And that thou mayest, good Reader, understand1 the full truth; Be pleased, I pray thee, to spend yet a little more idle time with us, while I relate, as briefly as I well may, as well upon what occasion, as what it was, that I spake to Mr. B. at that time that here he mentioneth. Being informed that it was given out by some of Mr. Bs. acquaintance; that (upon the offering of this his Discourse to be licensed for the Press, and complaint made by him of supposed wrong that I had done him in confuting him ⟨p. 49⟩in open Pulpit by Name) it was by that Reverend Doctor that licensed my Book, acknowledged that I had indeed done Mr. B. wrong, and that I should therefore give him satisfaction in private, but that Mr. B. would not therewith be satisfied, but would have it done in public, since the wrong was such; and that the same Reverend Doctor should say▪ that if my Treatise of Lots were again to be licensed, he would not have licensed it: (all which was utterly untrue) and supposing that this could come from none but Mr. B. himself, I desired meeting him near Pauls Church, to have a few words with him. Which granted, I related unto him, what I had heard, & named the party said to have made such report; demanded of him whether either any such report came from him, or the things reported themselves were true. Mr B. denying both to be the Author of the report, and the truth of the things reported; for that I there rested. But I further told him, that I understood that he had offered a Discourse for the Press against part of my Book, which I wished with all mine heart might come forth; athe truth, I hoped, would thereby the better be cleared, and I should willingly be informed of ought that I erred in; to which purpose I told him, that I had also dealt earnestly as well with Dr Westfield, (who I know well, will testify as much) when it was tendered to him some three years ago; as also since with Dr Featly, the party before mentioned, (which Mr. B. also acknowledged to have understood from him) ⟨p. 50⟩that they would be pleased at my request to allow it for the Press. Which why they refused to do, is needless here to relate. I told him further, that I was informed of two things in it; the one, that I was accused therein to have confuted him in the Pulpit by name;
And that thou maist, good Reader, vnderstand1 the full truth; Be pleased, I pray thee, to spend yet a little more idle time with vs, while I relate, as briefly as I well may, as well vpon what occasion, as what it was, that I spake to Mr. B. at that time that here he mentioneth. Being informed that it was giuen out by some of Mr. Bs. acquaintance; that (vpon the offering of this his Discourse to be licenced for the Presse, and complaint made by him of supposed wrong that I had done him in confuting him ⟨p. 49⟩in open Pulpit by Name) it was by that Reuerend Doctor that licenced my Booke, acknowledged that I had indeed done Mr. B. wrong, and that I should therefore giue him satisfaction in priuate, but that Mr. B. would not therewith be satisfied, but would haue it done in publike, since the wrong was such; and that the same Reuerend Doctor should say▪ that if my Treatise of Lots were againe to be licenced, he would not haue licenced it: (all which was vtterly vntrue) and supposing that this could come from none but Mr. B. himselfe, I desired meeting him neere Pauls Church, to haue a few words with him. Which granted, I related vnto him, what I had heard, & named the party said to haue made such report; demanded of him whether either any such report came frō him, or the things reported themselues were true. Mr B. denying both to be the Author of the report, and the truth of the things reported; for that I there rested. But I further told him, that I vnderstood that he had offered a Discourse for the Presse against part of my Booke, which I wished with all mine heart might come forth; athe truth, I hoped, would thereby the better be cleared, and I should willingly be informed of ought that I erred in; to which purpose I told him, that I had also dealt earnestly as well with Dr Westfield, (who I know well, will testifie as much) when it was tendred to him some three yeeres agoe; as also since with Dr Featly, the party before mentioned, (which Mr. B. also acknowledged to haue vnderstood from him) ⟨p. 50⟩that they would be pleased at my request to allow it for the Presse. Which why they refused to doe, is needlesse here to relate. I told him further, that I was informed of two things in it; the one, that I was accused therein to haue confuted him in the Pulpit by name;
- 1T. G.
- aEx mutuo conflictu, velut ignis è silice, veritas elicitur & emicat.
