A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Dear Friends,

Once more, through the great mercy of God, I have liberty to send you a Preacher for your private families, which may speak to you (truly and plainly, though not elegantly) when I cannot, and when I lie silent in the dust. I take it for no small mercy that I have been so much employed about the Great and ⟨image 3⟩Necessary things, in despite of all the malice of Satan, who would have entangled me, and taken up my time, in personal vindications and barren controversies. As I never knew that I had one enemy in the world that ever was acquainted with me; so those that know me, dissuading me from Apologies against the accusations of those that know me not, have spared my time for better work. Though there is about fifty writings (in whole or part) against me published, (by Infidels, Seekers, Familists, Enthusiasts, Quakers, Papists, Antinomians, Levellers, Covenant-breakers, State-subverters, Church-dividers, besides impatient dissenting Brethren, and Dependants that took it for the rising way), I yet find no cause (as to the present age, and those that know me) to be at any great care or pains for a defence; while malicious lies do but make men wonder, that wrinkled Envy should be so mad as to come so naked on the Stage, and show her ugly deformities to the world, and could not stay at least till Wit had helped her to a Cloak.

ONce more, through the great mercy of God, I have liberty to send you a Preacher for your private families, which may speak to you (truly and plainly, though not elegantly) when I cannot, and when I lie silent in the dust. I take it for no small mercy that I have been so much employed about the Great and ⟨image 3⟩Necessary things, in despight of all the malice of Satan, who would have entangled me, and taken up my time, in personal vindications and barren controversies. As I never knew that I had one enemy in the world that ever was acquainted with me; so those that know me, disswading me from Apologies against the accusations of those that know me not, have spared my time for better work. Though there is about fifty writings (in whole or part) against me published, (by Infidels, Seekers, Familists, Enthusiasts, Quakers, Papists, Antinomians, Levellers, Covenant-breakers, State-subverters, Church-dividers, besides impatient dissenting Brethren, and Dependants that took it for the rising way), I yet find no cause (as to the present age, and those that know me) to be at any great care or pains for a defence; while malicious lyes do but make men wonder, that wrinkled Envy should be so mad as to come so naked on the Stage, and shew her ugly deformities to the world, and could not stay at least till Wit had helpt her to a Cloak.