, though never so good, I will not for all that their malice can doe unto me, much lesse will I trouble my selfe for what they may falsly say of me.
And I doe once more chalenge great Goliah and the Philistines to defie me with any propositions against Monarchie and Episcopacie, as it is established in this kingdome: let them if they dare put forth their knotty Riddles, and tie their Foxes tales one to another, with all the craft and cunning they can, and I hope with David to sticke a stone in the forehead of great Goliah, which I shall finde in the brooke of Gods word and other little Rivers, and with the helpe of my Fathers Heifer I trust to untie, breake, and plow up the hard Rockes in their fraudulent Riddles, that it shall be eaven and plaine ground, and set such firebrands betweene their Foxes tales that shall burne and consume their seeming corne to ashes. For it grieves my very soule to see and heare rare men abused and contemned, but such malignant VVoodcockes as Peters and other New England Apostles, applauded to the very Heavens. And certainly if they bee suffered to continue long they will bring miserie, Calamytie, and destruction upon us all. For thus I heard one say in his Pulpit yesterday, That they are no people which have not God among them: which cannot be, for God is everywhere by his Omnipresence and Providence, though it is true his particular soule saving presence is onely with his Saints. But hereby this fellow and divers others of his garbe would inferre, That all the wicked must utterly be destroyed from the face of the earth, which is very false and pernicious doctrine; for God set a marke upon Cain, lest any man finding him should kill him. And Christ saith expresly, the Tares must grow with the Wheat untill the Harvest. But envie, malice, treason, [...]
MAster Walmesley and Mistris Vanpaine, of all Sir Iames his kindred I did thinke you had beene the most truly religious, and therefore was bold to present unto each of you a Booke, which I thought you would kindly accept of because it was of my composing, who was a poore servant when you dwelt with my master, rather then for any worth in the thing it selfe: but it seemes my expectation therein was frustrated, for in stead of commending my expence of spare time in such workes, I understand you have vilified the same. Therefore because you are so godly iudicious, I would entreat you to peruse this fruit of my labour likewise, and certifie my faults therein with a pen, and then send them unto me by some Porter, whose paines I will requite, and I shall esteeme it a favour shewed to
MAster Browne, I have perused your Bookes, and I finde them uselesse for me. I finde in them light with darknesse, holy things and vaine unprofitable things mixed, which are altogether inconsistent: and I am sure if you will not look beyond the Moone, but fixe your eies a little, there you may finde there a dead flie which makes your bookes of ointment unsavourie, if there were no other errours in your Booke, the which there are many: but you must not expect that I will take upon me to nominate the particular errors in your books [Page]for then I should beginne to be a book-maker as well as you: wherefore I will not now beginne to confute bookes, because God hath not called me unto it. As for that which was good in Sir Iames Cambel my deare deceased Vncle, I suppose I know as well as your selfe, and therefore I need not your book to teach me the knowledge of it: but if you will send me one of his pictures which you caused to be drawne upon a boord the bearer hereof shall content you for it. And here according unto your desire I have sent you your two bookes, as also a booke of yours which my brorher Walmesley intreated me to send you: and thus I rest, onely advising you as a friend that you would cease to make more bookes unill you be inabled to make such as may be for the glorie of God, and edifying of his Church, lest at length you bee called unto account by the great God of heaven and earth, for mis-spending of your precious time in dishonoring of him in this way of book-making: and thus desiring of God that he would by his saving and illuminating Spirit discover unto you the knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified for you. And thus I commit you unto the protection of Almightie God, and rest,
The second Letter came from my reverend [...], in answer to those in my Apologie, thus.
I Must desire you to consider that my leisure will nor permit me to reade such large Volumes, and beside, my eyes cannot master so small a print, otherwise I should be glad to give you my furtherance in any course that might promote your contentment. I doe not yet well know why you sent me the copies of these Bookes which I had before, niether was I able to reade perfectly halfe of your Letter, which might have acquainted me more fully with your mind: but, by what I both see and coniecture, I conceive you overwatcht your businesse, and are too tenderly affected with the censures of men upon your Booke, and your selfe, not remembring that the best victorie is got by neglecting them. I am sorie you put my name to your Testimoniall in print, not as ashamed of it, but as unwilling to have it publique to a thing of no more moment: And for your Petition, my iudgement is, that to preferre it to the King you shall doe great wrong both to your Master, and the Executors, and your selfe; I the rather minde you of it, because I would have you confident, that I will alwayes be readie to doe you any good to my power, as fits