A brief apology of Thomas Cartwright against all such slanderous accusations as it pleaseth…A brief apologie of Thomas Cartwright against all such slaunderous accusations as it pleaseth…

Let this then be thy Pattern (good Reader whosoever thou art) how to wrestle with thy affections in the like assaults: It is lamentable ⟨image 3⟩I confess, that such unclean mouths as this should thus take their liberty to disgrace at will. But muse not at it, good Reader, it hath been so in all ages and will be so still: For so long as the Lord giveth Satan leave to buffet & assail his church, so long thou mayest be assured there will never want a Rabshakeh, a Shimei, or a Sennacherib to play their parts. Nevertheless, herein thou mayest comfort thy self, if thou mark how and in what sort this reviling generation is curbed, as it were, snaffled and restrained by the powerful and righteous hand of God, that in the middest of their forwardness and boldness to blunder out what they list without blushing, they can hardly for their lives blunder out a trueth, as if the Lord in his secrete judgement had purposely and apparently blasted their pen with a lying and distempered spirit. All which if thou find verified without all gainsay and exception in the writings of Mr D. Sutcliffe and others of that hair, and withal if thou see these men that do thus headily and desperately lash on in disgrace of others, to be them selves in their several accusations so palpably taken tardy, that the very walls and stones of the streets may convince them of untruth: if I say thou find this to be true (and for proof thereof I refer thee to this short and modest defence) have patience in thy self and give the glory to God, who doth thus, thou seest, in his wisdom make a way and passage for the clearing of th'innocent, even thorough the mouth and malice of th'accuser him self.

Let this then be thy Paterne (good Reader whosoeuer thou art) howe to wreastle with thy affections in the like assaultes: It is lamentable ⟨image 3⟩I cōfesse, that such vncleane mouthes as this should thus take their libertie to disgrace at will. But muze not at it, good Reader, it hath bene so in all ages and will be so still: For so long as the Lord giueth Satā leaue to buffet & assaile his church, so long thou maiest be assured there wil neuer want a Rabshakeh, a Shimei, or a Senacherib to play their partes. Neuerthelesse, heerein thou maiest comfort thy selfe, if thou marke how and in what sorte this reviling generation is curbed, as it were, snaffeled and restrained by the powerfull and righteous hand of God, that in the middest of their forwardnesse and boldnesse to blunder out what they list without blushing, they can hardly for their liues blunder out a trueth, as if the Lord in his secrete iudgement had purposely and apparauntly blasted their penne with a lying and distempered spirit. All which if thou find verefied without all gainesay and exception in the writings of Mr D. Sutcliffe and others of that haire, and withall if thou see these men that doo thus headely and desperatlie lash on in disgrace of others, to be them selues in their seuerall accusations so palpably taken tardie, that the very walles and stones of the streetes may convince them of vntrueth: if I say thou find this to be true (and for proofe therof I referre thee to this short and modest defence) haue patience in thy selfe and giue the glory to God, who doth thus, thou seest, in his wisedome make a way and passage for the clearing of th'innocent, euen thorough the mouth and malice of th'accuser him selfe.